ST. lONA ISLAND. 81 



As the sun rose and the temperature got higher more and more seals went into 

 the water, though none seemed oppressed by the heat. The pups had an ideal day 

 for swimming practice, but the great majority remained on the shore. These did not, 

 to any extent at least, flock in pods by themselves, but Ibrmed a compact, continuous 

 line behind the cows. The pups were as yet mainly black, with indications of gray, 

 only a few of them being entirely gray. 



The bulls, with a few exceptions, looked young and small. An attempt was made 

 by tbem to prevent the cows from going into the water, but with poor success. At 

 1.30 p. m. there were not more than about 350 females on shore. 



During the day I tried to obtain some seal skulls, but failed to get a single one, as 

 all carcasses are thrown into the sea or else buried in the sand. 



Lieutenant Kolubakine kindly furnished me with the following temperatures of 

 the air for the day: 8 a. m., 54.52° P. {12A° O.); 12 noon, 60.8° F. (16° C). 



During my stay on the rock the Albatross had steamed away on a dredging trip. 

 After her return Captain Moser came ashore and viewed the rookery with us. 



To show the insignificance of the Eobben Island herd in 1896 it is only necessary 

 to give the details of the drives up to August 16 : 



Skins. 



July 17 (new style) 37 



21 4 



22 12 



24 14 



27 11 



Skins. 



July 29 18 



August 1 21 



5 17 



8 13 



12 4 



It certainly seems to be a big apparatus in order to protect the handful of seals 

 now on Robben Island to have the 30-mile limit patrolled by men-of-war and to station 

 on the rock an officer and 15 men for five months of the year. The 269 skins taken 

 in 1896, and 214 in 1897, must have come pretty expensive by the time the bills are 

 counted up. 



3.-ST. lONA ISLAND. 



This is a small island, about 2 miles in circumference, situated in 56° 25' north 

 latitude and 143° 16' east longitude, 120 miles north of the northern extremity of 

 Sakhalin Island and a little more than 160 miles east of Port Ayan. It is said to be 

 about 1,200 feet high and to have a number of detached rocks lying off its west side' 

 (pi. 103). 



The sides are said to be very precipitous, with only a small, curving beach on one 

 side, where landing can be effected in favorable weather. The rookery was situated 

 at one end of this beach. 



Oapt. O. E. Lindquist, of the Kotik, who was off the island on August 12, 1896, 

 trying in vain to make a landing, tells me that no seals were seen. He kindly gave 

 me the appended sketch of St. lona as it looks NNE., 6 miles off (pi. 103.) 



1 "St. lona Island, in lat. 56° 22^' N., long. 143° 15|' E., is merely a bare reels, about 2 miles in 

 circumference and 1,200 feet high, surrounded on all sides, except the west, by detached rocks, against 

 which the waves beat with great Tiolence, and which probably extend a considerable distance under 

 water. With the island bearing north, distant 12 miles, Krusenstern had 15 fathoms water, but when 

 it bore west, about 10 miles, no bottom could be obtained with 120 fathoms" (China Sea Directory, iv, 

 1884 p. 178). On the latest admiralty chart (No. 2388) it is now located in lat. 56° 23' N., long. 

 143° 17' E. 



16183— PT 4 6 



