200 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



of the pelagic life and aquatic habits of the fur seal in so far as it could 

 be done without serious interference with the work of deep-sea explora- 

 tion. The numbers of seals seen, with dates, localities, etc., have been 

 tabulated, and are shown in roman numerals on the appended chart. 



Fishing stations are indicated by a broken line ( ) and dredging 



stations by a horizontal line ( ) drawn under soundings on the 



same chart. 



Messrs. Townsend and Miller came on board at 11.30 a. m. on the 

 15th, having completed the primary photographic survey of the rook- 

 eries, and we were under way fifteen minutes later for St. Paul, arriving 

 at 5.10 p. m. The flagship Mohican anchored near us two hours later. 

 Arrangements having been completed, Messrs. Townsend and Miller 

 were landed at 3.30 p. m. July 16, with photographic apparatus and 

 other equipment, for the prosecution of their work on the rookeries. 



Treasury Agent J. B. Crowley, having requested transportation to 

 St. George, we left our anchorage at 4.30 p. m. and landed him at his 

 destination five hours later. At daylight next morning we examined the 

 north and west shores of the island, in compliance with verbal instruc- 

 tions of the senior officer; then started a line of investigations iu a 

 southerly and easterly direction, intending to extend it to Gape Maku- 

 shin, but a gale sprung up during the night, forcing us to discontinue 

 it and make the best of our way to Unalaska, where we arrived at 

 5.50 p. m. July 18. Several of the Arctic whaling fleet — transports, and 

 other vessels — were found at anchor in the harbor. 



Our movements to this time were governed, first by patrol duty, and 

 later in attendance upon Mr. Townsend in his special work on the seal 

 islands ; but subsequently we were practically free to prosecute the work 

 of the Fish Commission, and preparations were made accordingly. 



Unexpected losses of dredging gear on the preliminary trips forced 

 us to the conclusion that the older portion of the steel- wire rope had 

 reached its limit of usefulness, and as it would be in constant use the 

 remainder of the season we carefully overhauled the whole 3,600 fathoms 

 on the reeling engine, and finally condemned 750 fathoms, replacing 

 it by 1,000 fathoms of new rope. The deep-sea sounding reel having 

 shown signs of distress after the 4,002-fathom sounding made early in 

 the mouth, the wire was run off and a carefnl examination made, which 

 showed it to be in good order in every respect, except that the flange 

 of tbe drum opposite the friction groove was distorted by the great 

 pressure of wire, giving it an irregular, wavy appearance. Fortu- 

 nately, the metal was not fractured; so, after overhauling the wire, it 

 was replaced, and the reel continued to do good service, although it 

 would not be reliable in heavy work. 



The plan for carrying out the explorations contemplated in the 

 instructions of the Commissioner for the season of 1893 may be stated 

 in a general way as follows: Taking into consideration the probable 

 delays incident to the peculiar climatic conditions of Bering Sea, and 

 the time consumed in coaling, it was considered probable that we would 



