Pribilof Island Logbook, St. George Island
1/1885 - 9/1885
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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
392January 1885.
18. Sunday. – Epiphany Sunday by Russian time. Part of the church exercises were outdoors, the firing of guns, sprinkling everybody with water &c.
19. Monday. – Walked to cliffs beyond East rookery, returning along the shore. No seals.
21. Wednesday. – Visited Starie Ateel.
23. Friday. – Recd. Of A.C.Co. for Govt. House 2261 lbs. of coal.
24. Saturday. – Walked to East rookery.
Issued 2 300 lbs. of coal to the natives.
26. Monday. – Visited Starie Ateel.
28. Wednesday. – Walked to South side and Garden Cove, no sea-lions.
29. Thursday. – Men out fishing. Warm, ther. 40 and scarcely any wind.
31. Saturday. – Alexandra, daughter of Eusten Swetzoff died this morning about 10 A.M. of scrofula.
Average temp. for the month is 36.9, highest 43+ & lowest 27+. The average is nearly 8 degrees warmer than last year. So far the winter has been remarkable for its mildness. 25 days of the month an easterly wind prevailed. There has been considerable sickness in the village, two deaths have already occurred. The mildness of the winter, the miserable food, and the miserable way of living followed by the natives is the cause undoubtedly of most of it. The natives find it very difficult to supply themselves with fresh meat. There are no sea-lions, and no birds except sea ducks, and gulls. And they are so few and so wary that it is almost impossible to get them. Issued coal 3 times. Four church holidays.
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February 1885.
2. Monday. – Funeral of Alexandra Swetzoff, no school. Cold weather has set in, in good earnest, ther. 14° above, which is 22 degrees colled colder than day before yesterday. Walked to North rookery.
Issued 2 300 lbs. of coal to the natives.
9. Monday. – No school this week, it being the week before Lent. Visited North rookery.
10. Tuesday. – No school, church holiday.
11. Wednesday. – No school, church holiday. Issued 2 300 lbs. of coal to the natives.
12. Thursday. – No school, church holiday. Cold, blustering day, strong N.W. wind prevailing, ther. 15° above.
14. Saturday. – Church holiday. Services in the church morning and evening.
Distribution of salt salmon for Lent, which commences to-morrow. (5 bbls.)
15. Sunday. – Lent begins, and is to last 49 days. About two weeks ago Peter Resanzoff killed two sea-leopards and Arkenty Nederazoff one, near garden cove on South side. These are the first that have been reported this season.
19. Thursday. – Issued 2 300 lbs. of coal to the natives. Ground covered with snow, 18 inches deep on the average. Ther. 16 above, cold, winter weather. Natives are getting water at the lake, and have been doing so during the past week.
22. Sunday. – Washington’s Birthday. The coldest day yet, ther. 0, wind N.W. The winter was very mild up to this month which has been very cold.
25. Wednesday. – Men off fishing. Beautiful winter’s day, sunshine and very light S.E. wind, temp. 12 above.
27. Friday. – Issued 2 300 lbs. of coal. The ground is covered with snow 2 ft. deep.
Around Gov. House the drifts are as high as the top of the fence.
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423
August 1885
15 Saturday. – Steamer St. Paul received balance of skins this morning by 10 Oclock. at 11 Chief Treasury Agt Tingle, Mr. Sloss, and Mr. Morgan went on board, also Mr. Kirk of the company. The later three bound for San Francisco, and Mr. Tingle for St. Paul Island to remain this winter. Lasar Rezanzoff also went on board bound for Ounalaska on the hunt of a wife, to return by the “Dora”. Last night about eleven Oclock we were treated to a regular ^old fashioned^ thunder and lightening storm which lasted [struck through] an hour or so. Peter Soroken, brother of Mrs. Foka Shane was returned ^to^ Ounalaska.
16 Sunday. – One of the finest days of the season. Some little evidence of quaas making presented itself today, but the Treasury agt. refused to notice it as he does not think it to be the business of an officer of the Government to take notice of a slight offense against a law which some good people believe to be an encroachment on “inalienable rights.” The people of Seal Islands are not Indian Savages. While they and their ancestors have taken millions of seal skins, They have never been accused of taking [underline] Scalps [end underline]. They know how to read and write, and worship God through the Greek Church; and they play a good game of poker, notwithstanding all this, if they are to be guarded like children, from sugar and quaas—and its effects, I think it will be more Just, to find, if possible, the persons from whom they get the sugar, and fine them, if the law will permit me to do so, (which I don’t think it will) but to punish them by fines, for receiving sugar, and making quaas out of it, and drinking the same, it would seem like punishing a person in the “pursuit of happiness.” Will watch [continued in the margin] and wait for something flagrante.
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August 1885
18 Tuesday. - This has been a great day with the people of St. George—a holiday in the Greek Church (or prazineck as they call it) to which the company added a “grand opening” at their store, and the delivery to the sealers Their pass books showing a credit for their dividend for the seasons sealing. I walked to East “rookery” in the fore noon. Saw thousands of seals of all ages and many sea lions. A whaling boat with flag flying passed westward ^in the^ morning.
19 Wednesday. – The monotony of this day was varied ^by^ the appearance of a Whale ship in front of the village about 10 Oclock. from her movements we thought she wished to send a boat (to get or give news) but she past on without doing so. The natives were called to the Government house to have read to them a letter of instruction from Chief treasury Agt Tingle in regards to stoping the killing of seals ^for food^ after the later part of August, the salting of blubber at some other points, other than at the doors of their homes, and the stoping of trading with vessels visiting this Island. They seemed satisfied and promised to obey all regulations.
20 Thursday. – A fine day. had the men go to the cliff overlooking pirate harbor, located about a mile East of West end, with sledge hammers to break and pile up stones near the edge of the cliff, to be used on the heads of pirates should they pay a visit to that point again.
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August 1885
21 Friday. – The natives made a drive for food today, Which was not very successful. The Treasury agt aimed to make it the last drive of the season for food, to avoid if possible the taking of stagy skins, but out of a drive of a thousand or more, they got but 65 acceptable skins, had the largest number perish of the season, the drive was from the East rookery. The weather was sultry and 16 perished by accidents, being driven into a hole near the powder magazine.
22 Saturday. – One of the finest days of the season. An event worth recording occurred last night. The coming of a young Jack Ass to the Island. He had been looked for ^for^ the last six weeks, he is an odd looking specimen of the animal kingdom on stilts ^all legs & ears.^ The company folks are very happy over this event and have named the Gentleman Murphy.
23 Sunday. – Gave the natives a dance this evening in the school house. It was a very orderly and pleasant affair indeed. We have had no signs of pirates for over a month, except the passing of a schooner at a distance a few days ago. Yet the Agent keeps the natives on the watch for them, by vigilant watching we hope to protect the rookeries from future raids.
25 Tuesday. – Had an other drive for food today, the last that will be permitted till pup killing season. out of four times to land a hundred seals of all sorts and sizes, we got but 36 fit for food (& after this date skins are apt to be stagy) -
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
National Archives Identifier: 297034
Full Citation: Pribilof Island Logbook, St. George Island; 1/1885 - 9/1885; Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Record Group 22. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/7-pribilof-island-logbook-st-george-island, September 25, 2023]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
