362 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



and berries of several different sorts, such as bramble- 

 berries ; cran-berries ; hurtle-berries ; heath-berries ; a 

 small red berry, which, in Newfoundland, is called partridge- 

 berry ; and another brown berry unknown to us. This 

 has somewhat of the taste of a sloe, but it is unlike it in 

 every other respect. It is very astringent, if eaten in 

 any quantity. Brandy might be distilled from it. 



" On the low ground, and in the valleys, is plenty of 

 grass, which grows very thick, and to a great length. I 

 am of opinion that cattle might subsist at Oonalashka all 

 the year round, without being housed. 



" What their notions are of the Deity, and of a future 

 state, I know not. I am equally unacquainted with their 

 diversions, nothing having been seen that could give us 

 an insight into either. 



" They are remarkably cheerful and friendly. They do 

 not seem to be long-lived. I nowhere saw a person, man 

 or woman, whom I could suppose to be sixty years of age, 

 and but a very few who appeared to be above fifty. 



" I have frequently remarked how nearly the natives, 

 on the north-west side of America, resemble the Green- 

 landers and Esquimaux, in various particulars of person, 

 dress, weapons, canoes, and the like. However, I was much 

 less struck with this than with the affinity which we found 

 subsisting between the dialects of the Greenlanders and 

 Esquimaux, and those of Norton's Sound and Oonalashka. 

 From which there is great reason to believe that all these 

 nations are of the same extraction ; and if so, there can 

 be little doubt of there being a northern communication 

 of some sort, by sea, between the west side of America 

 and the east side, through Baffin's Bay ; which communi- 

 cation, however, may be effectually shut up against ships 

 by ice and other impediments. Such, at least, was my 

 opinion at this time. 



" In the morning of Monday, the 26th of October, we put 

 to sea from Samganoodha harbour. My intention was now 

 to proceed to the Sandwich Islands, there to spend a few 

 of the winter months, in case we should meet with the 

 necessary refreshments, and then to direct our course to 

 Kamtschatka, so as to endeavour to be there by the middle 

 of May the ensuing summer. In consequence of this reso- 

 lution, I gave Captain Clerke orders how to proceed in 

 case of separation : appointing the Sandwich Islands for 

 the first place of rendezvous, and the harbour of Petro- 

 paulowska in Kamtschatka for the second. 



" Nothing remarkable happened during our course. At 

 daybreak on the 26th of November, land was seen extending 

 from south south-east to west. We were now satisfied 



