62 NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



slopes of the hills there is a dense growth of coarse vegetation. The 

 sasa or bamboo grass does not extend beyond this island. 



Fish are plentiful in the streams, but there is no sea- fishing off 

 the coast. Vast beds of kelp extend all along the south-east coast, 

 and it is plentiful also on the opposite side of the island. 



Sea-otters are found here, their favourite haunts being around 

 the reefs and rocks near the ends of the island. Leopard seals are 

 numerous, and there is a sea-lion rookery on a rock at the south- 

 west end close to Cape Nobunots. 



The only land-animal I have seen here is the fox, but I believe 

 there are land-otters also. There are no bears on the island. 

 Land-birds are much less numerous than on Yetorup. Gulls, 

 guillemots, puffins, and shags make a breeding-place of the steep 

 isolated parts of the north-east point. 



xVnchorage may be got in any of the bays on the north-west side, 

 where wood and water can be obtained during fine weather, or 

 when the wind is off' shore. On the Admiralty charts the coast- 

 line from Port Tavano to the north-east end is laid down with a 

 trend much too northerly. 



The remains of several old wrecks arc to be found on the south- 

 east coast. Close to Cape Nobunots, on a ledge of rocks and 

 boulders beneath the cliffs, is a large ship's anchor and some chain, 

 all that is left of a whaler which was lost here many years ago. 

 Towards the north-east end is part of the hull of another, whilst 

 further along the bleached timbers of one more may be seen. In 

 the summer of 1891, a Japanese hunting schooner was lost with all 

 hands on the north-east point. 



Urup Strait, between Urup and the Black Brothers, is 13 miles 

 wide. The tides sweep through at considerable rate, giving rise to 

 awkward swirls and rips. Although this passage is free from rocks, 

 it is not advisable to take it during foggy weather, as the long low 

 north-east point of Urup is not easily distinguished like high land, 

 which can often be seen above the fog. 



The Black Brothers, as they are usually called — Rebuntsiriboi 

 and Brat Chirnoi of the charts — are two small islands lying north- 

 east by north from the north-east point of Urup. Looked at from 

 the south-east, these two islands present a somewhat similar appear- 

 ance, a high cone-shaped peak, and next it one of less elevation^ 

 joined to which is another still lower. 



