EXHIBIT N.

Captain Cleveland.

Q. Your full name?—A. Benjamin D. Cleveland.

Q. You live where?—A. New Bedford.

Q. You are a master mariner?—A. Yes.

Q. How old?—A. Forty-eight.

Q. How long have you been to sea?—A. Since 1862.

Q. Did you go before the mast?—A. Yes, sir; cabin boy.

Q. How many voyages have you been master mariner?—A. Five voyages.

Q. And where have you been whaling?—A. Both in the North and South Atlantic, in the Ochotsk Sea, and the Arctic Ocean.

Q. How many seasons in the Ochotsk?—A. Two.

Q. What has been your experience with regard to the weather there? What is the season in the Ochotsk?—A. Well, I found the season from about the middle of August to the 1st of October.

Q. What ends the season?—A. Well, we experienced a great deal of northerly and easterly winds, gales, making it very rugged indeed, so that we did not consider it suitable to put boats in the water. And another thing, our experience at this time was that the feed seemed to have gone; there were never any whales to be seen.

Q. The whales follow the feed?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. And the feed seems to disappear?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. So that you would say from the middle of August to the 1st of October was the whaling season in the Okhotsk?—A. Yes, sir; to the last of September.

Q. And what do you consider the best part?—A. Our best time was from the 1st of September to the 18th. It was the principal part in our two seasons.

Q. Do you know the Cape Horn Pigeon; did you ever sail in her?—A. No, sir; but I have cruised with her and know her well.

Q. What should you say was a fair average catch for a season in the Okhotsk?—A. Well, I always went there with an expectation of from 6 to 10 whales.

Q. And how would these whales average?—A. Well, those I got for two seasons in succession, from 1,100 to 1,150 pounds of bone to a whale.

Q. These estimates are based upon your own experience and what you have actually done, Captain?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. And about the oil?—A. Well, I consider that most of those whales to go just about 100 barrels of oil.

Q. Some larger and some smaller?—A. Yes.

Q. Could you make an average out of 7 or 8 whales? Would 7 or 8 whales average that?—A. That is a general average.

Q. That would apply to a season’s work as well as to several season’s work?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. Suppose, Captain, you were at Vladivostok on the 1st day of October with the Cape Horn Pigeon and the northerly winds and rugged weather had already set it, would you consider it expedient to return to the Okhotsk for whaling?—A. No, sir.

Q. What should you do?—A. Go directly for San Francisco.

Q. Why?—A. Because I should certainly consider then that the rugged weather had set in, and that it would not be using good judgment to go there and attempt to get a season’s work after that date. The two seasons that I have been there I have always left the 1st day of October. There were four ships there both seasons that I was there, and I stayed as late as any ship.

Q. I suppose the seasons vary; some are more open than others?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you know the place where the Cape Horn Pigeon was seized?—A. Very nearly, I think.

Q. How long would it take to go from Vladivostok there if the northerly winds had set in?—A. It would certainly take twelve days, any ship.

Q. What were the two seasons you were in the Okhotsk?—A. 1889 and 1890. I did all my business in the Okhotsk Sea; from the 28th of August until the 14th of September I did all my whaling.

Capt. B. D. Cleveland.