The straits between the two continents, at their nearest approach in latitude 66 deg., were ascertained to be thirteen leagues, beyond which they diverge to N.E. by E. and W.N.W.; and in latitude 69 deg., they become 14 deg. 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 deg. 23’, longitude 189 deg. 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 deg. 3’, longitude 189 deg. 28’, and depth of water seventeen fathoms.  We did not approach this land sufficiently near to determine whether it was one island, or composed to a cluster together.  Its westernmost part we passed July 3d, in the evening, and then supposed to be the island of St Laurence; the easternmost we ran close by in September last year, and this we named Clerke’s Island, and found it to consist of a number of high cliffs, joined together by very low land.  Though we mistook the last year those cliffs for separate islands, till we approached very near the shore, I should still conjecture that the island Saint Laurence was distinct from Clerke’s Island, since there appeared a considerable space between them, where we could not perceive the smallest rising of ground.[34] In the afternoon we also saw what bore the appearance of a small island to the N.E. of the land which was seen at noon, and which, from the haziness of the weather, we had only sight of once.  We estimated its distance to be nineteen leagues from the island of St Laurence, in a N.E. by E. 1/2 E. direction.  On the 3d, we had light variable winds, and directed our course round the N.W. point of the island of Saint Laurence.  On the 4th, at noon, our latitude by account was 64 deg. 8’, longitude 188 deg.;