C REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



hand-line fishing was tried on a bank several miles off Soldovoi, at the 

 month of Cook Inlet, where, according to tradition, cod and halibut 

 are exceedingly abundant. The bottom indications proved favorable 

 for those species, but no fish were taken, and if they resort to this 

 locality it is probably at some other time of the year. The region is 

 worthy of further examination, especially in view of the proximity of 

 good harbors, native settlements, and supplies of wood, coal, and fresh 

 water. 



About Port Etches, Prince William Sound, cod and herring were 

 found to be abundant, the former species being taken by the natives. 

 Specimens were caught from the deck of the Albatross by means of 

 hand lines, and, although rather small in size, they were of good 

 quality. Herring were also captured in considerable numbers by 

 seining along the shores. The pursuit of the sea otter has been the 

 principal occupation of the natives at this place, as in Cook Inlet and 

 along most of the coast and islands further westward. 



Before starting on the return trip to Port Townsend, a short time 

 was spent in investigating the positions of several dangers to naviga- 

 tion which have been reported to exist in this region. Hydrographic 

 ofiice chart Ko. 527 shows a rock in latitude 59° 31' iT., longitude 144° 

 43' W., where, however, the Albatross failed to discover it. In 1888 

 the Albatross also disproved the occurrence of Pamplona Rocks in one 

 of the j)ositions assigned to them, namely, latitude 59° 03' IST., longi- 

 tude 142° 40' W., and it now proceeded to run a careful series of sound- 

 ings with respect to the other position given, in latitude 59° 35' N., 

 longitude 143° 04' W. In this locality, however, the least depth 

 observed v/as 114 fathoms, the greatest being 504 fathoms. The results 

 of the survey are thus described by Lieut. Commander Tanner: 



The various courses during tbe day practically paralleled thoseof 1888, when the 

 Albatross made her first search for the rocks, and, both days being clear during the 

 time of search, the masthead lookout would have noted anything above water at 

 least 10 miles on either baud; hence we may conclude that these vigias do not exist 

 within the belt 40 miles in width and 100 in length, over which our reconuoissauce 

 extends. 



A brief stop only was made at Port Townsend, the ship proceeding 

 thence, on May 10, directly to Unalaska, which was reached on the 18th. 

 On the 22d of the same month the Albatross left the latter jjlace for a 

 cruise to the westward among the Aleutian Islands and as far as the 

 Commander Islands off the Siberian coast, during which much imi)or- 

 tant information was gathered regarding the fur seals and the fishes 

 along that route. The settlement at Nazan Bay was reached while the 

 hunters, who follow the sea otter among the Andreanof and Kryci (Kat) 

 islands, were still at home. The Atka mackerel {Pleurogrammus 

 monopterygins), an excellent food-fish, is here taken to a limited extent 

 and constitutes an important item in the native food supply. It 

 appears on the shores of the Aleutian Islands, from Atka westward, in 

 the spring, in large schools, which hover closely about the kelp beds, 



