TO kotzebue's sound. 213 



we were obliged to cast aiiclior, on ji clayey bottom 

 in eight fathoms' water. When it cleared up, to- 

 wards noon, we found that we were at an opening 

 rive miles broad ; the shores of which consisted of 

 a high rocky country. We still cherished the 

 hope of discovering a passage into the Frozen 

 Ocean, more particularly as the strait appeared to 

 run without impediment to the horizon. The ebb 

 and tide changed regularly, and the current ran 

 out with more violence than in. The anchor 

 was weighed ; we sailed up to the strait, and when 

 we had passed the narrow part, we again cast an- 

 chor in seven fathoms. I foundan anchoring-place, 

 on a clayey bottom, extremely secure. The reader 

 will find it accurately marked in our atlas. The 

 land that lay to our right in sailing up, was an 

 island, seven miles in circumference. The open 

 sea, indeed, lay before us; but my hope of penetrat- 

 ing far in that direction was diminished, when the 

 boat that was sent out to sound, nowhere found 

 the depth above five or six fathoms. I resolved to 

 let my crew rest themselves for to-day, to be able 

 to undertake an examination of the strait or bay, on 

 the morrow, with fresh strength ; and while prepar- 

 ations were making to this effect, we took an excur- 

 sion to the island, which I called after our naturalist, 

 Chamisso. I did not neglect to take my chronometer, 

 artificial horizon, and azimuth compass, with me. 

 As to the variation of the magnetic needle, we 

 obtained false results. On the eastern part of the 



p 3 



