2 -REPORT UPON THE OPERATIONS OE THE UNITED STATES 

 FISH COMMISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS FOR THE YEAR 

 ENDING JUNE 30, 1894. 



OPERATIONS FROM JULY 1, 1893, TO MAY 1, 1894. 



By Commander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. N., Commanding. 



The Albatross was in latitude 51° 39' X., longitude 172° 22' W., at 

 midnight June 30, 1893, en route from Unalaska to the Bay of Waterfalls, 

 Adak Island, Aleutian Chain, where she arrived at 7.30 p. m. July 1. 



We visited the bay under orders of the senior officer, commanding 

 the United States naval force in Bering Sea, to ascertain if it was 

 being used as a rendezvous by the sealing fleet. Its location on the 

 Pacific side of the island, remote from the usual cruising grounds of 

 the patrol fleet, its accessibility, ample supply of pure, fresh water from 

 mountain streams, and driftwood conveniently strewn along the beaches 

 made it the most desirable port for that purpose west of Sand Point 

 (Humboldt Harbor), in the Shumagin group. There were no vessels in 

 the bay at the time of our arrival, but recent beach fires, trampled 

 grass, etc., plainly indicated the presence of visitors at no distant date. 

 We subsequently boarded three schooners off the coast, all bound into 

 the bay for water, and as they were among the last of the western- 

 bound fleet it is highly probable that the harbor was visited by sealers 

 earlier in the season. 



The Bay of Waterfalls takes its name from a number of mountain 

 streams which fall into it from the surrounding heights. It is 4 miles 

 wide at the entrance, and penetrates the island in a northerly direction 

 about 8 miles. Chapel Cove lies on the east side, 2 miles from the 

 entrance. It was examined by the officers of this vessel, and found to 

 afford fairly good anchorage for vessels of all classes in the outer bay in 

 about 20 fathoms, while the inner cove furnishes almost perfect protec- 

 tion to small craft, such as hunters and sealers. Water could be procured 

 early in the season, but the streams were dry at the time of our visit. 



Cataract Bight was examined also. It lies on the east side of the 

 bay, about 4 miles from the entrance, and affords good anchorage — the 

 best in the Bay of Waterfalls — in from 1 5 to 20 fathoms. There is quite 

 a large stream falling into the head of the bight, affording the most 

 convenient watering-place in the vicinity. Anchorage may be found 



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