268 ' A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
1 794. not be left unaccomplilbed for want of provifions, each- o f the1 parties was
■ Augu(t' . provided for a : fortnights Thé DifcoveryV yawl and large cutter was
to proceed with Mr. Whidbeÿ ' and Mr. Swâine; ' and the Chatham’s
cutter, and the Difcovery’s’ fmall cutter, with Mr. Johndone and Mr.
Barrie; with this arrangement both parties departed early in the morning
Saturday °. of the 2d, in the profecution of their refpeftive purfuitsv---’
The dation we had taken, though diffidentlycommodious "for Our
purpofe, was extrtemely folitàrÿ ; there' were no inhabitants on the adjacent
fhores, nor was there the fnialleft appearance of any part Of our
’neighbourhood being a place of their rèfort, fo that: our time was not
likely to'be very iritereftihgly employed,j Or ottr attention diverted from
fuch riec'elfary concerns as tiré 'Ordinary fervices óf the’ vefféls now- required.
Thefe confided principally in repairing our - fails and rigging in
the bed manner we were able. This had no'w become a bufinëfs è f fondant
employment. Some o f the carpenters'were caulking,: Others cutting
fuch fparS- and timbers for plank as were wanted’; and the brewers on
(bore were making fprttcc beer, which With a little Tamphirè, and fome
halibut, caught with our books- near the entrance of the-harbour, were the
only refrefhirients the' place afforded. - •
The five following- days-we-Kud light variable' Winds; attended by much
Friday 8. rainy but the Weather being-moite plëâfânt on friday, I was- employed in.
making- a fùrvey of the harbour. Ifs fouthëm point of entrance is-fitu-
ated‘ N'. 15 e .,. about 2-'leagues from-' cape- Ómmanéy, its op'pofite-point
lying N. 7 tv., 2 miles- didant.- ■ The' depth'of water in mid-channel between
■ thefe- points is -y j fathoms, bût- decreafés to 8i;or lb clofè to- the
fhores» without- rocks or fands, ' excepting near the points. Which are
fufficiently evident to be avoided. : South s .w ., about half a.mile.from
the north point of entrance, is a mod excellent and fnug bafon about a
third of a mile Wide; and half a- mile-long-; but its entrance is by a. very
narrow channel half a mite in length, in‘ a direftion s. 70 w „ with fome
idets and rocks lying off its föuth point; thefe are deep nearly dot: to
them, as are the ffiorés bn both fides; which vary from a- frxth to a twelfth
of a mile afunder; With a clear navigable paffage from 8-to 12 fathoms
deen in.the middle, and 5 fathoms on the ddes. • The foundings are tolerably
-lerably regular, in the bafon, from 30 in the middle, to 10 fathoms A‘Js9j j
dole to the (hores. Immediately within its,north point is a fine fandy '---- ----- '
beach,- and an excellent run of water, as is the cafe alfo at its head, with
a third fandy beach' jud within its ,foutb point of entrance! In the vicinity
Of thefe beaches, efpecially the fil’d and third;- is a fmall extent of
low land-;- but the other parts o f the Ihorés are compofed of deep rugged
cliffs on all fides, furrounded by a thick fbred of pine trees'; winch grew
with more vigour there than in the other parts of the’ harbour. From
its entrance to the head, it extends about a league in a direftion- s^'33' w.,
freè from any interruption, although it is- inconvenient from its great
depth of water.. Near the fouthern fide of entrance lies a fmall ifiet and
feme rocks, but thefe-are intirely Out of the way of its navigation. The
foundings-cannot be confidered as very regular, yet the bottom in general
Is good; in-fome plates' it is dony; in others fand and mud; hut in the
cove where the-veffels were at anchor the bottom is rocky. The head of
this cove approaches -within the fourth of a mile of the head of another
cove, whofe entrance On the outfule is about 2 miles to the Youth of the
fouth point of this harbour; In the entrance of that cove the depth is 7
fathoms, weeds were feen growing- acrofs it, and to the north of it is a
fmall diet With fome rocks... The furrounding fhores are generally deep
and rocky, and Were covered with Wood nearly to the water’s edge, but
on the fides of the adjacent hill's were fome fpots clear of trees, and.
chiefly, occupied by a damp moid moorifh foil,, in which were feveral
pools of water. The furface produced fome berry buflres, but the fruit
at this feafon of the year was. not ripe. This little information I procured
from fome of our gentlemen» who- had made fome excurfions
about the neighbourhood. In the above cove on the wed fide were found
a. few deferted Indian habitations, which were the only ones that had
been, met with. . Our not having .been vifited here by any. of the natives,
was. rather d mortifying circumdanee, as. they generally: oecafioned us
fome entertainment, and frequently added fome variety to fuch refrelh»
ments, as by our own efforts we were enabled to procure.
From the gth to the 13th the weather had been modly boiderous, WcdneT. 13;-
unfettled,. and. rainy; this kind of weather fince our arrival; had prevented.