t scarcely required the
desire of the natives to get white men with their superior knowledge, and
above all superior arms, to remain with them, to induce them to desert.
This last, however, made desertion more easy, and had not Cook taken
strong measures, no doubt the epidemic would have spread.

After visiting Bolabola, Cook sailed north, to prosecute the main object
of his voyage, the exploration of the north-west coast of America. On
December 24th he fell in with Christmas Island, which he so named from
the season. After mapping it, and getting many turtle, he continued his
course to the north, and discovered Atooi or Kauai, the western island of
the Sandwich Group.

Communicating with this island and another, he finally left on February
3rd, 1778, and on March 7th made the coast of North America, a little
south of the Columbia River. Gales ensued, and Cook missed the entrance
of Juan de Fuca Strait, making the land again a little north of it.

Anchoring first in Nootka Sound in Vancouver Island--though Cook did not
know it was an island--the ships continued their exploration to the
north-west, skirting the coast as near as stormy weather permitted them,
and calling at various places until the north-west extremity of the
Alaska Peninsula was reached. In one place, afterwards called Cook's
River, it was hoped that the desired passage eastward was found; but it
was soon discovered that it was merely an inlet.

Passing through the Aleutian Chain, east of Unalaska, Cook visited that
island, and continued his voyage through the Bering Sea, clinging to the
land as much as possible, and finally got into Bering Strait. Here he had
both continents in sight, and communicated with both sides.

Standing further north, he, in latitude 70 degrees 30 minutes north, came
across the icy barrier of the Arctic Sea. After vainly trying for a
passage in fog and strong wind, surrounded by loose ice, and after
mapping a good deal of the shores on both sides, the ships again turned
south at the end of August, exploring as they went first on the Asiatic
side, and afterwards on the American, especially examining Norton Sound.
In the beginning of October they once more arrived at Unalaska, and the
Resolution having sprung a dangerous leak, the opportunity was taken to
stop it.

On October 26th the ships sailed for the Sandwich Islands, where Cook had
determined to winter, for the double purpose of refreshing his crew,
gaining more knowle