d hazy weather, which, by noon of the 25th,
brought us to the latitude of 40 deg. 18', in the longitude 144 deg. 0'. To-day, we
saw flights of wild-ducks, a pigeon lighted on our rigging, and many birds,
like linnets, flew about us with a degree of vigour that seemed to prove,
they had not been long upon the wing. We also passed patches of long grass,
and a piece either of sugar-cane or bamboo. These signs, that land was at
no great distance, induced us to try for soundings; but we found no ground
with ninety fathoms of line, Toward evening, the wind by degrees shifted
round to the S., with which we still kept on to the W.S.W.; and at day-
break of the 26th, we had the pleasure of descrying high land to the
westward, which proved to be Japan. At eight, it extended from N.W. to S.
by W., distant three or four leagues. A low flat cape bore N.W. 3/4 W., and
seemed to make the S. part of the entrance of a bay. Toward the S. extreme,
a conical-shaped hill bore S. by W. 3/4 W. To the northward of this hill
there appeared to be a very deep inlet, the N. side of the entrance into
which is formed by a low point of land, and, as well as we could judge by
our glasses, has a small island near it to the southward.

We stood on till nine, when we were within two leagues of the land, bearing
W. 3/4 S., and had soundings of fifty-eight fathoms, with a bottom of very
fine sand. We now tacked and stood off; but the wind dying away, at noon we
had got no farther than three leagues from the coast, which extended from
N.W. by N. 3/4 W. to S. 1/2 E., and was, for the most part, bold and
cliffy. The low cape to the northward bore N.W. by W., six leagues distant;
and the N. point of the inlet S. 3/4 W. The latitude, by observation, was
40 deg. 5', and longitude 142 deg. 28'. The northernmost land in sight, we judged
to be the northern extremity of Japan.[97] It is lower than any other part;
and, from the range of the high lands that were seen over it from the mast-
head, the coast appeared evidently to incline round to the westward. The N.
point of the inlet we supposed to be Cape Nambu, and the town to be
situated in a break of the high land, toward which the inlet seemed to
direct itself[98]. The country is of a moderate height, consists of a
double range of mountains; it abounds with wood, and has a pleasing variety
of hills and dales. We saw the smoke of several towns or villages, and many
houses near the shore, in pleasant and cultivated sit