126 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



miles in lengtli, f to 1^ miles in width, and free from outlying rocks 

 except at the bluff, north entrance, which it is well to give a berth of 

 one-fourth mile at least. A Greek frame church and 6 frame houses 

 belonging to the Alaska Commercial Company, and 14 barabaras, con- 

 stitute the village. The population numbers 06 all told, 33 males and 33 

 females. Fishing and fox and sea-otter hunting are their only employ- 

 ments. At the time of our visit the men were away on the Sannak 

 Islands engaged in otter-hunting for the company. Fishing is pursued 

 only as a means of subsistence. The seining and fishing parties sent 

 out from the ship were not successful, owing to the limited space over 

 which they were able to work. With sufficient time to make an exam- 

 ination of Akutan Harbor favorable results would probably be obtained 

 relative to its fishery resources. A late spring had somewhat retarded 

 the verdure, yet the snow was fast disappearing from the base of the 

 hills, and wild flowers were budding forth. A prominent landmark, look- 

 ing up the valley at the head of the bay, is the lofty peak of Akutan 

 Volcano, skirted by an unbroken snow-belt and sending out clouds of 

 smoke and steam. On leaving Akutan Harbor we ran into a dense 

 fog at the entrance, which was carried until our arrival in Dutch Harbor. 



The course was laid 4 miles off the north shore of Akutan, SW. ^ S. 

 In a run of 18 miles on this course a set SSE. of 8 miles was experi- 

 enced, which brought us up in Kalekhta Bay, east of Cape Kalekhta, 

 at 8 p. m. A course was then laid NW. ^ W. 20 miles, then S W. i S. 20 

 miles, then SB. i E., picking up Unalaska Island at 9 a. m. July 4, and 

 running in by the lead to 8i fathoms a good anchorage was found on a 

 little plateau in one of the small bays which indent this coast. A dense 

 fog prevailing, the boats were sent out and made a reconnoissance, 

 Avhich located us 7 miles west of Wislow Bay. The ship was dressed at 

 each masthead and a salute of 21 guns fired at noon in honor of the day. 

 Getting under way at 1 p. m. we picked our way along the coast, rounded 

 Cape Cheerful, and anchored in Dutch Harbor at 4.10 p, m. Found the 

 U. S. S. Mohican and Petrel in port ; also the coal ship Iroquois, steam 

 collier Willamette, and whaling bark G. H. Bailey. 



Orders were received from the commander in chief "to proceed to 

 the Pribilofs for the purpose of landing Messrs. Townsend and Miller, 

 to communicate with the senior naval ofllicer, then to further ])roceed to 

 the southern entrance of Isanotski Strait, and there report to the com- 

 manding officer of the Petrel for such instructions as he might give in 

 regard to the examination to be made of the anchorages to which small 

 vessels resort in and around the Sannak Islands. When the duty is 

 comi)leted return to the Isanotski Pass, anchor in it where sealing 

 vessels that may attempt to pass through can be intercepted, then 

 proceed with the repairs upon the boilers and engines that were inter- 

 rupted. Complete them within six days, and then return to Unalaska." 



Accordingly, the Albatross was coaled on the 7th and sailed at G a. m. 

 the 8th. Mr. J. Stanley-Brown, the agent of the ^N^orth American (com- 

 mercial Comi)auy, desiring passage to the Pribilofs, came on board as 



