THE GREAT ALEUTIAN CHAIN. 155 



point of departure, he can literally feel his way into Oonalashka 

 Harbor. He almost always has to do so, for seldom indeed does he 

 enjoy as fair a sweep of these coasts of Avatanak and Tigalda as 

 that viewed by the author, who scanned this rocky group in a calm, 

 clear September afternoon of 1876. 



To-day, Tigalda is an utterly abandoned island, given over 

 during the summer to the undisturbed possession of foxes and 

 those flocks of " tundra " geese which settle on the uplands to breed 

 and preen in safety. When moulting here, they have the shelter of 

 several lakes, upon which they swim in mocking security, even if 

 crafty, lurking Reynard attempts to capture them. Near the 

 largest lake on this island a settlement once throve. The inhab- 

 itants had control of a mine of red and golden-yellow chalk, which 

 formed the base of a pigment highly prized by all Aleutes, far 

 and near, for painting their ancient grass, and wooden hats, and 

 other work of the same materials. On the north side of this island 

 is a singular cluster of needle rocks which rise, as twenty-eight 

 points, abruptly from the sea. On them, in positive security, the 

 big burgomaster gull breeds, and the eagle-like pinions of this bird 

 bear thousands of heavy bodies in stately flight over and around 

 these nesting-places. The shrill, hawk-like screams of those 

 " chikies " can be heard far out at sea, over the noise of the surf. 



Oogalgan rock, which stands up boldly, and defies that fury of 

 an ocean in the mouth of Oonalga Straits, is another striking head- 

 land which the mariner should be well acquainted with, for in 

 times of arrival, when fog prevails, it is often the first land-fall 

 made after leaving California or Oregon, when bound in for Oona- 

 lashka. It is a bleak, tempest-swept islet, presenting to the Paci- 

 fic a black, reddish front of abrupt precipitous cliffs, without a 

 sign of vegetation in the crevices ; but, from the inside passages of 

 Akootan and Oonalga, it exhibits two or three saddle-backed 

 slopes covered with green mosses and lichens. Flocks of those 

 comical shovel-billed sea-parrots breed upon it, and skurry in their 

 rapid, noiseless manner all around. 



At last our little schooner " comes about," to make that " reach " 

 which is to take us into the peace and quiet of a beautiful harbor, 

 and, with every sail drawing hard, she fills away, and we glide 

 swiftly ahead. That richly banded waterfall bluff on our right, and 

 the striking outline of Kahlechta Point, over the " Bishop " rock 

 under it, on our left, are eagerly scanned as we dash through the 



