36 HALIBUT FISHING GEOUNDS OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 



During the night the Albatross ran 68^ miles to the eastward and 

 on August 5, early in the morning, slowly approached the southern 

 end of Middleton Island; weather foggy. At 8.30, the fog having 

 cleared sufficiently to take bearings, a halibut trawl was set in 50 

 fathoms, the southwest end of the island bearing X. by W,, 4f miles 

 distant ; bottom composed of rocks and shells. The trial occupied one 

 hour, in Avhich time four halibut were captured, their weights being 

 8, 23, 24, and 33 pounds. Their stomachs were comparatively empty, 

 which was the case with a large number of stomachs previously 

 opened. Several whales were on the ground, and on the east side of 

 the island orcas were plajnng about in large numbers, sometimes as 

 many as 40 and 50 in a school, and acting as if pursuing surface fish. 



At 1.40 p. m. another trial was made on the east side of the island, 

 the north end bearing W. f S., 8 miles distant; depth, 84 fathoms. 



The bottom here proved to be muddy. In a trial lasting one hour 

 one black cod was caught. The bait on the rest of the hooks was 

 unmolested. 



On the eastern side of Middleton Island and, for that matter, all 

 around it, the bottom which would attract halibut, cod, or other 

 fish of the commercial species, lies near the shore. 



Sunken shoals and rocks fringe the entire length of Middleton 

 Island on the west side and extend 2 miles from the south end and 

 some 6 miles off the north end, making navigation extremely danger- 

 ous, especially as there is no light or harbor on the island and no 

 buoys to mark the shoals. Wesslers Keef, which lies 16 miles north, 

 should also be given a wide berth. 



There seems to be very little in this locality to warrant either cod 

 or halibut vessels in taking the risks of prosecuting their fishery in 

 the vicinity of the rocks and shoals around Middleton Island. 



Middleton Island and. Ca-pe St. Elias, Kayah Island. — The ship 

 ran 25 miles on a N. by E. J E. course and at 6.30 (Aug. 5) a trawl 

 was set in 65 fathoms, latitude 59° 44' 00" N., longitude 145° 24' 00" 

 W. The specimen of bottom brought up on the lead was black mud, 

 but on the chance of there being rocky or sandy patches near, a set 

 was made. Here, as at the previous station, near Middleton Island, 

 the catch consisted of one black cod. In the immediate vicinity of 

 this position several places marked on the chart indicate bottom 

 wliere cod and halibut might at times be found, one 3 miles north 

 and another 9 miles to the westward; but for the most part the 

 ground lying between Cape Hinchinbrook, Kaj^ak, and Middleton 

 Islands offers little or no inducement to fisher 

 chiefly by sharks and other bottom scavengers. 



Cape St. Elias. — This cape is situated on the southern end of 

 Kayak Island. The island is 17 miles long by 1^ miles wide and 



