Volume Xvi Part 23 (1/2)
I continued to stand to the westward, till five in the afternoon, when we were in a manner embayed by the ice, which appeared high, and very close in the N.W. and N.E. quarters, with a great deal of loose ice about the edge of the main field. At this time we had baffling light winds, but it soon fixed at S., and increased to a fresh gale, with showers of rain. We got the tack aboard, and stretched to the eastward, this being the only direction in which the sea was clear of ice.
At four in the morning of the 27th, we tacked and stood to the W., and, at seven in the evening, we were close in with the edge of the ice, which lay E.N.E., and W.S.W., as far each way as the eye could reach. Having but little wind, I went with the boats to examine the state of the ice. I found it consisting of loose pieces, of various extent, and so close together, that I could hardly enter the outer edge with a boat; and it was as impossible for the s.h.i.+ps to enter it, as if it had been so many rocks. I took particular notice, that it was all pure transparent ice, except the upper surface, which was a little porous. It appeared to be entirely composed of frozen snow, and to have been all formed at sea. For setting aside the improbability, or rather impossibility, of such huge ma.s.ses floating out of rivers, in which there is hardly water for a boat, none of the productions of the land were found incorporated, or fixed in it, which must have unavoidably been the case, had it been formed in rivers, either great or small. The pieces of ice that formed the outer edge of the field, were from forty or fifty yards in extent, to four or five; and I judged, that the larger pieces reached thirty feet, or more, under the surface of the water. It also appeared to me very improbable, that this ice could have been the production of the preceding winter alone.
I should suppose it rather to have been the production of a great many winters. Nor was it less improbable, according to my judgment, that the little that remained of the summer could destroy the tenth part of what now subsisted of this ma.s.s, for the sun had already exerted upon it the full influence of his rays. Indeed I am of opinion, that the sun contributes very little toward reducing these great ma.s.ses. For although that luminary is a considerable while above the horizon, it seldom s.h.i.+nes out for more than a few hours at a time, and often is not seen for several days in succession. It is the wind, or rather the waves raised by the wind, that brings down the bulk of these enormous ma.s.ses, by grinding one piece against another, and by undermining and was.h.i.+ng away those parts that lie exposed to the surge of the sea.
This was evident, from our observing, that the upper surface of many pieces had been partly washed away, while the base or under part remained firm for several fathoms round that which appeared above water, exactly like a shoal round an elevated rock. We measured the depth of water upon one, and found it to be fifteen feet, so that the s.h.i.+ps might have sailed over it. If I had not measured this depth, I would not have believed that there was a sufficient weight of ice above the surface to have sunk the other so much below it. Thus it may happen, that more ice is destroyed in one stormy season, than is formed in several winters, and an endless acc.u.mulation is prevented.
But that there is always a remaining store, every one who has been upon the spot will conclude, and none but closet-studying philosophers will dispute.[3]
[Footnote 3: These observations of Captain Cook, in addition to some remarks which were formerly given on the subject, seem conclusive against the supposition of such large ma.s.ses of ice being the product of rivers, as has not unfrequently been maintained. They may, however, have proceeded from land in another way, being occasioned by the consolidation of snow into such ma.s.ses as were of sufficient weight to separate from the declivities where they had been formed. This undoubtedly may sometimes happen; but the explanation of their origin formerly offered, seems much more ent.i.tled to consideration, as a generally operating cause. The last remark which Captain Cook makes, appears to have been levelled at some would-be-wise heads, who had hazarded reflections about the possibility of some time or other finding an open sea in high lat.i.tudes. But, however illiberally stated, it is in all probability just, though for a reason unknown to Cook. The chemical reader will perceive we allude to the circ.u.mstance of the absorption of heat that takes places during the liquefaction of ice, in consequence of which the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere is reduced so much, as to prevent any more of the ice being dissolved. A contrary operation, as is now well known, takes place during the congelation of water, and heat is evolved. Thus then the cold of winter is moderated. And so, on the whole, the temperature is kept more uniform, than, without such adjustment, would be the case.--E.]
A thick fog, which came on while I was thus employed with the boats, hastened me aboard, rather sooner than I could have wished, with one sea-horse to each s.h.i.+p. We had killed more, but could not wait to bring them with us. The number of these animals, on all the ice that we had seen, is almost incredible. We spent the night standing off and on amongst the drift ice; and at nine o'clock the next morning, the fog having partly dispersed, boats from each s.h.i.+p were sent for sea-horses. For, by this time, our people began to relish them, and those we had procured before were all consumed. At noon, our lat.i.tude was 69 17', our longitude 183, the variation by the morning azimuths, 25 56' E., and the depth of water twenty-five fathoms. At two o'clock, having got on board as much marine beef as was thought necessary, and the wind freshening at S.S.E., we took on board the boats, and stretched to the S.W. But not being able to weather the ice upon this tack, or to go through it, we made a board to the east, till eight o'clock, then resumed our course to the S.W., and before midnight were obliged to tack again, on account of the ice. Soon after, the wind s.h.i.+fted to the N.W., blowing a stiff gale, and we stretched to the S.W., close hauled.
In the morning of the 29th, we saw the main ice to the northward, and not long after, land bearing S.W. by W. Presently after this, more land shewed itself, bearing W. It shewed itself in two hills like islands, but afterward the whole appeared connected. As we approached the land, the depth of water decreased very fast; so that at noon, when we tacked, we had only eight fathoms, being three miles from the coast, which extended from S., 30 E., to N., 60 W. This last extreme terminated in a bluff point, being one of the hills above mentioned.
The weather at this time was very hazy, with drizzling rain; but soon after it cleared, especially to the southward, westward, and northward. This enabled us to have a pretty good view of the coast, which, in every respect, is like the opposite one of America; that is, low land next the sea, with elevated land farther back. It was perfectly dest.i.tute of wood, and even snow; but was, probably, covered with a mossy substance, that gave it a brownish cast. In the low ground, lying between the high land and the sea, was a lake, extending to the S.E., farther than we could see. As we stood off, the westernmost of the two hills before mentioned came open off the bluff point, in the direction of N.W. It had the appearance of being an island; but it might be joined to the other by low land, though we did not see it. And if so, there is a two-fold point, with a bay between them. This point, which is steep and rocky, was named _Cape North_.
Its situation is nearly in the lat.i.tude of 68 56', and in the longitude of 180 51'. The coast beyond it must take a very westerly direction; for we could see no land to the northward of it, though the horizon was there pretty clear. Being desirous of seeing more of the coast to the westward, we tacked again at two o'clock in the afternoon, thinking we could weather Cape North. But finding we could not, the wind freshening, a thick fog coming on, with much snow, and being fearful of the ice coming down upon us, I gave up the design I had formed of plying to the westward, and stood off sh.o.r.e again.
The season was now so far advanced, and the time when the frost is expected to set in so near at hand, that I did not think it consistent with prudence, to make any farther attempts to find a pa.s.sage into the Atlantic this year, in any direction, so little was the prospect of succeeding. My attention was now directed toward finding out some place where we might supply ourselves with wood and water; and the object uppermost in my thoughts was, how I should spend the winter, so as to make some improvements in geography and navigation, and, at the same time, be in a condition to return to the north, in farther search of a pa.s.sage, the ensuing summer.
SECTION X.
_Return from Cape North, along the Coast of Asia.--Views of the Country.--Burner's Island.--Cape Serdze Kamen, the Northern Limit of Beering's Voyage.--Pa.s.s the East Cape of Asia.--Description and Situation of it.--Observations on Muller.--The Tschutski.--Bay of Saint Laurence.--Two other Bays, and Habitations of the Natives.--Beering's Cape Tschukotskoi.--Beering's Position of this Coast accurate.--Island of Saint Laurence.--Pa.s.s to the American Coast.--Cape Darby.--Bald Head.--Cape Denbigh, on a Peninsula.--Besborough Island.--Wood and Water procured.--Visits from the Natives.--Their Persons and Habitations.--Produce of the Country.--Marks that the Peninsula had formerly been surrounded by the Sea.--Lieutenant King's Report.--Norton Sound.--Lunar Observations there.--Staehlin's Map proved to be erroneous,--Plan of future Operations._
After having stood off till we got into eighteen fathoms water, I bore up to the eastward, along the coast, which, by this time; it was pretty certain, could only be the continent of Asia. As the wind blew fresh, with a very heavy fall of snow, and a thick mist, it was necessary to proceed with great caution. I therefore brought-to for a few hours in the night.
At day-break, on the 30th, we made sail, and steered such a course as I thought would bring us in with the land, being in a great measure guided by the lead. For the weather was as thick as ever, and it snowed incessantly. At ten, we got sight of the coast, bearing S.W., four miles distant; and presently after, having shoaled the water to seven fathoms, we hauled off. At this time, a very low point, or spit, bore S.S.W., two or three miles distant; to the E. of which there appeared to be a narrow channel, leading into some water that we saw over the point. Probably the lake before mentioned communicates here with the sea.
At noon, the mist dispersing for a short interval, we had a tolerably good view of the coast, which extended from S.E. to N.W. by W. Some parts appeared higher than others; but in general it was very low, with high land farther up the country. The whole was now covered with snow, which had lately fallen quite down to the sea. I continued to range along the coast at two leagues distance, till ten at night, when we hauled off; but we resumed our course next morning, soon after day-break, when we got sight of the coast again, extending from W.
to S.E. by S. At eight, the eastern part bore S., and proved to be an island, which at noon bore S.W. 1/2 S., four or five miles distant. It is about four or five miles in circuit, of a middling height, with a steep, rocky coast, situated about three leagues from the main, in the lat.i.tude of 67 45', and distinguished in the chart by the name of _Burney's Island_.
The inland country hereabout is full of hills, some of which are of a considerable height. The land was covered with snow, except a few spots upon the sea-coast, which still continued low, but less so than farther westward. For the two preceding days, the mean height of the mercury in the thermometer had been very little above the freezing point, and often below it; so that the water in the vessels upon the deck was frequently covered with a sheet of ice.
I continued to steer S.S.E., nearly in the direction of the coast, till five in the afternoon, when land was seen bearing S., 50 E., which we presently found to be a continuation of the coast, and hauled up for it. Being abreast of the eastern land at ten at night, and in doubts of weathering it, we tacked, and made a board to the westward, till past one the next morning, when we stood again to the east, and found that it was as much as we could do to keep our distance from the coast, the wind being exceedingly unsettled, varying continually from N. to N.E. At half an hour past eight, the eastern extreme above mentioned bore S. by E., six or seven miles distant. At the same time, a head-land appeared in sight, bearing E. by S., 1/2 S.; and, soon after, we could trace the whole coast lying between them, and a small island at some distance from it.
The coast seemed to form several rocky points, connected by a low sh.o.r.e, without the least appearance of a harbour. At some distance from the sea, the low land appeared to swell into a number of hills.
The highest of these were covered with snow, and, in other respects, the whole country seemed naked. At seven in the evening, two points of land, at some distance beyond the eastern head, opened off it, in the direction of S., 37 E. I was now well a.s.sured, of what I had believed before, that this was the country of the Tschutski, or the N.E. coast of Asia; and that thus far Beering proceeded in 1728; that is, to this head, which Muller says is called _Serdze Kamen_, on account of a rock upon it, shaped like a heart. But I conceive, that Mr Muller's knowledge of the geography of these parts is very imperfect. There are many elevated rocks upon this cape, and possibly some one or other of them may have the shape or a heart. It is a pretty lofty promontory, with a steep rocky cliff facing the sea, and lies in the lat.i.tude of 67 3', and in the longitude of 188 11'. To the eastward of it, the coast is high and bold; but to the westward it is low, and trends N.N.W., and N.W. by W., which is nearly its direction all the way to Cape North. The soundings are every where the same at the same distance from the sh.o.r.e, which is also the case on the opposite sh.o.r.e of America. The greatest depth we found in ranging along it was twenty-three fathoms. And, in the night, or in foggy weather, the soundings are no bad guide in sailing along either of these sh.o.r.es.
At eight o'clock in the morning of the 2d, the most advanced land to the S.E., bore S., 25 E., and from this point of view had the appearance of being an island. But the thick snow showers, which succeeded one another pretty, fast, and settled upon the land, hid great part of the coast at this time from our sight. Soon after, the sun, whose face we had not seen for near five days, broke out at the intervals between the showers, and, in some measure, freed the coast from the fog, so that we had a sight of it, and found the whole to be connected. The wind still continued at north, the air was cold, and the mercury in the thermometer never rose above 35, and was sometimes as low as 30. At noon the observed lat.i.tude was 66 37', Cape Serdze Kamen bore N., 52 W., thirteen leagues distant; the southernmost point of land in sight S., 41 E., the nearest part of the coast two leagues distant, and our depth of water twenty-two fathoms.
We had now fair weather and suns.h.i.+ne, and as we ranged along the coast, at the distance of four miles, we saw several of the inhabitants, and some of their habitations, which looked like little hillocks of earth. In the evening we pa.s.sed the _Eastern Cape_, or the point above mentioned, from which the coast changes its direction, and trends S.W. It is the same point of land which we had pa.s.sed on the 11th of August. They who believed implicitly in Mr Staehlin's map, then thought it the east point of his island Alaschka; but we had, by this time, satisfied ourselves, that it is no other than the eastern promontory of Asia, and probably the proper _Tschukotskoi Noss_, though the promontory, to which Beering gave that name, is farther to the S.W.
Though Mr Muller, in his map of the Russian Discoveries, places the Tschukotskoi Noss nearly in 75 of lat.i.tude, and extends it somewhat to the eastward of this cape, it appears to me, that he had no good authority for so doing. Indeed, his own accounts, or rather Deshneff's,[1] of the distance between the Noss, and the river Anadir, cannot be reconciled with this very northerly position. But as I hope to visit these parts again, I shall leave the discussion of this point till then. In the mean time, I must conclude, as Beering did before me, that this is the most eastern point of Asia. It is a peninsula of considerable height, joined to the continent by a very low, and, to appearance, narrow neck of land. It shews a steep rocky clift next the sea, and off the very point are some rocks like spires. It is situated in the lat.i.tude of 66 6', and in the longitude of 190 22', and is distant from Cape Prince of Wales, on the American coast, thirteen leagues, in the direction of N., 53 W. The land about this promontory is composed of hills and vallies. The former terminate at the sea in steep rocky points, and the latter in low sh.o.r.es. The hills seemed to be naked rocks; but the vallies had a greenish hue, but dest.i.tute of tree or shrub.[2]
[Footnote 1: Avec le vent le plus favorable, on peut aller par mer de cette pointe (des Tschukotschis), jusqu' a l'Anadir en trois fois 24 heures; et par terre le chemin ne peut guere etre plus long.--_Muller_, p. 13.--D.]
[Footnote 2: Deshnef's voyage in 1648, is considered the only one previous to this of Cook, in which the north-eastern extremity of Asia was doubled. Some account of it is given in c.o.xe's work. Others have pretended to this achievement, but there is not evidence to warrant belief of the fact. Beering, indeed, in 1728, got as far north as 67 18'; but as he immediately returned, and made no progress on the Asiatic coast, he is not ent.i.tled to this merit, although the extent of his discovery, as to the separation of the two continents, has procured him the honour of giving a name to the Strait which divides them.--E.]
After pa.s.sing the cape, I steered S.W. 1/2 W., for the northern point of St Laurence Bay, in which we had anch.o.r.ed on the 10th of last month. We reached it by eight o'clock next morning, and saw some of the inhabitants at the place where I had seen them before, as well as several others on the opposite side of the bay. None of them, however, attempted to come off to us, which seemed a little extraordinary, as the weather was favourable enough; and those whom we had lately visited had no reason, that I know of, to dislike our company. These people must be the Tschutski; a nation that, at the time Mr Muller wrote, the Russians had not been able to conquer. And, from the whole of their conduct with us, it appears that they have not, as yet, brought them under subjection; though it is obvious that they must have a trade with the Russians, either directly, or by means of some neighbouring nation, as we cannot otherwise account for their being in possession of the spontoons, in particular, of which we took notice.
This bay of St Laurence[3] is, at least, five leagues broad at the entrance, and four leagues deep, narrowing towards the bottom, where it appeared to be tolerably well sheltered from the sea-winds, provided there be a sufficient depth of water for s.h.i.+ps. I did not wait to examine it, although I was very desirous of finding an harbour in those parts, to which I might resort next spring. But I wanted one where wood might be got, and I knew that none was to be found here.
From the south point of this bay, which lies in the lat.i.tude of 65 30', the coast trends W. by S., for about nine leagues, and there forms a deep bay, or river, or else the land there is so low that we could not see it.