ALBATROSS EXPLORATIONS; ALASKA, WASHINGTON, AND OREGON. 
69 
About thirteen hundred fishing boats are employed upon the Columbia Eiver dur- 
ing the salmon season, which continues from the first of April to the first of J uly. No 
fishing is permitted iu the river after July. The majority of the boats and nets are 
owned by the canneries, but a few belong to the fishermen. 
Prices paid for salmon.— The fishermen have a well- organized society, in which 
the price of salmon is agreed upon before beginning the season’s work. To those who 
own their boats and nets a higher price is paid than to those who use the gear belong- 
ing to the canneries. In 1888 the price stipulated was $1 apiece for salmon caught 
by the cannery boats, and $1.25 each for those taken in the boats of the fishermen. 
The high prices demanded for salmon have caused many to withdraw from the busi- 
ness in this region, and some of them talk seriously of establishing canneries in Alaska. 
21. HECETA BANK. 
Hydrographic worjc. — October 19, lines of soundings were run across Heceta Bank 
to the westward, to the southward, and then to the southward and eastward, defining 
its extent. It was not fully developed, but from present knowledge it may be said to 
be about 20 miles in length and 10 miles in width, its center lying in latitude 44° 04' 
N., longitude 124° 53' W. It has a rocky bottom, alternating with j)atches of clay 
and pebbles, and presents every requisite for an excellent fishing bank, which it will 
undoubtedly prove to be at the proper season of the year. 
Dredging and trials for fish. — At 7.30 a. m., the dinghy left the ship with a skate of 
halibut trawl and a tub of cod trawl, baited with salmon and herring. A set was made 
in a depth of 50 fathoms as soon as the boat was well clear of the ship, which imme- 
diately began dredging at station 2886, latitude 43° 59' N., longitude 124° 56' 30" W. 
At the end of an hour and a half the trawls were taken up with the following catch: 
one halibut weighing lOJ pounds, one beshowe or black cod, one shark, and one dog- 
fish. Four dredging stations (2886 to 2889) were made, all being within about a mile 
of the position given above, one with the dredge, the remainder with the beam trawls, 
which, on two occasions, were wrecked on the rocky bottom. The depths covered by 
the dredging ranged from 41 to 50 fathoms, the bottom consisting of rocks, pebbles, 
shells, etc. The bottom was rich in life and many interesting forms were taken, includ- 
ing several species of corals. This locality was by far the most promising of any 
that had been examined south of Oape Flattery. A specimen of halibut was capt- 
ured, proving that the species occurs in this region, where it may be abundant in the 
proper season, but further investigations are necessary to prove this fact conclusively. 
The amount and character of the lower forms of life brought up in the dredge and 
beam trawl recalled the fauna of some of the eastern halibut grounds. 
Just south of Heceta Bank, in latitude 43° 46' N., longitude 124° 57' \\ ., the beam 
trawl was used in a depth of 277 fathoms, bottom gray sand, with the result of obtain- 
ing many deep-water forms, including Macrurus, Sebastes, Nemichthys, etc., among 
fishes ; Lithodes, Munida, and shrimps among crustaceans, and large quantities of Schi- 
zaster, ophiurans, etc., among echinoderms. 
