168 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
were sent to the Ohigiiik canneries; but this was exceptional, and was stopped by 
order of the salmon inspector. Occasionally a cannery steamer will visit the streams 
between Tiiliumnit Point and Kupreanof Point and secure a load of humpbacks. 
CHIGNIK LAGOON. 
Chignik Lagoon is in the extreme southwest corner of Chignik Bay and is joined, 
to that bay by an outlet one-fourth of a mile wide, contracted at this point by a nar- 
row sand-spit about miles long, which makes directly across from the western shore. 
The main body of the lagoon is OJ miles long, with a general southwest direction, and 
at the southwest end has a narrow extension, lA miles long, into which tlie river flows. 
Within the spit, at the entrance, it is miles wide, opening out to l.A miles at the 
Alaska Packers’ Association canneries, and 1 mile beyond it attains a width of 2 miles. 
Pour miles from the entrance is an island, 600 feet high, which contracts the lagoon 
on the side leading to the river to three-fourths of a mile. Southeast from this island 
are great mud-flats which are covered at high water. At a distance of 6^ miles from 
the entrance the lagooii contracts to one fourth of a mile, and a mile beyond it narrows 
to 100 yards. The upper trap is located here, and one-fourth of a mile beyond is the 
coal mine. In this locality the water is usually fresh, and the mouth of the river is 
practically in the vicinity of tlie upper trap. 
The lagoon is shallow, the greater part uncovering at low water, exposing grassy 
flats, with a channel running along the eastern side as far as the cannery, where it 
breaks around a grassy middle ground, unites at the island, and continues to the river. 
One mile below the island the channel narrows to 100 yards, with a depth at low water 
of 4 feet. Above the island the flats are not so much exi)osed, but the channel is 
shoaler, 2^- to 3 feet being the best Avater through it at low tide. From the cannery 
the channel is buoyed. Bowlders brought down by the ice dot the flats here and there. 
Outside the lagoon entrance the main channel is along the eastern shore, carrying 
about 3 fatlioms at low water. There is also a narrow, shallow channel outside and 
along the spit, carrying 3 feet at low water, which separates the spit from a fan-shaped 
shoal, miles long, wliich uncovers at low water and has a greatest width of three- 
lourths of a mile. At liigh water a small part of this shoal, near the spit, is just 
visible. Immediately within the entrance the water is deep and the banks are steep. 
CHIGNIK RIVER. 
Chignik River empties into the arm of the lagoon at its soutliwest end, and is 
estimated to be 0 miles in length, with an average Avidth of 100 yards. The bottom 
is rocky and gravelly. High water, neap tides, extends to the coal mine, which is 
practically the mouth of the river, and high-water, spring tides, extends to the first 
lake, affecting the lake at the outlet a few inches. The depth in the river is such 
that a boat can ascend only at high water. At low^Avater the current is very strong 
and forms many rapids. 
There are two lakes. The first is about 10 miles long and of unknown depth. 
The banks in places are precipitous, iu others sloping. In the latter localities the 
shore shelf is of sufficient width to permit gill netting, and then drops off suddenly. 
A number of small streams enter, but none except the second lake connection is of 
considerable size. 
A shalloAv shifting arm, from 100 to 300 yards wide, leads through au extensive 
bog at the head of the lake, for a distance of 10 miles, to a second lake. The bog is 
