They still slowly but steadily pushed north along the American shore, but, being hampered by fog and ice, they crossed over to the west side with no better fortune, for on the 26th they found themselves embayed in the field with large quantities of heavy loose ice along the edges.  Having sighted Cape North on 29th August, Cook decided the season was too far advanced, and that it would be better to proceed to winter quarters, and accordingly ran down the Asiatic coast in search of wood and water, of which he stood in need; but was disappointed, and making over to the other side was fortunate to find a considerable quantity of driftwood which served his purpose.  Before leaving the straits, Cook remarks: 

“In justice to Behring’s memory, I must say he delineated this coast very well, and fixed the latitude and longitude of the points better than could be expected from the methods he had to go by.”

Salmon pie.

Anchoring in Norton Sound, Cook sent away the boats to explore, and set to work to determine between the correctness of the chart drawn by Stocklin and his own observations, and after a series of no less than seventy-seven sets of observations he was able to show that Stocklin was wrong.  It was at this place that he decided to winter in the Sandwich Islands, as a port in Kamtschatka would oblige his crews to remain idle for nearly six months before further exploration to the north could be undertaken.  The course was now set for Samgoonoodha Harbour, but they did not arrive there till 3rd October, having met with very heavy weather, in which the Resolution again began to leak badly.  On 8th September an Indian brought a singular present in the form of a pie made like a loaf, containing some highly seasoned salmon, accompanied by a letter in Russian.  In return Corporal Ledyard of the Marines, “an intelligent man,” was sent with a few bottles of rum, wine, and porter, to obtain further information, and with orders, if he met with any Russians, he was to “make them understand that we were English, Friends, and Allies.”  On the 10th Ledyard returned, bringing three Russian sailors, but as there was no interpreter there was difficulty in understanding anything thoroughly.  One of the newcomers was understood to say he had been out with Behring, but Cook thought he was too young.  They appeared to have great respect for that officer, and Ledyard said he had seen a sloop which he understood was his ship.  They stayed on the Resolution all night, and promised to return with a chart of the islands that lay between that place and Kamtschatka.  It was understood that there were several settlements in the immediate neighbourhood employing altogether about four hundred Russians.

Letters to London.