cook's voyage to may, 



able impetuosity ; though it may be supposed that 

 they are only furnished from the snow, and last no 

 longer than till it is all melted. These valleys are 

 filled with pine-trees, which grow down close to the 

 entrance, but only to about half way up the higher 

 or middle part of the island. The woody part also 

 begins every where immediately above the cliffs, and 

 is continued to the same height with the former ; so 

 that the island is covered, as it were, with a broad 

 girdle of wood, spread upon its side, included be- 

 tween the top of the cliffy shore, and the higher 

 parts in the centre. The trees however are far from 

 being of an uncommon growth ; few appearing to be 

 larger than one might grasp round with his arms, and 

 about forty or fifty feet high ; so that the only pur- 

 pose they could answer for shipping would be to 

 make top-gallant-masts, and other small things. How 

 far we may judge of the size of the trees which grow 

 on the neighbouring continent, it may be difficult to 

 determine. But it was observed that none larger 

 than those we saw growing, lay upon the beach 

 amongst the drift wood. The pine-trees seemed all 

 of one sort ; and there was neither the Canadian 

 pine nor cypress to be seen. But there were a few 

 which appeared to be the alder, that were but small, 

 and had not yet shot forth their leaves. Upon the 

 edges of the cliffs, and on some sloping ground, the 

 surface was covered with a kind of turfj about half 

 a foot thick ; which seemed composed of the com- 

 mon moss ; and the top, or upper part, of the island 

 had almost the same appearance as to colour; but 

 whatever covered it seemed to be thicker.- I found 

 amongst the trees some currant and hawberry bushes ; 

 a small yellow-flowered violet ; and the leaves of 

 some other plants not yet in flower, particularly one 

 which Mr. Anderson supposed to be the heracleum 

 of Linnaeus, the sweet herb, which Steller, who at- 

 tended Beering, imagined the Americans here dress 



