JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE

when we went to reft, we were all of opinion that this circumftance.

We proceeded from the tide. We had, indeed, obferved at the other end:

of the ifland that the water rofe and fell; but we then imagined.
that it muft have been occafioned by the wind. The water continued.
to rife till about fix, but I could not afcertain the time with the re-
quifite precifion, as the wind then began to blow with great vio-

lence; I therefore determined, at all events, to remain here till the next

morning, though, as it happened, the flate of the wind was fuch as to.

Thurfday 16,

render my ftay here an a&t of neceflity. Our nets were not very fuc-
cefsful, as they prefented us with only eight fifh. From an obfervation:
which I obtained at noon, we were in 69. 7. North latitude. As the
evening approached, the wind increafed, and the weather became cold,
Two fwans were the only provifion which the hunters procured for us.

The rain did not ceafe till feven this morning, the weather being at
intervals very cold and unpleafant. Such was its inconflancy, that I
could not make an accurate obfervation; but the tide appeared to rife

fixteen or eighteen inches.

We now embarked, and fteered under fail among the iflands, where IE.
hoped to meet with fome of the natives, but my expectation was not
gratified. Our guide imagined that they were gone to their diftant haunts,.
where they fifh for whales and hunt the rein-deer, that are oppofite:
to his country. His relations, he faid, fee them every year, but he did not.
encourage us to expect that we fhould find any of them, unlefs it were ata
fall river that falls into the great one, from the Eaftward, at a confider-
able diftance from our immediate fituation, We accordingly made for the

river,