52 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



2.-R0BBEN ISLAND. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Robben' Island, a literal translation of its linssian name, Tlnleni Onfyqf, is 

 sitnated in the Okhotsk 8ea, 11 miles southwest from Cape Patience {J\fys Tfi-penhi), 

 tlie end of the curiously long and narrow peninsula on tlie eastern shore of Sakhalin 

 Island. The position is variously given as 48° ;32' north latitude aiul 111" 45' east 

 longitude, or 48° 35' north latitude and 141° 44' east longitude (recent Russian charts, 

 while on the manuscript chart of the late Gapt. J. Sandman I find given as "corrected 

 longitude," 144° 30' east). 



Not having had an opportunity to visit the island myself, the following description 

 is taken from a number of avaihxble sources. The accompanying maps (pi. 0) are 

 copied from recent plans issued by the Russian hydrogra-])hic office in J 88!). 



The island is really hardly more than a large, flat-topped rock, trending northeast 

 by southwest, long and narrow. The entire length of the reefy beach in that direction 

 is about 2,100 feet, while the elevated portion, which rises abruptly to between 40 and 

 .50 feet and tapers oft' to a point at both ends, measures only 1,400 feet in length. 

 The width of this portion hardly exceeds 150 feet, while tlie reef surrounding it 

 varies between 50 and 150 feet.^ On the west side, near the southwestern end, there 

 is a lower place, with somewhat sloping sides, upon which the company's salt-house 

 and the barracks for the Aleut workmen and the naval guard are located. A rocky 

 reef extends to the northwest, terminated by a large rock, the SivutcM Kamrn, about 

 10 feet high, a favorite resort of the sea lions. 



There is no harl)or or convenient anchorage, and in bad weather vessels have to 

 seek shelter under Sakhalin. Cnptain Sandman's manuscript niap indicates "anchor- 

 age anywhere to northwest of island in from 10 to 20 fathoms; 13 fathoms, sandy 

 liottom, 1 mile off, center of island SB. h E. ; end of South Reef S. by E. ^ E.; end 

 of North Reef and rock ENE. Nearer in I'ocky bottom." 



There is no water on the island. 



The climate is naturally more "continental" in its character than on either the 

 Commander Islands or Pribylof Islands, having colder winters and warmer summers, 

 but I am not aware that any regular ob.servations have been published for the i.sland. 

 Mr. C. Carpmael, dii'ector of the Meteorological Service of Canada, has furnished a 

 few figures, but they are ai)parently only based ui»on curves in the Ch(tllen(]cr Report 

 and are mere ajiproxiraations. He states (Fur Seal Arb., Viii, p. 511) that according 

 to these the mean temperature for May would be about 42 degrees, but thinks possi- 

 bly the mean might be as low as 40 degrees. In June it is "jtrobably about 48 

 degrees." In July "probably a little under 00 degrees." In August "it nnist be 

 neaily fiO degrees." In September "it must be a little below 55 degrees." In Octo- 

 ber "about 44 degrees."' 



' Not Rolil)iti Island, or Robin lalimd, as it is orcasionally written. 



'These figures are talcen from Sliamof's map (pi. fi). Lieutenant Egerman, I. K. N , <;ives the 

 following dimensions: Length l,!i60 feet; width about :W0 feet; height 18 feet (Morskoi Sbornil<, 

 18,S4, No. 11, Lots. Zam., p. 8). C.aiit. .I.G. lilair say.s "1,960 feet long, by 17:") feet wi.le, and in places 

 40 feet high" (Fur Seal Arb., in, p. 194). 



■'According to Shainof (Ausland, 1885, p. S.ST) the mean temperature at Cape ratieuce, Sakhalin, 

 was 52.2" F. for June, and 62.4" F. for July, 1884. 



