177S. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 441 



tained whether the coast we were now upon belonged 

 to an island, or the American continent ; and the 

 shallowness of the water putting it out of our power 

 to determine this with our ships, I sent Lieutenant 

 King, with two boats under his command, to make 

 such searches as might leave no room for a variety of 

 opinions on the subject*. Next day the ships re- 



* Captain King has been so good as to communicate his instruc- 

 tions on this occasion, and the particulars of the fatigue he under- 

 went in carrying them into execution : 



You are to proceed to the northward as far as the extreme 

 point we saw on Wednesday last, or a little further, if you think 

 it necessary ; land there, and endeavour, from the heights, to 

 discover whether the land you are then upon, supposed to be 

 " the island of Alaschka, is really an island, or joins to the land 

 on the east, supposed to be the continent of America. If the 

 former, you are to satisfy yourself with the depth of water 

 in the channel between them, and which way the flood-tide 

 " comes. But if you find the two lands connected, lose no time 

 " in sounding ; but make the best of your way back to the ship, 

 " which you will find at anchor near the point of land we anchored 

 " under on Friday last. If you perceive any likelihood of a change 

 " of weather for the worse, you are, in that case, to return to 

 u the ship, although you have not performed the service you are 

 " sent upon. And, at any rate, you are not to remain longer 

 " upon it than four or five days ; but the sooner it is done the 

 " better. If any unforeseen or unavoidable accident should force 

 " the ships off the coast, so that they cannot return at a reason- 

 " able time, the rendezvous is at the harbour of Samganoodha; 

 " that is, the place where we last completed our water. 



" To Lieutenant Kins." " JAMES COOK." 



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" Our cutter being hoisted out, and the signal made for the 

 Discovery's, at eight at night, on the 14th, we set out. It was a 

 little unlucky that the boats' crews had been much fatigued during 

 the whole day in bringing things from the shore. They pulled 

 stoutly, without rest or intermission, toward the land, till one 

 o'clock in the morning of the 15th. I wanted much to have got close 

 to it, to have had the advantage of the wind, which had very regu- 

 larly, in the evening, blown from the land, and in the day-time 

 down the sound, from the N.N. E., and was contrary to our course; 

 but the men were, at this time, too much fatigued to press them 

 farther. We therefore set our sails, and stood across the bay, 

 which the coast forms to the west of Bald Head, and steered for it. 

 But, a3 I expected, by three o'clock, the wind headed us ; and, 



