fi gHj I
316 A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
[Z lL ir ll June* t^lat difcharges itfelf at the bottom, or north extremity of the Bay. On
i f f ( i l l ---' the low land very luxuriant grafs was produced, with wild rofe, goofeberry,
and other bufhes in abundance.
I (hall conclude this chapter by ftating that, by the mean refult of
eleven meridional altitudes of the fun, we found Birch bay fituated in
ii I- » latitude 4.8° 53 i longitude 2370 33', was deduced from the obfer-
vations made ufe of for fettling port Difcovery, including twenty-eight
m fets of lunar diflances taken at this ftation, whence - on the 22d, at noon, Kendall’s chronometer was found to be - 54' 11" 29'" fall o f mean time at
Geeenwich, and by fix days correfponding altitudes, to be gaining on
mean time at the rate of 12" 45"' per day. Mr. Arnold’s-on board the
Chatham, from the fame authority was, on the fame day at noon, fall
o f mean time at Greenwich, gh 14', 46", and gaining at the rate o f 2 5 "
15"' per day. The variation of the compafs. by nineteen fets o f azimuths,
differing from 17^ to 21 degrees, gave a mean refult of 19° gey
eaftwardly variation.
The vertical inclination of the marine dipping needle,
Marked end, North face Eaft - - - 72“ j 18'
Ditto, Ditto - Weft •;■.- . - . ,yg _
Ditto, South face Eaft - - - . 73: 28
l i i Ditto, Ditto Weft - - . 74 2o
The mean vertical inclination of the magnetic needle - 73 ig
The tides were found to be very inconfiderable, but were not particularly
noticed.
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1■ 1H CH A P TE R ■
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AH■111i!n wm m m
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 3*7
C H A P T E R VIII.
The veffels continue their route to the northward— Anchor in Defolotion
found— 7 he boats difpatched on purveying parties— Difcover a paffage to
fea— Quit Defolotion found— Pafs through Johnftone’s Jlraits.
w I T H a fine breeze, and very pleafant weather, we failed out
of Birch bay, on Midfummer morning; and, with the wind from the '— s— >
eaflward, we directed our courfe up the gulph, to the north-weftward.
About two in the afternoon, we were joined by the Spanifh veffels, who Sunday 24‘
faluted by cheering. This was returned; after which, their refpefiive
commanders favored me with their company on. board the Difcovery;
and we purfued our way up the gulph together.
Sen'. Galiano informed me, that they had examined the fmall branch
I had paired by in Burrard’s canal, which was found very narrow, leading
in a north direftion nearly 3 leagues, where it terminated in a
fmall rivulet. They favored me with a copy o f their fketch of it, as
alfo with their good company until fun-fet, when they returned to their
veffels; point Roberts then bearing, by compafs s. 68 e., point Grey,
N . 6 4 E . ; which being the neareft part o f the continental or eaftern
fliore, was at the diftance o f about 3 leagues ; and the neareft part of
the oppofite fhore o f the gulph, bearing s.w., was diftant about 2 leagues.
During the night, and until noon the next day, the winds were light Monday 25.
and baffling. In the courfe of the forenoon a great number of whales
were playing about in every direction; and though we had been frequently
vifited by thefe animals in this inland navigation, there feemed
more about us now, than the whole of thofe we had before feen, if collected
together.
This
i