The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-15

voir 81 cod and halIbus, so that he
never threw over his his lines Without
bringing up h-h II whatever part OF
the sea be might happ%sn
Professor Davidson. Of the United
States coast sarvey. has described ITS
principal characteristics IN the follow
ing brief sssznrer: The soundlnzs OF
til. sea and es the Arctic ocean north
OF Behring's strait Indicate il Is the
most remarkabse submarine plateau OF
such great exteaf yet Known On the
eastern half Of this s<i soundings OF
less than 50 fsfhosns are found over an
extent Of Is 30 square mile
Hehrsrg sea hzs been surveyed only
In is eastern and northern portions
and asi jacsnt 70 the Aieutsan chain OF
Islands. The depths increase very
gradually from the shores OF the
Alaskan mainland, on the eastern
side. and from fne vicinity Of Behring
strait IN the nurrh toward the central
and southern portions 81 the sea the
greatest known depths excepting
along the AIentian islands. 100 fatnoms
occurring 10 She southwest OF st.
. Matthews island ard TO the east of
the Pribyioff group. The soundipgs
OF the nitesi states steamer Tascaro-
"a. In 1874. indicate q deep trough OF
GO to 1871 tathorns bordering the
northern side OF the Aieatian islands
from Unalashka TO Tanaga.
Cod ana haiioar have been taken as
far up a. st. Lawrence island and Nor
ton sossrd, but are said To be scarce in
the northern part OF Ehe sea- These
fish are also . f2rorite food OF seals
and sea lions, and are therefore not to
be found in abundance around the
rookeries OF those animals. Vessels
from San Francisco occasionally visit
she southern and eatern parts OF the
sea, and have reported good fares, but
the grounds about linalasnka, the
Shurnagins and Kadiak are given the
preference, a. being located near the
markets and having good haroo-s
cIose at hand.
The AlbatFozs entered Behring sea
through Ininsak pass, bet did not ex-
tend her Investigations beyond the inn
mediate vicinity OF the islands ada
cent TO the pass, the work upon the
southern grounds being considered the
most important which she could un-
derfake on the first cruise. The fol-
loving information respecting the
Behring Sea grounds was, however,
obtained at 5humagin Islands While
at Humboiat .harbor. Popoif island,
the isf of August, the schooner Arago,
owned by Lynde q Houga, OF San
Francisco, arrived in port from Behr-
ing sea. with a fare OF l0S,uU0 cod.
She had been absent from San Fran
cisco since April II; began fishing
May Is, and lett the grounds July II.
They found the best fishing in lati-
tude 81 degrees and 20 minutes north,
from 10 TO Ii miles off shore, in depths
of 10 10 "a fathofns, the bottom being
sandy. This spot j. some distance
south oil the entrance 10 Bristol bay.
The Arago is of lTti tons burden, and
carries fwenty-onc men ana IL uories.
Travis have been Gried, but were un-
successful. as the fish caught on the
hooks were quickly destroyed BY the
numerous small crustaceans living
upon the bottom. All fishing is now
done with hand-iines from dories. A
few herring were taken along for the
first batting OF the hooks 10 secure n
supply OF halibut, alter which the lat
ter species were used exclusively as
bait. Mr.. Torbin. the first ma OF the
Arago, stated that he had bean en-
gagged an fishing on the banks both to
the nerth and south of the Alaska
peninsula, and considers the Behring
sea fish superior To the southern. Fog
and rains are also less prevalent in
Behring sea than to the south of the
peninsula.
A bank lying about 20 miles to the
Eurthward OF Unimak pass, called
Slime bank by the fishermen, has af-
forded some OF the largest cod taken
in Alaska, and is occasionally resorted
to by the fishermen. Only one vessel
besides the Arago, the Dashing Wave,
was engaged in fishing in Behring sea
during 1883. Only single trip Is usu-
ally made by vessel in the course of
one season; this year the Dashing
Wave intended making a second trip,
but the attempt was subsequently
abandoned
The shallow waters OF the 0chotsk
sea were noted for their cod fisheries
before the Alaskan grounds were
opened TO American enterprise, ant!
they are still visited tn u limited ex-
tent by American fishing vessels from
San Francisco. The grounds mostly
resorted To at present are said to be
about 30 or 80 miles north of Saghaiin
island, on the western SHE of the sea.
Other good grounds are located on the
eastern side of the sea, of the coast of
kanltschatka, and in the Kurile
straits. In 1866 about Is American
vessels visited the Ochotsk sra, but in
recent years, and especially since the
Alaskan grounds have become better
known, the number has been much
less.