ALASKA. 73 



it is exceedingly abundant. Its burrows and paths under and 

 among the grassy hummocks and mossy flats literally checker 

 every square rod of land there covered with this vegetation ; 

 and although Saint Paul's Island lies but twenty-nine miles to 

 the northwest, not a single one of these active, curious little 

 animals is found there. 



The foxes ( Vulpes lagopus) are also, of their kind, restricted 

 to these islands, not being found elsewhere, except stray exam- 

 ples, which get cast away on the ice at Attou or Saint Mat- 

 thew's, and find here among the countless chinks and crevices 

 in the basaltic formation comfortable holes for their accommo- 

 dation and retreat, feeding fat upon sick and pup seals, water- 

 fowl, and eggs during the summer, and living through the win- 

 ter upon the bodies of seals left upon the breeding-grounds and 

 the carcasses upon the killing-fields. 



The islands are as yet free from rats, but mice have been 

 brought long ago in ships' cai-goes, and are a great pest in the 

 winter. 



As might be inferred from their formation, these islands pos- 

 sess no mineral wealth of economic value whatever. 



Stock cannot be profitably raised here ; the proportion of 

 severe winter is too great, as from three, at least, to perhaps 

 six months of the year they would require feeding and water- 

 ing, with good shelter. To furnish animals with hay and grain 

 is a costly matter, and the dampness of the growing or summer 

 season on both islands renders hay-curing impracticable. 



Perhaps a few head of hardy Siberian cattle might pick up a 

 living through a rough winter on the north shore of Saint Paul 

 among the grassy sand-dunes there, with nothing more than 

 shelter and water given them, but the care of them would 

 hardly return expenses, as the winter-grazing ground would not 

 support any great number of animals, it being less than two 

 square miles in extent, and half of this area being unpro- 

 ductive. 



I am strongly inclined to think that reindeer would make a 

 successful issue with any struggle here that they might have 

 for existence, and be the source of an excellent supply, summer 

 and winter, of fresh meat for the agents of the Government and 

 the company who may be living upon the islands. The Eus- 

 sians, as well as the present occupants of the place, were in the 

 habit of keeping, and still do keep, a few head of cattle, and a 

 number of hogs and chickens throughout winters for table use. 



