i8z AVOYAGETO 



T-9- On the 2 2d, the wind fhifted to the North Eafl, attended 



, p " ' _. with mifty weather. The cold was exceedingly fevere, and 



rhurUayz:. ^ ro pes were fo frozen, that ic was with difficulty we 

 could force them through the blocks. At noon, the lati- 

 tude, by account, was 51 38', longitude 160 y' ; and on 

 comparing our prefent pofition with that given to the 

 Southern parts of Kamtfchatka, in the Ruffian charts, 

 Captain Clerke did not think it prudent to run on toward 

 the land all night. We therefore tacked at ten; and, hav- 

 ing founded, had ground agreeably to our conjectures, with 

 feventy fathoms of line. 

 Friday 23. On the 23d, at fix in the morning, being in latitude 



52°oo/, and longitude 160 07', on the fog clearing away, 

 the land appeared in mountains covered with fnow ; and 

 extending from North three quarters Eaft, to South Weft, a 

 high conical rock, bearing South Weft, three quarters Weft, 

 at three or four leagues diftance. We had no fooner taken 

 this imperfect view, than we were again covered with a 

 thick fog. Being now, according to our maps, only eight 

 leagues from the entrance of Awatfka Bay, as foon as the 

 weather cleared up, we flood in to take a nearer view of 

 the land ; and a more difmal and dreary profpect I never 

 beheld. The coaft appears flraight and uniform, having 

 no inlets or bays ; the ground, from the more, rifes in hills 

 of a moderate elevation, behind which are ranges of moun- 

 tains, whofe fummits were loft in the clouds. The whole 

 fcene was entirely covered with fnow, except the fides of 

 fomc of the cliffs, which rofe too abruptly from the fea for 

 the fnow to lie upon them. 



The wind continued blowing very ftrong from the North 



Eaft, with thick hazy weather and fleet, from the 24th till 



the 28th. During the whole time, the thermometer was 



never higher than 30'- °. The fhip appeared to be a com- 



3 pie to 



Saturday 24. 



