442 AVOYAGETO 



1778- upon the ifland, accompanied by Mr. King and feme others 



Augufl. 



■_ of the officers. I hoped to have had from it a view of the 



coaft and fea to the Weflward ; but the fog was fo thick in 

 that direction, that the profpedl was not more extenfive than 

 from the fliip. The coaft of the continent feemed to take a 

 turn to the Northward, at a low point named Poini Rodney^ 

 which bore from the ifland North Weft half Weft, three or 

 four leagues diftant; but the high land, which took a more 

 Northerly direcTiion, was feen a great way farther. 



This ifland, which was named Sledge Ijland, and lies in the 



latitude of 64' 30', and in the longitude of 193" 57', is about 



four leagues in circuit. The furface of the ground is com- 



pofed chiefly of large loofe flones, that are, in many places, 



covered with mofs and other vegetables, of which there 



were above twenty or thirty diflferent forts, and moft of 



them in flower. But I faw neither flirub nor tree, cither 



upon the ifland, or on the continent. On a fmall low fpot, 



near the beach where we landed, was a good deal of wild 



purflain, peafe, long-wort, &c. ; fome of which we took on 



board for the pot. We faw one fox ; a few plovers, and fome 



other fmall birds; dnd we met with fome decayed huts that 



were partly built below ground. People had lately been on 



the ifland; and it is pretty clear, that they frequently vifit 



it for fome purpolc or other, as there was a beaten path from 



ihe one end to the other. We found, a little way from the 



fliorc where we landed, a fledge, which occafioned this name 



being given to the ifland. It Teemed to be fuch a one as 



the Rulliaus in K.tmtfchatka make ule of to convey goods 



from place to place, over the ice or fnovv. It was ten feet 



long, twenty inches broad ; and had a kind of rail-work on 



each fide, and was Ihod witli bone. The conftru(5tion of it 



was admirable, and all the parts neatly put together; fome 



with 



