j i 8
*794- iflet, which lies about a league to the .Couth-weft of.what may he confii__,__
i dered as the inner fouth-weft point of entrance into Turnagain river,
• whofe inner north-eaft point lies from it N. 42 £,, at the diftance of
three miles and three quarters. The latitude on the iflet was obfer.ved to
be 60° 57^', its longitude 210° 43'; low water afforded a good opportunity
for viewing the furrounding region. The fhores between the outer
and inner points appeared to be from 3 to 4 .leagues afundet;; each fide
formed a bay at high water, but the flrores of thefe, bays could not be
approached,' on account of the fhallow flat that extends from the land
•on the northern fide from three to five miles, and from the oppofite
fhore about half that diftance, between which is a channel about a league
and a half wide, which is alfo interrupted by a fhoal that appeared in
many places to be dry, and fituated about midway between the iflet and
Turnagain ifland; lying in a direftion n. e. and s. w ., about a league
and a half long, and half a league broad, leaving between its fouth point,
and the fhoals extending from the fouthern fhore, a channel not more
than half a league in width.
With the firft of the flood the party proceeded in foundings from 7
to 11 fathoms, until they had paffed the inner points of entrance, when
the depth of water fuddenly decreafed to 4 fathoms, and fhortly after to
2 and 3 feet, even in mid-channel, from whence the direflion of the
river extended about s. 70 E .; this was purfued for about 4 leagues from
the place where the water had firft become fhoal; the fhores were com-
pa£t, and the width was now contrafted from a league to half that dif-
tarrce. Mr. Whidbey feveraf times crofted from fide to fide, without.
■ finding more than thirty feet water, nearly at the conclufion of the flood
tide, and in a channel not more than an hundred yards wide. From
hence this arm, (for it was now proved to be. no longer intitled to the
name of a river) appeared fiill to extend in the above direftion for about
7 miles further, wherein latitude 60° 54', longitude 211° 30', it feemed
finally to terminate in a circular manner, furrounded by high fteep barren
mountains, covered with perpetual fnow. This termination, though,
fcarcely admitting of a . doubt, Mr. Whidbey was very anxious to
afcertain more pofitively than, by the diftant view that had been af-
' a ' S m B m H M l W M ............... I forded
forded o f it; but as they had now advanced as far up as a very rapid
flood tide would carry them, they could not attempt to contend with
the ebb, which returns at the rate.of five or fix miles an hour ; and the
fhores on either fide within their , reach did not afford the Ieaft fhelter
where they could have waited for the fucceeding flood, and have been
protested, during the ebb, from the dangers to which they mull of necef-
fity have been expofed, from the immenfe maffes of ice in all direftions,
fome lying aground, others floating1,' or rolling by the force o f the ftream
over the foft mud that eompofes the bottom. For thefe reafons they
were obliged to return with the ebb, and did not find any fhelter until
they had arrived within a league of the iflet before mentioned, where
about nine in the evening they, reached a finall cove, that admitted o f their
boats' being hauled up clear of the ice during the night.
The country bordering upon the .bays between- the outer and inner
points of Turnagain arm is low, well wooded) and riles with a gradual
afcènt, until at the inner point of entrance, where the fhores fuddenly rife
to lofty eminences in nearly perpendicular cliffs, and c.ompofe ftupendous
mountains that'are broken into chafms, arid deep gullies. Down thefe
rrifhed immenfe torrerifs o f water, rendering the naked fides of thefe precipices,
awfully grand; on their tops grew a few ftunted pine trees, but
they were nearly deftitute of every other vegetable" produftioni. The-
tide in this fituation rofe thirty feet perpendicularly! fo that at low water
this arm muft be dry or nearly fo ; and as Mr. Whidbey. confidered it
unfafe to be navigated, and undeferving any further examination, he proceeded
in the morning of the 30th in the execution of his further orders,,
towards point Pofleflion, which by our obfervations is fituated in latitude-
6’10 3', longitude 21Ó0 18*. The bottlé left there by Captain King was
feafched for without effeft; and as thé party proceeded to the fouth-weft,.
they met the Ruffian boat on ifs way to thé fhip; but as they were bound
in different directions, the interview was fhorf, and without acquiring7
any information in addition to that which had been already detailed. On
thé commencement of thé flood thé party was obliged to. flop at .a point
lying from point Pofleflion, s. 65 w „ at the diftance of 7 miles, 1 Here
a diftant view was obtained of the fhores before them; to-the fouth-weft.
The ■