34 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The highlands of Attn were sighted at 8:20 a. in. May 2S, Agattu 

 aud tlie Semichi Ishiiuls api)eaTin»- above the liorizoi; a!>out the same 

 time. Arriving off Cliich a got' Harbor, Attu Ishmd, we got the flag- 

 staff on with Kange Point, as directed for entering, but soon discov- 

 ered a kelp patch off Middle Kocks lying directly ahead; we left it on 

 the starboard hand, and, as it was not shown on the chart aud no 

 mention of it made in the sailing directions, we were led to distrust the 

 accuracy of tlie survey, so, following our usual practice in unsurveyed 

 regions, a boat was sent ahead to sound, the vessel following slowly at 

 a convenient distance. We entered without difficulty and anchored at 

 5:1.3 J), ni. in 1^ fathoms, about the center of the harbor. The bay is 

 ratlicr small, bnt is laiidlockod and has good holding ground of stiff mud. 



The IT. S. S. Jlohican visited the harbor during the summer of 1892, 

 and, anchoring in the kel]) patch above described as lying in the fsiir- 

 way, soon swung uj^on a rock having 15 feet over it, with 3i fathoms 

 around it. The accident occurred from their failure to observe a well- 

 established rule in navigating the waters of the North Pacific and 

 Bering Sea, i. e., "Keep out of the kelp." 



The village of Attu lies on a level tract of limited extent at the head 

 of the bay, and has a i)opulation of between 80 and 90, all Aleuts. 

 Pilaret Pi'okopief, native storekeeper for the Alaska Commercial Com- 

 l)any, said the winter had been very severe, and there had been much 

 snffering in consequence. No sea-otter and very few foxes had been 

 taken. The stock of provisions in his charge was practically exhausted 

 in January, and the people had lived on smoked goose and fish. Dried 

 salmon-berry leaves were used as a substitute for tea, and dried kelp 

 took the place of tobacco. A civilized community can have no concep- 

 tion of the value these two articles, tea and tobacco, possess in the 

 estimation of the Aleut. The tea-kettle, or samovar, is constantly 

 simnuuing wherever a spark of fire can be kept, and a pot of the bev- 

 erage is in order at any hour — 2 or 3 gallons a day is not an excessive 

 estimate for a man where the necessary ingredients can be procured. 

 Tobacco is not counted a luxury, but occupies a prominent place among 

 the necessities of life. The average Aleut will barter his most cher- 

 ished iwssessions for it when a liberal offer of money is refused. 



The condition of the people, especially the women and children, was 

 so deplorable for lack of proper food that I ordered sufficient rations 

 issued to relieve their necessities until the arrival of the supply vessel, 

 sent to them at least once a year. The general condition of the natives 

 of Attu contrasted strongly with those of Atka, where the superior 

 intelligence of the white man was so ai^parent. 



The men of Attu are hunters, their game consisting of sea-otters and 

 blue foxes, their hunting-grounds embracing their own island of Attu, 

 Agattu, and the Semichi group. This was formerly a rich station, but 

 the sea-otter has been steadily decreasing in luimbers until the hunter 

 is hurdly able to keep soul aud body together. Agattu uhd the Semj^ 



