2G KKPORT OF THE rOMMISSIO^'KR OF FlSff AND FISHERIES. 



most of the time, ooiniected with the I'm- trnde. lie reported an exceed- 

 ingly hard winter and late si)ring-, and the natives having been nnable 

 to follow their usual avocation of hunting the sea otter, were in conse- 

 quence very poor. 



The bay is only partially i)r(>tccted from westerly winds, the entrance 

 is narrow and intricate, and the space available for vessels of 12 feet 

 draft is limited. Tliere is, however, an inner harbor, or basin, east of 

 the village where small vessels find perfect protection, and a shingle 

 beach affords an excellent place for hauling out to clean or repair. 

 Three small schooners, the Hope, Matinee, and An)U( Matilda, wintered 

 there; the last two belong to the Cutting racking Company, of San 

 Francisco, and act as tenders to their cannery, located farther up Coolc 

 Inlet. 



Our investigations were completed on the 10th, but we were detained 

 by a snowstorm until the following morning, when, the weather having 

 cleared, we steamed well out into the inlet and swung ship under steam, 

 observing azimuths ou every point, for the purpose of ascertaining com- 

 pass errors; then stood into Coal ]>ay and anchored at 10 a. m. 



This bay is formed by a projecting point which juts out 5 or 6 miles, 

 at right angles to the main land, forming an excel ler.t natural break- 

 water; its extremity of gravel and shingle is called Coal Point. Ivepre- 

 sentatives of the AlaskaCoal and Commercial Company and the Cooper 

 Coal and Commercial Company were found comfortably housed in 

 wooden structures on the point, watching' the interests of their respec- 

 tive corporations. There were 11 men at this place, all white. Some 

 work had been done toward the development of the Alaska Coal Com- 

 pany's property, but not sufficient to demonstrate its value. They 

 seemed to be holding possession j)euding the securing of titles to their 

 claims. 



The coal measures are located near the extremity of a peninsula 

 extending frctm the mainland and se])arating Cook Inlet from Kache- 

 mak Bay. It is a tableland of moderate height and thickly wooded. 

 As nearly as I could ascertain, the ])roduct may be classed among the 

 brown coals, resembling those of the Puget Sound region. 



Our investigations were prosecuted as usual, and some additional 

 information obtained. The question as to whether fur seals were ever 

 known to haul out in or near Cook Inlet was among the many interest- 

 ing subjects presented for solution. Inquiries were made among men 

 who have passed their lives in hunting over the region under discus- 

 sion, and the fact that none of them ever saw a seal hauled out would 

 seem to settle the question conclusively. The fur seids pass along the 

 shores, and sonu'times enter Cook Iidet in small numbers when they 

 are ou their way to Bering Sea. They sometimes loiter about a few 

 days, and then an occasional one is killed, providing there are no sea 

 otter about; but should the presence of the latter be suspected the 

 seals will remain undisturbed by the otter hunters. 



