With these flattering ideas, having a fresh-gale at N.N.E., we stood to the N.W. till eight o’clock, when we clearly saw, that what we had taken for islands were summits of mountains, every where connected by lower land, which the haziness of the horizon had prevented us from seeing at a greater distance.  This land was every where covered with snow, from the tops of the hills down to the very sea-beach; and had every other appearance of being part of a great continent.  I was now fully persuaded that I should find no passage by this inlet; and my persevering in the search of it here, was more to satisfy other people than to confirm my own opinion.

At this time Mount St Augustin bore N., 40 W., three or four leagues distant.  This mountain is of a conical figure, and of very considerable height; but it remains undetermined whether it be an island or part of the continent.  Finding that nothing could be done to the W., we tacked, and stood over to Cape Elizabeth, under which we fetched at half-past five in the afternoon.  On the N. side of Cape Elizabeth, between it and a lofty promontory, named Cape Bede,[4] is a bay, in the bottom of which there appeared to be two snug harbours.  We stood well into this bay, where we might have anchored in twenty-three fathoms water; but as I had no such view, we tacked and stood to the westward, with the wind at N. a very strong gale, attended by rain, and thick hazy weather.

[Footnote 4:  In naming this and Mount St Augustin, Captain Cook was directed by our Calendar.—­D.]

The next morning the gale abated; but the same weather continued till three o’clock in the afternoon, when it cleared up.  Cape Douglas bore S.W. by W.; Mount St Augustin W. 1/2 S.; and Cape Bede S., 15 deg.  E., five leagues distant.  In this situation, the depth of water was forty fathoms, over a rocky bottom.  From Cape Bede, the coast trended N.E. by E. with a chain of mountains inland, extending in the same direction.  The land on the coast was woody; and there seemed to be no deficiency of harbours.  But, what was not much in our favour, we discovered low land in the middle of the inlet, extending from N.N.E. to N.E. by E. 1/2 E. However, as this was supposed to be an island, it did not discourage us.  About this time we got a light breeze southerly, and I steered to the westward of this low land; nothing appeared to obstruct us in that direction.  Our soundings during the night were from thirty to twenty-five fathoms.

On the 28th, in the morning, having but very little wind, and observing the ship to drive to the southward, in order to stop her, I dropped a kedge-anchor, with an eight-inch hawser bent to it.  But, in bringing the ship up, the hawser parted near the inner end; and we lost both it and the anchor.  For although we brought the ship up with one of the bowers, and spent most of the day in sweeping for them, it was to no effect.  By an observation, we found our station to be in the latitude of 59 deg. 51’;