REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP PISH AND FISHERIES. S3 



although 110 vessels were found there at the time, there were indica- 

 tions that it had been so utilized earlier in the season. After making 

 an examination of the harbor, a line of soundings was carried south- 

 easterly to latitude 50° 03' N., longitude 174° 30' W., in order to ascer- 

 tain if the deep submarine trough occurring to the eastward and 

 running approximately parallel with the trend of the Alaska Peninsula 

 and Aleutian Islands extended to this point. A maximum depth of 

 4,001' fathoms was found iu latitude 50° 28' N., longitude 175° 10' \\., 

 and only 2,802 fathoms at the end of the line, the depression being 

 again crossed in 3,794 fathoms on the way back to Amukta Pass, thus 

 demonstrating the existence of the trough in this vicinity. The beam 

 trawl was used in Amukta Pass, whence a line of soundings Mas run to 

 the Pribilof Islands, which were reached on July 10. Mr. 0. II. Town- 

 send, accompanied by Mr. BT. 1>. Miller, was at once landed to begin 

 upon the work of delineating and photographing the rookeries, as else- 

 where explained, this task not being finally completed until August 18. 



Until near the end of July the movements of the Albatross were gov- 

 erned chiefly by patrol duty and by the necessity of rendering incidental 

 assistance in connection with the party on the islands, but some fishery 

 and hydrographic inquiries were conducted, more especially to the 

 northwestward of the Pribilofs. Before the close of the month, how- 

 ever, the investigations were taken up on a more comprehensive basis, 

 and they were continued systematically until September 3, although 

 patrol service remained a necessary adjunct of the work. The plan as 

 carried out provided for regular series of observing stations along 

 13 lines equally distant from one another and radiating from a com- 

 mon center located midway between St. Paul and St. George islands. 

 The length of each of these lines or radii was 225 miles, the area 

 covered being, therefore, circular in shape and 450 miles in diameter; 

 it extended a considerable distance beyond the border of the shallow 

 platform to the south, east, and southeast of the islands, but the bulk 

 of the work was done inside of the 100-fatkom curve, which practically 

 marks the outer limit of profitable fishing-grounds. 



The inquiries comprised the customary examinations respecting the 

 depth and temperature of the water; the character, condition, and rich- 

 ness of the bottom; the food-fishes of the region, their distribution, 

 abundance, size, quality, etc., and the additional ones relating to the 

 fur-seal. It was found to be impossible, however, to obtain satisfactory 

 results in respect to the pelagic habits of the seal, which, quickly 

 alarmed at the approach of any object, is especially distrustful of a 

 steamer under way, and the most that could be accomplished was to 

 record the positions of those noticed from the deck. Under the cir- 

 cumstances, therefore, it was not considered expedient for the ship to 

 deviate from the regular courses laid out in connection with the fishery 

 work, and the number of seals observed was undoubtedly much smaller 

 than would have been the case had they been hunted for persistently. 

 Seals were seen along 11 of the 13 radiating lines, the most distant 



