148 OUR ARCTIC PROVINCE. 



two hundred feet in its frontage on the beach. The fear and 

 superstition which those tragedies of early Eussian intercourse 

 produced in the simple minds of the natives, who belonged by 

 birth to this great island, became at length so potent as to cause 

 the entire and permanent abandonment of their desolated villages, 

 which were once so populous and well satisfied. 



The craters, and outflow therefrom, on Oonimak have been, from 

 time immemorial, resorted to by the natives as their storehouses for 

 sulphur, and that shining obsidian with which they tipped their 

 bone-spear and arrow-heads ; of it, also, they made their primitive 

 knives, and traded the surplus stock to those Aleutes living else- 

 where. They used the sulphur with dried moss in making fires, 

 which they started with the fire-stick and by rocky concussions.* 



Before entering the straits of Oonimak, we had a fine view of the 

 entire sweep of the Krenitzin group, that presents a succession of 

 the wildest and most irregular peaks and bluffs, everywhere seem- 

 ing to jut up and fall into the sea, without a gentle slope for a 

 human landing, as they face the Pacific billows dashing so inces- 

 santly upon their basaltic bases ; the extreme eastern islet of the 

 group is Oogamok, and it forms the opposite land from Cape Heet- 

 hook on Oonimak, directly across the straits. A swarm of sea- 

 parrots fly out from its rocky bluffs on the south shore, stirred into 

 unwonted activity and curiosity by the near approach of our vessel, 

 while a dozing herd of sea-lions suspiciously stretch their long necks 

 into the air, smell us, then simultaneously and precipitately plump 

 themselves into the foaming breakers just below their basking- place 

 above the surf-wash. 



It is very difficult to adequately define or express those varying 

 impressions which are inspired by a panorama of these Aleutian 

 Islands, such as unfolds itself to your eye when rapidly sailing along 

 under their lee on a clear day. The scene is one of rare beauty. 

 The water is blue and dancing until it strikes in heavy waves upon 

 the rocky curbing of the islands, dashing up clouds of spray in 

 white, fleecy masses against the dark-brown and reddish cliff-walls 

 rising over all. The slopes and the summits of everything on land, 



*A flat, flinty rock upon it a layer of dried moss or eider-down was 

 spread, then a sprinkling of powdered sulphur was cast over the moss or 

 feathers, then a large quartzite stone was grasped in the native's hand, who 

 struck it down with all his force upon this preparation. The concussion pro- 

 duced fire, and, when feathers were used, a terrible smell. 



