C H A P T E R IV.
Proceed up the Straits— Anchor under New Dungenefs— Remarks on the
coajt o f New Albion— Arrive in port Di/covery— Tranfadions there—
Boat excurfion— Quit port Difcovery— AJironomical and nautical obfer-
vations.
April. T h e evening of the 29th brought us to an anchor in very thick rainy
*■— I— J weather, about 8 miles within the entrance on the fouthern fhore of the
Monday 30. fuppofed ftraits of De Fuca. The following morning, a gentle breeze
fprang up from the n.w . attended with clear and pleafant weather, which
prefented to our view this renowned inlet. Its fouthern {here's were feen
to extend, by compafs, from n . 83 w. to e . ; the former being the fmall
ifland we had palled the preceding afternoon, which lying about half a
mile from the main land, was about 4 miles dillant from us : its northern
lhore extends from N. 68 w. to n . 73 e . ; the neareft point of it, diftant
about 3 leagues, bore n . 15 w . We weighed anchor with a favorable
wind, and fleered to the eaft along the fouthern fhore, at the diftance
o f about two miles, having an uninterrupted horizon between eaft and
N. 73 e . The Ihores on each fide the ftraits are of a moderate height;
and the delightful ferenity o f the weather permitted our feeing this inlet
to great advantage. The Ihores on the fouth fide are compofed of low
fandy cliffs, falling perpendicularly on beaches of fand or ftones. From
the top o f thefe cliffy eminences, the land appeared to take a further
gentle moderate afcent, and was intirely covered with trees chiefly of the
pine tribe, until the foreft reached a range of high craggy mountains,
which feemed to rife from the wood-land country in a very abrupt
manner,
manner, with a few fcattered trees on their fteril fides, and their fum- Mgai.
mits covered with fnow. The northern lhore did not appear quite fo |— y—
high: it rofe more gradually from the fea-fide to the tops of the mountains,
which had the appearance of a compaft range, infinitely more uniform,
and much lefs covered with fnow, than thofe on the fouthern fide.
Our latitude, at noon, was 48“ 19'; longitude 236° 19'; and the variation
of the compafs 18° eaftwardly. In this fituation, the northern
fhore extended by compafs from n . 82 w . to N. 5 ! E .; between the. latter,
and the eaftern extremity of the fouthern fhore, bearing n . 88 e ., we
ftad ftill an unbounded horizon; whilft the ifland before mentioned,
continuing to form the weft extremity of the fouthern fhore, bore s. 84 w.
By thefe obfervations, which I have great reafon to believe were cor-
re&ly taken, the north promontory of Claflet is fituated in latitude 48°
2|j%; longitude 235°38'. The fmoothnefs. of the fea, and clearnefs of
the fky, enabled us to take feveral fets of lunar diftances, which gave
the longitude to the eaftward of the chronometer, and ferved to confirm
our former obfervations, that it was gaining very materially on the rate
as fettled at Otaheite. As the day advanced, the wind, which as well
as the weather was delightfully pleafant, accelerated our progrefs along
the fhore. This feemed to indicate a fpeedy termination to the inlet; as
high land now began to appear juft rifing from that horizon, which, a
few hours before, we had confidered to be unlimited. Every new ap-
pearance, as we proceeded, furmfhed new conjeflures , the whole was
not vifibly connefted; it might form a duller of iflands feparated by
large arms of the fea, or be united by land not fufficiently high to be
yet difcernible. About five in the afternoon, a long, low, fandy point
of land was obferved proje&ing from the cliffy fhores into the fea, behind
which was feen the appearance of a well-fheltered bay, and, a
little to the s .e . of it, an opening in the. land, promifing a fafe and ex-
tenfive port. About this time a very high confpicuous craggy mountain,
bearing by compafs N. 50 e . prefented itfelf, towering above the
clouds: as low down as they allowed it to be vifible it was covered with
fnow; and fouth of it, was a long ridge of very rugged fnawy mountains,