APPENDIX. 137 



course corrected, when the south end of the island 

 bore by compass E. b N. 3 or 4 leagues, which, 

 brought up from noon, will make it in 74° 19' 

 N. Lat. and 20° 7 E. Long. At this time it 

 came on foggy, and prevented us from ascertaining 

 its extent. Soundings are to be obtained to the 

 southward of this island, and up to Spitzbergen ; 

 black mud and small shells. 



" 19th, Saw Spitzbergen, and on the 20th were 

 close in with the South Cape. We carried regular 

 soundings to 11 fathoms, about three miles off; 

 but this part of the coast appearing to be surround- 

 ed with rocks, we did not attempt approaching 

 it more closely. Our chronometers made it in 

 about 16° 2' E. We saw some beacons placed 

 along the coast, each in the form of a cross, which, 

 are, no doubt, placed there for the guidance of the 

 Russian hunters. 



" About this time we bore away for the North 

 Cape, in order to water, and procure any refresh- 

 ments that could be got. After making the land 

 to the westward of the Cape, we stood into a large 

 bay, to look for a place of safety to accomplish 

 our purpose, hardly suspecting that any inhabi- 

 tants were to be found. On standing in, we ob- 

 served some boats under sail, one of which was 

 soon brought alongside, that contained a family 



