ALASKA. INDUSTRIES. 23 



The health of the island is good, there being no disease of any kind 

 upon it, the number of deaths since my arrival being 3, 2 of which were 

 infants, and caused by sheer neglect of their parents; the other was 

 a child of 5 years, the ailment of which had been of long standing. 

 Quite difi'erent from that of last year, when there were 19 deaths recorded 

 on the books kept by the chief of the island. From inquiry I have 

 learned that many of the deaths referred to were caused by the manu- 

 facture and use of " quas," a kind of liquor made by the natives out of 

 flour and sugar. This year there has been a stop put to the manufac- 

 turing of the article, the result of which will doubtless keep many from 

 tilling early graves. 



The number of births up to date were 5; 4 of which are alive and 

 doing well. 



On the 1st of November last a school was reestablished for the 

 natives, the attendance on which numbers about 25, and from the 

 advanced state they were left in by our friend Mr. Buynitzky it was no 

 difiticult task to get along with them. They are making rapid progress, 

 and feel anxious to learn the English language. Men who have 

 advanced to the age of 30 and 40 attend school and are making equal 

 progress. 



The temperature of the weather I kept, and used Fahrenheit's ther- 

 mometer. For the last two months of the year 1870 the mean temper- 

 ature ranged as follows: For November, 30.80; December, 28.60; for 

 January, 1871, mean 30.04; February, 23.22; March, 14.85, and April, 

 32.52. The coldest day during the entire winter season was on the lOtli 

 of February, the thermometer indicating as low as zero, although you 

 will perceive that March was the coldest month by great odds. 



On the 2d of this month the ice made its appearance and landed on 

 the north side of the island in a limited quantity, but day after day it 

 forced its way along from the north until it made a complete bridge 

 between this island and that of St. Paul. Indeed, I am of opinion 

 that the whole surface of the sea to the north of this was a solid sheet 

 of ice. In a report given by a former agent of this Territory, it was 

 stated that the white bear was known to frequent these islands. At 

 that time I doubted the assertion, but to-day I am ready to indorse it. 

 Not that I have seen any pay us a visit, but it is not but what an oppor- 

 tunity has presented itself for them to do so. 



The schooner H. M. Hutchinson (owners, Hutchinson, Kohl & Co., San 

 Francisco) sailed from this island on the 20th of October last in ballast, 

 en route for San Francisco, E. Henniug in command ; also the steam- 

 ship GonstanUne, same owners, sailed from here on the 12th of October 

 last en route for San Francisco, with 1,800 salted seal skins on board 

 taken from this island, M. C. Erskine in command. 

 I am respectfully, your obedient servant, 



Samuel Falconer, 

 Acting Assistant Special Agent. 

 Capt. Charles Bryant, 



Special Agent of Treasury Department. 



Special Agent Bryant : Annual Report for 1871. 



Fairhaven, Mass., November 10, 1871. 

 Sir: I have the honor to report the arrival at St. Paul Island, 

 Alaska Territory, on the 31st of July last past, the Alaska Commer- 

 cial Company's steamer Alexander, from San Francisco, having on 



