l the parts neatly put together; some with wooden
pins, but mostly with thongs or lashings of whalebone, which made me
think it was entirely the workmanship of the natives.

At three o'clock the next morning we weighed, and proceeded to the
north-westward, with a light southerly breeze. We had an opportunity
to observe the sun's meridian altitude for the latitude; and to get
altitudes, both in the forenoon and afternoon, to obtain the longitude
by the time-keeper. As we had but little wind, and variable withal,
we advanced but slowly; and at eight in the evening, finding the ships
settle fast toward the land into shoal water, I anchored in seven
fathoms, about two leagues from the coast. Sledge Island bore S., 51 deg.
E., ten leagues distant, and was seen over the south point of the main
land.

Soon after we had anchored, the weather, which had been misty,
clearing up, we saw high land extending from N., 40 deg. E., to N.,
30 deg. W., apparently disjoined from the coast, under which we were at
anchor, which seemed to trend away N.E. At the same time, an island
was seen bearing N., 81 deg. W., eight or nine leagues distant. It
appeared to have no great extent, and was named _King's Island_. We
rode here till eight o'clock next morning, when we weighed, and stood
to the N.W. The weather clearing up toward the evening, we got sight
of the N.W. land, extending from N. by W. to N.W. by N., distant about
three leagues. We spent the night making short boards, the weather
being misty and rainy, with little wind; and, between four and five
of the morning of the 8th, we had again a sight of the N.W. land; and
soon after, on account of a calm, and a current driving us toward the
shore, we found it necessary to anchor in twelve fathoms water, about
two miles from the coast. Over the western extreme is an elevated
peaked hill, situated in latitude 65 deg. 36', and in longitude 192 deg. 18'.
A breeze at N.E. springing up at eight o'clock, we weighed, and stood
to the S.E., in hopes of finding a passage between the coast on which
we had anchored on the 6th in the evening, and this N.W. land. But we
soon got into seven fathoms water, and discovered low land connecting
the two coasts, and the high land behind it.

Being now satisfied that the whole was a continued coast, I tacked,
and stood away for its N.W. part, and came to an anchor under it in
seventeen fathoms water. The weather at this time was very thick with
rain; but at four