PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
531 
wind and a thick fog we stood towards St. Lawrence Island, and on CHAP, 
the 1st August were apprised of our approach to it, by the soundings 
changing from mud to sand, and several visits from the little crested Aug. 
» auks, wLich are peculiar to this island. We made the land about the 
same place we had done the preceding year, stood along it to the north- 
ward, and passed its N. W. extreme, at two miles and a half distance, 
in fifteen fathoms water, over a bottom of stones and shells, which soon 
changed again to sand and mud. About midnight the temperature 
of water fell to 31°, and soon after that of the air was reduced from 42° 
to 34°. The wind shifted to north-west and cleared away the fog. 
On the afternoon of the 2d we passed King’s Island, and, the wind con- 
tinuing to the northward, anchored off Point Rodney, for the purpose 
of hoisting out the barge. We came to anchor in seven fathoms, three 
miles from the land. King’s Island bearing N. 70° 29' W. true, and Sledge 
Island S. 65° E. true. 
Point Rodney is low, and the water being shallow, it is difficult to 
land. From the beach to the foot of the mountains there is a plain 
about two miles wide, covered with lichens and grass, upon which 
several herds of reindeer were feeding ; but the communication is in 
places interrupted by narrow lakes, which extend several miles along 
the coast. Upon the beach there was a greater abundance of driftwood 
than we had noticed on any other part of the coast; some of it was 
perforated by the terredo, and was covered with small barnacles ; but 
there were several trunks which appeared to have been recently torn 
up by the roots. N ear the spot where we landed were several yourts, 
and a number of posts driven into the ground, and in the lake we found 
several artificial ducks, which had been left as decoys ; but we saw no 
natives. About two miles from the coast the country becomes moun- 
tainous, and far inland rises to peaked hills of great height, covered 
with perennial snow. 
It was calm throughout the greater part of the day, with very fine 
weather. The temperature, which increased gradually as we left the 
snowy coast of Asia, at noon reached to 55°, which was twenty-one 
degrees higher than it had been on the opposite shore ; and the mean for 
the last twenty-four hours was seven degrees higher than that of the 
3 y2 
