ALBATROSS EXPLORATIONS; ALASKA, WASHINGTON, AND OREGON. 15 
Salt salmon was also found to be very efficacious by the Albatross. There are times, 
however, when the cod prefer other kinds of bait than can be taken by means of the 
hook, such as squid, lant, or capelin, but all of these species are abundant in their 
season, in close proximity to the fishing grounds, and can readily be secured in nets. 
WASHINGTON TERRITORY AND OREGON. 
Halibut banks off Cape Flattery. — No hydrographic work was done north of Cape 
Flattery, as the contour of the bottom in that region had previously been determined 
with sufficient accuracy for the purposes of this preliminary survey. The dredging 
and fishing appliances were used, however, in several localities. 
A well-known halibut bank, resorted to by the Indians, begins close to the shore 
in the vicinity of Cape Flattery, and extends thence northwestward some 15 miles with 
depths of 35 to 75 fathoms. Halibut are abundant here from early in the spring until 
the middle of June, when the bank becomes infested with dogfish and sharks. It was 
in this locality that the Gloucester schooner Mollie Adams obtained its fares of fresh 
halibut which were shipped to eastern markets during 1888. The bottom was found 
by the Albatross to be exceedingly variable, consisting of rocks, sand, mud, and shells, 
and the dredging appliances suffered severely, but all of the hauls were successful, 
demonstrating that the bottom is exceedingly rich in the lower forms of animal life. 
Two trials for fish with trawl lines were made on this bank, one in 40, the other in 59 
fathoms. In the former four halibut, averaging 47f pounds in weight, and in the latter 
two halibut, averaging 55 pounds in weight, were captured. Several sharks and dog- 
fish were also secured. It was considered that a vessel properly equipped might pick 
up a good fare of halibut at this season, in a comparatively short time, but the fish 
were very much less abundant than they are reported to be in the spring. It has been 
shown, however, by the experience of the Mollie Adams that successful summer trips 
for halibut may be made to more northern localities. This schooner left Seattle July 
24, on a fletched halibut cruise, and, after trying in several places, found the fish 
abundant off the southern extremity of Queen Charlotte Islands, in depths of 30 to 45 
fathoms. The vessel continued on these grounds until September 8, fishing during 
nineteen days, and securing a fare of 150,000 pounds. About half of the halibut taken 
were large enough for fletching, the remainder being used as bait or thrown away. 
The crew received $175 each as their share of the proceeds, or at the rate of about $9 
for each fishing day. Two such trips could probably be made in the course of a season, 
while the fletched trips to Greenland or Iceland from New England ports consume an 
entire season. One of the chief obstacles to the financial success of the fresh halibut 
fishery on the Pacific coast is the high i)rice which the fishermen have to pay for ice, 
but it is exi)ected that better arrangements will be possible in the future. 
The work of the Albatross was extended from the bank off Cape Flattery to the 
neighborhood of Barclay Sound, Vancouver Island, where the bottom was found to be 
less rich than farther south. The trawl lines were set in four separate localities, with 
depths of 24 to 66 fathoms. The total catch amounted to five halibut, one black cod, 
one cultus cod, thirty-nine dogfish, and seven sharks, but the indications were that 
good halibut fishing might be found in this region in the spring. 
Another halibut bank known to the Indians occurs off Flattery Rocks and between 
those rocks and Cape Flattery. Only one halibut, weighing 140 pounds, was taken on 
