w several whales, seals, and porpoises; many gulls, and
several flocks of birds, which had a black ring about the head; the
tip of the tail, and the upper part of the wings, with a black band;
and the rest bluish above and white below. We also saw a brownish
duck, with a black or deep-blue head and neck, sitting upon the water.

Having but light winds, with some calms, we advanced slowly; so that
on the 6th at noon we were only in the latitude of 59 deg. 8', and in
the longitude of 220 deg. 19'. Mount Fairweather bore S. 63 deg. E. and Mount
Elias N. 30 deg. W.; the nearest land about eight leagues distant. In the
direction of N. 47 deg. E. from this station, there was the appearance
of a bay, and an island off the S. point of it that was covered with
wood. It is here where I suppose Commodore Beering to have anchored.
The latitude, which is 59 deg. 18', corresponds pretty well with the map
of his voyage,[6] and the longitude is 221 deg. E. Behind the bay, (which
I shall distinguish by the name of Beering's Bay, in honour of its
discoverer,) or rather to the south of it, the chain of mountains
before mentioned is interrupted by a plain of a few leagues extent;
beyond which the sight was unlimited; so that there is either a level
country or water behind it. In the afternoon, having a few hours calm,
I took this opportunity to sound, and found seventy fathoms water,
over a muddy bottom. The calm was succeeded by a light breeze from the
N., with which we stood to the westward; and at noon the next day, we
were in the latitude of 59 deg. 27', and the longitude of 219 deg. 7'. In this
situation, Mount Fairweather bore S. 70 deg. E.; Mount St Elias N. 1/2
W.; the westernmost land in sight N. 52 deg. W.; and our distance from
the shore four or five leagues; the depth of water being eighty-two
fathoms over a muddy bottom. From this station we could see a bay
(circular to appearance) under the high land, with low wood-land on
each side of it.

[Footnote 6: Probably Captain Cook means Muller's map, prefixed to his
History of the Russian Discoveries.--D.]

We now found the coast to trend very much to the west, inclining
hardly any thing to the north; and as we had the wind mostly from the
westward, and but little of it, our progress was slow. On the 9th
at noon, the latitude was 59 deg. 30', and the longitude 217 deg.. In this
situation the nearest land was nine leagues distant; and Mount St
Elias bore N., 30 deg. E, nineteen le