6 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



est interest. Not couteut simply with, making collections of natural 

 history, he has devoted much time to the study of the language and 

 manners of the people, and his vocabularies and philological records 

 are of the utmost i)ossible interest and importance. 



Alaslca. — One of the most i>roductive explorations of Alaska for some 

 time past was that by Mr. Charles H. Townsend, sent out by the U. S. 

 Fish Commission to make some investigations into the fur-seal fish- 

 eries on the Pribyloff Islands, where he arrived in June, 1885. While 

 there he accepted an invitation from Captain Healy, commander of the 

 U. S. revenue steamer Concin, to accompany that vessel on its more 

 northern voyage, by way of Saint Michael's and other points, and 

 through Bering's Strait, finally entering Hotham Inlet in July. 

 Here the steamer remained, while the steam launch, commanded by 

 Lieutenant Cantwell and accompanied by Mr. Townsend, went on to 

 the mouth of the Kowak and up the river to the head of navigation, a 

 distance of about 350 miles. Abundance of pine fuel was found all 

 along the route with which to supply the boilers of the launch. 



A largo collection of fishes, birds, mammals, and plants, with inter- 

 esting objects of ethnology, was secured on this occasion. Mr. Town- 

 send states that Lieutenant Cantwell found the source of the Kowak 

 in a large lake among the mountains, nearly 450 miles from the sea — 

 a lake swarming with lake trout of the same species as that in the 

 northern i)arts of the United States and Canada. To the surprise of 

 all, the region was found to be w^ell wooded, and abounding in many 

 kinds of fur-bearing animals. About eighteen species of fish were 

 secured. 



The Corwin was rejoined at Kotzebue Sound on September 1. 



Mr. Townsend's full report was transmitted to Captain Healy, to ac- 

 company his report to the Secretary of the Treasury, of the cruise of 

 the Corwin. 



By authority of the Treasury Department, and with the kind co- 

 operation of the Alaska Commercial Company, ever ready to be ex- 

 tended in the interest of science, Mr. Townsend obtained five complete 

 sets of the fur seals, in all stages of sex and age. 



Captain Healy has continued, on his own account, the record of pre- 

 vious years, by devoting such time as could conveniently be expended 

 in his northward cruises, to the gathering of collections of fishes, &c., 

 for the National Museum, all of which have come duly to hand. 



Mr. Henry D. Woolfe, in the employ of the Pacific Steam Whaling 

 Company, has utilized his residence at Cape Lisburne, in gathering col- 

 lections in ethnography and natural history, and has transmitted some 

 very acceptable contributions which have been received, leaving others 

 yet to come to hand. 



Mr. J. W. Johnson, United States signal observer at Nushagak, on 

 Bristol Bay, in continuation of the highly valued labors of Mr. C. L. 



