April! e<^ *n latitude 40° 3', longitude 235° 51'. The mean variation of the
1----' furveying compafs, by obfervations made before and after noon, was
15° eaftwardly. In this fituation, the northernmoft land in fight bore,
by compafs, N. 10 w. ; cape Mendocino, N. 2 w . ; the eafternmoft land
in fight, s. 60 e . ; and the neareft Ihore N. E. about 4 leagues diftant.
In the afternoon we paffed cape Mendocino. It is formed by two high
promontories, about ten miles apart; the fouthernmoft, which is the
higheft, and when feen either from the north or the fouth much refem-
bles Dunnoze, is fituated in latitude 40° 19, longitude 235° 53. Off the
Cape lie fome rocky iflets and funken rocks, near a league from the
Ihore. The fouthernmoft o f thefe from the northernmoft promontory,
lies s. 61 w . about a league diftant ; and within it are two rocky iflets
in Ihape much refembling hay-cocks. The northernmoft o f them lies
N. 3 w . diftant 5 or 6 miles, nearly o f the fame Ihape and fize with the
other, to which it is apparently conne&ed by a ledge of rocks, whofe
outermoft part lies from the above promontory N. 38 w . about 2 leagues
diftant, having a fmaller iflet, about midway, between them. On fome
parts of this ledge the fea conftantly breaks with great violence ; on
others, at intervals only. The broken water appeared from the mail-
head to extend along the coaft, as far north as could be difcerned; which,
however, was at no great diftance, owing to the weather being ftill
thick, and hazy. The whole o f this Cape, though by no means a very
proje&ing head land, is doubtlefs very remarkable, from being the higheft
on the fea-fhore o f this part of New Albion. The mountains at its
back are confiderably elevated, and form altogether a high fteep mafs,
which does not break into perpendicular cliffs, but is compofed o f various
hills that rife abruptly, and are divided by many deep chafms. In
fome o f thefe, as well as on fome of the ridges of the hills, grew a few
dwarf trees. The general furface was covered with vegetables of a dull
green colour, interfperfed in fome places with perpendicular ftrata of
red earth or clay. South of the Cape the coaft is nearly ftrait, formino-
only a trifling bend, to the fouthernmoft part we had feen. Its elevation
is regular, it may be confidered as high land and is apparently fteep
to, as we founded without gaining bottom with 120 fkthoms of line
at
at diftances from 2 to 5 leagues from the Ihore. This had been uni- A7ni"
formly the cafe fince the evening we firft faw the coaft, having no where v — *
elfe gained any foundings, nor feen any drift wood, fea-weed, or aquatic
birds, nor noticed any difference in the colour o f the water. Thefe cir-
cumftanees induced fome o f us to fufpeft, that an opening or river exifted
to the fouthward of our then ftation. To the northward o f cape Mendocino,
the elevation of the country appeared fuddenly to decreafe beyond
the rocky iflets, where it feemed to affume a moderate-height. As the
day advanced, the weather becoming unpleafant, and adverfe to our
purfuit, about five o’clock we hauled off the Ihore. The outermoft of
the funken rocks on a line with the middle iflet, bore by compafs -e . by N.
at the diftance of about a league; the main land, then indiftinffly feen,
from N. e . by N. to e . s. e . In this fituation, we had foundings at the
depth o f 49 fathoms ; dark brown fand. As we flood into the offing,
we tried, at the diftances of 2, 3, and 4 leagues s.w. from the rocks,
but gained no bottom at the depth of 80 and 90 fathoms.
The gale had fo much increafed by midnight from the s. e ., as to
render clofe-reefing the topfails neceffary; under which we again flood
in for the land, in the hope of the wind abating on the return of day.
Inftead of which it became more violent, attended with fuch very heavy Frida>’
fqualls of rain and thick weather, that we were obliged to ftrike the topgallant
yards, and Hand to fea under our courfes. In the afternoon,
the head-railing on the {larboard fide was intirely carried away. This
obliged us to reef the forefail, and bring the tack to the cat-head; by
which means, the fail flood fo indifferently, that the confequences attendant
on this accident might have been very alarming, had we had
a lee Ihore inftead of a weather Ihore to contend with.
The gale, accompanied by torrents of rain, continued until midnight;
when it veered to the fouth, moderated, and permitted us to fteer again
for the land under clofe-reefed topfails. On faturday morning, our Saturday =1.
top-gallant fails were again fet, but the weather was very unpleafant,
being thick, with heavy rain; which, towards noon, terminated in a
calm and fog. By our reckoning, the fouth promontory of Cape Mendocino