THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 



11 



Nevertheless, in all tliis uncertainty, the followiiij^- points may now be regarded 

 as fairly well established: 



(1) The Connnander Islands are situated on the extreme eastern point of a 

 plateau-like ridjie having a probable average dejtth of about 500 fathoms and extend- 

 ing eastward from the coast of Kamchatka. 



(2) This i)lateau, upon which the C.juimaiuler Islands are located, rises very 

 abruptly from an ocean floor of a little more than 2,000 fathoms, so that the islands 

 tliemselves on their northern and eastern sides rise nearly perpendicular out of this 

 depth. 



(3) Between the Commander Islands and Attn, tlie nearest of the American Aleu- 

 tian Islands, there is a gap certainly more than 1,000 fathoms deep. Whether the 

 AlbatroKX maximum sounding of l,0!)o fathoms, only a short distance from the south 

 end of Copper Island, is really the maximum depth, thus indicating a slightly elevated 

 ridge between the floor of the Bering Sea aiul the so-called Tuscarora deep, or whether 

 there may not be a channel of 2,100 fathoms, or thereabouts, on one side of the 

 sounding in question, remains to be seen. 



(i) The bottom of Bering Sea to the east of the Commander Islands forms a nearly 

 level floor of an almost uniform deptli of 2,100 fathoms, sending ofl' an arm, or bay, of 

 equal depth to the north of the islands toward the neck of the Kamchatkan peninsula. 

 The walls of this basin are excessively steep at the islands, but are believed to slope 

 off gradually toward the curve of the coast between Capes Oserni and Oliutorski. 



To complete the account I append the records of the soundings taken by the 

 Albatross and the Vitiaz in the waters covered by the map (plate 1). 



Itecords of recent sontidinga in ihe western portion of Bering Sea. 



3231 

 3232 

 3233 

 3234 

 3235 

 3236 

 3237 

 3238 

 3239 



3546 

 3547 

 3548 

 3549 

 3550 

 3551 

 3552 

 3553 

 3554 



July 29 

 July 29 

 July 30 



July 30 

 July 31 

 Aug. 1 



Aug. 2 

 Aug. 2 



1892. 

 May 29 

 May 30 

 May 30 

 May 30 

 Mily 31 

 May 31 

 Ma'v 31 

 May 31 

 May 31 



1895. 



July 

 July 

 July 

 July 

 July 

 July 

 July 



4 p.m. 

 6.40 I>. 

 9 a. lu. 



8.15 p. 

 8.37 p. 

 2.30 p. 



52 58 



53 02 



54 15 



54 39 



55 02 



53 45 

 52 55 



E. long. Depth 



160 02 

 160 16 



165 56 



166 35 



162 50 



160 14 



172 38 

 171 28 



170 17 

 169 03 



168 07 

 165 51 

 165 47 

 105 48 



165 45 



178 43 



177 12 



175 25 



173 63 



171 57 



169 46 

 168 16 



166 43 

 166 15 



1,447 



1.818 

 1,853 



2,113 

 2,120 

 2,111 



fne. bk. S. 

 yl. M.S... 

 fne. gy. S. 



rky 



rky. M 



gy-s. 



-do. 



