FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1907. 21 



king salmon was sent to the Alsek. After several futile efforts and 

 much danger, with the loss of several weeks' time, the party finally got 

 inside on May 12, and by the 15th were ready to fish. The run jof 

 kings had been on for some time, however, and very few were taken 

 after June 1. It was noticed by the fishermen that the fish did not 

 linger long in the delta and lower reaches of the river proper, owing 

 probably to the very rapid current of the river. The white-meated 

 kings averaged fewer than 1 in 10. The largest one taken weighed 52 

 ])ounds, while the average was about 33 pounds. 



After June 1 the fishermen began catching sockeyes. The roe in 

 these fish did not seem to be very far advanced, and it was thought 

 that possibly the fish went up the river to where slack water may be 

 found and there waited until ripe. Eulachons were found in the 

 stomachs of some of the fish, showing that they were still feeding. 

 There is quite a run of eulachons into the Alsek in May. 



The physical conditions in and around the Alsek River delta are 

 very discouraging to the fisherman. This delta, or Dry Bay, as 

 it is also called, is about 20 miles northwest of Cape Fairweather 

 and about 60 miles southeast of the southern entrance to Yakutat 

 Bay. Here the coast range of mountains lies back from the shore 

 line from 6 to 14 miles, leaving low, wooded ground, which is drained 

 by numerous streams. The Alsek River drains the great ice fields 

 north of the St. Elias and Fairweather ranges, one branch dipping 

 around to the westward and tapping the St. Elias region, and another 

 branch extending more to the northward into the Chilkat country. 

 The river breaks through the range back from Dry Bay, and after 

 cutting a large glacier lying near the northern end of the bay, forms 

 its delta of three separate channels and outlets to the sea, all of this 

 bearing the name of Dry Bay. The river itself has a very rapid cur- 

 rent, making the handling of nets and boats a difficult matter, while 

 the three channels composing the delta are filled with bars and small 

 islands with ramifying channels, all changing from day to day. 

 About the best water for entering the delta is 6 feet at mean low 

 tide. Storms are frequent along this stretch of coast, and the tre- 

 mendous surf engendered, together with the quite narrow entrances 

 to the delta, make it a very difiicvdt matter to get in except when 

 the weather is calm, while it is an impossibility in even moderately 

 breezy weather. 



Yakutat. — The cannery of the Yakutat and Southern Railway 

 Company, which is located at this place, was outfitted for 42,000 

 cases. Red salmon ran small during the whole season, which the 

 fishermen claim is a sign of a good run. King salmon were very 

 scarce, averaging 2 or 3 a day, while in 1906 the average was from 

 18 to 20 a (lav. 



