A breeze of wind springing up at N., we weighed, and stood to the westward, which course soon brought us into deep water, and, during the 12th, we plied to the N., both coasts being in sight, but we kept nearest to that of America.

At four in the afternoon of the 13th, a breeze springing up at S., I steered N.E. by N., till four o’clock next morning, when, seeing no land, we directed our course E. by N., and between nine and ten, land, supposed to be a continuation of the continent, appeared.  It extended from E. by S. to E. by N., and soon after we saw more land, bearing N. by E. Coming pretty suddenly into thirteen fathoms water, at two in the afternoon, we made a trip off till four, when we stood in again for the land, which was seen soon after, extending from N. to S.E., the nearest part three or four leagues distant.  The coast here forms a point, named Point Mulgrave, which lies in the latitude of 67 deg. 45’, and in the longitude of 194 deg. 51’.  The land appeared very low next the sea; but, a little back, it rises into hills of a moderate height.  The whole was free from snow, and, to appearance, destitute of wood.  I now tacked, and bore away N.W. by W., but soon after, thick weather with rain coming on, and the wind increasing, I hauled more to the west.

Next morning, at two o’clock, the wind veered to S.W. by S.; and blew a strong gale, which abated at noon; and the sun shining out, we found ourselves, by observation, in the latitude of 68 deg. 18’.  I now steered N.E., till six o’clock the next morning, when I steered two points more easterly.  In this run, we met with several sea-horses and flights of birds, some like sand-larks, and others no bigger than hedge-sparrows.  Some shags were also seen, so that we judged ourselves to be not far from land.  But as we had a thick fog, we could not expect to see any; and, as the wind blew strong, it was not prudent to continue a course which was most likely to bring us to it.  From the noon of this day, to six o’clock in the morning of the following, I steered E. by N., which course brought us into sixteen fathoms water.  I now steered N.E. by E., thinking, by this course, to deepen our water.  But, in the space of six leagues, it shoaled to eleven fathoms, which made me think it proper to haul close to the wind that now blew at west.  Toward noon, both sun and moon were seen clearly at intervals, and we got some flying observations for the longitude, which, reduced to noon, when the latitude was 70 deg. 33’, gave 197 deg. 41’.  The time-keeper, for the same time, gave 198 deg., and the variation was 35 deg. 1’ 22” E. We had, afterward, reason to believe, that the observed longitude was within a very few miles of the truth.