north-eastern part of Asia , &c. 2 1 
c opposite to the Kolyma, which stretches as a continuation 
« of the continent of America, it will be of use if you can 
‘ survey and describe the circumstances of that land/ 
The history of Commodore Billings’s expedition may be 
told in few words. He sailed with two light vessels out of 
the Kolyma, on the 24th of June, 1787. He met with much 
ice, and on the 20th of July, without having reached so far 
eastward as the island Sabedei, he relinquished the farther 
prosecution of the attempt by sea; at the very season, in fact, 
which was the most proper that could have been chosen for 
his outset from the Kolyma.* In this short attempt, Com- 
modore Billings did not even get sight of the north land ; 
but an approach to it was to be inferred from the soundings. 
The snow and ice were at this time rapidly dissolving, so as 
to cause currents to set for several days continuance in one 
direction ; and during that time, the water on the surface of 
the sea was so fresh as to be used for cooking, and some- 
times for drinking. 
Afterwards, Commodore Billings, with the consent of the 
Tschuktzki people, made a progress by land along a part of 
the Tschuktzki coast. Most unaccountably, he chose for his 
point of outset for this journey, the bay of Saint Lawrence, 
which is on the south side of Bering’s Strait. He landed in 
the month of August with a party consisting of twelve per- 
sons, and travelled northward, keeping near the coast as far 
as to a bay called Klutchenie, which is at the extreme part 
of the Asiatic coast seen in Captain Cook’s voyage. By this 
time, winter had set in, and the sea was frozen over. The 
* His lieutenant (the present Admiral Saretcheff) proposed and offered to proceed 
north-eastward in a light boat; but his offer was not accepted. 
