In the courfe of the afternoon we were tolerably fuccefsful with the
feine, as we had alfo been in the above harbour, in taking a quantity
of fifh fimilar to thole we procured in port Difcovery. About eight
in the evening we had the fatisfaftion of hearing our gun anfwered;
and at nine the boats fafely returned to the veffels.
Mr. Whidbey informed me, that on his return from the furvey of
the port we had quitted in the morning, he faw the Chatham working off
the eaft end of the round ifland at fo little diftance, that he concluded
the boats could not have efcaped the obfervation of thofe on board;
and under that impreflion, and his anxiety to forward this tedious fer-
vice, he had availed himfelf of a favorable foutherly wind, and flood
tide, to profecute his examination o f the other branch, whofe entrance
.he had found fomething wider than the harbour we had left, having 60
fathoms depth of water, with a foft muddy bottom. Its general direction
led n . N.w. Having advanced about four miles, they found on a
low projefting point of the weftern fhore, a village containing a numerous
tribe o f the natives. But as my orders, as well as the general
inclination of the officers, were to prevent by all poffible means the
chance of any mifunderftanding, it was the uniform praftice to avoid
landing in the prefence of confiderable numbers ; and as it was now the
dinner time of our party, Mr. Whidbey very prudently made choice of
the oppofite Ihore, in the hope o f making a quiet meal without the company
o f the Indians. Having reached the place where they intended to
land, they were met by upwards of two hundred, fome in their canoes
with their families, and others walking along the fhore, attended by
about forty dogs in a drove, fhorn clofe to the fkin like fheep. Not-
withftanding their numbers, it was important to land for the purpofe of
taking angles; and they had the fatisfaftion of being received on fhore
with every mark of cordial friendfhip. Mr. Whidbey however, thought
it prudent to remain no longer in their fociety-than was abfolutely ne-
ceffary; and haying finifhed the bufinefs for which he had landed, he
inftantly embarked, and continued his route up the inlet until the evening,
when he landed for the night about nine miles within its entrance:
In the morning they again purfued their inquiry, and foon after they
had.
had landed to breakfaft, they were vifited by a large canoe full of In- Jjjjjj-J'
dians, who were immediately followed by an hundred more of the na-
tives, bringing with them the mats for covering their temporary houfes,
and, feemingly, every other article of value belonging to them.
On landing, which they did without the leaft hefitation, their behaviour
was courteous and friendly in the higheft degree. A middle-aged, man,
to all appearance the chief or principal perfon of the party, was fore-
mofl in (hewing marks of the greateft hofpitality; and perceiving our
party were at breakfaft, prefented them with water, roafted roots, dried
filh, and other articles of food. This perfon, in return, received fome
prefents, and others were diftributed amongft the ladies and fome of the
party. The chief, for fo we muft diftinguifh him, had two hangers,
one of Spanifh, the other o f Englilh manufafture, on which he feemed
to fet a very high value. The fituation of the fpot where they had
landed was delightful; the fhores on each fide the inlet being eompofed
o f a low country, pleafingly diverfified by hills, dales, extenfive verdant
lawns, and clear fpaces in the midfi of the foreft, together with the
cordial reception they had met from the natives, induced Mr. Whidbey
to continue his examination on Ihore ; on. which occafion he was accompanied
by the chief and feveral of the party, who conduced themfelves-
with the greateft propriety; though with no fmall degree of civil curio-
fity in examining his- clothes, and exprefling a great defire to be latisfied
as to the colour of the fkin they covered ; making figns, that his hands-
and face were painted white, inftead of being black or red like their own;
but when convinced of their miftake by opening his waiftcoat, their
aftonilhment was inexpreflible. From thefe circumftances, and the general
tenor of their behaviour, Mr. Whidbey concluded they had not
before feen any Europeans, though, from the different articles they
poffeffed, it was evident a communication had taken place; probably,
by the means of diftinft trading tribes. The people, who had been met
in that inlet removing with their families, and all their moveable property,,
were not unlikely to be of this commercial defcription;. particularly, as
their voyage was towards the fea-coaft, where, in fome convenient fituation
near to the general refort of Europeans, they might fix their
abode