1794.
Julyon
a falling tide; Mr. Puget determined to remain at anchor until near
low water, and in the interim to difpatch Mr. Le Mefurier again, for the
purpofe o f acquiring fome further information relative to this paffage.
A t five in the evening, the Chatham was again under fail with a light
wefterly wind, but on its being fucceeded by a calm, thé vèlfel was by
the influence of the tide again fat upon the fhoal; a light breeze of wind
from the north very opportunely fpringing up, the fails foon backed her
off, and fhe again anchored near Wingham ifland in 9 fathoms water,
about a fourth of a mile from its eaftern fhore.
Mr. Le Mefurier did not return before midnight, having , from the
before mentioned rocky iflets followed a finall intricate channel leading
into the ocean, where the depth of water had gradually inereafed from
4 to 16 fathoms. In this channel he had found a very heavy fwêll from
the fouthward, and that the bottom Was a bed of rocks. He alfo afcer-
tained that the fhoal, over which the fea broke with great violence, continued
quite to cape Suckling.
The principal object having been thus accomplifhed by the tracing of
the continental boundary to cape Suckling, and by finding that the fea
coaft from Hinchinbrook ifland to that cape, is rendered inacceflible by a
conne&ed fhoal bank of fand, extending fevéral miles from the main land,
and particularly from Controller’s bay, the whole of which it occupies
to the diftance of 6 leagues from the fhore or elevated land; Mr. Puget
did not confider thé delay that would moft probably attend his navigating
this channel, confiftent with the important object ftill in view, which
would fully employ the remainder of the feafon. For this reafon he
gave up his intention of pafling by this channel to capè Suckling, and
in the morning o f the 17th, though not without fome difficulty, owing
to the want of wind, and fhe irregular fet of the tide; he paffed round to
the weft fide of Wingham ifland, and with a light north-eafterly breeze,
direfted his courfe for cape Hamond, with gloomy and unfettled weatihe'r.
On.quitting this ftation Mr. Puget remarks, that according to the information
he had obtained from the Spaniards, the channel through
which the cutter had paffed, and found navigable for Slipping, was ftated
to
to be totally clofed, and impaflable even for boats; but in Mr. Dixon’s ji-Hdelineation
of the coaft, the Ihoal extends to the fouth-weft part of Kaye’s 1----^— 1
ifland, including Wingham ifland, feveral miles within it. Over a large
portion of the fpace thus allotted to this fhoal the Chatham paffed, without
being able to reach bottom with 70 fathoms of line. Such an error
in this publication is hard to account for, and may have a bad tendency;
as the mifreprefentation in this inftance, would neceflarily have the effeft
o f deterring ftrangers from feeking the excellent fhelter which thefe
iflands afford againft the fouth-eaft winds, which are the moft prevailing
ftorms, and are moft to be dreaded. Wingham ifland Mr. Puget repre-
fents as forming on its eaft fide a tolerably well fheltered roadftead, even
againft the eaftwardly winds, where good anchorage will be found to the
fouthward of the firft finall beach from its north point, at a commodious
diftance from the fhore; here the north-eaft point of Kaye’s ifland bore
by compafs eaft, and cape Suckling, n. 76 c .; this is the only fpace open
to the ocean, and even this, is intercepted by the rocky iflets, bearing
N. 83 E., and the intermediate fhoal, which completely prevents any very
heavy fea from rifing in that diredtion; good anchorage will alfo be found
on the north and weft fides of this ifland. The place where the Chatham
anchored off Kaye’s ifland, is alfo well prote&yd from the moft prevailing
winds. Repeated trials were made to take fome fifh with hooks and lines,
but to no effeft; feme refrefhments were however procured, as the weft-
ern fide of Wingham ifland afforded a fupply of upwards of fixty dozen
of eggs, which proved excellent, although taken- from the nefts of fea-
fowl; Confifting chiefly of two forts of gulls* fea parrots, fhags, and cur- .
lews; no ducks were here feen, and only two geefe were obferved. The
eggs were taken from fteep, rugged, rocky cliffs, conftituting in many
places the fhores of this ifland, which is moderately elevated, well
wooded, and has on its eaftern fide two finall ftreams of frefh water. It
did not appear to be much the refort of the natives; but near the north-
eaft point of KayC’s ifland, Mr. Le Mefurier found a village that had
been recently deferted. He defcribes the north fide of that ifland as a
low traft of land well wooded, and that its fhores are indented in finall
bays or coves: behind Controller’s bay, and the fhoal coaft that lies to
the