T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. «8 7 



During the night we had variable winds and rain ; but at *779- 



four in the morning of the 12th, it began to blow fo ftrong, < - 1» 



from the North Eaft, as to oblige us to double-reef the top- Tuefday '*' 

 fails, and make it prudent to Hand more off the more. At 

 fix, the weather becoming more moderate and fair, we 

 again made fail, and flood in for the land. At noon, our 

 latitude was 51 o', longitude 157 25'. The Northcrnmoft 

 land in fight, being the point we have mentioned as firft 

 opening with Cape Gavareea, bore North North Eaft. A 

 head-land, with a flat top, which is in latitude 51 27', and 

 makes the South point of an inlet, called Girowara, bore 

 North one quarter Eaft, and the Southernmost land in fight 

 Weft three quarters North, diftant fix leagues. At this time 

 we could juft perceive low land ftretching from the South- 

 ern extreme ; but the wind veering round to the North 

 Weft, we could not get a nearer view of it. At fix in the 

 afternoon, we faw, from the maft head, Cape Lopatka, the 

 Souihernmoft extremity of Kamtfchatka. It is a very low 

 flat Cape, (loping gradually from the high level land that 

 we faw at noon, and bore Weft half North, about five 

 leagues diftant; and the high land North Weft by Weft half 

 Weft. As this point of land forms fo marked an object in 

 the geography of the Eaftern coaft of Afia, we were glad to 

 be able, by an accurate obiervation, and feveral good 

 angles, to determine its precife Situation, which is in lati- 

 tude 51° o', longitude 156° 45'. To the North Weft of it we 

 faw a remarkable high mountain, the top of which lofes 

 itfelf in the clouds; and, at the fame time, the firft of the 

 Kurile Iilands, called Shoomika, appeared in fight, bearing 

 Weft half South. The paflage between this ifland and Cape 

 Lopatka, the Ruffians defcribe as being three miles broad, 

 and very dangerous, on account of the rapidity of the tides, 



3 D 2 and 



