The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-23
SPEAKING OF SEALS
Thomas E Adams Talks Very Enter
taiDinsly.
WINTER IN THE FAR NORTH
The Manner Of Capturing the Pei
agic Animals Is Described Some
what In Detail By Man VINO
Has Seen the Trick Done.


States government at the PrIbylov islands,
or. as they are generally called, the Seal
islands, St. George and St. Paul, is in this
city. He has been in Washington all
winter on business connected with his de-
partment and is now on his way to San
Francisco. where he will embark about
May Is for the long voyage TO his station
IN the northern ocean. Mr.. Adams to-
day consented TO give a STANDARD re-
porter some information regarding his
duties and life at the isolated islands
where he spends his time looking after
the interests of this government in the
seals.
Mr.. Adams is stationed on st. Paul
island, go miles north OF the Alaskan
peninsula and about 1900 miles from
San Francisco. Tho island is of volcanic
formation, huge basaltic cliffs and boul-
ders forming n breastwork against the
turbulent sea, which is exceedingly rough
nearly all the year. The island Is 10
miles long and STA wide and is inhabited
by the few white people who are kept
there by business and n native population
of about 300 Aleuts, who are charges OF
the government.
Speaking of the climate of the island,
Mr.. Adams said: at is mild considering
its latitude, the warm Japan current
greatly modifying the temperature. The
coolest weather that ever saw there was
16 degrees below zero. There is q strong
north wind, however, that makes the cold
very penetrating. In tho summer II Is
always foggy. There were but two clear
days last summer. July was one of
them and the other was about n week
later.
During the sealing season we have
ehaa.
we're nine American men-of-war stationed
there-the Mohican (hagship), Concord,
Yorktown, Ranger, Adams, Alert, Albat-
ross, the revenue cutter, Corwin, and the
Arctic cruiser, Bear. Last summer, too,
the British government kept the Pheasant
ut ST. Paul during the sealing season. We
have n sociable time while these vessels
are there. They arrive about June and
remain until the last of August, leaving
only the Bear there. She remains until
November and then steams south to avoid
the ice. From the time the Bear leaves
uutil the next June, there are but three
white men on the island, the physician,
the agent OF the sealing company and
myself.
ave spend the winter quietly, of course,
but there is enough of business to keep us
busy most of the time. Tho Aleuts are
charges of the government and we are
obliged TO look after them, much as the
reservation agents have supervision of
the Indians. They are very quiet, docile
people and are much easier to control
than the Indians. The government pays
the Aleuts 80 cents per skin for every
seal which they kill within the 60-mile
limit under government supervision. This
money is put into community fund
which is divided among them in three
classes, according to their physical ability.
This sum is insufficient for their main
tenance, however, and congress last year
appropriated SIS, 800 for them. This Is
allotted to them in weekly payments after
the community fund has become ex-
hausted. They purchase their provisions
at the company's store and live comfort
ably. There is no liquor allowed on the
island and, as no ship is allowed to land
without permit, It is easy TO keep liquor
away from them. They make themselves
n kind of Russian beer, "quass," which
they brew from yeast and hops and drink
when it is fermented. 1t is slightly in
toxicating, but does not get them into
much trouble. They are, as q rule, a very
moral people and give us no trouble dur
ing the long winter.
1.-THE agreement with Great Britain l-
lows pelagic scaling after July 1. The
men-of-war that supervise the killing
usually come up about June 6 and remain
until the last of August, when the rough
water puts stop to sealing operations.
The sealing privileges within the 60-milo
limit are sold by the government to the
highest bidder. These privileges are now
held by the North American Commercial
company, which pays n stated price,
about S9.37 for each skin taken under gov
eminent regulations. The agreement re-
gard.ng pelagic sealing has proved
unsatisfactory and now negotiations will
probably be opened with Great Britain,
looking to a complete cessation of seal
killing for period of from six TO nine
years. This will, perhaps, save the seals,
but unless some measure of tho kind is
adopted, they will be extermiuated."
MIR. Adams then read from his report 10
the government regarding the number OF
seals killed last year. Within the 60-milc
limit, where the killing is under govern.
rnent regulations, the North American
Commercial company killed 1902 seals
The estimated number of skins taken by
pelaglc sealers, outside the limit, was 6s,
5l9. OF which 20 per cent. were COWS" as
the females are called. The killing OF
these "cows" means the death in the
rookeries by starvation of the pups
which they have left on the rocks. Thi:
brings the total number of seals killed b,
the pelagic sealers ll6.4S2. Add TO this tho
"pups" that would have been born e
these "cows" this year and the grand to
tai is 16l,4i5. IL will not take many year,
at this rate TO utterly eNterminate thes,
animals.
AT the island" continued MIR. Adams
1--WE have a splendid library Of severa
thousand volumes which the government
has provided and we get all the paper,
and magazines that VIC can. But. from
the time the Bear leaves US IN Novembei
until she returns IN the summer. We ar,
locked in the ice and get no mail of am
kind. We read a great deal and ce
pretty we'll acquainted with each othe
during tine winter and the arrival Of ID,
Bear in the summer is a very welcome in