most probable, they were killed by the Tschutski.
This last circumstance, however, it is to be allowed Mr Coxe, affords
no decisive proof that they had doubled the eastern extremity of Asia,
for it is possible they might have reached the Anadir by a journey
over land. After all, then, we are forced to revert to Deshneff's
voyage as the solitary evidence, and that too but imperfectly
elucidated, of the practicability of reaching the Eastern Ocean from
the north coast of Asia.--E.

[28] See chart in Coxe's Account of Russian Discoveries.

[29] Here, it is not unlikely, some readers will feel regret, that a
greater sacrifice was not made, or a longer continued effort
practised, or a renewed attempt hazarded, in order to overcome so
inconsiderable a space, and so to double Shelatskoi Noss, whence, it
may be thought, there could have been comparatively little difficulty
in prosecuting the object of the voyage. The feeling is not
unreasonable, provided it be not made the basis of any thing like
censure on the management of the undertaking; in which case, it must
soon give way to the conviction of the superior good sense, and the
higher interest (excluding altogether, which is manifestly inhuman,
every concern for the persons immediately engaged in the enterprise)
displayed by the determination to abandon the attempt. To the force of
this conviction, it may be necessary to add the very material
consideration, that, even had it been any way practicable to double
the cape in question, and to reach the Lena in the same track as
Shalauroff, there would have still remained the space betwixt that
river and Archangel, which, though undoubtedly to a great degree
explored, does not appear to have been ever altogether navigated. To
the merely fanciful caviller at the result of this attempt, it would
be a prostitution of time and patience, even if one had both in the
requisite quantity, to offer a reply. But the observations which
Captain King immediately makes on this subject, will probably obviate
any objection which the most sanguine mind will be disposed to
entertain, and perhaps there was little occasion to subjoin a single
remark to his opinion.--E.

[30] This is the only point on which, it seems possible, to question the
reasoning of Captain King, and that altogether on the ground of Mr
McKenzie's d