INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 33 



tified regarding the movements of fur seals, and were unanimous in the 

 opinion that the herds do not use the passes between Amukta and 

 Great Kyska islands in their migrations to and from Bering Sea. Only 

 scattering seals have been seen by them in the Aiidrcanof and Kryci 

 islands, and they were mostly gray pups, which appear from Septem- 

 ber to November, usually after northerly gales; they are never seen 

 during winter. They are captured whenever opportunity offers, and 

 the flesh used for food, it being considered a great delicacy. The skins 

 are either used for domestic purposes or sold to the company. A dozen 

 seals a year would probably be a fair average for the Atka hunters. 



We were ready to sail on the morning of the 25tli, but a northwest- 

 erly gale was blowing with sufficient force to i^revent our progress 

 along the Bering Sea side of the islands, except at a large expenditure 

 of fuel, which we could not aftord; neither could we wait for it to sub- 

 side, for the limit of the cruise was fixed at a date which admitted no 

 delay. Our only resource was to enter the Pacific via Amlia Pass, a 

 narrow passage between the island of that name and Atka; it had never 

 been used by anything larger than a fishing schooner, and was practi- 

 cally unknown, but Mr. Dirks had frequently fished in the vicinity 

 and believed it was free from hidden dangers. 



Waiting until 9:55 a. m. for a favorable condition of tide, we left the 

 snug anchorage of Kazan Bay and steamed through the pass without 

 trouble or delay. There was an extensive ledge on the Atka side, but 

 it showed above water. We favored the Amlia shore until ui) with the 

 reef; then taking a midchannel course SSE., magnetic, we steamed 

 through the i^ass, which was from 1 to 1^ miles in width, against an 

 8-knot current with heavy rips, swirls, eddies, etc. The hand leads 

 fiiiled to reach bottom, and there was no kelp in midchannel; hence it 

 may be assumed that the pass is navigable for a full-powered steamer — 

 a sailing vessel would only attempt it under favorable conditions. 



Having cleared the pass, we ran offshore about 2 miles, then hauled 

 up parallel with the general trend of the islands, and under storm-sail 

 ;vnd steam made excellent progress in comi^aratively sniooth water. 

 The wind moderated during the following day, and thence to port the 

 weather was all that could be desired. The ISOtli meridian was crossed 

 at 11 a. m., and the date changed from Thursday, May 20, to Friday, 

 May 27, to correspond with the date in east longitude. 



The scene was enlivened while coasting along the Aleutian chain by 

 the constant movements of birds, such as wild geese, little auks, guille- 

 mots, petrels, puffins, the albatross — both white and gray — gulls, etc.; 

 porpoises were seen frequently, sometimes in large schools. Tide rips 

 and the constant occurrence of kelp lent a certain air of danger until 

 the latter was approached and recognized as growing or floating, the 

 former being considered as a warning, while the latter drifts aimlessly 

 over the Avhole region, and frequently makes long sea-voyages when 

 taken up by one ot the areat ocean currents. 

 F C 92 o 



