FOX ISLANDS. A great chain of iclando strotchee across that part of the North Pacific Ocean bounded by the pen insula of Kamtschatka on the Asiatic continent, and that of Alaska in North America. The first of these towards the west, was discovered in the earlier part of the eigh teenth century, by Capt. Vitus Behring, a Dane in the Russian service, and named after him ; and the second, twenty-seven miles from it to the east, was called Copper Island. Both were greatly frequented by the Russians, on account of the valuable furs obtained from the animals of the surrounding seas ; and a company of adventurers from Kamtschatka having prosecuted farther discoveries, ascertained, in the year 1745, that other islands lay farther to the east. Having wintered on one of them to kill sea otters, they continually advanced farther on ; and, after various successes and discomfitures, at length, by means of intermediate islands, reached the American continent. This chain was known by different appellations bestowed on certain groups of it, which the progress of discovery proved were only a short way detached from the rest ; and they were in general divided into the Aleutian, Andreanovi, and Fox Islands: but late navigators are disposed to in clude the whole chain under the name of Aleutian or Fox Islands; while it is sometimes proposed, though without any apparent good reason, to except Belning's and Cop per Island from the number. It is not difficult to antici pate, however, that this separation will soon be abandoned. The Fox Islands in position resemble a circular arc, ex tending from 165° to of longitude cast ; the most southern island lies in about of north latitude, and the most northern, at each extremity, in 55°. These islands are of all different sizes, below 104 miles in length, which is that of Behring's Island, and arc divided by channels of very unequal width. This last is 192 miles from the har bour of St Peter and St Paul, in Kamtschatka. Copper Island, which is mountainous, and twenty-five miles long, lies clue cast, and is the first of the Aleutian, or Fox Islands, properly so denominated. Attoo is 60 miles in length, and 183 miles from Copper Island : Next is Agat too, twenty miles distant, and six in length ; then Buldyr, an oval rock, six miles by ten, distant 70 miles ; and so on, regarding the rest, to Omnak, Oonalashka, and Oonemak, next to Alaska. Some of these islands are disposed in
clusters; and although the number of the Fox Islands was originally calculated at sixteen, many more are now in cluded. Indeed, to judge by recent occurrences, they ap pear to receive accessions : In the year 1795, a thick fog having obscured a rock which was the favourite resort of the Aleutians in their hunting excursions, thirty miles north-west of Oonalashka, they found the sea, on approach ing it, in a state of ebullition, and vast quantities of vapour rising around. Concluding that it was haunted by evil spirits, no one would again venture thither during the lapse of five years, when a few more courageous than the rest, ascertained that a volcanic island had sprung up, discharg ing fire and smoke from a crater in its summit. In the year 1806, this island had augmented to about twenty miles in circuit : lava flowed from it clown into the sea, and the heat was so great as to preclude landing on that particular side. There are always some volcanoes in activity among these islands ; and others, once known to have blazed, are now quiescent. Earthquakes are common from such sub terrancous fires, and the concussions are violent. Huts were thrown down in 1802, when a long-extinguished vol cano in Oonalashka began to burn, and the flames from the new erupted island ceased ; but they were renewed soon after. The Fox Islands are of barren aspect ; the mountains are conspicuous, being in general high and conical, and covered with snow during a great portion of the year. Nothing is produced in the whole course of the Aleutian chain, except low shrubs and bushes. There are no trees ; but, to compensate for this defect, recourse is had to drift wood, often of large size, floated on shore from America and other countries by the tides. The lower vallies produce abundance of fine grass, but the islands are destitute of cattle ; and there are different indigenous roots, as also potatoes, recently introduced by foreign settlers, which afford subsistence to the inhabitants. Berries are collected, and laid up for winter provision.