210 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
and others visiting the works. Leaving the mine at 5:30, we steamed 
to the southward. Onthe 23d, at 3:55 p. m., cast the trawl in 322 fath- 
oms, black sand and gravel bottom, Lemesurier Point bearing NE. 3 E. 
(mag.), distant 2,2; miles. After dragging a short distance, the trawl 
entered a soft mud bottom, with which the net became filled, and it 
required several hours careful work to land it on board. Hundreds of 
sea-urchins were brought up, besides starfish, ophiurans, annelids, shells, 
ete. One hagfish and another small fish, species unknown, were taken. 
The absence of fish was notable, and would seem to indicate unusually 
barren ground. A line of dredgings through the channels would be 
exceedingly interesting, as the only means of determining the species 
and general distribution of fish, occupying the inland waters of south- 
eastern Alaska in summer time. Continuing our course to the south- 
ward, Vietoria was reached at 8:40 p. m., without stop or incident, on 
the 26th. 
The senatorial committee visited the principal places of interest in 
the city the following morning, including the dockyard and new dry 
dock at Esquimalt. We were under way at 3:40 p.m., and with steam 
and sail ran across the straits to Port Townsend, arriving at 7:35 
p.m. Seattle was reached at 3 p.m. the next day, and Tacoma at 7:30. 
The members of the Senate committee were landed immediately, and, 
with many expressions of gratification at the results of the trip and 
regrets at its termination, took their departure. Prof. C. H. Gilbert 
left also, with instructions to return to Washington. 
WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND CALIFORNIA, AUGUST-OCTOBER, 1889. 
Preparations for cruise to Bering Sea—We started for Port Town- 
send at 8:57, arriving at 11:50 a. m. on the 29th, having been detained 
about eight hours by fog. Supplies were obtained at this place, and, 
after completing our preparations for sea, we left at 2:30 p. m., August 
1, for Departure Bay, British Columbia, arriving at 5:10 the following © 
morning. Coaling was finished on the morning of the 4th, and we left . 
the harbor at 2 p.m. for Bering Sea via Unalaska, under one boiler, 
the coal consumption being limited to 10 tons per day. The sky was 
clear, but the smoke, which had the effect of fog, obscured everything 
at a distance. This was caused by forest fires which prevail through- 
out Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia during the dry season, 
when the smoke becomes so dense at times that it is more dreaded by 
mariners than fog, rendering navigation exceedingly difficult and dan- 
gerous. It is prevalent until dissipated by the autumn rains. 
We passed Seymour Narrows at 4:15 a. m. on the 5th, an hour before 
low water, and, although the swirls were somewhat heavy, the tide 
had slackened sufficiently to enable us to keep control of the helm 
without undue strain. It was discovered soon after leaving Departure 
Bay that che coal on board was of an inferior quality, and the allow- 
ance Was increased to 12 tons per day, but even then we could not 
