OP LA PEROUSE. 183 



diflance of a myriameter and a half : we then 

 hauled clofe on a wind. 



The fummits of the moft lofty mountains 

 were already whitened by the fnow. Thefe 

 mountains make part of a chain which extends 

 from fouth-eaft to north-weft, and terminates 

 towards the head of the harbour. 



We took great pleafure in difcovering from 

 the fhips the places whither we had directed 

 our fteps in our different excurfions. 



We faw, for a moment, a thick fmoke rife 

 in the diflance to the northward of the great 

 lake, and prefently we diftinguifhed five natives, 

 who had juft quitted a fire kindled on the fea- 

 fhore, and were walking along the beach ; one 

 of them, carrying a lighted flick, fet different 

 places in a blaze, which burned rapidly, but 

 was almoft immediately extinguifhed. 



We made feveral tacks in approaching the 

 coaft, where there is no danger to be feared. 



A light breeze from the northward, and a 

 contrary tide, prevented us from entering the 

 channel ; it was dark when we let go the an- 

 chor at its mouth, in twenty-nine fathoms water, 

 over a bottom of gray fand. The lite of our 

 obfervatory then bore weft, diftant two myria- 

 meters. 



The mercury in the barometer, after it had 

 fallen for the laft twenty-four hours, flood at 



*4 *7 



