380
a*79^ titude of 51° 57', due fouth of the place of our reparation. The incleu
—___1 mency of the weather detained them in this lituation until the 16th,
when they purfued the main branch of the inlet, which is from one to two
miles broad, in a north-eafterly direftion, to a point which I called by the
name of P o i n t M e n z i e s , after Mr. Menzies who had accompanied
me, and afterwards Mr. Johnftone, in this excurlion ; here the inlet divides
into three branches, each nearly as wide as that they had navigated.
The firft led to the N.w. the fecond to thé northward, and the
other to the fouth. Several leagues to the s.w. o f point Menzies, the
water had affumed a pale white colour, and was not very fait, which had
encouraged them to pufli forward in conftant expeftation o f finding its
termination; but on reaching the above Ration, all hopes intirely va-
nilhed of carrying their refearches further into execution, having extended
their excurlion beyond the time I had prefcribed, and the period
for which they had been fupplied with provifions. Thefe on the morning
of the 17th, being nearly expended, Mr. Johnftone conlidered it
moft prudent to decline any further inveftigation, and to return to the
Ihips. Thefe they reached two days afterwards, almoft exhaufted with
hunger and fatigue.
The country they had vifited differed in no one refpeft from the general
appearance we had long been accuftomed to, nor did any thing
occur to vary the continual famenefs, or chequer the dreary melancholy
fcene before them, if we except their finding near the conclufion of
their examination, a canoe about forty feet long, hauled up by the tide
o f a miferable hut, near which was the remains of a fire ftill burning;
indicating the vicinity o f fome human beings, for whom they left in the
canoe fome copper, nails, and other trifles ; thefe on their return were
found in the fame ftate, without any appearance of the canoe or hut
having been vifited in their abfence; but concluding the natives could
not be far removed, they added a few more articles to their former donation.
The foil in this place was principally compofed of roots, leaves,
and other decayed vegetable matter, and the fire that had been kindled,
had caught this fubftance, and made confiderable progrefs on the
furface.
Had
Had Mr. Johnftone found a termination to the inlet under his examination,
I fhould have proceeded up the main arm o f this found to the
northward along the fhore of the continent, in queft of a more northerly
paffage to fea; but as that had not been effected, I purfued that
which I had feen from the boats leading to the weftward through Calvert s
iflands; being now refolved, in confequence o f the intelligence I had
received from Nootka, to abandon the northern furvey of the continental
fhore for the prefent feafon. This I had otherwife intended to
have continued at leaft a month longer; but as the diftrefling event of
Mr. Hergeft’s death neceffarily demanded my prefence in the execution
o f His Majefty’s commands at Nootka, L determined to repair thither
immediately. This determination favored alfo another defign I much
wifhed to execute, namely, that o f extending the examination of the
coaft this autumn, fouthward from cape Mendocino, to the fouthern-
moft point of our intended inveftigations in this hemifphere. Having
the greateft reafon to be fatisfied with the refult of our fummer’s employment,
as it had by the concurrence of the moft fortunate circumftances
enabled us finally to trace and determine the weftern continental fhore of
North America, with all its various turnings, windings, numerous arms,
inlets, creeks, bays, &c. &c. from the latitude of 39“ 5', longitude 236°
36', to point Menzies, in latitude 520 18', longitude 232° 55'; we took
our leave of thefe northern folitary regions, whofe broken appearance
prefenteda profpeft of abundant employment for the enfuing feafon,
and direfied our route through the paffage above-mentioned, in order to
make the belt of our way towards Nootka.
1792.
Auguft.
CH A P TER
ill