42 THE FISHEKIES OF ALASKA IN 1906. 



they will remove to the vicinity of the lagoon. This is said to be the 

 finest big-game region in the whole district of Alaska. 



Nelsons Lagoon. — This place has not heretofore been visited by 

 official salmon investigators owing, it has been reported, to the alleged 

 dangerous navigation in its vicinity. The cutter, however, had 

 practically no trouble this year in finding the place. The saltery 

 building is visible some miles out to sea, and when the cutter arrived 

 off the mouth of the lagoon plenty of water was found within 2 miles of 

 the shore, while a line of buoys was visible marking the channel into 

 the lagoon. 



The lagoon runs southwest by south, is 6 miles in length and about 2 

 miles in width. At its western end debouches the Nelson River, 

 which is about a mile wide at its mouth, and about 18 miles from the 

 mouth divides, both branches having their rise in lakes. There is an 

 easy portage from the lakes to Pavlof Bay, on the Pacific side of the 

 peninsula, and this route is used frequently by both wliites and 

 Indians. 



The I^agoon Salmon Company this season operated the saltery 

 which is located on Egg Island just inside of the mouth of the lagoon. 

 This saltery was first operated in 1902. It was run in 1903 and then 

 closed down for two seasons. The saltery force arrived at the lagoon 

 on May 24. Fisliing began on June 15, when red and king salmon 

 were caught, and closed on July 18, with both species comprised in the 

 last catch. The height of the fishing was from July 1 to 18. The salt- 

 ery had a successful season, packing nearly its whole outfit, and utiliz- 

 ing red, king, and dog salmon. Of reds, 52 fish were re([uired to fill a 

 barrel; of kings 15, and of dogs 50. Silver or coho salmon ran in the 

 lagoon in August, but too late to be utilized. 



Gill nets and one trap net were used in fishing. The trap was in the 

 upper part of the lagoon, on the left-hand shore, about one-half mile 

 from the mouth of Nelson River. It was put in on June 15 and taken 

 out on July 18. 



Japanese fishing vessels. — At Unalaska, on August 14, Mr. Henry 

 Dirks, a trader on Atka Island, who has a branch store on Attu 

 Island, stated that of the four Japanese fishing schooners which the 

 revenue cutter Perry found fishing around Attu Island last summer, 

 and which, after their shore shacks were burned, were ordered to 

 depart within twenty-four hours, two returned a day or two after 

 the Perry left and resumed fishing again. Previous to being driven 

 away the schooners had caught and salted 7,500 salmon, while of the 

 two which returned one got between 6,000 and 7,000 salmon and 

 the other practically none. In September a Japanese vessel, possibly 

 one of those which were driven away, visited Attu Island and secured 

 15,000 coho salmon. Mr. Dirks knew of no Japanese vessels visiting 

 either of the islands this year. 



