1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN*. 445 



This gave us an opportunity to make no less than 

 seventy-seven sets of lunar observations, between the 

 6th and 17th inclusive. The mean result of these 

 made the longitude of the anchoring-place, on the 

 west side of the sound, to be 197 13' 



Latitude ... 64 31 



Variation of the compass 25 45 east. 



Dip of the needle - 76 25 



Of the tides it was observed, that the night-flood 

 rose about two or three feet, and that the day-flood 

 was hardly perceivable. 



Having now fully satisfied myself that Mr. 

 Staehlin's map must be erroneous ; and, having re- 

 stored the American continent to that space which 

 he had occupied with his imaginary island of Alasch- 

 ka, it was high time to think of leaving these north- 

 ern regions, and to retire to some place during the 

 winter, where 1 might procure refreshments for my 

 people, and a small supply of provisions. Petro- 

 paulowska, or the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul, 

 in Kamtschatka, did not appear likely to furnish 

 either the one or the other, for so large a number of 

 men. I had, besides, other reasons for not repairing 

 thither at this time. The first, and on which all the 

 others depended, was the great dislike I had to lie 

 inactive for six or seven months ; which would have 

 been the necessary consequence of wintering in any 

 of these northern parts. No place was so conve- 

 niently within our reach, where we could expect to 

 have our wants supplied, as the Sandwich Islands. 

 To them, therefore, I determined to proceed. But 

 before this could be carried into execution, a supply 

 of water was necessary. With this view, I resolved 

 to search the American coast for a harbour, by pro- 

 ceeding along it to the southward, and thus endea- 

 vour to connect the survey of this part of it, with 

 that lying immediately to the north of Cape Newen- 



