232 cook's voyage to july, 



mountable barrier to every attempt we can possibly 

 make. I, therefore, think it the best step that can 

 be taken, for the good of the service, to trace the sea 

 over to the Asiatic coast, and to try if I can find any 

 opening, that will admit me farther north; if not, to 

 see what more is to be done upon that coast ; where 

 I hope, yet cannot much flatter myself, to meet with 

 better success ; for the sea is now so choked with 

 ice, that a passage, I fear, is totally out of the ques- 

 tion." 



J 



