of small stones, of the same kind with those which fell on our decks after
the eruption of the _volcano_; but whether they had been, left there by the
last, or by some former eruptions, we were not able to determine.

The aspect of the country was now very different from what it had been on
our first arrival. The snow, excepting what remained on the tops of some
very high mountains, had disappeared; and the sides of the hills, which in
many parts were well wooded, were covered with a beautiful verdure.

As it was Captain Clerke's intention to keep as much in sight of the coast
of Kamtschatka as the weather would permit, in order to determine its
position, we continued steering to the N.N.E, with light and variable winds
till the 18th. The _volcano_ was still seen throwing up immense volumes of
smoke, and we had no soundings with one hundred and fifty fathoms, at the
distance of four leagues from the shore.

On the 18th, the wind freshening from the south, the weather became so
thick and hazy, as to make it imprudent to attempt any longer to keep in
sight of the land. But that we might be ready to resume our survey,
whenever the fogs should disperse, we ran on in the direction of the coast,
as laid down in the Russian charts, and fired signal guns for the Discovery
to steer the same course. At eleven o'clock, just before we lost sight of
the land, Cheepoonskoi Noss, so called by the Russians, (a description of
which, as well as the coast between it and Awatska Bay, will be given,
hereafter), bore N.N.E., distant seven or eight leagues.

On the 20th, at three in the morning, the weather having cleared up, we
stood in toward the land; and in an hour's time saw it ahead, extending
from N.W. to N.N.E., distant about five leagues. The north part we took to
be Kronotskoi Noss; its position in the Russian charts agreeing nearly with
our reckoning as to its latitude, which was 54 deg. 42'; but in longitude we
differed from them considerably, they placing it 1 deg. 48' E. of Awatska;
whereas our reckoning, corrected by the time-keepers and lunar
observations, makes it 3 deg. 34' eastward of that place, or 162 deg. 17' E. from
Greenwich. The land about this cape is very high, and the inland mountains
were still covered with snow. The shore breaks off in steep cliffs, and the
coast is without appearance of inlets or bays. We had not been long
gratified with this sight of the land, when the Wind freshened from the
S.W., and brought