A* pift feet beneath the furface o f the Tea, and confequently at low water caufes a
t-, _> fall of ten or twelve feet; fome of which are twenty yards in width. One
of thefe Mr. Whidbey afcended nearly at low water, and found the internal
refervoir to be a ftnall lake, or rather a large pond, feemingly of
deep water, divided into feverai branches, that winded fome diftance
through low, fwatnpy woodland country. Thefe falt-water cascades may,
probably, be occafioned by the tides flowing with great rapidity, and, after
they have rifen above thefe obftruftions, a£l with confiderable pref-
fure, rmfhisg forward in thofe inland narrow channels, where they foon
overflow the plain, and, finding anextenfive field for their expanfion, a
fiifficient quantity o f water, with the addition of the drains and fprings
Of the country, is thus collefted, to replenifh thefe refervoirs every
twelve hours, and to 'caufe a conftant fall during the reflux o f the tide.
Within a few yards o f one o f thefe cafcades was difeovcred a confide-
rable ftream of warm frefh water.
By this expedition, the continental fhore was traced to the weftern-
moft land in fight. We had now only to proceed along it, as foon as
the wind and weather would permit our moving. This, however, a
Sunday 5. thick fog and a calm, prevented, until funday afternoon, when a light
breeze between s.w. and weft, enabled us, by fun-fet, to advance about
2 leagues to the weftward of point Boyles, which, by compals, bore
from us s. 85 w . ; an illand, previoully confidered to lie in mid-channel,
but now difcovered to be divided into four or more iflets, s. 38 e . ; the
molt diftant part of the oppofite fhore fouth, 4 or 5 leagues o ff; and
the neareft taken by us to be an illand, w . s .w . about a league. Thefe
pofitioils are not, however, to be received as correft, becaufe the fog,
-ftill continuing, alternately obfcured place after place, in the' fouthern
quarters, fo as to render it impracticable, either to acquire the true po-
fition, or even gain a diftinft view of thofe Ihores. The northern,
or continental fide, was not in the like manner, obfcured; its neareft
part bore by compals north about half a league from us ; and its
•weftern extremity N. 78 w. Between this point and a duller o f
iflands, bearing weft, a channel appeared to lead along the coaft o f the
main land, in which were fome fmall iflets and rocks; fouth o f the
duller,
duller, the haze and fog rendered it impoflible to determine of what
that region principally confifted, though the imperfeft view we obtain- ,— >
ed, gave it the appearance of being much broken. In this fituation, we
had 60 and 70 fathoms, muddy bottom; but, as we had fufficient fpace
to pafs the night in under fail, I preferred fo doing, that we might be
the more ready to purfue the above-mentioned channel in the morning.
The wind continuing light in the s.w, quarter, we plied until
day-break, when the breeze was fucceeded by a calm and a very thick MonlJ,>r 6.
fog that obfcured every furrounding objeCl until noon, without our
being able to gain foundings; fo that we were left to the mercy of
the currents, m a fituation that could not fail to occafion the moll anxious
folicitude. The fog had no fooner difperfed, than we found our-
felves in the channel for which I had intended to fleer, interfperfed
with numerous rocky iflets and rocks, extending from rite above duller
o f iflands towards the fhore o f the continent. The region to the s.w.
ftill remained obfcured by the fog and haze; at intervals, however,
fomething of it might be difcerned, ferving only to Ihew there was no
great probability of our finding a lefs intricate paffage to navigate,
than that immediately before us along the continental fhore; which mull
either be now traced by the Ihip, or by the boats on a future occafion.
This made me determine on the former mode, although there was rea-
fon to apprehend it would engage our utmoft attention, .even in fair
weather, to preferve us from latent dangers. The difperfton o f the
fog was attended by a light breeze from the N. N.w., and as we flood
.to windward, , we fuddenly grounded on a bed of funken rocks about
four in the afternoon. A fignal indicating our fituation was immediately
made to the Chatham, fhe inftantly anchored in 50 fathoms water,
about a cable .and a half diftant from us, and we immediately received
all her boats to our afliftance. The ftream anchor was carried out, -and
an attempt made to heave the Ihip off, )but to no effeft. The tide fell
very rapidly ; and the .force with which the Ihip had grounded, had
occafioned her fewing confiderably forward. On heaving,; the anchor
came home, fo that we had no refource left but that of getting down
our topmafts, yards, &c. &c. fhoaring up the veffel with fpars and
3 A 2 fpare
I I