The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-22
THE rTg-sEAL EOOKEEIEs-
All the Alaska Far Seals Born On
TIVE Islands-

Conversational Record.
The fur-seaI -ooksries Of Alaska are
located On the PstibyIov group of
Islands. situated mar the center OF
that part Of Behrinsr sea lying within
the boundary Of the territory ceded by
the emperor Of Russia 90 the United
states. The island ~ So Paul has an
area Of g square miles. ard Sc. George
= square miles. Lieutenant MAYNARD.
United States Navy who xas detailed
by the secretary. pursuant 10 the scs
OF April -, 1874. 10 inquire into the
condition Of the seal fisheries in
AIaska, In his report SAYS:
.They 1.-THE seal islands, are en-
vel0ped in summer by dense fogs
through which the san rarely makes
its way, and are surrounded IN winter
BIZ fields Of ice. driven down from the
Arctic by northern i.ales- Thew have
no sheltered haTbors, but slight in
dentations in the shoreline afford q
lee for vessels and 10 tolerahle hiding
place for beats IN CERTAIN winds. The
shores are bold and rocky, with strips
OF sand-beach and slopes covered
wifh broken rocks al Intervals between
the cliffs. and the interior Of both is
broken and hiilys neither tree nor
shrub grows upon them. but they are
covered with grass, moss and wild
flowers. For nearly 100 years fur
seals have been known 70 visit them
annually in great numbers for the
pur pose OF bringing forth and rearing
their young. which circumstances
gives them no uncomfortable CONNER
eiai importance The seals occupy the
islands from the breaking away OF the
ice in the spring until II surrounds
them again in the early winter: that
Is. from about the middle of MAY un-
I'll December.
III is further showla by the testimony
before the committee that on their re-
turn 10 the islands after their tempo
rary absence during the winter these
animals generally select the locations
on the rookeries which they had for
merly occupied. Ii appears, too. that
ali the Alaska fur seals are born on
these islands, that they are distinct
animals, and have none of the char
acterisfics OF fish, and viii drown in
the water until taught to SWIM by
their elders.
In former years fir seals were found
in great numbers on various islands
OF the South Pacific ocean; but after q
comparatively short period of indis-
criminate slaughter, the rookeries
were deserted. the animals having
been killed or driven from their
haunts; so that now the only existing
rookeries are those of Alaska, another
In the Russian part of Behring sea,
and third at the mouth of the river
La Plata. in South America. All
these rookeries are under the protec-
ton OF their several governments.
The best estimate as 10 the number
Of these animals on the Alaska rock
cries places il at about four millions,
but a marked diminntion of the num-
her is noticed within the last two or
three years. which Is attributed by the
testimony TO the fact that unauthor-
lied persons during the summer of
1886, tss1 and 1885 had fitted out ex-
petitions and cruised in Alaskan
waters. and by the use of firearms de-
stroyed hundreds of thousands OF
these animals, without regard to age
or sex. The law prohibits the killing
of fsir-seals in the territory of Alaska
or the waters thereof, except by the
lessee of the seal islands. and the les
see Is permitted to kill during the
months of June. July, September and
October only: and is forbidden To kill
any seal less than one year old, or any
female seal; ..or 10 kill such seals at
any time by the use of firearms, or by
other means tending 10 drive the seals
away from those islands.