FUE-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 157 



taiiily tlie most imposing single sweep of seal ground on the islands. It 

 is impressive and extensive. The seecatchie here to-day appear in as 

 good numbers as anywhere else on St. Paul Island. Still I must truth- 

 lull v add that they are in woeful contrast with what I have recorded here 

 ill 1874. 



Jane 1, 1890. — These sand dune tracts at and around the neck of 

 Northeast Point'have changed character somewhat since 187.5. Then 

 cAcrything on this high, bare saud knoll of to-day, which rises from 

 the Big Lake and separates it from the surf-sand flat level of the neck, 

 was grassed tinuly over; but now, from some cause or other, sand has 

 been blown up and over, completely covering the lower grassy hum- 

 mocks or knolls. It leaves now, a desolate, deep sand ridge to cross 

 and recross as you go to and from the point, and the surf also beats 

 upon a wider spread of sand on both sides of the neck, washing com- 

 pletely across in storms with much driftwood and many small basaltic 

 "donicks" or bowlders interspersed in lines with the wash of the surf. 



This sand is simply powdered volcanic rock, with a liberal admixture 

 of comminuted sea shells and other minute marine conchological forms. 



The Big Lake seems wholly as it was: so does the trail down among 

 the sand dunes on its eastern shore. The genesis of a tinely tixed sand 

 dune here is as follows: First a heap of wind-rilted sand from its dry- 

 ing out above surf wash. Into this the seeds of the l^lynius are)uiria 

 aie carried: and, sproliting, throw the strong, deej) roots of tliat coarse 

 grass down deep, binding the heap as it were. TIaIs grass alone seems 

 to possess the power of taking hold at tirst and successfully growing. 

 The other plants and grasses can and do germinate, but the tirst strong 

 wind tliereafter raises the sand about or from under them so as to either 

 smotlier them or destroy tbeir roots; but this "wild wheat," the Elymus, 

 has such deep-reaching roots, as j)rououuced in this respect as those of 

 the alfalfa, that it can not be blown out, or blown under, very often. 



But, when the Elyynus has lirnily anchored a sand flat, then a grass 

 (losely resembling our timothy or orchard grass takes hold in its com- 

 l)any, and with several species of mosses and tlie creepmg willows {salix) 

 and wild pea vines, finally crowds the hardy IJlymus fairly out within a 

 few years, or at least leaves but a scanty remnant of its former exclu- 

 sive holding. However, there are extensive tracts on St. Paul where 

 the sand is unusually light, deep, and restless. Upon these areas, and 

 on tlie killing grounds where the bodies of millions of seals have 

 decayed, making a rich, hot compost out of the dry, sterile sand, there 

 the Elymus grows strong and luxuriant, without a rival — nothing else 

 can get in. 



July 13, 1890. — 1 made my land survey of this point on the 2d and 

 4th of June: and from that time until this day, I have not been on the 

 breeding ground. But now the hour having arrived in which to see the 

 breeders at their finest limit of expansion on the ground occupied by 

 them, I made this morning, in company with Mr. Goff, a careful, rod 

 by rod inspection and survey of the fleld. Every section from point 

 to i)oint as we advanced, from station to station, was carefully platted 

 on the chart, with a distinct memorandum of its massed dei)th : the 

 land angles giving the exact number of feet of sea margin which each 

 section possessed. In this way, foot by foot, we progressed around 

 the entire circuit, jotting down every expansion and contraction of the 

 breeding lines, and every vacancy. This is the only method by which 

 a uniform, fair statement of fa(;t, and estimate of the numbers, area, 

 and position of these rookeries can be made. To attempt to carry in 

 your mind an estimate over this irregular ground, and distribution of 

 life upon its surface, is sim]3ly a physical impossibility; and an attempt 



