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under such circumstances. With the evenstrain of a steam-engine, reeling in on  a cylindrical drum, better results may be obtained. While reeling in the line at 10 mins past 5 P.M. a sudden sharp
report was heard, like the discharge of a  large gun about five miles S.W. of us. There are no volcanoes in that direction and the report was sharper, and more cannon-like than the volcanic noises which we have frequently heard at Unalashka. There is no likelihood of any vessel having been in the vicinity and the occurrence seems inexplicable.
[[solid line]] Sunday, June 29th 1873. [[solid line]]
Time Bar Air Water Wind
4 AM. 30.34 42° 42° S.
8 " [[ditto for: AM.]] 30.36 44 42 S.S.W
12 M. 30.37 47 42 " [[ditto for: S.S.W.]]
6 P.M. 30.40 46 42 " [[ditto for: S.S.W.]]
Wind moderate; weather foggy and rainy. Anchor in Kyska Harbor about 10 A.M. in 7 fms sandy mud. This is a noble harbor perfectly sheltered from all winds, except on the Southern & Eastern shores, where
the outlying rocks forbid anchoring. It is of oval shape sheltered by the broad Western end of Little Kyska, 
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from Easter winds. The channel between Great and Little Kyska, to the South is so narrow and obstructed by rocks islets that no sea can reach the anchorage from this direction. The Western shore of the harbor is a broad sand beach behind which three valleys extend for
some distance, in two of which are lakes of some size. Over the low water shed of the island by the middle valley, is a portage to a bay on the West coast of Great Kyska. A narrow defile from the 
head of the ^[[Northern]] valley leads to a deep and narrow valley to the North of the promontory which forms the North head of the anchorage. This is nearly filled by a large and deep lake of brackish water, separated from the sea only by a low sand beach. On the shores of this lake is strewn a large amount of driftwood.The rocks of which the island is principally composed about the harbor are a coarse sand-stone, or fine conglomerate of volcanic material principally. They are somewhat broken and contorted and overlaid in their higher parts by intruded porphyrite. Some portions of the sand shore, when metamorphased, are

Transcription Notes:
Edited to make corrections and to add text denoted by ditto (") per instructions