J7&2* tered an inlet, whole eaftern fide is formed by a long narrow peninfula,
■ - — i the fouth extreme of which is fituated in latitude 50°, longitude 235° 9'.
This promontory, after my firft lieutenant, who had alfo difcovered 'the
inlet from the top of a mountain he had afcended in this neighbourhood,
obtained the name of P o i n t M u d g e . It forms a channel with
the main land of the weftern fide o f the gulph of about a mile in width,
nearly in a n . n .w . direftion; this was purfued about 3 or 4 leagues
without any apparent termination ; the further they advanced the more
extenfive it was found. The tide, which was regular, Was alfo rapid,
and the flood evidently came from the north-well ward : all thele circurn-
ftances indicating the channel to be of confiderable extent, they returned
to communicate this intelligence.
On point Mudge was a very large village of the natives, many of
whom vifited the party on their palling and repairing by it, who uniformly
conduced themfelves with the greatell civility and relpecr. On
the weltern Ihore, immediately without the entrance of the inlet, they
found a rivulet of excellent frelh water. The palfage up the inlet is
perfeftly free from danger, and affords good anchorage. Round point
Mudge, at the diftance o f about half a mile,' is a ledge of funken rocks ;
thefe are, however, eafily avoided by the weeds which they produce.
From hence their way was direfted to the northward, in order to join
the Ihip through the broken land that ex ills between our prcfent llation
and point Mudge. This was effe&ed through a very intricate channel
full of funken rocks and rocky iflets, leading them to’ the north
point o f the illand which formed our s. w . Ihore, and bearing from
hence n . 53 w., dillant about four miles.
After receiving this information, I waited with no little impatience
the return of the other boat party; in the hope that, if no intelligence
Ihould be derived to facilitate the progrefs of the Ihips, there was yet
a great probability o f finding a more comfortable refting place than
that we then occupied. This afforded not a (ingle profpefil that was
pleafing to the eye, the fmallelt recreation on Ihore, nor animal nor vegetable
food, excepting a very fcanty proportion of thofe eatables already
defcribed, and of which the adjacent country was foon exhaulled, after
our
our arrival. Nor did our exploring parties meet with a more abundant
fupply, whence the place obtained the name of D e s o l a t i o n S o u n d ; t——v— J
where our time would have palled infinitely more heavily, had it not
been relieved by the agreeable fociety o f our Spanilh friends.
The week, for which Mr. Johnltone and' his party were furnilhed
with fupplies, having been expired fome time, I began to be anxi-
oully folicitous for their welfare; when, about two in the morning of
the 12th, I had the fatisfaftion of having their arrival announced, all Thurfdayis;
well, and that a palfage leading into the pacific ocean to the nO r th -
weftward had been difcovered.
Mr. Johnltone had fucceeded in finding his way into the arm leading
to the weftward through the narrows, where they were aflilted by
the friendly natives, about a league to the fouth o f the palfage by
which he had before entered it; making the intermediate land,
lying before the entrance into Bute’s canal, nearly a round illand
3 or 4 leagues in circuit, which obtained the name of S t u a r t ’ s
I s l a n d . This channel was not lefs intricate than the other, neither of
which he confidered a fafe navigation for Ihipping, owing to their being
fo narrow, to the irregular direction and rapidity of the tides, and to
the great depth of water; which, even clofe to the Ihore, was no where
lefs than 60 fathoms. From this palfage the northern Ihore was purfued,
and two fmall arms leading to the N.w,, each about a league in
extent, were examined. Here was met a canoe in which were three
Indians, who fled to the woods with the utmoft precipitation, leaving
their canoe on the Ihore. In it Mr.Johnltone dépofitéd föme trifling articles,
in the hope of difliparing by this means, their ill-gróurtdéd äp-
prehenfion of danger. As he proceeded, he puffed a fpacious opening
leadino- to the s.w., which he fuppofed Communicated with the gulph
fome diftance to the weftward of our prefent ftation, The principal
channel of the weftern arm Hill preferving’a weft dirtó-ion, was about a
mile wide; and as they advanced in it, they arrived at another branch
nearly about the fame width, in latitude 50° 26', longitude 234° 35', with
an illet and fome rocks lying off its eaft point of entrance. Conformably
to our mode o f tracing the continental Ihore, they; Were led Up
this opening; and in the night, found themfelves incommoded by the
V o l . I. U u flood