1786.
Auguft.
L E T T E R XVI I .
I OBSERVED in my laft, that we held ourfelves in readinefs
^0 fail with the firft fair wind; and at five o’clock in the morning
of the loth of Auguft, we weighed and made fail with moderate
breezes and fine weather. At eight o’clock, finding the tide
fet us ftrongly in for the land, and very near a long ridge of fand
to the Southward, we let go an anchor in ten fathom water, over
aftony bottom ; an ifland to the Southward, at little more than a
mile’s diftance. At five in the afternoon, we weighed and made
fail, but the breeze not enabling us to ftem the tide, at nine we
were obliged to come to an anchor in twelve fathom water, over a
rocky bottom | the North-Weft end of the fmall ifland to the
Southward, bearing Weft North Weft; diftance off ihore to the
Northward five miles ; the weather moderate and fine.
At five in the morning of the n th , we weighed anchor, and
kept Branding down the river. At eight o’clock we perceived two
Ruflian boats, with eighteen men in each, fleering for the ifland
to the Southward. They, no doubt, were the fame people we
faw in coming up the river. It feems to be their plan to fub-
jugate the poor Indians, and afterwards to exaft what fkins they
can, by way of tribute ; but the people are difperfed in fo many
different parts, that this lcheme can furely never anfwer their pur-
pofe. At eleven o’clock we came to in nineteen fathom water,
Anchor Point bearing South by Eaft, diftance from Ihore four
miles. Our obfervation at noon gave 60 deg. 9 min. North latitude.
tude. Having but light breezes, we were obliged to wait for the 1786.
tide in Handing down the river, ^-AuguA
A t noon on the 12th, Cape Bede bore Eaft South Eaft, and
Coal Harbour Eaft by South. At two o’clock we came to in
thirty-nine fathom water, the Barren Illands bearing South South
Eaft; the Burning Mountain Weft North Weft; Mount St.
Auguftine South Weft; and Coal Harbour Eaft. Our obfervation
gave 59 deg. 28 min. North latitude, and 151 deg. Weft longitude.
The weather was moderate and fine, and we had great reafon to
hope that the next tide, with a tolerable breeze, would carry us
clear of the river.
' In regard to the extent of this river, I cannot fpeak with any
degree of certainty; but we know that it reaches confiderably farther
to the Northward than where we lay at anchor. With refpeft
to its breadth, it is feldom more than twenty miles over.
The inhabitants feem not to have fixed on any particular fpot
for their refidence, but are fcattered about here and there, as beft
fuits their convenience or inclination. ’Tis moft probable they are
divided into clans or tribes, as in every large canoe we few, there
was at leaft one perfon of fuperior authority to the reft, who not
only directed their traffic, but kept them in a proper degree of
fubordination. In their manners they feem harmlefs and inoffen-
five; but this might probably be occafioned by the different treatment
they met with from us, to what the Ruffians had ufed them
to. The weapons we faw are bows and arrows, and fpears; thefe
are very ufeful in hunting, as well as fighting; the flelh of the
various beafts they kill ferving them for food, as their fkins do for
cloath