afternoon we arrived on board, where every thing was in readinefs to
return down the inlet the next morning.
Although, by the information we had thus acquired, the profpeft of
concluding our furvey of the coaft during the prefent feafon was greatly
imprbved, yet it was :not poflible to avoid a certain degree o f mortification
from the reflection, that our opinions refpefting the extent to which
thefe-Waters were likely to lead, had been fo extremely erroneous. This
evidently proved the fallacy of analogous reafoning, which the human
mind is too apt to render fubfervient to fome favorite hypothefis, and
too frequently to adopt, even under the appearance of manifeft contradictions.
-
In the-evening two-guns were heard in the.offing, and on wednefday
morning a brig was feen at anchor before the entrance into this place,
which proved to be the Chatham. Mr. Baker was immediately fent to
advife the commanding- officer that we Ihould return by the earlieft
opportunity;'-1--
About" noon Mr. Puget came on board, from whom I learned, that
on the evening o f our reparation he had carried a prefs of fail in order
to keep up with us, which, together with a very heavy, irregular
lea, occafioned the veffel to labour extremely;landlyet’ fhe made fo little
progrefs, that their diftance from us was gradually increafed until
the Difcovery was no longer vifible. The next-morning (march 16th)
upwards o f four feet water was found in the Chatham’s hold ; this in a
great-meafure- accounted for- the preflure and uneafinefs under which
the veffel had laboured the preceding evening. To difengage themfelves-
from this inconvenience both pumps were employed until eight o’clock-
Mr. Puget Hated likewife, that during their paflage from the Sandwich
iflands the Chatham had proved rather crank, and that her upper works
had been found very leaky.
Agreeably to the appointed rendezvous, Mr. Puget had commenced
and continued his examination of the Weftern fide of this inlet from cape
Douglas to our prefent ftation ; it was found to be a compafl fhore,
without any collateral branches, or navigable openings'; but as fome
further ‘ obfervations were neceflary for adjulting .our -furvey of that
coaft, which in all probability would be procured in our paflage down
the
the inlet, the delivery of his documents was poftponed until we Ihould
arrive in port Chalmers : neverthelefs,, as the principal occurrences-appertain
to his refearches in this inlet, I {hall here infert the particulars
of the information fo acquired.
Few circumftances worthy of remark feemed to have taken place during
the Chatham’s paflage to the coaft of America, which was feen at daylight
on the, 1 oth of a-pril;.,and at noon, in latitude 56° 56', cape Greville
bore-by compafs n. go w., and the fouthernmoft land in fight s. 74 w.
Her cqurfe was now direfted at the diftance of 7 to 15 leagues from the
.land, which, by the 12th at noon, brought them to the. latitude of 58°
22', cape St. Hermogeiies-by compafs bearing s, 55 w,,. and the coaft in
fight from s, 85 w. to- sj-gg w . Favored with a frelh breeze from the
s . s .e . they-fleered towards cape Douglas, between the barren ifles and
point Banks, .for the purpofe of acquiring fome information refpefting
Smoky bay, 1 Between cape St. Hermogenes and point Banks many detached
rocks were feen, lying at fome diftance from the main .land, but
the fhores in their immediate neighbourhood appeared tp. be bold, and
free from any vifible danger. The s .e . wind increafed in the evening,
attended with fome fnow. In pafling point Banks they were vifited by two
Ruffians, who, by the help of an indifferent interpreter, informed them
that no veffel had gone up the inlet this feafon; and from hence they
.concluded that they Ihould precede the Difcovery in its. examination. By
the, moft intelligent of the ,tw.o, whofe , name; was George Pprtoff, they
were alfo informed, that to, 'the louth-eaft .of point Banks they had paffed
a :yery fine harbour, where -the Ruffians had an eftablilhment, and where
a {loop, mounting eight carriage guns was ,then lying, under the command
of Alexander Berrenoff;; which, gentleman he faid would be happy
to :vifit the, Chatham in the morning,. could he be informed where the
was likely to be found; but this was, fo -intirely dependant upon circum-
ftapc.es that no appointment could polliidy be mede. Pprtoff ftated, that
this eftablilhment conflicted of forty. Ruffians, that they had, another of
.equal Gpnfequencein Prince, Williams found, and fo.tne.frnaller ones up the
inlet. [ Mr;, Puget endeavoured to .procure Tome information relative to
MfnB-illings.’s iyoy_age :_of, difeoyery,. under the Ruflian, authority, in thefe
WuoHl '/regions,