We next come to a group, consisting of six or more islands, two of which, Atghka and Amluk are tolerably large, and in each of them is a good harbour.  The middle of this group lies in the latitude of 52 deg. 30’, and 28 deg. of longitude from Awatska, and its extent, E. and W., is four degrees.  These are the isles that Mr Ismyloff said were to be removed four degrees to the E., which was done.  And in the situation they have in my chart, was a group, consisting of ten small islands, which, I was told, were wholly to be struck out, and also two islands lying between them and the group to which Oonalashka belongs.  In the place of these two, an island called Amoghta (which in the chart was situated in the latitude of 51 deg. 45’, and 4 deg. of longitude to the W.) was brought.

Nothing more need be said to shew how erroneous the situation of many of these islands may be, and for which I am in nowise accountable.  But the position of the largest group, of which Oonalashka is one of the principal islands, and the only one in which there is a harbour, is not liable to any such errors.  Most of these islands were seen by us, and consequently their latitude and longitude were pretty exactly determined, particularly the harbour of Samganoodha in Oonalashka, which must be looked upon as a fixed point.  This group of islands maybe said to extend as far as Halibut Isles, which are forty leagues from Oonalashka toward the E.N.E.  Within these isles, a passage was marked in Ismyloff’s chart, communicating with Bristol Bay, which converts about fifteen leagues of the coast, that I had supposed to belong to the continent, into an island, distinguished by the name of Ooneemak.  This passage might easily escape us, as we were informed, that it is very narrow, shallow, and only to be navigated through with boats, or very small vessels.[10]

[Footnote 10:  This passage is marked on all the modern maps, no doubt on the somewhat scanty authority here given.  With respect to most of the islands now alluded to, the opinion entertained of their utter insignificance, will account for and perhaps justify the sparing solicitude we have used to ascertain their number and position.  Some less suspicious data than are to be met with in the accounts of early Russian voyages, would be requisite, to induce much attention to a subject of even greater importance.—­E.]

It appeared by the chart, as well as by the testimony of Ismyloff and the other Russians, that this is as far as their countrymen have made any discoveries, or have extended themselves, since Beering’s time.  They all said, that no Russians had settled themselves so far to the east as the place where the natives gave the note to Captain Clerke, which Mr Ismyloff, to whom I delivered it, on perusing it, said, had been written at Oomanak.  It was, however, from him that we got the name of Kodiak, the largest of Schumagin’s Islands; for it had no name upon the chart produced by him.[11] The names