One o f them then made many figns, tak in g off his gap, and
bowing, after the manner o f Europeans. A rope being
handed down from the ffiip, to this, he fattened a fmall thin
wooden cafe or b o x ; and h a v in g delivered this fafe, and
fpoken fomething, and made fome more figns, the canoes
dropped aftern, and left the Difcovery. No one on board
h e r had any fufpicion that the box contained any thin g till
after the departure o f the canoes, when it was accidentally
opened, and a piece o f paper was found, folded up care fu lly,
upon w hich fomething was w ritten in the Ruffian language,
as was fuppofed. T h e date 1778 was prefixed to i t ; and, in
the body o f the written note, there was a reference to the
year 1776. Not learned enough to decypher the alphabet o f
the writer, his numerals marked fufficiently that others had
preceded us in vifiting this dreary part o f the globe, w ho were
united to us by other ties befides thofe o f our common nature;
and the hopes o f foon meeting w ith fome o f the Ruffian
traders, could not but g iv e a fenfible fatisfadiion to thofe*
w h o had, fo r fuch a length o f time, been converfant w ith the
favages o f the Pacific Ocean, and o f the continent o f North
America.
Captain Clerke was, at firft, o f opinion, that fome Ruffians
had been ihipwrecked h e re ; and that thefe unfortunate
perfons, feeing our ihips pafs, had taken this method to inform
us o f their fituation. Impreffed with humane fenti-
ments, on fuch an occafion, he was defirous o f our flopping
till they might have time to join us. But no fuch idea occurred
to me. It feemed obvious, that i f this had been the
cafe, it would have been the firft ftep taken by fuch ihipwrecked
perfons, in order to fecure to themfelves, and to
their companions, the relief they could not but be folicitous
about, to fend fome o f their body o ff to the ihips in the canoes.
noes. For this reafon, I rather thought that the paper contained
a note o f information, left b y fome Ruffian trader,
w ho had lately been amongft thefe iflands, to be delivered
to the next o f their countrymen who ihould arrive ; and
that the natives, fee ing our ihips pafs, and fuppofing us to
be Ruffians, had refolved to brin g o ff the note, thinking it
might induce us to flop. . Fully convinced o f this, I did not
flay to inquire any farther into the matter ; but made fail,
and flood awa y to the Weftward, along the coaft: perhaps I
ihould fay along the iflan d s ; for we could not pronounce,
w ith certainty, whether the neareft land, within us, was
continent or iflands. I f not the latter, the coaft here forms
fome tolerably large and deep bays.
We continued to run all night with a gentle breeze at
North Eaft; and, at two o ’clock next morning, fome Saturday20.
breakers were feen within us, at the diftance o f two miles.
Tw o hours after, others were feen ahead; and, on our larboard
bow, and between us and the land, they were innu-,
merable. We did but juft clear them, by holding a South
courfe. Thefe breakers were occafioned by rocks ; fome o f
which were above water. T h e y extend feven leagues from
the land ; and are very dangerous, efpecially in thick w ea ther,
to which this coaft feems much fubjetfl. At noon, we
had juft got on their outfide ; and, by obfervation, we were
in the latitude o f 54° 44.',■'and in the longitude o f ig8°. T he
neareft land, being an elevated b lu ff point, which was called
Rock Point, bore North, feven or eight leagues diftant; the
Wefternmoft part o f the main, or what was fuppofed to be
the main, bore North 80“ W e ft ; and a round hill, without,
which was found to be an illand, and was called
Halibut-head, bore South 65° Weft, thirteen leagues diftant.
1778.
]une,
On,