On the 4th, at three in the afternoon, land was seen, extending from N.N.E. to N.W. We stood on toward it till four o'clock, when, being four or five miles from it, we tacked; and, soon after, the wind falling, we anchored in thirteen fathoms water, over a sandy bottom; being about two leagues from the land, and, by our reckoning, in the latitude of 64° 27', and in the longitude of 194° 18'. At intervals, we could see the coast extending from E. to N.W., and a pretty high island, bearing W. by N. three leagues distant.
The land before us, which we supposed to be the continent of America, appeared low next the sea; but, inland, it swelled into hills, which rise, one behind another, to a considerable height. It had a greenish hue, but seemed destitute of wood, and free from snow. While we lay at anchor, we found that the flood-tide came from the east, and set to the west, till between ten and eleven o'clock. From that time till two the next morning, the stream set to the eastward, and the water fell three feet. The flood ran both stronger and longer than the ebb; from which I concluded, that, besides the ebb, there was a westerly current.
At ten in the morning of the 5th, with the wind at S.W., we ran down, and anchored between the island and the continent, in seven fathoms water. Soon after I landed upon the island, accompanied by Mr King and some others of the officers. I hoped to have had from it a view of the coast and sea to the westward; but the fog was so thick in that direction, that the prospect was not more extensive than from the ship. The coast of the continent seemed to take a turn to the northward, at a low point, named Point Rodney, which bore from the island N.W. 1/2 W., three or four leagues distant; but the high land, which took a more northerly direction, was seen a great way farther.
This island, which was named Sledge Island, and lies in the latitude of 64° 30', and in the longitude of 193° 57', is about four leagues in circuit. The surface of the ground is composed chiefly of large loose stones, that are, in many places, covered with moss and other vegetables, of which there were above twenty or thirty different sorts, and most of them in flower. But I saw neither shrub nor tree, either upon this island or on the continent. On a small low spot, near the beach where we landed, was a good deal of wild purslain, pease, long-wort, &c.; some of which we took on board for the pot. We saw one fox, a few plovers, and some other small birds; and we met with some decayed huts that were partly built below ground. People had lately been on the island; and it is pretty clear, that they frequently visit it for some purpose or other, as there was a beaten path from the one end to the other. We found, a little way from the shore where we landed, a sledge, which occasioned this name being given to the island, it seemed to be such a one as the Russians in Kamtschatka make use of to convey goods from place to place over the ice or snow. It was ten feet long, twenty inches broad, and had a kind of rail-work on each side, and was shod with bone. The construction of it was admirable, and all the parts neatly put together; some with wooden pins, but mostly with thongs or lashings of whalebone, which made me think it was entirely the workmanship of the natives.
At three o'clock the next morning we weighed, and proceeded to the north-westward, with a light southerly breeze. We had an opportunity to observe the sun's meridian altitude for the latitude; and to get altitudes, both in the forenoon and afternoon, to obtain the longitude by the time-keeper. As we had but little wind, and variable withal, we advanced but slowly; and at eight in the evening, finding the ships settle fast toward the land into shoal water, I anchored in seven fathoms, about two leagues from the coast. Sledge Island bore S., 51° E., ten leagues distant, and was seen over the south point of the main land.
Soon after we had anchored, the weather, which had been misty, clearing up, we saw high land extending from N., 40° E., to N., 30° W., apparently disjoined from the coast, under which we were at anchor, which seemed to trend away N.E. At the same time, an island was seen bearing N., 81° W., eight or nine leagues distant. It appeared to have no great extent, and was named King's Island. We rode here till eight o'clock next morning, when we weighed, and stood to the N.W. The weather clearing up toward the evening, we got sight of the N.W. land, extending from N. by W. to N.W. by N., distant about three leagues. We spent the night making short boards, the weather being misty and rainy, with little wind; and, between four and five of the morning of the 8th, we had again a sight of the N.W. land; and soon after, on account of a calm, and a current driving us toward the shore, we found it necessary to anchor in twelve fathoms water, about two miles from the coast. Over the western extreme is an elevated peaked hill, situated in latitude 65° 36', and in longitude 192° 18'. A breeze at N.E. springing up at eight o'clock, we weighed, and stood to the S.E., in hopes of finding a passage between the coast on which we had anchored on the 6th in the evening, and this N.W. land. But we soon got into seven fathoms water, and discovered low land connecting the two coasts, and the high land behind it.
Being now satisfied that the whole was a continued coast, I tacked, and stood away for its N.W. part, and came to an anchor under it in seventeen fathoms water. The weather at this time was very thick with rain; but at four next morning it cleared up, so that we could see the land about us. A high steep rock or island bore W. by S.; another island to the N. of it; and much larger, bore W. by N.; the peaked hill above mentioned S.E. by E.; and the point under it, S., 32° E. Under this hill lies some low land, stretching out towards the N.W., the extreme point of which bore N.E. by E., about three miles distant. Over and beyond it some high land was seen, supposed to be a continuation of the continent.
This point of land, which I named Cape Prince of Wales, is the more remarkable, by being the western extremity of all America hitherto known. It is situated in the latitude of 65° 45', and in the longitude of 191° 45'. The observations by which both were determined, though made in sight of it, were liable to some small error, on account of the haziness of the weather. We thought we saw some people upon the coast; and probably we were not mistaken, as some elevations, like stages, and others like huts, were seen at the same place. We saw the same things on the continent within Sledge Island, and on some other parts of the coast.
It was calm till eight o'clock in the morning, when a faint breeze at north springing up, we weighed. But we had scarcely got our sails set, when it began to blow and rain very hard, with misty weather. The wind and current being in contrary directions, raised such a sea that it frequently broke into the ship. We had a few minutes sunshine at noon; and from the observation then obtained, we fixed the above-mentioned latitude.