CHAP 



vr. 



17S6. 



Augufl 

 Sunday 27, 



128 A VOYAGE TOTHE 



bore from Weft half "North to North North Weft half 

 Weft, diftant from the neareft part of it feven or eight 

 Auguft. leagues. At fix o'clock the land in fight bore Weft by 

 "' South and North Eaft. The land to the North Eaft ap- 



peared to be two low iftands, which I conjeclured were 

 lituated between Kayes Iftand and the land of Cape 

 Hinchinbrooke ; at the fame time the points of an opening, 

 which I took for the Eaftern paflage into Prince V/iiliam's 

 Sound, bore North Weft half North, and North North 

 Weft, diftant five or fix leagues. Having a moderate 

 breeze from the North Eaft, and fine weather, we ftood 

 in towards the opening till eight o'clock, v/hen the 

 wind hauled to the North North Eaft, which laid us 

 off fo much that we could not fetch in ; therefore we 

 tacked and. ftood to the Eaftward under an eafy fail, in- 

 Monday28. tending to try for the paftage next morning. At two 

 .o'clock we wore, and fteered North by Weft half Weft, 

 with a breeze from the North Eaft by North. At four 

 o'clock, having a frcfh gale at North Eaft, and fine clear 

 weather, I expelled from the courfe vve had been fteering 

 during the night that we fhould have had the fmal! ifiands, 

 fecn by us the preceding evening, bearing about Noith by 

 Eaft, and diftant about tour miles ; from which fituation, 

 with the North Eaft wind v>^e nov/ had, we could have 

 run into the paffage with a large wind ; but I v,-as'mueh 

 furprifed to fee the fmall iftands bearing North Eaft by 

 North, and dulant about nine leagues ; fo much had the 

 current driven us cir fhore during the night. Flovv^cver, 

 we ftood to the North North Weft under all the fail we 

 could fet ; hoping, if the weather remained fettkd, tl^at 

 we might be able before night came on to get into the 



paftage., 



