DE CASTRIES BAY 269 



out of the sea, and the atmosphere was so clear that, 

 although distant from land about eight miles, we could 

 obtain a fair impression of the nature of the country. 

 At two p.m. we sighted Barracouta lighthouse, behind 

 which ran a high range of hills, probably a ramifica- 

 tion of the Stanovois, some three thousand feet in 

 altitude. The mountains were all covered with timber, 

 consisting chiefly of larch, pine, and cedar, with open 

 o-lades, and. at times, broad traces of wood fires. 

 Large rocky boulders stood out in broken heaps, and 

 the general aspect was that of likely ground for stag 

 and roedeer. Towards evening our steamer passed oft 

 Cape Patience {A/yss Terpcuia), which we could only 

 perceive on the distant horizon, as we had steered 

 further outside ; the chart, indeed, pointed out that 

 great caution should be observed in navigating this 

 coast, which is as yet most imperfectly surveyed. 



On waking up next morning at six o'clock we found 

 that the ship had stopped, and. on looking out of the 

 porthole, saw that we were within a few hundred yards 

 of land. This was De Castries Bay, surrounded by 

 wooded lowlands, and a few huts at the head of it 

 denoted the presence of man. Here it was necessary 

 to pick up a couple of pilots to guide us to Nikolaievsk 

 through the narrow, winding channel between sand- 

 banks formed bv the incessant afflux of the Amur at a 



