414 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
from 30 to 80 feet in height, the greatest elevation toward the center of 
the island being about 120 feet above the sea. The strata on this side 
dip from 30° to 40° about NW. (magnetic). The general appearance 
of the island is flat and, the soil being impervious to water, numerous 
ponds are formed by heavy rains, and the entire surface is moist, almost 
boggy, covered in summer with a rank growth of grass, flowers, etc., 
but no trees occur. Cormorants, gulls, and puffins were nestiugon the 
cliffs, and the burrowing habits of the latter made walking near their 
haunts very difficult. The island is uninhabited, except by hunters, 
who are occasionally left there to search for seals and sea otters.. 
Having finished our observations, we returned to the ship and got 
under way at 8 p. in., and at 3:40 sounded in 22 fathoms, latitude 59° 
19' 00" N., longitude 146° 23' 00" W. ; then ran S. 53° E. 5 miles and 
sounded in 141 fathoms, 10 miles in 620 fathoms, and 20 miles in 
2,425 fathoms. The course was then changed to N. 74° E. for Pam- 
plona Rocks. The day ended with clear, pleasant weather and smooth 
sea, which continued on the 27th. 
Pamplona Bodes to Departure Bay , British Columbia . — Having run 40 
miles from last station, we sounded in 2,224 fathoms, 27 miles further in 
2,138 fathoms, and 17 miles still further in 1,528 fathoms. Changing 
the course to S. 51° E., we ran 17 miles to the position assigned to the 
rocks, then S. 16° W. 3 miles, and sounded in 1,763 fathoms; E. 5 miles 
and S. 28° W. 7 miles to another reported position, where we found 
1,745 fathoms. Then, changing the course to N. 70° E., we ran 9 miles 
and sounded in 1,675 fathoms; N. 84° E. 10 miles, in 1,500 fathoms; 
and S. 43° E. 10 miles, in 1,548 fathoms. 
The position assigned to Pamplona Rocks on Coast Survey Charts 
701 and 702, Hydrographic Office Chart No. 527, and in the Alaska 
Coast Pilot, is latitude 59° 03' 00" N. and longitude 142° 40' 00" W.; 
but Coast Survey Chart 960 places them in latitude 59° 35' 00" N., 
longitude 142° 04' 00" W. I consider it highly important that these 
dangers should be located in the interest of commerce as well as of the 
fisheries, and as the time would not permit an examination of both 
localities, we selected that which seemed to have the weight of evidence 
in its favor. The weather was remarkably clear and the search was 
made during the middle of the day with a lookout on the topgallant 
yard, his line of vision extending 10 miles or more on either hand, with- 
out detecting any signs of rocks or shoals. The soundings were regular 
and gave no indication of shoaling water, so it may be stated positively 
that the rocks do not exist within 20 miles of the assigned position. 
Coast Survey Chart No. 960 places them nearer land, where from 40 
to 50 fathoms are found in their vicinity, and where rocks, banks, or a 
ledge, as these dangers are called by different authorities, might be 
expected to exist. The snow-capped heights of Mount St. Elias were 
visible during the day, from 90 to 100 miles distant, and many snowy 
peaks of less magnitude could be seen from time to time. 
