1779. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 221 



On the 3d at noon the latitude, by observation, 

 was 63° 33', and the longitude 186° 45'; half an 

 hour after which we got sight of the Tschukotskoi 

 Noss, bearing north half west, thirteen or fourteen 

 leagues distant, and at five in the afternoon saw the 

 island of St. Laurence, bearing east three quarters 

 north ; and another island a little to the eastward of 

 it, which we supposed to be between Saint Laurence 

 and Anderson's Island, about six leagues east-south- 

 east of the former. As we had no certain account 

 of this island, Captain Gierke was desirous of a 

 nearer prospect, and immediately hauled the wind 

 toward it ; but unfortunately we were not able to 

 weather the island of Saint Laurence, and were 

 therefore under the necessity of bearing up again, 

 and passing them all to the leeward. 



We had a better opportunity of settling the longi- 

 tude of the island Saint Laurence when we last saw 

 it, than now. But seeing it at that time but once, 

 and to the southward, we could only determine its 

 latitude so far as we could judge of distances, 

 whereas now the noon observations enabled us to 

 ascertain it correctly, which is 63° 4Tj\ Its longitude 

 was found to be 188° 15', as before. This island, if 

 its boundaries were at this time within our view, is 

 about three leagues in circuit. The north part may 

 be seen at the distance often or twelve leagues; but 

 as it falls in low land to the south-east, the extent of 

 which we could not see, some of us conjectured that 

 it might probably be joined to the land to the east- 

 ward of it; this, however, the haziness of the weather 

 prevented our ascertaining. These islands, as well 

 as the land about the Tschukotskoi Noss, were cov- 

 ered with snow, and presented us with a most dreary 

 picture. At midnight, Saint Laurence bore south- 

 south-east, five or six miles distant, and our depth of 

 water was eighteen fathoms. We were accompanied 

 by various kinds of sea fowl, and saw several small 

 crested hawks. 



