ut it would have been highly imprudent in me to have
engaged with the land in weather so exceedingly tempestuous, or to
have lost the advantage of a fair wind by waiting for better weather.
This same day, at noon, we were in the latitude of 53 deg. 22', and in the
longitude of 225 deg. 14'.

[Footnote 1: As in the remaining part of this chapter, the latitude
and longitude are very frequently set down, the former being
invariably North, and the latter East, the constant repetition of the
two words, _North_ and _East_, has been omitted, to avoid unnecessary
precision.]

[Footnote 2: See de Lisle's _Generale des Decouvertes de l'Amiral de
Fonte_, &c. Paris, 1752; and many other maps.]

The next morning, being the 1st of May, seeing nothing of the land,
I steered north-easterly, with a fresh breeze at S.S.E. and S., with
squalls, and showers of rain and hail. Our latitude at noon 54 deg. 43',
and our longitude 224 deg. 44'. At seven in the evening, being in the
latitude of 55 deg. 20', we got sight of the land, extending from N.N.E.
to E., or E. by S. about twelve or fourteen leagues distant. An hour
after, I steered N. by W.; and at four the next morning, the coast
was seen from N. by W. to S.E. the nearest part about six leagues
distant.[3]

[Footnote 3: This must be very near that part of the American coast
where Tscherikow anchored in 1741, for Muller places its latitude
in 56 deg.. Had this Russian navigator been so fortunate as to proceed a
little farther northward along the coast, he would have found, as we
now learn from Captain Cook, bays, and harbours, and islands, where
his ship might have been sheltered, and his people protected in
landing. For the particulars of the misfortunes he met with here, two
boats' crews, which he sent ashore, having never returned, probably
cut off by the natives, see _Muller's Decouvertes de Russes_, p. 248,
254. The Spaniards, in 1775, found two good harbours on this part
of the coast; that called _Guadalupe_, in latitude 57 deg. 11', and the
other, _De los Remedios_, in latitude 57 deg. 18'.--D.]

At this time the northern point of an inlet, or what appeared to be
one, bore E. by S. It lies in the latitude of 56 deg.; and from it to
the northward, the coast seemed to be much broken, forming bays or
harbours every two or three leagues, or else appearances much deceived
us. At six o'clock, drawing nearer the land, I steered N.W. by N.,
this being the direction of the coast; havi