Some time after we had got through this channel, in which we found forty fathoms water, the Discovery, now two miles astern, fired three guns and brought to, and made the signal to speak with us. This alarmed me not a little; and as no apparent danger had been remarked in the passage through the channel, it was apprehended that some accident, such as springing a leak, must have happened. A boat was immediately sent to her, and in a short time returned with Captain Clerke. I now learned from him that some natives, in three or four canoes, who had been following the ship for some time, at length got under his stern. One of them then made many signs, taking off his cap and bowing, after the manner of Europeans. A rope being handed down from the ship, to this he fastened a small thin wooden case or box; and having delivered this safe, and spoken something, and made some signs, the canoes dropped astern and left the Discovery. No one on board her had any suspicion that the box contained anything till after the departure of the canoes, when it was accidentally opened, and a piece of paper was found folded up carefully, upon which something was written in the Russian language, as was supposed. The date 1778 was prefixed to it; and in the body of the written note there was a reference to the year 1776. Not learned enough to decipher the alphabet of the writer, his numerals marked sufficiently that others had preceded us in visiting this dreary part of the globe, who were united to us by other ties besides those of our common nature; and the hopes of soon meeting with some of the Russian traders, could not but give a sensible satisfaction to those who had, for such a length of time, been conversant with the savages of the Pacific Ocean, and of the continent of North America. Captain Clerke was at first of opinion that some Russians had been shipwrecked here; and that these unfortunate persons, seeing our ships pass, had taken this method to inform us of their situation. Impressed with humane sentiments on such an occasion, he was desirous of our stopping till they might have time to join us. But no such idea occurred to me. It seemed obvious that if this had been the case, it would have been the first step taken by such shipwrecked persons, in order to secure to themselves and to their companions the relief they could not but be solicitous about, to send some of their body off to the ships in the canoes. For this reason, I rather thought that the paper contained a note of information left by some Russian trader who had lately been amongst these islands, to be delivered to the next of their countrymen who should arrive; and that the natives, seeing our ships pass, and supposing us to be Russians, had resolved to bring off the note, thinking it might induce us to stop. Fully convinced of this, I did not stay to inquire any farther into the matter, but made sail and stood away to the westward, along the coast; perhaps I should say along the islands, for we could not pronounce with certainty whether the nearest land within us was continent or islands. If not the latter, the coast here forms some tolerably large and deep bays.

We continued to run all night with a gentle breeze at north-east; and at two o'clock next morning, some breakers were seen within us, at the distance of two miles. Two hours after, others were seen ahead; and, on our larboard bow, and between us and the land, they were innumerable. We did but just clear them by holding a south course. These breakers were occasioned by rocks; some of which were above water. They extend several leagues from the land; and are very dangerous, especially in thick weather, to which this coast seems much subject. At noon we had just got on their outside; and by observation, we were in the latitude of 54° 44', and in the longitude of 198°. The nearest land being an elevated bluff point, which was called Rock Point, bore north, seven or eight leagues distant; the westernmost part of the main, or what was supposed to be the main, bore N. 80° W.; and a round hill, without which was found to be an island, and was called Halibut-head, bore S. 65° W., thirteen leagues distant. On the 21st at noon, having made but little progress, on account of faint winds and calms, Halibut-head, which lies in the latitude of 54° 27', and in the longitude of 197°, bore N. 24° W.; and the island on which it is, and called Halibut Island, extended from N. by E., to N. W. by W., two leagues distant. This island is seven or eight leagues in circuit; and except the head, the land of it is low and very barren. There are several small islands near it, all of the same appearance; but there seemed to be a passage between them and the main, two or three leagues broad.

The rocks and breakers before mentioned forced us so far from the continent, that we had

but a distant view of the coast between Rock Point and Halibut Island. Over this and the adjoining islands, we could see the mainland covered with snow; but particularly some hills, whose elevated tops were seen towering above the clouds to a most stupendous height. The most south-westerly of these hills was discovered to have a volcano, which continually threw up vast columns of black smoke. It stands not far from the coast; and in the latitude of 54° 48', and the longitude of 195° 45'. It is also remarkable from its figure, which is a complete cone; and the volcano is at the very summit. We seldom saw this (or indeed any other of these mountains) wholly clear of clouds. At times both base and summit would be clear; when a narrow cloud, sometimes two or three, one above another, would embrace the middle like a girdle; which, with the column of smoke, rising perpendicularly to a great height out of its top, and spreading before the wind into a tail of vast length, made a very picturesque appearance. It may be worth remarking, that the wind, at the height to which the smoke of this volcano reached, moved sometimes in a direction contrary to what it did at sea, even when it blew a fresh gale.

In the afternoon, having three hours' calm, our people caught upward of a hundred halibuts, some of which weighed a hundred pounds, and none less than twenty pounds. This was a very seasonable refreshment to us. In the height of our fishing, which was in thirty-five fathoms water, and three or four miles from the shore, a small canoe, conducted by one man, came to us from the large island. On approaching the ship, he took off his cap, and bowed, as the other had done who visited the Discovery the preceding day. It was evident that the Russians must have a communication and traffic with these people, not only from their acquired politeness, but from the note above mentioned. But we had now a fresh proof of it, for our present visitor wore a pair of green cloth breeches, and a jacket of black cloth, or stuff, under the gut shirt or frock of his own country. He had nothing to barter, except a grey fox skin, and some fishing implements or harpoons, the heads of the shafts of which, for the length of a foot or more, were neatly made of bone, as thick as a walking-cane, and carved. He had with him a bladder full of something, which we supposed to be oil, for he opened it, took a mouthful, and then fastened it again. His canoe was of the same make with those we had seen before, but rather smaller. He used the double-bladed paddle, as did also those who had visited the Discovery. In his size and features, he exactly resembled those we saw in Prince William's Sound, and in the Great River; but he was quite free from paint of any kind, and had the perforation of his lip made in an oblique direction, without any ornament in it. He did not seem to understand any of the words commonly used by our visitors in the Sound, when repeated to him. But perhaps our faulty pronunciation, rather than his ignorance of the dialect, may be inferred from this.

The weather was cloudy and hazy, with now and then sunshine, till the afternoon of the 22d, when the wind came round to the S. E., and, as usual, brought thick rainy weather. Before the fog came on, no part of the mainland was in sight, except the volcano, and another mountain close by it. I continued to steer W. till seven in the evening, when being apprehensive of falling in with the land in thick weather, we hauled the wind to the southward, till two o'clock next morning, and then bore away again W. We made but little progress, having the wind variable and but little of it, till at last it fixed in the western board, and at five in the afternoon, having a gleam of sunshine, we saw land bearing N. 59° W., appearing in hillocks like islands. At six in the morning of the 24th, we got a sight of the continent, and at nine it was seen extending from N. E. by E., to S. W. by W. half W., the nearest part about four leagues distant. The land to the S. W. proved to be islands, the same that had been seen the preceding evening; but the other was a continuation of the continent, without any islands to obstruct our view of it. In the evening, being about four leagues from the shore, in forty-two fathoms water, having little or no wind, we had recourse to our hooks and lines, but only two or three small cod were caught.

The next morning, we got a breeze easterly, and, what was uncommon with this wind, clear weather, so that we not only saw the volcano, but other mountains both to the E. and W. of it, and all the coast of the mainland under them, much plainer than at any time before. It extended from N. E. by N., to N. W. half W., where it seemed to terminate. Between this point and the islands without it, there appeared a large opening, for which I steered, till we

raised land beyond it. This land, although we did not perceive that it joined the continent, made a passage through the opening very doubtful. It also made it doubtful whether the land which we saw to the S. W. was insular or continental; and if the latter, it was obvious that the opening would be a deep bay or inlet, from which, if once we entered it with an easterly wind, it would not be so easy to get out. Not caring, therefore, to trust too much to appearances, I steered to the southward. Having thus got without all the land in sight, I then steered W., in which direction the islands lay, for such we found this land to be. By eight o'clock we had passed three of them, all of a good height. More of them were now seen to the westward, the south-westernmost part of them bearing W. N. W. The weather in the afternoon became gloomy, and at length turned to a mist, and the wind blew fresh at E. I therefore, at ten at night, hauled the wind to the southward till daybreak, when we resumed our course to the W. Daylight availed us little, for the weather was so thick that we could not see a hundred yards before us; but as the wind was now moderate, I ventured At half-past four, we were alarmed at hearing the sound of breakers on our larboard bow. On heaving the lead, we found twenty-eight fathoms water, and the next cast twentyfive. I immediately brought the ship to, with her head to the northward, and anchored in this last depth, over a bottom of coarse sand, calling the Discovery, she being close to us, to anchor also.

to run.

A few hours after, the fog having cleared away a little, it appeared that we had escaped very imminent danger. We found ourselves three quarters of a mile from the N.E. side of an island, which extended from S. by W. half W. to N. by E. half E., each extreme about a league distant. Two elevated rocks, the one bearing S. by E., and the other E. by S., were about half a league each from us, and about the same distance from each other. There were several breakers about them, and yet Providence had, in the dark, conducted the ships through between these rocks, which I should not have ventured in a clear day, and to such an anchoring-place, that I could not have chosen a better. Finding ourselves so near land, I sent a boat to examine what it produced. In the afternoon she returned, and the officer who commanded her reported, that it produced some tolerably good grass and several other small plants, one of which was like purslane, and ate very well, either in soups or as a salad. There was no appearance of shrubs or trees, but on the beach were a few pieces of drift-wood. It was judged to be low water between ten and eleven o'clock; and we found, where we lay at anchor, that the flood-tide came from the E. or S.E.

In the night, the wind blew fresh at S., but was more moderate toward the morning, and the fog partly dispersed. Having weighed at seven o'clock, we steered to the northward, between the island under which we had anchored, and another small one near it. The channel is not above a mile broad; and before we were through it, the wind failed, and we were obliged to anchor in thirty-four fathoms water. We had now land in every direction ; that to the S. extended to the S.W., in a ridge of mountains, but our sight could not determine whether it composed one or more islands. We afterward found it to be only one island, and known by the name of Oonalashka. Between it and the land to the N., which had the appearance of being a group of islands, there seemed to be a channel in the direction of N.W. by N. On a point which bore W. from the ship, three quarters of a mile distant, were several natives and their habitations. To this place we saw them tow in two whales, which we supposed they had just killed. A few of them now and then came off to the ships, and bartered a few trifling things with our people; but never remained above a quarter of an hour at a time. On the contrary, they rather seemed shy, and yet we could judge that they were no strangers to vessels, in some degree, like ours. They behaved with a degree of politeness uncommon to savage tribes. At one o'clock in the afternoon, having a light breeze at N.E., and the tide of flood in our favour, we weighed and steered for the channel above-mentioned, in hopes, after we were through, of finding the land trend away to the northward, or, at least, a passage out to sea to the W. For we supposed ourselves, as it really happened, to be amongst islands, and not in an inlet of the continent. We had not been long under sail before the wind veered to the N., which obliged us to ply. The soundings were from forty to twenty-seven fathoms, over a bottom of sand and mud. In the evening, the ebb making against us, we anchored about three leagues from our last

station, with the passage bearing N.W. At daybreak the next morning, we weighed with a light breeze at S., which carried us up the passage, when it was succeeded by variable light airs from all directions; but as there ran a rapid tide in our favour, the Resolution got through before the ebb made. The Discovery was not so fortunate; she was carried back, got into the race, and had some trouble to get clear of it. As soon as we were through, the land on one side was found to trend W. and S. W., and that on the other side to trend N. This gave us great reason to hope that the continent had there taken a new direction, which was much in our favour. Being in want of water, and perceiving that we ran some risk of driving about in a rapid tide, without wind to govern the ship, I stood for a harbour lying on the south side of the passage; but we were very soon driven past it; and to prevent being forced back through the passage, came to an anchor in twenty-eight fathoms water, pretty near the southern shore, out of the reach of the strong tide; and yet, even here, we found it run full five knots and a half in the hour.

While we lay here, several of the natives came off to us, each in a canoe, and bartered a few fishing implements for tobacco. One of them, a young man, overset his canoe, while alongside one of our boats. Our people caught hold of him; but the canoe went adrift, and being picked up by another, was carried ashore. The youth, by this accident, was obliged to come into the ship, and he went down into my cabin upon the first invitation, without expressing the least reluctance or uneasiness. His dress was an upper garment like a shirt, made of the large gut of some sea animal, probably the whale, and an under garment of the same shape, made of the skins of birds dressed with the feathers on, and neatly sewed together, the feathered side being worn next his skin. It was mended or patched with pieces of silk stuff, and his cap was ornamented with two or three sorts of glass beads. His own clothes being wet, I gave him others, in which he dressed himself with as much ease as I could have done. From his behaviour, and that of some others, we were convinced that these people were no strangers to Europeans, and to some of their customs. But there was something in our ships that greatly excited their curiosity; for such as could not come off in canoes, assembled on the neighbouring hills to look at them.

At low water, having weighed and towed the ship into the harbour, we anchored there in nine fathoms water, over a bottom of sand and mud: the Discovery got in soon after. A launch was now sent for water, and a boat to draw the seine, but we caught only four trout and a few other small fish. Soon after we anchored, a native of the island brought on board such another note as had been given to Captain Clerke. He presented it to me; but it was written in the Russian language, which, as already observed, none of us could read. As it could be of no use to me, and might be of consequence to others, I returned it to the bearer, and dismissed him with a few presents, for which he expressed his thanks, by making several low bows as he retired. In walking next day along the shore, I met with a group of natives of both sexes, seated on the grass at a repast consisting of raw fish, which they seemed to eat with as much relish as we should a turbot, served up with the richest sauce. By the evening we had completed our water, and made such observations as the time and weather would permit. I have taken notice of the rapidity of the tide without the harbour, but it was inconsiderable within. It was low water at noon, and high water at half-past six in the evening; and the water rose, upon a perpendicular, three feet four inches; but there were marks of its sometimes rising a foot higher.

Thick fogs and a contrary wind detained us till the 2d of July, which afforded an opportunity of acquiring some knowledge of the country and of its inhabitants. The result of our observations will be mentioned in another place. At present I shall only describe the harbour. It is called by the natives Samganoodha, and is situated on the north side of Oonalashka, in the latitude of 53° 55', in the longitude of 193° 30′; and in the strait or passage that separates this island from those that lie to the north of it, and whose position before the harbour shelters it from the winds that blow from that quarter. It runs in S. by W., about four miles, and is about a mile broad at the entrance, narrowing toward the head, where its breadth is not above a quarter of a mile, and where ships can lie land-locked, in seven, six, and four fathoms water. Great plenty of good water may be easily got, but

not a single stick of wood of size.

CHAPTER VIII.-PROGRESS NORTHWARD AFTER LEAVING OONALASHKA. THE ISLANDS OONELLA AND ACOOTAN.-0ONEEMAK.-SHALLOWNESS OF THE WATER ALONG THE COAST.-BRISTOL BAY. ROUND ISLAND. CALM POINT.CAPE NEWENIIAM.-LIEUTENANT WILLIAMSON LANDS, AND HIS REPORT.-BRISTOL BAY, AND ITS EXTENT. THE SHIPS OBLIGED ΤΟ RETURN, ON ACCOUNT OF SHOALS.-NATIVES COME OFF TO THE SHIPS.-DEATH OF MR. ANDERSON; HIS CHARACTER; AND ISLAND NAMED AFTER HIM.—POINT RODNEY.-SLEdge ISLAND, AND REMARKS ON LANDING THERE.-KING'S ISLAND.-CAPE PRINCE OF WALES,

THE WESTERN EXTREME OF AMERICA.-COURSE WESTWARD.-ANCHOR IN A BAY ON THE COAST OF ASIA.

HAVING put to sea with a light breeze, at south south-east, we steered to the north, meeting with nothing to obstruct us in this course; for, as I observed before, the island of Oonalashka, on the one side, trended south-west, and on the other no land was to be seen in a direction more northerly than north-east; the whole of which land was a continuation of the same group of islands which we had fallen in with on the 25th of June. That which lies before Samganoodha, and forms the north-east side of the passage through which we came, is called Oonella, and is about seven leagues in circumference. Another island, to the north-east of it, is called Acootan, which is considerably larger than Oonella, and hath in it some very high mountains, which were covered with snow. It appeared, that we might have gone very safely between these two islands and the continent, the south-west point of which opened off the north-east point of Acootan, in the direction of north, 60° east; and which proved to be the same point of land we had seen when we quitted the coast of the continent, on the 25th of June, to go without the islands. It is called by the people of these parts Ooneemak, and lies in the latitude of 54° 30′, and in the longitude of 192° 30'. Over the cape, which, of itself, is high land, is a round elevated mountain, at this time entirely covered with snow.

At six in the evening, this mountain bore east 2° north, and at eight we had no land in sight. Concluding, therefore, that the coast of the continent had now taken a north-easterly direction, I ventured to steer the same course, till one o'clock next morning, when the watch on deck thought they saw land ahead. Upon this we wore, and stood to the south-west for two hours, and then resumed our course to the east north-east. At six o'clock land was seen ahead, bearing south-east, about five leagues distant. As we advanced, we raised more and more land, all connected, and seemingly in the direction of our course. At noon, it extended from south south-west to east; the nearest part five or six leagues distant. Our latitude at this time was 55° 21', and our longitude 195° 18'. This coast is on the northwest side of the volcano mountain; so that we must have seen it, if the weather had been tolerably clear. At six in the evening, after having run eight leagues upon an east by north course from noon, we sounded, and found forty-eight fathoms over a bottom of black sand. Being at this time four leagues from the land, the eastern part in sight bore east south-east, and appeared as a high round hummock, seemingly detached from the main.

Having continued to steer east north-east all night, at eight in the morning of the 4th the coast was seen from south south-west, and east by south, and at times we could see high land, covered with snow, behind it. Soon after, it fell calm, and being in thirty fathoms water, we put over hooks and lines, and caught a good number of fine cod-fish. At noon, having now a breeze from the east, and the weather being clear, we found ourselves six leagues from the land, which extended from south by west to east by south. The hummock, seen the preceding evening, bore south-west by south, ten leagues distant. Our latitude was now 55° 50′, and our longitude 197° 3'. A great hollow swell from west south-west assured us that there was no main land near in that direction. I stood to the north till six in the afternoon, when the wind having veered to the south-east, enabled us to steer east north-east. The coast lay in this direction, and at noon the next day was about four leagues distant.

On the 6th and 7th, the wind being northerly, we made but little progress. At eight in the evening of the latter, we were in nineteen fathoms water, and about three or four leagues from the coast, which on the 8th extended from south south-west to east by north, and was