Pribilof Island Logbook, St. George Island
6/1/1881 - 6/17/1881
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Logbook contains information concerning sealing activities on the Pribilof Islands, the weather, activities of the Alaska Native (Aleut) population, and deliveries of supplies by U.S. government vessels.
Transcript
[Page 1]255
June 1881
Continue 7 of skins; but he gave assurances that the natives should have ample time for taking the full quota (20,000 seals) allowed to be killed on the island this year. After a free expression of opinion on both sides the chief announced a willingness to have work at the landing and salt house completed before sealing commenced and that labor was resumed and continued for the remainder of the day with apparent satisfaction and good will on the part of the natives.
Wednesday 8 Ther. 39. 42. 40 = mean 40. Wind West to NE with fog and rain.
Thursday 9 Ther. 41. 47. 42. Mean 43. S.W. breeze with occasional light rain.
This was the first regular sealing day of the season drive being made from Starri Ateel. North beach and East rookeries resulting in 611 skins being accepted by the Company. One skin (cut) was rejected. The men reported 2 females and one pup at East rookery which is unusually early for the young ones.
Friday 10 Ther. 41. 42. 45. Mean 43. Wind N.W. to S.W. Sunshine all afternoon
On this day Mr. Morgan desired to have the natives carry out posts for the telephonic line to Zapadnie but the chief reported that they said if the posts were hauled out by the bull they would work at the line. Mr. Morgan said that owing to the rocky character of the rout to Zapadnie the bull cart could not be used to haul the posts. The native men remained housed nearly all day, no work being done by them. Many of the women were occupied drying seal meat on the rocks near the killing ground.
Saturday 11 Ther. 42, 46, 45. Mean 44. Sharp southwesterly breeze
It is reported that not many seals (holuschek) were on the beach at Zapadnie. Nicamor Vickoloff, the old chief things that the scarcity of killable seals there may be due to the fact that the old bulls have extended their grounds over the place formerly occupied by the “holuschek” which latter may be kept from the other available landing by smoke from the barabara, occupied by the men on watch. The barabara will be razed and the men required to occupy quarters in the salt house.
[Page 2]
256
June 1881
Sunday 12 Ther. 44. 50. 45. Mean 46. Southwest breeze.
Monday 13 Ther. 44. 46. 40 = Mean 45. Strong S.W. breeze with frequent rains
Drive from S. Steel to E Rookeries. 916 skins accepted 4 cut= 920 killed.
Tuesday 14 Ther. 42. 46. 44. = Mean 44. Strong S.W wind. 15 men went to Zapadnie
Wednesday 15 Ther. 44. 50. 42 = Mean 45. Strong southerly breeze 498 seals, first drive of the season, at Zapadnie were killed four skins being rejected 3 cut, 1 undersize. Men all returned from [Zapadnie
Thursday 16 Ther 44. 46. 40 = Mean 43. Wind Easterly with rain all afternoon. Drive from Starri Ateel, N & East rookeries. 615 skins accepted. 7 cut
Friday 17th Ther 42, 46, 42. Mean 43 Fresh South-
erly breeze. Steamer “St Paul” bound from Ounalaska to St Michaels hove to without anchoring to take on board empty coal sacks. At 8 a.m. she sailed for St Paul’s. Complaint having been made by Mr Morgan, agent of the A.C. Co., that on yesterday he had ordered the Natives to salt the skins taken and that they refused to perform that work until to-day. The Agent, as well as a number of leading Natives were sent for to come to the Government house. They came at 10 oclock this morning. There were present at this meeting Mr. Morgan, Agent A. C. Co., Andronae Resanzoff, Chief, Sowestian Merculieff, Second Chief, Nickomour Vicenoff, time keeper, Peter Reisenzoff, Job (Eoff)
[page 3]
257
Friday
continued Philamoniff, Eustan Swetzoff and several other Natives. Peter Reisenzoff acted as interpreter.
After Mr. Morgan had made his statement the Native said that the Chief alone was not alone to blame, as they had refused to salt the skins, owing to being wet and because they had not intended to make a drive ^on^the following day. They were reminded that there ^was their^third refusal to work to work within three weeks and that they had no excuse of rain on the other occasions. They next pleaded general “pains” (a convenient Native complaint) from colds at the time when they ^had^ refuse to carry posts for the telephone, but in answer to this their attention was directed to the fact that sick men were not asked to work on the Island at any time and that if the Doctor pronounced a man unfit for work he would be excuse. They were informed that the Government had guaranteed them certain rights and privileges but only because they would do the necessary work on this Island. It was the duty of the company’s agent to say when and how work should be done and it was the duty of the Natives to perform that work; that if they persisted in their refusing to do the work required of them, other Alutes would be brought here to take their places; that it would not do for one man (properly authorized) to issue orders and another (without authority) to say those orders should not be obeyed. Also, that it was for the Company’s Agt to determine the size of the seals to be killed for their skins and that if they (the Natives) persisted in killing seal so small as to be rejected in numbers by the company might the Natives might be charged the amount of Government tax on such rejected skins. After what was deemed a full explanation of the power of the Government and the rights of the AC Co and that of the people (as well as the duties thereof) respectively, the meeting was dismissed.
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
National Archives Identifier: 297029
Full Citation: Pribilof Island Logbook, St. George Island; 6/1/1881 - 6/17/1881; Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Record Group 22. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/3-pribilof-island-logbook-st-george-island, June 14, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
