244 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
bottom. The line was continued to the southward, with 50-mile inter- 
vals, the maximum depth, 2,145 fathoms, being found in latitude 54° 
ol’ N, and longitude 175° 32’ W. A very peculiar and irregular action 
was observed in the port engine during the 6th and 7th, which increased 
to Such an extent that we stopped work and started for Unalaska. The 
trouble was traced to the port high-pressure valve, which was finally 
disconnected, and the low-pressure cylinder worked independently until 
our arrival in port. 
Unalaska and vicinity—We passed Bogoslof Volcano the morning of 
the 9th and arrived in Hiuliuk at 4:15 p.m. the same day. The revenue 
cutter Rush was in port, and the steamer Arago arrived from the seal 
islands on the 12th. Having made the necessary repairs to the ma- 
chinery, we filled the bunkers with coal and left the harbor early on 
the morning of the 15th. Rumor placed valuable cod banks in the 
outer bay, but no one seemed to know their exact locality or extent. 
Such a resource at the .doors of a populous settlement would be of. 
inestimable value. Availing ourselves of the opportunity offered by a 
clear day, we ran several lines of soundings across the bay, making fre- 
quent hauls of the trawl and trials with the fishing lines, extending the 
examination to the 100-fathom line outside of Cape Kalekhta, or Priest 
Point, and Cape Cheerful, without finding indications of even ordinarily 
good fishing-ground. In fact, nearly every sounding inside of the capes 
gave muddy bottom. Spots were discovered, however, near the shore 
line, where cod were plentiful. An anchorage was found for the night 
in Wislow Bay, in 8 fathoms, near the small islet of that name, where 
there is good protection from southerly winds. 
Work was resumed at daylight next morning and carried to Cape 
Makushin and thence to Makushin Bay, where we anchored for the 
night. The 100-fathom curve lies about 4 miles off shore at Cape Cheer- 
ful, but draws in abruptly to about a mile, and sometimes less, until up 
with Cape Makushin, and here, as in Unalaska Bay, codfish and halibut 
are found in spots along shore. From the cape a line of soundings was 
run to Makushin Bay, where we arrived at 5:50 p.m. A strong, south- 
west wind raised quite a swell in the bay, with an uninviting lee shore 
fronting the village, but we found a fair anchorage in 8 fathoms off the 
mouth of a glacial stream of yellow muddy water 34 miles to the east- 
ward of the settlement. The village of Makushin is composed of a 
small frame church painted white, a frame store belonging to the Alaska 
Commercial Company, and a dozen barabaras, or native earth huts, 
which were nearly buried beneath rank grass. 
Unfavorable weather detained us during the 17th, but the seine was 
hauled with good results. Work was resumed on the morning of the 
18th and continued with little interruption to the -southwest end of 
Unalaska and north extremity of Umnak. From Cape Makushin to 
Umnak is about 60 miles, the 100-fathom curve extending from 12 to 
23 miles from shore, giving an area of over 1,100 square miles on which 
