A NATURALIST'S ADVENTURES 



ESKIMO CHEWING SKINS 



berries, and a kind which is not edible are all abundant. 

 The island is covered with grass, alder, and willow, and 

 there is a dwarf birch. There are some little rills of toler- 

 ably good water. The land rises gradually inland and 

 from the ends of the island, so that 

 a very regular curve is shown from 

 our anchorage. There are many 

 hummocks which greatly impede 

 walking. There are some cliffs in 

 a rather tumble-down condition, 

 with occasional deep cuts between, 

 and small stretches of sand beach. 

 On this island is a cairn and an 

 astronomical station which has 

 been visited by the " Blossom," 

 the "Plover" and other vessels. 



A bidarra of Eskimo came 

 aboard after supper to trade. I 

 gave some shot and caps for a 



mink skin and a few caps for a dried hoikoh salmon. 

 Captain Herendeen got some dried smelt for me. In the 

 seine to-day, the great sculpin was taken and another young 

 sculpin was dredged. 



Wednesday, September i 

 Got under way about 9.30 A. M. and at 10.15 anchored 

 on the east side of Choris Peninsula. Captain Herendeen 

 saw geese, stone-chats, and a sandhill crane. It was too 

 rainy when he was ashore to find small birds. 



Thursday, September 2 



Early in the morning Dall, Baker and I sailed in the 

 longboat nearly to Elephant Point and walked the rest of 

 the way. This point is distinguished as the locality where 

 Kotzebue found remains of the fossil elephant, ox, and 

 other mammals. It was afterward visited by some of the 

 English exploring ships and furnished the materials for 

 the volume relating to these animals in the " Voyage of 

 the Herald." 



The clay bluffs in which the bones are found extend 

 about two miles east and west. They are backed by still 



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