our island, but gradually we worked
across the rougher sea of the open channel, into the smoother water
under the lee of the island, and began to discover that what we took
for a long row of pelicans, ranged on the beach, were only low cliffs
whitened with salt by the spray of the waves; and about noon we
reached the shore, the transparency of the water enabling us to see
the bottom at a considerable depth.

"'The cliffs and masses of rock along the shore were whitened by an
incrustation of salt where the waves dashed up against them; and the
evaporating water, which had been left in holes and hollows on
the surface of the rocks, was covered with a crust of salt about
one-eighth of an inch in thickness.

"'Carrying with us the barometer and other instruments, in the
afternoon we ascended to the highest point of the island--a bare rocky
peak, 800 feet above the lake. Standing on the summit, we enjoyed an
extended view of the lake, inclosed in a basin of rugged mountains,
which sometimes left marshy flats and extensive bottoms between them
and the shore, and in other places came directly down into the water
with bold and precipitous bluffs.

"'As we looked over the vast expanse of water spread out beneath us,
and strained our eyes along the silent shores over which hung so much
doubt and uncertainty, and which were so full of interest to us, I
could hardly repress the almost irresistible desire to continue our
exploration; but the lengthening snow on the mountains was a plain
indication of the advancing season, and our frail linen boat
appeared so insecure that I was unwilling to trust our lives to
the uncertainties of the lake. I therefore unwillingly resolved to
terminate our survey here, and remain satisfied for the present with
what we had been able to add to the unknown geography of the region.
We felt pleasure also in remembering that we were the first who, in
the traditionary annals of the country, had visited the islands, and
broken, with the cheerful sound of human voices, the long solitude of
the place.

"'I accidentally left on the summit the brass cover to the object end
of my spy-glass; and as it will probably remain there undisturbed
by Indians, it will furnish matter of speculation to some future
traveler. In our excursions about the island, we did not meet with any
kind of animal; a magpie, and another larger bird, probably attracted
by the smoke of our fire, paid us a visit from the shore, and were