moderate, from whatever quarter, but they attended southerly winds more
constantly than contrary ones.[33]

The straits between the two continents, at their nearest approach in
latitude 66°, were ascertained to be thirteen leagues, beyond which they
diverge to N.E. by E. and W.N.W.; and in latitude 69°, they become 14° of
longitude, or about one hundred leagues asunder. A great similarity is
observable in the appearance of the two countries, to the northward of the
straits. Both are destitute of wood. The shores are low, with mountains
rising to a great height farther up the country. The depth of water in the
mid-way between them was twenty-nine and thirty fathoms, decreasing
gradually as we approached either continent, with the difference of being
somewhat shoaler on the American than on the Asiatic coast, at the same
distance from land. The bottom in the middle was a soft slimy mud, and on
drawing near to either shore, a brown sand, intermixed with small fragments
of bones, and a few shells. We observed but little tide or current; what
there was came from the westward.

But it is now time to resume the narrative of our voyage, which was broken
off on the 31st of July, on which day at noon we had advanced eighteen
leagues to the southward of the East Cape.

We had light airs from the S.W., till noon of the 1st of August, at which
time our latitude, by observation, was 64° 23', longitude 189° 15'; the
coast of Asia extended from N.W. by W. to W. 1/2 S, distant about twelve
leagues; and the land to the eastward of St Laurence bore S. 1/2 W. On the
2d, the weather becoming clear, we saw the same land at noon, bearing from
W.S.W. 1/2 W. to S.E., making in a number of high hummocks, which had the
appearance of separate islands; the latitude, by observation, was 64° 3',
longitude 189° 28', and depth of water seventeen fathoms. We did not