MEETING WITH ICE 501 



On the 9th of August, Cook arrived at a point of land, in 

 north latitude 66°, which he called Cape Prince of Wales, 

 and which is the western extremity of North America. Had 

 he sailed directly north from this spot, he would have passed 

 through Behring's Straits. But the attraction of two small 

 islands drew hiin to the westward, and by nightfall he anchored 

 in a bay on the coast of Asia, having in the course of twenty- 

 four hours been in sight of the two continents. On the 12th, 

 while sailing to the north, both continents were in sight at the 

 same moment. On the 17th, a brightness was perceived in the 

 northern horizon, like that reflected from ice, commonly called 

 the blink. But it was thought very improbable that they should 

 meet with ice so soon. Still, the sharpness of the air and 

 gloominess of the weather seemed to indicate some sudden 

 change. The sight of a large field of ice soon left no doubt as 

 to the cause of the brightness of the horizon. At half-past two, 

 being in latitude 71° and in twenty-two fathoms water, Cook 

 found himself close to the edge of the ice, which was as com- 

 pact as a wall and twelve feet out of water. It extended to 

 the north as far as the eye could reach. A point of land upon 

 the American coast obtained the name of Icy Cape. 



The season was now so far advanced that Cook abandoned 

 all attempts to find a passage through to the Atlantic this year, 

 and directed his attention to the subject of winter quarters. 

 Discovering a deep inlet upon the American side, he named it 

 Norton's Sound, in honor of Sir Fletcher Norton, Speaker of the 

 House of Commons. At Oonalaska, an island some distance to 

 the south, he fell in with three Russian carriers, who had some 

 store-houses and a sloop of thirty tons' burden. They appeared 

 to have a thorough knowledge of the attempts which had been 

 made by their countrymen, Kamschatka, Behring, and others, to 

 navigate the Frozen Ocean. 



On the 26th of October, Cook left Oonalaska for the Sandwich 

 Islands, intending to spend the winter months there, and then to 



