' 793- but it Was iritirely over-run with weeds, Oirubs, and fmall trees; amongft
A-g_ ' , which the fmall fruited crab was in the greateft abundance, and its fruit
was larger and better tailed than any before found.
The weather during the greater part o f this excurfion having been rainy
and very unpleafant, and Dili continuing fo, the party Were detained in
this arm until the forenoon o f the 28th, when they proceeded to the
lad opening I had left unexamined; and which, I had imagined, would
be found either to have communication with the great north-weft branch,
or to extend far to the northward; but it was now proved that I
had been miftaken in both thefe conjectures, as the opening formed
only a fpacious bay. Its. entrance was nearly a league wide, lying
N . 8 w. and s. 8 E.; its northernmoft point is lituated in latitude 550 m
longitude 228° 25', from whence the north fide o f the bay takes nearly a
weft direflion about a league and a half, forming in that fpace three or
four coves, and rounding fomewhat irregularly to its fouthern point of
entrance; within which is an ifland about a league in circuit, not admitting
of any navigable channel between it and the fouth fide of the
bay. The Ihores bounding this bay are very moderately elevated, thickly
wooded, and terminating in a fandy beach nearly all round. The interior
country was not very high, particularly in the weftern quarter,
where a very low woodland country extended nearly as far as the eye
could reach. This low land, at the diftance I had paffed in the boats,
had put on an appearance that induced me to believe it to be much
broken and divided.
The examination of this bay concluded the fervice the party had been
font to perform, and they returned on board, keeping along the continental
fhore as before ftated,
A Ihort interval of fair weather, with which we had but feldom been
Friday 30. indulged, enabled me in the forenoon of the goth to make fome further
celeftial obfervations; and in the afternoon we were vifited by a party of
the natives confifting of twenty-five perfons, who came in three canoes
from the fouthward. Thefe were all intire ftrangers to us, and were
conduced by two chiefs, neither of whom was the famous Ononnijloy,
They approached us with the fame formalities as thefe obferved by our
former
former vifitors, and if any juft conclufions were to be drawn from their
deportment on coming on board, we had reafon to think them people u —.—■ ->
o f fome importance; and I was confequently induced to compliment
them with prefents fuitable to their apparent rank. Thefe they accepted
with indifference, and appeared to be more engaged in common conver-
fation with each other, than in noticing us or any of the furrounding ob-
jefls. Early in the evening they, retired to the Ihore, where they formed a
temporary habigition; and the next morning we were again favored Saturday 3*.
with their company. They now appeared- to be more fociably inclined,
and each prefented me, in return for the civilities tl^y received the pre-
ceding evening, a fea otter fkin, and defired that a commercial inter-
courfe might be eftablilhed between us, as they had brought many things
for barter, amongft which was an abundance of the fineft frelh falmon
we had feen in the courfe of the feafon. O f thefe a number fufficient
for every one in both veffels were immediately purchafed.
The chiefs remained on board the greater part of the forenoon, and
became very fociable. One of them had a very open cheerful countenance,
and was: the fineft figure o f a man, and the ftouteft made Indian,
I had yet feen on this coaft. He had many fears about him, which, indicated
his having been a great warrior. Bread and molafles were the
greateft treat we could give thefe people; the chiefs ate heartily of it,
and diftributed fome amongft their particular friends in the canoes along-
fide. In return for this delicious repaft, they took much pains to recommend
to us fome of their whale oil, which flunk moft intolerably.
This was brought into the cabin in a bladder, out of which a fpoonful
was very carefully poured by the chief, who extolled its fuperior. qualities,
and gave us to underftand that, as a delicacy, it was quite equal
to our treacle; and it was not without much difficulty, that I was able
to excufe myfelf from partaking of their- naufeous meal, which they
feemed to relifh in the higheft degree ; and fimlhed it with a large glafs.
of rum, a luxury to which they feemed by no means ftrangers.
In the afternoon, as thefe new friends of ours were vifiting the Chatham,
they were fuddenly furprized by . the arrivaL of a large canoe full
si , . .... a£