14 THE ASIATIC FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 



During the visits of 1896 and 1897 I received very material assistance from Mr. 

 Mcolai S, Waohsmuth, the assistant administrator in charge of Copper Island, as well 

 as most hospitable entertainment. It is likewise a pleasure to mention the reception 

 and facilities accorded us in 1896 by Lieutenant Kolubakin, I. E. N., commanding the 

 Eussian naval guard stationed on Eobben Island. 



I am also under great obligations to the firm and officers of the Eussian Seal Skin 

 Company, the present lessees of the islands j to Mr. C. A. Williams, New London, 

 Conn., and Mr. Thomas F. Morgan, Groton, Conn., formerly American members of 

 the firm; to Mr. Constantine M. Grunwaldt, of St. Petersburg, the representative 

 of the firm on the Pacific coast in 1896 and 1897; Mr. John Malovanski, of San 

 Francisco, formerly the general agent of the company till 1895 ; Capt. C. B. Lindquist, 

 of the Kotilc; Capt. D. Groenberg, of the BobriJc; Mr. E. Kluge, the resident agent 

 on Bering Island; Mr. A. Kautor, on Copper Island, and Mr. P, H, Powers, the 

 company's agent on board the steamship Taiyu Maru, in 1897. 



It would be ungrateful not to mention the hospitality received from the Alaska 

 Commercial Company and its fuuctionaries, especially during my first visit to the 

 islands. The liberality with which the members of this firm have been ever ready to 

 assist scientific endeavors has contributed greatly to the success of my undertakings. 



To Lieut. Commander F. J. Drake, U. S. N., commanding the United States Fish 

 Commission steamer Albatross, during my trip in 1895, and his officers, and to the 

 scientific staff of the vessel, and more particularly to Mr. C. H. Townsend, special 

 thanks are due for courtesies during my stay on board, and to the latter for valuable 

 information received during the preparation of this report, due credit for which is 

 given in each instance. 



It is with great pleasure that I acknowledge my obligations to the captain of 

 H. M. S. Porpoise, Commander Francis E. Pelly, E. N., and his officers, for hospitalities 

 and for aid in transportation during 1895. 



Finally, I wish to express my appreciation of the assistance and courtesies received 

 from the Treasury agent, Mr. J. B. Crowley, and by Mr. J. Stanley-Brown, the general 

 agent of the North American Commercial Company, the present lessees of the Pribilof 

 Islands, during my visits in 1895 and 1896. 



During 1897 I received most valuable help, information, and transportation from 

 many of the gentlemexi above mentioned— Messrs. Grebnitski, Grunwaldt, Kluge, 

 Kantor, Captains Lindquist and Groenberg, the latter now commanding the barkentine 

 Bering— as, well as from the captains and officers of the U. S. revenue cutter Orant 

 Capt. Fred. M. Munger commanding; the imperial Eussian cruiser Koreets, Captain 

 Serebreunikof commanding, and the imperial Eussian transport Yakut, Capt. I. V. 

 Sukhotin commanding, 



I can not close this chapter without special and cordial thanks to Lieut. Com- 

 mander Jeff. F, Moser, commanding the Albatross during my cruise in 1896, as well 

 as his officers and men. Having spent nearly six months with them, I learned to 

 appreciate them highly, from the sailors up to the genial commander. 



And last, but not least, thanks are due to the British fur-seal commissioner, Mr. 

 G. B. H. Barrett-Hamilton, with whom I had the pleasure of studying the Bering 

 Island rookeries in 1897. His hearty cooperation and cheerful companionship form a 

 bright spot in the memories of five seasons spent in that out-of-the-way place. 



