200 DESCRIPTION OF BERING ISLAND 



strike these reefs with such noise that we often could not view 

 it from the land without terror. From the continual pounding 

 the sea water becomes so foamy that it looks like milk. We came 

 to know of only one narrow passage on this side that is free 

 from ledges, so that one can anchor there when the sea is calm, 

 and this is precisely the stretch about 80 fathoms wide to which, 

 as, disheartened and in desperation, we were blindly sailing 

 full tilt on to the land and to our doom, God in his wisdom and 

 love directed us, and also led us out again through the same 

 gate.'*^ At this same place, also, is the largest bay on the whole 

 northern shore. 



From all circumstances it can be seen that this island in former 

 times was much larger and wider than it is now; and clearly the 

 reefs lying in the sea are the ruins and limits of its original size, 

 which is evident for three ^'* reasons. First, the rocks in the sea 

 strike in the same direction as the mountains on the land; 

 second, the course of the streams which debouch from the 

 valleys is continued to sea in an open channel ;^5 third, the 

 black, green, and white (from quartz) ^^ seams and veins in the 

 reefs in the sea can be followed without interruption to the 

 land and to the foot of the mountains, as a positive indication 

 that they once were one with the land. — Fourth, while it is 

 otherwise an established principle that, where mountains 

 descend gradually to the sea or the land in itself is low and has 

 a sandy shore, the sea is likewise shallow near the land and 

 only gradually grows deeper; where, on the other hand, the 

 shore is steep and abrupt, the sea deepens suddenly quite close 

 to the land and often has a depth of 60 to 80 fathoms in a distance 

 of 20 fathoms — in the case of this island, on the contrary, the 

 sea is not deeper under the abrupt cliffs than it is elsewhere, 

 because the sea floor is tilled with fallen cliffs. Finally, we 



" This is the reef-free sandy stretch at Komandor Bay (PI. II). (S) 



" The MS has the numeral 3 changed into a 5, to conform with the 

 five reasons, which there are individually numbered. 



45 In the MS the second reason reads: "the streams debouching from 

 the valleys have an open channel through the reefs also." 



<6 Instead of "white (from quartz)" the MS has "of alabaster." 



