tains, much lefs elevated, which feemed to ftretch to a confiderable
diftance.-
As my intention was to anchor for the night under the low point, the
necelfary fignals were made to the Chatham; and at feven we hauled
round it, at- the diftance o f about a mile. This was, however, too near,
as we foon found ourfelves in 3 fathoms water; but, on fleering about
half a mile to the north, the depth increafed to 10 fathoms, and we
rounded the fhallow fpit, which, though not very confpicuous, is Ihewn
by =the tide caufing a confiderable rippling over it. Having turned up
a little way into the bay, we anchored on a bottom of foft fand and
mud in 14 fathoms water. The low fandy point of land, which from its
great refemblance to Dungenefs in the Britilh channel I called N j w D dn-
g e n e s s , bore by compafs N. 41 w. about 3 miles diftant, from whence
the low projefting land extends until it reaches a bluff cliff o f a moderate
height, bearing from us s. 6ow . about a league diftant. From this
ftation the fhores bore the fame appearance as thofe we had palled in
the morning, compofing one intire foreft. The fnowy mountains of the
inland country were, however, neither fo high nor fo rugged, and were
further removed from the fea fhore. The neareft parts bore by compafs
from us, fouth about half a league o ff; the apparent port s. go E.
about 2 leagues ; and the fouth point o f an inlet, feemingly very capacious,
s. 85 e . ; with land appearing like an ifland, moderately elevated,
lying before its entrance, from s. 85 e . to N. 87 £.; and the s .e . extremity
o f that which now appeared to be the fouthern fhore, N. 71 e . From
this direction round by the north and n .w . the high diftant land formed,
as already obferved, like detached iflands, amongft which the lofty mountain,
difcovered in the afternoon by the third lieutenant, and in compliment
to him called by me M o u n t B a k e r , :rofe a very confpicuous
objeft, bearing by compafs N. 43 E., apparently at a very remote diftance.
A fmall Indian village was near us on the fouth fide of the bay,
but we had not yet been vifited by any of the inhabitants. We had
now advanced further up this inlet than Mr. Gray, or, (to our knowledge)
any other perfon from the civilized world; although it fhould
hereafter be proved to be the fame which is faid to have been entered by
De
De Fuca, in fupport of which, oral teftimpny is the only authority pro-
duced ; a tradition rendered ftill more doubtful by its entrance differing c— ,—
at leaft 40' in latitude.
- Confidering ourfelves now on the point of commencing an examination
of an huirely new region, I cannot take leave of the coall already known,
without obtruding a fhort .remark on that part of the continent, Compre- ~
hending a fpace of nearly 215. leagues, on which our inquiries had been
lately employed under the mod fortunate and favorable circumflances o f
wind and; weather. So minutely had this extenfive coaft been infpefted,
that the furf had been conftantly feen to break on its fhores from the
maft-head; and it was but in a few fmall intervals only, where our diftance
precluded its being vifible from the deck. Whenever the weather
prevented our making free with the fhore, or on our hauling off
for the night, the return of fine weather and of day-light uniformly
brought us, if not to the identical fpot we had departed from, at leaft
within a few miles of it, and never beyond the northern limits of the
coaft which we had previoufly feen. An examination fo directed, and
circumftances happily concurring to permit its; being fo executed, afforded
the moft complete opportunity of determining its various turnings
and windings ; as alfo the pofition of all its confpicuous points, aft-
certained by meridional altitudes for the latitude, and obfervations for the
chronometer, which we had the good fortune to make conftantly once,
and'in general twice every day, the preceding one only excepted.
It muft be confidered as a very lingular circumftance that, in fo great
an extent of fea coaft, we fhould not until now have feen the appearance
of any opening in its fhores, which prefented any certain profpeft o f
affording fhelter ; the whole coaft forming one comp aft, folid, and nearly
ftrait barrier againft the fea.
The river Mr. Gray mentioned, fhould, from the latitude: he af-
figned to it, have exiftence in the bay, fouth of cape Difappointment.
This we palled on the forenoon of the 27th 5 and, as I then 'obferved,
if any inlet or river fhould be found, it muft be a very intricate
one, and inacceflible to veflels of our burthen, owing to the reefs
and broken water which then appeared in its neighbourhood. Mr.
Gray ftated, that he had been feveral days attempting to enter its
which