*792* fathoms. The fouthern (bore. though low and fandy, was alio well
i clothed with wood; the breadth of the river - was about a quarter of
a mile, and its dircdlion was the fame as before mentioned.
The wind blew frelh from the eaftward, which, with the dream againft
them, rendered their journey very flow and tedious. They pafled a fmall
rocky opening that had a rock in its center, about• twelve feet above
the furface o f the water; on this were lodged feveral large trees that
muft have been left there by an unufually high tide. From hence a
large river bore s. 3 e., which was afterwards flen to take a fouth-weft-
wardly direction, and was named B a r in g ’s R i v e r ; between it and the
fhoal creek is another opening; and here that in which they had refted
ftretched to the e, n. e„ and had feveral fmall rocks,in it. Into this creek
the friendly old chief who had attended them went to procure fome falmon,
and they purfued their way againft the ftream,. which was now become fo
rapid that they were able to make but little progrefs. At half paft two
they flopped on the northern fliore to dine, oppofite to the entrance of
Baring’s river. Ten canoes with the natives now attended them, and
their friendly old chief foon returned and brought them an abundance
o f very fine-falmon. He had'gone through the rocky palfage, and had
returned above the party, making the land on which they were at dinner
an ifland. This was afterwards found to be about three miles long, and
after the lieutenant o f the Chatham, was named J o h n s t o n e ’s I s l a n d .
The weft point o f Baring’s river is fituated in latitude 45° 28', longitude
23 7 ° 41'; from whence the main branch takes rather an irregular courfe,
about N. 82 E . ; it is near half a mile wide, and in crofling it the depth
was from 6 to 3 fathoms. The fouthern fliore is low and woody, and
contrafts the river by means of a low fandy flat that extends from it,
on which were lodged feveral large dead trees. The belt palfage is; clofe
to Johnftone’s ifland; this has a rocky bold fliore, but Mr. Broughton
purfued the channel on the oppofite fide, where he met with fome flattered
rocks ; thefe however admitted of a good palfage between them and
the main land; along which he continued until towards evening, making
little progrefs againft the ftream. “ Having now pafled the.fand bank,”
lays Mr. Broughton, “ I landed for the purpofe of taking our laft bear-
“ ings ; a fandy point on the oppofite fliore bore s. 80 e., diftant about »79*-
“ two miles 5 this point terminating our view o f the river, I named it
after Captain Vancouver; it is fituated in latitude 45° 27’, longitude
I 237° 50'.” The fame remarkable mountain that had been feen from
Belle Vue point, again prefented itfelf, bearing at this ftation S.67E.;
and though the party were now nearer to it by 7 leagues, yet its lofty
fummit was ftarcely more diliinCt acrols the intervening land which was
more than moderately elevated. Mr. Broughton honored it with Lord
Hood’s name; its appearance was magnificent; and it was clothed in
fnow from its fummit, as low down as the high land, by which it was
intercepted, rendered it vifible. Mr. Broughton lamented that he
could not acquire fufficient authority to afcertain its pofitive fitu-
ation, but imagined it could not be lefs than 20 leagues from their then
ftation.
Round point Vancouver the river feemed to take a more northerly
direftion; its fouthern Ihores became very hilly, with bare fpots of a
reddilh colour on the Tides o f the hills, and their tops were thinly covered
with pine trees. The oppofite fliore was low, well wooded, and
moftly compofed of Ihingly beaches. The breadth of the river here was
a quarter of a mile';lit afforded a clear good channel on the northern
fliore, with foundings acrofs from 6 to 2 fathoms, Ihoaling gradually to
the bed o f fand that ftretches from the oppofite fide. During this day,
they had conftantly rowed againft the ftream, having increafed their
diftance only 12 miles up the riv e r; and notwithftanding there had been
a fenfible regular rife and fall of the water, it had not in the Ieaft degree
affefled the ftream, which had run conftantly down with great
rapidity.
Mr. Broughton at this time calculated the diftance, from what he
eonfidered the entrance of the river, to be 84, and from the Chatham,
100 miles. T o reach this ftation had now occupied their time, with
•very hard labour, feven days; this was to the full extent for which
iheir provifions had been furnifhed; and their remaining fupplies could
not with all poflible frugality laft more than two or three days longer.
And as it were impoflible under the moft favorable circumftances, they
V o L ‘ fR K fhould