PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 229 



and necessary to anchor, there would have been but 

 an hidifferent prospect of holding on any length of 

 time. The great depth of water, and the strong cur- 

 rents which set between the islands must make the 

 navigation near them hazardous during thick weather. 

 On the evening preceding this unexpected event, we 

 found so strong a current setting to the south-west, to 

 windward, that though the ship was lying to, it was 

 necessary frecjuenlly to bear away, to prevent being 

 drifted upon the land. 



When the fog cleared away on the 9th, we dis- 

 covered a distant cluster of islands bearing S. 5^ E. 

 true : I therefore deferred anchoring in the bay which 

 Lieutenant Belcher had examined the preceding even- 

 ing, in the hope of being able to examine the newly 

 discovered islands; but finding both current and wind 

 against us, and that the ship could scarcely gain ground 

 in that direction — as there was no time to be lost, 

 I returned to those first discovered. In running- aloner- 

 shore we observed an opening, which, appearing to 

 afford better security than the before- mentioned bay, 

 the master was sent to explore ; and returned with the 

 welcome intelligence of having found a secure har- 

 bour, in which the ship might remain with all winds. 



We were a little surprised, when he came back, to 

 find two strangers in the boat, for he had no idea that 

 these islands had been recently visited, much less that 

 there were any residents upon them ; and we con- 

 cluded that some unfortunate vessel had been cast 

 away upon the island. They proved to be part of the 

 crew of a whale-ship belonging to London, named the 

 William. This ship, which had once belonged to his 

 majesty's service, had been anchored in the harbour in 

 deep water, and in rather an exposed situation (the 



