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July’ ^10re> whilft lie founded the fouthern fide, towards the above ifiands,
i.. where he found no more than 3 fathoms water.
At one of thefe ifiands, which, from the quantity o f excellent rafpber-
ries it produced, obtained the name of R a s p b e r r y I s l a n d , Mr.
Barrie joined the party, and reported, that the fhoal extended within a
cable’s length of the north fhore, where it formed a narrow channel
with the main land 7 fathoms deep. Under thefe circumftances Mr.
Whidbey determined to ftay at the ifland until low water, that a better
judgment might be formed o f their aftual fituation, fince, from the rapidity
and regularity of the tides, he began to fufpeft it to be a river.
In the evening Mr. Barrie was fent to the opening extending to the fouth-
eaft, and. Mr. Whidbey went to the above 7 fathom channel ; but found
that it was too narrow to be navigated, and that it was interfperfed with
fand banks and funken rocks. On his return to Rafpberry ifland, he was
met by Mr. Barrie, who made a fimilar report of the opening he had
been fent to explore, Mr. Whidbey however, wifliing to be more fully
fatisfied, went himfelf on the morning of the 10th to the fouth-eaft opening,
and found its entrance obftrufted with innumerable funken rocks, and
the tide rulhing down it in violent overfals. He retired to Rafpberry
ifland for the purpofe.of returning to take a fecond view there at low water
; as the night tides in this country rife in general much higher, and fall
much lower than thofe that flow in the day. This proved to be fo much
the cafe in this inftance,. that they were enabled to fee, at low tide, the
whole fpace o f the branch above them from fide to fide intirely dry, up to
its very head, which was about 4 miles from the ifland they were then upon;
encumbered with funken rocks, and innumerable large round Hones fcat-
tered in all direftions. From its head, there appeared in this point of view
three fmall rivulets, that flowed over this Ihallow fpace, very dangerous for
boats on account of the rapidity of the tide, and of the rocks and Hones
that could fcarcely be avoided. Mr. Whidbey prudently declined wafl-
ing any more time in its further examination, and taking the advantage
of the ebb tide that commenced at three, in the afternoon, he returned,
-and direfted his courfe towards the entrance into the extenfive found he
had feen on the 9th. During their late refearches in this branch, which
I have
I have called P o r t E s s in g t o n , after Captain Effington of the navy,
the flood tide was obferved to fun up at the rate of 4, and-the ebb tide
down at the.rateof 5 knots per hour ; the tides regular nearly fix hours
each way, and the water perfeHly frefh at low tide, though brackilh at
high water. Many fea otters were feen playing about, and diverting
themfelves amongfl the rocks at all times of tide. The furrounding country
was in general moderately elevated, particularly its north-wefl fide,
where, in feveral places, low land feemed to Hretch to.fome difiance'; but
to the northward and eafiward, the view was bounded by lofty barren
mountains wrapped in perpetual frofi and fnow.
About five in the evening, they reached the north point of the ifland
forming the fouth fide of thepaffage into the large found, nearly four
leagues from Rafpberry ifland. This paflage, which is two miles long, and
about a mile wide from ifland to ifland, was moflly occupied by flioals and
over-falls, from 3 feet to 3 fathoms; contrafting it to a very harrow channel
clofe on the fouthern fide, where the depth was 15 and 16 fathoms all
the way through into the found. From hence a vie w was, gained of the fpa-
cious opening before them, from fix to feven miles wide, whofe width feemed
to increafe further to the N.w., interfperfed, in moft direftions, with
fmall ifiands, rocky iflets, rocks and I h o a l s .O n e , extenfive dry fand-
bank, in particular, was feen lying from this point, N. 53 w „ a league
diftant. The fouth-wefiern lhore of the extenfive arm they had pafle.d
through: from Nepean’s found, Hill continued its lafi-mentioned courfe,
and formed the fouth-wefi fide o f the fpacious found, that has been
mentioned already to have been difcovered before, and. named-after the
Earl of Chatham. From this point they fleered towards fome ifiands
that lie to the fouth-wefi of the above fand-bank. The foundings were
irregular, from 10 to 3, and fometimes only 2, fathoms water. At one
of thefe ifiands, lying from the point they had left N. 65 w., at the distance
of four, or five miles, the party refted for the night.
The next morning(julyi 1) as Mr. Whidbey was taking his bearings, he
found the compafs vary 13° from his former obfervations, He altered
its fituation, then placed it on a tree, yet the fame difference appeared ;
from whence he was led to fufpeft, that fome miftake had been made on
the