, with respect to the design of our voyage, to
make any farther attempts toward a passage. This, therefore, added to the
representations of Captain Gore, determined Captain Clerke not to lose more
time in what he concluded to be an unattainable object, but to sail for
Awatska Bay, to repair our damages there; and before the winter should set
in, and render all other efforts toward discovery impracticable, to explore
the coast of Japan.

I will not endeavour to conceal the joy that brightened the countenance of
every individual, as soon as Captain Clerke's resolutions were made known.
We were all heartily sick of a navigation full of danger, and in which the
utmost perseverance had not been repaid with the smallest probability of
success. We therefore turned our faces toward home, after an absence of
three years, with a delight and satisfaction, which, notwithstanding the
tedious voyage we had still to make, and the immense distance we had to
run, were as freely entertained, and perhaps as fully enjoyed, as if we had
been already in sight of the Land's-end.

On the 28th, we kept working to windward with a fresh breeze from the S.E.,
having the coast of Asia still in sight. At four in the morning, the cape,
which, on the authority of Muller, we have called Serdze Kamen, bore
S.S.W., distant six or seven leagues. We saw in different places, upon the
tops of the hills, which rise inland on both sides of the cape,
protuberances of a considerable height, which had the appearance of huge
rocks, or pillars of stone.

On the 29th, the wind still continuing contrary, we made but slow progress
to the southward. At midnight we had thick foggy weather, accompanied with
a breeze from the N.N.W., with which we directed our course to the S.S.E.
through the strait, and had no land in sight till seven in the evening of
the 30th, when the fog clearing away, we saw Cape Prince of Wales bearing
S. by E., distant about six leagues; and the island St Diomede, S.W. by W.
We now altered our course to the W., and at eight made the east cape, which
at midnight bore W. by N., distant four leagues. In the night we steered to
the S.S.W., with a fresh west-north-westerly breeze; and at four in the
morning of the 31st, the east cape bore N.N.E.; and the N.E. part of the
bay of St Laurence (where we anchored the last year) W. by S., its distance
being four leagues. As we could not have worked up to windward without a
greater waste of time than the obj