C H A P T E R X.
Paffage from Fitzhugh's found to Nootkq— Arrival in Friendly. Cove—
Tranfattions there, particularly thofe rtfpeEing the ceflion o f Nootka—
Remarks on the commerce o f North-weft America— AJironomical obfemotions.
m h A V IN G on the tgth directed our courfe towards a paffage, which
Sunday 19. aPPeared to lead to the ocean as dated in the lad chapter, its n .e , point
o f entrance was found to be fituated in latitude 51° 45’, longitude 232° 1'?
fouth of this point lies a funken rock, which though near the fhore is
dangerous, being vifible at low tide only by the furf that breaks upon it.
In turning into the channel we mud have paffed twice very near it,
but did not difcover it until we were Pome didance beyond i t ; and had
not light baffling winds retarded our progrefs, it would have efcaped
our notice. From the point above-mentioned the paffage extends s.60 W.
about 7 miles; its northern fhore is compofed of rocky idets and rocks,
with fome fcattered rocks lying off its fouthern fhore : between thefe
and the rocky idets is the paffage, generally from one to two miles wide,
without any apparent obdruftion, yet it is rendered unpleafantby the
want of foundings, as within 50 and too yards of the fhore, on either
dde, no bottom could be obtained, with 150 fathoms-of line. In this
very difagreeable Rtuation we were detained by feint undeady winds
until eleven at night, when, by the affidance of a light breeze from the
s . e . we reached the ocean, and doodto the fouth-wedward.
Monday 20. The next morning was very unpleafant; frefh fqualls from the s .e .,
attended with thick rainy weather, continued until noon the following
Tuefday 21. day, when it cleared up, and we faw Scot’s iflands, bearing s. 22 e .,
about
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 383
1792.
Auguft.
about 7 leagues didant. The wind during the day was light and variable,
though attended with fair weather; in the evening it feemed fixed
at s. s .w . ; when, not being able to pafs to windward of Scot’s iflands,
our courfe was direfted to the north of them, towards cape Scot, having
foundings and a foft muddy bottom at the depth of 80 and go fathoms, until
about nine in the evening, when the water fuddenly fhoaled from 60 to
17 fathoms, and the bottom became rocky. On this we indantly dood
back to the wedward, led we fhould approach fome danger, but we did
not perceive either breakers or fiioals, although the night was dill and
clear. Thefe foundings were from the wedernmod of Scot’s iflands n.
18 E. about 5 leagues; from this circumdance, and from the didant
rocks and fhoals we faw extending from the fhores of Calvert’s iflands,
it is highly neceffary that the Apace between Calvert’s and Scot’s iflands
fhould be navigated with great caution.
We were detained about Scot’s iflands by light variable winds until
the 24th; when we paded to the fouth o f them, and continued to the Friday 24.
eadward along their fouthern fhores.
The wedernmod of them is fituated in latitude 50® 52', longitude
2310 2'. The group confids of three fmall and almod barren iflands,
with many fmall rocks and breakers about them. Wed from the wedernmod
of them, a ledge of rocks extends about two miles, and fouth o f
it is another about a league didant. The eadernmod o f Scot’s iflands
being much larger than the red, may probably be the fame to which
Mr. Hanna gave the name of “ Cox’s I f t andby others o f the traders
it has been reprefented as a part of the main ; this is certainly
wrong, and as Mr. Hanna’s chart is very erroneous, even in point o f
latitude, no certain conclufion can be drawn.
The wind, which was from the wedward, was lo light, that it was not
until the forenoon o f the 25th that we paffed the n.w . point of the large Saturdays;,
ifland, which forms the fouth and wedern fhores of the gujph o f Georgia
and Queen Charlotte’s found. This point (called by former vifitors
“ Cape Scott,”) is fituated in latitude 50*48', longitude 23i°4o', and with
the eadernmod of Scot’s iflands, forms a paffage which appears to be
about four miles wide. About cape Scot the land is compofed o f hills o f
moderate