■>79=- 16 miles, and terminated in latitude 51° 42', longitude 2320 22'. About
__.__ 1 a league and a half fouth o f this ftation, a fmall branch extends about
four miles to the w . n .w . ; and, half a league further fouth another
ftretches about the fame diftance, to the n.e .
In this inlet, which I have diftinguilhed by the name of R iv e r s ’s
C a n a l , the land continued o f a more moderate height, further up,
than had generally been found to be the cafe: but where it branched
off in the above directions towards its head, the Ihores were compofed
of high fteep rocky mountains, and, like Smith’s inlet, and many other
canals of this kind that we had examined, afforded no foundings in the
middle with 80 fathoms of line; though in the bays, found in molt of
thefe canals, anchorage may, in all probability, be procured. Having
finally examined thefe branches, they returned, by a very narrow
intricate channel, on the northern fhore, leading through an immen-
fity o f rocky iflets and rocks, until they reached P o in t A d d e n -
b r o o k , and again arrived on the eaftern fhore o f Fitzhugh’s found;
making the land they had paffed, in going up this laft inlet, on their
larboard fide, an ifiand about fix or feven miles long. The continental
fhore, abreaft o f this ftation, having been fo far afcertained, their fup-
ply o f provifions being exhaufted, and being greatly fatigued by the
inclement weather, they returned on board without proceeding agreeably
to my original defign to the northern extremity allotted to their
examination. The further labour, howeyer, of this party, I deemed
unneceffary, having become perfeftly fatisfied as to the intermediate
fpace. Every thing was therefore directed to be taken from the fhore,
that we might fail in the morning towards the rendezvous I had appointed
with Mr. Johnftone.
Since my return from the laft boat expedition, I had fortunately obtained,
during the few fhort intervals of fair weather that had occurred,
fome tolerably good obfervations for the latitude and longitude of this
ftation. The former, by three meridional altitudes of the fun, appeared
to be 51*32', the latter, 232“ 3' 15": the variation o f the eompafs,
17" 7' eaftwardly. This cove is at its entrance, the points of which lie
from each other N. 30 w . and s. 30 E., about a quarter of a mile wide;
and from thence, to its head, in a direction s. 68 w „ about a mile. A fmall
rock
rock and two rocky iflets lie off its north point of entrance. It un-
doubtedly bore fome refemblance at firft to Mr. Duncan’s port Safety ; u. — -1
but on reference to particulars, differed very materially. Mr. Duncan
places port Safety in latitude 51° 41 '; and in his fketch, takes no notice
o f the above-mentioned iflets and rocks. By him port Safety is recommended
as a very proper place for cleaning and refitting veffels ; and he
fays, that the oppofite fhore is not more than 6 or 7 miles diftant.
We however found the oppofite fhore within a league of us ; and at the
entrance of the cove, inftead of 100 fathoms, as ftated by Mr. Duncan,
we had only -30 fathoms water; decreafing gradually to its head, the
whole a foft muddy bottom, and confequently very improper for the
operations o f cleaning or repairing veffels. Notwithftanding this mani-
feft difagreement, there were thole amongft us, who having heard Mr.
Duncan’s difcourfe on this fubjeft, infilled upon the certainty of its being
his port Safety. In this opinion however, I could not concur, for
the obvious reafons above ftated, and was more inclined to fuppofe;
that the opening I had feen when in the boats on this fhore, to the
fouth of that which led to fea, was Mr. Duncan’s port Safety, as that
correfponded nearer in point of latitude, and had more die appearance of
a port than this fmall cove: it however is the firft place that affords fafe
and convenient anchorage on the weftern fhore, within the fouth entrance
into Fitzhugh’s found, and proved a comfortable retreat to us from the
dangerous fituations to which we had fo recently been expofed. Hence
I have diftinguilhed it by the name of S a f e t y G o v e ; and have only
further to add, diat the rife and fall of the tide was about ten feet, and
that it is high water at the time the moon paffes the meridian. The fame
circumftances refpefting the tides were obferved b y thofe employed in
the boat excurfions from this ftation.
In the morning of the 19th, we failed out of Safety cove, having, Sunday .9.
for the firft time fince the commencement o f the iprefent month, a plea-
fant breeze from the s. E. with ferene and cheerful weather. About
eleven o ’clock we had the gratification of being joined by our other
■ boat party; and from Mr. Johnftone I learned, that about 4 miles to
the n . e . of the fpot where I had quitted them, they purfued a narrow
•branch of the inlet winding to the fouth and fouth-weftward, to the la-
3 C 2 titude