1778 THE pacific OCEAN. 4&5 



and the depth of water twenty-five fathoms. At two 

 o'clock, having got on board as much marine beef as 

 was thought necessary, and the wind freshening at 

 S.S. E., we took on board the boats, and stretched 

 to the S. W. ; but not being able to weather the ice 

 upon this tack, or to go through it, we made a board 

 to the E., till eight o'clock, then resumed our course 

 to the S. W., and before midnight were obliged to 

 tack again, on account of the ice. Soon after, 

 the wind shifted to the N. W., blowing a stiff gale, 

 and we stretched to the S. W., close hauled. 



In the morning of the 29th, we saw the main ice 

 to the northward, and not long after, land bearing 

 south-west by west. Presently after this, more land 

 showed itself, bearing west. It showed itself in two 

 hills like islands, but afterward the whole appeared 

 connected. As we approached the land, the depth 

 of water decreased very fast ; so that at noon, when 

 we tacked, we had only eight fathoms ; being three 

 miles from the coast, which extended from south, 30 

 east, to north, 60 west. This last extreme termi- 

 nated in a bluff' point, being one of the hills above 

 mentioned. 



The weather at this time was very hazy, with driz- 

 zling rain ; but soon after, it cleared ; especially to 

 the southward, westward, and northward. This en- 

 abled us to have a pretty good view of the coast j 

 which, in every respect, is like the opposite one of 

 America ; that is, lowland next the sea, with elevated 

 land farther back. It was perfectly destitute of wood, 

 and even snow ; but was, probably, covered with a 

 mossy substance, that gave it a brownish cast. In the 

 low ground lying between the high land and the sea, 

 was a lake, extending to the south-east, farther than 

 we could see. As we stood off, the westernmost of 

 the two hills before mentioned came open off the 

 bluff point, in the direction of north-west. It had 

 the appearance of being an island j but it might be 

 joined to the other by low land, though we did not 



