A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
1-2 vv. The obferved latitude was-60*51', but we were not able to procure
any obfervations for the variation.
Our Indian friends, who we had imagined were on their return from
an excurfion down the river at the time we met with them, how gave
us to underftand that their habitations were in this neighbourhood, on
the weftern fhore, and defired to take their leave ; they departed, Ihew-
ing a very high fenfe of gratitude for the kindnefs and attention with
which they had been treated. Whilft on board they had behaved with a
degree of modelly and decorum rarely found amongft men in a far:
more civilized ftate ; and notwithftanding they had been conftantly ex- ■
pofed to temptations, by articles lying in their way which were of the
moll valuable nature in their ellimation, not the mod trifling thing was
miffed, nor did their honefty in any refpeft fuffer the leaf! impeachment.
They repofed the utmoft confidence in our integrity, and confidered
themfelves as much at home in our fociety, as if we had long been, their
moll intimate friends. In Ihort, if the coriduft they exhibited, during
the time they paffed with us, is to be received as their general national
chara&er, it indicates them to be a people unafluated by ambition, jea-
loufy, or avarice; the paflions which fo ftrongly operate on the human
fpecies, to produce a conllant dread and’variance with each other, and.
ftimulate to a£ls of oppreffion, violence, and rapacity, as well on their
neareft neighbours as the moll dillant Itrangers.
A t low tide the Ihoal we purpofed to avoid was . feen from the mall-
head to the north-eallward, between which and the weltern Ihore, on
the return of the flood tide, about two o’clock our route was direfled,
with a frefh breeze from the N. n.w ., which obliged us to ply, keeping
nearer the Ihore than the Ihoal. The foundings from mid-channelf towards
the Ihoal were 20 fathoms and upwards, but towards the land the
depth regularly decreafed to 13 and 10 fathoms. The gale reduced us to
double-reefed topfails and forefail, and was accompanied byfo fevere a.
froll, that the fpray became inllantly frozen, and fell on the decks like;
fleet, or fmall particles of fnow, and the water that was brought up with
the lead-line, although in conllant motion, cafed it intirely with ice. On,
meeting the ebb tide in the evening, we anchored in 15 fathoms water,
about
about two leagues to the north-eallward of the north Foreland, and about VP91-
a league from the weftern Ihore. During the night a quantity of loofe 1— — >
ice paffed the Ihip, and in the morning of funday the wind blew a gen- Sunday ao.
tie breeze from the n . w ., with intenfely cold weather, the mercury Handing
at 7F. Having both wind and tide in our favor, about three o’clock
we proceeded towards the northern or main branch of the river, but
were foon alarmed by the appearance of a dry Ihoal in the direflion of
our courfe. This appearance was very unexpected, as. we were then
nearly purfuing the former track of the Refolution and Difcovery, which
could fcarcely have paffed fuch a Ihoal unnoticed. Many large lumps,
like rocks of confiderable fize, were lying upon it, which at length induced
me to believe, that what we had taken for a Ihoal would be found
to be only a body of dirty ice. We had however contended fufficiently
with dangers of this fort, and having underftood that a Spanilh officer
had found the navigation of this extenfive river intirely clofed by Ihoals
and fand banks, extending from fide to fide fome leagues lower down
than where Captain Cook had anchored, I did not think it prudent to
proceed until fome examination Ihould have taken place; efpecially as
fome of the crew were already froft-bitten, and in the event of our getting
a-ground, the carrying out anchors, and other duties confequent
upon fuch an accident, might expofe others to the like inconvenience.
For thefe reafons we again anchored, and after the fun had fhone about
three hours, I difpatehed Mr. Whidbey in the cutter to afcertain the
matter in doubt. About ten in the forenoon he returned, having gone
feveral miles beyond where the Ihoal was fuppofed to have been feen,
without meeting lefs than from 14 to 17 fathoms water. The appearance
that had been miltaken. for a Ihoal proved to be floating ice, which
had been carried rapidly from the (hip with the ftrength of the tide,
and then difappeared, giving it, in the gray of the morning, the fem-
blance of a Ihoal overflowed by the flood tide; this was manifefted by
the return of the next ebb, when, about noon, our horizon was encom-
pafled in moft directions with floating ice, of various lhapes,. magnitudes,
and colours.
The