PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 425 



aground in six fathoms water, and not more than chap. 

 eight or ten feet above the surface. At noon we vJ-v-L* 

 were favoured with a clear sun, and determined our ^ a t r hf lve 

 latitude to be 71° 24' 59" N., Lunar anchorage bear- Barge. 

 ing from the place of observation one mile north 

 (true), and the north-eastern part of Point Barrow 

 S. E. f E. (mag.) 1^'. From which the position of 

 Point Barrow, the most northern part known of the 

 American continent, is latitude 71" 23' 81" N., longi- 

 tude 156° 21' 30" W. The azimuth sights made the 

 variation 41° east. 



The breeze still continuing light from the S. E. 

 (although the clouds were approaching from the 

 westward), we made all sail to the southward, and 

 with great reluctance left this remarkable point 

 without being able to leave any traces of our having 

 visited it for Captain Franklin. The wind about 

 one p. M. began gradually to fall, and at two it was 

 perfectly calm. Unfortunately we were now in too 

 much water to anchor, and were, without the possi- 

 bility of helping it, being set to the N. E. by the 

 current at the rate of three miles and a half an hour. 

 By four o'clock we had lost all we had made during 

 the day, with a prospect, if it continued calm, of 

 being drifted quite off the land — an accident that, 

 had it occurred, would have placed our little vessel 

 in a very serious situation. We were not, however, 

 long in this state of suspense ; for an air came again 

 from the eastward, which strengthening a little, and 

 with the boat ahead towing, we made good progress 

 towards the land, where, if it once more fell calm, we 

 could retain our position with the anchor. When 

 we had by towing and pulling got within a mile of 

 the beach (and about two miles west of the point), 



