1 -REPORT UPON THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE U. S. FISH 

 COMMISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 

 JUNE 30, 1895. (ABSTRACT.) 



By Lieut. Commander F. J. Drake, U. S. N., Commanding. 



On July 1, 1894, tlie Albatross was in latitude 57^ 22' N., longitude 

 167° 36' W., 86 miles ENE. from St. Paul Island, Bering Sea, in search 

 of sealers and pelagic sealing vessels. A few seals were observed in 

 that locality, playing about the ship, jumping and diving. The weather 

 was cloudy, low overcast, settling into a fog during the evening. The 

 course was laid for Shaw Bay, and the run made in a dense fog with 

 light northerly wind. The coast of Unimak Island was sighted the 

 afternoon of the 2d about 9 miles west of Cape Lapin, after running in 

 by soundings to 10 fathoms, as the fog hung low, obscuring the bluffs, 

 and the shore only a few feet above the surf could be distinguished. 

 Feeling our way along the shore to the northward and eastward. Cape 

 Lapin was rounded with the intention of entering Shaw Bay. The fog 

 shutting down thick, prevented search for sealers in Shaw Bay, and 

 the Albatross was therefore put oifshore in the vicinity of Unimak Pass 

 for the night. The current around Caj^e Lapin was found to have a 

 velocity of 2^ to 3 knots per hour, setting to the westward. 



The next morning, July 3, we stood in for Akutan, The fog lifting 

 gave the outline of the island in relief against a bank to the south- 

 ward. Approaching that island from the north two currents are 

 encountered, an offshore current 20 miles from the island setting in an 

 opposite direction to the inshore current, east and west. Entering 

 Akutan Bay, on a SSE. (magnetic) course, at a distance of 2 miles 

 from Akun Island, opens out the bay between these islands and dis- 

 closes the entrance of Akutan Harbor by a bold, black bluff facing the 

 southeast point of the island. When abreast of a prominent pinnacle 

 rock on the Akun shore, 1 miles from the entrance, stand across the 

 bay on a SSW. (magnetic) course. Rounding the bluff, at a distance 

 of half a mile on the starboard hand, opens the bay, disclosing the 

 settlement on the north shore, situated on a projecting spit, which 

 is steep. Steer a midchaunel course and anchor close to the shore 

 abreast of the village in 18 fathoms, or proceed to the head of the 

 bay, 14 miles above the village, and select anchorage in 5 to 7 fathoms. 



Owing to the short stay of the Albatross, we anchored off the village 

 in 18 fathoms, soft bottom, two ship's lengths from the beach, with the 

 Greek church bearing NW. ^ N. (magnetic). The bay is about 3 



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