weft, about g leagues diftant; to the fouth of this point appeared the
principal direction of the gulph, though a very confiderable arm feemed
to branch from it to the north-eaftward. As foon as the fhip was fe-
cured, I went in a boat to infpeCt the Ihores of the bay, and found, with
little trouble, a very convenient fituation for our feveral neceffary duties
on fhore; o f which the buftnefs of the obfervatory was my chief
object-, as I much wilhed for a further trial of the rate of the chronometers,
now that it was probable we Ihould remain at reft a fufficient
time to make the requifite obfervations for that purpofe. Mr. Broughton
received my directions to this .effeCt, as alfo, that the .veffels Ihould
be removed, the next morning, about a mile further up the Bay to the
n.e., where they would be more conveniently;Rationed for our .feveral
operations on fhore; and as foon as the buftnefs1 of the obfervatory
fhould acquire a degree of forwardnefs, Mr. Whidbey in the Difcovery’s
cutter, attended by the Chatham’s launch, was to proceed to the examination
of that part of the coaft-unexplored to the s.e . whilft myfelf
in the yawl, accompanied by Mr. Puget in the launch, directed our re-
fearches up the main inlet o f the gulph.
Matters thus arranged, with a weekfs provifion in each boat, I departed
at five o’clock on ■ tuefday morning. The moll northerly branch,
though attracting our firft attention/-caufed little delay; it foon terminated
in two open bays; the fouthernmoft, which is the fmalleft, has
two fmall rocks lying off its fouth point; it extends in a circular form to
the eaftward, with aftroal of fand proje&ing fome, diftance from its Ihores.
This bay affords good, anchorage from 7 to 1 ofathoms water : the other is
much larger, and extends to the northward; thefe, by noon, we had
paffed round, but the Ihoals attached to the Ihores of each, and particularly
to thole of the latter, prevented our reaching within 4 or 5 miles
of their heads. The point conftituting the weft extremity of ;tliefe .bays,
is that which was feen from the fhip, and confidered as the weftern part of
the main land, of which it is a fmall portion, much elevated at the fouth
extremity of a very low narrow peninfula ; its higheft part is to the s.e .,
formed by high white fand cliffs falling perpendicularly into the le a ; from
whence a fhoal extends to the diftance of half a mile round it, joining
thofe
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
ithofe of the larger b a y ; . whilft its fouth-weft extremity, -not more than a *«£
mile in an eaft and weft direction from the former, is one of thofe low v— *
projecting Tandy points, with 10 to 7 fathoms water, within a few yards
of i f . From this point, fituated in latitude .48° 57', longitude 237° 20,
■ (which I diftimguifhed b y the name of P o in t R o b e r t s , after my
efteeined friend and predeceffor in the Difcovery) the coaft takes a direction
"N. 28 w.j and prefented a tafk of .examination to which we conceived
our equipment very unequal. That which, from hence, appeared
ithe northern extreme of (the continental fhore, was a low bluff point,
that..feemed to form the fouthern entrance into an extehfive found, bearing
N. 25 w ., with broken land ftretching about ^'’ ’farther to the weft-
ward. Between this direction and N. 79 w ., the horizon feemed uninterrupted,
excepting by the appearance o f a fmall though very high
round ifland, dying .N. 52 w., apparently at the diftance of many leagues.
Having thus (early examined and fixed the continental Ihore to the fur-
theft point feen from the fhip, I determined to profecute -our inquiries
■ to the utmoft limits that card and frugality could extend our Tupplies;
and, having taken the neceffary angles, we proceeded, but foon found
our progrefs .along theieaftern or continental lhore materially impeded
b y a fhoal that extends from point Roberts n. 80 w. 7 or 8 miles, then
ftretches N. 35 w. .about .5 or 6 miles further, where it takes a northerly
direction towards the above -low bluff point. Along the edge o f this
bank we had foundings, from 10 to 1 fathom, as we inoreafcd or de-
creafed our diftance from the eaftern (fliore; to approach which all our
endeavours were exerted to no purpofe, until nine in the evening, when
the Ihoal, having forced us nearly into the middle of the gulph, we flood
over to its weftern fide, in ..order to land for ; the night, and to cook
our provifions for the enfuing day; -which being always performed by
thofe on watch during the night, prevented any (delay On that account,
in the day time. As we -flood to {he weftward; our depth foon increafed
to 15 fathoms, after which we-'gained no bottom until we-reached die
weftern fhore of the gulph, where, 011 our arrival about one .o’clock 111
'the morning, it was With much-difficulty we were enabled to land on
.the fteep ruused rocks that coinpofe the coaft, for the purpofe of cook-
O q 2