ApiS From hence, as we proceeded to the north, the 'coaft began to increase
—-v-— j regularly "ifi height, and the inland country, behind die low land bordering
on the lea Ihore, acquired a conftderable degree of elevation. The
fhores we palled this -morning, differed m fome refpefts from thofe we
had hitherto feen. They were compofed of low cliffs riling perpendicularly
from a-beach of fail’d or fmall Hones; had many detached rocks of
various romantic'forms lying'at the difiance iof about a mile, with regular
foundings, between 16 and 19 fathoms, ,'foft fandy bottom. Noon
brought us in lightof land, which Was conlidered to Ibe that named by
Mr. Barclay, T)eftru£lion illand ; bearing by compafe from in. ,14 w . to
N. 17 w.-, the Touthernmoft land in light, s. £3-E.; the northernmofi
N. g 6 w .; and the-neareft ifhore N.1'65 E. at the diftance of about 4
miles ; in this -fitu'ation our obferved latitude was 470 gol, longitude .235*
49', and the variation o f thecompdfs 180 edftwardly.
In the afternoon the wind we had been fo happily favored with died
away, and was'fucceeded by-calms and light variable breezes. Thefe,
with a currerit or tide fetting rapidly in Ihore, obliged us .to anchor in
21 fathoms, -’on a bottom of foft fand and mud: the coaft, which now
formed a ftrait and compaft Ihore, bore b y compafs from N, go w. to
s. 49 e. ; the neareft part of the main land, call, about-five miles; Deftruc-
tion ifland, being 1 the neareft Ihore, N.'giE. ito N.,-5 ,w. about a league
diftant; and fome breakers extending from itsmorth point N.-Sw.
This ifland is fituated in latitude 47" 37'; longitude 235° 49' ; and is,
by far, the largeft detached land yet obferved on the coaft. It is about
a league in circuit, low, and nearly flat on • the top, prefenting a very
barren afpeft, and producing only one or two dwarf trees at-each end.
"A canoe or two were feen paddling near the ifland. It was a fafl not
lefs lingular than worthy obfervation, that, on the whole extenfive- coaft
of New Albion, and more particularly in the vicinity of thofe ■ fertile
and delightful Ihorcs w e had lately palled, we had not,. excepting to
the fouthward of cape Orford and at this- place, leen-any;inhabitants, or
met with any circumftances, that in the mod ’diftant manner indicated
a-probability Pfth e country being inhabited.
The ferenity of the weather, although very t plealant, was rendered
exceffxvely
excefllvely irkfqme jb,y the want.of wind,; our progtefs tyas flow; andaur
curiofxty was much excited to explore the promifed expanliye mediterranean
qqqan, which, ,by various accounts, is faid to bave.exiftenqe in
the(e regions. T]ae ieyeral large rivers aq^l Rapacious iplqtx, that have
beep idefci-ibed as .difeharging -their contents finto the ,pacific,; hqtv^qen fi/p
40th and 48th.degree of north latitude, were reduced to btopks, xnfuf[x-
ciqnt for our velfels -to navigate, or to bays, inapphc^ble as -harbours, fey
refitting;. excepting that .one qf yhich Mr. Dalrymple informs us, that
“ it is alfe4ged that the Spaniards have recently found an entrance in the
“ latitude of 47° 45' north, which in .27 ,(3ays ,cpprfe brought them, to
“ -the vicinity o f Hudfqn’s ,bay; -.this latitude ex^aiy.eorrefpoxy^gto.the
“ ancie-pt .relation of JohnDe Euca, the . Greek ,pik)t, in -lqSt2' * This
.inlet -,could be now only-ten miles from us ; and another that had been
vifited by Mr. Meats,and other traders an the.qoaft, was not(moi-e than
20 leagues diftant. We had been extremely fqrtunate m the, favorable
winds that -had attended us along this coaft, ,apd .their abfence -at this
junfture made us impatient for their return. Our anxiety was,. however,
of no long duration; ,as by three o’clock on fund,ay morning we
were. indulged - with a ,pleafant-bree?e, with, which, at, day-light we weighed
and flood along the ftxpre to the N.-W- Whilft at.pnchor we -found -a
conftant current, without, intermiffion, fettipg in. the line .of .the ,cpaft
to the northward, at an uniform:rate{of ,near-h,alf a league per hour.
Since we-had paffed cape (Word, wc had’ {jeep regplarly thus, affe§pd,
and carriedfijrther to, the ,-north .by-to, or jyynjtes .per day .than vye :px-
peeted. g
,A t f o u r o fe lo e k ,- ,a fa il:W a s lld i fc o y e r e d ,.to .th e ,w e f tw a r d ®an din g -in fh o r e .
This was,a very great, novelty, not having rfeen .any yeffelibut.ppr. con-
fort, during-the 1 # eight, mouths. She, foon hpiffed.,American; colours,,
and fired a gup to leeward. At fix .we[fpokejher. She prpved,to.be
the ftxip Columbia, commuitded by Mr. Rpbert Gray,, belonging.,to, Boftpn,
whence-fixe had been'jahfent nineteen.-mpnths. [Having Jittle doubt pf
his being the, fame, perfon whorha^-&rmerly,;coxnmandpd therllpop Wafti-
ington, I defired he would-bring,to,--and,ica|it Mr- Puget,and.Mr.,Menjzxes
•Vide Mr.
Dalrymple’s
plan for promoting
tne
fur trade,
&c. p. 31,
1789.
Sunday 29,