INVESTIGATION OE THE EUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OE ALASKA. 755 



employee. I was my own master. I was not hired by anybody, 

 and did just as I pleased; and that is not in the nature of an em- 

 ployment. 



The Chairman. You mean it was more like a judge would render 

 a decision ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. 



The Chairman. Between parties ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; exactly. I was the arbitrator between the two 

 differing factions of this company. 



Mr. McGuire. Your position is, that one must be hired before 

 they can be regarded as an employee? 



Mr. Elliott. Certainly. 



Mr. McGuire. Of the employer ? 



Mr. Elliott. Certainly. No other definition can be made. 



Mr. McGuire. Now, coming to your last visit to the islands, in 

 your report you mention so many bulls ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGltre. You do not seem to separate them, or classify them. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; I do. 



Mr. McGuire. It is not my recollection that you do. 



Mr. Elliott. My report speaks for itself; 'and they are well 

 classified. 



Mr. McGuire. In what way do you classify them ? 



Mr. Elliott. May I refer to my report ? 



Mr. McGuire. Yes; you may refer to your report. 



Mr. Elliott. On page 5 I say, "Old bulls (8 to 15 years old), 

 1,400; young bulls (6 to 7 years old), 150." Those were on the 

 breeding grounds. Now, there were 



Mr. McGuire (interposing). That is, the 150 were on the breeding 

 grounds ? 



Mr. Elliott. Those were all on the breeding grounds. Nothing 

 could be more explicit. I say: 



There are some 56,000 cows on the St. Paul breeding grounds and about 16,000 

 on St. George, or 72,000 pupping cows this season of 1913. To this number we may 

 safely add some 7,000 nubiles, making in all about 80,000 cows for this year of 1913. 

 The 72.000 pups of 1913 (less about 2 per cent death rate for natural causes), or 70,000 

 pups in round numbers, and some 1,400 old bulls, with less than 150 young bulls 

 make up the following sum total of the breeding strength of the fur-seal herd of this 

 season of 1913. 



Now, that is explicit and clear, is it not % 



Mr. McGuire. Well, you have not, seemingly, there mentioned 

 any of the inactive bulls. 



Mr. Elliott. Those are the bulls that are on the breeding grounds. 

 They are assumed to be active, even if I did not see then engaged 

 in propagating the species. 



Mr. McGuire. Were there any other inactive bulls ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; there were about 150 or 200 vagrant bulls, 

 but those come outside. 



Mr. McGuire. You estimated them differently ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. For instance, turn to page 49. On Upper 

 Zapadni I located about 40 vagrant and spent bulls, ail hauled just 

 north of Station V. They are not included in this table on page 5. 



Mr. McGuire. Did you make an estimate of all of them? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; I have about 1,700. 



Mr. McGuire. Of inactive bulls ? 



