^9s. beaches of fand or.Gone, rofe here in a very gentle afcent, and was
—----- ' well covered with a variety of ftately foreft trees. Thefe, however, did
no.t conceal the whole face of the country in one uninterrupted wilder-
nefs, but pleafingly clothed its eminences, and chequered the vallies;
prefenting, in many directions, extenfive fpaces that wore the appearance
o f having been cleared by art, like the beautiful ifland we had vi-
fited the day before. As we palled along the Ihore near one o f thefe
charming fpots, the tracks of deer, or of fome fuch animal, were very numerous,
and flattered us with the hope of not wanting refrelhments of
that nature, whilft we remained in this quarter.
A pi&ure To plealing could not fail to call to our remembrance
certain delightful and beloved lituations in old England. Thus we proceeded,
without meeting any obftruftion to our progrefs; which, though
not rapid, brought us before noon abreall of the ftream, that difcharges
its water from the weltern Ihore near g miles within the entrance o f
the harbour; which I diltinguilhed by the name of P o r t D i s c o v e r y ,
after the Ihip. There we moored, in 34 fathoms, muddy bottom, about
a quarter o f a mile from the Ihore.
The entrance o f this harbour is formed by low projecting points, extending,
on each fide, from the high woodland cliffs which in general
bound the eoaft; bearing by compafs N. 48 w. to n. 54 w., in a line with
two correfponding points from the ifland already defcribed, lying off
this harbour. Had this infular production of nature been defigned
by the moll able engineer, it could not have been placed more happily
for the protection of the port, not only from the N.w. winds
to the violence o f which it would otherwife be greatly expofed, but
againll all attempts of an enemy, when properly fortified; and hence I
called it P r o t e c t i o n I s l a n d .
The ftream of water, near which we had taken a very convenient
ftation, appeared to have its fource at fome diflance from its outfal,
through one o f thofe low fpits of fand already mentioned, which conlti-
tute molt of the projecting points we had feen ever fince our having
entered this inlet. Thefe ufually acquire a form fomewhat circular,
though irregular; and, in general, are nearly fteep to, extending from
the
the cliffy woodland country, from one to fix hundred yards towards the
water’s edge, and are compofed of a loofe Tandy foil. The furface of
fome was almoft intirely occupied by a lagoon of fait water, or brack-
ilh fwamp ; others were perfectly d r y ; no one of them produced any
trees; but were moftly covered with a coarfe fpiry grals, interfperfed
with llrawberries, two or three fpecies of clover, famphire, and a great
variety o f other fmall plants ; fome o f which bore very beautiful flowers.
On a few of the points were fome fhrubs that feemed to thrive excef-
fively ; fuch as rofes, a fpecies of fweet briar, goofeberries, rafpberries,
currants, and' feveral other fmaller bulhes, which, in their refpeCtive
feafons, produce molt probably the feveral fruits common to this and
the oppofite fide of America. Thefe all appeared to grow very luxuriantly
; and, from the quantity o f blolfoms with which they were loaded,
there was great reafon to believe them very productive.
We had little trouble in clearing a fufficient fpace for our encampment,
which was very commodioufly fituated clofe to the north fide of
the ftream or brook. The tents, obfervatory, chronometers and inftru-
ments, guarded by a party of marines, were fent on Ihore after dinner;
and, whilft they were properly arranging, I made a fliort excurfion up
the harbour. It extended nearly in a fouth direClion, about four miles
from the Ihip, and then terminated in a muddy flat acrofs its head,
about a quarter of a mile from the Ihore. The water, which was 7 fathoms
deep clofe to the flat, gradually deepened to 10, 20, and 36 fathoms,
good holding ground. On this bank were found fome fmall indifferent
oyfters. The lhores beyond it are low and thickly wooded,
and through them there appeared to run a very confiderable ftream o f
water, with feveral fmaller ones, emptying themfelves into the harbour.
The back country had the appearance of a fwampy fen for a confiderable
diftance. We landed not far from the largeft rivulet, where we
found a delerted village capable of containing an hundred inhabitants.
The houfes were built after the Nootka fafhion, but did not Teem to
have been lately the refidence o f the Indians.
The habitations had now fallen into decay; their infide, as well as a
fmall furrounding fpace that appeared to have been formerly occupied,
were