The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-02
THE BIRTH OF SEALS.
Judge Swan Replies to Profes-
sor Henry w. Elliott.
THE BABIES ARE ABLE TO SWIM.
People Who Never Saw Seal Are Not
Competent Witnesses Against Careful
observers-Elliott Not a Naturalist.

PORT TOWNSEND, Dec 3l.-In the Posi-
iSTELLrGEEcER of the 10Th of December is
an article from Henry w. Elliott. copied
from Forest and Stream to which nv atten-
Ton has been called, in which he charges
me with having made erroneous state
ments regarding fur seals. In order that
TINS controversy between Mr.. Elliott and
myself can be better understood, | will
state that IN iS79-S0 Mr. Elliott was sent to
the fEibloh islands by Professor Baird, of
the Smithsonian institution, to study the
napits OF the fur seals, sea lions, walrus,
sea otter, ETC., which are found in the
waters OF Behring sea. Mr.. Elliott is a
skilled artist, and excelled in his delinea-
ton OF marine animals, and the drawings
OF these animals as published by the
smithsonian are considered the best extant,
but as naturalist Mr.. Elliott is not con-
sidered as authority, and his statements
about the habits of these marine animals,
as well as his description of Alaska, are to
be taken cum grano sails,
One of the hypothesis, and fayorite one
OF Mr.. Elliott, was that all the fur seals of
the North Pacific ocean resort to the Prib-
Ion islands to breed, an hypothesis, which,
government leasing those islands to the
Alaska Commercial Company or some
other equally powerful monopoly who
should have the exclusive right to kill
seals, and no other, American citizen
should be permitted to procure those fur
bearing animals.
At the same time that Mr. Elliott was on
the Pribloff islands, was stationed at
Neah bay as an inspector of customs, and
was requested by Professor Baird to re-
port on the fisheries of Cape Flattery and
especially on the fur seal fishery, for the
tenth census of the United States
Permission having been granted by the
secretary of the treasury for me to perform
the double duty of inspector of customs
and special agent for the census, / was as
signed district l6, Puget sound, from JAM
uary, 1850, to January, 1881. Professor ID.
s. Jordan and G. H. Gilbert had district Is,
Coast of California, Oregon and Washing
ton territory. DR.. Tarleton II. Bean had
the Alaska seal fisheries from June to
October, IsS0,-fSmithsonian Report, 1881,
page So.
In my report / stated the fact, well
known to every sealer, trader or resident
at Neah bay, that the pups killed with the
seals on the cape constituted considera-
bic portion of the catch, and that the young
seals of the size of a full-grown kitten are
common and are taken by Indian boys to
play with. and that the pups taken from
the mothers viii swim as soon as taken
from the womb. This fact is so well
known and SO well authen ticated at Cape
Flattery that no one on Puget sound &C
qrainted with the seal fishery has ever
supposed it TO be questioned. But my
statement was directly opposed to Mr..
Elliott, who had published in his account
of the habits of fur seals, that the pups
cannot swim and will sink like stone |
had not seen Mr.. Elliott's report when |
made my report, and if | had should not
have doubted his statement so far as it re-
garded the habits of the fur seals of the
Pribloff islands. but | am entitled to the
same consideration from him as to what
had seen of the fur seals at Cape Flattery,
and which could prove by hundreds of
competent witnesses. My theory was and
Is that the fur seals taken at Cape Flattery
are portion of the California seal herd,
and that their habits differ from those of
Behring sea. 1t was an interesting ques-
ton which was worthy of scientinc inyes-
tigation, but Mr.. Elliott attacked me in a
most uncourteous manner in his report,
which was published by the Smithsonian
and a copy sent me. | Immediately de-
manded of Professor Baird that Justice
should be done me, and l was requested 10
make another report, which | did, and
this last was published in the bulletin of
the United States Lsh commission, vol. s,
1SS2, pages 20l TO 207.
In that report took the testimony of
competent and responsible citizens TO sup
port the truth of my Brst report, which
Mr.. Elliott had denounced as erroneous.
Among that number will be found Mr.. T..
Saiiick, trader at Neah bay who had live
seal pup swimming in tank; Captain
James Dalgardno. of the sealing schooner
Mary Taylor; Captain +. II. McAlmond;
Captain Nelson I. Oliver; Captain Charles
Wflloughby, United States indian agent
at Neah bay, and Hon. Henry Landes,
late state senator and now president OF the
First National bank of Port Townsend.
Colonel Landes resided at one time ut
Neah bay, and is pretty conyersant with
the fur seals habits at Cape Flattery, and
his word is of far more value as positive
proof of the truth Of my statement about
the seal pups than the negative statement
of Mr.. Elliott or all the witnesses he names
in his paper TO Pores, and Stream. All his
witnesses say they never saw a seal pup
with its mother; Mr.. Elliott can ind
thousands of persons who are ready to
make oath that they never saw the seals
that2 They only prove q negative. But
my witnesses positively assert what they
have seen and know. Among others whom
| quoted in my report are Captain Quinn
of the schooner Teaser, and officers of the
United States revenue steamers Wolcott
and Corwin, who were here in is80.
The late Alexander c. Anderson, esq.
of Victoria. at that time inspector of ash
cries, scientific gentleman who took great
interest in the natural history Of all that
pertained to his duties in connection with
the nsheries, writing TO me from Victoria,
b. c.. June n, lSS2, says: cit is very de-
sirahle that the discrepancy between the
statement of Sir. Elliott and the accounts
of local observers should be reconciled.
Mr.. Elliott is very dogmatic in his state
ments. and certainly treats your remarks
with seant courtesy. | hope you viii re-
new the subject and discuss il at large
from our local point Of view. The true So
lutions will, probably, be as you suggest,
that our seals are of the southern variety
and quite different in habits from the
northern species. Mr.. Elliott however.
argues under the assumption that our seals
are only detachment from the northern
herds, and makes al his observations to
correspond"
Mr.. Elliott quotes among his negative
witnesses Captain J. d. Warren, OF Vic
toria, who never saw or heard of COW
having her young beside her.
This is what Mr. Anderson saws in his
letter to me of September Is, 1ss2: II have
spoken 20 Captain Warren and Captain
Spring, both largely engaged in the seal
trade, concerning the pupping of seals.
The former Of the two appeared to he reti-
cent, and DO not think has been a close
observer, so far as the natural history of
the seal is concerned. He can tell little or
nothing TO settle the pup question"
Captain Doug Warren can tell but little