We stood back to the N.E. three or four miles; but finding there was a strong tide or current setting to the W.S.W., that is toward the shoal, we anchored in ten fathoms, over a bottom of fine sand.  Two hours after we had anchored, the water had fallen two feet and upward; which proved, that it was the tide of ebb that came from, the river above mentioned.  We also examined some of the water which we had taken up, and found that it was not half so salt as common sea-water.  This furnished another proof that we were before a large river.

At four in the afternoon, the wind shifting to S.W., we weighed, and stood to the southward, with boats ahead, sounding; and passed over the south end of the shoal in six fathoms water.  We then got into thirteen and fifteen; in which last depth we anchored, at half-past eight; some part of the chain of mountains, on the S.E. shore, in sight, bearing S.E. 1/2 S., and the westernmost land, on the other shore, N.W.  We had, in the course of the day, seen high land, bearing N. 60 deg.  W., by estimation twelve leagues distant.

Having weighed next morning, at two o’clock, with a light breeze at S.W. by W., we plied to windward till nine; when, judging the flood-tide to be now made against us, we came to an anchor in twenty-four fathoms.  We lay here till one, when the fog, which had prevailed this morning, dispersing, and the tide making in our favour, we weighed, and plied to the S.W. in the evening, the wind was very variable, and we had some thunder.  We had heard none before since our arrival upon the coast; and this was at a great distance.

The wind having settled again in the S.W. quarter, in the morning of the 12th, we stood to the N.W., and at ten saw the continent.  At noon, it extended from N.E. by N., to N.W. 1/4 W.; and an elevated hill bore N.N.W., ten leagues distant.  This proved to be an island, which, from its figure, obtained the name of Round Island.  It lies in the latitude of 58 deg. 37’, and in the longitude of 200 deg. 6’, and seven miles from the continent.  In the evening, at nine, having stood to the northward to within three leagues of the shore, we tacked in fourteen fathoms water; the extremes of the coast bearing E.S.E. 1/2 E. and W. The wind veering to the N.W. enabled us to make a good stretch along shore till two o’clock in the morning, when we got all at once into six fathoms water, being at this time two leagues from the shore.  After edging off a little, our depth gradually increased, and at noon we had twenty fathoms, when the latitude was 53 deg. 13’, and the longitude 199 deg..  Round Island bore N., 5 deg.  E.; and the west extreme of the coast N., 16 deg.  W., seven leagues distant.  It is an elevated point, which obtained the name of Calm Point, from our having calm weather when off it.  To the N.W. of Round Island are two or three hillocks that appeared like islands; and it is possible they may be such; for we had but a distant view of the coast in this place.[2]