• CEUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IX THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 83 



going, we could not stop iu time to avoid taking the bottom. I bad selected the first of tbe flood to 

 make tbe attempt, and as the tide rose the vessel floated and was backed oft' without difficulty. 

 Eschscholtz Bay, although about 15 miles in length and 10 miles in width, is very shallow, and not 

 more than half of it is navigable for a vessel the size of the Corwin. Its greatest depth is about 4J 

 fathoms ; it shoals gradually, however, to the L'i-fathom curve, so that it can be navigated in safety 

 by a careful use of the lead. Inside of this curve the soundings become irregular, and banks with 

 only 1 fathom of water over them, and having steep sides, are numerous. The tides appeared to 

 be very regular, with about 3 feet rise and fall, the velocity of the ebb being about 3 knots 

 and the flood probably not over 2. There was no perceptible difference in the height of the 

 night and day tides at that time. While in Eschscholtz Bay we replenished our supply of water 

 from a stream on Choris Peninsula. The water, however, was strongly impregnated with the de- 

 cayed vegetable matter through which it runs, and as the operation of getting it was attended 

 with some difficulty, on account of the distance from the beach, we took only what was required 

 for immediate use. During one of my rambles on shore at this place, on the south side of the bay 

 a few miles west of Elephant Point, I discovered several pieces of the wreck of a vessel, consisting of 

 a part of a lower mast, including the head, the'heel of a topmast, a hatch, several pieces of light 

 upper work, stanchions, &c. I also saw a great many cask-staves, such as are used by the whalers 

 for oil. As these things bore evidence of many years' exposure, and were all more or less charred 

 by fire, I conclude that they belonged to the whaling bark Louisiana, which I mentioned in my 

 former report as having been run on the Choris Peninsula and burned to avoid capture by the 

 Shenandoah. 



The cairn on Chamisso Island, in latitude 06° 13' 11", longitude 161° 46' west, referred to in 

 my former report, was revisited, but no new discoveries were made. A note in Fridlay's Direct- 

 ory of Bering Sea and the coast of Alaska, states that Kellett's party found, in July, 1849, the 

 barrel of flour left by Beechey twenty-three years before, and that it was in good condition. The 

 sand around it was frozen so hard that it requh-ed enormous exertions to get it out. 



Near Chamisso is another and smaller island, which, in consequence of the great number of 

 birds of that species found iu the vicinity, is called Puffin Island. Like the larger one, it is coin- 

 posed of crumbling granite, and covered over the top with a rank growth of moss, grasses, 

 and dwarf bushes. At the northwest end is an isolated eminence, resembling an ancient castle. 

 The island is about 150 feet in height, its sides are steep, and on account of the crumbling state of 

 the rock, it is difficult of ascent. Eschscholtz Bay is the only place on the Arctic coast of Alaska 

 that can be termed a harbor. By shifting anchorage half a mile, good shelter may be found from 

 all winds. Entering the bay with a fair wind, a vessel may pass between Chamisso Island and 

 the peninsula. By keeping within a half or three-quarters of a mile of the island, after passing a 

 line drawn from the center of the island to the east side of the peninsula, she may haul up to the 

 northward and anchor within half a mile of the latter place in 5 fathoms and good holding 

 ground. For a vessel beating in, however, the passage south of Chamisso is recommended, and 

 in either case the lead should be kept going. Iu the cliffs to the eastward of the Choris Peninsula 

 it is said that garnets are found, but we saw none. The land in the vicinity of this bay consists 

 of rounded hills from 100 to 400 feet in height, and gradually rising to 1,000 feet further inland, 

 with here and there an isolated peak 1,500 or perhaps 2,000 feet high. Occasionally these higher 

 hills present a rugged outline, but generally the smooth regularity of their contour is very notice- 

 able. This peculiarity extends throughout that part of the Arctic regions visited by us. As a 

 rule the hills up to a height of 1,200 or 1,500 feet are smooth and regular, and composed of 

 loose earth and rock. The many and extreme changes of temperature cause weathering and 

 breaking of even the firmest granite. The detached particles roll down, and, by the action of the 

 eddying winds, are formed into smoothly rounded hills, with the higher ridge of rock still pro- 

 jecting through or appearing as isolated pillars and columns. At Plover Bay we saw this smooth- 

 ing process going on from the beginning, when the rounded portion appeared as a small talus 

 but a few feet in height, through all the stages to a hill of 1 ,500 feet iu height, and perfectly formed 

 with the exception of the summit, a few feet of which still retained its original structure and ap- 

 pearance. This change is constantly taking place and at a much more rapid rate than might be 



