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[Page 4]
After finishing Cooks Inlet we finished our examination to the eastward and carefully traced the several branches of Prince Williams Sound, but found none of them go further to the Northward than the Latitude of 61o 12' North so that Capt Cook's researches was pretty near their termination, some of them indeed approach so near to Cook's Inlet that the Russians pass over a small eminence from the one to the other with great facility, the distance not being above four leagues.
We finished Prince Williams Sound by the middle of June and then continued our progress to the Eastward surveying the exterior line of coast which we found to be the Continent, till we came to Cross Sound, here we entered early in July, meeting with a considerable quantity of drift Ice & pursuing our researches in the boats by large winding channels for about twenty leagues inland, & continued traceing the continental shore to the Southward till we came to that point in the Latitude of 56o North where we left off on the preceding season and where we consequently finished the great Object of the Voyage on the 19th of August last, and to do justice to both Officers & men I believe no task was ever executed with more assiduity & persevering zeal than the intricate examination of this Coast.
We came in here about six days ago all in perfect health, & in high Spirits, with the idea of returning home but we are now detained, God knows how long, till the arrival of a Vessel which is expected from St Blas with the determination of the two Courts relative to this port - a day or two before we arrived here a Vessel from St Blas with a Brigadier General on board to take the Command of this place till it is finally settled & we look forward for that moment with considerable degree of anxiety.
I have the honour to be wt gratitude & esteem
Sir Joseph
Your most Obedt: & humle Servant
Archibald Menzies.