THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 271 



As far as our experience went, it appears, that the fea to' \~~9- 

 the North of Beering's ftrait, is clearer of ice in Auguft than 

 in July, and perhaps in a part of September it may be dill 

 more free. But after the equinox, the days fhorten fo faft, 

 that no farther thaw can be expected j and we cannot ra- 

 tionally allow fo great an effect to the warm weather in the 

 firft half of September, as to imagine it capable of difper- 

 fing the ice from the moft Northern parts of the American 

 coaft. But admitting this to be poffible, it muft at lead be 

 granted, that it would be madnefs to attempt to run from 

 the Icy Cape to the known parts of Baffin's Bay (a diftance 

 of four hundred and twenty leagues), in fo fhort a time as 

 that paffage can be fuppofed to continue open. 



Upon the Afiatic fide, there appears flill lefs probability of 

 fuccefs, both from what came to our own knowledge, with 

 refpect to the Hate of the fea to the Southward of Cape 

 North, and alfo from what we learn from the experience of 

 the * Lieutenants under Beering's direction, and the journal 

 of Shalauroff, in regard to that on the North of Siberia. 



The voyage of Defhneff, if its truth be admitted, proves 

 undoubtedly the poffibility of paffing round the North Eaft 

 point of Afia ; but when the reader reflects, that near a cen- 

 tury and a half has elapfed fincc the time of that navigator, 

 during which, in an age of great curiofity and cnterprize, 

 no man has yet been able to follow him, he will not enter- 

 tain very fanguine expectations of the public advantages 

 that can be derived from it. But let us even fuppofc, that in 

 ibme Angularly favourable feafon a fhip has found a clear 

 paffage round the coaft of Siberia, and is fafcly arrived at 

 the mouth of the Lena, flill there remains the Cape of Tai • 



* See Gmelin, pages 369. 374, 



murn> 



