ld only determine its latitude so far as
we could judge of distances; whereas now the noon observations enabled us
to ascertain it correctly, which is 63 deg. 47'. Its longitude was found to be
188 deg. 15' as before. This island, if its boundaries were at this time within
our view, is about three leagues in circuit. The north part may be seen at
the distance of ten or twelve leagues; but as it falls in lowland to the
south-east, the extent of which we could not see, some of us conjectured
that it might probably be joined to the land to the eastward of it; this,
however, the haziness of the weather prevented our ascertaining. These
islands, as well as the land about the Tschukotskoi Noss, were covered with
snow, and presented us with a most dreary picture. At midnight, Saint
Laurence bore S.S.E., five or six miles distant; and our depth of water was
eighteen fathoms. We were accompanied by various kinds of sea-fowl, and saw
several small crested hawks.

The weather still continuing to thicken, we lost all sight of land till the
5th, when it appeared both to the N.E. and N.W, Our latitude, by account,
was at this time 65 deg. 24', longitude 189 deg. 14'. As the islands of Saint
Diomede, which lie between the two continents in Beering's strait, were
determined by us last year to be in latitude 65 deg. 48', we could not
reconcile the land to the N.E., with the situation of these islands. We
therefore stood toward the land till three in the afternoon, when we were
within four miles of it, and finding it to be two islands, were pretty well
satisfied of their being the same; but the weather still continuing hazy,
to make sure of our situation, we stood over to the coast of Asia till
seven in the evening; at which time we were within two or three leagues of
the east cape of that continent.

This cape is a high round head of land, extending four or five miles from
north to south, forming a peninsula, and connected with the continent by a
narrow neck of low land. Its shore is bold, and off its north part are
three high, detached, spiral rocks. At this time it was covered with snow,
and the beach surrounded with ice. We were now convinced, that we had been
under the influence of a strong current, setting to the north, that had
caused an error in our latitude at noon of twenty miles. In passing this
strait the last year, we had experienced the same effect.

Being at length sure of our position, we held on to the N. by E. At ten at