September. a t S o u th E a ft; and by ten at night, increafed to a violent
v. gale, attended with very heavy rain
About three in the morning of the 26th, a moft tempeftuous-
llorm of thunder and lightning eame on, the rain ftill continuing.
The claps of thunder were aftonifhingly loud, and the lightning
fo very fierce, that it blinded the people on deck for a eonfiderable.
time, and every flafh left a ftrong fulphurous flench behind.
I was upon deck during the greateft part o f the ftorm ; and I
mull own to thee, that the awful and tremendous appearance of
the elements (if I may be allowed the expreflion) affedted me. greatly^
How often have I thought, that nothing in nature could equal the-
thunder ftorm fo beautifully defcribed by Thomfon, in his- Sealbns ::
but here, every awful fituation in Thomlbn’s picture was brought
on the canvafs in the moft eonfpieuous point of view, and the;
majefty of the whole ftill heightened by the roaring of the wind,,
the raging of the fea, and a more than common darknels,. which
overfpread the furrounding atmolphere..
Towards fix in the morning the ftorm abated, and we again had
fight baffling winds, and a very heavy crofs fea, which prevented
us from Handing in for the. Ihore, efpeeially as the morning was,
thick and hazy. At ten o’clock^ we faw the; land, bearing from;
North Weft to Eaft, about nine miles diftantf but frequent calms,.
, and a heavy fwell fetting right in Ihore, made- us glad to keep from
the land as much as poffible, and more elpecially, as from the point
of the harbour, and at leaft two miles from Ihore, there runs a
reef of breakers, for two miles to the Northward. During the.
afternoon and night, we had light variable winds, with rain..
A t
At four in the morning of the 27th, a frelh breeze fpringingup 1786.
from South South Weft, w.e made fail, and Hood for the harbour, September.
but by ten o’clock the breeze died away, and we bad baffling winds,
with a heavy fwell from the Southward, which fet us diredtly on
the breakers juft mentioned ; fo that our fituation, for fome time,
was rather 'alarming;,. However, foon after eleven o’clock, we were
pretty .’clear of the danger. The .King George was to the Southward
of us, fo that Captain Portlock was under no great degree of
apprehenfion on his own account. At noon, the Weft point of
the harbour bore North 60 deg. Eaft, and the extremes of the
land, from Weft North Weft to Eaft by South. The afternoon
and evening were fqually, with heavy ftorms of hail. At fix
o’clock, the entrance into Nootka Sound bore North, ^5 deg. Eaft;
twelve miles diftant. During the night, we had light variable
airs.
At half paft five in the morning of the 28 th, we again bore up
for the found, but unfortunately had the fame light airs, and heavy
fwell to encounter, as on the preceding day; fo that finding it im-
poflible to make the harbour, at eleven o’clock we hauled to the
Southward. At noon, the point of the harbour bore North, 65
deg. Eaft, feven miles diftant. The wind, during the afternoon,
being ftill light and variable, with a heavy fwell, we kept Handing
to the Southward. At feven o’clock, Captain Portlock fpoke us,
and informed us, that he intended to quit the coaft, and Hand
immediately for Sandwich Jflands, diredting us at the fame time
to fteer South South Weft, or South by Weft, if the Wind permitted.
The harbour at that time bore Eaft North Eaft, feven
leagues diftant. During the night we had light variable, winds,
with frequent Ihowers of hail and rain ; but at five in the morning
of the 29th, a frelh breeze fprung up from the Weftward, which
L. enabled!