386 AVOYAGETO 



cd a chain of mountains of vaft height ; one of which, far 

 more confpicuous than the reft, was named Momu St. Au- 

 giiftin. The difcovcry of this land did not difcourage us ; 

 as it was fuppoled to be wholly unconncvTied with the land 

 of Cape Elizabeth. For, in a North North Eaft diredtion, 

 the fight was unlimited by every thing but the horizon. We 

 alfo thought, that there was a paflage to the North Weft, 

 between Cape Douglas and Mount St. Auguftin. In fliort, 

 it was imagined, that the land on our larboard, to the 

 North of Cape Douglas, was compofed of a group of iflands, 

 disjoined by fo many channels, any one of which we might 

 make ufe of according as the wind fhould ferve. 



With thefe flattering ideas, having a frefh gale at North 

 North Eaft, we flood to the North Weft, till eight o'clock, 

 when we clearly faw that what we had taken for iflands 

 were fummits of mountains, every where connected by 

 lower land, which the hazinefs of the horizon had prevent- 

 ed us from feeing at a greater diftancc. This land was 

 every where covered with fnow, from the tops of the hills 

 down to the very fea-beach ; and had every oihcr appear- 

 ance of being part of a great continent. I was now fully 

 perfuaded that I fliould find no pafiiige by this mlet ; and my 

 perfevering in the fearch of it here, was more to fatisfy 

 other people, than to confirm my own opinion. 



At tills time, Mount St. Auguftin bore North, 40° Weft, 

 three or four leagues diftant. This mountain is of a conical 

 figure, and of very confiderable height ; but it remains un- 

 determined whether it be an ifland, or part of the continent. 

 Finding, that nothing could be done to the Weft, we tacked, 

 and ftood over to Cape Elizabeth, under which we fetched 

 at half paft five in the afternoon. On the North fide of Cape 



J Elizabeth, 



