INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 235 
covery of coal will necessitate a survey, and with it many of the 
dangers will doubtless disappear. 
It was blowing a moderate gale from the southeast when we anchored, 
and it had diminished but little in force next morning, but, the fog lift- 
ing, we got under way and picked our route carefully through narrow, 
intricate channels across Port Moller to the entrance to Herendeen 
Bay, and, two hours later, found a snug anchorage under Point Divide, 
where we were protected from the heavy southerly wind then blowing. 
1 left the ship soon after anchoring, and, aecompanied by Prof. Gilbert 
and Chief Engineer Roelker, visited the mine. Ten miles of the distance 
was made by boat, and about a mile and a half over a tramway re- 
cently constructed for transporting coal to the water front. A tunnel 
had been driven into the hillside about 200 feet, and between 70 and 
100 tons of coal taken out. The superintendent estimated the average 
output for the mine for the next month at from 10 to 20 tons per day. 
A 40-ton lighter was in process of construction, and they only waited 
its completion to commence the delivery of coal. 
The close of the fiscal year finds officers and crew in excellent health 
and the ship in good working order. The ship has maintained her 
usual reputation for excellent sanitary conditions during the entire year. 
There has not been a single case of sickness on board that was due to 
removable local causes, and no serious accident or serious illness has 
occurred. 
Natural history results—Work commenced south of the Sannak 
Islands on the 21st day of May, in 483 and 3513 fathoms, extending to 
the westward of the group in gradually decreasing depths until 35 
fathoms was reached. In the deeper waters several species of sea- 
urchins and shells were taken, and crinoids, shrimps, corals, aleyona- 
rians, holothurians, and various species of fishes were marked features 
of the hauls, Careproctus and Myctophum being among them. Drawing 
shoreward, and changing the character of the bottom from mud to sand, 
the varieties of fish increased; Bathymaster, Sebastodes, and Lycodes, 
besides several species of flounders and sculpins, were abundant. Of 
invertebrates there were at-least half a dozen species of sponges, an 
abundance of sand-dollars (Hchinarachnius), shrimps, ophiurans, shells, 
and basket stars (Astrophyton). . 
The line of investigation was extended to Bering Sea, via Unimak 
Pass, in depths from 41 to 178 fathoms, and revealed a fauna of great 
abundance and variety of species, particularly in the pass and along 
the 100-fathom curve in the direction of the seal islands. Among the 
more conspicuous were many flounders, sculpins, skates, pollock, 
Bathymasters, and codfish, with small Agonida, eelpouts, etc. Inver- 
tebrates were abundant, ascidians, annelids, and miscellaneous crus- 
tacea occurring in addition to those before mentioned. A marked 
. change in the fauna was found upon deepening the water to 225 fathoms 
north of Unalaska. The sandy bottom gave place to soft mud, the 
