The weather still continuing to thicken, we lost all sight of land till the 5th, when it appeared both to the N.E. and N.W, Our latitude, by account, was at this time 65 deg. 24’, longitude 189 deg. 14’.  As the islands of Saint Diomede, which lie between the two continents in Beering’s strait, were determined by us last year to be in latitude 65 deg. 48’, we could not reconcile the land to the N.E., with the situation of these islands.  We therefore stood toward the land till three in the afternoon, when we were within four miles of it, and finding it to be two islands, were pretty well satisfied of their being the same; but the weather still continuing hazy, to make sure of our situation, we stood over to the coast of Asia till seven in the evening; at which time we were within two or three leagues of the east cape of that continent.

This cape is a high round head of land, extending four or five miles from north to south, forming a peninsula, and connected with the continent by a narrow neck of low land.  Its shore is bold, and off its north part are three high, detached, spiral rocks.  At this time it was covered with snow, and the beach surrounded with ice.  We were now convinced, that we had been under the influence of a strong current, setting to the north, that had caused an error in our latitude at noon of twenty miles.  In passing this strait the last year, we had experienced the same effect.

Being at length sure of our position, we held on to the N. by E. At ten at night the weather becoming clear, we had an opportunity of seeing, at the same moment, the remarkable peaked hill, near Cape Prince of Wales, on the coast of America, and the east cape of Asia, with the two connecting islands of Saint Diomede between them.[23]

At noon on the 6th, the latitude, by account, was 67 deg.  N., and the longitude 191 deg. 6’ E. Having already passed a considerable number of large masses of ice, and observed that it still adhered in several places to the shore on the continent of Asia, we were not much surprised to fall in, at three in the afternoon, with an extensive body of it, stretching away to the westward.  This sight gave great discouragement to our hopes of advancing much farther northward this year, than we had done the preceding.

Having little wind in the afternoon, we hoisted out the boats in pursuit of the sea-horses, which were in great numbers on the detached pieces of ice; but they soon returned without success; these animals being exceedingly shy, and before they could come within gun-shot always making their retreat into the water.