T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 415 



noes. For this reafon, I rather thought that the paper con- »778. 



June. 



tained a note of information, left by fome Ruflian trader, ^ " " » • - •', 

 who had lately been amongft thefe iflands, to be delivered 

 to the next of their countrymen who lliould arrive ; and 

 that the natives, feeing our Ihips pafs, and fuppofing us to 

 be Ruffians, had refolved to bring off the note, thinking it 

 might induce us to flop. Fully convinced of this, I did not 

 ftay to inquire any farther into the matter ; but made fiiil, 

 and flood away to the Weftward, along the coall: perhaps I 

 fliould fay along the iflands ; for we could not pronounce, 

 with certainty, whether the nearefl land, within us, was 

 continent or iflands. If not the latter, the coafl here forms 

 fome tolerably large and deep bays. 



We continued to run all night with a gentle breeze at 

 North EafI: ; and, at two o'clock next morning, fome Saturdayzo. 

 breakers were feen within us, at the diftance of two miles. 

 Two hours after, others were feen ahead ; and, on our lar- 

 board bow, and between us and the land, they were innu- 

 merable. We did but jufl clear them, by holding a South 

 courfe. Thefe breakers were occafioned by rocks ; fome of 

 which were above water. They extend feven leagues from 

 the land ; and are very dangerous, efpecially in thick wea- 

 ther, to which this coafl fcems much fubjecT:. At noon, we 

 had jufl got on their outfuie; and, by obfervation, we were 

 in the latitude of 54' 44', and in the longitude of 198°. The 

 nearefl land, being an elevated blull point, which was called 

 Rock Point, bore North, feven or eight leagues diflant; the 

 Weflernmofl part of the main, or what was fuppofed to be 

 the main, bore North 80° Weft; and a round hill, with- 

 out, which was found to be an ifland, and was called 

 Halibut-heady bore South 65* Weft, thirteen leagues diftant. 



