was
seen a ridge of mountains covered with snow, extending to the N.W.,
behind the first land, which we judged to be an island, from the very
inconsiderable quantity of snow that lay upon it. This point of land
is situated in the latitude of 58 deg. 15', and in the longitude of 207 deg.
42'; and by what I can gather from the account of Beering's voyage,
and the chart that accompanies it in the English edition,[1] I
conclude, that it must be what he called Cape St Hermogenes. But the
account of that voyage is so very much abridged, and the chart so
extremely inaccurate, that it is hardly possible, either by the one or
by the other, or by comparing both together, to find out any one
place which that navigator either saw or touched at. Were I to form a
judgment of Beering's proceedings on this coast, I should suppose that
he fell in with the continent near Mount Fairweather. But I am by no
means certain, that the bay to which I have given his name, is the
place where he anchored. Nor do I know, that what I called Mount St
Elias, is the same conspicuous mountain to which he gave that name.
And as to his Cape St Elias, I am entirely at a loss to pronounce
where it lies.[2]

[Footnote 1: Captain Cook means Muller's, of which a translation had
been published in London some time before be sailed.--D.]

[Footnote 2: Mr Coxe, who has been at considerable pains in
endeavouring to reconcile the accounts of Muller and Steller, and in
comparing them with the journals of Cook and Vancouver, is induced to
conjecture that Beering first discovered the continent of America
in the neighbourhood of Kaye's Island, and not where Captain Cook
assigns. This is a very probable opinion, as might easily be shewn,
but not without anticipating matter that belongs to another voyage.
It is enough just now to hint at the circumstance, lest the remarks of
Cook, always well entitled to respect, should be too much confided in
by the reader. No man's judgment is to be disparaged, because of an
error committed, where so little information has been given for its
guidance.--E.]

On the N.E. side of Cape St Hermogenes, the coast turned toward the
N.W., and appeared to be wholly unconnected with the land seen by
us the preceding day. In the chart above mentioned, there is here
a space, where Beering is supposed to have seen no land. This also
favoured the later account published by Mr Staehlin, who makes Cape St
Hermogenes, and all the land that Beering dis