38 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



catiou through a small swamp with two smaller lalccs, which euii)ty into the sea at 

 the western side, through the LadUjinHlcaya River. A somewhat larger lake, the 

 Oaranskoi/e Ozcro, occupies the center of a large swamp immediately east of the 

 main village. The stream by which it discharges its water passes the latter, antl 

 is .Steller's Osernaya lieshka. The low land between the lake and sea is protected 

 near the latter by several rows of high sand-dunes from the village to Ladiginsk. 



It is a curious fact that Steller (Neuste Nord. lieytr., ii, ll'Xi, p)). 2(>()-2(!7) describes 

 this lake as the largest on the island, and that he has entirely overlooked the exist- 

 ence of Saranna Lake. It is pretty good evidence that Steller did not visit that 

 part of the island personally (unless jjossibly when it was covered with ice and snow) 

 and explains also his omission of mentioning the great North seal rookery. There 

 are a few small lakes, or rather ponds, in the soutliern mountainous port ion, which need 

 no sjiecial mention, except the one in Lismnkordya Bay, as the natural conditions 

 there are a miniature reproduction of the Gavauskoye Ozero. It may be added that 

 Lissonkovaya is Steller's Yushiu's Valley. 



Bering Island has no sheltered harbors, and the few anchorages are indifferent or 

 even dangerous under anything but the most favorable circnmstances. The principal 

 anchorage is in the corner off Nikolski, but with soutlierly or westerly winds it is not 

 safe. It cau be approached from the west by keeping close to the south shore of Top- 

 orkof Island, in order to avoid an outlying rock off" the so-called Vkhodni Point, or 

 Reef. The channel north of Ari Kamen and Toporkof is very dangerous and should 

 be avoided. Farther south, on the same side, are two larger bays, Gladkovskaya and 

 Lissonkovaya, but they are open and no lauding can be effected in rough weather. 

 On the east side is Staraya Gavan, the " Old Harbor," where there was formerly a 

 settlement. The l>ay is small and narrow, with dangerous reefs on both sides. 



These reefs are quite a feature of the Bering Island shiu'es. lu the northern 

 portion they are mostly of volcanic luiture, but in the mountainous portion they consist 

 of stratified rock on edge in such a manner that many of them, especially at Tolstoi 

 Mys and northward, when bare at low tide have the appearance of plowed fields with 

 furrows of great length and regularity. On the stretch of coast just mentioned these 

 reefs form a nearly continuous belt, one-fourth to one-half mile wide, and parallel to 

 the beach. A narrow channel of somewhat deeper water, though only deep enough 

 so that a large boat c;in be barely pulled aiul pushed through by low water, extends 

 the whole length between the beach and the reef belt, which is covered by high tide. 

 The coutinuity of the reef is only broken where some larger stream empties into 

 a slight indenture of the coast, as, for instance, at Komaudor, at Polavino, and at 

 Buyan. 



The main settlement is at Nil{olslci,^ so named in honor of Mr. Nikolai Grebnitski, 

 situated at the inner corner of the little bay east of Toporkof Islaiul (pi. 17). The 

 houses are built in several rows on the raised beach at the month of the Gavanskaya 

 Reshka and partly upon the sandy slope of the adjacent hills, and being mostly 

 frame structures are painted in nuiny gay, if not always tasteful colors. Prominent 

 also in this respect the new church, dedicated to St. Nicolas, raises its yellow dome over 

 a grass-green roof, while the body is painted pink with white and sky-blue trimmings! 

 The old church of St. Inakenti is still standing, dismantled and neglected. 



' On some maps called Grebnitski Harbor, or Grebnltskoye Selenl. 



I 



