>79»-
July.
he had been fent to examine, the eaftern point of which is fituated in
latitude 50° 32', longitude 233° 32', he found it take an irregular courfe
towards the n. e . palling a narrow branch leading to the weft ward. This
opening, about a mile in width, occupied their attention until fun-fet,
when they anchored at its head in 35 fathoms water, and found it to terminate
like the many others already.defcribed, in latitude 50° 425-, longitude
234°3 ' i : Which after Sir John Call, was named C a l l ’s C a n a l .
On the evening of the next day they reached the narrow branch leading
to the wellward, which lies from their laft place óf anchorage's. 68 w.
about 4 leagues diftant. Here the Chatham Hopped for the night in 17
fathoms water, near a fmall village of the natives, who brought them an
abundance o f frelh falmon. Mr. Broughton examined this narrow
branch, and found it communicating with an arm o f the fea in latitude
50® 43', longitude 233° 33', juft navigable for the Chatham ; and with
the afliftance of a ftrong flood tide, and their boats, they palfed it the
next morning, through a channel that continued for about half a league,
not a hundred yards wide. The lhalloweft water, from 3 fathoms, gradually
increafed to 7 fathoms, as they approached the arm of the fea,
which is about 2 miles wide, and extends in an eaft and weft direction.
Here the Chatham anchored, and Mr. Broughton purfued its eaftern
courfe in his boat along the continental Ihore, leaving a branch leading
to the northward, near the entrance o f which are two iilands and
fome rocks. This arm o f the fea continued a little to the northward of
eaft, 6 leagues to the latitude of 50° 45', where its width increafed to
near a league, taking an irregular northerly direction to its final termination
in latitude 51“ T, longitude 234° 13'. T o this, after Capt. Knight
o f the navy, Mr. Broughton gave the name o f K n ig h t ’s C a n a l .
The Ihores o f it, like molt o f thofe lately furveyed, are formed by high
ftupendous mountains rifing almoft perpendicularly from the water’s
edge. The dilfolving fnow On their fummits produced many cataracts
that fell with great impetuofity down their barren rugged fides. The
frelh water that thus defeended gave a pale white hue to the canal, rendering
its contents intirely frelh at 'the head, and drinkable for twenty
miles below it. This dreary region was not, however, deftitute o f inhabitants,
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
habitants, as a village was difeovered a few miles from its upper extre- •
mity; which feemed confirucied like that defcribed in Defolation found, 1 v J
for defence; the inhabitants were civil and friendly. Near this place
Mr. Broughton joined the Chatham on the morning of the 23d, and
proceeded in her towards the branch above mentioned, leading to the
northward. This in the evening he reached, and anchored for the
night in 75 fathoms water. The next morning its. courfe was purfued
about 3 leagues towards the-n .e .. where this direction terminated in latitude
50° 51T, longitude 233° 49', from whence it irregularly ftretched to
the n .w . and weftward. Inhabitants were Hill found on thefe inhofpi-
table Ihores, who brought filh and Ikins of the fea-otter to fell, demanding
in return blue great coats. A palfage through this channel was
accomplilhed on the 25th, notwithftanding the wind was very fickle and
blew hard in fqualls, attended with much thunder, lightning, and rain:
the night was nearly calm, gloomy, and dark; and not being able to
gain foundings, although within thirty yards o f the rocky Ihores, they
were driven about as the current of the tides direfted, and happily
efcaped, though furrounded on all fides by innumerable rocks and rocky
illets. On the 26th, the boundary of the continent was determined to
a point which, from its appearance and fituation, obtained the name of
D eep Sea B luf f, in latitude 50° 52', longitude 2Q2°-2g'. This fta-
tion Mr. Broughton judged to be as far to the weftward as the appointed
rendezvous; and for the purpofe of repairing thither, directed his courfe
to the fouth-weftward, through a channel that bore every appearance of
leading to fea, as had been underftood from the natives. With the allift-
ance of a frelh gale from the n .e . he Ihortly arrived at its fouthern entrance,
which prefented the opening I had feen on the day we arrived at
this ftation. Acrols it his courfe was direfted to the fouthward, leaving
between his prefent track, and the route he had purfued to the northward,
an extenfive duller of iilands, rocky illets, and rocks, Thefe in
commemoration of his difeovery, I diftinguilhed by the- , name of
B rou gh ton ’s A r ch ip e l a g o .
Whilft at this ftation, I had an opportunity of obferving the latitude
by five meridional altitudes of the fun, to be 50” 35', its longitude .233°
Z z 2 19'-