Auglift *ng *n ^ie higheft terms of Ononnijloy; who they acknowledged as thefr
— ----- 1 chief, and the head o f a very numerous tribe.
In the afternoon Mr. Whidbey and his party returned, after having
traced the boundaries o f the continental fhore, from the place where I
had quitted it to this ftation. The feveral arms that I had left unexamined
were found to be of little extent.
The party did not purfue the exaft route by which I had proceeded
to the firft o f thefe arms, but by miftake entered the fourth opening1,
which I had paffed by on the evening o f the x t th, and found that it
communicated with the third opening, making the intermediate land, as
I then fufpefted it to be, an ifland, which after one of the gentlemen of
the Chatham, obtained the name o f B ell’s I sland ; it was about 2
leagues long, lying in a north-eaft and fouth-weft dire&ion. This led to
the examination of the third opening, which, in latitude 550 57', longitude
228° 42', was found to terminate in the ufual manner; and from its
head, nearly in a fcu-th direftion 4 miles, it communicated with the
channel I had purfued; having in that route paffed the 5th opening,
and another leading to the north behind Bell’s ifland. The fhores of this
channel, in fome places not more than a quarter of a mile apart, were
high, fteep, and rocky, yet covered with pine trees.
Rainy unpleafant weather, attended with adverfe winds, rendered their
progrefs fo flow, that it was feven in the- morning o f the 25th, before
they reached the firft unexamined opening, which after the furgeon of
the Chatham I called W a l k e r ’ s C o v e ; this was found to take a di-
reftion N. 60 e . about 2 leagues, where it terminated in low marfhy
land, extending a final! diftance from the high fteep rocky barren precipices
of the furrou-nding fhores. On returning, they paffed betweeri-
fome fmall rocky diets, lying off its northern point o f entrance ; on
thefe were produced feme groveling pine trees, and about their fhores-
were a great number o f fea otters. The next object o f their purfuit was
what I had confidered as a bay, lying from Walker’s cove N..27 w., diftant
about 5 miles. This was found to be about i f miles deep, and a mile
wide; the fhores, for the moft part, were moderately elevated, covered
with wood, and terminated at the bottom by a Tandy beach; from hence
1 in
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
hi their way to point Fitz-Gibbon three other fmall bays or coves were
examined.
Although I was. perfeftly fatisfied with my own examination of Bur-
rough’s bay, yet from the muddy appearance and frefhnefs of its water,
I was induced to direfil this further examination, which however dif-
covered no new circumftance, excepting the addition of a third fm all
brook flowing in from its north-weft fide.
Thefe refearches were accomplifhed on the 26th; on their way that
morning the party had flopped to breakfaft at point Fitz-Gibbon, where
they had met fome Indians, who were extremely circumfpeft and cautious
in their behaviour.
One man by himfelf invited them at firft to the fhore, whence, on
feeing the boats flop, he retired; and prefently four canoes, containing
about ten o f the natives, made their appearance from a fmall
cove, a little to the fouthward of the point; one of thefe only advanced
within mulket fhot o f the party, finging fongs, and making fpeeches,
but they could not be prevailed upon to approach nearer, though every
fign of friendfhip that could be thought of was made ufe of for this pur-
pofe; and when the boats were preparing for their departure, thefe good
folks retired into the cove from whence they had firft appeared. As the
boats proceeded the canoes were foon again obferved to follow, having
how increafed their party to fifteen or twenty perfons. They ftill continued
to obferve the fame diftant deportment, and on feeing the boats
return they crofted over, and landed on a point before the boats on the
northern fhore. Notwithftanding that looking glafies, and fome other
trifling prefents, were fattened to pieces o f wood, and dropped a-ftern .for
them whilft they continued to follow the boats, and that thefe were all
carefully picked up by them, they could not be induced to leflen the-
refpe&ful diftance they had at firft obferved.
When the boats came near to the point on which thefe. people had
landed, all of them, excepting three who remained behind, feemingly
fo i the purpofe of guarding their arms, and one old man, who was
fa ted on the rocks at fome diftance, advanced unarmed to the water
fide, each bearing a green bough, and finging and dancing in a moft
ft D 2 favage-
38/-
*793-
Auguft.