two years almost solely on the milk of their mother, they being unable 

 to dig for their food until their tusks have attained at least 3 inches 

 in length,. The tusks are also used as weapons. 



Ivlan is the main enemy of the walrus altho the polar bear is a 

 consistent foe. The killer whale pursues the young walrus but never 

 attacks the older one. 



The walrus is killed today mostly by man with firearms. The hide 

 is used for boats, the tusks for trade, the flesh and oil for food and 

 the intestines for rain clothing for their natives, 



SOUN DINGS 

 The CHELiUM in 1934 under GdmmanSer Y, A, Zeusler made an oceano- 

 graphic survey and ran a series of iines of sounding to the northwest- 

 ward in Bering Sea which indicated the existence of certain shoal water. 

 The CHELAN in 1935 and in 1936 under Commander L, 7. Kiclhorn continued 

 the survey work. The contour dovolopmont is shown on tho accompanying 

 chart. This chart is submitted because of its bearing on the flow of 

 water in tho Pacific Ocean and in the Bering Sea. ^ 



Extracts from letter of Commanding Officer, CIiHlLAN, Commander L. Y. 

 Kiclhorn, with roforonce to soundings in western Bering Sea and North 

 Pacific Ocean are quoted as follows: 



"Unalaska, Alaska, 

 .... ■ , 25 Soptcmbcr, 1936. 



"The object of sounding south of the Aleutians to find and .. 

 develop a bank reported south of Attu by an "old time sccJLer" as a 

 herding place for young bull sgc.Is. Tho report stated that the shoal was 

 knov/n to most of tho older scalers who visited Japan and Copper Island 

 and that it v;as crossed diagonally when returning from tho Commander 

 Islands and to Cape Elattory. The CliEIAN failed to find such a bank, 

 but instead, learned that the Aleutian Trough is much narrower, closer 

 to the islands, and deeper than hitherto supposed. There is reason for K 

 believing also that it extends further wost than at present shovni, ^ 



"Upon leaving this area for Attu it v/as decided to join the thou- 

 sand-fathom curves on the northern and southern sides of that island. 

 Much to the surprise of all tho curve took the ship more and more to tho 

 T/estward, where, in Longitude IVO east, it terminated in a shoal, tri- 

 angular in shape, and of large area. Evidence of another shoal beyond 

 this was found extending to tho northwestward. Time and approaching 

 bad weather did not penuit further exploration but sufficient information 

 is uncovered to indicate q.uite clearly that shoal water exisits here in 

 much the same way as it does amorig the other groups between the Alaskan 

 and Kamchatkan Peninsulas, thus establishing all these islands as of the 

 same geologic period and origin. Much more work is necessary to develop 

 the area west of Attu satisfactorily, but enough is noT/ known to warrant 

 belief that the soundings will show a highly irregular bottom \7ith many 

 pinnacles, 



"The surveying was done under conditions exceptionally good for 

 this region and season. Light variable breezes prevailed and, although 

 observations could not be had as often as desired because of mostly 



- 46 - 



