18 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
able shores of the Arctic it can be duplicated many times in the possessions of all the nations of the 
earth combined, which significant circumstance, allow me to add in passing, goes to show how near 
the world has reached the extreme limit of its salmon supply. 
The locality which the writer has in mind is an island in the North Pacific about 750 miles nearly 
due west of Sitka. Its name is Afognak, and it is the northernmost of the two largest islands of the 
group called the Kadiak Islands. It lies just north of latitude 58° and between 152° and 153? west 
longitude. It is a small island, probably not over 50 miles across at its widest part, but there are 
several streams flowing from various points of the island to the surrounding ocean that at the proper 
season contain salmon innumerable. It is no exaggeration to say that salmon swarm up these streams 
in countless myriads. When the writer was on the island in 1889 the salmon were so thick in the 
streams that it was absolutely necessary in fording them to kick the salmon out of the way to avoid 
stumbling over them. I know that this story is an old salmon chestnut, but it illustrates as well as 
anything the wonderful abundance of salmon in the Afognak streams; and it can be easily believed 
when it is remembered that about a month earlier 153,000 salmon were caught in one day at the mouth 
of the Karluk, which is a river only 60 feet wide where it empties into the ocean. But there is no need 
of consuming time in proving the abundance of salmon at Afognak Island. It is a matter of record. 
The salmon are there in as great numbers as could be wished. All the varieties also which inhabit the 
Pacific Ocean come to Afognak. The list is as follows ; it is a royal catalogue : 
1. The red salmon, the “blueback” of the Columbia ( Oncorhynchus nerka). 
2. The king salmon, the “ quinnat” or “spring salmon” of the Columbia (O. chouicha). 
3. The silver salmon, the “ silversides ” of the Columbia (Oncorhynchus kisutch). 
4. The humpback salmon ( Oncorhynchus gorhuscha). 
5. The dog salmon (Oncorhynchus lceta). 
6. The steelhead, the “square-tailed trout” of the tributaries of the Columbia (Salmo gairdneri). 
7. The dolly varden (Salvelinus malma). 
It is easy to see what a paradise for salmon this island is, and what a magnificent place of safety 
it would be if it were set aside for a national park where the salmon could always hereafter be 
unmolested. But the abundance and variety of its salmon are not the only recommendations that 
Afognak Island has for a national park. It has several others, which may be enumerated as follows : 
1. The island is inhabitable all the year round, with a comparatively even temperature. 
Although so far north, the winter’s cold is not excessive, probably not equaling that of parts of New 
England. It is cooler than New England in summer, it is true, but there is much less variation of 
temperature between summer and winter. 
2. The rivers of Afognak still exist in all their original purity and fruitfulness. No overfishing 
has left them barren. No mills have polluted their primeval purity. No railroads have frightened 
the salmon away from them. No minifig has disturbed their native spawning-grounds. As salmon 
rivers they are still in their original glory. To quote a not inappropriate line of Byron, “ Such as 
Creation’s dawn beheld ” them, they are rolling now. Consequently, nothing need be done nor any 
expense incurred in putting the rivers in order for asylums of refuge for the salmon. 
3. No complications now exist or can come up in future in regard to land titles in the island. The 
United States Government owns the land already, like the rest of Alaska, by direct purchase from 
Russia, and has never parted with any of its exclusive rights of ownership. No State or Territory or 
company or individual owns an acre of it. Consequently the United States Government can set aside 
the island for any purpose whatever, without interfering with any prior rights or titles, or incurring 
any risk of litigation.* Alaska is already one great reservation. 
4. The island will probably never be wanted for anything else. The summer season is so short 
that no crops can be raised there, and it is not likely that for many generations, if ever, the land will 
be wanted by permanent settlers, and it is now inhabited only by a few Aleuts and half-breed famil- 
ies who would not be interfered with. There would be no injustice done to individuals by making a 
reservation of the island. 
5. Last but not least, artificial hatching can be instituted there at any time, if it is ever thought 
best, and on a vast scale if desired ; and unlimited numbers of the eggs of the various kinds of salmon 
noted above can be obtained for distribution and sent to all other parts of the country where they 
maybe needed. 
* There are two canneries operating in the southern part of the island, but there would probably not be great difficulty 
in making satisfactory arrangements with them- 
