THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 27: 



proof, that the two countries were ufually joined together '779- 

 by the ice. 



The account given by Mr. Muller, of one of the expedi- 

 tions undertaken to difcover a fuppofed ifland in the Frozen 

 Sea, is ftill more remarkable. " In the year 17 14, a new 

 " expedition was prepared from Jakutzk, for the fame 

 u place, under the command of Alexei Markoff, who was 

 " to fail from the mouth of the Jana ; and if the Schitiki 

 " were not fit for fea voyages, he was to conftruct, at a pro- 

 " per place, vefTels fit for profecuting the difcoveries with- 

 *' out danger. 



" On his arrival at Uft-janfkoe Simovie, the port at which 

 " he was to embark, he fent an account, dated February 2, 

 '* 17 15, to the Chancery of Jakutzk, mentioning, that it 

 " was impofTible to navigate the fea, as it was continually 

 M frozen, both in fummer and winter; and that, confe- 

 " quently, the intended expedition, was no otherwife to be 

 " carried on, but with (ledges drawn by dogs. In this 

 " manner, he accordingly fet out, with nine perfons, on 

 " the 10th of March the fame year, and returned on the 

 " 3d of April, to Ufl-janfkoe Simovie. The account of 

 " his journey is as follows : that he went feven days, 

 " as fall as his dogs could draw him (which, in good 

 " ways and weather, is eighty or a hundred werfts in a 

 " day) directly toward the North, upon the ice, without 

 ?« difcovering any ifland: that it had not been poffible for 

 " him to proceed any farther, the ice rifing there in the fea 

 " like mountains: that he had climbed to the top of fome 

 " of them, whence he was able to fee to a great diltance 

 " round about him, but could difcern no appearance of 



Vol. III. N n « land : 



