234 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES 



sij^iu'd to the ishiiul on tlic. cliarts, wimI, kii()\viii<^- (hat observations had 

 not been made on it, in modern times at least, reconsidered thechance 

 worth waitinji" for, and fortunately obtained good 'sights for latitude 

 an<l longitude. The island is the one distinctive and unmistakable 

 landmark in the vicinity; hence our anxiety to locate it exactly. The 

 Southeast Point was found to be in latitude 55*^ 25' 05.6" N. and 

 longitude IG^o 07' 33.0" W. There is foul ground off the northwest 

 extremity of the island, some rocks awash; and between 2 and 3 miles 

 distant is Sea Lion llock, several hundred yards in extent and about 

 150 feet in height, on which is a large rookery of sea lions. AVe found 

 the schooner Olya at anchor oft" Aniak Island, waiting favorable 

 weather to secure a suiticient number of these animals to supply her 

 native sea-otter hunters with skins for bidarkas. 



No codfish Avere taken within 10 miles of Amak Island, or between it 

 and the mainland, except scattering specimens. Sea lions and walrus 

 doubtless destroy and drive away fish fi-om their immediate vicinity, 

 but over this large area there must be some other cause, and it may, 

 1 think, be attributed to the lack of food, as we found the bottom 

 exceedingly barren. 



Baird BanJi. — Getting under way at 1 :53 p. m., we continued our ex- 

 plorations in a northerly direction, and soon found ourselves approach- 

 ing excellent codfish grounds. The bottom fauna was abundant, and 

 the fish captured were large and in good condition. Near the shore, in 

 depths less than 20 ftithom.s, the bottom was covered with mussels, 

 sponges, and large barnacles in clusters, adhering firmly to rocks and 

 stones, their elevated cutting edges soon wrecking the nets. Conditions 

 improved with each line of stations, and, arriving oif Port Mciller, we 

 found ourselves on the best fishing-ground we had yet found in Bering- 

 Sea. It was evident that we were developing a great cod bank, the 

 extent of which was not yet defined. 



The schooner Vdnderbilty of San Francisco, was found at anchor off 

 Port Mciller with nearly a full fare of codfish, which she had taken in 

 that vicinity. 



Port MUlUr. — Leaving the schooner at 2 p. m., June 29, we anchored 

 outside of Entrance Point, Port Mollej-, at 5:45 j). m. We were, as 

 before stated, unable to procure a full coal supply at Unalaska, and, 

 rather than wait the arrival of a cargo M'hich could not be expected for 

 a month at least, decided to extend our explorations to this pla(;e and 

 take our chau(!es of replenishing the bunkers from a recently opened 

 coal mine in Ilerendeen P>ay, a branch of Port Miiller. The delay could 

 be no greater, at least, and we might be able to procure sufficient fuel 

 for the completion of the work in Bristol Bay. The region is unsur- 

 veyed, and the entrance guarded by banks and shoals over which the 

 tide sweeps with great force, making the channel difiicult and danger- 

 ous, its ill repute having, in fact, caused the great bay and its tribu- 

 taries to remain almost a terra incognita to the navigator. The dis- 



