j793* the fame width. Between us and the oppofite fhore was a fmall ifland
<__,__> nearly in mid-channel.
Sunday 28. The weather being fair and pleafant, we ftarted early the next morning,
continuing our refearches up this branch. A t noon the obferved
latitude on the eaftern fhore was 55° 25', the longitude 230° 5'. From
hence it took a more northerly direftion, and then trended a little to
Monday 29. the eaftward o f north, where, by ten in the forenoon of the following
day, it was found to terminate in low marlhy land, in latitude 55° 45',
longitude 230° 6'. The fhores. o f this inlet were nearly ftraight, and in
general little more than a mile afunder, compofed moftly of high rocky
cliffs, covered with pine trees to a confiderable height; but the more
-interior country was a compaft body of high barren mountains covered
■ with fnow. As we purfued this braneh, falnion in great plenty were
leaping in all direftions. Seals and fea otters were alfo feen in great
numbers, even where the water was nearly frefh, and which was the cafe
upwards of twenty miles from its termination.
Mortified with having devoted fo much time to fo little purpofe, we
made the beft of our way back. A t noon I obferved the latitude to be
55“ 42'; from whence to our reaching the weftern fhore, near where we
had entered this branch, occupied pur time until late in the evening of
Tucfday 30. the 30th, when we brought to in a fmall cove, behind an ifland about half
a. league from us, and not far from the place where we had met the
ungracious natives on the preceding faturday.
Wcdoef, 31. The night was mild and pleafant, but a thick fog the next morning
not only obfcured the furrounding fhores, but prevented our departure
until eight o’clock; when, on its difperfing, we directed our examination
along the weftern, or continental fhore, to the s .s .w . in a'continuation
o f the branch we had feen on the morning o f the 27th. The fhores of
both fides were ftraight, compaft, of moderate height, and in general
little more than a> mile afunder. At noon the obferved latitude on the
weftern fhore was 540 55!', longitude 2290 47'; the inlet ftill continuing
in the fame direftion. On the weftern fhore, about half a league to- the
fouthward- o f this ftation, we entered a fmall opening not more than a
cable’s length in width, ftretching to-the northward; up this we-had
made
made a little progrefs, when the launch, which had preceded us and had
reached its extremity, was met on her return. Mr. Swaine informed me,
that its termination was about a league from its entrance, and that its
width was from a quarter to half a league.
We flopped for the purpofe o f dining, and were vifited by a canoe,
in which were three perfons ; they approached us with little hefitation,
and feemed well pleafed on- receiving a few trivial prefents. They ear-
neftly folicited our return to the head o f this little arm, where, it appeared,
their chief refided, and who-had abundance of furs to barter for
our commodities ; but as it was out of our way, we declined their pro-
pofal; at which they feemed hurt and difappointed, but retired in perfectly
good humour.
After dinner we attempted to return by the way we had come, but,
on approaching the entrance, the rapidity o f the flood tide prevented
©ur advancing againft it until near high water, about fix in the evening.
Many o f the fmall trees, at the place- where we had dined, had been
cut down- with an axe, an implement not yet in ufe with thefe people,
who, on aft fuch occafions, prefer any kind of chifel. The trees
appeared to have been fell'ed, for the purpofe o f gaining convenient ac-
cefs to the run of water hard by ; and this gave rife to an opinion, that
our dining place had lately been the refort of other civilized people,
Having again reached the arm leading to the s. s.w., we proceeded
in that direftion, and pafled two fmall rocky iflets, about a mile to the
fouth of the laft mentioned fmall arm. Finding the main channel now
regularly decreafing to half a mile in width, and having a ftrong fouth-
erly breeze, we did not proceed more than three miles, before we refted
for the night. The narrownefs o f the channel, and the appearance
of its termination before us, would have induced me to have relin-
quilhed all thoughts of finding a communication with the ocean by
this route, had it not been for the indications prefented by the fhores
on either fide. Thefe gradually decreafing in height, with a very uneven
furface, were intirely covered with pine trees ; and as fuch
appearances had,, in moft inftances, been found to attend the broken