1787.
July.
L E T T E R XXXVII.
I HA VE frequently obferved, that people in general, when
reading a hiftory, whether real or fictitious, and whether the
hero of it is fortunate or overwhelmed with misfortunes, are ever
anxious to come at the cataftrophe. Should this be thy cafe at pre-
fent, and thou really art impatient to know the extent of our good
fortune, the prefent epiltle will ferve to relieve thee in that particular.
In the morning o f the 30th July, we had a moderate breeze at
South, the weather tolerably fine. Our latitude at noon was 52.
deg. 30 min. North; the Ihore about four miles diftant. In the
afternoon we had eight canoes along-fide, but they brought very
few lkins, and thofe of an inferior quality; at the fame time giving
us to underftand, that their flock was nearly exhaufted : they
were part o f the traders who had been with us the day before;
fome of them had been on a fifhing party, and caught a number
of halibut, which proved a very feafonable fupply, our fifh having,
been expended fome time.
Hitherto all the people we had met with at thofe iflands, , though
evidently of a favage difpofition, had behaved in a quiet orderly
manner, but this evening they gave us a convincing proof of their
mifchievous difpofition, and that in a manner which Ihewed a con-
fiderable degree o f cunning.
The people who had got the halibut to fell, artfully prolonged y j j -
their traffic more than was cuftomary, and endeavoured by various -----
methods, to engage our attention ; in the mean time, feveral canoes-
paddled {lily a-ftern, and feeing fome fkins piled againft one of the
cabin windows, one of the Indians thruft his (pear through it, in
order to fteal the furs, but perceiving the noife alarmed us, they
paddled away with precipitation ; however, to make them fenfible
that we were able to punifh attempts of this fort, even at a dif-
tance, we fired feveral mufquets after them, but did not perceive
that they were attended with any fatal eftefts. At eight o clock,.
■ the extremes of the land bore from North 53 deg. Weft to South
52 deg. Eaft, about three miles diftant from fhore. During the;
night we had light winds, and cloudy weather-
It being pretty evident from ourlaft traders, that few more furs-
could be expefted from this part, and the time being nearly elapfech
when we were to join- the King George, at Nootka Sound, Cap-
' tain Dixon judged it moft prudent to make the beft of his way thh
ther, efpecially as the light variable winds, with frequent internal- .
Ing ’calms, which now conftantly attended us, made it very probable,
that we fhould be fome time in effefting our purpofe; the
fame reafon equally operated againft our making any further prc-
grefs to the Northward-
In the forenoon of the 31ft, we flood to the South Eaft; on
founding we ftruck the ground with a line of fixty fathom over a’
fandy bottom. At noon the Southermoft land bore South by Eaft‘,
about ten leagues diftant. Our latitude was 52 deg. 36 min..
North. During the afternoon and: night we had light airs, the
weather tolerably fine.