INVESTIGATIONS OP THE ALBATROSS. 
411 
Having cleared the rocks off the cape, stand WNW. (magnetic) for 
Long Island, which will carry a vessel about three-quarters of a mile 
outside of the Outer Humpback. Jf it is not seen, the island will be the 
next land-fall, and can be approached with comparative safety. Outer 
Humpback should be seen if the weather is suitable for a stranger to 
make the harbor, in which case pass within one-quarter to one half mile, 
leaving it on the port hand, and steer W. £ N. (mag.) for the south end 
of Popoff* Island. When the passage between Wooded Island and Long 
Island is shut in, steer N. by W. ^ W. (mag.) for the channel, passing 
100 yards from the point of Wooded Island, off* the settlement ; con- 
tinue the course until the storehouse on the wharf at St. Paul opens out, 
then stand in for the anchorage off the astronomical statiou (C. and G-. 
S. Chart No. 776), anchoring in about 13 fathoms. The Wooded Island 
side of the channel should be favored to avoid a reef on the west side, 
and the course continued to clear a rock about one-eighth mile off the 
north eud of Holiday Island, which is not shown on the chart. 
To enter the inner harbor keep the crib, lying just off the end of the 
wharf about 50 feet from Near Island, open until nearly up with it, 
sailing as close as practicable until inside of the reef, and then steer for 
the wharf. A vessel should enter with the- tide running a little flood, 
which sets to the northward. The channel is very narrow, and a 
stranger should not attempt it without a pilot. It is high water at the 
wharf, full and change, at 1:00 hour. 
I called on Mr. M. L. Washburn, agent of the Alaska Commercial 
Company, soon after we anchored, and he assured me that he would be 
pleased to do anything in his power to forward our work. He informed 
me that provision had been made to supply us with 100 tons of coal, 
and delivered a large mail with dates to August 1. The company’s 
steamer Bertha arrived on the 17th and left for San Francisco at 1 p. 
m. the following day, carrying our mail. The Karluk came in at 1:30, 
and at 3 p. m. the Albatross entered the inner harbor and moored to the 
wharf. We commenced coaling at 5:30 on the morning of the 20tli, and 
■finished at meridian the following day, having taken on board 100 tons. 
We left the wharf 2 hours later, steamed to the outer harbor, landed 
our pilot on Wooded Island, and proceeded to sea. At 3:24 p. m. we 
sounded in 69 fathoms, S. 36° W., 1J miles from the south end of Long 
Island, and at 3:50 in 17 fathoms, N. 24° E., 0.4 mile from the Outer 
Humpback. 
Kadiak to Middleton Island .— The development of Portlock Bank was 
then commenced by running the following lines of soundings : N. 53° 
E., 15 miles, in 28, 37, and 47 fathoms ; S. 51° E., 50 miles, in 30, 33, 
35, 38, and 42 fathoms, at intervals of 5 miles ; 48 and 57 fathoms at 
10 miles intervals, and 72 fathoms at the eud of the line. It was com- 
pleted a little after midnight, and, the weather being favorable, we 
located our positions with accuracy. The 22d was partially cloudy, 
with light variable winds and smooth sea, admirable weather for our 
