1794* the fouth point of this bay, which I called P o i n t A st l e y , the Ihores are
u^u 1 very rocky, and contain many fmall open coves, taking a foutherly direction
thirteen miles, to a point which obtained the name of P o i n t W i n d h
a m , fituated in latitude 570 31', longitude 226° 36'. This point forms
the eaftern point of entrance into Stephens’s palfage : here they again
arrived in the fpacious part of the inlet noticed from point Gambler.
As the party advanced feveral diets were feen in various directions,
and from point Windham, on the eaftern fide, were fome bays; the
fhores took a general direction s. 25 e ., twelve miles and an half, to a
point named by me P o in t H o b a r t , being the north point of a fmall
branch, where the party relied for the night, and on the following
morning they found its points of entrance to lie from each other N .liW .
and s. i i e ., about a league afunder. From its entrance it extends
s. 70 e., 5 or 6 miles, where it terminated. Some iflets and funken
rocks lie near its fouth point, which I called P o in t W a l p o l e . From
point Hobart extends, a bank of fand a little diftance from the Ihore,
but there is a clear palfage between it and the iflets, within which, it
forms a fnug harbour, with foundings at a confiderable diftance from the
Ihore from 10 to 6 fathoms water, fand and muddy bottom. It is
bounded by lofty mountains, and from their bafe extends a fmall border
of low land forming the Ihores of the harbour, which I called P o r t
H o u g h t o n . On quitting this place many rocks were feen along the
Ihores, which took a direction s. 12 w., fix miles and a half, to a very
confpicuous low projecting point, which obtained the name of C ape
F a n s h aw , fituated in latitude 570 11', longitude 226° 44^'. Here was
feen an old deferted village, and a fpacious branch of the inlet 8 miles
wide, leading to the eaftward and fouth-eaft.
From its very extenfive appearance in thefe directions, Mr. Whidbey
became apprehenfive, left their utmoft exertions Ihould not enable them to
draw their labours to a conclufion during his prefent excurfion, and for
this reafon, he loft no time in proceeding along, its northern Ihore, which
from cape Fanlhaw takes a. direction s. 66 e ., fixteen miles, to a low
narrow point of land two miles long, and half a mile broad, ftretching
fouth from the general line of the coaft on each fide of it; but this dif-
2 ' tance,
tance, owing to the baclnefs of the weather, and a ftrong gale from the A^>4-
eaftward, was not reached before the 15th in the afternoon. At this '--“ v—
low point, which I called Po in t V a-n d e pu t , the width of the branch
decreafed to about three miles ■ and' ah half, in a fouth direftion, to
a fteep bluff point, where, as alfo from this ftation,' the fhores of thé
branch took a more foutherly courfe. South from this point -a 'ftioal
extends about a mile, and on its eaftern fide, a fmall bay is formed,
from whence the eaftern Ihore -trends s. 34 e .; Teven miles, to another
point, where a (hoal ftretches out about three fourths of a mile fr-om the
there; this prevented the boats approaching the point, although feveral
attempts were made, in the hope of gaining-Ibéiter from the inclemency
o f the weather, but it. was to no efiefil, and the party Was
obliged to .remain cold, wet, and hungry (having no provifions cooked)
in the boats, until the morning o f the .16th; when the weather became
fair and clear, and Ihewed their fituation to be before a final! extent of
low flat land, lying immediately before tire lofty mountains, which here
rofe abruptly to a< prodigious height immediately behind the border. A
few miles to the fouth of this margin the mountains extended to the water-
fide, where a part of them prefented an uncommonly awful appearance;
riling with an inclination towards the water t» a vaft height, loaded with
an immenfe quantity of ice and fnow, and overhanging their bafe, tvhich
feemed to be infufficient to bear the ponderous fabric; it fuftained,' and
rendered the view of the palfage beneath it, horribly magnificent, jj
Soon after palling this very remarkable promontory, the arm of the
fea over which it hangs appeared to be intirely clcffed by a -beach; ex*
tending all round-the head of i t ; at the fouth-eaft extremity was a large
body of ice, formed in a gully between the mountains that approach
thewater-fide, from whence, much broken icefeemed to have fallen, and
had intirely covered the furface of the water in that dfreftion. From thé
fouth-weft. corner iffued a narrow ftream of very white water, that Teemed
to have obtained this appearance by the melting fnow draining through
the low land that was Teen lying in that di-reftion 5 and as it was confidered
not to be navigable, Mr.’Whidbey was anxious to lofe no time-in the fur-
therextenfion of his refearches. Having now been abfent longer than thé
V o l . III. O o time