PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
337 
of a settled frost. The next day the edges of the sound began to 
freeze, and it was evident that it needed only calm weather to skin it 
entirely over. I, therefore, desired the anchor to be weighed, and 
having taken on board a large supply of driftwood, the last thing we 
procured from the shore, we steered out of the sound. 
We passed Cape Krusenstern about midnight, and then shaped a 
course for the strait. The night, though cold, was fine, and furnished 
me with eighteen sets of lunar distances, east and west of the moon, 
which I was very anxious to obtain, in order to fix more accurately the 
position of Chamisso Island, never having been able to succeed in getting 
fine weather with the moon to the east of the sun, until his declina- 
tion was too far south for the lunars to be of any value. 
We had no observation at noon the next day, and the land was 
so refracted that we scarcely recognised it ; we, however, continued to 
run for the strait, anxious to reach it before sunset. The breeze in- 
creased as we advanced, and before the Diomede Islands came in sight 
it blew so violently that there was no alternative but to endeavour to 
push through them before dusk. At this time there was a very thick 
haze, with a bright setting sun glaring through it, which with the spray 
around us prevented any thing being seen but the tops of the mountains 
near Cape Prince of Wales. It was consequently with great pleasure 
we perceived Fairway Rock, and found the strait quite free from ice. 
Having no choice, we passed through it at a rapid, rate ; and as 
the night set in dark and thick, with snow showers, we were glad to 
find ourselves with sea-room around us. A little before midnight 
the lee-bow port was washed away, and so much water came in that it 
was necessary to put before the wind to free the ship. In half an hour, 
however, we resumed our course, and about two o’clock in the morning 
passed King's Island. 
We were now in a situation where, by rounding to, we might have 
awaited fine weather to return to Cape Krusenstern, and execute the 
whole of the plan that had been contemplated ; but considering that 
our being able to do so was uncertain, as the barometer, which had 
fallen to 28,7, afforded no prospect of a change of weather, and that 
the period I had fixed for my departure might expire before I could 
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