470 VOYAGE TO THE 



N. E. extremity. Acouan, the island to the north- 

 ward of this, which also forms part of the strait, is 

 1826. high aR d remarkable ; but on this occasion we did 

 not see it, in consequence of the bright haze that 

 hung over the hills on the northern part of the 

 chain. 



Oonemak was the only island upon which snow 

 was observed. Its summit was capped about one- 

 third down, even with a line of clouds which 

 formed a canopy over the northern half of the 

 groupe. The limits of this canopy were so well 

 defined, that in passing through the strait on one 

 side of us there was a dense fog, while on the 

 other the sun was shining bright from a cloud- 

 less sky. 



As soon as we had fairly entered the Pacific the 

 wind abated, and we had a fine clear night, as if in 

 passing through the chain that divides the Kams- 

 chatkan Sea from the Pacific we had left behind us 

 the ungenial climate of the former. Shortly after 

 dark flashes were observed in the heavens, in the di- 

 rection of the burning mountain of Alaska, some- 

 times so strong as to be mistaken for sheet light- 

 ning, at others very confined ; viewed with a tele- 

 scope, they appeared to consist entirely of bright 

 sparks. They seemed to proceed from different 

 parts of a long narrow cloud elevated 8°, and 

 lying in the direction of the wind. Our distance 

 from the volcano at this time was about seventy 

 miles, and as similar flashes were observed in this 

 place the following year, it is very probable they 

 were caused by an eruption. This mountain, T 

 am informed, has burnt lately with great activity, 

 and has been truncated much lower than is re- 



