THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
53 
proacli, we found it to be two iflands. That which lies mod: 1 77 6. 
to the South, and is alfo the largeft, I judged to be about , Dec ^ mbcr ; 
fifteen leagues in circuit; and to be in the latitude of 46° 53' 
South, and in the longitude of 37 0 46" Eaft. The moil Nor¬ 
therly one is about nine leagues in circuit; and lies in the 
latitude of 46° 40' South, and in 38° 8" Eaft longitude. The 
diftance from the one to the other is about five leagues. 
We palTed through this channel, at equal diftance from 
both iflands; and could not difcover, with the afliftance of 
our beft glaffes, either tree or fhrub on either of them. 
They feemed to have a rocky and bold fhore; and, except¬ 
ing the South Eaft parts, where the land is rather low and 
flat, a furface compofed of barren mountains, which rife to 
a confiderable height, and whofe fummits and fides were 
covered with fnow, which in many places feemed to be of a 
confiderable depth. The South Eaft parts had a much 
greater quantity on them than the reft; owing, probably, 
to the Sun acting for a lefs fpace of time on thefe than on 
the North and North Weft parts. The ground, where it 
was not hid by the fnow, from the various fhades it exhi¬ 
bited, may be fuppofed to be covered with mofs, or, per¬ 
haps, fuch a coarfe grafs as is found in fome parts of Falk¬ 
land’s Iflands. On the North fide of each of the iflands is a 
detached rock: that near the South ifland is fhaped like a 
tower, and feemed to be at fome diftance from the fir ore. 
As we paffed along, a quantity of fea-weed was feen, and 
the colour of the water indicated foundings. But there was 
no appearance of an inlet, unlefs near the rock juft men¬ 
tioned ; and that, from its fmallnefs, did not promife a good 
anchoring-place. 
Thefe two iflands, as alfo four others which lie from 
nine to twelve degrees of longitude more to the Eaft, and 
nearly 
