* Cape Flattery.
like fliat whichwfe Had hitherto explored from cape Mendocino, was
'firm arid COmpââ:, without any Opening into the mediterranean feaj as
llatéd in latitude 470 45' ; o‘r tile leaft appearance of à Fafe or fecüre harbour,
‘'either in that latitude, or, frémit fouthward to cape Mendocino ;
riotwitKftandihg that, in that fpace, geographers have thought it expedient
to furnim fnàhÿ. Thofé, however, Who from fiich ideal reports may
be induced to navigate, in the confidence of meeting fuch reforts for
flfeltër or refrdhinéht, Will, it is greatly to be apprehended, be led into
çbhfiderâble error, and fekpéfifencè like myfelf ho fmall degree Of mor-
tincatidn.
Wfe now faw feverâl villages frittered alotig the Chore, whofe inhabitants
came off for the purpbfe, as we filppofed, o f trading ; as the Columbia
brought t‘o for a fhOrt time, and again made all the fail fire could after
US; which ied US to conjeftufe, that Mr. Gray had not been per-
feftly fatisfied With the account givfen By our officers; and fufpèfted ’ that
our objeHWas of à commercial nature like lils oWn; as he had informed
our gentlemen that hé Wàs immediately going a conftderablè way to tire
fouthward; We Wëfe,.'âtt this time, within 2 or 3 miles of the fhore ;
the wind blew a frefh gale, attended with thick rainy Weather from the
e .'s .e . But as it was faVorable for entering this inlet, we Were eager
to embracè thé opportunity it afforded, and fhortened fail that the
"Chatham might take thé lead. About noon, We reached its fouth entrance,
which I uMerftaWd the natives diftinguifh by the name of
Claffet* ; it is a projeftin'g arid cohfpieubus promontory ; and bore; by
cbmpafs, from N. 56 e . to N.'3'g E., diftànt from its neareft part about two
miles. Tatooche’s ifland, United to the promontory by a 'ledge of rocks
over which the feâ Violently breaks, bore N.-17 %. to N. go e . ; and the
rock lyingloff thé ifland, as dfefcribed by Mr. Du'nean in his excellent
iketch‘of thè entrance into’ this inlet, n. 14 e . In idle latitude, however,
there appears 'to hé ail errb'r o f 10 miles '; which, from Mr. Duncan’s
accuracy in other refpe&s, Ï Was in'ducéd to 'attribute to 'the profs. The
iodth entrance is by him fiated to be in 48°37' ; whereas, by our run,
’and makirigévery 'allowance, Veéoùld not place 'it TO far north as Mr.
Gray. N o‘gréât violence of 'tide 'was experienced ; nor ‘did We obferve
the Pinnacle rock, .as reprefented by Mr. Mears and Mr. Dalrymple, in u p .
order to identify thefe.as De Fuca’s ftraits, or any other rock more con- t---- „---- '
fpicuous than thoufands along the coaft, varying in form and fize;
fome conical, others with flat fides, flat tops, and almoft every other fhape
that can be figured by the imagination. ; i l'i ; : •: ■ .
We followed the Chatham between Tatooche’s ifland and the rock,
hauling to the eaftward along the fouthern fhore of the fuppofed ftraits
of De Fuca. This rock, which rifes juft above the furface of the water,
and over which the furf breaks with great violence, I called R ock D uncan
, in commemoration of that gentleman’s difcovery. It is fituated,
as he reprefents, about N. 20£., nearly half a league from Tatooches
ifland ; forming a paffage, to all appearance, perfectly clear. The ifland
of Tatooche is of an oblong fhape, lying nearly in a N.w.,and s.e. direction,
about half a league in .circuit, bearing a verdant and fertile appearance,
without any trees. On the eaft fide is a cove which nearly
divides the ifland into two parts ; the upper part o f the cliff in the center
of the cove, had the appearance of having been feparated by art for
the protection or conveniency of the village there fituated; and has a
communication from cliff to cliff above the houfes of the village by a
bridge or caufeway, over which the inhabitants were feen paffing and
repairing. On the' beach were feen feveral canoes, and fome of them
would moft probably have vifited us, had we thought proper to
fhorten fail. This promontory, though not greatly elevated, rifes very
abruptly from the fea in fteep barren cliffs; above thefe it feems well
wooded ; but the badnefs of the weather that obfcured the adjacent country,
prevented alfo our afcertaining its fituation. From the north-weft
part of Tatooche’s ifland, which bears from the north point of the promontory
of Claffet n. 79 w. diftant about two miles, the exterior c.oaft
takes a direction nearly fouth about 10 leagues; where, as we paffed, I
anxioufly looked out for the point which Captain Cook had diftinguifhed
by the name of Cape Flattery, of which I could not be completely fatisfied,
on account of the difference in latitude. A {hallow bay, however,
does extend about 3 leagues to the fouthward of Claffet, which falls fome
diftance back from the general line of the coaft ; and the bafe of the intr
T i ? f land
V O L . I . r 1