TWO SETS OF TEETH.

Bad weather detaining them, Cook had an opportunity of studying the inhabitants. He had with him a description of the Esquimaux, by Crantz, and found these men to be very similar in appearance, dress, and appliances. They all had the bottom lip slit horizontally, giving them the appearance of having two mouths. In these slits pieces of bone were fixed to which were tied other pieces, forming a great impediment to their speech, and in some cases giving the idea that the wearer had two sets of teeth. Some also had pieces of bone, cord, or beads run through the cartilage of the nose, and all had their faces plentifully smeared with black and red paint.

After examining an inlet, which received the name of Sandwich Sound, they got away, steering to the south-west past Cape Elizabeth, sighted on that Princess's birthday, which they hoped would prove the western extremity of the coast, but on getting round, land was reported further on to the west-south-west, and a gale sprang up, forcing them off their course. In two days they worked back again, discovering more land behind what they had seen already. This Cook believed to be Cape Saint Hermogenes mentioned by Behring, but his chart was so inaccurate he could not positively identify it, or any other place mentioned on it. Cape Douglas, after the Dean of Windsor, was named, and placed in 58 degrees 56 minutes North, 206 degrees 10 minutes East; and the next day a high point in a range was called Mount St. Augustine, after the saint whose day it happened to be. They then worked into an estuary formed by the rivers (one being afterwards named Cook's River, by orders of Lord Sandwich), in order to satisfy some of the officers who thought there might be a possible communication with Hudson's Bay. A good supply of very fine salmon was obtained from natives in the neighbourhood, and Cook formed the opinion that a paying fur trade might be opened up as the skins offered were of considerable value.

Working slowly up the coast they passed through the islands off Quelpart on the 18th, when the Discovery signalled to speak; a boat was sent, and returned with a small box curiously tied up with neatly-made twine. It had been delivered on board by an Indian, who first attracted attention by displaying a pair of old plush breeches and a black cloth waistcoat, and when he came on board, took off his cap and bowed like a European. The box was found to contain a paper written in Russian, but unfortunately the only things that could be understood were the two dates, 1776 and 1778. It was supposed to have been written by a Russian trader, and given to the Indian to place it on board the first ship he met with.

On the 20th, in 54 degrees 18 minutes North, 195 degrees 45 minutes East, a volcano throwing out dense smoke was observed; and in the afternoon they received a visit from a man who had evidently been in contact with Europeans, for he was wearing green cloth breeches and a stuff jacket. He took off his cap and bowed as the visitor to the Discovery had done, but unfortunately they were unable to understand his language.

On 26th June they had a narrow escape during a thick fog, when it was not possible to see anything a hundred yards away. Breakers were heard, so the anchors were let go and fortunately held. An hour or so after the fog lifted, and they found themselves about three-quarters of a mile from a rocky island, having passed between two elevated rocks, a place through with, Cook says, "I should have ventured on a clear day," for all that they found themselves in "such an anchoring place that I could not have chosen a better."