44 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATP:S FISH COMMISSION. 



shapes by the action of the waves, rise out of the sea all aroiiud the island, sometimes 

 singly, sometimes in clusters. Occasionally large detached or half-detached rocks 

 form more conspicuous landmarks, as, for instance, the Bobrovi Kameni mentioned 

 above, the Sivutchi Kami-n. at the northern entrance to Bobrovaya Bay, and the one 

 of the same name on the other side only a short distance east from the main village, 

 the Gape Matveya, Gladkovsli Kameu, both on the east side, and, most striking of all, 

 perhaps, Karabclni Stolp at the rookery. 



Outlying concealed rocks are few, except at the northwestern and southeastern 

 cai)es, where dangerous reefs extend some distance into the sea. Otherwise the water 

 around the island is bold, the farthest rock, to my knowledge, being off Lebiazhi Myn, 

 is less than a mile from shore. 



The rivers or brooks are necessarily all short and insignificant, hardly any one of 

 them deserving special notice. A few of them, near their mouths, empty into small 

 lakes, which have undoubtedly been formed by the sea throwing up material, thus 

 damming off' the inner end of the bay. Such lakes are Pestshanoye, just west of the 

 main village; the lake at the end of Zhirovaya Bidhta, to the east of it; and Glad- 

 kovskoye Ozvro, in the next valley beyond. The latter is not properly a lake, as the 

 water is strongly brackish, the sea going in at high tide. There are many waterfalls, 

 but on account of the insignificance of the streams, they are of little effect. A few, 

 however, are quite picturesque; for instance, the one at Karabclni Kookery, figured 

 on iilate 45. 



The entire western coast is very steep, with but few shallow indentations. On the 

 eastern side the valleys are wider and deeper, and open into more or less deeply cut 

 bays, none of which, however, offer sheltered anchorage for vessels much larger than 

 a boat, and as the waves of the Pacific Ocean roll unchecked against the rocks and 

 beaches, landing is often difficult or impossible even at the villages. Only the little 

 rouudetl cove forming the harbor at the main village is an exception, it being well 

 protected in almost all weather by a cluster of rocks off' the entrance. But even this 

 place is not always safe, as demonstrated by the fact that a tide-gauge, solidly built of 

 timber in the most sheltered part of the cove and loaded with rocks, was thrown high 

 on the beacli by the surf during the winter of 18813-83. 



The main village, called Freobrazhvnukoye, or the "village of the Transfiguration," 

 because of its church being thus consecrated (pi. 33), is situated on the eastern, or here 

 more appr()i)ri;itely northern, side near the northwestern extiemity of the island. Its 

 neat, red-painted frume-houses and the handsome Greek church nestle cosily at the foot 

 of a steep, high mountain, and it looks as if it might be a sheltered and pleasant place, 

 but as a matter of fact it is not. The peculiar shai)e of the narrow valley at the mouth 

 of which it is located compresses the winds and sends them howling down or up the 

 cleft, while the precii)itous walls, nearly 2,(100 feet high on the east and south, shut 

 out what little sunshine the island can boast. 



Here the natives live all the year round, ex(;ei)t during the sealing season, when 

 the vilkxge is almost deserted. The company has here its stores and dwelling-house 

 for the resident agent. The government has a large building (the office and dwelling 

 of the assistant administrator), a drug-store, and a large school-house. The house 

 in which the priest and his family live lies farther oft', and is not distinguishable from 

 the larger houses of some of the natives. Tlie new church, which was built in 1895, 

 at a cost of $9,000, is quite an attractive building, though entirely too large for the 

 community. 



