A number of lunar observations, made by Mr King and myself on this and the four preceding days, and all reduced to the ship’s present station, gave the longitude

                               197 deg. 45’ 48”
  By the time-keeper it was 197 26 48
  Our latitude was 59 37 30
  Variation by the \ A.M. 23 deg. 34’ 3” \
    mean of three } P.M. 22 19 40 / mean 22 deg. 56’ 51” E.
    compasses, /

The northernmost part of the coast that we could see from this station, I judged to lie in the latitude of 60 deg..  It seemed to form a low point, which obtained the name of Shoal-Ness.

The tide of flood sets to the north, and the ebb to the south.  It rises and falls, upon a perpendicular, five or six feet; and I reckon it to be high-water on the full and change days at eight o’clock.

Having weighed at three in the morning on the 21st, with a light breeze at N.N.W., we steered back to the southward, having three boats ahead to direct us.  But, notwithstanding this precaution, we found more difficulty in returning than we had in advancing; and at last were obliged to anchor, to avoid running upon a shoal, which had only a depth of five feet.  While we lay here, twenty-seven men of the country, each in a canoe, came off to the ships, which they approached with great caution, hollowing and opening their arms as they advanced.  This, we understood, was to express their pacific intentions.  At length, some approached near enough to receive a few trifles that were thrown to them.  This encouraged the rest to venture alongside; and a traffic presently commenced between them and our people; who got dresses of skins, bows, arrows, darts, wooden vessels, &c.; our visitors taking in exchange for these whatever was offered them.  They seemed to be the same sort of people that we had of late met with all along this coast; wore the same kind of ornaments in their lips and noses; but were far more dirty, and not so well clothed.  They appeared to be wholly unacquainted with people like us; they knew not the use of tobacco; nor was any foreign article seen in their possession, unless a knife may be looked upon as such.  This, indeed, was only a piece of common iron fitted in a wooden handle, so as to answer the purpose of a knife.  They, however, knew the value and use of this instrument so well, that it seemed to be the only article they wished for.  Most of them had their hair shaved or cut short off, leaving only a few locks behind, or on one side.  For a covering for the head they wore a hood of skins, and a bonnet which appeared to be of wool.  One part of their dress, which we got from them, was a kind of girdle, very neatly made of skin, with trappings depending from it, and passing between the legs, so as to conceal the adjoining parts.  By the use of such a girdle, it should seem that they sometimes go naked, even in this high latitude; for they would hardly wear it under their other clothing.