20 



PLATE IV. 



UNALASCHKA. 



A PLAIN ON THE SHORES OF ILLULUK BAY, AND PART OF THE ADJACENT 



HEIGHTS. 



August. 



It is well known that the Aleutian Islands, notwithstanding their large super- 

 ficial area, are quite destitute of trees, and strongly contrast with the woody 

 mountains of the continent. The climate of Unalaschka, notwithstanding the slight 

 difference in latitude, is much more severe than that of Sitka. The reason may 

 be that the whole of these islands are totally unprotected against the north, and 

 their irregular shape does not even shield their southern side from northerly winds. 

 The steep and rather high mountains, of which the whole country consists, appear 

 like a genuine though rather irregular network of cones, the height and sloping of 

 which are of course very diversified, and amongst which there are in the interior long 

 but narrow valleys without plains. Eeal plains, of the extent of that seen in our 

 illustration, are common about the shores of the deep bays ; they have quite the 

 character of alluvial soil, and above them suddenly tower steep masses of rocks. 

 These plains are generally covered with luxuriant grass, alternating with the 

 almost inconspicuous raspberries and dwarf willows. Up to a considerable distance 

 the heights themselves are clad with a rich turf, the growth of which gradually di- 

 minishes with increasing altitude. Still higher commences an Alpine flora, dimi- 

 nutive, mossy-looking shrubs, amongst them small willows, Rhododendron 

 Kamtschaticum, &c, whilst the highest summits of the mountains near the shores 

 (about 2000 feet elevation) exhibit nothing save the bare slate rocks, stripes of 

 perpetual snow, and here and there a few isolated Alpine plants. Only on the 

 steep slopes of this upper region, especially in the furrow-like valleys so common 

 there, grows the lupine here figured; it is quite as bushy and tall as on the 

 shores below, though it is not regularly met with in the intervening districts. The 

 still higher mountains, which want of time prevented us from visiting, appear 



