17Q4- ffiores, that the {horter ftumps in fome inftances at low water mark,
. ^ . were even with, or below the furface of the fea.
This fame appearance has been noticed before m port Chalmers,
and on this occafton Mr. Whidbey quotes other inftances of fimilar in-
■ croachments not only in Prince William’s found, but alfo m'Cook’s inlet;
where he obferved fimilar effeHs on the {hores, and is of opinion from
thefe evidences, that the fhallow banks occupying fo large a part of Gray s
harbour, have recently been produced by the operation of one and the
fame caufe: and it is not left reafonable to conclude, that the waters of
the north pacific, have, poffibly for ages, had a general tendency to produce
the fame effeft, on all the .coaft comprehended within the limits before
mentioned.
A return of fair and clear weather on the 18th enabled them to fee that
•large traa of broken land lying between Croft found and cape Omma-
ney, which has been defcribed as having a range o f high mountains
capped with fnow extending through if, but from thefe ftill'continuing
to have the appearance of being difunited in feveral places, it tended to
corroborate our former opinion; and although as before we had not had
an opportunity of afcertaining the faft, I have been induced to confider
the country as being divided into many iflands, and have for that reafon
termed it an archipelago. The ftrait that feparates this land from the eaftern
{hore, which after Lord Chatham, I have called C h a t h a m S t r a i t , Mr.
Whidbey confiders as likely to be one of the moft profitable places for
procuring the Ikins of the fea otter, on the whole coaft; not only from the
abundance obferved in the poffeflion of the natives, but from the im-
Tnenle number of thofe animals, feen about the fhores in all directions.
Here the fea otters were in fuch plenty that it was eafily in the power
of the natives to procure as many as they chofe to be at the trouble 'of
taking. I was alfo given to underhand by Mr. Brown of the Jackal,
who followed us through thefe regions, that the fea fitter Ikins which he
'procured there were of an extremely fine quality.
The principal objeft which His Majefty appears to have had in view,
in directing the undertaking of this voyage having at length been completed,
I truft the preciiion with which the furvey of the coaft of North
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
Weft America has been carried into efteft, will remove every doubt, and ASM:
fet afide every opinion of a north-wejt pajfage, or any water communica- u— *----<
tion navigable for (hipping, exifting between the north pacific, and the
interior o f the American continent, within the limits, of our refearches.
The difcovery that no fuch communication does exift has been zealoully
purfued, and with a degree of minutenefs far exceeding the letter of my
commiftion or inftruftions; in this refpea I might poffibly have incurred
the cenfure of difobediente, had I not been intruded with the moft liberal,
difcretionary orders, as being the fitted and moft likely means of attaining
the important end in queftion.
The very detached and broken region that lies before fo large a portion
of this coaft, rendered a minute examination altogether unavoidable: this
had frequently the good efffea of facilitating the labours of our furvey,
by its leading us through narrow, (hallow, intricate channels, which cut
offextenfive tra&s of broken land, mid by thus (hewing their feparation
from the continent, their further examination became unimportant to
the-objea of our inquiry.
For this reafon I.have confidered it effential to the illuftration of our
furvey, to (late very exa&Iy not only the track of the velfels when navigating
thefe regions, but likewife thofe o f the boats when fo employed,
as well when I was prefent myfelf, as when they were condufled by Mr.
Whidbey or Mr. Johnftone, on whom the execution of that laborious
and dangerous (ervice principally fell, and to whom I feel myfelf indebted
for the zeal with which they engaged in it on all occafions. The perufal of
thefe parts of our voyage to perfons not particularly interefted, I am con-
fcious will afford but little entertainment ; yet I have been induced to give
a detailed account, inftead of an abftraa, of our proceedings, for the pur-
pofeof illuftrating the charts accompanying this journal; of (hewing the
manner in which our time day by day had been employed; and, for the
additional purpofe, of making the hiftory of our tranfa&ions on the north
weft coaft of America, as conclujive aspojpble, againft all fpeculative opinions
refpe&ing the exiftence of a hyperborean or mediterranean ocean
• within the limits of our furvey.
■ ! .2 Khali