i8 Captain Burney on the geography of the 
the rate of more than half a mile per hour : at no time at the 
rate of a mile. 
It is doubtless possible, that large bodies of ice taking the 
ground may choak up a channel between two seas, so as 
wholly to obstruct the tides ; but it is not probable, that such 
should have been the case between this sea and the Icy sea, 
through the whole month of August and the beginning of 
September, to which time Captain Cook remained in the sea 
north of Bering’s Strait. And the same stillness of the waters 
was observed there in the ensuing summer. The bottom 
also, not being swept by streams, was of soft ooze, so tena- 
cious that the sounding line in common use was not strong 
enough to disengage the lead, and it became necessary to 
sound with a smaller lead and stronger line. 
From Bering’s Strait, Captain Cook coasted the land of 
America, to the north and north-eastward, as near as weather 
and other circumstances would admit, till, in latitude 7o°4o # N. 
his farther advance was stopped by a close body of ice to the 
N. and N. E. The ice, though compact, was not fixed, and 
was found to be approaching the American coast. Captain 
Cook remarks, ‘ as the ice was driving down upon us, it was 
‘ evident, that if we remained longer between it and the land, 
‘ it would drive us ashore, unless it should happen to take 
‘ the ground before us.’ Captain Cook on this, as on many 
other occasions, accommodated his views to the circum- 
stances present, that there might be no unprofitable expen- 
diture of time ; and it may be said that in all his changes of 
plan, his measures were so directly adapted to his purpose, 
that without other communication his intentions were irarae- 
