1794* within about 2 miles of the north-call extent of the fmall inlet which the
t s j patty had examined on the 7th, and in the fame line of direction, within
about 4 miles of the northern part of that which had engaged them on
the.5th and '6th, So very tedioufly and flowly were our refearches carried
.into effeCt in this very broken and extraordinary region!
A t the head of the laft mentioned branch was a fmall Indian village
confifting of three houfes, and containing about forty or fifty perfons.
On meeting fome of the Indians here who had been feen in the Southern
branches, it gave rife to an opinion, that fome fmall paflage exifted which
had efcaped the notice of the party ; but this Mr. Johnftone obferves was
foon explained by the Indians who took-up their canoe, and pointing to a
fmall valley in a foutherly direftion, rhade figns that could not be miftaken,
that they had walked, and had brought" their canoe, over: the ifthmus.
The next morning, although very wet and hazy, they returned along
the eaftera fide of this arm, and paffed its north-eaft point, which from
the head lies about, n. n. e. at the diftance of about 4 leagues, near which
are fome rocks. The party immediately entered another branch, aoout
the.fame breadth, which took firft a direction s, 68 e . for about 5 miles,-
and then turned irregularly round to the fouthward. The weather being
clear about noon, the obferved latitude was found to be 56° 42', longitude
226° 25'. Thebranch in which they had thus advanced, although too (hallow
and rocky for the palfing of any velfels larger than boats or canoes, and
even for them-intricate and dangerous, would not have been further examined,
had not the tide been found running in a very contrary direction, to
that which hadbeen obferved at its entrance, the flood tide here fetting to
the northward. This circumftance gave rife to an opinion, that this branch
would be found to communicate with the main inlet they-had left under
Mr. Whidbey’s examination extending to the north-eaft; and Ihould it
make the intermediate very broken land an ifland, it would greatly facilitate
their furvey of what they fuppofed to be the-continental fhore.
This hope induced Mr. Johnftone to perfevere, but inftead of the
channel ftretching to the eaftward as it Was wifhed, and ex.peCled to do, it
extended to the weftward of fouth, and communicated with a bay in the
north-weft part of Clarence’s -ftrait, which had been examined- b y Mr.
Johnftone
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
Johnftone on the 1 ith of feptember,' 1793 ; • but this- communication was
not at that time afcertained,. in co.nfequence o f the numerous iflets, rocks, '---- -—
and Ihoals that exift in that bay,- and render-it intirely unnavigable for
Ihipping. The party now'diftinftly faw port Protection and the adjacent
Ihores, and having taken the' necefiary angles that their further furvey
would demand, theyireturned.by the-way they had arrived; but the pro-
grefs of the boats was rendered very ilow by the numberlcls rocks and
iflets;. and the examination of the feveral little bays in;to: which the Ihores
were broken. T o the eaftward were feen high diftant mountains covered
with fa®w, but the land in their neighbourhood. was, comparatively
fpeaking, low, of a very" uneven furfaee, much divided by water, and
covered with wood. Mr. Johnftone unwilling to lofe any advantage
that prefenfed itfelf, flopped but a fltort time on the night of the 12th,
in order that he might take the benefit,of the flood tide the next morning,
which returning about half, after; one, they proceeded’with it clofe along
the eaftern {hore round every cove and, corner ; for they could not by any
other mode-have determined its'boundary-,. as they were at this time fur-
rounded by a very thick fog;, that obfpUred every diftant objeH until
about ten in the forenoon, when a frefh wefterly breeze brought fair and
clear weather, and difeovered their fituation to be near the Weft point of a
fmall branch, in latitude 56sAgissdongitude.ksaS'ub'i’ The adjacent
Ihores in all directions, but particularly to .the north-weft, were lined
with iflets and rocks, that extended nearly two miles; into the opening,
which washere about 2 leagues acrofs. - a..; : ai i . - w;;;.in
This branch about a mile wide' ftretched about 5 miles in an eaftwardly
direction, and there it terminated ; but before the .party had reached this
extent, Mr. Johnftone dates, that the remains of no lets than eight -dc-
ferted villages were.feen; feme of them were more decayed’ than the
others, butfoey all uniformly were fituated bn the fummit of fome precipice,
or deep infular rock, rendered, by nature almoll inacceffible, and
by art and great labour made a ftrong defence; which proved, , that the
inhabitants had been fobjeft to the ’incurfions of hoftife vifitors. Thefe
fortified places were, well qonftrufted With .a ftrong platform of wood,- laid
on. the mod elevated part o f foe rock, and, projefiing fo far from -its Tides
. V o 1.. III. P p