A V O Y A G E T O T H E
made by hauling their boats on fhore; and laying them on their
beam-ends, with lkins drawn fore and aft, to fhelter them from
the inclemency of the weather. All that could be learnt from
them was, that they came in a floop from Onalafka, and that the
people we had feen in the canoes were Codiac Indians, which they
had brought with them, the better to facilitate their traffic with the
inhabitants of Cook’s River, and the adjacent country j but not-
withflanding this, they had frequently quarrelled and fought with
the natives, and were at prefent 3h fuch bad terms with them, that
they never went to fleep without their arms ready loaded by their
fide. However, the accounts we got feldom agreed, and gave us but
an indifferent idea of theirproceedings, though this might arife, in
a great meafure, from our having but a very imperfedl knowledge
of the Ruffian language : thus much we were pretty certain of,
that they had met with very few, if any fkins, though they had got
nankeens, and Perlian lilks to traffic with.
The watering place here is fo very convenient, that we eom-
pleated our water in one day, viz. the 21ft : from that to the 26th,
the people were employed in cutting wood, and recreating them-
felves on fhore.
On the 24th, our Captains went to furvey the bay, and landing
on the South-Eaft point they found a vein of coals, fome of
which were brought on board: the bay from this circumftance
obtained the name of Coal Harbour.
Our people frequently tried to catch fifh with a hook and line,
but to no purpofe : however, Captain Portlock having a feine on
board, it was frequently hauled with fuccefs, and large quantities
o f fine falmon caught, which were generally divided between
the ihips.
The
N O R T H -W E S T C O A S T OF AM E R I C A . 61
The country here is very mountainous : the hills floping down
neareft the fhore, are totally covered with pines, intermixed with
birch, alder, and various other trees and fhrub% whilft the more
diftant mountains, whole lofty fummits outreach the clouds, are
totally covered with fnow, and have the appearance of everlafting.
Winter. But I fhall not at prefent attempt any further defcription
of a country, which as yet I am fo little acquainted with : let it
fuffice for thee at prefent to know, that though this is the latter
end of July, the weather is in general cold, damp, arid difagreeable,
with frequent fhowers of fnow or fleet; and the furrounding pro-
lpedl barren, dreary, and uncomfortable. So much at prefent for
ihepromijfd land. Thine ever,.
W . B,
C ook’s R iver, t,
25th July. j
1786.
July-
L E T T E R XVIH
A V ING compleated our water, and got on board a fuffi-
cient quantity of wood for prefent ufe, we weighed anchor
early in the morning of the 26th, and flood out for the main river,
as our Captains knew we fhould find inhabitants farther to the
Northward; and there was not the leafl doubt of meeting with,
furs wherever we could find people. The tide in the river is very
rapid, running at leafl four knots per hour ; fo that there was a
neceflity of coming to anchor every tide, unlefs affifled by a frefh
favourable breeze : this, however, was looked-upon by us as a matter
of little confequence, - as we expected fuch plenty of traffic up
the river, that our frequent anchoring would be abfolutely necef.
fary 3 but in this we were difappointed.
During