F. GEOGRAPHY. 261 



cisco Dr. Emil Bessels, the well-known surgeon of the Polaris 

 expedition, to have charge of obtaining a full representation 

 of the manners, habits, etc., of the Esquimaux of the northern 

 possessions of the United States. He was accompanied by- 

 Lieutenant Maynard, of the Navy, who was the member of 

 the commission ordered by Congress, two years ago, to in- 

 vestigate the trade of the north, and the relations of the 

 Alaska Commercial Company to the natives. 



The proposed plan of the cruise of the steamer was to pro- 

 ceed first to Sitka, for the purpose of coaling, and to collect 

 such articles as could be found in that vicinity; thence to 

 Kodiak by way of Cook's Inlet ; then to Nunivak and the 

 Pribylov group. Here a week was to be devoted to the in- 

 vestigation of prehistoric dwellings at the northeast end of 

 Nunivak Island. After that the vessel was to proceed to 

 St. Lawrence Island, and thence to the Seniavine Strait, 

 southwest of Aracan Island, where the natives have an 

 extensive trade with Americans by way of the Diomedes, 

 they being of American extraction, and having left America 

 at a comparatively recent date. It was also proposed to 

 stop at the Diomede Islands, which are said to be thickly 

 populated by Esquimaux, and afterward at Cape East, where 

 a very large number of these people are reported to exist. 

 Having investigated the Siberian coast, she was to pass over 

 again to the American shore to Point Hope, which next to 

 ISTunivak may be considered as of the greatest importance in 

 regard to ethnological significance. The northernmost point 

 of the northwest coast to be touched at was Cape Lisburne, 

 with its interesting deposits of palaeozoic fossils, where a large 

 harvest was expected. Should circumstances permit, the at- 

 tempt was to be made to reach Wrangel's Land, which has 

 never been landed uj3on. On the way back it was intended 

 to stop at King's and Sledge Islands, where several native 

 settlements are known to exist ; and, after having passed a 

 number of days among these Hyperboreans, the vessel was 

 to proceed to Unalashka, whence a number of minor excur- 

 sions were to be made, with the aid of the steam-launch ac- 

 companying the vessel, to the Chika Islands, in Akutan Pass. 

 This was to have been the final work before her return to 

 San Francisco. 



The expedition was well provided with surveying and 



