The Biographia Britannica informs us, that Mr Anderson left his papers to Sir Joseph Banks; but that the Admiralty took possession of the larger part of them, and, for what reason is not mentioned, retained them.  Such parts, however, it is said, as related solely to natural history, were delivered by Captain King to the Baronet, who bears testimony “to the excellence of Mr A.’s character, the utility of his observations, and to the great probability, that, if he had survived, he would have given to the world something which would have done him credit.”  Much of this commendatory opinion might be inferred from what has been published of Mr A.’s labours, which constitute no inconsiderable portion, either in bulk or value, of Captain Cook’s communications.—­E.]

On the 4th, at three in the afternoon, land was seen, extending from N.N.E. to N.W.  We stood on toward it till four o’clock, when, being four or five miles from it, we tacked; and, soon after, the wind falling, we anchored in thirteen fathoms water, over a sandy bottom; being about two leagues from the land, and, by our reckoning, in the latitude of 64 deg. 27’, and in the longitude of 194 deg. 18’.  At intervals, we could see the coast extending from E. to N.W., and a pretty high island, bearing W. by N. three leagues distant.

The land before us, which we supposed to be the continent of America, appeared low next the sea; but, inland, it swelled into hills, which rise, one behind another, to a considerable height.  It had a greenish hue, but seemed destitute of wood, and free from snow.  While we lay at anchor, we found that the flood-tide came from the east, and set to the west, till between ten and eleven o’clock.  From that time till two the next morning, the stream set to the eastward, and the water fell three feet.  The flood ran both stronger and longer than the ebb; from which I concluded, that, besides the ebb, there was a westerly current.

At ten in the morning of the 5th, with the wind at S.W., we ran down, and anchored between the island and the continent, in seven fathoms water.  Soon after I landed upon the island, accompanied by Mr King and some others of the officers.  I hoped to have had from it a view of the coast and sea to the westward; but the fog was so thick in that direction, that the prospect was not more extensive than from the ship.  The coast of the continent seemed to take a turn to the northward, at a low point, named Point Rodney, which bore from the island N.W. 1/2 W., three or four leagues distant; but the high land, which took a more northerly direction, was seen a great way farther.