A NATURALIST'S ADVENTURES 



Sunday, September 5 



Early in the morning we were near East Cape, which we 

 could not approach closely on account of the ice; neither 

 was the bight near it accessible for the same reason. 

 Although there was a strong breeze, the day was mostly 

 clear and Mr. Dall was able to make a complete thermal 

 section of Bering Strait from off East Cape to near Cape 

 Prince of Wales. After this was done we put in for Port 

 Clarence and anchored outside of the spit. The strong 

 breeze and high sea made things pretty lively for us nearly 

 all day. From Cape Prince of Wales along to Port Clar- 

 ence the coast is marked by rounded hills alternating with 

 plateaus, some of them of considerable length. From our 

 sailing track the country looks rather barren and we ex- 

 perienced again the " woollies " so common off the high 

 hills of this northern coast. 



A " sun dog " was seen in the evening. 



Monday, September 6 



This morning we ran beyond the spit which ends in 

 Point Spencer and nearly into Grantley Harbor, but by 

 8 A. M. we were at anchor near the village on the spit. 

 The spit is long, narrow and curved. Where I crossed 

 it I should estimate the width at three-quarters of a mile. 

 It is level, offers good walking, and is well watered by fresh 

 lagoons around which birds collect. It has no trees except 

 the very scrubby dwarf willows, but has a few flowers and 

 many lichens, some of which are exquisitely pretty. The 

 water of the lagoons is very good; there are many stickle- 

 backs in it. The lagoons are all very shallow. What be- 

 comes of these fish in winter? 



I shot four phalaropes, a dunlin, longspurs, a stone-chat, 

 and a burgomaster gull. I saw also a wagtail and a small 

 wren, which I could not get. Picked up some sponges and 

 other invertebrates on the beach and a couple of walrus 

 skulls; also a human cranium over on the west side of the 

 spit. Found some small fresh water shells near one of the 

 lagoons. Collected a fine lot of lichens. 



The glaucous-winged gull was abundant, with kitti- 

 wakes ; mormons were observed, and a few eider. Captain 



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