THE PALATA DRIVEWAY. 131 
Palata driveway.—The drive from Palata is now rarely made, as the seals have grown so few. 
They are killed all along the beach, and the myriads of flies about the decaying carcasses must be the 
source of great annoyance to the breeding seals. ‘he drive ascends from the parade ground on the 
top of the landslide. This was formerly occupied by bachelors, but there are no separate droves of 
bachelors now. They are scattered in little clumps about and between the rookeries. The drive then 
for about 100 feet ascends a grassy cliff so steep that steps have been dug in it to facilitate climbing. 
Then follows some 700 feet of irregular but very steep slope, in which the easiest depressions are 
sought, though the hill is everywhere about as steep as a man can climb, and one who goes up it must 
cling to the grass. Above this slope the drive reaches the back of the knife-like ridge that separates 
‘Palata from Zapalata. This widens out into an easy, level plateau for about 20 rods, marked with 
road skeletons. The elevation is about 850 feet by Dr. Stejneger’s map. Then follows a steep climb 
up gravel and clay, with scanty grass and heather, worn into steps, the driveway bounded on the 
southwest by a slanting precipice that lies above Sabatcha Dira. A steep shoulder of heather and 
small plants is followed by a final climb into the clouds to the summit of the pass, 1,220 feet above 
the sea. From the summit an abrupt descent leads down a distance of about 500 feet by a zigzag 
trail as steep as a horse could pass over, strewn with gravel and covered with low flowers, to the bed 
of a swift little brook. This stream flows down into a grassy basin, the slopes becoming less and less 
steep, the rye grass and putchki growing taller. At the junction of this stream, flowing into the little 
brook from the west, the drive merges into the one fram Zapadni. The drive from Palata is not in 
any place so difficult as the gully just above Zapadni, but it is half higher and twice as long, a trip 
one could not take on horseback, nor would it be easy to lead a horse over it. Comparing it with 
conditions on St. Paul, the Palata Pass is as steep as the cone of Bogoslof, twice as high, and is 
without water. Compared with the severest drive on St. Paul, it would stand as the ascent of Mount 
Blanc to a walk in the park. It is a very fatiguing trip for a man. It took me, walking rapidly, 
thirty-eight minutes (deducting stops) from Palata to the grassy level, 860 feet; thence twenty-eight 
minutes to the top, 1,220 feet; fifteen minutes down the upper slope, and fifteen more to Glinka. 
NO EVIL RESULTS FROM THESE DRIVES. 
And yet, notwithstanding the severity of the drives of the Commander Islands, 
no harm has resulted to the breeding herds of these islands which can be traced to 
this cause. 
CARE EXERCISED IN DRIVING. 
Many drives were witnessed during the past two summers on St. Paul Island. 
In connection with none of them was seen warrant for the harrowing tales of animals 
dying of exhaustion and fright by the wayside or smothering under the feet of 
their terrified companions. In the drive of July 15, numbering 1,500 seals, from the 
Reef not a seal fell by the way or showed: signs of dangerous exhaustion. Many 
were plainly fatigued by the journey, and when allowed to rest sprawled out panting 
on the ground. But after resting, when the drive was ready to move on, they were 
ready and able to go with it. 
THE FUR SEAL NOT ILL ADAPTED TO LAND TRAVEL. 
The fur seal’s only difficulty in land traveling is the inconvenience occasioned by 
its thick blanket of blubber. In the water and in a moist cool atmosphere this does 
not trouble it. But under the action of dry hot air it experiences great difficulty in 
making the least exertion. Combined with all this is the fact that the great oar-like 
feet, of the seal make it clumsy, and undoubtedly its muscles become tired quickly 
under the unwonted exercise of walking instead of swimming. 
When a seal becomes exhausted and is unable to continue the journey it is killed 
on the spot. This is not because the animal is necessarily permanently injured. If 
