INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 399 
t0lis ? for which we receipted to the agent of the Alaska Com- 
mercial Company. 
The naturalists were actively employed during our stay in port, add- 
ing materially to the collection of fishes and invertebrates. Attention 
was given to the birds of the island, and botanical collections were also 
made. Fog and rain prevailed, with intervals of partially clear, pleas- 
ant weather during our stay in port. 
We left Uiuliuk at 9 a. m. July 28, after several hours’ detention by 
a dense fog, which, however, had begun to lift at intervals, enabling 
us to see land at a distance of half a mile. Founding Kalekhta Point, 
we stood for the southwest extremity of Unalga Island, and through 
the pass of that name, which is to be preferred to all others for a steamer 
bound to or from Unalashka, particularly in thick weather. The dis- 
tance through is short and there are no hidden dangers, the rocks lining 
the shore on either side being close to the land and above water. The 
tide rushes through the Narrows with great force, causing heavy rips 
and at times overfalls, but it was quite smooth when we passed out, 
near high water. A vessel bound in would make the Signals, Egg 
Island, and the Old Man, lying off Cape Burka, all of which can be 
approached with comparative safety, the distance from the latter to the 
southeast extremity of Unalga Island not exceeding 4 miles. Once in 
the pass, a vessel has only to keep Unalga in sight until passing its 
southwest end, when it is but 2 miles to Erskine Point and about 3J 
miles to Kalekhta Point. 
There is a rock off Erskine Point, which in thick weather might be 
mistaken for Priest Eock, but it may be recognized by another one 
between it and the point, having a flat top and showing smallest at 
the base. In approaching Kalekhta Point Priest Eock will begin to 
open out at WSW. ^ W. (magnetic). 
A full-powered steamer may use this pass at any stage of the tide, if 
time is an object, but under ordinary circumstances it would be advisa- 
ble to enter it near slack water. It is not intended to include sailing 
directions for the Aleutian Islands in this report, and my only excuse 
for describing this pass so much in detail is that there is no published 
information concerning it, so far as I know, and it would naturally be 
avoided by a stranger unless he had some such information as I have 
given. * 
We found 30 fathoms at the southern entrance of the pass, in mid 
channel, and 36 fathoms 2 miles north of Old Man Island. The weather 
partially cleared as we entered the Pacific, enabling us to locate our 
stations by bearings of land during the afternoou. 
A line of soundings S. 88° E., 36 miles, was run from the above posi- 
tion, the depth increasing to 57 fathoms. The trawl was lowered at the 
second and fourth stations : No. 2843, 45 fathoms, black sand, stones, 
and pebbles, and No. 2844, in 54 fathoms, gray sand. A large number 
and great variety of specimens were taken, showing a rich fauna and 
