SECTION IV.


Fruitless Attempts to penetrate through the Ice to the North-West.--
Dangerous Situation of the Discovery.--Sea-horses killed.--Fresh
Obstructions from the Ice.--Report of Damages received by the Discovery.--
Captain Clerke's Determination to proceed to the Southward.--Joy of the
Ships' Crews on that Occasion.--Pass Serdze Kamen.--Return through
Beering's Strait.--Enquiry into the Extent of the North-East Coast of
Asia.--Reasons for rejecting Muller's Map of the Promontory of the
Tschutski.--Reasons for believing the Coast does not reach a higher
Latitude than 70-1/2° North.--General Observations on the Impracticability
of a North-East or North-West Passage from the Atlantic into the Pacific
Ocean.--Comparative View of the Progress made in the Years 1778 and
1779.--Remarks on the Sea and Sea-coasts, North of Beering's
Strait.--History of the Voyage resumed.--Pass the Island of St
Laurence.--The Island of Mednoi.--Death of Captain Clerke.--Short Account
of his Services.


Captain Clerke having determined, for the reasons assigned, to give up all
farther attempts on the coast of America, and to make his last efforts in
search of a passage on the coast of the opposite continent, we continued
during the afternoon of the 21st of July, to steer to the W.N.W., through
much loose ice. At ten at night, discovering the main body of it through
the fog, right ahead, and almost close to us, and being unwilling to take a
southerly course so long as we could possibly avoid it, we hauled our wind,