THE FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1906. 33 



IgusJiikliiver. -This river is about 50 miles in length and enters 

 the bay about 4 miles above Nicholl's Hills. So far as known it has 

 its source in two lakes — Amanka and Ualek. A short distance below 

 the first lake there are rapids and a small falls. The quite large 

 Indian village of Yacherk is located here, and the natives do most of 

 their fishing in the rapids, catching a good many red salmon in the 

 season, ^h. Peter Nelson operates a saltery on the river about 10 or 

 12 miles above its mouth. There is a small Indian village close by the 

 saltery. 



Wood River. — ^Wood River, from its mouth to the first lake, Alek- 

 nagik, is about 24 miles in length. Its width at the mouth is a])out 

 three-fourths of a mile, and thence it varies from 200 to 600 yards for 

 about 15 miles. From here it narrows very nnich until at the lake 

 entrance it has a width of about -50 yards. About 10 miles from the 

 mouth it receives as a tributary the Maklau River, which is said to be 

 about 8 miles in length. A gasoUne launch drawing slightl}^ over 3 feet 

 of water was able to reach Aleknagik Lake in July. Although the boat 

 scraped sand bars once or twice on both trips, it in each instance 

 slipped over them. The influence of the tide extends to the lake, and 

 at high tide about 4 feet of water could be carried right into the lake. 



Aleknagik Lake is about 24 miles long, the general direction being 

 northwest by west, and has an average width of about 2 miles. It 

 has several small tributaries, one close by the outlet, a small Indian 

 settlement being located alongside. On the northern shore, about 6 

 miles from the head, is the most important feeder of the lake, a stream 

 about 50 yards wide at the mouth and 3 or 4 feet deep. Just at the 

 mouth the water runs like a mill race, but a few himdred yards up 

 there is a gentle current. I followed this stream, walking along the 

 bank for some distance, and eventually reached a high ridge where, 

 by climbing a tree, I was able to see the second lake. The river itself 

 was about 10 miles long, quite winding, but appeared to have no 

 waterfalls. The natives claim that there is a waterfall on this stream, 

 but, according to trustworthy information, a party of prospectors 

 from Nushagak several years ago penetrated into the lake in a fishing 

 boat with very little trouble. As the whole of the second lake was not 

 visible from the ridge, and it was impossible to cover the remaining 

 distance on foot, the length of the lake was not ascertained. It 

 seemed to have a northeast trend. At the mouth of the stream is an 

 Indian village. 



Beyond the second lake lies another, connected with it by a stream, 

 and there are intimations from native sources of even more beyond 

 these. There is an Indian village at the head of the second lake. 



On both trips to this section close watch was kept for signs of spawn- 

 ing salmon. On the lower river but few salmon were seen and these 

 near Aleknagik Lake. In the small lagoon at the foot of the lake the 



