l/?8. the pacific ocean. 077 



to north by east ; the nearest part seven leagues dis- 

 tant. A large group of islands lying about the same 

 distance from the continent, extended from south 

 26 W., to south 5 C 2 W. 



It was calm great part of the 18th ; and the wea- 

 ther was clear and pleasant. We availed ourselves 

 of this, by making observations for the longitude 

 and variation. The latter was found to be 21 27" 

 E. There can be no doubt that there is a continu- 

 ation of the continent between Trinity Island and 

 Foggy Cape, which the thick weather prevented us 

 from seeing. For some distance to the south-west of 

 that cape, this country is more broken or rugged 

 than any part we had yet seen, both with respect to 

 the hills themselves and to the coast, which seemed 

 full of creeks, or small inlets, none of which appeared 

 to be of any great depth. Perhaps, upon a closer 

 examination, some of the projecting points between 

 these inlets will be found to be islands. Every part 

 had a very barren aspect; and was covered with snow, 

 from the summits of the highest hills, down to a very 

 small distance from the sea-coast. 



Having occasion to send a boat on board the Dis- 

 covery, one of the people in her shot a very beauti- 

 ful bird of the hawk kind. It is somewhat less than 

 a duck, and of a black colour, except the fore-part 

 of the head, which is white ; and from above and 

 behind each eye arises an elegant yellowish-white 

 crest, revolved backward as a ram's horn. The bill 

 and feet are red. It is, perhaps, the alca monochora 

 of Steller, mentioned in the history of Kamtschat- 

 ka. * I think the first of these birds was seen by us 

 a little to the southward of Cape St. Hermogenes. 

 From that time we generally saw some of them every 

 day, and sometimes in large flocks. Besides these, 

 we daily saw most of the other sea-birds that are 



* P. 153. Eng. Trans. 



