OF STEAMER OORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 7 



Otter Island, as it was believed that tbe force on Saint Paul's would be ample to protect both 

 islands. 



Our stay at tbe Pribylov group was too brief to admit of a comprehensive description of the 

 taking of tbe seals, and tbe preparation of tbeir skins, even were such a tiling desirable. The 

 Department has been fully informed of tbe manner in which seals are taken and tbe skins cared 

 for by the special Treasury agents who have been employed there from time to time. It is pre- 

 sumed that the fact of the existence of considerable drunkenness amongst tbe natives has also 

 been reported, and tbe proper remedies suggested. Whether the existing laws are inadequate or 

 imperfectly administered I am unable to state, but it is certain that drunkenness prevails to a 

 lamentable extent, not only to the detriment of the people, but to the lessees of the islands and 

 the Government, and some means should be devised to stop it. In my opinion, a simple and 

 effective way to accomplish this would be to authorize the lessees to withhold the supply of flour 

 and sugar from such natives as are known to brew quass, and even suspend tbe issue of it entirely, 

 if necessary. At present they are required, under the terms of tbeir contract, to furnish these and 

 other articles, and have no authority to withhold them. If authorized, a due regard for tbeir own 

 interests would prompt them to keep a careful watch on the habits of the natives, all of whom may 

 be regarded as the employe's of the company. The interests of the Government, of tbe lessees of 

 the islands, and of the natives are so closely identified in this matter that it appears to me the 

 regulation of quass-brewing could be safely left in the bauds of tbe Alaska Commercial Company. 



The seals at this time (the last of May) were just beginning to arrive. Afewold males had 

 hauled out and taken possession of tbe ground upon which, on the arrival of the females, they 

 would establish tbeir harem. 



At Saint Pau"s, as at Ounalaska, the past winter was reported to have been a mild one. The 

 thermometer bad fallen below zero but once during tbe season, when for a short time it registered 

 — 2° F. The snow bad also been lightmostof the winter, compelling the natives to draw their sleds 

 over bare ground in transporting their fuel. Tbe health of all ou the island hail been unusually 

 good up to this time, but subsequently, as we learned on our return, an epidemic, similar to that 

 spoken of at Ounalaska, visited the island. It became quite general, and at one time threatened 

 to be serious. 



After securing our ice breaker in place, rigging the crow's nest at the mast bead, and making 

 other necessary preparations, we got under way at 8 p. m., and shaped our course for Saint Math- 

 ew's, an island about thirty miles long, just north of the sixtieth parallel of latitude, where it was 

 the intention, unless prevented by ice, to examine the coasts for possible signs of human life, and 

 to give all who desired an opportunity to hunt polar bears, reported to abound there. The weather 

 record at Saiut Paul's showed the prevailing wind for the thirty days past to have been from the 

 northwest and moderate. This would tend to clear the western shore of ice. 



Remembering our rough experience of last year in trying to get north along tbe east side of 

 Bering Sea, we determined to keep, if possible, to tbe westward of tbe pack, and, if necessary, fol- 

 low tbe laud water along the Siberian coast, proceeding no faster than the ice should leave the 

 shore. According to my experience, the west shore is navigable much earlier than tbe east. Both 

 shores are, however, accessible nearly to Bering Strait, while tbe. pack still holds possession of the 

 middle of the sea, well down towards Saint Matbew's Island. This is probably due in part to the land 

 breezes, which blow from each shore during the spring months, but principally to the offset from 

 the rivers, which discbarge into the sea from both continents. The water of these rivers is so tem- 

 pered by the sun's rays and the warm banks through which it flows that it is not an unusual thing 

 to find its temperature 35° to 36°, even when filled with ice. In one instance, at the outset of the 

 north branch of the Yukon, we found a temperature of 37° when surrounded by ice so heavy as 

 almost to stop our progress. 



Tbe ice iu the rivers generally breaks up before that in the sea, and, coming down with the 

 force of the current, carries everything before it, and forces its way through the sea-ice for miles. 

 The effect of the breaking up of the ice on these great rivers is described by Dall and others who 

 have witnessed it as something exceedingly grand. The mild weather at Ounalaska and the seal 



