S5^ Dr Tilesius on the Volcano of Coodma. 
ma flew, in crowds, a large grey species of gull ( moeven ) ; and 
in the deep, whales were spouting from their double blow- 
holes long streams of water into the air. Maltehrun (in his 
Abridgment f Universal Geography, vol. hi. p. 466.) says, 
“ The town Matsmai lies on the south end of the island, and 
is discovered by a fortress, which cannot be approached from 
the land-side.” I made a drawing of this town at no considerable 
distance, but I have seen no work of this kind, and the Japanese 
fortresses, in general, are not so frightsome and unapproachable 
as the European. The other Japanese military forts,” con- 
tinues this author, stretch from the west end to the north 
point of the island. In proceeding along the west coast, we 
come to the islands Oosima, Coosima, Onosiri, Rioschiri, (on 
which the Peak of Langle of La Perouse lies), and to Rehuno- 
sirU'' Maltebrun knew the names of these two islands Coosima 
. and Oosima, as well from Titsing’s translation of the Japanese 
manuscripts respecting Kannemon Zeroki, or a description of 
the land of Jesso, or of the island of Matsmai, — as from the ac- 
count of Krusenstern’s voyage ; but he knew not that these 
islands were volcanic, and, therefore, he says respecting Volcano 
Bay, — a circular basin abounding in picturesque views, — “ that 
the name and every thing else seems to show that a volcano 
must exist here, yet have we not the slightest evidence of the 
actual existence of any such rock in this quarter.” I have not, 
therefore, been unnecessarily engaged, in showing that not only 
do volcanoes exist in this sea, but that one of the smallest in 
the world may here be found ; — a volcano which rears only its 
peak above the level of the waters; and which is especially 
worthy of attention, because the apertures, which take in and 
conduct the water of the sea into the interior chambers of the 
mountain, are placed not far from its summit, — because with 
one glance the whole mass of the volcano can be examined, and 
we can have under our eye the entire process of its kindling and 
explosion. 
Nowhere in the world is it possible for a person to acquire a 
clearer or more distinct idea of the elevation of volcanoes, than 
in the course of the voyage from Kamskatka to Japan, through 
the Kurile islands, where most of the^ I’ocks and islands along 
