38 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
12. KADIAK ISLAND. 
THE TRINITY ISLANDS. 
Character and surroundings. — “ The fog lifted as we approached the land, giving 
us a very good view of the Trinity Islands. Tugidak and the western portion of Sith- 
inak Island are low and apparently marshy, while the eastern part of the latter island 
is higher. They are surrounded by foul ground, and, in the absence of proper surveys, 
should be approached with caution.” 
OLD HARBOR, KADIAK. 
The harbor and its surroundings. — The Albatross arrived at Old Harbor (latitude 
67° 11' IS"., longitude 153° 13' W.), in the channel separating Sitkalidak from Kadiak 
Island, on the afternoon of August 10, and anchored in 7 fathoms, off an Indian village 
called by the natives Three Saints. It lies about 4 miles to the northward of the 
Bay of Three Saints, the beautiful harbor of Lisiansky Bay intervening. The 
country surrounding Old Harbor is mountainous, with a narrow belt of compara- 
tively level land, on which the village stands, near the water. It is covered with a 
luxuriant growth of grass and flowers during summer. Alder bushes grow to greater 
size than on the islands farther to the westward, and, in the sheltered valleys, the 
poplar is found of sufficient size to make it valuable to the natives in building their 
houses, and for other purposes. The rugged mountain range, sometimes called the 
backbone of Kadiak, was in sight, and the great gorges, still filled with snow and ice, 
lent an arctic hue to the otherwise summer aspect. 
The village of Three Saints. — The village is scattered along the shingle beach, and 
consists of about thirty sod houses, or barabara, thatched with dried grass, and a few 
log buildings. The houses have the usual accompaniment of fish racks on which sal- 
mon were hung to dry. There are about two hundred and fifty Indians at this place, 
but most of the young men were absent at the time of the Albatross’s visit, on hunting 
and fishing trii)s. The people in the village were engaged in drying salmon for their 
winter food supply, and a few were also in the employ of the salmon fishery near by. 
Trials for fish. — The waters of the vicinity are everywhere filled with salmon, 
which seem to congregate in greatest abundance close to the sand bars and small 
rocky capes which project into the harbor. A short distance from the mouth of the 
harbor, in the vicinity of Two Headed Island, cod are also plentiful. Seining was 
carried on in the harbor, but not many species of fish were obtained there. The light 
seines also suffered severely from the presence of so many large salmon, which it was 
difficult to avoid taking in them. In addition to the salmon some of the same shore 
fishes taken at Hnalashka were secured. 
Directions for entering Old Harbor. — To enter Old Harbor, make Two Headed 
Island (miscalled Two Headed Cape on Coast Survey Chart Ko. 702), which has two 
irregularly rounded peaks, and is easily recognized. Leave it on the port hand, and 
if the weather is clear Black Point will be seeu, showing darker than its surroundings. 
There is a small islet about 200 yards in prolongation of this point, and one-fourth of 
a mile further on is a rock just above water, which marks the outer end of a ledge 
extending from the point. Having passed this rock, a mid-channel course around the 
