Oft b'" the>' certainly do not apply to its fouth weftern fide, as no very material
- — 1 reparation, either by rivers, or arms of the fea, was difcovered in the
neighbourhood of our furvey. Had fuch breaks in the coaft exifted, and
had they efcaped our obfervation, it is highly probable we Ihould have
met in the fea, or feen driven on its 0lores, drift wood and other
productions of the interior country. The very deep colour alfo of
the feveral dreams of water may pofiibly be occafioned by the quality of
the foil through which they flow; whence it may be inferred that, if any
confiderable inland waters had their fource far in the country, or if any
great body defcended from its fhores, the fea along the coaft would infome
meafure have been difcoloured; but neither of thefe evidences exifted,
I for, on our approach to the land, there was no previous appearance to indicate
its vicinity. This opinion was further corroborated on infpefting
the habitations and places of the natives’: refort; where not the leaft remains
of canoes, or other circumftance prefented itfelf, which could convey
the moll diftant idea of thefe people having ever milled themfelves
on the water; a circumftance which it is reafonable to fuppofe would fome-
times have happened, had their country been infulated, or their travelling
interrupted by large rivers or arms of the fea; efpecially as all appearances
favored the conjeflure of their being, by no means, a ftationary
people. There was great reafon, however, to conclude, that the country
was well fupplied with frefh water ; as wherever we chanced to land,
we eafily procured that valuable article, not only where the foil was of
confiderable depth, but from ftreamlets iffuing out of the folid rocks.
This feemed to be the cafe even on the moft elevated land, which caufed
a very fingular appearance when the fun Ihone in certain dire&ions on
thofe mountains whole furfaces were deftitute of foil; for on thefe made
humid by the continually oozing of the water, a bright glare was produced
that gave them the refemblance of hills covered with fnow.
Our refearches afforded little matter worthy of notice excepting
Rich as appertained to King George the Third’s Sound. This port
has its entrance in latitude 35“ 5', longitude 118° 17*. It is eafily
known on approaching it from the weftward, as it is the firft opening
in the coaft that prefents any appearance like an harbour,
eaftward
eaftward of cape Chatham. The Eclipfe Iflands -, * bein0g the onlJy OJc&tofb*e’r.
detached land that can be fo regarded, are an excellent guide to the ■ -
found, having, between them and Bald-head, fome rocks on which the
fea breaks with great violence. The port is fafe, and eafy of accefs any
where between its outer points of entrance, Bald-head, and Mount
Gardner, lying n. 6 z e . and s. 6z- W. 11 miles diftant from each
other. Mount Gardner is not lefs confpicuous and ufeful in pointing
oat the found from the eaftern quarter, than in its being rendered very
remarkable by its handfome fhape, and its rocky, and almoft uninterrupted
polilhed furface to its fummit. Its bafe may be faid rather to form
the eaftern extent o f the coaft, than the oppofite point of the found,
there being within it a projeftion which more properly forms the n . e .
point o f the found, lying from Bald-head N. g s E. about 5 miles diftant.
Between thefe latter points are Michaelmas, and Break Sea
iflands, each about a league in circuit, one mile apart, nearly equidiftant
between the two points, and affording to all appearance good channels on
every fide. The water fuddenly decreafes in its depth from go to 12
fathoms; the latter depth uniformly continuing acrofs from point opoint,
I Ihould conceive, mull be an additional means of preventing any very
heavy fea from rolling into the found; which, in the moft expofed place
of anchorage convenient to thefhore, is only open from e . by n . to s . e .-
by e. Between thefe limits are fituated the two iflands above mentioned,
whence the found extends w . by N. about two leagues to Point Poffeflion,
and from our anchorage to Oyfter Harbour, north about the fame dif-
tance, with regular foundings in mid-channel o f 12 to 15, and to to 6
fathoms clofe to the Chore, excepting near Seal Ifland, where there is a
hole of 21 fathoms. The Difcovery and Chatham were moored in a fitua-
tion, not only very convenient as to communication with the fhore, but I
believe, in perfeft fecurity as it refpefted the element; for although the
fea broke fometimes with fuch violence on Break Sea Ifland, that the
furf ranged to its elevated fummit, during a continuance of the boifterousr
weather; yetitdid not occafion us the leaft inconvenience. A more eligible
fituation if required in the found might very probably be met with above'
the flat rock, as veffels would be there more completely land locked;
and