THE SALMON AND SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 
3 
the outbreak of the Spanish war, when, by order of the President, she was detailed 
to the Navy Department for use as an auxiliary cruiser. 
Before proceeding to the report of the investigations, I desire to express my 
appreciation of the work performed by the officers of the Albatross, and of the cour- 
tesies extended by those interested iu the canneries. Lieut. L. M. Garrett, U. S. N., 
besides carrying on his duties as executive officer, made all the observations for 
geographical positions. Lieut. II. E. Parmenter, U. S. N., in addition to his duties as 
chief engineer, conducted the field work of nearly all the surveys and plotted the 
work. Lieut. J. P. McGuinness, U. S. N., conducted the field work of several surveys, 
but was mostly engaged iu examining salmon streams and lakes. Ensign Yates 
Stirling, jr., U. S. N., was employed in stream and lake examinations and conducted 
the hydrography. Ensign S. V. Graham, U. S. N., assisted in the surveys. Mr. A. B. 
Alexander assisted in the stream and lake examinations, and Messrs. F. M. Chamber- 
lain and H. 0. Fassett assisted generally, both rendering valuable service in pho- 
tography. All performed their several duties in a commendable and satisfactory 
manner. The Alaska Packers’ Association furnished me with a letter to all their can- 
neries, directing the superintendents to offer the Albatross every facility for conducting 
the inquiries and examinations. All the other canneries also extended every courtesy, 
and at no place were any obstacles placed in our way. 
For convenience, the salmon fisheries of Alaska may be divided into five districts, 
as follows: First, or southeast Alaska district, from the southern boundary to Cape 
Spencer; second, or Prince William Sound and Copper Eiver district, from Cape 
Spencer to Cape Elizabeth; third, or Cook Inlet district, from Cape Elizabeth to Cape 
Douglas; fourth, or Kadiak and Chignik district, from Cape Douglas to Unimak ‘Pass; 
and fifth, or Bering Sea district. 
Considering the pack of salmon from 1878 to 1897, the percentage of pack in the 
different districts, as averaged from the tables, is approximately as follows: 
Southeast Alaska (Lower, 15.0; Upiier, 8.2) 23.2 
Prince William Sonml aud Copper River 6.6 
Cook Inlet 6. 5 
Kadiak (35.7) and Chignik (8.1) 43.8 
Bering Sea 19.9 
100 
As the redlish is the commercial lish, the other species being ])acked incidentally, 
or to fill up the quota when other kinds are scarce, no attempt was made to examine 
streams other than those having the red salmon, except when detained, or in localities 
where no positive information on the subject could otherwise be obtained. Beliable 
information relating to the streams is difficult to secure. There are large areas where 
not a single person can be found, except during the fishing season. Many hours were 
spent iu Indian villages, surrounded by bucks and “klootchmen,” children and dogs, 
tracing the geography of the country on the sand and trying to ascertain where the 
salmon streams of the vicinity were located, but generally without much reward. 
Their names for the different siiecies of salmon are conflicting, and their geography 
vague and confusing. The largest species in a locality is always a “tyee.” In many 
places they call the redfish “coho,” and when it was intimated that the name was 
usually applied to the silver salmon, a quiet smile has been seen to pass around, 
expressive of our supreme ignorance. 
