182 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



small underground houses are to be found, and are used only during 

 the killing season. 



Discovery of the island. — Geographically, as well as in regard 

 to natural history, Bering Island is one of the most curious islands in 

 the nortliern part of the Pacific Ocean. It was here where Bering, 

 after his last disastrous voyage in this sea, which now bears his name, 

 on the 19th of December, 1741, finished his long career as a discoverer, 

 shortlj^ after his ship, during a storm, crushed against the cliffs on 

 the north coast of the island. Many of his fellow-travelers survived 

 him, among them the learned naturalist Steller, who left a masterly 

 description, seldom equaled, of the natural history of this island, 

 where he involuntarily spent his time from the middle of November, 

 1741, to the end of August, 1742. 



As far as is known, Bering Island had never before been visited by 

 man. It was the desire to obtain for our museums the skins and 

 skeletons of the many curious mammiferous animals existing here, as 

 also to compare the present condition of the island, since it has nearly 

 a century and a half been mercilessly exposed to hunting and the 

 cupidity of mankind, with the vivacious and striking description left 

 by Steller, which ijromjDted me to put down on our traveling plan a 

 visit to the island. The news I gathered on Bering Island from 

 American papers about the uneasiness which our wintering in the 

 Arctic had created in Europe really ijrevented me from remaining 

 here as long as I should have wished; but nevertheless, our collec- 

 tions and observations are exceedingly valuable. 



Changes since Steller's time. — Since the time of Steller the ani- 

 mal life has undergone a considerable change on the island. Foxes 

 (or, more correctly, "fjellrackor," Swedish) existed then in unusual 

 numbers. Not alone did they eat up everything tliat could be eaten 

 at all which was left outside, but they forced themselves in the houses 

 during the day as well as night and carried away anything they could, 

 even articles that could be of no use to them, such as kuives, sticks, 

 sacks, shoes, and socks. It became necessary, when doing certain 

 things out of doors, to drive them away with sticks, and at last they 

 became— through the slj^ness and cunning with which they managed to 

 consummate their thieving, and the cleverness with which they com- 

 bined their efforts to obtain objects which they alone could not accom- 

 plish — reall}^ dangerous, mischief -making animals for the castaways. 

 Since then thousands upon thousands have been taken here bj^ fur 

 hunters. Now they are so rare that during our stay here we did not 

 see a single animal. Tlie remaining ones are said not to have the 

 formerly so commonly seen black-blue coat, but the white, which is 

 not very costly. On the neighboring Copjaer Island there are still 

 considerable numbers of black-blue foxes. 



Steller and his fellow-travelers killed here, in 1741-42, 700 sea otters. 

 This animal, known for its very costly and fine fur, is now entirely 

 driven from Bering Island. 



Of sea lions, Otaria stelleri, which were formerly very numerous, 

 but few now visit this place ; also sea bears, Otaria tirsma, and finally, 

 the most curious of all the former mammalia on Bering Island, the 

 great sea cow, is now altogether extinct. 



Marine "neat cattle." — Steller's sea cow, Rhytina stelleri, took 

 the place, in a certain way, of the hoofed animal among the sea mam- 

 malia. It was of a nut-brown color and covered with hair which had 

 grown together into an outer hide, much like the bark of an old oak tree. 

 Its length was, according to Steller, even to 35 feet, and its weight 



