450 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAP 

 XII. 



that it would lead to some great inland discovery. 

 We consequently approached the spot with interest; 

 1826. and as soon as the low mud capes through which 

 the river has made its way to the ocean opened to 

 our view, bore up, with the intention of sailing into 

 the inlet, which runs in a westerly direction ; but 

 we were here again obliged to desist, in consequence 

 of the shallowness of the water. At two miles and 

 more from the shore, we had less than a fathom 

 water; and we observed the sea breaking heavily 

 upon a bank which extended from shore to shore 

 across the mouth of the inlet. Thinking, however, 

 these breakers might be occasioned by the overfall 

 of the tide, the gig was despatched to endeavour to 

 effect a passage through them ; but the water shoal- 

 ing gradually, she could not approach within even 

 a cable's length of the breakers. At the top of the 

 tide, probably, when the water is smooth, small 

 boats may enter the inlet; but if the bar is attempted 

 under other circumstances, the crew will probably 

 be subjected to a similar ducking to that which 

 Captain Kotzebue himself experienced in repassing 

 it. Seeing these difficulties, I did not deem any 

 further examination necessary ; and as it could 

 never lead to any useful purpose of navigation, I 

 did not even contemplate a return to it under more 

 favourable circumstances. The inlet occurs in a 

 vast plain of low ground, bounded on the north by 

 Cape Espenburg, on the east by the Bay of Good 

 Hope, on the west by Beering's Strait, and on the 

 soutli by ranges of mountains. There are also seve- 

 ral lakes and creeks in the plain, some of which 

 may probably communicate with the inlet ; or they 

 may all, Schismareff Inlet included, be the mouths 



