England to Fort Vancouver, 299 



the air contained in the aqueous fluid that surrounds them. 

 Where this air is most abundant, it is probable that they will 

 prefer resorting, as affording an increased aeration to their blood, 

 and, consequently, more elasticity and vigour in the exercise of 

 all their functions. Numerous bubbles of air are carried under 

 water by the motion of the ship, affording to these fish an un- 

 usual supply of air, and forming a source of attraction round 

 the vessel. 



In sailing along the north side of Owhyhee, we had a fine 

 view of its two snowy peaks, Monna Keah and Monna Roah, 

 and I embraced the opportunity to take a few angles for the 

 trigonometric determination of their elevation. Monna Keah, at 

 a distance of 62 miles, subtended an angle of 2° 2' 13'' ; and 

 Monna Roah, at a distance of 84 miles, (Geog.) one of V 54' 

 W : I have inferred the distance from the difference of latitude 

 between the ship, (by astr. obs.) and the mountains (by Van., 

 couver's chart) and their bearings by compass, corrected for va- 

 riations. From these data, I calculate the altitude of the sum- 

 mit of Monna Keah to be 12,081 English feet, and that of Monna 

 Roah 15,306 feet.* Monna Keah rose in the fore ground im- 

 mediately from the coast, and we had a view of it throughout 

 its whole mass : its summit was chiefly covered by detached mas- 

 §es of snow, furrowed by long black vertical streaks ; the snow 

 formed a continuous surface for but a very small portion of its 

 highest peak. The summit only, of Monna Roah was seen, 

 barely overtopping the nearer peak of Monna Keah, but easily 

 distinguished from it by its dome-shaped round outline, and the 

 uniform unbroken sheet of snow with which it was clad. I am 

 inclined to place some little confidence in my measurement of 

 Monna Roah, as, by a distant operation from the above, its alti- 

 tude came out to be 15,087 feet ; a difference from the former 

 not worthy of being noticed in this method of measurement. By 

 a direct operation, I calculated the height of the snow line on 

 Monna Keah to be 11,256 feet, and, by another operation, 

 10,578 feet. The inferior snow-line was not visible on Monna 



• These numbers agree more nearly with those of Kotzebue, than of any 

 other observer, and from what is afterwards mentioned of the snow line, 1 

 suspect are nearer to truth than the higher estimates of King, &c. • ' 



The angle is duninished 1-lOth for refraction. 



