INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 27 



It was our original intention to visit the Kenai settlement, bnt npon 

 iuqniry it was learned that the river was still encumbered with ice, 

 making- communication difficult, if not impracticable, and also that the 

 iiatives were not always to be found there so early in the season. 



We were under way again at 2:15 p.m. (April 10), and steaming 

 into Cook Inlet, several miles off Soldovoi, si)eiit nearly an hour with 

 trial lines on abanlv tradition has stocked with endless numbers of 

 codfish and halibut. The bottom indications were favorable, but we 

 caught no fish, and failed to discover the slightest indication of their 

 presence, bnt they may resort to deeper water during the winter season. 

 The locality is worthy of examination, however, for should fish be found 

 in paying qnantities the advantages of secure harbors and native set- 

 tlements, wood, water, and coal would make these banks a favorite 

 resort for fishermen. The flue beach at Soldovoi for hauling out would 

 be available for fishing schooners, and even with the limited resources 

 of the place would prove invaluable in case of emergency. The wind 

 increased rapidly during the afternoon, and when we resumed our 

 course, at 4 p. m., it was blowing a moderate gale from WSW., veering 

 to W]SrW. later, and increasing in force, giving us an uncomfortable 

 night in the rough confused seas and strong currents in the region of 

 the Barren Ivslands. 



The anchor was dropped in the outer harbor of St. Paul at 7 next 

 morning; we went to the wharf four hours later, and 102 tons of coal 

 were taken on board during that and the following days. 



St. Paul, Kadiak Island, has a population of 380, of whom 65 are 

 whites ; the inhabitants of Wood Island number 193, including 3 whites. 

 We were informed that the winter here also had been unusually 

 severe and the approach of spring was reported three weeks late. Mr. 

 White, agent of the Alaska Commercial Company, rendered us great 

 assistance in the prosecution of our investigations and in forwarding 

 our work generally. 



The following schooners were in port fitting out for sea-otter hunting: 

 Pearly Lydia, St. Pauly N'or-iccst, Albert Walter, Mary, and Three Broth- 

 ers. The Undaunted, Alexandria, and Rose had already sailed. 



We left St. Paul at 1 :15 p. m. April U for Port Etches, Prince Wil- 

 liam Sound; the weather had been threatening all day, and the wind 

 increased in force until at 8 p. m. it was blowing a fresh gale from NW. 

 witli a rough sea nearly abeam, which caused the vessel to labor heavily 

 until we reached the Kenai Peninsula, which afforded partial protec- 

 tion. It moderated on the morning of the 15th, and we steamed along 

 the base of the snow-clad heights of the peninsula in comparatively 

 smooth water, anchoring in Port Etches at 11 p. m. 



One fur-seal was seen during the trip from Kadiak to Port Etches, 

 in latitude 59° 07' north and longitude 148° 03' west. 



The Aleut village of ISi'utchek lies on a spit near the northern shore 

 of the entrance to Port Etches. It is a postal station and has a native 

 population of 180. The only white man in the settlement, Mr. Frank 



