PACIFIC AND BEERIXG'S STRAIT. 241 



having attained our object, directed the course for chap. 

 that port. ^^ y ■ 



Our passage between corresponding latitudes was June, 

 very similar to that of the preceding year. Between 

 the parallels of 30" and 35" we experienced light and 

 variable winds, and in 39*^ of latitude took a southerly 

 wind, which continued with us nearly all the way. 

 We entered the region of fog nearly in the same lati- 

 tude as before, and did not lose it until the day before 

 we made the land, when, as before, it was dispersed 

 by strong winds off the coast. The currents were si- 

 milar to those of the preceding year ; but when near 

 the Kurile Islands we were impeded by a strong 

 southerly current from the Sea of Okotsk. About 

 this time we noticed so material a chane-e in the co- 

 lour of the sea that we were induced to try for sound- 

 ings, but without gaining the bottom. Captain Gierke 

 off the same place observed a similar change, and also 

 tried for soundings without success. It is probable 

 that the outset from the Sea of Okotsk, the shores 

 of which are flat and muddy, may bring down a 

 quantity of that substance, and occasion the alteration. 



As we had very little to interest us in this pas- 

 sage, beyond that which always attends a material 

 change of climate, we watched the birds which flew 

 around us, and found that the tropic birds deserted 

 us in 35" N. The brown albatross and shearwaters 

 fell off in 40" N. In 41" we saw the wandering alba- 

 tross and black divers ; some petrel in 45" ; puffins, 

 fulmar petrels, and gannets in 49", and as we ap- 

 proached Kamschatka, lummes, dovekies, and small 

 tern. About the latitude of 42" we saw many whales, 

 but they did not accompany us far. We observed 



VOL. II. ^ 



