342 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, ungenial climate of the former. Shortly after dark flashes were ob- 
served in the heavens, in the direction of the burning mountain of 
Nov. Alaska, sometimes so strong as to be mistaken for sheet lightning, at 
others very confined ; viewed with a telescope, they appeared to consist 
entirely of bright sparks. They seemed to proceed from different parts 
of a long narrow cloud elevated 8°, and lying in the direction of the wind. 
Our distance from the volcano at this time was about seventy miles, 
and as similar flashes were observed in this place the following year, it is 
very probable they were caused by an eruption. This mountain, I am 
informed, has burnt lately with great activity, and has been truncated 
much lower than is represented in the drawings of it in Captain Cook’s 
Voyage*. 
After clearing the Aleutian Chain, we had the winds from the west- 
ward, and made rapid progress towards our port. The first part of the 
passage was remarkable for heavy rolling seas, misty weather, and a 
low barometer, which varied a little each side of 28,5 ; in the latter 
part of the passage we had dry foggy weather, and the barometer was 
at 30,5. 
On the 5th of November we made the high land of New Albion 
about Bodega, and soon afterwards saw Punta de los Eeyes, a remark- 
able promontory, from which the general line of coast turns abruptly 
to the eastward, and leads to the port of St. Francisco. 
We stood to the southward during the night, and about three 
o’clock in the morning unexpectedly struck soundings upon a clayey 
bank in 35 fathoms very near the Farallons, a dangerous cluster of 
rocks, which, until better known, ought to be avoided. The ship was 
put about immediately ; but the next cast was 25 fathoms in so stifi* a 
clay that the line was broken. The weather was very misty, and a 
long swell rolled towards the reefs, which, had there been less wind, 
would have obliged us to anchor ; but we increased our distance from 
them, and deepened the water. This cluster of rocks is properly 
divided into two parts, of which the south-eastern is the largest and 
the highest, and may be seen nine or ten leagues in clear weather. 
The most dangerous part is apparently towards the north-west. 
* See also Kotzebue’s Voyage, vol. iii. p. 283. 
