1778. THE TACIF1C OCEAN. 421 



morning, with a gentle breeze westerly, and, for the 

 most part, thick, foggy, weather. The soundings 

 were from twelve to fifteen fathoms. We then 

 tacked and stood to the N. till ten o'clock, when the 

 wind veering to the northward, we directed our 

 course to the W. S. W. and W. At two in the after- 

 noon, we fell in with the main ice, along the edge of 

 which we kept, being partly directed by the roaring 

 of the sea-horses ; for we had a very thick fog. Thus 

 we continued sailing till near midnight, when we 

 got in amongst the loose ice, and heard the surge of 

 the sea upon the main ice. 



The fog being very thick, and the wind easterly, I. 

 now hauled to the southward ; and at ten o'clock the 

 next morning, the fog clearing away, we saw the con- 

 tinent of America, extending from S. by E. to E. by 

 S. ; and at noon, from S. W. S. to E., the nearest 

 part five leagues distant. At this time we were in 

 the latitude of 69 3 C 2' 9 and in the longitude of 195 

 48' ; and as the main ice was at no great distance 

 from us, it is evident, that it now covered a part of 

 the sea, which, but a few days before, had been clear; 

 and that it extended farther to the S. than where we 

 first fell in with it. It must not be understood that I 

 supposed any part of this ice which we had seen to be 

 fixed ; on the contrary, I am well assured that the 

 whole was a moveable mass. 



Having but little wind, in the afternoon I sent the 

 master in a boat to try if there was any current ; but 

 he found none. 1 continued to steer in for the 

 American land, until eight o'clock, in order to get 

 a nearer view of it, and to look for a harbour, but 

 seeing nothing like one, I stood again to the N., 

 with a light breeze westerly. At this time the coast 

 extended from S.W. to E., the nearest part four 

 or five leagues distant. The southern extreme 

 seemed to form a point, which was named Cape Lis- 

 burne. It lies in the latitude of 69 5', and in the 

 longitude of 194 <W, and appeared to be pretty 



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