The canoes of these people are of the same sort with those of the northern Americans; some, both of the large and of the small ones, being seen lying in a creek under the village.
By the large fish-bones, and of their sea-animals, it appeared that the sea supplied them with the greatest part of their subsistence. The country appeared to be exceedingly barren; yielding neither tree nor shrub, that we could see. At some distance westward, we observed a ridge of mountains covered with snow that had lately fallen.
At first we supposed this land to be a part of the island of Alaschka, laid down in Mr. Stæhlin’s map, before mentioned. But from the figure of the coast, the situation of the opposite shore of America, and from the longitude, we soon began to think that it was, more probably, the country of the Tschutski, or the eastern extremity of Asia, explored by Beering in 1728. But to have admitted this, without farther examination, I must have pronounced Mr. Stæhlin’s map, and his account of the new Northern Archipelago, to be either exceeding erroneous, even in latitude, or else to be a mere fiction; a judgment which I had no right to pass upon a publication so respectably vouched, without producing the clearest proofs.
After a stay of between two and three hours with these people, we returned to our ships; and soon after, the wind veering to the south, we weighed anchor, stood out of the bay, and steered to the north-east, between the coast and the two islands. The next day, at noon, the former extended from S. 80° W., to N. 84° W.; the latter bore 43° W.; and the peaked mountain, over Cape Prince of Wales, bore S. 36° E.; with land extending from it as far as S. 75° E. The latitude of the ship was 66° 51⁄4ʹ; the longitude 191° 19ʹ; our depth of water twenty-eight fathoms; and our position nearly in the middle of the channel between the two coasts, each being seven leagues distant.
From this station we steered east, in order to get nearer the American coast. In this course the water shoaled gradually, and there being little wind, and all our endeavours to increase our depth failing, I was obliged at last to drop anchor in six fathoms; the only remedy we had left to prevent the ships driving into less. The nearest part of the western land bore W., twelve leagues distant; the peaked hill over Cape Prince of Wales, S. 16° W.; and the northernmost part of the American continent in sight E. S. E., the nearest part about four leagues distant. After we had anchored, I sent a boat to sound, and the water was found to shoal gradually toward the land. While we lay at anchor, which was from six to nine in the evening, we found little or no current; nor could we perceive that the water either rose or fell.
A breeze of wind springing up north, we weighed and stood to the westward, which course soon brought us into deep water; and, during the 12th, we plied to the north, both coasts being in sight; but we kept nearest to that of America.
At four in the afternoon of the 13th, a breeze springing up at south, I steered N. E. by N., till four o’clock next morning, when, seeing no land, we directed our course E. by N.; and between nine and ten, land, supposed to be a continuation of the continent, appeared. It extended from east by south to east by north; and, soon after, we saw more land, bearing N. by E. Coming pretty suddenly into thirteen fathoms water, at two in the afternoon we made a trip off till four, when we stood in again for the land; which was seen, soon after, extending from north to south-east; the nearest part three or four leagues distant. The coast here forms a point, named Point Mulgrave, which lies in the latitude of 67° 45ʹ; and in the longitude of 194° 51ʹ. The land appeared very low next the sea; but, a little back, it rises into hills of a moderate height. The whole was free from snow; and to appearance destitute of wood. I now tacked, and bore away N. W. by W.; but soon after, thick weather with rain coming on, and the wind increasing, I hauled more to the west.
Next morning, at two o’clock, the wind veered to S. W. by S., and blew a strong gale, which abated at noon; and the sun shining out, we found ourselves, by observation, in the latitude of 68° 18ʹ. I now steered N. E. till six o’clock the next morning, when I steered two points more easterly. In this run we met with several sea-horses, and flights of birds; some like land-larks, and others seen no bigger than hedge-sparrows. Some shags were also seen; so that we judged ourselves to be not far from the land. But as we had a thick fog, we could not expect to see any; and as the wind blew strong, it was not prudent to continue a course which was most likely to bring us to it. From the noon of this day to six o’clock in the morning of the following, I steered E. by N.; which course brought us into sixteen fathoms water. I now steered N. E. by E., thinking by this course to deepen our water. But, in the space of six leagues, it shoaled to eleven fathoms; which made me think it proper to haul close to the wind, that now blew at west. Toward noon, both sun and moon were seen clearly at intervals, and we got some flying observations for the longitude; which, reduced to noon, when the latitude was 70° 33ʹ, gave 197° 41ʹ. The time-keeper, for the same time, gave 198°; and the variation was 35° 1ʹ 22ʺ E. We had afterward reason to believe that the observed longitude was within a very few miles of the truth.
Some time before noon we perceived a brightness in the northern horizon, like that reflected from ice, commonly called the blink. It was little noticed, from a supposition that it was improbable we should meet with ice so soon. And yet the sharpness of the air, and gloominess of the weather, for two or three days past, seemed to indicate some sudden change. About an hour after, the sight of a large field of ice left us no longer in doubt about the cause of the brightness of the horizon. At half past two, we tacked, close to the edge of the ice, in twenty-two fathoms water, being then in the latitude of 70° 41ʹ; not being able to stand on any farther. For the ice was quite impenetrable, and extended from west by south to east by north, as far as the eye could reach. Here were abundance of sea-horses; some in the water, but far more upon the ice. I had the thoughts of hoisting out the boats to kill some; but the wind freshening, I gave up the design, and continued to ply to the southward, or rather to the westward; for the wind came from that quarter.
We gained nothing; for on the 18th at noon our latitude was 70° 44ʹ; and we were near five leagues farther to the eastward. We were, at this time, close to the edge of the ice, which was as compact as a wall, and seemed to be ten or twelve feet high at least. But farther north, it appeared much higher. Its surface was extremely rugged, and here and there we saw upon it pools of water.