C REPORT OF COMMIdSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



haud-liue lisliiug was tried on a bank several miles off Soldovoi, at the 

 nioutli of Oook Inlet, where, according to tradition, cod and halibut 

 are exceedingly abundant. The bottom indications proved favorable 

 for those species, but no fish were taken, and if they resort to this 

 locality it is probably at some other time of the year. The region is 

 worthy of further examination, especially in view of the i)roximity of 

 good harbors, native settlements, and supplies of wood, coal, and fresh 

 water. 



About Port Etches, Prince William Sound, cod and herring were 

 found to be abundant, the former species being taken by the natives. 

 Specimens were caught from the deck of the Albatross by means of 

 hand lines, and, although rather small in size, they were of good 

 quality. Herring were also cai)tured in considerable numbers by 

 seining along the shores. The pursuit of the sea otter has been the 

 principal occupation of the natives at this place, as in Cook Inlet and 

 along most of the coast and islands further westward. 



Before starting on the return trip to Port Townsend, a short time 

 was spent in investigating the positions of several dangers to naviga- 

 tion which have been reported to exist in this region. Hydrographic 

 office chart No. 527 shows a rock in latitude 59° 31' N., longitude 144'^ 

 43' W., where, however, the Albatross failed to discover it. In 1888 

 the Albatross also disproved the occurrence of Pamplona Rocks in one 

 of the positioAJs assigned to them, namely, latitude 59° 03' N., longi- 

 tude 142° 40' W., and it now proceeded to run a careful series of sound- 

 ings with respect to the other position given, in latitude 59° 35' IST., 

 longitude 143° 04' W. In this locality, however, the least depth 

 observed was 114 fathoms, the greatest being 504 fathoms. The results 

 of the survey are thus described by Lieut. Commander Tanner : 



The various courses during the day practicnlly paralleled those of 1888, wheu the 

 Aliatross made her lirst search for the rocks, and, both days being clear during the 

 time of search, the masthead h)okout would have noted anything above "water at 

 least 10 miles on either hand; hence we may conclude that these vigias do not exist 

 within the belt 40 miles in width and 100 in length, over which our reconuoissance 

 extends. 



A brief stop only was made at Port Townseiui, the ship proceeding 

 thence, on May 10, directly to Unalaska, which was reached on the 18th. 

 On the 22d of the same month the Albatross left the latter place for a 

 cruise to the westward among the Aleutian Islands and as far as the 

 Commander Islands off the Siberian coast, during which much impor- 

 tant information was gathered regarding the fur seals and the fishes 

 along that route. The settlement at Na/.an Bay was reached while the 

 hunters, who follow the sea otter among the Andieanof and Kryci (Kat) 

 islands, were still at home. The Atka mackerel {riciirofiranimus 

 nionopteri/cjius), an excellent food-fish, is here taken to a limited extent 

 and constitutes an important item in the native food supply. It 

 appears on the shores of the Aleutian Islands, from Atka westward, in 

 the spring, in large schools, which hover closely about the kelp beds, 



