INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 253 



prevailed and a clear day was a rare exception. The tidal currents were 

 strongest in the vicinity of Unimak Pass and the head of the bay; 

 they were greatly att'ected, however, by the winds. The flood stream 

 set to the northward and slightly inshore along the coasts of Unimak 

 and the peninsula ; the ebb, to the southward and slightly offshore. 

 The former was invariably the stronger and probably found an outlet 

 by sweeping past Cape Constantine in the direction of Cape Newenham. 

 There has been no systematic study of Bering Sea currents and the 

 almost constant fogs i^revent the navigator from adding much to our 

 meager knowledge concerning them. 



Well-equipped fishing vessels can anchor any wliero ou Bairdor Slime 

 Banks and lay out such winds as they would be likely to encounter 

 during the summer months. The peninsula will afford a weather shore 

 for southeast winds and Amak Island ofters fairly good protection on 

 its southeast and southwest sides. Port Moller and Herendeen Bay 

 will be ports of call for fishermen when they become better known. 

 Port Haidenmay also prove available after it has been surveyed. 



UNALASKA TO SAN FRANCISCO, AUGUST AND SEFTEMBER, 1890. 



We coaled ship on the 25tli, and at 1:15 p. m. the following day left 

 in company witli the revenue cutter Rush, the latter bound to the Seal 

 Islands. The atmosphere was unusually clear, and, as we had never 

 used Akutan Pass, we availed ourselves of the favorable opportunity 

 of passing through and examining it. There is a clear channel 2 

 miles or more in width between Cape Morgan and four small islets 

 lying off TJnalga Island, free from dangers except near the shores, with 

 26 fathoms, rocky bottom, in the narrowest i)art of the pass. We 

 steamed to the eastward during the night, and at 0:17 the following 

 morning cast the trawl in 280 fathoms in latitude 53'^ 5G' IsT. and longi- 

 tude 103° 25' W., about 9 miles from the reported position of Lenard 

 Rock, but saw no indications of shoal water, although the weather was 

 clear and a lookout was kept at the masthead. 



A line of soundings and dredgings was run outside of the 100-fathom 

 curve, past the Sannaks and Shumagins, to the vicinity of the Trinity 

 Islands, where, in 07 fathoms, latitude 60^' 02' N. and longitude 153° 

 52' W., we took our departure. Running E. 3° S. true 11 miles, we 

 found 207 fathoms; then E. true, Avitli intervals of 20 miles, the follow- 

 ing depths were found across the line of the great submarine trough 

 which extends along the Aleutian Islands, viz: 1,152, 2,197, 2,020, 2,935, 

 and 2,925 fathoms. Increasing the interval to 30 miles, we found 2,770 

 fathoms, and a further distance of 02 miles gave us 2,414. The maxi- 

 mum depth was found in latitude 50° 02' N. and longitude 151° 12' W. 

 It will be observed that, while the depths are less than those found 

 farther west, they are at least 800 fathoms greater than the normal, 

 showing that the easterly extension of the depression reaches that 

 point. The line of soundings was extended to the Queen Charlotte 

 Islands, where a successful haul of the trawl was made in 1,588 fathoms. 



