1779- Northern extremity o f Japan*. It is lower than any other
. ° aobM\ part; and, from the range o f the h igh lands that w ere feen
over it from the maft-head, the coaft appeared evidently to
incline round to the Weftward. T h e North point o f the inlet
we fuppofed to be Cape Nambu, and the town to be fitu-
ated in a break o f the h igh land, toward w hich the inlet
feemed to direft itfelff- T he country is o f a moderate
height, confifts o f a double range o f mountains ; it abounds
w ith wood, and has a pleafing variety o f hills and dales.
’W e faw the fmoke o f feveral towns or villages, and
many houfes near the fliore, in pleafant and cultivated
fituations.
During the calm, being w illin g to make the beft ufe o f
o u r time, we put our fiihing lines overboard, in ten fathoms
water, but without any fuccefs. As this was the only
amufement our circumftances admitted, the difappoint-
ment was always very fenfibly felt, and made us look back
with regret to the cod-banks o f the dreary regions w e had
left, which had fupplied us with fom an y wholefome meals,
and, by the diverfion they afforded, had given a variety to
the wearifome fucceilion o f gales and calms, and the tediou
s repetition o f the fame nautical obfervations. At two
in the afternoon, the breeze freihened from the Southward,
and, by four, had brought us under clofe-reefed topfails,
* The only authentic furvey of the Eaftern coaft of Japan, with which I am ac-‘
■quainted, is that publiflted by Janfen in his Atlas, and compiled with great accuracy
from the charts and journals of the Caftficom and' Braikes. I have therefore adopted,
w h e r e v e r thé identity, of the fituations could be nearly afcertained, the names given
-in that map. to the correfponding points, and head-lands feen by us along the coaft.
Janfen p l a c e s the Northern extremity of Japan, in.latitude .4 O 0 J j'. The point
feen by us was in latitude 40° 27'.
I This town is called by Janfen, Nabo..
and obliged us to ftand o f f to the South Eaft. In confe- ¿ T t
quence o f this courfe, and the hazinefs o f the weather, the ' . >
land foon d ifappeared. We kept on all night, and till eight
the next morning, when the wind coming round to the Wednef. 27..
North, and growing moderate, we made fail, and fleered
Weft South Weft, toward the la n d ; but did not make it till
three in the afternoon, when it extended from North Weft
h a lf Weft to Weft. The Northernmoft extreme being a continuation
o f the high land, which was the Southernmoft w e wM
had feen the day before ; the land to the Weft we conceived
to be the Hofe T afe l Berg (the H igh Table Hill) o f Janfen.
Between the two extremes, the coaft was low and fcarcely
perceptible, except from the maft-head. We flood on toward
the coaft till eight, when w e were about five leagues
diftant; and having fliortened fail for the night, fleered to
the Southward, founding every four hours j but never found
ground with one hundred and fixty fathoms o f line.
On the 28th, at fix in the morning, we again faw land, Timrfday;»,.
twelve leagues to the Southward o f that feen the preceding
day, extending from Weft South Weft to Weft by North.
We fleered South Weft obliquely with the flio re ; and, at
ten, faw more land open to the South Weft. T o the W-eft-
ward o f this land, which is low and flat, are two iflands, as
we judged, though fome doubts were entertained, whether
they might not be connected with the adjacent low ground.
The ha zy weather, joined to our diftance, prevented us alfo
from determining, whether there are any inlets or harbours-
between the projecting points, which feem here to prcmife
goodlhelter. At noon, the North extreme bore North Weft
b y North, and a high peaked hill, over a fteep head-land,
Weft b y North, diftant five leagues. Our latitude at this,
time, by obfervation, was 38° 16', longitude 142° 9'. T h e
1 mean, .