by two high bluffs; the elevated land within them feemingly at a confide-
rable diftance. It proved, however, to be a clofe and compaft fhore, the
apparent vacant fpace being occupied by a very low fandy beach, off
which extended a flat of very fhallow foundings. From hence we made
the bell of our way for land, appearing like an ifland, off the other fup-
pofed opening; from whole fummit, which feemed eafy of accefs, there was
little doubt of our afcertaining whether the coaft afforded any port
within reach of the day’s excurlion. On landing on the weft end o f the
fuppofed ifland, and afcending its eminence which was nearly a perpendicular
cliff, our attention was immediately called to a landfcape, alrnoft
as enchantingly beautiful as the moft elegantly finilhed pleafure grounds
m Europe. From the height we were now upon, our conjefitures of this
land being an ifland fituated before the entrance of an opening in the
main land were confirmed. The fummit of this ifland prefented nearly a
horizontal furface, interfperfed with fome inequalities of ground, which
produced a beautiful variety on an extenfive lawn covered with luxuriant
grafs, and diverfified with an abundance of flowers. To the north-
weftward was a coppice of pine trees and fhrubs o f various forts, that
feemed as if it had been planted for the foie purpofe of prote&ing from
the N.w. winds this delightful meadow, over which were promifcuoufly
fcattered a few clumps of trees, that would have puzzled the moft ingenious
defigner of pleafure grounds to have arranged more agreeably.
Whilft we flopped to contemplate thefe feveral beauties of nature, in a
.profpeft no lefs pleafing than unexpected, we gathered fome goofeber-
ries and rofes in a ftate of confiderable forwardnefs. Calling our eyes
along the fhore we had the fatisfaffion of feeing it much broken, and
forming to all appearance many navigable inlets. The inlet now before
us did not feem fo extenfive, as we had reafon to believe it to be from
the fhips; yet there was little doubt of its proving fufhciently fecure
and convenient for all our purpofes. We therefore proceeded to its
examination, and found its entrance to be about a league wide, having
regular good foundings from 10 fathoms clofe to the fhores, to
3°, 35> and 38 fathoms in the middle, without any apparent danger
from rocks or fhoals. Frelh water, however, feemed hitherto a
fcarce commodity, and yet, from the general face of the country, a
deficiency
deficiency in this refpeft was not to be apprehended. The fhores of the ^192-
harbour were of a moderate height; its weftern fide, bounded at no very u—v— >
great diftance by a ridge of high craggy mountains covered with fnow,
were, as I conceived, comie&ed with the mountain we took for mount
Olympus. In queft of the; only great objeft neceffary for conftituting
this oiie o f the fineft harbours in the world, we profecuted our re-
fearches ; until alrnoft defpairing of fuccefs,, I fuddenly fell in with an
excellent ftream of very fine water. The defign of our excurfion was thus
happily accomplifhed; and, after taking fome little refrelhment, we returned
towards the fhips, and arrived on board about midnight, per-
feftly fatisfied with the fuccefs of our expedition, and amply rewarded
for our labour.
During my abfence, fome- o f the natives had been trading with the
velfels in a very civil and friendly manner. They did not appear to underhand
the Nootka language; as thofe o f our people who had fome
knowledge of it were by no means able to make themfelves underftood.
A light pleafant breeze fpringing up, we weighed on wednefday morn- Wcdnef. 2.
ing, and fleered for the port we had difcovered the preceding, day,
whofe entrance.about 4 leagues diftant bore s. e . by e . The delightful
ferenity of the weather greatly aided the beautiful fcenery that was now
prefented; the furface of the fea was. perfefitly fmooth, and the country
before us exhibited every thing that bounteous nature could be expected
to draw into one point of view. As we had no reafon to imagine that
this country had ever been indebted for any of its decorations to the
hand of man, I could not poflibly believe that any uncultivated country
had ever been difcovered exhibiting fo rich a pifture. The land
which interrupted the horizon between the N.w. and the northern
quarters, feemed, as already mentioned, to, be much broken; from
whence its eaftern extent round to the s . e . was bounded by a ridge of
fnowy mountains, appearing to lie nearly in a north and fouth direction,
on which mount Baker rofe confpicubufly ; remarkable for its height,
and the fnowy mountains that ftretch from its bafe to the north and
fouth. Between us and this fnowy range, the land, which on the fea Ihore
terminated like that we had lately paffed, in low perpendicular cliffs; or on
G g 2 beaches