»793. for that of the Difcovery; as the oceanic fwell was here very percepti-
Au°".lt' , ble, and caufed a confiderable furf on the ihore. On the return of our
fmall boat, I became acquainted that, in confequence of its having fallen
calm, Ihe had been driven by the tide on a ledge o f funken rocks,
but had the confolation of hearing, that although Ihe had frequently
ftruck when lifted by the furge, it had not been violently ; that no damage
had yet been fuftained; and that her prefent very uncomfortable
fituation could not be of long duration, as it was nearly half ebb when
Ihe grounded.
Our prefent anchorage bore by compafs from the rocks, on which the
Difcovery had ftruck, though intercepted by various others, s. 42 b. 5
miles, and from the ledge of rocks on which the Chatham was then lying,
s. 61 e. 3 miles diftant. Our eftimated latitude was g l° 2', longitude
232° 25'. Since the commencement o f the month of auguft, the
foggy weather had totally precluded our making any celeftial -obferva-
tions; the fituation therefore o f the iflands, coafts, rocks, &c. weftward
From Deep Sea bluff, could only be afcertained by an eftimated protraction,
which may be liable to errors we had no means to deteft ; hence
this portion of intricate navigation is not to be implicitly depended upon
in this particular, as exhibited by the chart; but the continued direftfon
o f the continental fhore, (the neareft part now bearing by compafs n . e „
at thediftance of about half a league) was pofrtively afcertained to this
Ration ; and I truft, its latitude and longitude will not be found to deviate
many miles from the truth.
The rocks between our prefent anchorage and the ocean having the
appearance of being almoft impenetrable, Mr. Whidbey was difpatched
to difcover the moft fafe channel for us to purfue. The day-light juft
ferved him to execute his commiftion; and on his return at night he informed
m e, that there were three paflages; one nearly through the center'of
the rocks; another about midway between the continental fhore,
and a very broken country to the fouthward of us; and a third between
the neareft duller of rocks and the continent. This for a fmall diftanoe
feeme'd to be clear; but further to the north-weftward a labyrinth of
rocks 'appeared to ftretch from the continent towards land, forming like
• two
two iflands. Thefe rocks nearly joined to the north-eafternmoft about ,
g miles from us, bearing by compafs n, 50 w. the wefternmoft at about v - v—t
the fame diftance, N. 64 w.
The neareft duller o f rocks, whole fouthern part was almoft in a
line with the eafternmoft ifland, not quite a league from us, we were to
pafs to the fouth o f ; between them and other rocks and rocky iflets, to
the weftward and s.w. forming a channel about two miles wide, in which
no vifible obftruftion had heen difeoyered by Mr. Whidbey- Thefe
rocks and rocky iflets prefented an appearance o f being as nearly connected
with the fouthern broken fhore, >33 thofe further north did with
the continent, giving us little to -expefl. but a very intricate and hazardous
navigation.
An extremely thick fog ufheriug in the morning o f the 8th, precluded
our feeing or knowing any thing of the Chathamls fituation; and obliged
us to remain in the moft painful Hate of fufpenfe until about nine in the
forenoon, when the fog in fome meafure difperfing, we had the fatis-
faftion of feeing our confort approaching us under fa il; and having a
light foutherly breeze, with the ebb tide in our favor; we immediately
weighed in order to proceed together through the channel before mentioned
between the rocks.
On the return of the boats, lieutenant Baker, who had been with our
people afiifting the Chatham during the night, informed me that latterly
■ fhe had ftruck fo hard, as intirely to difable both the fpa,re topmafts,
which had been ufed for fhoars; but that about half paft one they fuc-
ceeded in heaving her off, without the appearance of her having fuftained
any very material damage. Our fails were fcarcely fet when, the wind
became variable; and foon after mid-day partial fogs and a clear at-
mofphere fucceeded each other in every direftion. Thefe by one o’clock
obliged us again to anchor in 55 fathoms water, as did the Chatham
about 2 miles to the northward of our former ftation, and within a quarter
o f a mile of the continental fhore. Here we were detained until
nine thé following morning, when with a light .eaflwardly breeze, and Thurfday 9.
clear weather, we direfted our courfe as before ftated. On pafling near
thé rocks on the eaftern fide of the channel, we had foundings at the
depth