PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
541 
in all probability it is in that which opens out near a bold promontory, 
to which I have given the name of York, in honour of his late Royal 
Highness. On nearing that part of the coast we found the water 
more shallow than usual. 
Having passed the night off Cape York on the 31st, we steered 
to the eastward, and shortly discovered a low' spit of land projecting 
about ten miles from the coast, which here forms a right angle, and 
having a channel about two miles wide between its extremity and the 
northern shore. We sailed through this opening, and entered a spa- 
cious harbour capable of holding a great many ships of the line. W e 
landed first on the low spit at the entrance, and then stood across, nine 
miles to the eastward, and came to an anchor off a bold cape, having 
carried nothing less than five and a half fathoms water the whole of 
the way. 
The following morning, Sept. 1st, we stood toward an opening at 
the north-east angle of the harbour ; but finding the water get gra- 
dually shallow, came again to anchor. On examination with the boats, 
we found, as we expected, an inner harbour, ten miles in length by 
two and a quarter in width, with an almost uniform depth of two and 
a half and three fathoms water. The channel into it from the outer 
harbour is extremely narrow, the entrance being contracted by two 
sandy spits ; but the water is deep, and in one part there is not less 
than twelve fathoms. At the upper end of the harbour a second strait, 
about three hundred yards in width, was formed between steep cliffs ; 
but this channel was also contracted by sandy points. The current ran 
strong through the channel, and brought down a great body of w^ater, 
nearly .fresh (1.0096 sp. gr.). The boats had not time to pursue this 
strait ; but in all probability it communicates with a large inland lake, 
as described by the natives in Kotzebue Sound. At the entrance 
of the strait, called Tokshook by the natives, there is an Esquimaux 
village, and upon the northern and eastern shores of the harbour there 
are two others : the population of the whole amounted to about four 
hundred persons. They closely resembled the natives we had seen 
before, except that they were better provided with clothing, and their 
CHAP. 
XVIII. 
Aug. 
1827. 
Sept. 
