Bering Sea Coast Region: St. Paul Island, the Pribilofs Travel to the Pribilofs was restricted by the U.S. government because the fur seals there had been hunted to near-extinction and had not recovered. Harriman had obtained a special permit from the Secretary of the Treasury. A government agent escorted the party to the beach and Merriam, who had been there before, was astonished at the greatly diminished number of seals.

Fur seals, by Charles Hudson, an illustration commissioned for the Harriman Alaska Series. (top)