1779- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 3^7 



the track we had just crossed ; being, by this means, 

 demonstratively removed from that situation, an 

 additional proof is obtained of their lying to the 

 westward, where Spanberg actually places them, 

 between the longitude 142° and 147°. But as this 

 space is occupied in the French charts by part of 

 the supposed land of Jeso and Staten Island, Mr. 

 Midler's opinion becomes extremely probable, that 

 they are all the same lands ; and as no reasons 

 appear for doubting Spanberg's accuracy, we have 

 ventured, in our general map, to reinstate the Three 

 Sisters, Zellany, and Kunashir, in their proper situ- 

 ation, and have entirely omitted the rest. When 

 the reader recollects the manner in which the 

 Russians have multiplied the islands of the Northern 

 Archipelago, from the want of accuracy in deter- 

 mining their real situation, and the desire men 

 naturally feel of propagating new discoveries, he 

 will not be surprised, that the same causes should 

 produce the same effects. It is thus that the 

 Jesoian lands, which appear, both from the accounts 

 of the Japanese, and the earliest Russian traditions, 

 to be no other than the southern Kurile islands, 

 have been supposed distinct from the latter. The 

 land of De Gama is next on record, and was 

 originally placed nearly in the same situation with 

 those just mentioned ; but was removed, as has 

 been already suggested, to make room for Staten 

 Island, and the Company's Land ; and as Jeso, and 

 the southernmost of the Kuriles, had also possession 

 of this space, that nothing might be lost, they were 

 provided for, the former a little to the westward, 

 and the latter to the eastward. 



As the islands of Zellany and Kunashir, ac- 

 cording to the Russian charts, were still to the 

 southward, we were not without hopes of being 

 able to make them, and therefore kept our head 

 as much to the westward as the wind would permit. 

 On the 20th, at noon, we were in latitude 43° 4-7', 



A A 3 



