TO kotzebue's sound. 215 



several store-rooms, lined with leaves, and filled 

 with seals* flesh. Probably, therefore, the Ame- 

 ricans in their hunting parties, have their station 

 here ; and to mark the place, have erected a 

 small ill-built stone pyramid. The island, which 

 has only a small landing place, rises almost perpen- 

 dicularly out of the sea ; the rocks round about, 

 and the islands to its west, are inhabited by nu- 

 merous puffins ; and the n)any egg-shells which we 

 found on our way, were an indication that foxes de- 

 stroyed the nests : hares and partridges were here 

 in plenty ; and cranes, on their passage, rested on 

 tliis island. On places protected against the north 

 wind, grow willows from two to three feet high, 

 and these are the only trees that we saw in Beer- 

 ing's Straits. We perceived also seals as we re- 

 turned to our ship, which had taken their station 

 on some large stones on the west side of the 

 island. 



On the 4th of August, at six o'clock in the 

 morning, I left the Rurick, in company with our 

 scientific gentlemen, and Lieutenant Schischmareft) 

 in two boats, provided with arms, and provisions 

 for several days. I had previously taken some alti- 

 tudes for the chronometer, and found the longitude 

 of our anchoring-place l6l° 42' 20''^; latitude, after 

 several observations, 66° 13' 2.5". The weather was 

 dehghtful ; the wind blew faintly from the south ; 

 we spread all our sails, doubled the cape, lying to 

 the N. W., and then keeping always close to the 



p 4 



