228 OFFICIAL REPORTS. 



Report of Captain Hooper, dated November 21, 1892. 



Revenue Marine Steamer Corwin, 

 Port of San Francisco, Gal., Nov. 21, 1892. 

 Hon. John W. Foster, 



'Secretary of State, Washington, D. G. : 



Sir: I have the honor to submit the following statement of infor- 

 mation gained during a cruise in the vicinity of the Aleutian Island 

 Passes in October and November of this year, made in obedience to 

 telegraphic orders from the honorable the Secretary of the Treasury, 

 dated September 7th and received by me at Sitka, September 17th, 

 instruction directing me to leave Sitka as soon as possible after 



the receipt of the orders and go direct to Unalaska; 

 from that port to visit all the passes of the Aleutian Chain to the east- 

 ward of and including Four Mountain Pass; to observe through which 

 passes the seals were entering the Pacific Ocean, and the pass or passes 

 through which the greatest number appear to migrate; to note as far 

 as possible the passes particularly frequented by pup seals and adults, 

 respectively, provided such distribution appeared to exist; to collect 

 affidavits from the natives near the passes as to the usual time the seals 

 pass southward through the Aleutian Chain, with any details as to 

 classes of seals; to cruise along the Aleutian Islands until the main 

 body of the seals appear to have entered the Pacific — if not later than 

 November 1, then to touch at Unalaska sending all information col- 

 lected to the honorable the Secretary of State, retaining duplicate copies 

 for later transmission ; to proceed thence to the southward of the Aleu- 

 tian Chain to obtain information as to the position of the seal herd, its 

 direction of travel, and whether traveling in herds or singly, and to 

 reach Port Townsend or San Francisco not later than November 30th, 

 and to forward report of observations to the State Department, the 

 object of the investigation being to ascertain more accurately than be- 

 fore known the movements of the seal herd after leaving the Pribilof 

 Islands and before it appears off the coasts of California and Oregon. 



In obedience to these orders I left Sitka with my command on Sep- 

 tember 25th and arrived at Unalaska on October 2nd. I engaged the 

 services of Peter Shaisnakoff, an intelligent young native of Unalaska, 

 who speaks English, Russian, and Aleute, appointed him and swore 

 him in as a United States interpreter. This man was interpreter to the 

 British Commission last year ; he was also interpreter on board the 

 steamer Albatross on her cruise to the Commander Islands during the 

 present season. 



I then proceeded to cruise in the vicinity of the Aleutian Island 

 Passes, making observations and collecting affidavits of the native 

 hunters. In all eighty (80) affidavits were taken. There 

 Affidavits taken. being no means of forwarding mail, on November 1st, 

 as directed, these affidavits were forwarded as oppor- 

 tunity offered. On October 11th forty (40) were forwarded per steamer 

 Signal. On October 17th eighteen (18) originals and the duplicates of, 

 the forty previously mailed were forwarded by steamer Bora. The 

 balance, twenty-two (22), original and the duplicates of the eighteen 

 forwarded on October 17th are forwarded by this mail. The remaining 

 duplicates will be forwarded later. 



While in the performance of this duty the following-named settle- 



t vi it d men ts were visited: Unalaska, Makushin, Kashega, 



Chernofsky, Burka, Akntan, Sannak, Morzhovia, Bel- 



kofsky, Sand Point, and Unga. These include all the native settlements 



