442 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 
ice. Here the vessel was anchored in the lee of a ground-ice, 
which had stranded near the northernmost spur of Irkaipij, 
until a strong tidal current began to carry large pieces of drift- 
ice past the vessel’s anchorage. She was now removed and 
anchored anew in a little hay open to the north, which was 
formed by two rocky points jutting out from the mainland. 
Unfortunately we were detained here, waiting for a better state 
of the ice, until the 18th September. It was this involuntary 
delay which must be considered the main cause of our 
wintering. 
Irkaipij is the northernmost promontory in that part of Asia, 
which was seen by Cook in 1778. It was, therefore, called by 
him Cape North, a name which has since been adopted in most 
maps, although it is apt to lead to confusion from capes similarly 
named being found in most countries. It is also incorrect, 
