192 Gunnison's island — perilous adventure. 



lucent water, and is, for its size, one of -the most pleasant upon 

 which we have landed. Immediately north, and distant but a 

 hundred yards, is a^ small rocky islet, which has at one time formed 

 a part of the main island, the bar by which they are connected 

 being plainly visible beneath the water. The space between them 

 forms a beautiful and romantic little bay, with deep, blue water, 

 clear as crystal. The northern end of the main island is a nearly 

 perpendicular cliff of black and gray limestone, between five and 

 six hundred feet in height. 



Immediately upon landing, the yawl was unloaded upon the 

 beach, as I intended to despatch her for water across the lake to 

 the Indian Springs — the nearest point where it could be ob- 

 tained without transporting it from the interior to the boat on the 

 men's shoulders. The skiff, which had started with us from Dolphin 

 Island, had not yet arrived, and I only waited her coming up to 

 take from her some empty kegs, which it was desirable to fill. To- 

 ward sundown, the wind began to rise from the south-west and to 

 blow very fresh. It gradually hauled into the west and north- 

 west, and blew most furiously, but favourably for the destined point. 

 Desirous of taking advantage of the gale, I directed the boat to put 

 off without waiting any longer for the skiff, and she was soon lost 

 to the view in the mist and gloom to leeward. The distance to the 

 springs was about twenty miles, which may give an idea of some 

 of the difficulties which had to be encountered in prosecuting the 

 examination of these solitary waters. 



Soon after the commencement of the gale, it began to hail vio- 

 lently, accompanied by a darkness and mist which made me uneasy 

 for the safety of the skiff, especially as she had been seen a short 

 time previous about two miles to the westward. Having waited 

 until nearly dark, I concluded that she had been blown past the 

 island by the sudden fury of the gust, and must consequently be in 

 great danger of being lost. We were, however, utterly powerless 

 to aid her, and our only hope "for her safety was that she might 

 encounter the yawl, which was seen, shortly after leaving the island, 

 to haul up suddenly to the northward. One of the lookouts re- 

 ported that he thought he had seen them approaching each other 

 far to leeward. A man sent to a commanding peak with a tele- 

 scope was "almost sure" that he had seen the two boats together 

 before the thickening mist hid every thing from view. This afforded 

 us some relief, although we were filled with deep anxiety for the 

 fate of our companions, all of whom were young men, and inex- 



