6 



CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



of the Territory. Upon tbe whole, the town, Illulnck, presents more of the appearance of civilization than any other 

 ■west of Kodink, excepting those of the seal islands. It has a population of :M*, 8 being Americans, US Creoles, and 

 222 Aleuts. The American population includes a deputy collector aud one of the United States Sigual Service Corps, 

 the others being agents and employes of the trailing companies, with the exception of the Tyone or chief of the people 

 and a few designated as church workers. The population are all sea-otter hunters. * * Of late years a few of 



the people have been taken by the Alaska Commercial Company to the seal islands as laborers, the seal islanders not 

 caring to do anything outside of the regular business of taking seals. * * * A portion of the .women and youngsters 

 are also given employment by the company in haymaking, getting a supply sufficient to feed the stock (consisting of 

 15 cows and 25 sheep) during the long winter when cattle cannot graze. 



ILLUILOOK, OL'NALASKA ISLAND. 



The pasturage during the summer is excellent, and the cows and sheep seem to be in fine condition. Tbe grass g-ow 

 luxuriantly in the valleys, but, owing to mists, fugs, and want \>( sun, it, is found hard work to cure sufficient bay to 

 keep the cattle through the winter. The priest, Father Shiesnakoff, and I w o Creoles have each a small garden, where 

 potatoes and turnips are raised. The turnips are excellent, but the potatoes are small and watery, the yield being 

 hardly sufficient to preserve tbe seed. The principal food of the Aleutian people is fish, seal and sea-lion 



meat, and the meat and blubber of whales. * * There is located at Ounalaska a school, the teacher being one of 



the church officials. There seems to be no regular attendance of children, their parents not caring whether they attend 

 or not, and the, teachers arc perhaps fully as indifferent, for if only a few children come, they adjourn until the next, 

 day, or until more are present. There is apparently no attempt to teach English, as it is not encouraged by the par- 

 ents for some cause. 



We sailed from Ounalaska at I a. m., on May 22, and arrived off the island of Saint George at 

 8 a. m. the following day. Although the fog was very dense, we found the island without diffi- 

 culty by the great number of sea-birds with which the air in the vicinity was filled. The sea being 

 quite rough we did not attempt to land, but kept on towards Saint Paul's, where we arrived about 

 noon. Although the weather was still thick we succeeded, by means of the lead aud the sound of 

 the surf on the shore, in finding the anchorage. Soon after, the fog rolled away and the sun came 

 out, affording us a flue view of the island. 



The surf being too heavy for landing at the South West Bay, we got under way again ami 

 steamed around to the southeast side, where we found but little surf, and easily communicated 

 with the shore. 



Col. Harrison G-. Otis, the special Treasury agent in charge of the islands, came on board, 

 and after a consultation with him, it was decided unnecessary to detail an officer for duty on 



