A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xvi Part 21

Having weighed next morning, at two o'clock, with a light breeze at S.W. by W., we plied to windward till nine; when, judging the flood-tide to be now made against us, we came to an anchor in twenty-four fathoms. We lay here till one, when the fog, which had prevailed this morning, dispersing, and the tide making in our favour, we weighed, and plied to the S.W. in the evening, the wind was very variable, and we had some thunder. We had heard none before since our arrival upon the coast; and this was at a great distance.

The wind having settled again in the S.W. quarter, in the morning of the 12th, we stood to the N.W., and at ten saw the continent. At noon, it extended from N.E. by N., to N.W. 1/4 W.; and an elevated hill bore N.N.W., ten leagues distant. This proved to be an island, which, from its figure, obtained the name of _Round Island_. It lies in the lat.i.tude of 58 37', and in the longitude of 200 6', and seven miles from the continent. In the evening, at nine, having stood to the northward to within three leagues of the sh.o.r.e, we tacked in fourteen fathoms water; the extremes of the coast bearing E.S.E. 1/2 E. and W.

The wind veering to the N.W. enabled us to make a good stretch along sh.o.r.e till two o'clock in the morning, when we got all at once into six fathoms water, being at this time two leagues from the sh.o.r.e.

After edging off a little, our depth gradually increased, and at noon we had twenty fathoms, when the lat.i.tude was 53 13', and the longitude 199. Round Island bore N., 5 E.; and the west extreme of the coast N., 16 W., seven leagues distant. It is an elevated point, which obtained the name of _Calm Point_, from our having calm weather when off it. To the N.W. of Round Island are two or three hillocks that appeared like islands; and it is possible they may be such; for we had but a distant view of the coast in this place.[2]

[Footnote 2: Both Round Island and Calm Point are named by c.o.xe; Arrowsmith marks them, but has omitted the names.--E.]

During the 14th and 15th our progress was slow, having little wind, and sometimes so thick a fog, that we could not see the length of the ship. The soundings were from fourteen to twenty-six fathoms; and we had tolerable success in fishing, catching cod, and now and then a few flat fish. At five in the morning of the 16th, the fog having cleared up, we found ourselves nearer the land than we expected. Calm Point bore N., 72 E., and a point eight leagues from it, in the direction of W., bore N., 30 E., three miles distant. Between these two points, the coast forms a bay, in some parts of which the land was hardly visible from the mast-head. There is also a bay on the N.W. side of this last point, between it and an elevated promontory, which at this time bore N., 36 W. sixteen miles distant. At nine, I sent Lieutenant Williamson to this promontory, with orders to land, and see what direction the coast took beyond it, and what the country produced; for from the ships it had but a barren appearance. We found here the flood-tide setting strongly to the N.W. along the coast. At noon it was high water, and we anch.o.r.ed in twenty-four fathoms, four leagues distant from the sh.o.r.e. At five in the afternoon, the tide making in our favour, we weighed, and drove with it, for there was no wind.

Soon after, Mr Williamson returned; and reported, that he had landed on the point, and having climbed the highest hill, found, that the farthest part of the coast in sight bore nearly north. He took possession of the country in his majesty's name; and left on the hill a bottle, in which was inscribed, on a piece of paper, the names of the ships, and the date of the discovery. The promontory, to which he gave the name of _Cape Newenham_, is a rocky point, of tolerable height, situated in the lat.i.tude of 58 42', and in the longitude of 197 36'. Over, or within it, are two elevated hills, rising one behind the other. The innermost, or easternmost, is the highest. The country, as far as Mr Williamson could see, produces neither tree nor shrub. The hills are naked; but on the lower grounds grew gra.s.s and other plants, very few of which were in flower. He saw no other animal but a doe and a fawn; and a dead sea-horse or cow upon the beach. Of these animals we had lately seen a great many.

As the coast takes a northerly direction from Cape Newenham, that Cape fixes the northern limit of the great bay and gulf lying before the river Bristol, which, in honour of the Admiral, Earl of Bristol, was named _Bristol Bay_. _Cape Ooneemak_ is the south limit of this bay; and is distant eighty-two leagues from Cape Newenham, in the direction of S.S.W.[3]

[Footnote 3: Cape Newenham is mentioned by Arrowsmith, but not by c.o.xe; both have Shoal Ness, soon to be spoken of.--E.]

About eight in the evening, a light breeze springing up, which fixed at S.S.E., we steered N.W. and N.N.W., round Cape Newenham, which, at noon next day, bore S. by E., distant four leagues. At this time the most advanced land to the northward bore N., 30 E.; our depth of water was seventeen fathoms, and the nearest sh.o.r.e 3-1/2 leagues distant. We had but little wind all the afternoon; so that, at ten at night, we had only made three leagues upon a north course.

We steered N. by W. till eight the next morning, when, our depth of water decreasing suddenly to five and seven fathoms, we brought-to, till a boat from each ship was sent ahead to sound, and then steered N.E. after them; and at noon we had deepened the water to seventeen fathoms. At this time, Cape Newenham bore S., 9 E., distant eleven or twelve leagues; the N.E. extreme of the land in sight N., 66 E.; and the nearest sh.o.r.e about four or five leagues distant. Our lat.i.tude, by observation, was 59 16'.

Between this lat.i.tude and Cape Newenham, the coast is composed of hills and low land, and appeared to form several bays. A little before one o'clock, the boats ahead made the signal for meeting with shoal water. It seems they had only two fathoms; and at the same time the ships were in six fathoms. By hauling a little more to the northward, we continued in much the same depth till between five and six o'clock, when the boats meeting with less and less water, I made the signal to the Discovery, she being then ahead, to anchor, which we did soon after. In bringing our ship up, the cable parted at the clinch, which obliged us to come-to with the other anchor. We rode in six fathoms water, a sandy bottom, and about four or five leagues from the main land; Cape Newenham bearing S., seventeen leagues distant. The farthest hills we could see to the north, bore N.E. by E.; but there was low land stretching out from the high land as far as N. by E.

Without this was a shoal of sand and stones, that was dry at half ebb.

I had sent the two masters, each in a boat, to sound between this shoal and the coast. On their return, they reported, that there was a channel, in which they found six and seven fathoms water; but that it was narrow and intricate. At low water, we made an attempt to get a hawser round the lost anchor, but did not succeed then. However, being determined not to leave it behind me, as long as there was a probability of recovering it, I persevered in my endeavours, and at last succeeded in the evening of the 20th.

While we were thus employed, I ordered Captain Clerke to send his master in a boat to look for a pa.s.sage in the S.W. quarter. He did so; but no channel was to be found in that direction; nor did there appear to be any way to get clear of these shoals, but to return by the track which had brought us in. For although, by following the channel we were in, we might probably have got farther down the coast; and though, possibly, this channel might have led us at last to the north, clear of the shoals, still the attempt would have been attended with vast risk; and if we should not have succeeded, there would have been a considerable loss of time that could ill be spared. These reasons induced me to return by the way in which we came; and so get without the shoals.

A number of lunar observations, made by Mr King and myself on this and the four preceding days, and all reduced to the ship's present station, gave the longitude

197 45' 48"

By the time-keeper it was 197 26 48 Our lat.i.tude was 59 37 30 Variation by the A.M. 23 34' 3" mean of three } P.M. 22 19 40 / mean 22 56' 51" E.

compa.s.ses, /

The northernmost part of the coast that we could see from this station, I judged to lie in the lat.i.tude of 60. It seemed to form a low point, which obtained the name of _Shoal-Ness_.

The tide of flood sets to the north, and the ebb to the south. It rises and falls, upon a perpendicular, five or six feet; and I reckon it to be high-water on the full and change days at eight o'clock.

Having weighed at three in the morning on the 21st, with a light breeze at N.N.W., we steered back to the southward, having three boats ahead to direct us. But, notwithstanding this precaution, we found more difficulty in returning than we had in advancing; and at last were obliged to anchor, to avoid running upon a shoal, which had only a depth of five feet. While we lay here, twenty-seven men of the country, each in a canoe, came off to the ships, which they approached with great caution, hollowing and opening their arms as they advanced.

This, we understood, was to express their pacific intentions. At length, some approached near enough to receive a few trifles that were thrown to them. This encouraged the rest to venture alongside; and a traffic presently commenced between them and our people; who got dresses of skins, bows, arrows, darts, wooden vessels, &c.; our visitors taking in exchange for these whatever was offered them. They seemed to be the same sort of people that we had of late met with all along this coast; wore the same kind of ornaments in their lips and noses; but were far more dirty, and not so well clothed. They appeared to be wholly unacquainted with people like us; they knew not the use of tobacco; nor was any foreign article seen in their possession, unless a knife may be looked upon as such. This, indeed, was only a piece of common iron fitted in a wooden handle, so as to answer the purpose of a knife. They, however, knew the value and use of this instrument so well, that it seemed to be the only article they wished for. Most of them had their hair shaved or cut short off, leaving only a few locks behind, or on one side. For a covering for the head they wore a hood of skins, and a bonnet which appeared to be of wool. One part of their dress, which we got from them, was a kind of girdle, very neatly made of skin, with trappings depending from it, and pa.s.sing between the legs, so as to conceal the adjoining parts. By the use of such a girdle, it should seem that they sometimes go naked, even in this high lat.i.tude; for they would hardly wear it under their other clothing.

The canoes were made of skins, like all the others we had lately seen; only with this difference, that these were broader, and the hole in which the man sits was wider than in any I had before met with. Our boats returning from sounding seemed to alarm them, so that they all left us sooner than probably they would otherwise have done.

It was the 22d in the evening before we got clear of these shoals, and then I durst not venture to steer to the westward in the night, but spent it off Cape Newenham; and at day-break, next morning, steered to the N.W., ordering the Discovery to lead. Before we had run two leagues, our depth of water decreased to six fathoms. Fearing, if we continued this course, that we should find less and less water, I hauled to the southward; the wind being at east, a fresh breeze. This course brought us gradually. into eighteen fathoms, and having that depth, I ventured to steer a little westerly; and afterward west, when we at last found twenty-six fathoms water.

On the 24th at noon, we were, by observation in the lat.i.tude of 58 7', and in the longitude of 194 22'. Three leagues to the westward of this station we had twenty-eight fathoms water, and then steered W.N.W., the water gradually deepening to thirty-four fathoms. I would have steered more northerly, but the wind having veered in that direction, I could not.

The 25th, in the evening, having a very thick fog, and but little wind, we dropped anchor in thirty fathoms water. Our lat.i.tude was now 58 29', and our longitude 191 37'. At six, the next morning, the weather clearing up a little, we weighed, and, with a small breeze at east, steered north, our soundings being from twenty-eight to twenty-five fathoms. After running nine leagues upon this course, the wind returned back to the north, which obliged us to steer more westerly.

The weather continued for the most part foggy till toward noon on the 28th, when we had a few hours clear sunshine; during which we made several lunar observations. The mean result of them, reduced to noon, when the lat.i.tude was 59 55', gave 190 6' longitude; and the time-keeper gave 189 59'. The variation of the compa.s.s was 18 40'

E. Continuing our westerly course, the water having now deepened to thirty-six fathoms, at four o'clock next morning we discovered land, bearing N.W. by W., six leagues distant. We stood toward it till half-past ten, when we tacked in twenty-four fathoms water, being at this time a league from the land, which bore N.N.W. It was the S.E.

extremity, and formed a perpendicular cliff of considerable height; on which account it was called _Point Upright_, and lies in the lat.i.tude of 60 17', and in the longitude of 187 30'. More land was seen to the westward of the point; and, at a clear interval, we saw another elevated portion of land in the direction of W. by S.; and this seemed to be entirely separated from the other. Here we met with an incredible number of birds, all of the awk kind before described.

We had baffling light winds all the afternoon, so that we made but little progress; and the weather was not clear enough to enable us to determine the extent of the land before us. We supposed it to be one of the many islands laid down by Mr Staehlin, in his map of the New Northern Archipelago; and we expected every moment to see more of them.[4]

[Footnote 4: The opinion here given, we shall find, is afterwards corrected; and the land in question proved to be a discovery unknown to the Russians.--E.]

At four in the afternoon of the 30th, Point Upright bore N.W. by N., six leagues distant. About this time, a light breeze springing up at N.N.W., we stood to the N.E. till four o'clock next morning, when the wind veering to the eastward, we tacked, and stood to the N.W. Soon after the wind came to S.E.; and we steered N.E. by N.; which course we continued, with soundings from thirty-five to twenty fathoms, till next day at noon. At this time we were in the lat.i.tude of 60 58', and in the longitude of 191. The wind now veering to N.E., I first made a stretch of ten leagues to the N.W.; and then, seeing no land in that direction, I stood back to the eastward about fifteen leagues, and met with nothing but pieces of drift-wood. The soundings were from twenty-two to nineteen fathoms.

Variable, light winds, with showers of rain, prevailed all the 2d; but fixing in the S.E. quarter in the morning of the 3d, we resumed our course to the northward. At noon, we were, by observation, in the lat.i.tude of 62 34', our longitude was 192, and our depth of water sixteen fathoms.

Mr Anderson, my surgeon, who had been lingering under a consumption for more than twelve months, expired between three and four this afternoon. He was a sensible young man, an agreeable companion, well skilled in his own profession, and had acquired considerable knowledge in other branches of science. The reader of this Journal will have observed how useful an a.s.sistant I had found him in the course of the voyage; and had it pleased G.o.d to have spared his life, the public, I make no doubt, might have received from him such communications, on various parts of the natural history of the several places we visited, as would have abundantly shewn that he was not unworthy of this commendation.[5] Soon after he had breathed his last, land was seen to the westward, twelve leagues distant. It was supposed to be an island; and, to perpetuate the memory of the deceased, for whom I had a very great regard, I named it _Anderson's Island_. The next day, I removed Mr Law, the surgeon of the Discovery, into the Resolution, and appointed Mr Samuel, the surgeon's first mate of the Resolution, to be surgeon of the Discovery.

[Footnote 5: Mr Anderson's Journal seems to have been discontinued for about two months before his death; the last date in his MSS. being of the 3d of June.--D.

The Biographia Britannica informs us, that Mr Anderson left his papers to Sir Joseph Banks; but that the Admiralty took possession of the larger part of them, and, for what reason is not mentioned, retained them. Such parts, however, it is said, as related solely to natural history, were delivered by Captain King to the Baronet, who bears testimony "to the excellence of Mr A.'s character, the utility of his observations, and to the great probability, that, if he had survived, he would have given to the world something which would have done him credit." Much of this commendatory opinion might be inferred from what has been published of Mr A.'s labours, which const.i.tute no inconsiderable portion, either in bulk or value, of Captain Cook's communications.--E.]

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 anch.o.r.ed in thirteen fathoms water, over a sandy bottom; being about two leagues from the land, and, by our reckoning, in the lat.i.tude 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 dest.i.tute 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 anch.o.r.ed 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 lat.i.tude 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 sh.o.r.e 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 alt.i.tude for the lat.i.tude; and to get alt.i.tudes, 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 anch.o.r.ed 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 anch.o.r.ed, 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 sh.o.r.e, 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 lat.i.tude 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 pa.s.sage between the coast on which we had anch.o.r.ed 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 lat.i.tude 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 lat.i.tude.

Having plied to windward till two in the afternoon, with little effect, I bore up for the island we had seen to the westward, proposing to come to an anchor under it till the gale should cease.

But on getting to this land, we found it composed of two small islands, each not above three or four leagues in circuit, and consequently they could afford us little shelter. Instead of anchoring, therefore, we continued to stretch to the westward; and at eight o'clock, land was seen in that direction, extending from N.N.W.

to W. by S., the nearest part six leagues distant. I stood on till ten, and then made a board to the eastward, in order to spend the night.

At day-break in the morning of the 10th, we resumed our course to the west for the land we had seen the preceding evening. At eleven minutes after seven, when the longitude, by the time-keeper, was 189 24', it extended from S. 72 W. to N. 41 E. Between the S.W. extreme, and a point which bore W., two leagues distant, the sh.o.r.e forms a large bay, in which we anch.o.r.ed at ten o'clock in the forenoon, about two miles from the north sh.o.r.e, in ten fathoms water, over a gravelly bottom.

The south part of the bay bore S. 58 W., the north point N. 43 E., the bottom of the bay N. 60 W., two or three leagues distant, and.

the two islands we had pa.s.sed the preceding day, N. 72 E., distant fourteen leagues.

SECTION IX.

_Behaviour of the Natives, the Tschutski, on seeing the Ships.--Interview with some of them.--Their Weapons.--Persons.--Ornaments.--Clothing.--Winter and Summer Habitations.--The Ships cross the Strait, to the Coast of America.--Progress Northward.--Cape Mulgrave.--Appearance of Fields of Ice.--Situation of Icy Cape.--The Sea blocked up with Ice.--Sea-horses killed, and used as Provisions.--These Animals described.--Dimensions of one of them.--Cape Lisburne.--Fruitless Attempt to get through the Ice at a Distance from the Coast.--Observations on the Formation of thin Ice.--Arrival on the Coast of Asia.--Cape North.--The Prosecution of the Voyage deferred to the ensuing Year._

As we were standing into this bay, we perceived on the north sh.o.r.e a village, and some people, whom the sight of the ships seemed to have thrown into confusion or fear. We could plainly see persons running up the country with burdens upon their backs. At these habitations I proposed to land; and accordingly went with three armed boats, accompanied by some of the officers. About thirty or forty men, each armed with a spontoon, a bow, and arrows, stood drawn up on a rising ground close by the village. As we drew near, three of them came down toward the sh.o.r.e, and were so polite as to take off their caps, and to make us low bows. We returned the civility; but this did not inspire them with sufficient confidence to wait for our landing, for the moment we put the boats ash.o.r.e, they retired. I followed them alone, without any thing in my hand; and by signs and gestures prevailed on them to stop, and to receive some trifling presents. In return for these they gave me two fox-skins, and a couple of sea-horse teeth. I cannot say whether they or I made the first present; for it appeared to me that they had brought down with them these things for this very purpose, and that they would have given them to me, even though I had made no return.