78 NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



There are trout in the streams, and salmon trout are plentiful 

 towards the end of July. Cod, halibut, and rock-fish abound in 

 certain places off the coast. 



Shirinki is separated from Paramushir by a channel about 5 

 miles across its narrowest part. It has deep water throughout. On 

 charts it is called Third (Treti) Strait, although it is the fourth 

 channel between the islands counting from Kamchatka. The area 

 of Shirinki is about If square mile. It is about 2 miles long and 

 1 broad. Looked at from a south-west direction, it has the 

 appearance of a rugged volcanic cone with a broad and dilapidated 

 crater lip, but viewed from the eastward, it is seen to form a ridge 

 with several irregular projections. The western side, where the old 

 crater is situated, is the highest, reaching an elevation of 2500 feet. 

 The western side of the island terminates in lofty perpendicular 

 cliffs. The northern coast is not so steep, and has a margin of 

 bouldery beach. A small cove makes in from the east point, where 

 there is a very small stretch of low land. All the rest of the coast 

 is high and steep. Close in to the west point are two large rocks, 

 on which sea-lions haul out to breed. There is also a large 

 rookery of these animals on a rocky ledge on the south point. 



There is anchorage in from 10 to 15 fathoms, with rocky 

 bottom, off the north shore. 



Myriads of guillemots occupy the ledges of the cliffs on this side 

 of the island, and other sea-fowl are numerous. 



The lower parts of the island are green with grass and mosses. 

 There is no scrub and no stream of water. 



Occasionally a sea-otter may be met with in the kelp-beds 

 around Shirinki. Leopard seals are common, and sea-lions very 

 numerous. 



Alaid Strait, the channel between the north-western part of 

 Paramushir and Alaid Island, is 15 miles wide, and is without 

 dangers. 



Alaid, the most northern of the Kurils, is about 26 miles in 

 circumference, and has an area of 48 square miles. It is the loftiest 

 island in the whole chain, its peak reaching to a height of 7640 feet. 

 This volcano is no longer active — at least, there are no visible signs of 

 activity. The slopes of this grand mountain sweep with a graceful 

 curve towards the sea, in most places ending in low cliffs. On 

 the south-east side a stream of lava has flown down and formed a 



