1818. LIEUTENANT KOTZEBUE. 369 



Having passed tlie Cape Prince of Wales early 

 in August, without any obstruction from ice, and 

 as it would appear without seeing any, an opening 

 was observed in the line of the American coast, in 

 latitude about 67i° to 68°. Into this inlet the 

 Rurick entered. Across the mouth was a small 

 island, the shores of which were covered with drift- 

 wood; and among it were observed trees of an 

 enormous size. The tide regularly ebbed and 

 flowed through the passages on each side of the 

 island. Within the entrance, the great bay or inlet 

 spread out to the north and south, and had several 

 coves or sounds on each shore. Its extent to the 

 eastward was not determined, but the Rurick pro- 

 ceeded as far ia that direction as the meridian of 

 160°, which corresponds with that of the bottom of 

 Norton Sound. 



The shores of this great inlet, and more particu- 

 larly the northern one, were well peopled with 

 Indians of a large size ; the men were well armed 

 with bows, arrows, and spears. They wore skin 

 clothing, and leather boots, neatly made and orna- 

 mented ; their huts were comfortable and sunk 

 deep into the earth; their furniture and imple- 

 ments neatly made ; they had sledges drawn 

 apparently by dogs, though the skulls and skins of 

 rein-deer indicated the presence of that animal in 

 the country. The description given by Lieutenant 

 Kotzebue of these people corresponds almost ex- 

 actly with that of the Tschutski by Cook on the 



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