INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 7 



moved bodily to the westward with a broad sweep. A bar or middle 

 ground was found a few hundred yards to tlie eastward of a line drawn 

 between the cones. Wishing to anchor while the party was on shore, 

 a boat was sent ahead sounding into the bight midway between the 

 old and new peaks. Good anchorage being reported, with notliingless 

 than 20 fathoms until near the spit, we started ahead slowly, the first 

 sounding 20 fathoms and the next '9 feet, the vessel having moved 

 less tban twice her length. Of course the bow was aground, but we 

 backed off without damage or delay. The boat had crossed the bank 

 before commencing to sound. The beaches, the bank above mentioned, 

 and the isthmus formerly connecting the two cones are composed of 

 fine cinders, ashes, etc., lighter than sand or gravel, and are in conse- 

 quence waslied back and forth with every heavy gale. 



Myriads of guillemots covered the rugged cliffs of the active volcano, 

 as well as the extinct cone, and huge flocks were constantly coming 

 and going in their usual active, bustling manner, their curiosity being 

 evinced frequently by hundreds or thousands deviating from their 

 course and circling around the vessel several times as closely as they 

 considered prudent, observing us with apparent interest. 



A sea-lion rookery referred to in former reports, near the base of old 

 Bogoslof, was occupied as usual. This colony is notable for the 

 unusual size of some of the old bulls. They seemed quite tame, per- 

 mitting several of the shore party to approach close to them before 

 showingsigns of fear. Their location being remote from the usual routes 

 in Bering Sea, they are seldom disturbed, and the few that have been 

 killed were taken by officers of the Alaska Commercial Company, who 

 never wantonly destroy or disturb these, to them, useful animals, 



Bogoslof Island to Fuget Sound. — The party returned from shore a few 

 minutes after noon, when we started for Unalaska. The afternoon was 

 clear, and the snow-capped peak of Makushin volcano was visible even 

 from Bogoslof, and as we apiu'oached the rugged shores of Unalaska 

 the peak of Akutan became visible while Bogoslof was still in sight, 

 thus affording the unusual view of three active volcanoes at the same 

 time. 



We hove-to off" Cape Cheerful and put the cod lines over, but the trial 

 was unsuccessful. Probably it was too late. Our experience in Bering- 

 Sea has been that codfish usually cease to bite about sunset. A few 

 scattering specimens were taken at all hours of the niglit when the vessel 

 was at anchor on-fishing-grounds, but never in i^ayiug numbers. 

 After a delay of 10 minutes we steamed ahead and arrived at Ilinliuk 

 at 8:10 p. m. 



The revenue-cutters Rush and Corivin came in and anchored a few 

 minutes later. 



We went to the coal wharf the following morning, and at 12:05 p. 

 m. August 13 finished coaling. The U. S. S. Alert arrived during the 

 morning. Mail was received from the vessels in the harbor as well as 



