OEUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 37 



Island, named by Cook on account of a sledge seen on it when he landed, is about one mile 

 long, half a mile wide, and between Ave and six hundred feet in height. It is a barren rock with 

 almost perpendicular sides. Passing Sledge Island, we shaped a course for King's Island, arriving 

 there the following evening. This island has about the same area as Sledge Island, but is some- 

 what higber and more rugged in its outline. Like the latter, most of its inhabitants had gone to 

 the mainland to trade and gather berries, as they are accustomed to do each year. The settlement 

 is on the south side of the island on an extremely ragged slope over one hundred and fifty feet 

 above the sea. The winter houses are excavated in tbe rocks, and the summer houses are made of 

 walrus hide stretched on poles which are secured to the almost perpendicular cliffs by lashings and 

 guys of walrus hide. Altogether it is a most remarkable place. The men are very expert with the 

 kyack, which they use when killiug seal and walrus. The kyack in use by them is probably the 

 finest in the world, tt is a marvel of speed, strength, and beauty. Near the village is a cave in 

 the rocks in which a supply of meat is stored for winter use. We remained at this place some hours 

 taking photographs, collecting ivory carvings, &c. The natives dispose of the carviugs readily; 

 in fact, being natural traders, they seldom refuse to sell auythiug they possess. Unfortunately, 

 many of the best carviugs had been taken along by the traveling parties, probably in the hope of 

 falling in with Mr. Nelson, who, by his long residence at Saiut Michael's and frequent journeyiugs 

 around the country, had become extensively known among them. His custom of buying these carv- 

 ings, and many other things which were of no value except as specimens for a museum, pleased the 

 natives very much, and to many to whom his name was not known, he was described as " the man 

 who buys good-for-nothing things." 



Leaving King's Island at 1.30, we shaped a course for Cape Prince of Wales, arriving at 4 

 p. m., and stopped off the settlement. Mr. Nelson again went on shore, and took a number of pho- 

 tographs of the natives. 



At half past six in the evening we steamed ahead from Cape Prince of Wales, and were soon 

 after overtaken and surrounded by a dense fog bank, which had been seen approaching for some time 

 from the southward. As it was accompanied by a good breeze, we made all sail, uncoupled pro- 

 peller and sailed through the straits, keeping the lead going to avoid the shoal before mentioned, 

 which extends northward from the end of the cape. We caught occasional glimpses of the laud 

 during the night. On the following morning the fog cleared away, and the sun came out bright 

 and warm. We steamed to the eastward all day, with the land in sight, but the conditions of 

 navigation were altogether different from those of a corresponding date of last year, when the 

 entrance to Kotzebue Sound was blocked by heavy pack ice, to a grounded piece of which we 

 made fast off Cape Espeuberg. Now no ice was to be seen. Soon after meridian we saw a sail in 

 shore near Cape Espenberg, which proved to be the trading schooner O. S. Fowler of the Western 

 Fur Trading Company, which was boarded and examined. A boat was also seut in pursuit of some 

 oomiacs which were seen to leave the vessel when we first came in sight. They were overhauled 

 and examined near the shore, after which the houses of the natives were carefully searched, but noth- 

 ing contraband was found either there or on board the schoouer. This vessel sailed from San Fran- 

 cisco with a lot of unstamped tobacco aud some breech-loading arms on board, ostensibly for trade 

 on the Asiatic coast. The tobacco was a part of the cargo of the brig Timandra, wrecked on 

 MuDiook Island in 1879, the facts of which were reported to the Department at the time by the 

 commanding officer of the cutter. It had been taken out of bond at San Francisco for foreign trade. 

 After the loss of the brig the cargo was taken to San Francisco and sold at auction to the Western 

 Fur aud Trading Company, and the tobacco, upon which the tax was still unpaid, was again bonded. 

 Subsequently it was again withdrawn for foreign trade aud put on board the Fowler as stated. 

 A number of breech -loading rifles, such as are prohibited by law in Alaska, were also put on board 

 the Fowler, and a bond was given that they should not be sold in Alaska. The schooner was 

 placed in command of a man by the name of Nye, a well-known whisky-seller, who boasted to the 

 boarding officer of the number of Indians he had seen die from the effects of whisky driukiug on 

 board trading vessels. As an evidence of the value of this bond, and the oath of the master, or 

 rather their entire lack of value, it may be mentioned that the natives of Saiut Lawrence Island 

 told us that the Fowler had sold them boxes of tobacco and a number of breech-loading rifles. As 

 the oath aud bond had been violated in the case of the rifles, of course they would uot hesitate to 



