north latitude; these were supposed to belong to the continent of America;
but if a strait was discovered by these adventurers, there must be an error
in the latitude, as in 64 deg. there is no opening known to exist.
It was reserved for an English navigator to ascertain the truth of the
report which the Russians had received from the inhabitants of Ochotsk,
that their country was separated from America only by a narrow strait.
This was done during the third and last voyage of Captain Cook; the
principal design of which was to ascertain the existence and practicability
of a passage between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, either to the
north-east or north-west. For this purpose he carefully examined the north-
west coast of America, beginning this examination in the latitude of 44 deg.
33' north. Previously to this voyage an act of Parliament was passed,
granting a reward of 20,000_l_. to any person who should discover any
northern passage by sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in any
parallel to the northward of the 52 deg. of northern latitude. This voyage
of Cook began in 1778; on the 9th of August, in that year, he ascertained
the position and latitude of the western extremity of America, and soon
afterwards he determined the width of that strait which divides the two
continents. He then steered to the north, and continuing up the strait till
he was in the latitude 70 deg.
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