water.  They extend seven leagues from the land, and are very dangerous, especially in thick weather, to which this coast seems much subject.  At noon, we had just got on their outside, and, by observation, we were in the latitude of 54 deg. 44’, and in the longitude of 198 deg..  The nearest land, being an elevated bluff point, which was called Rock Point, bore N., seven or eight leagues distant; the westernmost part of the main, or what was supposed to be the main, bore N. 80 deg.  W.; and a round hill, without, which was found to be an island, and was called Halibut-Head, bore S. 64 deg.  W., thirteen leagues distant.

On the 21st at noon, having made but little progress, on account of faint winds and calms, Halibut-Head, which lies in the latitude of 54 deg. 27’, and in the longitude of 197 deg., bore N. 24 deg.  W., and the island on which it is, and called Halibut Island, extended from N. by E. to N.W. by W., two leagues distant.  This island is seven or eight leagues in circuit, and, except the head, the land of it is low and very barren.  There are several small islands near it, all of the same appearance, but there seemed to be a passage between them and the main, two or three leagues broad.[7]

[Footnote 7:  So Arrowsmith’s map has it.  The chart in Coxe’s work, 4th edition, does not mention Halibut Island.—­E.]

The rocks and breakers, before mentioned, forced us so far from the continent, that we had but a distant view of the coast between Rock Point and Halibut Island.  Over this and the adjoining islands we could see the main land covered with snow, but particularly some hills, whose elevated tops were seen, towering above the clouds, to a most stupendous height.  The most south-westerly of these hills was discovered to have a volcano, which continually threw up vast columns of black smoke.  It stands not far from the coast, and in the latitude of 54 deg. 48’, and in the longitude of 195 deg. 45’.  It is also remarkable from its figure, which is a complete cone, and the volcano is at the very summit.  We seldom saw this (or indeed any other of these mountains) wholly clear of clouds.  At times, both base and summit would be clear, when a narrow cloud, sometimes two or three, one above another, would embrace the middle like a girdle, which, with the column of smoke, rising perpendicular to a great height out of its top, and spreading before the wind into a tail of vast length, made a very picturesque appearance.  It may be worth remarking, that the wind, at the height to which the smoke of this volcano reached, moved sometimes in a direction contrary to what it did at sea, even when it blew a fresh gale.