8 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



Tlu! entrance to Urantley Harbor being very narrow, consiilerable difficulty was found in 

 entering, there being two shoal places on either side of the channel, with not more than two 

 and a quarter fathoms of water. The bark grounded at lO.oO in the morning, and it was not 

 until i o'clock in the afternoon, when tlie tide rose, that we succeeded in hauling her afloat. In 

 the mean time two of our boats, in charge of officers, had sounded out the remainder of the chan- 

 nel and located temi)orary Imoys. thus enabling us to tow the bark into the harbor without 

 further detention. 



We remained in Grantley Harbor the next Ihirty-.six h(jurs. during which time the officers 

 and crew sounded out the entire channel and placed range beacons along the shore to mark 

 the entrance to the harbor. Although the harbor is entirely land-locked, the shallowness of 

 the water at its entrance makes it unserviceable for vessels of any draught. 



We left Grantley Harbor July 15, having first sent one of our crew on board the Dawn to 

 assist in necessary blacksmith Avork, and leaving with him a tent and supplies, with instructions 

 to await our return on shore in case of the departure of the Ditirn before our arrival. 



We touched at King's Island, Cape Prince of Wales, and East Cape, then cruised to the 

 southward along the Siberian coast and entered St. Lawrence and Mechigme Bays. Thence 

 we steamed through Seniavine Straits to and around St. Lawrence Island and back to Point 

 Spencer, where we arrived on the 26tli of July. 



During our absence we made several explorations, the result of which will. I think, be of 

 much value to Arctic navigation. 



As the whaling fleet oj^erates along the Siberian coast during a considerable part of the 

 wdialing season, it is necessary that they should have some near harbor to enter for repairs 

 when injured by the ice. N(j such harljor was positively known to them, but they had heard 

 that there was a harbor off the village of Whalen, on the north side of East Cape. 



When at East Cape I sent an officer to make a reconnaissance of the supposed harbor, with 

 a view to establish a refuge for the fleet. At the entrance of what proved to be a lagoon about 

 eight miles long but ten feet of water was found, and that was the greatest depth obtained 

 inside, while that part of the lagoon extending east from the entrance was almost entirely filled 

 with shoals. The shallowness of the water at the entrance of this lagoon precludes its use as 

 a harbor. 



At Mechigme Bay. however, about eighty miles down the coast, an entirely different and 

 most satisfactory result was obtained. At the entrance to the bay fourteen fathoms of water 

 was found, and on the inside five fathoms can be carried for several miles. This harlior, lieing 

 entirely landlocked, afl'ords protection from the wind from any direction, and is, in my opinion, 

 the best harbor north of the Aleutian Islands. 



When steaming thi'migh Seniavine Straits a reef was discovered between Nouneangane 

 and Ittygrave Islands, extending in a northeast and southwest direction, a very dangerous ob- 

 struction to navigation, not being laid down on the chart. An officer of the vessel in sounding 

 found the reef very rocky with but two and a half fathoms of water over it. 



The result of our labors in Mechigme Bay and Seniavine Straits, with the soundings ob- 

 tained by us along the Siberian and Alaskan coasts, will be given to the Hydrographic Office in 

 this city. 



On the -llih of July tlu> Dawn, having completed rejaairs. left Point Spencer to return to 

 the whaling-grounds. Three of lier crew had deserted, and the captain requested the cutter to 

 pick them up and return them to their vessel. Accordingly, the day after the departure of the 

 Dairn. the men were taken on board and kept until we should again meet that vessel. The 

 men claimed tluit the Dairn was unseaworthy. and stated that on Hint ncoount they had deserted, 

 as they did not (•(uisicler il .'<afe to remain in her. They were turned to with our own crew, and 

 a rjovernnient ration .serveil to them while they remain(>d on board. 



Owing to a strung norllierly gale we were (•oni])elli'd to remain one week at Point S])(>ncer 

 before we could coal and water ship. Wi' left I',.inl SjMMicer August 3. touched at Cape 

 Prince of Wales and tlu> Dioniede Mands. and on tlie following day anchored ofi" Hotham Inlet. 

 Kotzebue Sound. Here we landed sujiplies for the use of tlie two e.xijeditions on their return 

 from (lie Kowak and No.'itak Rivers. 



