94 BULLETIN OF THE 



shore, but with poor holding-ground, and no shelter except when the 

 wind is from the land. 



This island is of similar origin to St. Paul's, but differs from it in 

 outline. A mountain ridge nearly one thousand feet high traverses 

 the southeast part of the island parallel to the shore, and forms a per- 

 pendicular sea front, from two to six hundred feet high. West of the 

 ridge the island is intersected by a valley three miles wide, descending 

 gradually on either side to the shores, where it terminates in low broken 

 cliffs. To the westward of the valley the surface rises again rapidly, 

 and ends in a narrow perpendicular headland six or seven hundred 

 feet high. 



The whole appearance of the island indicates that it was originally 

 much larger than it is at present, and that the outer portion has been 

 broken off and submerged, leaving the sides perpendicular. It is only 

 on the sloping shores near the middle of the island that the seals can 

 obtain a footing. On all the other sides the surf breaks against the 

 base of the cliffs. Broken clinkstones cover most of the surface of the 

 island, upon the lower parts of which a thin soil of decayed vegetable 

 matter has accumulated. Owing to the springy, oozy nature of the 

 ground, the houses are all built above-ground, and not partially below 

 the surface as on St. Paul's. The island has one hundred and sixty 

 Aleutian inhabitants, similar to those of St. Paul's. 



The island of St. George is estimated to yield one half as many 

 seals as St. Paul's, but owing to the poor anchorage and the difficulty 

 of loading the vessels with the skins, the seals have been less disturbed. 



The Climate. — No record of the temperature at these islands had 

 been kept previous to my arrival. My observations at St. Paul's give 

 the mean temperature of June as 48° F. ; of July, 51°; a part of 

 August, 60° These are the three warmest months of 1 the year. I 

 was told that the mercury froze twice during the previous winter. 



Snow falls on these islands from October to April, but except in 

 sheltered spots it does not attain any great depth, blowing off as fast as 

 it falls. 



From the middle of March to the latter part of May the great body 

 of floating ice comes down from the north, and passes by the east end of 

 the island to the southwest. At this time the weather is very severe, 

 this being the most stormy period of the year. This body of ice seldom 

 extends as far south as .St. George's, forty miles distant. During my 



