60 NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



the Cygnet rocks, and on a cluster of rocks near the north-east 

 end. Leopard seals are plentiful all round the island. 



The charts of Yetorup are very imperfect. Although the 

 alterations of late years have been considerable, each one appears 

 to make matters^worse rather than better. On the latest Admiralty 

 chart, with corrections (?) to 1890, Cape Vries is laid down about 

 5 miles too far north, and Cape Seworsi about 2 miles too far 

 south, thus making the north-eastern part about 7 miles broader 

 than it really is. 



Yetorup Strait, as it is now named, but marked on old charts 

 Vries Strait, is 19 miles across from Cape Okabets on Yetorup 

 to Cape Nobunots on the island of Urup. It is free from danger 

 on the Yetorup side, bat off Cape Nobunots there are some rocks 

 and a reef extending out into the strait to nearly a mile. This 

 reef is covered by an immense kelp-bed, the long streamers of 

 which, however, are often carried out of sight below the surface 

 of the water by the strong currents. There is a shoal patch on 

 this reef on which the sea breaks in a heavy swell. Off the point 

 and over the reef very heavy tide-rips are formed. Lying about 

 2 miles north-west of Cape Nobunots is a high rock called Sail 

 rock. This strait is sometimes blocked by ice in the spring. 



Urup, the fourth largest of the Kurds, is GO miles long, with 

 an average width of about 6 miles. It has an area of 298 square 

 miles. It is uninhabited except during the summer fishing season. 



There are four principal mountain groups, separated from each 

 other by lower land. Proceeding from the south-west, the first 

 group is about 14 miles up the island, the highest peak reaching 

 about 3650 feet. Twelve miles further up is the second group, one 

 mountain in which is some 3750 feet high. Ten miles beyond we 

 come to the highest peak in the island, 4150 feet above sea-level, 

 with another of 3800 feet in the same cluster. In this group one 

 or two of the mountains are giving off steam. Still further to 

 the north-east is the fourth mountain mass, with peaks, in the 

 latitude of Cape Nobu, 3750 feet and 3650 feet in elevation, the 

 end mountain beins: about 2700 feet hisfh. 



Between these groups of mountains the land is much lower and 

 narrower, forming three bays on the north-west coast of the island. 

 Streams flow into these bays, and it is here the Japanese now and 

 then establish fishing stations. 



