B i l J1u7n9e4.. Captain Cook ten days, to traverfe, namely, from the 11th to the 21ft
of may 1778; a week of which was fpent in paffing through this inlet,
almoft from its moll northern to its molt fouthern extremity; in which
time, fufficient opportunities occurred for making the neceffary obfervations
for the latitude, for the longitude by the chronometer, and. for the variation
of the compafs • yet hone of thefe (excepting, the fituation of the fhip
on the-12th at noon,) nor the pofitioh of anyione point or ftation on the
coaft, nor the iflands within thofe limits, are any where noticed; nor is.
there any thing relative to the tides, excepting- that of the flood coming
from the fouthward, to be met with; nor is there any topographicaldefcrip-
tion of the coaft, nor of the rocks and iflands that he off from it, fouth-
weftward from Montagu ifland to cape Elizabeth, notwithftanding that
that coaft was pafled at no great diftance, and that it was found to take a
direftion very contrary to what was at that time expefted. In addition
to this circumftance, the nearly central fituation of this capacious inlet in
the fpace in queftion, and its broken and infular appearance, rendered
fuch an extent of coaft the more likely to have been noticed in a particular
manner, and would argue'an inattention to nautical occurrences
which T believe is no where elfe to be met with in the works of that
juftly renowned and moll celebrated navigator; and which, moft probably,
will only be difcovered by thofe whofe fituations may render it expedient
for them to refort for information to the refult o f his unequalled
labours.
The minute examination we were empowered to make of prince William’s
found, not only brought us acquainted with its utmoft limits in
every direftion, but proved it to be a branch of the ocean that requires the
greateft circumfpeftion to navigate; and although it diverges into many
exteufive arms, yet none of them can be confidered as commodious
harbours, on account of the rocks and fhoals that obftruft the approach
to them-, or of the very great depth of water at or-about their entrances.
O f the former, innumerable have been, difcovered; and there is great rea-
fon to fuppofe that many others may have exiftence,, o f which we gained
no knowledge-. By what may be collefted- from our- inquiries, Snug-cor-
ner cove, and the paffage to it from the ocean, feem to be the leaft liable
to thefe objeftions of all places of fhelter which the found affords. The
1 place
place of our anchorage in port Chalmers, can only be confidered as a j794-
fmall cove in a rugged rocky coaft; fo very difficult of accefs or egrefs, 1---- -—
that ourutmoft vigilance in founding was unequal to warn us of the rock
on which the {hip grounded, and which is fituated N . 72 w . from the north
point of the harbour, diftant one mile; and N . 6 e . from the woody iflet,
at about the fame diftance, having between it and the iflet the fouth paffage
rock, with two fhoals; on founding, (wliilft the {hip was aground) towards
the north paffage rock, another flioal was difcovered in that direftion
about half a mile off, {hoaling fuddenly from about 12 -to 4 fathoms, at
about two thirds flood. At the moment the {hip {truck I thought fhe had
been on the bed of kelp laid down in Mr. Portlock’s {ketch, which I had
fearched for in vain; but on comparing the fituations, I found that that
where we had been {topped in our progrefs appeared to be confiderably
to the fouth-weft; hence it is very probable that there may be more of
thefe latent dangers exilting in this neighbourhood, whofe fituation require
die moft attentive vigilance to difcover and avoid; of thefe it had
been our lot to fall in with four in the fpace of as many miles, which
had remained unnoticed not only by former vifitors, but by our companion
alfo ; and fince accident alone brought them to our' knowledge,
the prefumption is greatly- in favor of the above opinion, and renders the
navigating this fouthern paffage into prince William’s found, infinitely
more intricate and unpleafant than had before been imagined. For the
particulars of fuch information as we were able to colleft, I beg leave
to refer to the annexed (ketch, where it will alfo be found, that what is
called Stockdale’s harbour is only a bay full of rocks, and of cdurfe Was
■ not worthy of any particular examination. -
In the neighbourhood of port Chalmers, the country as high up the
fides of the mountains as vegetation extended, was in moft places free
from fnow before we quitted that anchorage, and afforded us an opportunity
of forming fomejudgment on the nature of the foil; which, from
the diverfity of furface in plains, and fpaces clear of trees, prefented a
pleafing verdant appearance to the eye; but on a more attentive examination
it proved to be in moft places an intire morafs, compofed of a very
poor black moorifh earth, formed apparently of decayed vegetables, not
C c 2 fufficiently