Near this place were the veftiges of an.Indian hut, which fe'emed
to have been recently taken away, and probably had been the temporary
habitation of fome hunting party. Various kinds of flowers
and flowering flirubs, were fpringing up in the valley near the
rivulet, and though no inhabitants were found here; yet the place
feems peculiarly eligible for a fummer relidehce, and more fo, as
there is a probability of meeting with plenty of fine falmon; fo
that I have little doubt of its being conftantly frequented by the
natives, farther on in the feafon.
After dinner, Captain Dixon went to examine the paflage to the
Northward. The afternoon being very fine, our furs were got upon
deck, and fpread out to a ir; they had not received the leaft damage
by being packed in puncheons; fome of the inferior-ones were
grown mouldy, but that, when dry, was eafily rubbed off. Captain
Dixon not returning when the evening came on, we began to
feel a good deal of anxiety for his fafety, though he had fev'en people
in the boat well armed; however, about eleven o’clock we were
relieved from our fears by the boat’s return; they had not met
with the leaft veftige of any inhabitants, though they had been at
leaft fix leagues diftant from the veflel.
Several of our powder-barrels bang unhooped, and the powder
grown wet and damp, this harbour was judged a moft eligible fpot
to dry the powder, and get the barrels repaired, efpecially as the
weather was remarkably clear and ferene ; fo at eight in the morning
of the 25th, the gunner took the powder on fhore, and the
cooper was fent to repair the calks. In the mean time, Captain
Dixon went in the boat to examine about the entrance into this
harbour, as we had taken notice, in the afternoon of the 23d, of
fome inlets to the Southward and Weftward. The day proved
remarkremarkably
fine. The powder was got into very good order, and
brought on board early in the afternoon. The carpenters were on
fhore, and cut atop-maft, and fome fpars for various ufes.
About feven o’clock Captain Dixon returned; having met with
no better fuccefs than before; he had been in feveral bays at a con-
fiderable diftance from the harbour, but could not perceive the
leaft traces of people or habitations.
This harbour is fituated in 56deg. 35 min. North latitude; and
135 deg. Weft longitude : it obtained the name of Port Banks, in
honour of Sir Jofeph Banks. The profpeft at Port Banks, though
rather confined, yet has fomething in it more pleafing and romantic
than any we had feen on the coaft. The land to the Northward
and Southward rifes to an elevation fufficient to convey every idea
of winter ; and though its fides are perpetually covered with fnow,
yet the numerous pines which ever and anon pop out their bulhy
heads;-entirely diveft it of that dreary and horrific caft with the
barren mountains to the North Weft of Cook’s River. To the
Eaftward, the land is confiderably lower, and the-pines .appear to
grow in the moft regular and exaft order : thefe, together with the
brulh-wood and fhrubs on the furrounding beaches, form a moft
beautiful contraft to the higher land, and render the appearance of
the whole truly pleafing and delightful.
As our ftaying here any longer was only, a needlefs wafte of time,
at half paft three o’clock in the morning of the 26th, we weighed
anchor,.and, it being calm, fent the boats a-head to tow the veflel
out of the bay. The weather had been v e r y fine during the fhort
time we lay here, and generally calm ; the mean of the thermome,
ter ,50 deg.
Bb 2 About