oO KKPoirr OF THE commissioner of fish and fisheries. 



^^'e called at Xcali IJay on the aftenionii of the 27th to ascertain 

 whether the groniid had been ('0ver«;d dnring' our absence, and inci- 

 dentally to learn the whereabouts of the sailing fleet. We were 

 informed that a Treasury agent had visited the reservation and had 

 procured such infonnation as Avas desired; he left only an hour or two 

 before our arrival. Five sealing schooners were at anchor in the baj'', 

 four of them belonging to the Indians of tlie reservation. Cajjt. Quii.n, 

 of the Tcaurr, reported rather ])oor success on account of unlavorablc 

 weather; he <lid not know where tlie ileet were, but thought most of 

 them were between the Columbia Iviver and Cape I'lattery. Subse- 

 quent infoi-mation showed that the maj(n'ity of the vessels Avere off 

 Sitka at the time, and that wc had passed them during the thick, 

 blowing As^eather. 



Leaving lieah Bay at 8 p. m., we reached Port Townsend early the 

 following morning, four weeks from the time of our departure, and on 

 the date specified in our orders for the trip to terminate. 



Tlie boilers Avere giving us trouble from leaky tubes, and it was nec- 

 essary to change from one to the other wheucA^er an opportunity 

 occurred, in order to stop leaks and free them from accumulations of 

 salt. The foremast dcA^eloped a Aveakness at the hounds during the 

 northern trip, and close examination resulted in the discovery that 

 under a thin surface shell the wood was so much decayed that it was 

 unfit for service, A new spar was immediately oi'dered. Telegraphic 

 inforunition was received from the Secretary of the Treasury that the 

 Department had a contract Avith the Black Diamond Coal Mining Com- 

 pany, of Seattle, to furnish fuel for the revenue marine A'essels, and that 

 Ave would hereafter procure coal from them. It is not an economical or 

 safe fuel for the boilers of the Albatross, although it gives good results 

 in boilers specially constructed for its use. 



Leaving Port Townsend early on the morning of the 4th of INlay, aa^c 

 moored alongside the buiikers at Seattle four hours later, and during 

 that and the following day took on board 174 tons of coal, returning to 

 Port ToAvnsend on the Gth. The next day, May 7, Avas observed as 

 a holiday in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the 

 discovery of Puget Sound by Vancouver. The event Avas celebrated, 

 in a notable manner on shore, and the menof-Avar in the harbor partici- 

 l)ated by dressing ship and firing national salutes at 8 a. m., meridian, 

 and sunset. The merchant shipping observed the day by dressing 

 ship and joined, or rather led, in a general illumination in the evening. 

 The Albtitross participated as far as i)racticab]e'. The new foremast 

 Avas hoisted on board and stepped during the day. 



Fort Townsoid to Unalaska. — A¥e left Port Townseiul for Unalaska 

 at 8 155 a. m.. May 10, via the inner channels of YancouATr Island, this 

 route being taken in order that the light spars might be sent aloft, rig- 

 ging set up, and the sails bent before reaching the open Avaters ol" the 



