a7S A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
a^792* they again held a elofe and long confultation; and our gentlemen having
_ v_j now no objeft to detain them on Ihore, they re-embarked, leaving the
Indians at the line of reparation, fharpening their arrows and fpears
on Hones, apparently much inclined, though irrefolute, to attempt ho-
ftilities. In this undecided Hate of their minds, Mr. Puget thought it
might anfwer a good purpofe to fire a fwivel, Ihotted; the effecl of
which, might teach them to refpeft, hereafter, our powers o f defence,
and induce them, on the prefent occafion, to prefer a pacific deportment,
and preferve the; lives of many, that muft have been loft, had
they been fo injudicious as to have commenced an attack. Although,
on the report of the gun, or the diftant effect o f the fhot, which was
fired over the water, not the leaft vifible aftonifhment or apprehenfion
was expreffed, yet, the meafure was almoft inftantly attended with every
expefted good confequence. Their bows were foon unftrung ; and in-
ftead o f their menacing a combat, their weapons became articles of
traffic, in common with other trifles they had to difpofe of, for copper,
buttons, knives, beads, and other ornaments ; in which friendly inter-
courfe, they accompanied the boats until towards the evening, when they
peaceably took their leave, and returned to their home.
From Mr. Puget I likewife underftood, that, in the courfe of his ex-
eurfion, himfelf and party had vifited, and had received the vifits of
feveral other tribes of Indians, whofe behaviour had been uniformly
civil, courteous, and friendly. Why that party, whofe unfriendly intentions
were too evident to be miftaken, Ihould have been induced to
affume, without the leaft provocation, a character fo diametrically oppofite
to that which, in every other inftance, feemed to govern their general
conduct, is certainly very myfterious, and- renders the foregoing an extraordinary
circumftance, for which iff is difficult to account.
. The country we had mutually explored, did not appear, to either
party, from our tranfient view of it, materially to differ from that which
has already been defcribed, either in its feveral productions from the
foil, or in its general appearance of fertility. It did not, however, pof-
fefs that beautiful variety of landfcape; being an almoft impenetrable
wildernefs
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 279
wildernefs o f lofty trees, rendered nearly impaffable by the underwood, ^792-
which uniformly incumbers the fur face,; i- —
By the termination of the weftern range of fnowy mountains in their
fouthern diréftion, taking place confidefably tó the north-weflward, and
the more elevated land intercepting the view o f fitch mountains as may
extend from the eaftern range, fouthward of mount Rainier, we were pre-
fented with more than the whole louthern horizon of land moderately
high, extending as far as the eye could reach, diverfified by eminences
and vallies, affording a probability of an eafy intercourfe by land with
the fea coaft ; where, fome places o f Ihelter for fmall veffels yet may pof-
fibly be found, which, in the event of an eftablilhment being formed,
would prove highly advantageous.
The fcarcity of water has before been mentioned as the only difadvan-
tage that the interior country feemed to labour under; but in Mr. Puget’s
furvey, a greater fupply of water was found than in the inlets and
bays that underwent my own particular examination. The country had
alfo been confidered by us as nearly deftitute o f inhabitants ; but this
opinion we found to be erroneous, from the other party having, by accident,
fallen in with near an hundred and fifty Indians, and having feen
feveral deferted villages.
The point near our prefent ftation, forming the north point of the
bay, hitherto called the Village point, I have diftinguifhed by the name
of R e s t o r a t i o n P o i n t , having celebrated that memorable event,
whilft at anchor under i t ; and from the refult of my obfervations, made
on the fpot, it is fituated in latitude 47° 30', longitude 237° 46'. During
our ftay the tides were obferved to be materially affefted, by the di-
reftion or force o f the winds, not only in refpeft to their rife and fall,
but as to the time of high water. The former feldom exceeded 7 or
8 feet : and the latter generally took place about 4h 10' after the moon
paffed the meridian. The variation of the compafs, by fix fets of azimuths
taken on board, differing from 18° to 22“, gave the mean refult
of 19° 36' eaft variation.
Nothing occurring to detain us, on wednefday morning, with a plea- Wedncf. 30.
fant foutherly breeze, we direfted our courfe to the opening under the
examination