78 REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



rocks into a Imid and nearly smooth floor, a circumstance which depends 

 in ])art on the incorporation with it from year to year of the felted hair 

 wliich is shed by the seals themselves during the stagey season. 



2t)l. liehring and Coi)per Islands, forming the Commander group, 

 differ very considerably in physical aspect from the Pribyloff Islands, 

 though like them they are entirely destitute of either arboreal or 

 shrubby growth, and are largely covered by grasses. These two islands 

 form parallel elevations running in north west by south east bearings, 

 and separated by a least distance of 26 miles. Copper Island, which is 

 furthest to the eastward, is separated by 190 miles of ocean from Attn 

 Island, the westernmost of the Aleutian chain. Behring Island is again 

 removed by a distance of 95 miles from the nearest part of Kam- 

 tschatka, and though the high volcanic mountains of the peninsula may 

 in clear weather be seen from the island, the latter is i^robably never 

 under any circumstances visible from the mainland. It is, nevertheless, 

 rather remarkable that the islands of this group had never been inhab- 

 ited by man until their discovery and occupation by the Russians in 

 1741, as the distance from the mainland is not so considerable as in 

 itself to afford a completely satisfactory explanation. 



262. Behring Island is about 50 miles in extreme length, with a 

 width of nearly 20 miles at its northern and widest end. From this it 

 tapers gradually but irregularly to Cape Maniti, its south-eastern 

 extremity. The northern half of the island is low, with a rolling or 

 nearly flat surface, much of which is described as consisting of "tun- 

 dra" land. It includes one large lake, which discharges on the north- 

 ern shore. The southern half is higher, and appears, as seen 



47 from the sea, to consist of a mass of rounded hills of heights 

 varying from several hundred to perhaps 1,000 feet. The shores 

 of the higher part of the island are very generally bordered by cliffs 

 or stec]) scarped rocks, with narrow V-shaped valleys breaking through 

 them to the sea. The greater part of the island is composed, so far as 

 examined, and also on the authority of M. Grebnitsky, of well stratified 

 Tertiary rocks, generally shales and sandstones, but basalts and vol- 

 canic breccias appear upon some parts of the coast, and generally from 

 the projecting reefs and rocks. There are no harbours, but a fair 

 anchorage with off-shore winds may be found at Nikolski, the only per- 

 manent settlement, situated on the west coast of the island, about 10 

 miles from its north end. 



263. Copper or Medni Island is about 30 miles in length, with a 

 greatest width of about 5 miles to the south of the middle of the island. 

 It is a partially submerged mountainous ridge, much higher and bolder 

 than Behring Island, and apparently almost wliolly composed of volcanic 

 rocks, which are not, however, modern, like those of many parts of the 

 Aleutian Islands, but probably of Tertiary age. Its surface is exceed- 

 ingly irregular and comprises very little flat land of any kind, while 

 the shore is often bordered by bold and rugged sea cliffs, particularly 

 along the south-eastern side. The shore-line of this side is sinuous, 

 but that of the north-east side is broken, and comprises several consid- 

 erable bays, but no good harbours for large vessels. There are three 

 small settlements on the coast: Glinka, Karebelny, and Preobajenski, 

 the last named being the most northern, and the only one continuously 

 occupied at other seasons than the time of sealing. The highest parts 

 of Copper Island probably attain an elevation of 3,000 feet. 



264. Along the shores of both of these islands there are extensive 

 fields of kelp, but these are not more notable than those to be found 

 in similar situations in the Aleutian, Pribyloff", and other islands of 



II 



