1792. which at length he was unable to effe6t in confequence of a very ftrong
i A^“ ' < outfet. This is a phenomenon difficult to account for, as, in moft cafes
where there are outfets of fuch ftrength on a fea coaft, there are correfpond-
ing tides fetting in. Be that however as it may, I was thoroughly convinced,
as were alfo moft perfons of obfervation on board, that we could not,
poffibly have paffed any fafe navigable opening, harbour, or place of fe-
curity for Ihipping on this coaft, from cape Mendocino to the promontory
o f Claffet; nor had we any reafon to alter our opinions, notwithftanding
that theoretical geographers have thought proper to affert, in that fpace,
the exiftence of arms of the ocean, communicating with a mediterranean
fea, and extenfive rivers, With fafe and convenient ports. Thefe ideas, not
derived from any fource of fubftantial information, have, it is much to be
feared, been adopted for the foie purpofe o f giving unlimited credit to
the traditionary exploits of ancient foreigners, and to undervalue the
laborious and enterprizing exertions of our own countrymen, in the
noble fcience o f difcovery.
Since the vilion of the fouthern continent, (from which the Incas of Peru
are faid to have originated,) has vanilhed; the pretended difcoveries of De
Fuca and De Fonte have been revived, in order to prove the exiftence o f a
north-weft paflage. Thefe have been fupported by the recent concurring
opinions of modern traders, one of whom is faid to conceive, that an
opening ftill further to the north is that which De Fuca entered. Under
this affertion, Ihould any opening further to the northward be difcovered
leading to a N.w. paflage, the merit of fuch difcovery will neceffarily
be afcribed to De Fuca, De Fonte, or fome other favorite voyager of
thele clofet philofophers.
May. The preceding evening brought us to an anchor under New Dunge-
TMttyZ1 nefs. Our May-day was ufhered in by a morning of the moft delightfully
pleafant weather, affording us, from the broken appearance of the
coaft before us, the profpeft o f foon reaching a fafe and commodious
harbour. Indeed, our prefent fituation was far from ineligible, as it
promifed to . admit us as near the ftiore as we might think proper to take
our ftation. Mr. Whidbey was therefore difpatched in the cutter, to
found, and fearch for frelh water.
T h e
The appearance of the huts we now faw, indicated the relidence of
the natives in them to be of a temporary nature only ; as we could perceive
with our glaffes, that they differed very materially from the habitations
of any of the American Indians we had before feen, being competed
of nothing more than a few mats thrown over crofs fticks ; whereas
thofe we had paffed the preceding day, in two or three fmall villages
to the eaftward of Claffet, were built exaftly after the falhion of
the houfes erected at Nootka*. The inhabitants feemed to view us
with the utmoft indifference and unconcern; they continued to filh before
their huts as regardlefs of our being prefent, as if fuch veffels had
been familiar to them, and unworthy of their attention. On the low
land of New Dungenefs were erefted perpendicularly, and feemingly
with much regularity, a number o f very tall ftrait poles, like flag-ftaves
or beacons, fupported from the ground by fpurs. Their firft appearance
induced an opinion o f their being intended as the uprights for ftages on
which they might dry-their filh; but this, on a nearer view, feemed improbable,
as their height and diftance from each other would havfe required
fpars of a greater fize to reach from one to the other, than the fub-
ftance o f the poles was capable of fuftaining. They were, undoubtedly,
intended to anfwer fome particular purpofe; but whether o f a religious,
civil, or military nature, muft be left to fome future inveftigation.
Mr. Whidbey found from 10 to g fathoms water clofe to the ftiore.
He landed at the upper part of the bay, but could not find any Water;
nor did he fee the appearance of any along the ftiore near the habitations
of the Indians, who remained, as before 'deferibed, or fifhing on
the water, without paying any more attention to the cutter, than if fhe
had been one of their own canoes:
On receiving this report, the Chatham’s cutter, with the Difcovery’s
yawl and cutter, were ordered to be armed and fupplied with a day’s
provifion ; with which we fat off to examine the two apparent openings
neareft to us. We found the furface of the fea almoft covered with
aquatic birds' of various kinds, but all fo extremely thy that our fportf-
men were unable to reach them with their guns, although they made
many attempts. The firft opening to the s. e . appeared to be formed
V o l . I. G g by
May.
7
* Viâe
Cook’ s laft
Voyage.