288 



EXTRACTS FROM VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS. 



what the whole number is. There are millions of seals in the Pacific 

 Ocean. You have no conception of the vast myriads of them. 



Q. Then why is it of any importance to preserve the breeding 

 islands? — A. Because it is to furnish these seal-skins for fashion; that 

 is actually all there is about it, gentlemen, so the ladies can have nice 

 seal-skin coats; but I don't see that the poor man gets anything cheaper 

 by it. 



Q. The skin constitutes the sole value of the seal? — A. Yes, sir; that 

 is all; it is not an article of food. 



EXTRACT FROM "LIST OF REPORTED DANGERS IN THE NORTH 

 PACIFIC OCEAN,' 1 COMPILED AND ARRANGED BY THE U. S. 

 HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C.,1871. 



The U. S. K P. Surv. Exp., when at San Francisco in 1856, found 

 reports in circulation of the existence of an island, or a group of islands, 

 in that part of the Pacific Ocean, to which the positions in the opposite 

 column refer. It was said that a rookery of seals existed there, and 

 the place was kept secret in order to secure the exclusive exhaustion 

 of it to certain parties. Subsequently Captain Kentzell, a San Fran- 

 cisco pilot, asserted to have seen the island in the position which he 

 gave from actual observation, describing it to be about 20 miles long 

 and very low; and the master of the bark Washington, reported in 1867, 

 as follows: " On my passage from the Sandwich Islands to the north- 

 west coast of the United States, when in latitude 40° 00' K, in a dense 

 fog, I perceived the sea to be discolored. Soundings at first gave 

 great depths, but diminished gradually to fathoms, when through the 

 mist an island was seen, along which I sailed 40 miles. It was covered 

 with birds, and the sea swarmed with seal and sea elephants." The flag- 

 ship of the U. S. K P. Surv. Exp., on her way home, searched for this 

 island, and sounded close to the position in which subsequently Captain 

 Kentzell placed it; bottom was thought to have been reached at 2,600 

 fathoms, but no indication of land was perceived in the vicinity. 



In 1858 H. B. M.'s ship Trinconomale searched for fourteen days be- 

 tween the parallels of 39° 30' and 40° 30' K and the meridians of 148° 

 30' and 152° 00' W. without finding anything. The mail steamer Colo- 

 rado also has passed repeatedly near this region, looking out for the 

 reported land without success. 



In 1860 the Japanese sloop of war Candiu-manuh came over from 

 Japan to San Francisco, guided by Lieutenant John M. Brooks, U. S. 

 N., who had taken passage in her. The following extract from her log, 

 kept by that officer, refers to this rnvsterious part of the ocean: 



"March 8, 1860, noon. Latitude 41° 19' 29" Iff.; longitude 146° 29' 

 W. Fresh breezes from 1ST. and W., with frequent squalls, heavy sea, 



" ' l'p. 8, 9. 



