the time is not fardiftant when fome of the Ruffian adventurers
will fall in with that coaft ®. More to the
North perhaps, at leaft as high as 70 degrees latitude,
the Continent of America may ftretch out nearer to the
coaft of the Tfchutflci; and form a large promontory,
accompanied with iflands, which have no connection
with any of the preceding ones. That fuch a promontory
really exifts, and advances to within a very fmall
diftance from Tfchukotflcoi Nofs, can hardly be doubted;
at leaft it feems to be confirmed by all the lateft accounts
which have been procured from thofe parts f . That
prolongation, therefore, of America, which by Delifle is
made to extend Weftward, and is laid down juft oppofite
to Kamtchatka, between 5 0 and 60 degrees latitude, muft
be entirely removed for many of the voyages related
in this collection lay through that part of the ocean,
where this imaginary Continent was marked down.
It is even more than probable, that the Aleutian, and
fome o f the Fox Iflands, now well known, are the very
fame which Beering fell-in with upon his return; though,
from the uufteadinefs of his courfe, their true pofition
could not be exactly laid down in the chart of that expedition
t.
As *
* Appendix I. N° V I.
-f- Appendix I. N° VII.
+ This error is however fo fmall, and particularly with refpedt to the
more Eaftern epaftsahd iflands, as laid down in Beering’s chart, fuch as
Cape Hermogenes, Toomanoi, Shumaghin’s Bland, and mountain o f St.
Dolmat,
As the fea of Kamtchatka, is now fo much frequented,
thefe conjectures cannot remain long undecided; and it
is only-to be wifhed, that fome expeditions were to be
made North-eaft, in order to difeover the neareft coafts
o f America. For there is no reafon to expect a fuecefs-
ful voyage by taking any other direction ; as all the vef-
lels,'which have fleered a' more foulherly courfe, have
failed through an open fea, without meeting with any
figns of land.
A very full and judicious account of all the difeoveries
hitherto made in the Eaftern ocean may be expected from
the celebrated Mr. Muller s'. Meanwhile, I hope the
following account, extracted from the original papers,
and procured from the belt intelligence, will be the more
acceptable to the public; as it may prove an inducement
to the Ruffians to publifh fuller and more circumftantial
relations. Befides, the reader will find here a narrative
more authentic and accurate, than what has been pub-
Dolmat, that ■ i f they were to be placed upon- the general map o f
Ruflia, which is prefixed to this work, they would coincide with the
very chain o f the Fox Iflands.
* Mr. Muller has already arranged and put in order feveral o f the
journals, and fent them to the board of admiralty , at St. Peterlburg,
where they are at prefent kept, together with the charts o f the re-
fpeftive voyages.
E 2 liffied