May-September 1881, Cruise of the Corwin Sketches and Notes Image 5

• Main Author: Muir, John
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1881
• Subjects: John Muir; journals; drawings; writings; travel; journaling; naturalist; Arctic; Pacific
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmj-all/1745; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/context/jmj-all/article/2744/type/native/viewcontent/fullsize.jpg

herring, and halibut; of seals [there are the] hair-seal, sea-lion, and at certain seasons fur seals in abundance, while this Aleutian chain is the favorite haunt of the sea otter, so eagerly pursued for its valuable fur. The ptarmigan, raven, snowbirds, wrens, Arctic sparrows, and a few finches are all the land-birds I have noticed during my short stay here. Entering the strait on the seventeenth [of May] we found it calm. Wind and tide were flowing in company, but they were against us, and so strong was the latter that we could not stem it, and were compelled to fall back until it was near the turn. The Aleutian chain extends across the continent to continent-like an imperfect dam between the Pacific and Behring Sea, and through the gaps, between the islands, the tide rushes with tremendous speed and uproar. [Drawing- In [Onalaska] harbor, May 18, 1881] The harbor of Unalaska is excellent, land-locked, and has a good holding bottom. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmj-all/2744/thumbnail.jpg