THE PACIFIC OCEAN. rj-T 



fpecting the exiftence of any pafTage to the Northward, could '7'9- 

 be drawn from them. We found the month of July to be in- 

 finitely colder than that of Auguft. The thermometer in 

 July was once at 28 , and very commonly at 30 j whereas 

 the laft year, in Auguft, it was very rare to have it fo low 

 as the freezing point. In both feafons, we had fome high 

 winds, all of which came from the South Well:. We were 

 fubject to fogs, whenever the wind was moderate, from 

 whatever quarter, but they attended Southerly winds more 

 conftantly than contrary ones. 



The (traits, between the two continents, at their neareft 

 approach, in latitude 66°, were afcertained to be thirteen 

 leagues, beyond which they diverge to North Eaft by Eaft 

 and Weft North Weft ; and in latitude 6/, they become 14 

 of longitude, or about one hundred leagues, afunder. A 

 great fimilarity is obfervable in the appearance of the two 

 countries, to the Northward of the ftraits. Both are defti- 

 tute of wood. The mores are low, with mountains rifing 

 to a great height farther up the country. The depth of 

 water, in the mid-way between them, was twenty-nine 

 and thirty fathoms, decreasing gradually as we approached 

 either concincnt, with the difference of being fome what 

 fhoaler on the American than on the Afiatic coaft, at the. 

 fame diftance from land. The bortom, in the middle, was 

 a foft ilimy mud ; and on drawing near to either more, a 

 brown fand, intermixed with fma.ll fragments of bones, and 

 a few fliells. We obferved but little tide or current; what 

 there was, came from the Weftward. 



But it is now time to refume the narrative of our voyage, 

 which was broken off on the 31ft of July, on which day at 

 noon we had advanced eighteen leagues to the Southward 

 of the Eaft Cape. 



7 We 



