46 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STA'l'ES FISH COMMISSION. 
oi- in clusters tlirougliout all the waters of southeast Alaska, but nowhere do great 
banks exist, so far as known, on which a vessel might till up at all times, as can be 
done on the British Columbia side. They seem to follow the herring, and can also be 
obtained off any of the canneries, where they probably feed on the offal, and are 
sufficiently plentiful for local demands. 
On Bear Island, at the entrance to Nichols Bay, west of Cape Chacon, southern 
shore of Prince of Wales Island, is a summer village where the Indians from the 
surrounding country camp and obtain their supply of halibut for drying. At the time 
of the visit of the Alhatrons it was occupied by Chief Skowl and part of his tribe of 
Kasaans. From this chief, who is rather an intelligent Indian, and his headmen, 
it was learned that off' Cape Chacon are a number of spots which the Indians locate 
by shore ranges and obtain there sufficient halibut for their own use and dry some for 
trade with the Tsimpseans, from whom they obtain eulachon oil. The Indians will 
speak with uplifted arms of “ hyas pish ” (plenty of ffsh), but their ideas do not go 
beyond satisfying their own wants. There are no banks here. The halibut are found 
in spots, and while a vessel might (ill up, the fish would soon be cleaned off. 
Mr. Clark, proprietor of a saltery at Ketchikan, and a former Cape Ann ffsherman, 
has a schooner and has tried to make a business of marketing halibut in the winter. 
He has iirospected the ground himself, and has extended his inquiry in all directions, 
and his experience is similar to what has been stated. 
Mr. Miller, of Kliukwan, stated that he had prosjiected over southeast Alaska, and 
had nowhere found any banks; that scattering halibut could be found everywhere and 
in numbers in spots during the summer, and some few in winter, but nowhere in 
quantities to supply a considerable market. 
Clarence Strait is frequently referred to as a great halibut-ground, and tourists 
who make the southeast Alaska trip are loud in their descriiitions of the halibut 
lisheries off Killisnoo. The steamer Queen, which carries Alaska excursionists, makes 
it a point to give them a few hours of halibut fishing, and sometimes when a good 
spot is found, or there is a large run of herring, many halibut are taken, while at other 
times they are not so abundant. When the average tourist gets a 50-pouud halibut on 
his line, he has the experience of his life, and much has been said and written of these 
lialibut grounds. The Queen usually fishes between Danger Point and Kenasnow 
Bocks, off the winter village of Angoon, or in that vicinity. Danger Point is 3 miles 
from the northern entrance to Killisnoo, and forms the southern iioint of entrance to 
