11 
north-eastern part of Asia , &c. 
« doubled by any vessel, because the west coast of the first 
“ is barred in the summer by floating ice, and in winter the 
“ sea there is frozen ; but at the second, the sea is clear, 
“ without ice.” 
Scheuchzer, the translator of K^mpfer’s History of 
Japan, in an introduction to his translation, cites some re- 
marks which had been published concerning the Tartars, 
wherein it was said, “ the inhabitants of Siberia who live near 
“ the river Lena, and along the coast of the Icy ocean, in 
“ their commerce with Kamtschatka, commonly go with 
“ their ships round a Suetoi Noss [y>r sacred cape]], to avoid 
“ the Tschelatzki and Tschuktzki, two fierce and barbarous 
“ nations possessed of the north-east point of Siberia.” On 
this vague authority Scheuchzer concludes, that Asia is not 
contiguous to America. 
When Mr. Muller first went into Siberia, no credited 
tradition appears to have been there current of the north-east 
extremity of Asia having been sailed round. Charts which 
were made in Siberia by people inhabiting the coasts of the 
Icy sea, showed uncertainty , and what is to be considered only 
as an expression of a belief of a great north-eastern promon- 
tory ; for at that part, the coast was not defined by any 
outline, but left without limitation : whereas a more southern 
promontory, supposed the second from the Kolyma, was 
clearly delineated in the charts without any indication of 
doubt ; and this last-mentioned promontory, it is evident, was 
the cape which was afterwards seen by Bering, and to 
which Captain Cook gave the name of Cape East, on account 
of its being the most eastern land known of Asia. In the 
instructions which were given by the Czar Peter the Great 
