May! variety of falt-water fifh; that the Ihores of it were too diftant to be
—v--- ' vifible from each other; and that he knew not in what direftion it united
with the ocean; but that Mr. ZikofF was gone thither, on an exploring
expedition.« Ail this we fuppofed we had perfeftly comprehended,
until our arrival at the factory, when in order to become better
acquainted with circumftances o f fo much importance to us, I fought for
a confirmation o f what we had thus been told; but, to my great fur-
prize, when I had afcended the balcony at the top of the houfe, I was
made to perceive in the molt unequivocal manner, that it was the inlet
itfe lf that had been meant, and that the eaftern navigable branch was
no other than Turnagain arm, (which nearly communicates with Prince
William’s found) in which Mr. ZikofF was gone to a Mr. Colomene,
who commanded a Ruffian eftabliffiment near cape Hinchinbröok.
This incident will afford fufficient proof how little dependence is to
be placed on information affumed from perfons but ill qualified to an-
fwer our queftions if underflood, and with whom, for want of language,
our communication was neceffarily very uncertain and imperfect; it will
alfo (hew, on how flight foundation the theories of mediterranean feas,
and of a north-weft paffage, may often reft.
Intelligence procured from fuch authority and under fuch circumftances,
and unfupported by other corroborative evidence, or that does
not carry with it the ftrongeft prefumptive proof o f its being con-eft,
ought always to be received with the utmoft caution. By this rule I
had uniformly governed my conduft; and in the inftance of the communication
of this inlet with prince William's found, I did not confider
myfelf warranted to credit the information we had received to that ef-
feft, until it had been ftated, without the leaft deviation or contra-
diftion, as well on board the Chatham as the Difcovery, that a branch
of that found extended within a few miles of the upper end of Turna-
gain arm.
Hence thefe two extenfive inlets appeared to be feparated from each
other only by a narrow ifthmus of compaft mountainous land, that precluded
all poffibility of any navigable interior watercourfe through it
from
from any part of the fhores.of the intervening peninfula ; and rendered a ■ 794-
minute examination of the coaft of this peninfula of little importance, as ■
it would have occupied a large portion of time, and could not have
furthered the attainment of the great objeft we had in view, any more
than a complete furvey of the numerous iflands, that in the courfe of the
two preceding fummers we had difeovered lying before the continental
boundaries. For this reafon I determined to make the belt of our way
towards prince William’s found, and to examine the Ihores of the peninfula,
fo far only as could be done from the fhip in pafling along its coaft.
This would greatly tend to facilitate our operations this feafon, which,
notwithftanding they had commenced at a very early period, had yet ac-
complilhed little in comparifon to the extent of coaft we had yet to furvey
in the; courfe of this fummer. Trailing that our examination of
prinqe William’s found, though commencing only from its fouth-weft
point of entrance, would juftify this, proceeding, our courfe was direfted
thither.
. I had it in contemplation during this purfuit, fhould circumftances concur,
to Hop fhort of prince William’s found at port Andrews; fo named
by Mr. Portlock, but called by the Ruffians Blying lound; where we
had been informed by our vifitors, (particularly by Portoff who was
by far the molt intelligent,) that they had an arfenal, and that one or
two Engliffimen, affifted by fome Ruffian artificers, were building with
the timber erf the country a ffiip as large as the Difcovery, This intelligence
had been obtained m CQnfequenpe of my having repeatedly inquired,
where there was a convenient Situation for laying the Difcovery
on fhore; being apprehenfive that her bottom might have received fome
injury, from the numerous accidents to which ffie had been lately ex-
pofed.
Blying found was ftrongly recommended by Portoff, who affured me
that the rife and fall of the tide on a very convenient beach, was fully
fufficient to anfwer aft our purpofes, and that his countrymen not only
poffeffed the means, but would be happy in rendering us every affiftance
we might require; and that on Mr. Berrenoff being made acquainted with
our arrival there, he would immediately repair thither, that nothing in
U 2 ■ their