YESSO. 1 1 



the drumming noise is made by the rapid vibrations of 

 the wings. Different species of wild-duck and waders 

 were breeding in the small lochs, well away from the 

 coast. I numbered forty-eight different species of birds 

 in June at this place. Most, if not all, of these must 

 have been breeding. Seals were very plentiful, and 

 fearless. They swam about the anchorage and close 

 to the ship quite unconcernedly. 



The large brown bear of Yesso is a frequent visitor 

 to the beach at night. Some of their tracks I measured 

 were 14 inches by 10. Unfortunately I never could 

 come across one of those animals. In fact, without dogs 

 it is a mere chance doing so ; their sense of hearing and 

 scent being so keen, enables them to slip away on the 

 near approach of danger, long before the cover which 

 they are probably in is entered. 



In the end of May I crossed the narrow strait of 

 water separating Yesso from Kunashir, the most 

 southerly of the Kuril Islands. The south part of this 

 island is a w-ilderness of forest and swamp, the resort 

 of bears, wolves, foxes, and several species of martin. 

 On the 25th of May, immense masses of floating ice 

 blocked the bay where the ship was anchored. 

 Thousands of the scaup and velvet scoter, besides 

 albatross, divers, and seals, appeared at the same time. 

 It was very amusing to watch two of the raven-like 



