HISTORICAL FACT OR HISTORICAL FICTION - PETROFF,IVAN 1891 CENSUS OF NUNIVAK ISLAND, SOUTHWESTERN ALASKA

The accuracy of Ivan Petroff's enumeration of Nunivak Island for the E leventh Census of the United States is evaluated by comparing data der ived from recent ethnographic and archaeological research with informa tion presented in the 1890 census report, in a popular account written by Petroff about his Nunivak experience, and in related historical re cords. The 1890 census estimated the island's population at 745, a fig ure that reportedly was based on Petroff's circumnavigation of Nunivak . Previous researchers lacked the necessary data to evaluate this cens us in critical detail, preventing them from seriously questioning whet her or not Petroff truly traveled around the entire island. However, t hey either implicitly accepted Petroff's population estimate as compre hensive or directly challenged it as being too high. In contrast, my a nalysis of this problem has led to the following conclusions: (1) Petr off did not circumnavigate the island; (2) his census was nor comprehe nsive, but is accepted as valid for that portion of the island actuall y enumerated; and (3) Nunivak's population was larger than reported in the 1890 census.