6 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Returning to Village Cove, the Albairos.s remained at anehor until 

 our final departure from the islandvS. 



A hunting and fishing party was sent out on the Gth and returned 

 with 3 halibut and 5 small codfish, the results of a hard day's work. 

 One of the best native fishermen was employed as pilot, and having 

 the steam cutter at their disposal they were able to change their 

 ground as often as desirable; hence all conditions were favorable, and 

 the catch was considered satisfactory for the time of year. The hunt- 

 ers secured a variety of birds from Otter Island, from which excellent 

 specimens w'ere prepared. They were all well-known species, however. 



The Danube, with the British commissioners on board, left for ISTuni- 

 vak, St. Matthews Island, etc., during the morning. 



British and United States men-of-war and revenue cutters Avere con- 

 stantly coming and going, and there was seldom a day that one or more 

 failed either to call or i)ass within signal distance. 



At 9:45 a.m. August 9 the Albafrosfi got under way, and with the 

 U. S. commissioners and Mr. J. Stanley-Brown on board, steamed to 

 St. George Island, arriving at 2:30 p. m. The gentlemen above men- 

 tioned and a number of officers landed and made a cursory examination 

 of the rookery near the village, returning at 5 :20 p. m. Mr. Stanley- 

 Brown remained on the island. I had a casual glance only at one 

 rookery at St. George, but here, as on St. Paul, there Avere unmistakable 

 evidences of great reduction in numbers, a large portion of the original 

 hauling-grounds being overgrown Avith grass. 



The commissioners landed again at 8:30 tlie following morning, and 

 returned at 10 a. m., when we took our final departure from the seal 

 islands. 



It was foggy during the day, with short intervals of clear weather. 

 An occasional seal was seen until we reached the vicinity of the 100- 

 fathom line, but none beyond that point. 



Bogoslof Island. — We were under low speed during the night, and at 



7 o'clock next morning hove-to off the volcano of Bogoslof and landed 

 the commissioners. A party of officers and men visited the island 

 also. We noted many changes since our visit the previous j^ear. Kew 

 Bogoslof was still active, smoke and steam escaping through number- 

 less crevices throughout the whole mass from the water's edge to the 

 summit. It was at least 100 feet lower and was otherwise changed in 

 outline. What had been the rocky pinnacle was now lying in huge 

 masses strewn down the steep incline, even to the surface of the sea, 

 silent witnesses of great convulsions that bad occurred during the pre- 

 vious winter. 



The old and new volcanoes are about a mile apart, and were a year 

 ago connected by a narrow isthnuis but littl(* above the level of the 

 sea, composed of fine volcanic cinders. Now, however, there is an open 

 l»assage through it several hundred feet in width near the new cone, 

 the remainder of the spit extending from old Bogoslof having been 



