THE EUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 
41 
Farther south the esearpinent again assumes its preeipitous as[)ect and approaches 
nearer to the beach. 
About live-eighths of a mile from the base of the “ reef” tlie rocky beach projects 
again a little and, as the coast line beyond takes a more southerly turn, a corner is 
formed which the natives designate as Blizhni Mi/s. Just before this “ cape ” there is 
an expansion of the gravelly part of the beach which, like “the sands” of the reef, 
serve the seal hauling up in this neighborhood as a “parade” ground. This portion 
of the beach is now called Kishotchnaya. The patch of breeding seals located here 
are known as Kishotchnoye lezliMstvhe or (rarely) BUzhnoye lezhinstche. 
Beyond Blizhni Mys the reef fringe, as well as the grassy belt, again expands, 
the escarpment retreating from the coast, only to reapiiroaeh farther south at another 
promonotory which is well marked by two high, grass-covered, mound-like masses of 
rock, the so-called Great Mayoshishnilc, or Maroshnik, and Little JMaroshnik. Beyond 
this point the coast forms another slight bay, fringed with reefs, like the foregoing, 
but not so wide. This is Kisil'of, and as this is the last point where seals are known 
to have hauled up regularly, it may be regarded as the southern end of the great 
North Eookery. 
The Mlling grounds are located on the gentle slope (about 3 in 100) above the 
escarpment, about 600 feet southeast of the base of the reef. The ground is here 
smooth and covered with a short, line grass. The uiiper end is pitted all over with 
holes dug 4 to 6 feet deep and about 0 feet wide, used by the natives as “silos,” into 
which they place the seal meat, intestines, etc., destined for winter food for the 
sledge-dogs. In addition, boxes and barrels are likewise scattered over that part of 
the ground, and in these the natives salt the seal meat for their own use (pi. 19n). 
The driveways on this rookery are short and easy. From the reef the drive is 
scarcely three-eighths of a mile long, for the least part over the rocky beach, and for the 
greater portion through the shallow lagoon at the base of the reef and across the flelds 
of rank grass. The ascent up the escarpment is scarcely 30 feet high, with an incline 
of about 35°. The road there is worn perfectly bare of vegetation and in wet Aveather 
is somewhat slippery, but not enough so as to cause a serious impediment to the drive. 
The driveway from the southern end of the rookery is considerably longer, from 
Kishotchnaya, for instance, nearly three- fourths of a mile; but as it is partly over the 
same beach upon which the seals themselves haul up and travel about with ease, and 
partly over the inner grassy belt of the beach, no special hardship is involved. The 
killing-grounds are reached from the west side, w^here the escarpment is locally inter- 
rupted, and the gentle slope beyond extends down to the water. 
The company’s salt-house is located 500 feet north of the killing-grounds, at the 
extreme north end of the escarpment, and its reddish-brown walls and roof are 
visible all around for a considerable distance, being, in fact, the best landmark on 
this part of the island. It is a frame building, originally 45 by 26 feet, Avith a later 
eastern addition 20 by 24 feet. On the north side a plank “chute” and stairs lead 
down the escarpment to the beach beloAV (pi. 24). 
Southeast of the killing-grounds, about 1,200 feet from the beach, and between 60 
and 70 feet above the sea, the mud-hut village of the natives, where the men live 
during the killing season, is located, and directly in front, north of the new huts, the 
only wooden dwellings of the place, one belonging to the Russian Government, in 
Avhich the kossak and his family reside, the other (16 by 20 feet) built by the company 
