70 NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



The mountain has a long slope to the south-east, where the island 

 makes out into a few low hills and terraces of pumiceous and sandy 

 earth, gradually descending to the south shore, which has a sandy 

 beach. The long reef already mentioned extends from the western 

 point of the south shore, and there is another but shorter reef off 

 the east point of it. 



A small island, about a mile in extent, called Puffin Island, lies 

 off the east side of Matau. It is not more than about 200 feet high, 

 and has an undulating surface covered with grasses and moss. It 

 is not shown on any published charts. 



The best anchorages are inside Puffin Island, in from 3 to 9 

 fathoms ; and in Ainu Bay, in the south-western corner of Matau, in 

 from 8 to 14 fathoms, with a sandy bottom. In this portion of the 

 island is an old Ainu village, consisting of a score or more 

 dwellings. 



Water can be procured from a small stream, and driftwood from 

 the beach. 



Foxes are found here. There is a small sea-lion rookery on 

 the north side of the island, and a few leopard seals and sea-otters 

 are to be found. Land and shore birds are very few, but sea-fowl 

 are abundant, the cliffs around the northern shores being favourite 

 breeding-places for innumerable guillemots, gulls, and shags. 



GoLOViN Strait, between Matau and Raikoke, is 9 miles wide, 

 and free from dangers. 



Raikoke, which lies due north of Matau, is a round-shaped 

 island only about a mile in diameter, and some 2050 feet in height. 

 It is an extinct volcanic cone, with its apex much broken away, 

 which, when looked at from certain directions, gives it a somewhat 

 flat appearance on top. 



The slopes of the mountain are very steep, and covered with 

 loose volcanic cinders, making it necessary, when making the ascent, 

 to proceed on all fours in some places. The crater is from 100 to 

 200 feet or thereabouts in depth, with steep sides. 



There is no wood or water on the island, and but a very scanty 

 growth of vegetation on its lower parts. 



The water is deep all round the island, but it is possible to 

 anchor ofi" the south side in from 13 to 10 fathoms. 



There are no land-animals. Sea-fowl, particularly fulmars, auks, 

 puffins, shags, and guillemots, are numerous. 



