358 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



number of the Kamtscbadales, and of the natives, as 

 servants or slaves to the former. Some others of the 

 natives, who seemed independent of the Russians, lived 

 at the same place. They all dwell in the same house, the 

 Russians at the upper end, the Kamtschadales in the 

 middle, and the natives at the lower end, where is fixed 

 a large boiler for preparing their food, which consists chiefly 

 of what the sea produces, with the addition of wild roots 

 and berries. 



little hopes of succeeding. loe, though an obstacle not easily sur- 

 mounted, is perhaps not the only one in the way. The coasts of the 

 two continents are flat for some distance off ; and even in the 

 middle, between the two, the depth of water is inconsiderable. 

 This and some other circumstances, all tending to prove that there 

 is more land in the Frozen Sea than as yet we know of, where the ice 

 has its source ; and that the Polar part is far from being an open sea. 



" There is another discouraging circumstance attending the 

 navigating these northern parts, and that is the want of harbours, 

 where a ship can occasionally retire to secure herself from the ice, or 

 repair any damage she may have sustained. For a more particular 

 account of the American Coast, I beg leave to refer you to the 

 enclosed chart, which is hastily copied from an original of the same 

 scale. 



'* The reason of my not going to the harbour of St. Peter and St. 

 Paul in Kamtschatka, to spend the winter, is the great dislike I have 

 to lay inactive for six or eight months, while so large a part of the 

 Northern Pacific Ocean remains unexplored, and the state and 

 condition of the ships will allow me to be moving. Sickness has been 

 little felt in the ships, and scurvy not at all. I have, however, had the 

 misfortune to lose Mr. Anderson, my surgeon, who died of a lingering 

 consumption two months ago, and one man some time before, of the 

 dropsy ; and Captain Clerke had one drowned by accident, which 

 are all we have lost since we left the Cape of Good Hope. 



" Stores and provisions we have enough for twelve months and 

 longer ; without a supply of both, will hardly be possible for us to 

 remain in those seas ; but whatever time we do remain shall be 

 spent in the improvement of geography and navigation, by, Sir, 

 your most obedient humble servant, 



" JAMES COOK." 



" Islands discovered in the voyage, not mentioned in this letter, 

 Mangi-nooe-nai-naiwa, lat. 21 57' S., long. 201 53' E. 



Wantien, L. ~ - 20 01' S., 201 45' E. 



Toobooi, _ _. 23 25' S., 210 24' E. 



" These three islands are inhabited. There is anchorage and 

 good landing- at the last, but not at the others. 



" Christmas Island, lat 1 55' N., long 202 40' E., a low, barren, 

 uninhabited island, with anchorage on the west side. It abounds 

 with turtle, but has no fresh water. 



" Besides these islands, we visited some not known before between 

 19 and 20 S., adjoining to, and making part of, the Friendly 

 Islands." Captains' Letters, O. vol. 25, Admiralty Records, 

 Whitehall. 



