it till three in the afternoon, when it extended from N.W. 1/2 W. to W. The northernmost extreme being a continuation of the high land, which was the southernmost we had seen the day before; the land to the W. we conceived to be the Hofe Tafel Berg (the High Table Hill) of Jansen.  Between the two extremes, the coast was low and scarcely perceptible, except from the mast-head.  We stood on toward the coast till eight, when we were about five leagues distant; and, having shortened sail for the night, steered to the southward, sounding every four hours, but never found ground with one hundred and sixty fathoms of line.

On the 28th, at six in the morning, we again saw land, twelve leagues to the southward of that seen the preceding day, extending from W.S.W. to W. by N. We steered S.W. obliquely with the shore; and, at ten, saw more land open to the S.W.  To the westward of this land, which is low and flat, are two islands as we judged, though some doubts were entertained, whether they might not be connected with the adjacent low ground.  The hazy weather, joined to our distance, prevented us also from determining, whether there are any inlets or harbours between the projecting points, which seem here to promise good shelter.  At noon, the N. extreme bore N.W. by N., and a high peaked hill, over a steep headland, W. by N., distant five leagues.  Our latitude at this time, by observation, was 38 deg. 16’, longitude 142 deg. 9’.  The mean of the variation, from observations taken both in the fore and afternoon, was 1 deg. 20’ E.

At half-past three in the afternoon, we lost sight of the land; and, from its breaking off so suddenly, conjectured, that what we had seen this day is an island, or, perhaps, a cluster of islands, lying off the main land of Japan; but as the islands, called by Jansen the Schildpads, and by Mr D’Anville Matsima, though laid down nearly in the same situation, are not equal in extent to the land seen by us, we must leave this point undecided.  Having kept a S.W. course during the remaining part of the day, we found ourselves, at midnight, in seventy fathoms water, over a bottom of fine dark-brown sand.  We therefore hauled up to the eastward, till morning, when we saw the land again, about eleven leagues to the southward of that which we had seen the day before; and at eight, we were within six or seven miles of the shore, having carried, in regular soundings, from sixty-five to twenty fathoms, over coarse sand and gravel.  Unluckily there was a haze over the land, which hindered our distinguishing small objects on it.  The coast is straight and unbroken, and runs nearly in a N, and S. direction.  Toward the sea the ground is low, but rises gradually into hills of a moderate height, whose tops are tolerably even, and covered with wood.