INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 777 



did it in their own way, without any suggestion whatever from us 

 and as they have always done it for the past 20 years. 



Mr. McGuire. What I am trying to bring out is that although these 

 skins were salted for a specific purpose, they were salted in the 

 usual way ? 



Mr. Elliott. In the regular way. 



Mr. McGuire. But being salted for a specific purpose, the only 

 way to get the accurate weights would have been to determine the 

 salt not that Lembkey put on them, but that they put on them at 

 that time. 



The Chairman. I know; but I do not think it was done for this 

 one specific purpose. 



Mr. Elliott. It was done to show the exact amount of salt used 

 in curing when they left the islands. 



Mr. McGuire. But you did not weigh the salt that you put on 

 them ? 



Mr. Elliott. Certainly I did; it is weighed in the bundles. 



Mr. McGuire. At the time you put it on ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, immediately afterwards; they were weighed 

 immediately after the salt was put on. 



Mr. McGuire. The green weights were taken ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. And then Mr. Lembkey had salted them ? 



Mr. Elliott. No; he did not salt them; the natives salted them 

 for shipment. 



Mr. McGuire. Well, were they salted at the time the green weights 

 were taken'? 



Mr. Elliott. Well, I was not there then, July 7, 1913, but the 

 official record says they were, but I know they were taken out of salt, 

 July 29, 1913. 



Mr. McGuire. They were salted when you took them from the salt ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. Somebody had salted them? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. They shook the salt off and put some on. 

 I do not know how much they shook off. 



Mr. McGuire. Prior to the time of shipment they were salted twice ? 



Mr. Elliott. Xo ; you do not get that right. 



Mr. McGuire. Maybe I do not. Did you find them salted? 



Mr. Elliott. They were in the salt. 



Mr. McGuire. Then they had been salted? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. 



Mr. McGuire. They had been salted — is that true? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. 



Mr. McGuire. Then you had them taken out, and before you 

 shipped them you had them resalted ? 



Mr. Elliott. They had to be; they always 



Mr. McGuire. (interposing). I am asking you if you did ? 



Mr. Elliott. The natives did. 



Mr. McGuire. Did you have it done ? 



Mr. Elliott. Why, certainly. 



Mr. McGuire. Then from the time they had been taken from the 

 salt had there been salt applied to those skins twice ? 



Mr. Elliott. They always do. 



