junt moon pafles the meridian. We were detained at this ftation by
'---- .---- 1 thick, foggy, .and rainy weather, attended with a flrong fouth-eafl.gale,
Thurfday 6. until ten o’clock in the forenoon of the 6th, when the fog in fome mea-
fure clearing away, we proceeded in our refearches. up this arm, It lies
in a general dire&ion o f n, 20 w., fpr about 3 leagues; the eaflern or
continental fhore is fteep apd compafit; but, on the weftern fhore, we
palTed, five or fix miles within the, entrance, five rocky iflets producing
fome trees, and admitting a paffage fqr bpats between them and the
fliore; and on the fame fide, about feven miles within the entrance, is a
larger iflet, having, between it and the fhore a rock; on which was an
Indian village that contained many hojjfes, and feemed to be very populous.
We were no loaner difco.vered, than feveral large canoes were
employed in tranfporting a number of the inhabitants to the fliore on
the weftern fide, who, inftantly ran to the woods and hid themfelves.
Our route however, lying wide of either their village or their retirement,
we did pot increafe their apprehenfions by approaching nearer to them,
but continued our furyey up the arm, that ftill took; a. northerly direction,
leaving on the weftern fhore a fpaciqu§ opening, extending to the
weft ward, and pafling a final! ifland covered with pine trees, that lies
nearly in mid-channel of the arm we were purfuing.
Having reached, about. two in the afternoon, a point on the eaflern
fhore, about 10 miles from the entrance, we flopped to dine, and were
here vifited by fome o f the Indians from the village in two. canoes.
Thefe were totally unarmed, and at firft acted with a confiderable degree
o f caudon. A few trivial prefents however foon diffipated their
fears, and they became equally civil with thofe we had before Jggu,
from whom they did not appear to differ, excepting in. their being lefs
cleanly; or more properly fpeaking, in being more dedaubed with oil
and paints. They remained with us until our dinner was over, fold us
two or three otter fkins, the only commodity they brought for barter, and
when we proceeded they returned home.
From this point, we found the arm take firft a direfiion n . 40, e . near
a league, and then n, 30 w . about 5 miles, further; it was in general
from half to three quarters of a mile wide, and terminated as ufual in
low
low fwampy land, in latitude 52° 28-j, longitude 232“ 4'. From hence >793.
we returnedand halted for the. night, about 2 miles from its head on 1 Ju"c'
the weftern fhore.
The next morning we proceeded to- the branch leading to thé weft- Friday 7.
ward, that we had paffed the preceding day ; and about eight o!clock
reached a finall ifland lying near the northern fhore, about two miles to
the weftward of its entrance, fituated in latitude 52° 1 g%, longitude
2320 1'. Here we flopped to breakfaft, and were again vifited by our
friends from the village on- thé rock, whófe behaviour was fimilar to
what we had-before experienced.'
The weather becarhe ferbne and pleafant, with a gentle breeze from
the fouth-wefl. We now quitted the high fleep fnowy mountains, com-
pofing the fhores we had’lately traverfed ; for the fides o f the opening be-
forè us, comparatively fpealdngi might be confidered as land of moderate
height. Its furface covered with wood was very uneven; randheing
very fimilar to the general appearance of the land near the fea coaft,
gave us reafon to believe this channel would' lead- towards the ocean.
The continental fhore had been accurately traced to our prefent ftation,
and the communication o f this channel with the ocean became an object I
much wifhedto afeertain, before the veffels foould be removed further into
this interior and intricate navigation; well knowing the tardy and difagree-
able progrefs in fo doing. To efFeft this purpofo in the bell manner I was
able, I continued to trace thé channel leading, weftward, pafling by on
the flarboard or continental fhore, an opening that appeared to terminate
in a fpacious bay; at the diftance o f about two miles; Another *
opening.was feen immediately to the weftward of this bay, that appeared
of confiderable extent, leading.to the N. N.vwand had two fmall ’iflahds.
nearly in the center o f its-entrance; but, as we had ndw been nine days
from the fhip; crur flock o f provifions was too much reduced“ to admit
of our undertaking further examinations,- efpecially as’ every, foot we
advanced we had additional heafons for fuppofin’g;we fhould find- a.cl;an-
nel in this neighbourhood that would lead to the ocean. From the lafl
openingthe eoaft trendedrsi 40 w ; ; hr which direftfon I well knew we
could not long continue,;without meeting’ the fea:; and having pro-
1 2 c.eedecL