J793- 48' ; but differed about 5' to the eaftward of the longitude fhewn by the
L- -v— neareft of our chronometers. This was Mr. Arnold’s No. 176, allowing
the afligned correftion when off cape Mendocino and in Trinidad bay.
In the evening we fetched well up along fhore of the ifle de Ferrön ;
off which, belide many fmall iflands, there are feyeral funken rocks lying
about a mile within them, where the furf broke with great violence.
The wind continuing in the weftern quarter, we flood off fhore during
the night, and at noon the next day the obferved latitude was 49° 7' ;
longitude by Kendall’s chronometer, allowing the above rate, 2330 8' ;
Sunday 19. Arnold’s No. 14, 233“ 23'; and by No. 176, 2330 41'. At this time
point Breakers juft fhewing itfelf above the horizon, bore by compafs
N.32 w ., and according to its pofition afcertained on our former vifit,
it placed the lhip in longitude 233^ 39'. The neareft fhore, which I took
to be point St. Rafael of the Spaniards, n. by e . 4 or 5 leagues diftant.
The eafternmoft land in fight, point de Ferron, e . — N. and the weftern
extreme N.w. With a moderate breeze from the weft we flood for the
land, and fetched about 5 miles to the fouth-eaftward of point Breakers,
into the entrance of an opening that had the appearance o f admitting
us a confiderabfe way up,- though in the Spanifh chart this inlet is not
noticed j . the firft opening to the eaftward of point Breakers heing at
point de Rafael, 4 leagues from this point.
About fix in the evening we fuddenly reached foundings, at the depth
o f 9 fathoms, hard bottom ; the further: examination being no objeft of
my prefent purfuit, after heaving a fewcafts with the lead without finding
any alteration, we tacked. In this fituation, a point which lies about
s 33 E., two miles and a half from point Breakers, being the wefternmoft
land then in fight, bore by compafs N. 75 w., about two miles and a half
from us ; a point, off which lie fome rocks, forming the neareft lhore on
the weftern fide, n. n .w ., one mile and a half; a point on the eaftern
fide formed by a fandy beach, n . n . e., diftant about a league; the upper
part of the inlet to the northward, where it feemed to take a winding
direttion towards the north-eaft, about 4 or 5 miles from us, and
point de Ferron, s. 75 e. In this neighbourhood there is a much
greater
greater extent of low country than about Nootka or Clayoquot. It W93-
produced foreft trees o f many forts and of confiderable fize ; and on i— ---- >
examination there might probably be found a more eligible fituation for
an eftablifhment, than at either of thofe places. The wind being ftill
adverfe to our proceeding northward, we flood to the fouth-wefl during
the night. The next day at noon our obferved latitude was 48° 18'; the Monday 20.
wefternmoft land in fight bore by compals N. 50 w . ; Woody point,
N. 42 w . ; point Breakers, N. 27 E. being the neareft lhore, at the dif-
tanceof about 3 leagues.; the weft point of the opening we were in the
preceding night, n . 41 e . ; and point de Ferron, s. 84 e . A t this time
a fchooner was feen to windward. The air was very keen, the thermometer
being at 52°, and the clearnefs of the atmofphere gave us an
opportunity of beholding the rugged craggy mountains that compole
this country, whofe fummits were encumbered with infinitely more fnow
than had been feen on any o f my former vifits to thefe fhores.
The wind juft permitted us to fetch Nootka. About four in the afternoon
we faw another fail to windward, apparently a b r ig ; and as
there was a chance o f its being the Chatham, the private fignal was
made, but was not acknowledged. A t five o’clock we reached Friendly
eove, and anchored in 8 fathoms water. An officer was immediately
difpatched on fhore, to acquaint Sen1- Fidalgo o f our arrival, and that
I would falute the fort, if he would make an equal return ; this was accordingly
done with eleven guns.
A Spanifh officer, who vifited us prior to our anchoring, delivered
me a letter, journal, and other papers, left by Mr. Puget. By thefe
documents I became informed, that the Chatham had arrived in this
port on the 15th of april, and had departed thence on the 1 8th o f may,
agreeably to the inftruflions I had given Mr. Puget, in the event of
my not arriving here by about the middle of may; in order that no
time might be loft: in profecuting the furvey of this coaft.
His examination of the north fide of Morotoi, had determined that it
did not afford any fafe or convenient anchorage for fhipping, and that
it prefented a fimilar dreary, and barren afpect, to that on the fouthfide
K k 2 of