‘ 793- By feven in the evening we had advanced from the anchorage we
v—1.,__ 1 had-quitted only five miles up the wellern arm; it was about a mile in
width, and the lleepnefs of its rocky fides afforded little profpeft of obtaining
any anchorage on which we could depend for the night. We
had repeatedly traverfed from Chore to Ihore without finding bottom with
165 and 185 fathoms o f line, though within half the Chip’s length o f the
rocks.' The tide now making againft us, we were conftrained to reft
our fides againft the rocks, and by hawfers fattened to the trees to
prevent our being driven back. Our prefent refting place was perfectly
fafe, but this is not the cafe againft every part of thefe rocky
precipices,- as they are frequently found to jet out a few yards, at
or a little beneath- low-water mark ; and if a veflel lhould ground, on any
o f thofe projecting parts about high water, (he would,, on the falling tide,
if heeling from the (hore, be in a very dangerous fituation.
Sunday 30. The weather was foggy for fome hours the next morning, and was
afterwards fucceeded.by a calm; this, in.addition to an unfavorable tide-,
detained us againft the rocks until about noon, when a breeze from die
weftward enabled us to make (ail, though with little effeCt. In the afternoon
the breeze again died away; but with the afliftance o f our boats,
and an eddy tide within about fifty yards of the rocks, we advanced by
flow degrees to the weftward, and found foundings from 45, to'6b..fathoms,
hard rocky bottom, about half a cable's .length from the (hore;
but at a greater diftance-no ground could be gained. In this tedious
navigation,, fometimes brulhing our fides: againft: the rocks, at. others
juft keeping clear of the trees that overhung them, we had advanced at
midnight about- four miles; and having, at that time, bottom at the
depth of 45 fathoms; about forty yards from the (hore, we let go the
anchor ; but fuch was the projecting declivity of the rocks on which the'
anchor at firjft- reded, that it almoft inftantly flipped off into 60 fathoms;
By this time however a hawfer was made fad to the trees, and being
hauled tight, it prevented the anchor (lipping lower down, and, juft
anfwered the purpofe of keeping us from the projecting rocks of the
(hore.
About
About eight in the morning o f the id of July, with the tide then
feemingly in our favor, and a moderate wefterly breeze, we made fome
progrefs, and by two in the afternoon we arrived at the place where I
purpofed to wait Mr. Whidbey’s return. It was a commodious cove;
the fouth point of it was formed by a rocky clump covered with trees,
which became an ifland at high water. There a note- was found from
Mr. Whidbey, dating that he had quitted this ftation at feven in the
evening on the fame day he had left the (hip ; a diftance that had taken
us now three days to gain. We anchored in 46 fathoms, fandy bottom,
and moored with a hawfer to the rocky clump, which was our neared (hore,
at the diftance of a cable and an half. This little bay is formed by a
ftony beach, through which a confiderable run of water falls into the -lea;
this flattered, us with the hope of taking a few fifh, but the.feine was
worked to no other purpofe than that o f tearing it to pieces.; nor were
we more fuccefsful with our hooks a n d ' lines. The (hores however
afforded us fome rafpber-ries, with black and red berries, and the labradore
tea; thefe were all gathered at fome little diftance in the woods. ,
A t noon on the 2d I obferved the latitude to be 53° 18', longitude
231" 14'. The cutter and launch were then feen approaching the (hips,
by the channel Mr. Johnftone had purfued towards the ocean; and on
their arrival on board, Mr. Whidbey communicated to me the following
account of his expedition.
From this ftation he continued on the eaftern (hore, which took nearly
a north direction. A fmall inlet was examined extending eafterly
about half a league, whofe north point of entrance lies north from this
place, about a league diftant; there the party relied for the night in a
very uncomfortable fituation, owing to the extremely bad weather, and
the rugged rocky (hore, that fcarcely afforded them a fufficienl horizontal
(pace' to land and remain upon. The next morning (j-une 24th) as
they were preparing to proceed, a fmoke was difcovered iffuing from
amongft the (tones on the (hore, that, at low tide, formed a kind of
beach. On examination, a run of hot water was found pafling amongft
the (tones, which at high tide mull be at lead fix feet beneath the
furface of the fea. They were not able to difcover its fource, and
O q 2 ‘ having
Monday 1.
Tuefday 2.