10 INTRODUCTION. 



coast, particularly that to the south of Beeriiig's 

 Straits, which is 100 miles in extent, shall have 

 been explored. But supposing that the wished-for 

 discovery of a connection between the two seas 

 should not be made in the intended voyage, yet 

 many important advantages would accrue from it 

 to the sciences, and especially to navigation. — 

 1. The conviction obtained by a new attempt, that it 

 is impossible to penetrate farther to the north from 

 Beering's Straits than Cook and Gierke have done, 

 and consequently that no passage to the Atlantic 

 Ocean can exist there. 2. The examination of 

 the coast of America, which was not seen by the 

 celebrated English navigator, on account of the 

 shallowness of the water, which was now to be 

 done, as well by water in Baidares, as by land.* 

 3. In case the examination of the coast of Ame- 

 rica northward of Beering's Straits could not be 

 continued as far as Icy Cape, w^hich, considering 

 the small size of the vessel, was not possible, ex- 

 cept under very favourable circumstances, it w^as 

 intended to prosecute the examination by land, in 

 order to learn how far the coast extends to the 

 north, and under what degree of latitude it begins 

 to decline towards the east. This land journey 

 could not fail to afford important information 



* Captain Golownin was charged, in 1811, to examine this 

 part of America, between Shoal Ness and Point Shallow ; but 

 before he could execute this part of his instructions, he was 

 taken prisoner by the Japanese. 



