10 SALMON FISHEKIES OF ALASKA. 



There is practically no communication in Alaska except by water. There are no 

 lines of vessels running regularly from place to place, and whenever it is desirable to 

 cover an extended field of investigation it is essential to provide a vessel to carry the 

 party to the places to be investigated. 



On August 15 we left Karluk for a trip to Karluk Lake, to examine the spawning- 

 grounds of the red salmon. We could not go up the river because of the low stage of 

 the water, the extreme difficulty of walking along the shores, and the impossibility of 

 taking boats through the rapids, which are several miles in extent. We sailed there- 

 fore around into Uyak Bay, and pushed up to the head of one of its arms, from which 

 we made a portage of several miles to Karluk Kiver above the rapids. The journey 

 to the lake was completed August 17, and we remained there until the 21st. On the 

 return to Karluk there was some delay on account of a storm, so that we did not arrive 

 until August 27. 



The party sailed September 7 for Alitak Bay, where we remained inquiring into 

 the history of the fishing until the 11th, on which date we departed in the steamer 

 Raytien Republic for San Francisco. We reached San Francisco September 21. From 

 here Mr. Stone returned to his station at Clackamas, and Mr. Booth to his duties in 

 the University of California. Mr. Lewis and I arrived in Washington October 13. 



We were greatly assisted in our investigations by the Alaska Commercial Com- 

 pany, of San Francisco, and their agents on the island of Kodiak '; also by the Karluk 

 Packing Company, whose office at Karluk was our headquarters while at that station. 

 Capt. L. P. Larsen, of the Arctic Packing Company, gave us every possible facility 

 in his vessels and at the canneries of the company. The Kodiak Packing Company 

 assisted us materially in our exploration of Alitak Bay. Messrs. Ford and Stokes, of 

 the Russian American Packing Company, and Mr. Blodgett, of the Royal Packing 

 Company, rendered material aid to Messrs. Booth and Stone during their visit to 

 Afognak. 



Mr. Booth has prepared a report upon his work, and also sketches and charts of 

 the regions investigated. In this he was assisted by Mr. Lewis. Mr. Stone's report 

 on the possibilities of fish culture is separately transmitted. Keeping in mind your 

 instructions to devote my time chiefly to the salmon, I did not make large collections 

 of other fishes, and have reserved their discussion for a future occasion. More than 

 fifty photographs were made, to illustrate the physical features of the region and the 

 methods of the fishery. 



In conclusion, I wish to suggest the desirability of beginning investigations of this 

 nature, earlier in the year and continuing them later. The life history of our Pacific 

 salmon is very imperfectly known, and it is difficult to make practical deductions from 

 the insufficient data in our possession. 

 Very respectfully, 



Tarleton H. Bean, 



Ichthyologist. 



