ture navigators in those seas, by steering farther to the north than Behring and Tschirikow or Krenitzin had done, may find that the continent of America approaches still nearer to that of Asia.' Vol, i, p. 239. It has accordingly been found that these two continents, which, in the parallel of 55°, or that of the southern extremity of Alashka, are about four hundred leagues asunder, approach continually to one another as they stretch together toward the north, until, within less than a degree from the polar circle, they are terminated by two capes, only thirteen leagues distant. The east cape of Asia is in latitude 66° 6', and in longitude 190° 22′, east from Greenwich ; the western extremity of America, or Prince of Wales Cape, is in latitude 65° 46′, and in longitude, 191° 45'. Nearly in the middle of the narrow strait, (Behring's strait) which separates these capes, are the two islands of St. Diomede, from which both continents may be seen. Captain King informs us, that as he was sailing through this strait, July 5, 1779, the fog having cleared away, he enjoyed the pleasure of seeing from the ship the continents of Asia and America at the same moment, together with the islands of St. Diomede lying between them. Cook's Voy. vol. iii, p. 244.

Beyond this point the strait opens towards the Arctic sea, and the coasts of Asia and America diverge so fast from one another, that in the parallel of 69° they are more than one hundred leagues asunder. Ib. p. 277. To the south of the strait there are a number of islands, Clerke's, King's, Anderson's, &c. which, as well as those of St. Diomede, may have facilitated the migrations of the natives from the one continent to the other. Captain Cook, however, on the authority of the Russians at Oonolashka, and for other good reasons, has diminished the number of islands which had been inserted in former charts of the northern archipelago. He has also placed Alashka, or the promontory which stretches from the continent of America S. W. towards Kamtchatka, at the distance of 5o of longitude farther from the coast of Asia than it was reckoned by the Russian navigators.

The geography of the old and new world is therefore equally indebted to the discoveries made in this memorable voyage; and as many errors have been corrected, and many deficiencies supplied by means of these discoveries, so the accuracy of some former observations has been established. The basis of the map of the Russian empire, as far as regarded Kamtchatka and the country of the Tschatzki, was the position of four places,-Yakutsh, Ochotz, Bolcheresk, and Petropawlowski, which had been determined by the astronomer Krassilnicow in the year 1744. Nov. Comment. Petrop. vol. iii, p. 465, &c. But the accuracy of his observations was contested by M. Engel and M. Robert de Vaugondy, Coxe

Append. i, No. 2, p. 267, 272; and the former of these geographers ventured to take away no less than 28° from the longitude, which, on the faith of Krassilnicow's observations, was assigned to the eastern boundary of the Russian empire. With how little reason this was done, will appear from considering that our British navigators, having determined the position of Petropawlowski by a great number of very accurate observations, found the longitude of that port 158° 43′ E. from Greenwich, and its latitude 53° 1′; agreeing, the first to less than seven minutes, and the second to less than half a minute, with the calculations of the Russian astronomer; a coincidence which, in the situation of so remote a place, does not leave an uncertainty of more than four English miles, and which, for the credit of science, deserves to be particularly remark-ed. The chief error in the Russian maps has been in not extending the boundaries of that empire sufficiently towards the east. For as there was nothing to connect the land of the Tschutzki and the north-east point of Asia with those places whereof the position had been carefully ascertained, except the imperfect accounts of Behring's and Synd's voyages, considerable errors could not fail to be introduced; and that point was laid down as not more than 23° 2′ east of the meridian of Petropawlowski. Coxe, App. i, No. 2. By the observations of Captain King, the difference of longitude between Petropawlowski and the East cape is 31° 9'; that is 8° 7′ greater than it was supposed to be by the Russian geographers.' It appears from Cook's and King's Voy. iii, p. 272, that the continents of Asia and America are usually joined together by ice during winter. Mr Samwell confirms this account of his superior officer. At this place, viz. near the latitude of 66° N. the two coasts are only thirteen leagues asunder, and about midway between them lie two islands, the distance from which to either shore is short of twenty miles. At this place, the natives of Asia could find no difficulty in passing over to the opposite coast, which is in sight of their own. a course of years such an event would happen, either through design or accident, cannot admit of a doubt. The canoes which we saw among the Tschutzki were capable of performing a much longer voyage; and however rude they may have been at some distant period, we can scarcely suppose them unequal to a passage of six or seven leagues. People might have been carried over by accident on floating pieces of ice; they might also have travelled across on sledges or on foot; for we have reason to believe that the strait is entirely frozen over in the winter; so that, during that season, the continents, with respect to the communication between them, may be considered as one land.' Letter from Mr Samwell, Scots Magazine for 1788, p. 604. It is probable that this interesting 3 x

VOL. III.

That in

portion of geographical knowledge will, in the course of a few years, receive farther improvement. Soon after the publica tion of Captain Cook's last voyage, the great and enlightened sovereign of Russia, attentive to every thing that may contri bute to extend the bounds of science, or to render it more accurate, formed the plan of a new voyage of discovery, in order to explore those parts of the ocean lying between Asia and America which Captain Cook did not visit; to examine more accurately the islands which stretch from one continent almost to the other; to survey the north-east coast of the Russian empire, from the mouth of the Kovyma, or Kolyma, to the North cape; and to settle, by astronomical observa tions, the position of each place worth notice. The conduct of this important enterprise is committed to Captain Billings, an English officer in the Russian service, of whose abilities for that station, it will be deemed the best evidence, that he accompanied Captain Cook in his last voyage. To render the expedition more extensively useful, an eminent naturalist is appointed to attend Captain Billings. Six years will be requisite for accomplishing the purposes of the voyage. Coxe, Supplement to Russian discoveries, p. 27, &c.

NOTE XLIV. p. 250.

Few travellers have had such opportunity of observing the natives of America, in its various districts, as Don Antonio Ulloa. In a work lately published by him, he thus describes the characteristical features of the race: A very small forehead, covered with hair towards its extremities, as far as the the middle of the eye-brows; little eyes; a thin nose, small, and bending towards the upper lip; the countenance broad; the ears large; the hair very black, lank, and coarse; the limbs well turned; the feet small; the body of just proportion, and altogether smooth and free from hair, until old age, when they acquire some beard, but never on the cheeks.' Noticias Americanas, &c. p. 307. M. le Chevalier de Pinto, who resided several years in a part of America which Ulloa never visited, gives a sketch of the general aspect of the Indians there. They are all of copper colour, with some diversity of shade, not in proportion to their distance from the equator, but according to the degree of elevation of the territory which they inhabit. Those who live in a high country are fairer than those in the marshy low lands on the coast. Their face is round, farther removed, perhaps, than that of any people from an oval shape. Their forehead is small, the extremity of their ears far from the face, their lips thick, their nose flat, their eyes black or of a chesnut colour, small, but capa

ble of discerning objects at a great distance. Their hair is always thick and sleek, and without any tendency to curl. They have no hair on any part of their body but the head. At the first aspect, a southern American appears to be mild and innocent, but on a more attentive view, one discovers in his countenance something wild, distrustful, and sullen.' MS. penes me. The two portraits, drawn by hands very different from those of common travellers, have a near resemblance.

NOTE XLV. P. 251.

AMAZING accounts are given of the persevering speed of the Americans. Adair relates the adventures of a Chikkasah warrior, who run, through woods and over mountains, three hundred computed miles in a day and a half and two nights. Hist. of Amer. Ind. 396.

NOTE XLVI. p. 254.

M. GODIN LE JEUNE, who resided fifteen years among the Indians of Peru and Quito, and twenty years in the French colony of Cayenne, in which there is a constant intercourse with the Galibis and other tribes on the Orinoco, observes, that the vigour of constitution among the Americans is exactly in proportion to their habits of labour. The Indians in warm climates, such as those on the coasts of the South sea, on the river of Amazons, and the river Orinoco, are not to be compared for strength with those in cold countries; and yet, says he, boats daily set out from Para, a Portuguese settle. ment on the river Amazons, to ascend that river against the rapidity of the stream, and with the same crew they proceed to San Pablo, which is eight hundred leagues distant. No crew of white people, or even of negroes, would be found equal to a task of such persevering fatigue as the Portuguese have experienced, and yet the Indians, being accustomed to this labour from their infancy, perform it. MS. penes me.

NOTE XLVII. p. 259.

DON ANTONIO ULLOA, who visited a great part of Peru and Chili, the kingdom of New Granada, and several of the provinces bordering on the Mexican gulf, while employed in the same service with the French mathematicians, during the space of ten years, and who afterwards had an opportunity of viewing the North Americans, asserts, that if we have seen

one American, we may be said to have seen them all, their colour and make are so nearly the same.' Notic. Americanas, p. 308. A more early observer, edro de Cieca de Leon, one of the conquerors of Peru, who had likewise traversed many provinces of America, affirms, that the people, men and women, although there is such a multitude of tribes or nations as to be almost innumerable, and such diversity of climates, appear, nevertheless, like the children of one father and mother. Chronica del' Peru, parte i, c. 19. There is no doubt, a certain combination of features, and peculiarity of aspect, which forms what may be called an European or Asiatic countenance. There must likewise be one that may be denominated American, common to the whole race. This may be supposed to strike the traveller at first sight, while not only the various shades which distinguish people of different regions, but the peculiar features which discriminate individuals, escape the notice of a transient observer. But when persons who had resided so long among the Americans concur in bearing testimony to the similarity of their appearance in every climate, we may conclude that it is more remarkable than that of any other race. See likewise Garcia Origen de los Indies, p. 51, 212. Torquemada Monarch. Indiana, ii, 571.

NOTE XLVIII. p. 261.

M. LE CHEVALIER DE PINTO observes, that in the interior parts of Brasil, he had been informed that some persons rese abling the white people of Darien have been found, but that the breed did not continue, and their children became like other Americans. This race however, is very imperfectly known. MS. penes me.

NOTE XLIX. p. 263.

THE testimonies of different travellers, concerning the Patagonians, have been collected and stated with a considerable degree of accuracy by the author of Recherches Philosophiques, &c. tom. 1, 281, &c. iii, 381, &c Since the publication of his work, several navigators have visited the Magellanic regions, and, like their predecessors, differ very widely in their accounts of its inhabitants. By Commodore Byron and his crew, who sailed through the straits in 1764, the common size of the Patagonians was estimated to be eight feet, and many of them much taller. Phil. Transact. vol. lvii, p. 78. By Captains Wailis and Cartaret, who actually measured themr in 1766, they were found to be from six feet to six feet five