West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-11-30
leave the island when the older
seals leave in the fall.

seals leave in the fall.
Seals swarm on these islands by
millions the number estimated by
Professor Elliot being 100000 and
by Mr. Tingle 4,700,0OO. The
daily food for this number of seals
is calculated at 100000 fish
During the entire breeding season
the bulls remain faithfully in charge
of their harems, not once going
down into the sea for food. Should
they do so they would return to find
some other bulls in possession OF
their families.
The seal islands are inhabited by
about 400 Aleuts, who receive from
the Alaska Commercial Company
$4,000 a year for about six weeks
work in killing seals and sailing
skins. They are also furnished with
houses to live In and a certain
quantity of fuel and provisions, and
on the whole are said to be very
well provided for-so much so that
they are called the rich Aleuts by
their less fortunate neighbors.
They are a simple minded, indolent
and docile people, well adapted to
their surroundings when sober.
They brew a sort of sour beer call
ed "quass," which is Intoxicating.
When the United States purchas-
ed Alaska the condition of the ma
tives was poor indeed. They lived
in mud houses, ate seal meat, and
the government of Russia paid no
attention to them whatever; where
as they are now well provided for,
have schools and churches, and have
to their credit about 100000 in
money. They spend ten months OF
the year in idleness, Willing away
the time mostly in gambling, at
which they are adopts and quite
clever at "skin" game.
The company keep on each island
store stocked well with everything
they need, and the goods are sold to
them at an advance of twenty-five
per cent. above cost in San Francis
CO. The native women are being
educated to aspire to things unne-
cessary for them. They get the fash
ion papers and endeavor to initiate
the latest style of folly, even to the
most approved style of hustle. Win
ter on the islands is very severe and
there is no communication with the
outer world from the time the COM
pany's steamer leaves in the fall
until it returns in the spring. When
the wind is high it carries snow and
ice with it, and the natives are some
times compelled to GO from house to
house on all fours.
PROTECTION NECESSARY.
AS financial transaction the ac-
quisition of the territory Of Alaska
was a very good speculation, the
Government having already received
$4,000, 900, while the entire cost of
the territory was only $7,2O0,00O.
The testimony before the committee
showed that all the charges against
the Alaska Commercial Company
were groundless, and that the COM
pany had not only fulfilled its con-
tract, but had done more for the
natives than the contract required.
LIVING UP TO IT'S CONTRACT.
The company claims, however,
that the Government does not give
a sufficient protection to the islands
in preventing the depreciation by
marauders, who are said to 60 into
Behring Sea and kill in the water
vast numbers of seals as they pass
to and from the islands.
Only about one of every ten seals
killed in the water is secured, and
it is estimated that the destruction
to seal life from this source alone is
several times as great as the catch"
of the Alaska Commercial Company
on the islands. The marauding
vessels were seized by revenue cut
ters last year, and the officers of
the company think that if the Gov
erment dies not use greater vigilance
in protecting the seals they will be
exterminated. With the exception OF
a gold mine worked by California
parties, the seals are the only prop
erty in Alaska that is worth much,
unless the report of the rich gold de-
posits on the Yukon shall turn out
to be true.