Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-02-07
Treasury Official Gives Some Inter
eSiing Facts About Them
EARNED OUT BY UNCLE SAM
Some Points About tho Natural His
tory of the Seal-The Breed
ing Season


terests on the seal rookeries Of the
Pyblofr islands, while on tho Bay re-
Gently, gave HERALD reporter some
very interesting facts concerning seal
life. The two islands of the group,
81. Paul and st. George" F" said he, fare
the breeding place of nearly all the
seals now in the Berlng sea, and as
these two islands are included In the
territory ceded by Russia 10 the United
States. the claim now being made by
the United States appears TO be well
founded. The seal is an animal, and IL
born on shore, where ii remains for the
first four or six weeks Of its existence,
and cannot swim until taught during
the early weeks Of its life. The seals,
therefore, belong to the country in
which they are born, and the same
laws should apply TO them as apply TO
calves which are born Of cows, and
that they stray Off into the open ocean
to feed does not make them the prop
erty of anyone who finds them. The
right 10 take seals on the islands Of the
group was originally sold TO the Alaska
Commercial Company who were al
lowed 10 take as high IA 100000 skins
per year for the twenty years they held
the concession, which expired In 1889.
During the continuance Of this contract
the condition of the natives was greatly
| imprOved frame cottages were built, a
school maintained, IA church building
Oh ~. a. .sFI...
goods are sold at not above " per cent
m Jre than the wholesale price In San
Francisco. The natives, who do all the
work Of taking the seals under the
charge of an employe Of the company,
are well cared Tor and comfortably
dressed In civilized clothing and as
well off as the average laboring man In
this country.
The contract with the United States
for taking seals on the islands was nc
quired in 1889 by the North America
Commercial Company, who were the
successful bidders, and the good work
Of caring for the natives, 80 well started
by the Alaska Commercial Company,
has been continued. Under the terms
Of the concession the company pays an
internal revenue tax Of ~ and "A bonus
Of 1888 for each skin taken, In addi-
tion to yearly rental Of $50, 900.
The collection OF the tax aud the gem
eral conduct Of affairs on the islands is
under the direction Of "a special agent Of
the treasury department who resides
on the islands during the continuance
Of the seal killing season. The seals
are rapidly diminishing In the sen, all
reports 10 the contrary nOtwithstand-
ing, and In proof Of the assertion the
details Of the catch can be given.
In 1889, when the North American
i Commercial company was awarded the
contract the treasury department linn
tied the number which could be taken
In any year TO $4,000, and the total
catch Of that year was % 800, owing 10
the scarcity OF the seals. In Is90-9l
under the modus vivendi the number
was limited TO 1900, simply enough TO
furnish the native labDrers with n
means Of making living, and that
number were taken. Native seal Kill.
7 ers receive fifty cents for each skin pre-
pared for shipment, and M every man
and boy on the island Is In some man
ner connected with the industry there
II no other means Of existence offered
|, them. After skinning and packing the
skins away the meat II prepared for
food and Il generally liked by the ma
tives.
The method Of taking and killing the
seals may be briefly described by
giving few facts relative 10 seal life.
Themature bulls Of six or seven years
and older begin TO arrive In May OF
each year, aud select little plats Of
ground upon which they entrench
themselves The most powerful take
their position nearest the water front,
and those which are defeated ia the
fight for location and driven farther
back from the water until several thou
sand acres are pre-empted by bull seals
who occupy little pieces Of ground per
hape thirty feet square. The cows be-
gin TO arrive somewhat later, and as
they come out Of the water mate with
the nearest bull and remain with him
II he II able to protect her against the
Z attacks Of his neigbbors. Later az the
cows begin 10 arrive In vast numbers
they settle down upon tbesplats OF
ground selected by the powerful bulls,
weighing 500 or 700 pounds, and here
) they remain under his charge until the
young seals are born In June, and 1000
II the estimate Of the number Of cows
: which annually coDgregate upon
: these rookeries. Within three days oi
the birth Of the young seals the cows
go away ON fishing expedition, re-
turning once In every three or four
days TO care for their young, who are
meanwhile left In charge Of the bulls,
who eat nothing during the six weeks
they remain on the rookeries.
During this time the young seals
crawl down 10 the waters edge and
learn 10 swim, being able at four weeks
f. OF age 10 handle themselves perfectly
In the water, and a. the winter ap.
!. pr0aches start Off with the older seals
70 the winter fishing ground, Of which