268 TRANSPARENCY OF THE WATER. 
to enter the basin. The sight of the ship dif- 
fused terror throughout all the islands as we 
passed, and the natives fled for concealment to 
the forests. As we approached the Lagediak 
Strait, the breeze was sufficient to warrant us 
in venturing through it; I therefore gave up my 
intention of entering by the Schischmaref Strait 
where the wind would be against us, spread all 
sail, and soon rode on the placid waters of the 
basin. I would not however advise seamen, 
without an adequate inducement, to choose this 
strait : it is so narrow, that stones might easily 
be thrown across from either shore; while, on 
the contrary, the breadth of the Schischmaref 
Strait admits of tacking, and renders its 
passage easy with a good ship. ‘The water in 
the Lagediak is so transparent, that in a depth 
of fourteen fathoms, every stone at the bottom 
is discernible ; the officer who sat in the tops 
on the watch for shallows, deceived by this ap- 
pearance, expected every moment that the ship 
would run aground. 
We continued to sail pleasantly on the beau- 
tiful smooth water of the basin, but the wind 
blowing directly off the island of Otdia, (after 
