INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 245 



the lead showed favorable bottom, and the trawl developed a varied 

 and abundant fauna, such as we usually found on cod banks in Bering 

 Sea. Very few fish w^ere taken, however, until we reached the vicinity 

 of Chernoft'sky, where cod and halibut were plentiful. Prosi^ects were 

 so favorable that I am inclined to think fish would be found there at 

 certain seasons, if not the year round, and, should it ever become a 

 fishing'-jiTound, there will be no lack of safe and convenient harbors, 

 for the west coast of Unalaska from Cape Makushin to Cheruofifsky is 

 a series of deep bays, some of them almost bisecting the island. Cher- 

 noftsky Bay is easy of approach and one of tlie most secure harbors in 

 Bering Sea. The only direction necessary in entering is to keep a 

 midehannel course. The village of the above name is situated on a 

 narrow neck of land between the harbor and the sea, and is conspicu- 

 ous when passing along the coast. The Greek church, store, and resi- 

 dence of the Alaska Commercial Company's agent are frame buildings, 

 and the native population, 4() souls, live in barabaras. The men, like 

 those of the other villages on the island, are hunters, and were away 

 on their summer cruise at the time of our visit. 



The examination having been completed to the northeast end of 

 Umnak, a line of dredgiugs was run thence to the vicinity of Cape 

 Cheerful in from 100 to GOO fathoms with satisfactory results, although 

 the rough bottom was frequently destructive to the nets. 



We returned to Iliuliuk on the evening of August 21 after an inter- 

 esting and successful trip. The search for cod banks in Unalaska Bay 

 was resumed the following day, which was unusually clear and pleas- 

 ant. The region from Ulakhta Head to Elder Point was carefully 

 examined, and the examination was extended to Broad and Nateekin 

 bays without developing anything that could be called a fishing-bank 

 Near the shores, however, particularly on the west side of the bay, cod 

 were plentiful and halibut were fairly abundant. These shore fisheries 

 will supply the local demand indefinitely, but nothing more. There 

 was a large school of finback whales feeding in Broad Bay, during the 

 day, which paid but little attention to us, simply moving out of the 

 way or diving under the shi]) when we approached them. On one occa- 

 sion the same school was seen playing around a whaler, but no atten- 

 tion was paid to them. N^othing but merchantable bone will tempt the 

 modern whaleman. We returned to port the same evening. 



Hydrofjraphie mformaUon. — Bristol Bay may be said to include all 

 that part of Bering Sea lying east of a line drawn from the Northwest 

 Cape of Unimak to tlie Kuskokwim Eiver. The island of TJnimak and 

 the Alaska Peninsula bound it on the east and separate it from the 

 Pacific Ocean. The Naknek Kiver is at the head of deep-water navi 

 gation, while the bay itself terminates in the Kvichak liiver, a few 

 miles to the northward. The region about the ISTushagak liiver, Kulu- 

 kak Baj^, and the Kuskokwim forms its northwest boundary. 



The shore lines are usually low and without distinctive features, but 

 high mountain ranges and volcanic cones extend along the central parts 



