HOW I HUNTED THE SEA-OTTER 51 
Between the years 1872 and 1895 fifty-two vessels 
were engaged in sea-otter hunting in the vicinity of 
the Kuril Islands. A detailed list will be found in 
the last chapter. The largest number in any one 
year was twelve. Some of these were fitted out 
from San Francisco, others from Japan. Of these 
fifty-two, thirteen were lost with all hands (ten on 
this side the Pacific, and three on their way back 
to America); seventeen others (twelve on this side, 
and five elsewhere) were wrecked, with a loss of 
twelve lives. Five were seized by Russian cruisers, 
whilst fourteen others gave up the business, so that 
in 1895 only three were left. Since that time no 
vessels have fitted out solely for otter-hunting in 
these waters. Occasionally two or three of the 
vessels engaged in sealing, on their way to the Bering 
Sea, drop in at some of the islands, and try their 
luck at otters, but their catch is always a very small 
one. 
