68 NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



either side of the connecting reef, but nearer to the south island. 

 In west bay the bottom is sandy, with a depth of water of 8 to 

 10 fathoms. In east bay the depths are about the same, but the 

 bottom is mostly hard. 



There are no streams, but a small quantity of water constantly 

 trickles out of the base of the hill on to the beach at the head of 

 west bay. There is no timber or scrub, but the islands are covered 

 with verdure. There are no land-animals, and consequently this 

 place is resorted to by myriads of sea-fowl as a breedinj^-ground. 



Srednoi Strait. — North of Ushishir is Srednoi Strait, the 

 most dangerous of all the channels between the islands. It is 

 miles wide from the north point of Ushishir to the south point of 

 Rashau. A ledge appears to extend right across this strait with 

 varying depths of water upon it, it being deepest between Srednoi 

 reef and Eashau. 



Srednoi reef is a long patch of rocks, partly above and partly 

 below the surface of the sea, lying nearly 3 miles off the north 

 end of Ushishir. It is about two miles in length, running north- 

 north-west and south-south-east. The westernmost extremity of 

 this reef is a mass of black rocks about two or three cables long 

 and some 60 feet high in parts, having a rugged hummocky or 

 battlement-shaped appearance. Across a passage about a cable 

 and a half wide, in which there is a depth of water of from 5 to 10 

 fathoms, is a flattish oval-shaped rock, about a couple of hundred 

 yards in extent, and 15 or 16 feet above the sea at its highest part. 



This rock is frequented by many thousands of sea-lions. Fur- 

 seals used to be numerous here also, over five thousand being taken 

 in the summer of 1881 from this particular rock. 



The remainder of the reef is mostly under water, a few small rocks 

 showing above at its eastern extremity. About halfway between 

 the north point of Ushishir and the Srednoi Black rock there is 

 a "button" rock only a few feet out of water, with a depth of 11 

 to 12 fathoms all round it. Immense beds of kelp grow around the 

 Srednoi reef, which are favourite resorts of the sea-otter. 



Between the reef and Rashau the channel is deeper and safe to 

 take in fine weather, but there are rocks lying some distance off the 

 south point of Rashau, another " button " rock showing above 

 water about 2 miles to the southward of this point. 



Throusfh these straits the tides and currents rush with great 



