At noon they were in latitude 40 deg.

58', and longitude 148 deg.

17', and two small land birds being taken on board, plainly indicated they could not be any great distance from the land; they therefore hauled up to the west-north-west, in which direction the southernmost islands seen by Spanberg, and said to be inhabited by hairy men, lay at the distance of about fifty leagues.

They saw several other signs of land; but, on the 24th, the wind shifted to the north, and blew a fresh gale, so that they finally gave up all further search for islands to the north of Japan, and shaped their course west-south-west, for the north part of that island.
On the 26th, at daybreak, they descried high land to the westward, which proved to be Japan.

The country consisted of a double range of mountains; it abounded with wood, and had a pleasing variety of hills and dales.