ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 21 



necessary. The only place in the Territory besides the islands of St. Paul 

 and St. George which I had the opportunity to visit, was Unalaska, 

 the most important of the Aleutian islands. Situated near the Unimak 

 Pass, which is the best entrance to the Bering Sea, and possessing a 

 good harbor, Unalaska is visited by vessels engaged in the fur trade 

 more than any other port, not excepting Sitka. The principal settle- 

 ment of the island is Iliuliuk Harbor, with 300 inhabitants. It is the 

 religious metropolis of the Aleutian tribe. From this point the light of 

 Christianity spread all over the Aleutian archipelago. Here lived the 

 apostle of the Aleutes, Father John Veniaminov, whose name and teach- 

 ings are reverently transmitted from father to son in every Aleutian 

 family. 



Fishing and sea-otter hunting are the principal occupations of the 

 inhabitants of Unalaska. Fresh and dried fish is the staple article of 

 food. The sea-otter skins, of which the Unalaskans secure from three 

 to four hundred a year, are traded at the rate of from $15 to $35 for 

 clothing, hardware, crockery, sugar, tea, and tobacco. 



The Aleutian tribe, numbering about 3,000, represents nine-tenths of 

 the trade of the Territory, and is unquestionably far in advance of all 

 other tribes with respect to moral, religious, and social development. 



I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



S. IST. BuYNiTZKY, Clerk. 

 Hon. George S. Boutwell, 



Secretary of the Treasury. 



1871. 



Special Agent Charles Bryant: Preliminary Report for 1871. 



Office Special Agency, 



St. Paul Island, May 19, 1871. 



Sir : I have the honor to report the arrival on the 15th of the present 

 month at this island of the Alaska Commercial Companj'^'s steamer 

 Alexander, laden with material and supplies for the island. As I have 

 received no communication whatever from the Department by said 

 steamer, I must conclude that such matter must have been sent by 

 .nistake to Sitka, in which case I am not likely to receive it for a year 

 or so, and I beg leave to request that as no vessels but those belonging 

 to the Alaska Commercial Company visit those islands, instructions be 

 given that all mails be forwarded to those islands from San Francisco 

 direct. 



In the absence of any instructions, I shall be guided by a certified 

 copy of the act of Congress authorizing the lease and the conditions 

 of the lease as given me by the company. 



I am happy to report that thus far the conditions have been fully 

 complied with. The store has been well stocked with goods of good 

 quality and sold at low prices; provisions also the same. 



The health of the inhabitants has been very good since my last 

 report. There have been G births and G deaths — 1 adult, 2 boys — and 

 3 infants. 



The Alaska Commercial Company have brought at their own expense 

 a physician to reside permanently on the island. 



In November last a school was opened for the natives, which was 



