Akashou, _What's the name of that?_

Namuk, _An ornament for the ear._

Lukluk, _A brown shaggy skin, perhaps a bear's._

Aa, _Yes._

Natooneshuk, _The skin of a sea-otter._

Keeta, _Give me something._

Naema, _Give me something in exchange_, or _barter_.

/ _Of_, or _belonging to me.--Will_

Ooonaka, { _you barter for this that belongs_

\ _to me_?

Manaka,

Ahleu, _A spear._

Weena, _or_ Veena, _Stranger--calling to one._

Keelashuk, _Guts of which they make jackets._

Tawuk, _Keep it._

/ _A piece of white bear's skin_, or

Amilhtoo, { _perhaps the hair that covered_

\ _it._

Whaehai, _Shall I keep it? do you give it me?_

Yaut, _I'll go_; or _shall I go?_

Chilke, _One._

Taiha, _Two._

Tokke, _Three._

(Tinke,)

Chukelo,[4] _Four?_

Koeheene, _Five?_

Takulai, _Six?_

Keichilho, _Seven?_

Klu, _or_ Kliew, _Eight?_

[Footnote 4: With regard to these numerals, Mr Anderson observes,

that the words corresponding to ours, are not certain after passing

_three_; and therefore he marks those, about whose position he is

doubtful, with a point of interrogation.--D.]

As to the animals of this part of the continent, the same must be

understood as of those at Nootka; that is, that the knowledge we have

of them is entirely taken from the skins which the natives brought to

sell. These were chiefly of seals; a few foxes; the whitish cat, or

_lynx_; common and pine-martins; small ermines; bears; racoons; and

sea-otters. Of these, the most common were the martin, racoon, and

sea-otter skins, which composed the ordinary dress of the natives; but

the skins of the first, which in general were of a much lighter brown

than those at Nootka, were far superior to them in fineness; whereas

the last, which, as well as the martins, were far more plentiful than

at Nootka, seemed greatly inferior in the fineness and thickness of

their fur, though they greatly exceeded them in size, and were almost

all of the glossy black sort, which is doubtless the colour most

esteemed in those skins. Bear and seal skins were also pretty common,

and the last were in general white, very beautifully spotted with

black, or sometimes simply white; and many of the bears here were of a

brown, or sooty colour.

Besides these animals, which were all seen at Nootka, there are some

others in this place which we did not find there; such as the white

bear, of whose skins the natives brought several pieces, and some

entire skins of cubs, from which their size could not be determined.

We also found the wolverene, or quickhatch, which had very bright

colours; a larger sort of ermine than the common one, which is the

same as at Nootka, varied with a brown colour, and with scarcely any

black on its tail. The natives also brought the skin of the head of

some very large animal; but it could not be positively determined what

it was; though, from the colour and shagginess of the hair, and its

unlikeness to any land animal, we judged it might probably be that of

the large male ursine seal, or sea-bear. But one of the most beautiful

skins, and which seems peculiar to this place, as we never saw it

before, is that of a small animal about ten inches long, of a brown

or rusty colour on the back, with a great number of obscure whitish

specks, and the sides of a blueish ash colour, also with a few of

these specks. The tail is not above a third of the length, of its

body, and is covered with hair of a whitish colour at the edges. It

is no doubt the same with those called spotted field mice, by Mr

Stæhlin,[5] in his short account of the New Northern Archipelago. But

whether they be really of the mouse kind, or a squirrel, we could not

tell, for want of perfect skins; though Mr Anderson was inclined

to think that it is the same animal described under the name of the

_Casan_ marmot, by Mr Pennant. The number of skins we found here,

points out the great plenty of these several animals just mentioned;

but it is remarkable, that we neither saw the skins of the mouse nor

of the common deer.

[Footnote 5: In his account of Kodjak, p. 32 and 34.]

Of the birds mentioned at Nootka, we found here only the white-headed

eagle, the shag, the _alcyon_, or great kingfisher, which had very

fine bright colours, and the humming-bird, which came frequently and

flew about the ship, while at anchor, though it can scarcely live here

in the winter, which must be very severe. The water-fowls were geese,

a small sort of duck, almost like that mentioned at Kerguelen's Land;

another sort which none of us knew; and some of the black seapyes,

with red bills, which we found at Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand.

Some of the people who went on shore, killed a grouse, a snipe, and

some plover. But though, upon the whole, the water-fowls were pretty

numerous, especially the ducks and geese, which frequent the shores,

they were so shy, that it was scarcely possible to get within shot; so

that we obtained a very small supply of them as refreshment. The duck

mentioned above is as large as the common wild-duck, of a deep black

colour, with a short pointed tail, and red feet. The bill is white,

tinged with red toward the point, and has a large black spot, almost

square, near its base, on each side, where it is also enlarged or

distended. And on the forehead is a large triangular while spot, with

one still larger on the back part of the neck. The female has much

duller colours, and none of the ornaments of the bill, except the two

black spots, which are obscure.

There is likewise a species of diver here, which seems peculiar to

the place. It is about the size of a partridge, has a short, black,

compressed bill, with the head and upper part of the neck of a brown

black, the rest of a deep brown, obscurely waved with black, except

the under-part, which is entirely of a blackish cast, very minutely

varied with white; the other (perhaps the female) is blacker above,

and whiter below. A small land bird, of the finch kind, about the size

of a yellow-hammer, was also found; but was suspected to be one

of those which change their colour with the season, and with their

migrations. At this time, it was of a dusky brown colour, with a

reddish tail, and the supposed male had a large yellow spot on the

crown of the head, with some varied black on the upper part of the

neck; but the last was on the breast of the female.

The only fish we got were some torsk and halibut, which were chiefly

brought by the natives to sell; and we caught a few sculpins about

the ship, with some purplish star-fish, that had seventeen or eighteen

rays. The rocks were observed to be almost destitute of shell-fish;

and the only other animal of this tribe seen, was a red crab, covered

with spines of a very large size.

The metals we saw were copper and iron; both which, particularly the

latter, were in such plenty, as to constitute the points of most of

the arrows and lances. The ores, with which they painted themselves,

were a red, brittle, unctuous ochre, or iron-ore, not much unlike

cinnabar in colour; a bright blue pigment, which we did not procure;

and black-lead. Each of these seems to be very scarce, as they brought

very small quantities of the first and last, and seemed to keep them

with great care.

Few vegetables of any kind were seen; and the trees which chiefly grew

here, were the Canadian and spruce-pine, and some of them tolerably

large.

The beads and iron found amongst these people, left no room to doubt,

that they must have received them from some civilized nation. We were

pretty certain, from circumstances already mentioned, that we were the

first Europeans with whom they had ever communicated directly; and

it remains only to be decided, from what quarter they had got our

manufactures by intermediate conveyance. And there cannot be the

least doubt of their having received these articles, through the

intervention of the more inland tribes, from Hudson's Bay, or the

settlements on the Canadian lakes; unless it can be supposed, (which,

however, is less likely,) that the Russian traders, from Kamtschatka,

have already extended their traffic thus far; or at least that the

natives of their most easterly fox islands communicate along the coast

with those of Prince William's Sound.[6]

[Footnote 6: There is a circumstance mentioned by Muller, in his

account of Beering's voyage to the coast of America in 1741, which

seems to decide this question. His people found iron at the Schumagin

Islands, as may be fairly presumed from the following quotation:

"Un seul homme avoit un couteau pendu à sa ceinture, qui parut fort

singulier à nos gens par sa figure. Il étoit long de huit pouces, et

fort épais, et large à l'endroit où devoit être la pointe. On ne pent

savoir quel étoit l'usage de cet outil." _Découvertes des Russes_, p.

274.

If there was iron amongst the natives on this part of the American

coast, prior to the discovery of it by the Russians, and before there

was any traffic with them carried on from Kamtschatka, what reason

can there be to make the least doubt of the people of Prince William's

Sound, as well as those of Schumagin's Islands, having got this

metal from the only probable source, the European settlements on the

north-east coast of this continent?--D.]

As to the copper, these people seem to procure it themselves, or at

most it passes through few hands to them; for they used to express its

being in a sufficient quantity amongst them, when they offered any

to barter, by pointing to their weapons; as if to say, that having so

much of this metal of their own, they wanted no more.

It is, however, remarkable, if the inhabitants of this Sound be

supplied with European articles, by way of the intermediate traffic to

the east coast, that they should, in return, never have given to

the more inland Indians any of their sea-otter skins, which would

certainly have been seen, some time or other, about Hudson's Bay.

But, as far as I know, that is not the case; and the only method of

accounting for this, must be by taking into consideration the very

great distance, which, though it might not prevent European goods

coming so far, as being so uncommon, might prevent the skins, which

are a common article, from passing through more than two or three

different tribes, who might use them for their own cloathing, and

send others, which they esteemed less valuable, as being of their own

animals, eastward, till they reach the traders from Europe.

SECTION VI.

_Progress along the Coast.--Cape Elizabeth.--Cape St

Hermogenes.--Accounts of Beering's Voyage very defective.--Point

Banks--Cape Douglas.--Cape Bede.--Mount St Augustin.--Hopes of finding

a Passage up an Inlet.--The Ships proceed up it.--Indubitable Marks

of its being a River.--Named Cook's River.--The Ships return down

it.--Various Visits from the Natives.--Lieutenant King lands, and

takes Possession of the Country.--His Report.--The Resolution

runs aground on a Shoal.--Reflections on the Discovery of Cook's

River.--The considerable Tides in it accounted for._

After leaving Prince William's Sound, I steered to the S.W., with a

gentle breeze at N.N.E.; which, at four o'clock, the next morning,

was succeeded by a calm, and soon after, the calm was succeeded by

a breeze from S.W. This freshening, and veering to N.W., we still

continued to stretch to the S.W., and passed a lofty promontory,

situated in the latitude of 59° 10', and the longitude of 207° 45'.

As the discovery of it was connected with the Princess Elizabeth's

birth-day, I named it _Cape Elizabeth_. Beyond it we could see no

land; so that, at first, we were in hopes that it was the western

extremity of the continent; but not long after, we saw our mistake,

for fresh land appeared in sight, bearing W.S.W.

The wind, by this time, had increased to a very strong gale, and

forced us to a good distance from the coast. In the afternoon of

the 22d, the gale abated, and we stood to the northward for Cape

Elizabeth, which at noon, the next day, bore W., ten leagues distant.

At the same time, a new land was seen, bearing S. 77° W., which was

supposed to connect Cape Elizabeth with the land we had seen to the

westward.

The wind continued at W., and I stood to the southward till noon the

next day, when we were within three leagues of the coast which we had

discovered on the 23d. It here formed a point that bore W.N.W. At the

same time more land was seen extending to the southward, as far as

S.S.W., the whole being twelve or fifteen leagues distant. On it was

seen a ridge of mountains covered with snow, extending to the N.W.,

behind the first land, which we judged to be an island, from the very

inconsiderable quantity of snow that lay upon it. This point of land

is situated in the latitude of 58° 15', and in the longitude of 207°

42'; and by what I can gather from the account of Beering's voyage,

and the chart that accompanies it in the English edition,[1] I

conclude, that it must be what he called Cape St Hermogenes. But the

account of that voyage is so very much abridged, and the chart so

extremely inaccurate, that it is hardly possible, either by the one or

by the other, or by comparing both together, to find out any one

place which that navigator either saw or touched at. Were I to form a

judgment of Beering's proceedings on this coast, I should suppose that

he fell in with the continent near Mount Fairweather. But I am by no

means certain, that the bay to which I have given his name, is the

place where he anchored. Nor do I know, that what I called Mount St

Elias, is the same conspicuous mountain to which he gave that name.

And as to his Cape St Elias, I am entirely at a loss to pronounce

where it lies.[2]

[Footnote 1: Captain Cook means Muller's, of which a translation had

been published in London some time before be sailed.--D.]

[Footnote 2: Mr Coxe, who has been at considerable pains in

endeavouring to reconcile the accounts of Muller and Steller, and in

comparing them with the journals of Cook and Vancouver, is induced to

conjecture that Beering first discovered the continent of America

in the neighbourhood of Kaye's Island, and not where Captain Cook

assigns. This is a very probable opinion, as might easily be shewn,

but not without anticipating matter that belongs to another voyage.

It is enough just now to hint at the circumstance, lest the remarks of

Cook, always well entitled to respect, should be too much confided in

by the reader. No man's judgment is to be disparaged, because of an

error committed, where so little information has been given for its

guidance.--E.]

On the N.E. side of Cape St Hermogenes, the coast turned toward the

N.W., and appeared to be wholly unconnected with the land seen by

us the preceding day. In the chart above mentioned, there is here

a space, where Beering is supposed to have seen no land. This also

favoured the later account published by Mr Stæhlin, who makes Cape St

Hermogenes, and all the land that Beering discovered to the S.W. of

it, to be a cluster of islands; placing St Hermogenes amongst those

which are destitute of wood. What we now saw seemed to confirm this,

and every circumstance inspired us with hopes of finding here a

passage northward, without being obliged to proceed any farther to the

S.W.

We were detained off the Cape, by variable light airs and calms, till

two o'clock the next morning, when a breeze springing up at N.E. we

steered N.N.W. along the coast; and soon found the land of Cape St

Hermogenes to be an island, about six leagues in circuit, separated

from the adjacent coast by a channel only one league broad. A league

and a half to the north of this island, lie some rocks above water; on

the N.E. side of which we had from thirty to twenty fathoms.

At noon, the island of St Hermogenes bore S. 1/2 E. eight leagues

distant; and the land to the N.W. of it extended from S. 1/2 W. to

near W. In this last direction it ended in a low point, now five

leagues distant, which was called _Point Banks_. The latitude of the

ship, at this time, was 58° 41', and its longitude 207° 44'. In this

situation, the land, which was supposed to connect Cape Elizabeth with

this S.W. land, was in sight, bearing N.W. 1/2 N. I steered directly

for it; and, on a nearer approach, found it to be a group of high

islands and rocks, entirely unconnected with any other land. They

obtained the name of _Barren Isles_, from their very naked appearance.

Their situation is in the latitude of 59°, and in a line with Cape

Elizabeth and Point Banks; three leagues distant from the former, and

five from the latter.

I intended going through one of the channels that divide these

islands; but meeting with a strong current setting against us, I

bore up, and went to the leeward of them all. Toward the evening, the

weather, which had been hazy all day, cleared up, and we got sight

of a very lofty promontory, whose elevated summit, forming two

exceedingly high mountains, was seen above the clouds. This promontory

I named _Cape Douglas_, in honour of my very good friend, Dr Douglas,

canon of Windsor.[3] It is situated in the latitude of 58° 56', and

in the longitude of 206° 10'; ten leagues to the westward of Barren

Isles, and twelve from Point Banks, in the direction of N.W. by W. 1/2

W.

[Footnote 3: The reader of course is aware, that this gentleman,

afterwards successively Bishop of Carlisle and Salisbury, is the

person to whom we are indebted for the original edition of this

voyage, as we have elsewhere mentioned.--E.]

Between this point and Cape Douglas, the coast seemed to form a large

and deep bay; which, from some smoke that had been seen on Point

Banks, obtained the name of _Smokey Bay_.

At day-break, the next morning, being the 26th, having got to the

northward of the Barren Isles, we discovered more land, extending

from Cape Douglas to the north. It formed a chain of mountains of vast

height; one of which, far more conspicuous than the rest, was named

_Mount St Augustin_. The discovery of this land did not discourage

us, as it was supposed to be wholly unconnected with the land of Cape

Elizabeth. For, in a N.N.E. direction, the sight was unlimited by

every thing but the horizon. We also thought that there was a passage

to the N.W., between, Cape Douglas and Mount St Augustin. In short,

it was imagined, that the land on our larboard, to the N. of Cape

Douglas, was composed of a group of islands, disjoined by so many

channels, any one of which we might make use of according as the wind

should serve.

With these flattering ideas, having a fresh-gale at N.N.E., we stood

to the N.W. till eight o'clock, when we clearly saw, that what we had

taken for islands were summits of mountains, every where connected by

lower land, which the haziness of the horizon had prevented us from

seeing at a greater distance. This land was every where covered with

snow, from the tops of the hills down to the very sea-beach; and had

every other appearance of being part of a great continent. I was now

fully persuaded that I should find no passage by this inlet; and my

persevering in the search of it here, was more to satisfy other people

than to confirm my own opinion.

At this time Mount St Augustin bore N., 40 W., three or four

leagues distant. This mountain is of a conical figure, and of very

considerable height; but it remains undetermined whether it be an

island or part of the continent. Finding that nothing could be done

to the W., we tacked, and stood over to Cape Elizabeth, under which

we fetched at half-past five in the afternoon. On the N. side of Cape

Elizabeth, between it and a lofty promontory, named Cape Bede,[4] is a

bay, in the bottom of which there appeared to be two snug harbours. We

stood well into this bay, where we might have anchored in twenty-three

fathoms water; but as I had no such view, we tacked and stood to the

westward, with the wind at N. a very strong gale, attended by rain,

and thick hazy weather.

[Footnote 4: In naming this and Mount St Augustin, Captain Cook was

directed by our Calendar.--D.]

The next morning the gale abated; but the same weather continued till

three o'clock in the afternoon, when it cleared up. Cape Douglas bore

S.W. by W.; Mount St Augustin W. 1/2 S.; and Cape Bede S., 15° E.,

five leagues distant. In this situation, the depth of water was forty

fathoms, over a rocky bottom. From Cape Bede, the coast trended

N.E. by E. with a chain of mountains inland, extending in the same

direction. The land on the coast was woody; and there seemed to be

no deficiency of harbours. But, what was not much in our favour, we

discovered low land in the middle of the inlet, extending from N.N.E.

to N.E. by E. 1/2 E. However, as this was supposed to be an island,

it did not discourage us. About this time we got a light breeze

southerly, and I steered to the westward of this low land; nothing

appeared to obstruct us in that direction. Our soundings during the

night were from thirty to twenty-five fathoms.

On the 28th, in the morning, having but very little wind, and

observing the ship to drive to the southward, in order to stop her, I

dropped a kedge-anchor, with an eight-inch hawser bent to it. But,

in bringing the ship up, the hawser parted near the inner end; and we

lost both it and the anchor. For although we brought the ship up with

one of the bowers, and spent most of the day in sweeping for them, it

was to no effect. By an observation, we found our station to be in the

latitude of 59° 51'; the low land above mentioned extended from N.E.

to S., 75° E., the nearest part two leagues distant. The land on the

western shore was about seven leagues distant, and extended from S.

35° W., to N. 7° E.; so that the extent of the inlet was now reduced

to three points and a half of the compass; that is, from N. 1/2 E.

to N.E. Between these two points no land was to be seen. Here was a

strong tide setting to the southward out of the inlet. It was the ebb,

and ran between three and four knots in an hour; and it was low water

at ten o'clock. A good deal of sea-weed, and some drift-wood, were

carried out with the tide. The water, too, had become thick like that

in rivers; but we were encouraged to proceed, by finding it as salt

at low water as the ocean. The strength of the flood-tide was three

knots, and the stream ran up till four in the afternoon.

As it continued calm all day, I did not move till eight o'clock in the

evening; when, with a light breeze at E., we weighed, and stood to

the N., up the inlet. We had not been long under sail, before the wind

veered to the N., increasing to a fresh gale, and blowing in squalls,

with rain. This did not, however, hinder us from plying up as long

as the flood continued; which was till near five o'clock the next

morning. We had soundings from thirty-five to twenty-four fathoms. In

this last depth we anchored about two leagues from the eastern shore,

in the latitude of 60° 8'; some low land, that we judged to be an

island, lying under the western shore, extended from N. 1/2 W. to N.W.

by N., distant three or four leagues.

The weather had how become fair and tolerably clear, so that we

could see any land that might lie within our horizon; and in a N.N.E.

direction, no land, nor any thing to obstruct our progress, was

visible. But on each side was a ridge of mountains, rising one behind

another, without the least separation. I judged it to be low water, by

the shore, about ten o'clock; but the ebb ran down till near noon.

The strength of it was four knots and a half; and it fell, upon a

perpendicular, ten feet three inches, that is; while we lay at anchor;

so that there is reason to believe that this was not the greatest

fall. On the eastern shore we now saw two columns of smoke; a sure

sign that there were inhabitants.

At one in the afternoon we weighed, and plied up under double-reefed

top-sails and courses, having a very strong gale at N.N.E. nearly

right down the inlet. We stretched over to the western shore, and

fetched within two leagues of the south end of the low land, or island

before mentioned, under which I intended to have taken shelter till

the gale should cease. But falling suddenly into twelve fathoms water,

from upward of forty, and seeing the appearance of a shoal ahead,

spitting out from the low land, I tacked, and stretched back to the

eastward, and anchored under that shore in nineteen fathoms water,

over a bottom of small pebble stones.

Between one and two in the morning of the 30th, we weighed again with

the first of the flood, the gale having, by this time quite abated,

but still continuing contrary; so that we plied up till near seven

o'clock, when the tide being done, we anchored in nineteen fathoms,

under the same shore as before. The N.W. part of it, forming a bluff

point, bore N., 20° E., two leagues distant; a point on the other

shore opposite to it, and nearly of the same height, bore N., 36° W.;

our latitude, by observation, 60° 37'.

About noon, two canoes, with a man in each, came off to the ship from

near the place where we had seen the smoke the preceding day. They

laboured very hard in paddling across the strong tide, and hesitated

a little before they would come quite close; but upon signs being

made to them, they approached. One of them talked a great deal to no

purpose; for we did not understand a word he said. He kept pointing

to the shore, which we interpreted to be an invitation to go thither.

They accepted a few trifles from me, which I conveyed to them from the

quarter-gallery. These men, in every respect, resembled the people we

had met with in Prince William's Sound, as to their persons and dress.

Their canoes were also of the same construction. One of our visitors

had his face painted jet black, and seemed to have no beard; but the

other, who was more elderly, had no paint, and a considerable beard,

with a visage much like the common sort of the Prince William's

people. There was also smoke seen upon the flat western shore this

day, from whence we may infer that these lower spots and islands are

the only inhabited places.

When the flood made we weighed, and then the canoes left us. I stood

over to the western shore, with a fresh gale at N.N.E., and fetched

under the point above-mentioned. This, with the other on the opposite

shore, contracted the channel to the breadth of four leagues. Through

this channel ran a prodigious tide. It looked frightful to us, who

could not tell whether the agitation of the water was occasioned by

the stream, or by the breaking of the waves against rocks or sands. As

we met with no shoal, it was concluded to be the former; but, in the

end, we found ourselves mistaken. I now kept the western shore aboard,

it appearing to be the safest. Near the shore we had a depth of

thirteen fathoms; and two or three miles off, forty and upwards. At

eight in the evening, we anchored under a point of land which bore

N.E., three leagues distant, in fifteen fathoms water. Here we lay

during the ebb, which ran near five knots in the hour.

Until we got thus far, the water had retained the same degree of

saltness at low as at high water; and at both periods was as salt as

that in the ocean. But now the marks of a river displayed themselves.

The water taken up this ebb, when at the lowest, was found to be very

considerably fresher than any we had hitherto tasted; insomuch that

I was convinced that we were in a large river, and not in a strait,

communicating with the northern seas. But as we had proceeded thus

far, I was desirous of having stronger proofs; and therefore weighed

with the next flood in the morning of the 31st, and plied higher up,

or rather drove up with the tide; for we had but little wind.

About eight o'clock, we were visited by several of the natives, in

one large and several small canoes. The latter carried only one person

each; and some had a paddle, with a blade at each end, after the

manner of the Esquimaux. In the large canoes, were men, women, and

children. Before they reached the ship, they displayed a leathern

frock, upon a long pole, as a sign, as we understood it, of their

peaceable intentions. This frock they conveyed into the ship,

in return for some trifles which I gave them. I could observe no

difference between the persons, dress, ornaments, and boats of these

people, and those of Prince William's Sound, except that the small

canoes were rather of a less size, and carried only one man. We

procured from them some of their fur dresses, made of the skins of

sea-otters, martins, hares, and other animals; a few of their darts,

and a small supply of salmon and halibut. In exchange for these they

took old clothes, beads, and pieces of iron. We found that they were

in possession of large iron knives, and of sky-blue glass beads, such

as we had found amongst the natives of Prince William's Sound. These

latter they seemed to value much, and consequently those which we now

gave them. But their inclination led them especially to ask for large

pieces of iron; which metal, if I was not much mistaken, they called

by the name of _goone_; though, like their neighbours in Prince

William's Sound, they seemed to have many significations to one word.

They evidently spoke the same language; as the words _keeta_, _naema_,

_oonaka_, and a few others of the most common we heard in that Sound,

were also frequently used by this new tribe. After spending about

two hours between the one ship and the other, they all retired to the

western shore.

At nine o'clock, we came to an anchor, in sixteen fathoms water, about

two leagues from the west shore, and found the ebb already begun. At

its greatest strength, it ran only three knots in the hour, and fell,

upon a perpendicular, after we had anchored, twenty-one feet. The

weather was misty, with drizzling rain, and clear, by turns. At

the clear intervals, we saw an opening between the mountains on the

eastern shore, bearing east from the station of the ships, with low

land, which we supposed to be islands lying between us and the main

land. Low land was also seen to the northward, that seemed to extend

from the foot of the mountains on the one side to those on the other;

and at low water we perceived large shoals stretching out from this

low land, some of which were at no great distance from us. From these

appearances we were in some doubt whether the inlet did not take an

easterly direction through the above opening; or whether that opening

was only a branch of it, and the main channel continued its northern

direction through the low land now in sight. The continuation and

direction of the chain of mountains on each side of it, strongly

indicated the probability of the latter supposition.

To determine this point, and to examine the shoals, I dispatched two

boats under the command of the master, and as soon as the flood-tide

made, followed with the ships; but as it was a dead calm, and the

tide strong, I anchored, after driving about ten miles in an east

direction. At the lowest of the preceding ebb, the water at the

surface, and for near a foot below it, was found to be perfectly

fresh; retaining, however, a considerable degree of saltness at

a greater depth. Besides this, we had now many other, and but too

evident proofs of being in a great river; such as low shores; very

thick and muddy water; large trees, and all manner of dirt and

rubbish, floating up and down with the tide. In the afternoon, the

natives, in several canoes, paid us another visit; and trafficked with

our people for some time, without ever giving us reason to accuse them

of any act of dishonesty.

At two o'clock next morning, being the 1st of June, the master

returned, and reported, that he found the inlet, or rather river,

contracted to the breadth of one league, by low land on each side,

through which it took a northerly direction. He proceeded three

leagues through this narrow part, which he found navigable for the

largest ships, being from twenty to seventeen fathoms deep. The

least water, at a proper distance from the shore and shoals, was ten

fathoms; and this was before he entered the narrow part. While the ebb

or stream run down, the water was perfectly fresh; but after the flood

made it became brackish; and toward high water, very much so, even as

high up as he went. He landed upon an island, which lies between this

branch and the eastern one; and upon it saw some currant bushes, with

the fruit already set; and some other fruit-trees and bushes, unknown

to him. The soil appeared to be clay, mixed with sand. About three

leagues beyond the extent of his search, or to the northward of it,

he observed there was another separation in the eastern chain of

mountains, through which he supposed the river took a N.E. direction;

but it seemed rather more probable that this was only another branch,

and that the main channel kept its northern direction, between the two

ridges or chains of mountains before mentioned. He found that these

two ridges, as they extended to the north, inclined more and more to

each other, but never appeared to close; nor was any elevated land

seen between them, only low land, part woody, and part clear.

All hopes of finding a passage were now given up. But as the ebb was

almost spent, and we could not return against the flood, I thought I

might as well take the advantage of the latter to get a nearer view

of the eastern branch; and by that means finally to determine, whether

the low land on the east side of the river was an island, as we had

supposed, or not. With this purpose in view, we weighed with the first

breeze of the flood, and having a faint breeze at N.E. stood over

for the eastern shore, with boats ahead, sounding. Our depth was from

twelve to five fathoms; the bottom a hard gravel, though the water was

exceedingly muddy. At eight o'clock a fresh breeze sprung up at east,

blowing in an opposite direction to our course; so that I despaired of

reaching the entrance of the river, to which we were plying up, before

high water. But thinking, that what the ships could not do might be

done by boats, I dispatched two, under the command of Lieutenant King,

to examine the tides, and to make such other observations as might

give us some insight into the nature of the river.

At ten o'clock, finding the ebb began, I anchored in nine fathoms

water, over a gravelly bottom. Observing the tide to be too strong for

the boats to make head against it, I made a signal for them to return

on board, before they had got half way to the entrance of the river

they were sent to examine, which bore from us S. 80° E., three leagues

distant. The principal information gained by this tide's work, was

the determining that all the low land, which we had supposed to be

an island or islands, was one continued tract, from the banks of the

great river to the foot of the mountains, to which it joined; and that

it terminated at the south entrance of this eastern branch, which I

shall distinguish by the name of _River Turnagain_. On the north side

of this river, the low land again begins, and stretches out from the

foot of the mountains down to the banks of the great river; so that,

before the river Turnagain, it forms a large bay, on the south side

of which we were now at anchor, and where we had from twelve to five

fathoms, from half-flood to high water.

After we had entered the bay, the flood set strong into the river

Turnagain, and ebb came out with still greater force; the water

falling, while we lay at anchor, twenty feet upon a perpendicular.

These circumstances convinced me, that no passage was to be expected

by this side-river anymore than by the main branch. However, as the

water, during the ebb, though very considerably fresher, had still a

strong degree of saltness, it is but reasonable to suppose, that both

these branches are navigable by ships much farther than we examined

them; and that by means of this river, and its several branches, a

very extensive inland communication lies open. We had traced it as

high as the latitude of 61° 30', and the longitude of 210°; which is

seventy leagues or more from its entrance, without seeing the least

appearance of its source.

If the discovery of this great river,[5] which promises to vie with

the most considerable ones already known to be capable of extensive

inland navigation, should prove of use either to the present or to any

future age, the time we spent in it ought to be the less regretted.

But to us, who had a much greater object in view, the delay thus

occasioned was an essential loss. The season was advancing apace. We

knew not how far we might have to proceed to the south; and we were

now convinced, that the continent of North America extended farther to

the west, than from the modern most reputable charts we had reason to

expect. This made the existence of a passage into Baffin's or Hudson's

Bay less probable, or at least shewed it to be of greater extent.

It was a satisfaction to me, however, to reflect, that, if I had not

examined this very considerable inlet, it would have been assumed, by

speculative fabricators of geography, as a fact, that it communicated

with the sea to the north, or with Baffin's or Hudson's Bay to the

east; and been marked, perhaps, on future maps of the world, with

greater precision, and more certain signs of reality, than the

invisible, because imaginary, Straits of de Fuca and de Fonte.

[Footnote 5: Captain Cook having here left a blank which he had not

filled up with any particular name, Lord Sandwich directed, with the

greatest propriety, that it should be called _Cook's River_.--D.

Some readers may require to be informed, that, for reasons mentioned

in the account of his voyage, Captain Vancouver has called it _Cook's

Inlet_.--E.]

In the afternoon, I sent Mr King again, with two armed boats, with

orders to land on the north-eastern point of the low land, on the

south-east side of the river; there to display the flag; to take

possession of the country and river in his majesty's name; and to bury

in the ground a bottle, containing some pieces of English coin of the

year 1772, and a paper, on which was inscribed the names of our ships,

and the date of our discovery. In the mean time, the ships were got

under sail, in order to proceed down the river. The wind still blew

fresh, easterly; but a calm ensued, not long after we were under way;

and the flood-tide meeting us off the point where Mr King landed, (and

which thence got the name of _Point Possession_,) we were obliged to

drop anchor in six fathoms water, with the point bearing S., two miles

distant.

When Mr King returned, he informed me, that as he approached the

shore, about twenty of the natives made their appearance, with their

arms extended; probably to express thus their peaceable disposition,

and to shew that they were without weapons. On Mr King's, and the

gentlemen with him, landing, with musquets in their hands, they seemed

alarmed, and made signs, expressive of their request to lay them down.

This was accordingly done; and then they suffered the gentlemen to

walk up to them, and appeared to be cheerful and sociable. They had

with them a few pieces of fresh salmon, and several dogs. Mr Law,

surgeon of the Discovery, who was one of the party, having bought

one of the latter, took it down toward the boat, and shot it dead, in

their sight. This seemed to surprise them exceedingly; and as if they

did not think themselves safe in such company, they walked away; but

it was soon after discovered, that their spears, and other weapons,

were hid in the bushes close behind them. Mr King also informed me,

that the ground was swampy, and the soil poor, light, and black. It

produced a few trees and shrubs; such as pines, alders, birch, and

willows; rose and currant bushes; and a little grass; but they saw not

a single plant in flower.

We weighed anchor as soon as it was high water, and, with a faint

breeze, southerly, stood over to the west shore, where the return of

the flood obliged us to anchor early next morning. Soon after, several

large, and some small canoes, with natives, came off, who bartered

their skins; after which they sold their garments, till many of them

were quite naked. Amongst others, they brought a number of white hare

or rabbit skins; and very beautiful reddish ones of foxes; but there

were only two or three skins of otters. They also sold us some pieces

of salmon and halibut. They preferred iron to every thing else offered

to them in exchange. The lip ornaments did not seem so frequent

amongst them as at Prince William's Sound; but they had more of those

which pass through the nose, and in general these were also much

longer. They had, however, a greater quantity of a kind of white and

red embroidered work on some parts of their garments, and on other

things, such as their quivers and knife-cases.

At half-past ten, we weighed with the first of the ebb, and having a

gentle breeze at south, plied down the river; in the doing of which,

by the inattention and neglect of the man at the lead, the Resolution

struck, and stuck fast on a bank, that lies nearly in the middle of

the river, and about two miles above the two projecting bluff points

before mentioned. This bank was, no doubt, the occasion of that very

strong rippling, or agitation of the stream, which we had observed

when turning up the river. There was not less than twelve feet depth

of water about the ship, at the lowest of the ebb, but other parts of

the bank were dry. As soon as the ship came aground, I made a signal

for the Discovery to anchor. She, as I afterward understood, had been

near ashore on the west side of the bank. As the flood-tide came

in, the ship floated off, soon after five o'clock in the afternoon,

without receiving the least damage, or giving us any trouble; and,

after standing over to the west shore into deep water, we anchored to

wait for the ebb, as the wind was still contrary.

We weighed again with the ebb, at ten o'clock at night; and, between

four and five next morning, when the tide was finished, once more cast

anchor, about two miles below the bluff point, on the west shore, in

nineteen fathoms water. A good many of the natives came off when we

were in this station, and attended upon us all the morning. Their

company was very acceptable; for they brought with them a large

quantity of very fine salmon, which they exchanged for such trifles

as we had to give them. Most of it was split ready for drying; and

several hundred weight of it was procured for the two ships.

In the afternoon, the mountains, for the first time since our entering

the river, were clear of clouds; and we discovered a volcano in one

of those on the west side. It is in the latitude of 60° 23'; and it is

the first high mountain to the north of Mount St Augustin. The volcano

is on that side of it that is next the river, and not far from the

summit. It did not now make any striking appearance, emitting only a

white smoke, but no fire.

The wind remaining southerly, we continued to tide it down the river;

and on the 5th, in the morning, coming to the place where we had lost

our kedge-anchor, made an attempt to recover it, but without success.

Before we left this place, six canoes came off from the east shore;

some conducted by one, and others by two men. They remained at a

little distance from the ships, viewing them with a kind of silent

surprise, at least half an hour, without exchanging a single word

with us, or with one another. At length they took courage, and came

alongside; began to barter with our people; and did not leave us till

they had parted with every thing they brought with them, consisting

of a few skins and some salmon. And here it may not be improper to

remark, that all the people we had met with, in this river, seemed, by

every striking instance of resemblance, to be of the same nation with

those who inhabit Prince William's Sound, but differing essentially

from those of Nootka, or King George's Sound, both in their persons

and language. The language of these is rather more guttural; but,

like the others, they speak strongly and distinct, in words which seem

sentences.

I have before observed, that they are in possession of iron; that is,

they have the points of their spears and knives of this metal; and

some of the former are also made of copper. Their spears are like

our spontoons; and their knives, which they keep in sheaths, are of

a considerable length. These, with a few glass beads, are the only

things we saw amongst them that were not of their own manufacture.

I have already offered my conjectures from whence they derive their

foreign articles; and shall only add here, that if it were probable

that they found their way to them from such of their neighbours with

whom the Russians may have established a trade, I will be bold to say,

the Russians themselves have never been amongst them; for if that

had been the case, we should hardly have found them clothed in such

valuable skins as those of the sea-otter.

There is not the least doubt, that a very beneficial fur-trade might

be carried on with the inhabitants of this vast coast. But unless

a northern passage should be found practicable, it seems rather too

remote for Great Britain to receive any emolument from it. It must,

however, be observed, that the most valuable, or rather the only

valuable skins I saw on this west side of America, were those of the

sea-otter. All their other skins seemed to be of an inferior quality;

particularly those of their foxes and martins. It must also be

observed, that most of the skins which we purchased were made up into

garments. However, some of these were in good condition; but others

were old and ragged enough; and all of them very lousy. But as these

poor people make no other use of skins but for clothing themselves,

it cannot be supposed that they are at the trouble of dressing more

of them than are necessary for this purpose. And, perhaps, this is the

chief use for which they kill the animals; for the sea and the rivers

seem to supply them with their principal articles of food. It would,

probably, be much otherwise, were they once habituated to a constant

trade with foreigners. This intercourse would increase their wants, by

introducing them to an acquaintance with new luxuries; and, in order

to be enabled to purchase these, they would be more assiduous in

procuring skins, which they would soon discover to be the commodity

most sought for; and a plentiful supply of which, I make no doubt,

would be had in the country.

It will appear, from what has been said occasionally of the tide,

that it is considerable in this river, and contributes very much to

facilitate the navigation of it. It is high-water in the stream, on

the days of the new and full moon, between two and three o'clock; and

the tide rises, upon a perpendicular, between three and four fathoms.

The reason of the tide's being greater here than at other parts of

this coast, is easily accounted for. The mouth of the river being

situated in a corner of the coast, the flood that comes from the ocean

is forced into it by both shores, and by that means swells the tide to

a great height.

The variation of the compass was 25° 40' E.

SECTION VII.

_Discoveries after leaving Cook's River.--Island of

St Hermogenes.--Cape Whitsunday.--Cape Greville.--Cape

Barnabas.--Two-headed Point.--Trinity Island.--Beering's Foggy

Island.--A beautiful Bird described.--Kodiak and the Schumagin

Islands.--A Russian Letter brought on Board by a Native.--Conjectures

about it.--Rock Point.--Halibut Island.--A Volcano

Mountain.--Providential Escape.--Arrival of the Ships at

Oonalaschka.--Intercourse with the Natives there.--Another Russian

Letter.--Samganoodha Harbour described._

As soon as the ebb tide made in our favour, we weighed, and, with a

light breeze, between W.S.W., and S.S.W., plied down the river, till

the flood obliged us to anchor again. At length, about one o'clock

next morning, a fresh breeze sprung up at W., with which we got under

sail, and, at eight, passed the Barren Islands, and stretched away

for Cape St Hermogenes. At noon, this cape bore S.S.E., eight leagues

distant; and the passage between the island of that name, and the main

land, bore S. For this passage I steered, intending to go through it.

But soon after the wind failed us, and we had baffling light airs

from the eastward, so that I gave up my design of carrying the ships

between the island and the main.

At this time we saw several columns of smoke on the coast of the

continent, to the northward of the passage; and, most probably, they

were meant as signals to attract us thither. Here the land forms a

bay, or perhaps a harbour, off the N.W. point of which lies a

low, rocky island. There are also some other islands of the same

appearance, scattered along the coast, between this place and Point

Banks.

At eight in the evening, the island of St Hermogenes extended from S.

1/2 E. to S.S.E. 1/4 E., and the rocks that lie on the N. side of

it bore S.E., three miles distant. In this situation, we had forty

fathoms water over a bottom of sand and shells. Soon after, on putting

over hooks and lines, we caught several halibut.

At midnight, being past the rocks, we bore up to the southward, and,

at noon, St Hermogenes bore N., four leagues distant. At this time,

the southernmost point of the main land, within or to the westward of

St Hermogenes, lay N. 1/2 W., distant five leagues. This promontory,

which is situated in the latitude of 58° 15', and in the longitude of

207° 24', was named, after the day, _Cape Whitsunday_. A large bay,

which lies to the W. of it, obtained the name of _Whitsuntide Bay_.

The land on the E. side of this bay, of which Cape Whitsunday is the

most southern point, and Point Banks the northern one, is, in all

respects, like the island of St Hermogenes, seemingly destitute of

wood, and partly free from snow. It was supposed to be covered with a

mossy substance, that gave it a brownish cast. There were some reasons

to think it was an island. If this be so, the last-mentioned bay is

only the strait or passage that separates it from the main land.[1]

[Footnote 1: Such seems to be the opinion of Arrowsmith, as indicated

by his map of America, 1804. That map, however, is far from being

minute or satisfactory as to this part of the voyage. The chart of

the Russian and English discoveries, which Mr Coxe has inserted in his

work so often alluded to, is perhaps a better guide. But indeed both

are faulty. The reader need not be informed that the geography of this

region is still very imperfect.--E.]

Between one and two in the afternoon, the wind, which had been at

N.E., shifted at once to the southward. It was unsettled till six,

when it fixed at S., which was the very direction of our course, so

that we were obliged to ply up the coast. The weather was gloomy, and

the air dry, but cold. We stood to the eastward till midnight, then

tacked, and stood in for the land; and, between seven and eight in the

morning of the 8th, we were within four miles of it, and not more

than half a league from some sunken rocks, which bore W.S.W. In this

situation we tacked in thirty-five fathoms water, the island of St

Hermogenes bearing N. 20° E., and the southernmost land in sight, S.

In standing in for this coast, we crossed the mouth of Whitsuntide

Bay, and saw land all round the bottom of it, so that either the land

is connected, or else the points lock in, one behind another. I am

more inclined to think, that the former is the case, and that the

land, east of the bay, is a part of the continent. Some small islands

lie on the west of the bay. The sea-coast to the southward of it is

rather low, with projecting rocky points, between which are small bays

or inlets. There was no wood, and but little snow upon the coast; but

the mountains, which lie at some distance inland, were wholly covered

with the latter. We stood off till noon, then tacked, and stood in

for the land. The latitude, at this time, was 57° 52-1/2'; Cape St

Hermogenes bore N. 30° W., eight leagues distant, and the southernmost

part of the coast in sight; the same that was seen before, bore S.W.,

ten leagues distant. The land here forms a point, which was named

_Cape Greville_. It lies in the latitude of 57° 33', and in the

longitude of 207° 15', and is distant fifteen leagues from Cape St

Hermogenes, in the direction of S. 17° W.

The three following days we had almost constant misty weather, with

drizzling rain, so that we seldom had a sight of the coast. The wind

was S.E. by S., and S.S.E., a gentle breeze, and the air raw and cold.

With this wind and weather, we continued to ply up the coast, making

boards of six or eight leagues each. The depth of water was from

thirty to fifty-five fathoms, over a coarse, black sandy bottom.

The fog clearing up, with the change of the wind to S.W., in the

evening of the 12th, we had a sight of the land bearing W., twelve

leagues distant. We stood in for it early next morning. At noon we

were not above three miles from it; an elevated point, which obtained

the name of _Cape Barnabas_, lying in the latitude of 57° 13', bore

N.N. E. 1/2 E., ten miles distant, and the coast extended from N. 42°

E., to W.S.W. The N.E. extreme was lost in a haze, but the point to

the S.W., whose elevated summit terminated in two round hills, on

that account was called _Two-headed Point_. This part of the coast,

in which are several small bays, is composed of high hills and deep

valleys, and in some places we could see the tops of other hills,

beyond those that form the coast, which was but little encumbered with

snow, but had a very barren appearance. Not a tree or bush was to be

seen upon it; and, in general, it had a brownish hue, probably the

effect of a mossy covering.

I continued to ply to the S.W. by W., as the coast trended, and, at

six in the evening, being midway between Cape Barnabas and Two-headed

Point, and two leagues from the shore, the depth of water was

sixty-two fathoms. From this station, a low point of land made its

appearance beyond Two-headed Point, bearing S. 69° W., and, without

it, other land that had the appearance of an island, bore S. 59° W.

At noon, on the 13th, being in latitude 56° 49', Cape St Barnabas bore

N. 52° E., Two-headed Point, N. 14° W., seven or eight miles distant,

and the coast of the continent extended as far as S. 72 1/2 W., and

the land seen the preceding evening, and supposed to be an island, now

appeared like two islands. From whatever quarter Two-headed Point

was viewed, it had the appearance of being an island, or else it is a

peninsula, on each side of which the shore forms a bay. The wind

still continued westerly, a gentle breeze, the weather rather dull and

cloudy, and the air sharp and dry.

We were well up with the southernmost land next morning, and found it

to be an island, which was named _Trinity Island_. Its greatest extent

is six leagues in the direction of E. and W. Each end is elevated

naked land, and in the middle it is low, so that, at a distance, from

some points of view, it assumes the appearance of two islands. It lies

in the latitude of 56° 36', and in the longitude of 205°, and between

two and three leagues from the continent, which space is interspersed

with small islands and rocks, but there seemed to be good passage

enough, and also safe anchorage. At first we were inclined to think,

that this was Beering's _Foggy Island_,[2] but its situation so near

the main does not suit his chart.

[Footnote 2: _Tumannoi-ostrow_, c'est-à-dire, _L'isle

Nebuleuse_.--Muller, p. 261.]

At eight in the evening, we stood in for the land, till we were within

a league of the above-mentioned small islands. The westernmost part of

the continent now in sight, being a low point facing Trinity Island,

and which we called _Cape Trinity_, now bore W.N.W. In this situation,

having tacked in fifty-four fathoms water, over a bottom of black

sand, we stood over for the island, intending to work up between it

and the main. The land to the westward of Two-headed Point, is not so

mountainous as it is to the N.E. of it, nor does so much snow lie upon

it. There are, however, a good many hills considerably elevated, but

they are disjoined by large tracts of flat land that appeared to be

perfectly destitute of wood, and very barren.

As we were standing over toward the island, we met two men in a small

canoe, paddling from it to the main. Far from approaching us, they

seemed rather to avoid it. The wind now began to incline to the

S., and we had reason to expect, that it would soon be at the S.E.

Experience having taught us, that a south-easterly wind was here

generally, if not always, accompanied by a thick fog, I was afraid to

venture through between the island and the continent, lest the passage

should not be accomplished before night, or before the thick weather

came on, when we should be obliged to anchor, and by that means lose

the advantage of a fair wind. These reasons induced me to stretch out

to sea, and we passed two or three rocky islets that lie near the east

end of Trinity Island. At four in the afternoon, having weathered the

island, we tacked, and steered west-southerly, with a fresh gale at

S.S.E., which, before midnight, veered to the S.E., and was, as usual,

attended with misty, drizzling, rainy weather.

By the course we steered all night, I was in hopes of falling in with

the continent in the morning. And, doubtless, we should have seen it,

had the weather been in the least clear, but the fog prevented. Seeing

no land at noon, and the gale increasing, with a thick fog and rain, I

steered W.N.W., under such sail as we could easily haul the wind with,

being fully sensible of the danger of running before a strong gale

in a thick fog, in the vicinity of an unknown coast. It was, however,

necessary to run some risk when the wind favoured us; for clear

weather, we had found, was generally accompanied with winds from the

west.

Between two and three in the afternoon, land was seen through the fog,

bearing N.W., not more than three or four miles distant. Upon this,

we immediately hauled up south, close to the wind. Soon after, the two

courses were split, so that we had others to bring to the yards, and

several others of our sails received considerable damage. At nine, the

gale abated, the weather cleared up, and we lost sight of the coast

again, extending from W. by S. to N.W., about four or five leagues

distant. On sounding, we found a hundred fathoms water, over a muddy

bottom. Soon after, the fog returned, and we saw no more of the land

all night.

At four next morning, the fog being now dispersed, we found ourselves

in a manner surrounded by land; the continent, or what was supposed

to be the continent, extending from W.S.W. to N.E. by N., and some

elevated land bearing S.E. 1/2 S., by estimation eight or nine leagues

distant. The N.E. extreme of the main was the same point of land that

we had fallen in with during the fog, and we named it _Foggy Cape_. It

lies in latitude 56° 31'. At this time, having had but little wind all

night, a breeze sprung up at N.W. With this we stood to the southward,

to make the land, seen in that direction, plainer.

At nine o'clock, we found it to be an island of about nine leagues

in compass, lying in the latitude of 56° 10', and in the longitude of

202° 46'; and it is distinguished in our chart by the name of _Foggy

Island_, having reason to believe, from its situation, that it is the

same which had that name given to it by Beering. At the same time,

three or four islands, lying before a bay, formed by the coast of the

main land; bore N. by W.; a point, with three or four pinnacle rocks

upon it, which was called _Pinnacle Point_, bore N.W. by W.; and a

cluster of small islets, or rocks, lying about nine leagues from the

coast, S.S.E.

At noon, when our latitude was 56° 9', and our longitude 201° 45',

these rocks bore S. 58' E., ten miles distant; Pinnacle Point, N.N.W.,

distant seven leagues; the nearest part of the main land N.W. by W.,

six leagues distant; and the most advanced land to the S.W., which had

the appearance of being an island, bore W., a little southerly. In

the afternoon, we had little or no wind, so that our progress was

inconsiderable. At eight in the evening, the coast extended from S.W.

to N.N.E., the nearest part about eight leagues distant.

On the 17th, the wind was between W. and N.W., a gentle breeze, and

sometimes almost calm. The weather was clear, and the air sharp

and dry. At noon, the continent extended from S.W. to N. by E., the

nearest part seven leagues distant. A large group of islands lying

about the same distance from the continent, extended from S. 26° W. to

S. 52° W.

It was calm great part of the 18th, and the weather was clear and

pleasant. We availed ourselves of this, by making observations for the

longitude and variation. The latter was found to be 21° 27' E. There

can be no doubt that there is a continuation of the continent between

Trinity Island and Foggy Cape, which the thick weather prevented us

from seeing. For some distance to the S.W., of that cape, this country

is more broken or rugged than any part we had yet seen, both with

respect to the hills themselves, and to the coast, which seemed full

of creeks, or small inlets, none of which appeared to be of any great

depth. Perhaps, upon a closer examination, some of the projecting

points between these inlets will be found to be islands. Every part

had a very barren aspect, and was covered with snow, from the summits

of the highest hills, down to a very small distance from the sea

coast.

Having occasion to send a boat on board the Discovery, one of the

people in her shot a very beautiful bird of the hawk kind. It is

somewhat less than a duck, and of a black colour, except the fore-part

of the head, which is white, and from above and behind each eye arises

an elegant yellowish-white crest, revolved backward as a ram's horn.

The bill and feet are red. It is, perhaps, the _alca monochroa_ of

Steller, mentioned in the history of Kamtschatka.[3] I think the first

of these birds was seen by us a little to the southward of Cape St

Hermogenes. From that time, we generally saw some of them every day,

and sometimes in large flocks. Besides these, we daily saw most of

the other sea-birds, that are commonly found in other northern oceans,

such as gulls, shags, puffins, sheerwaters, and sometimes ducks,

geese, and swans. And seldom a day passed without seeing seals,

whales, and ether large fish.

[Footnote 3: P. 158. Eng. Trans.--The Tufted Aek.--_Pennant's Arct.

Zool._ ii. N°. 432.]

In the afternoon, we got a light breeze of wind southerly, which

enabled us to steer W., for the channel that appeared between the

islands and the continent; and, at day-break next morning, we were

at no great distance from it, and found several other islands,

within those already seen by us, of various extent both in height and

circuit. But between these last islands, and those before seen, there

seemed to be a clear channel, for which I steered, being afraid to

keep the coast of the continent aboard, lest we should mistake some

point of it for an island, and, by that means, be drawn into some

inlet, and lose the advantage of the fair wind, which at this time

blew.

I therefore kept along the southernmost chain of islands, and at noon

we were in the latitude of 55° 18', and in the narrowest part of the

channel, formed by them and those which lie along the continent, where

it is about a league and a half, or two leagues over. The largest

island in this group was now on our left, and is distinguished by

the name of _Kodiak_,[4] according to the information we afterwards

received. I left the rest of them without names. I believe them to be

the same that Beering calls Schumagin's Islands,[5] or those which he

called by that name, to be a part of them, for this group is pretty

extensive. We saw islands as far to the southward as an island could

be seen. They commence in the longitude of 200° 15' E., and extend

a degree and a half, or two degrees, to the westward. I cannot be

particular, as we could not distinguish all the islands from the coast

of the continent. Most of these islands are of a good height,

very barren and rugged, abounding with rocks and steep cliffs, and

exhibiting other romantic appearances. There are several snug bays

and coves about them, streams of fresh water run from their elevated

parts, some drift-wood was floating around, but not a tree or bush was

to be seen growing on the land. A good deal of snow still lay on

many of them, and the parts of the continent, which shewed themselves

between the innermost islands, were quite covered with it.[6]

[Footnote 4: See an account of Kodiac, in Stæhlin's New Northern

Archipelago, p. 30-39.]

[Footnote 5: See Muller's _Découvertes des Russes_, p. 262-277.]

[Footnote 6: Coxe's work maybe advantageously consulted for

information respecting the islands now mentioned. But few persons, it

is presumed, feel so interested about them, as to desire any addition

to the text. Besides, though a connected account of this archipelago

might be either amusing or necessary, it is obvious that detached

notices would have little value to commend them to attention.--E.]

At four in the afternoon, we had passed all the islands that lay to

the southward of us; the southernmost, at this time, bearing S. 5°

E., and the westernmost point of land now in sight, S. 82° W. For

this point we steered, and passed between it and two or three elevated

rocks that lie about a league to the east of it.

Some time after we had got through this channel, in which we found

forty fathoms water, the Discovery, now about two miles astern, fired

three guns, and brought-to, and made a signal to speak with us. This

alarmed me not a little; and, as no apparent danger had been remarked

in the passage through the channel, it was apprehended that some

accident, such as springing a leak, must have happened. A boat was

immediately sent to her, and in a short time returned with Captain

Clerke. I now learned from him, that some natives, in three or four

canoes, who had been following the ship for some time, at length got

under his stern. One of them then made many signs, taking off his cap,

and bowing, after the manner of Europeans. A rope being handed down

from the ship, to this he fastened a small thin wooden case or box,

and having delivered this safe, and spoken something, and made some

more signs, the canoes dropped astern, and left the Discovery. No one

on board her had any suspicion that the box contained any thing, till

after the departure of the canoes, when it was accidentally opened,

and a piece of paper was found, folded up carefully, upon which

something was written in the Russian language, as was supposed. The

date 1778 was prefixed to it, and, in the body of the written note,

there was a reference to the year 1776. Not learned enough to decypher

the alphabet of the writer, his numerals marked sufficiently that

others had preceded us in visiting this dreary part of the globe, who

were united to us by other ties besides those of our common nature;

and the hopes of soon meeting with some of the Russian traders could

not but give a sensible satisfaction to those who had, for such a

length of time, been conversant with the savages of the Pacific Ocean,

and of the continent of North America.

Captain Clerke was, at first, of opinion, that some Russians had been

shipwrecked here, and that these unfortunate persons, seeing our ships

pass, had taken this method to inform us of their situation. Impressed

with humane sentiments, on such an occasion, he was desirous of

our stopping till they might have time to join us. But no such idea

occurred to me. It seemed obvious, that if this had been the case, it

would have been the first step taken by such shipwrecked persons, in

order to secure to themselves, and to their companions, the relief

they could not but be solicitous about, to send some of their body off

to the ships in the canoes. For this reason, I rather thought that the

paper contained a note of information, left by some Russian trader,

who had lately been amongst these islands, to be delivered to the next

of their countrymen who should arrive; and that the natives, seeing

our ships pass, and supposing us to be Russians, had resolved to bring

off the note, thinking it might induce us to stop. Fully convinced of

this, I did not stay to enquire any farther into the matter, but

made sail, and stood away to the westward, along the coast; perhaps

I should say along the islands, for we could not pronounce, with

certainty, whether the nearest land, within us, was continent or

islands. If not the latter, the coast here forms some tolerably large

and deep bays.

We continued to run all night with a gentle breeze at N.E., and, at

two o'clock next morning, some breakers were seen within us, at the

distance of about two miles. Two hours after, others were seen a-head,

and on our larboard bow, and between us and the land, they were

innumerable. We did but just clear them, by holding a south course.

These breakers were occasioned by rocks, some of which were above

water. They extend seven leagues from the land, and are very

dangerous, especially in thick weather, to which this coast seems

much subject. At noon, we had just got on their outside, and, by

observation, we were in the latitude of 54° 44', and in the longitude

of 198°. The nearest land, being an elevated bluff point, which was

called _Rock Point_, bore N., seven or eight leagues distant; the

westernmost part of the main, or what was supposed to be the main,

bore N. 80° W.; and a round hill, without, which was found to be

an island, and was called _Halibut-Head_, bore S. 64° W., thirteen

leagues distant.

On the 21st at noon, having made but little progress, on account of

faint winds and calms, Halibut-Head, which lies in the latitude of 54°

27', and in the longitude of 197°, bore N. 24° W., and the island on

which it is, and called _Halibut Island_, extended from N. by E. to

N.W. by W., two leagues distant. This island is seven or eight leagues

in circuit, and, except the head, the land of it is low and very

barren. There are several small islands near it, all of the same

appearance, but there seemed to be a passage between them and the

main, two or three leagues broad.[7]

[Footnote 7: So Arrowsmith's map has it. The chart in Coxe's work, 4th

edition, does not mention Halibut Island.--E.]

The rocks and breakers, before mentioned, forced us so far from the

continent, that we had but a distant view of the coast between Rock

Point and Halibut Island. Over this and the adjoining islands we could

see the main land covered with snow, but particularly some hills,

whose elevated tops were seen, towering above the clouds, to a

most stupendous height. The most south-westerly of these hills was

discovered to have a _volcano_, which continually threw up vast

columns of black smoke. It stands not far from the coast, and in the

latitude of 54° 48', and in the longitude of 195° 45'. It is also

remarkable from its figure, which is a complete cone, and the volcano

is at the very summit. We seldom saw this (or indeed any other of

these mountains) wholly clear of clouds. At times, both base and

summit would be clear, when a narrow cloud, sometimes two or three,

one above another, would embrace the middle like a girdle, which, with

the column of smoke, rising perpendicular to a great height out of its

top, and spreading before the wind into a tail of vast length, made a

very picturesque appearance. It may be worth remarking, that the

wind, at the height to which the smoke of this volcano reached, moved

sometimes in a direction contrary to what it did at sea, even when it

blew a fresh gale.

In the afternoon, having three hours calm, our people caught upwards

of a hundred halibuts, some of which weighed a hundred pounds, and

none less than twenty pounds. This was a very seasonable refreshment

to us. In the height of our fishing, which was in thirty-five

fathoms water, and three or four miles from the shore, a small canoe,

conducted by one man, came to us from the large island. On approaching

the ship, be took off his cap, and bowed, as the other had done,

who visited the Discovery the preceding day. It was evident that the

Russians must have a communication and traffic with these people,

not only from their acquired politeness, but from the note before

mentioned. But we had now a fresh proof of it; for our present visitor

wore a pair of green cloth breeches, and a jacket of black cloth or

stuff, under the gut-shirt or frock of his own country. He had nothing

to barter, except a grey fox skin, and some fishing implements or

harpoons, the heads of the shafts of which, for the length of a foot

or more, were neatly made of bone, as thick as a walking cane, and

carved. He had with him a bladder full of something, which we supposed

to be oil, for he opened it, took a mouthful, and then fastened it

again.

His canoe was of the same make with those we had seen before, but

rather smaller. He used a double bladed-paddle, as did also those

who had visited the Discovery. In his size and features, he exactly

resembled those we saw in Prince William's Sound, and in the Great

River, but he was quite free from paint of any kind, and had the

perforation of his lips made in an oblique direction, without any

ornament in it. He did not seem to understand any of the words

commonly used by our visitors in the Sound, when repeated to him. But,

perhaps, our faulty pronunciation, rather than his ignorance of the

dialect, may be inferred from this.

The weather was cloudy and hazy, with now and then sunshine, till the

afternoon of the 22d, when the wind came round to the S.E., and, as

usual, brought thick rainy weather. Before the fog came on, no part of

the main land was in sight, except the volcano, and another mountain

close by it. I continued to steer W. till seven in the evening, when,

being apprehensive of falling in with the land in thick weather, we

hauled the wind to the southward, till two o'clock next morning,

and then bore away W. We made but little progress, having the wind

variable, and but little of it, till at last it fixed in the western

board, and at five in the afternoon, having a gleam of sunshine, we

saw land bearing N. 59° W., appearing in hillocks like islands.

At six in the morning of the 24th, we got a sight of the continent,

and at nine it was seen extending from N.E. by E. to S.W. by W. 1/2

W., the nearest part about four leagues distant. The land to the

S.W. proved to be islands, the same that had been seen the preceding

evening. But the other was a continuation of the continent, without

any islands to obstruct our view of it. In the evening, being about

four leagues from the shore, in forty-two fathoms water, having little

or no wind, we had recourse to our hooks and lines, but only two or

three small cod were caught.

The next morning we got a breeze easterly, and what was uncommon with

this wind, clear weather, so that we not only saw the volcano, but

other mountains, both to the east and west of it, and all the coast

of the main land under them, much plainer than at any time before. It

extended from N.E. by N. to N.W. 1/2 W., where it seemed to terminate.

Between this point and the islands without it, there appeared a large

opening, for which I steered, till we raised land beyond it. This

land, although we did not perceive that it joined the continent, made

a passage through the opening very doubtful. It also made it doubtful,

whether the land which we saw to the S.W., was insular or continental,

and, if the latter, it was obvious that the opening would be a deep

bay or inlet, from which, if once we entered it with an easterly wind,

it would not be so easy to get out. Not caring, therefore, to trust

too much to appearances, I steered to the southward. Having thus got

without all the land in sight, I then steered west, in which direction

the islands lay, for such we found this land to be.

By eight o'clock we had passed three of them, all of a good height.

More of them were now seen to the westward, the south-westernmost part

of them bearing W.N.W. The weather, in the afternoon, became gloomy,

and at length turned to a mist, and the wind blew fresh at E. I

therefore, at ten at night, hauled the wind to the southward till

day-break, when we resumed our course to the W.

Day-light availed us little, for the weather was so thick, that we

could not see a hundred yards before us; but as the wind was now

moderate, I ventured to run. At half-past four, we were alarmed at

hearing the sound of breakers on our larboard bow. On heaving

the lead, we found twenty-eight fathoms water, and the next cast,

twenty-five. I immediately brought the ship to, with her head to the

northward, and anchored in this last depth, over a bottom of coarse

sand, calling to the Discovery, she being close by us, to anchor also.

A few hours after, the fog having cleared away a little, it appeared

that we had escaped very imminent danger. We found ourselves three

quarters of a mile from the N.E. side of an island, which extended

from S. by W. 1/2 W. to N. by E. 1/2 E., each extreme about a league

distant. Two elevated rocks, the one bearing S. by E., and the other

E. by S., were about half a league each from us, and about the same

distance from each other. There were several breakers about them, and

yet Providence had, in the dark, conducted the ships through, between

these rocks, which I should not have ventured in a clear day, and to

such an anchoring-place, that I could not have chosen a better.

Finding ourselves so near land, I sent a boat to examine what

it produced. In the afternoon she returned, and the officer, who

commanded her, reported, that it produced some tolerable good grass,

and several other small plants, one of which was like purslain, and

eat very well, either in soups or as a sallad. There was no appearance

of shrubs or trees, but on the beach were a few pieces of drift wood.

It was judged to be low water between ten and eleven o'clock, and we

found, where we lay at anchor, that the flood-tide came from the E. or

S.E.

In the night, the wind blew fresh at S., but was more moderate toward

the morning, and the fog partly dispersed. Having weighed at seven

o'clock, we steered to the northward, between the island under which

we had anchored, and another small one near it. The channel is not

above a mile broad; and before we were through it, the wind failed,

and we were obliged to anchor in thirty-four fathoms water. We had now

land in every direction. That to the S., extended to the S.W., in

a ridge of mountains, but our sight could not determine whether it

composed one or more islands. We afterward found it to be only one

island, and known by the name of _Oonalashka_. Between it, and the

land to the N., which had the appearance of being a group of islands,

there seemed to be a channel, in the direction of N.W. by N. On a

point, which bore W. from the ship, three quarters of a mile distant,

were several natives and their habitations. To this place we saw them

tow in two whales, which we supposed they had just killed. A few of

them, now and then, came off to the ships, and bartered a few trifling

things with our people, but never remained above a quarter of an hour

at a time. On the contrary, they rather seemed shy, and yet we could

judge that they were no strangers to vessels, in some degree, like

ours. They behaved with a degree of politeness uncommon to savage

tribes.

At one o'clock in the afternoon, having a light breeze at N.E., and

the tide of flood in our favour, we weighed, and steered for the

channel above-mentioned, in hopes, after we were through, of finding

the land trend away to the northward, or, at least, a passage out to

sea to the W. For we supposed ourselves, as it really happened, to be

amongst islands, and not in an inlet of the continent. We had not been

long under sail, before the wind veered to the N., which obliged us

to ply. The soundings were from forty to twenty-seven fathoms, over a

bottom of sand and mud. In the evening, the ebb making against us, we

anchored about three leagues from our last station, with the passage

bearing N.W.

At day-break the next morning, we weighed, with a light breeze at S.,

which carried us up to the passage, when it was succeeded by variable

light airs from all directions. But as there run a rapid tide in our

favour, the Resolution got through before the ebb made. The Discovery

was not so fortunate. She was carried back, got into the race, and had

some trouble to get clear of it. As soon as we were through, the land

on one side was found to trend W. and S.W., and that on the other side

to trend N. This gave us great reason to hope, that the continent had

here taken a new direction, which was much in our favour. Being in

want of water, and perceiving that we run some risk of driving about

in a rapid tide, without wind to govern the ship, I stood for a

harbour, lying on the S. side of the passage, but we were very soon

driven past it, and, to prevent being forced back through the passage,

came to an anchor in twenty-eight fathoms water, pretty near the

southern shore, out of the reach of the strong tide. And yet, even

here, we found it to run full five knots and a half in the hour.

While we lay here, several of the natives came off to us, each in a

canoe, and bartered a few fishing implements for tobacco. One of them,

a young man, overset his canoe, while along-side of one of our boats.

Our people caught hold of him, but the canoe went adrift, and, being

picked up by another, was carried ashore. The youth, by this accident,

was obliged to come into the ship; and he went down into my cabin,

upon the first invitation, without expressing the least reluctance or

uneasiness. His dress was an upper garment, like a shirt, made of the

large gut of some sea-animal, probably the whale, and an under garment

of the same shape, made of the skins of birds, dressed with the

feathers on, and neatly sewed together, the feathered side being wore

next his skin. It was mended or patched with pieces of silk-stuff, and

his cap was ornamented with two or three sorts of glass beads. His own

clothes being wet, I gave him others, in which he dressed himself with

as much ease as I could have done. From his behaviour, and that of

some others, we were convinced that these people were no strangers to

Europeans, and to some of their customs. But there was something in

our ships that greatly excited their curiosity; for such as could not

come off in canoes, assembled on the neighbouring hills to look at

them.[8]

[Footnote 8: Of Oonalashka, Unalashka, or Aghunalaska, for it is known

by these three names, Mr Coxe has presented several interesting

enough notices. The Russians were no strangers to it previous to this

voyage.--E.]

At low water, having weighed and towed the ship into the harbour, we

anchored there in nine fathoms water, over a bottom of sand and mud.

The Discovery got in soon after. A launch was now sent for water, and

a boat to draw the seine, but we caught only four trout, and a few

other small fish.

Soon after we anchored, a native of the island brought on board such

another note as had been given to Captain Clerke. He presented it

to me, but it was written in the Russian language, which, as already

observed, none of us could read. As it could be of no use to me, and

might be of consequence to others, I returned it to the bearer, and

dismissed him with a few presents, for which he expressed his thanks,

by making several low bows as he retired.

In walking, next day, along the shore, I met with a group of natives

of both sexes, seated on the grass, at a repast, consisting of raw

fish, which they seemed to eat with as much relish as we should a

turbot, served up with the richest sauce. By the evening, we had

completed our water, and made such observations as the time and

weather would permit. I have taken notice of the rapidity of the tide

without the harbour, but it was inconsiderable within. It was low

water at noon, and high water at half-past six in the evening, and the

water rose, upon a perpendicular, three feet four inches, but there

were marks of its sometimes rising a foot higher.

Thick fogs, and a contrary-wind, detained us till the 2d of July,

which afforded an opportunity of acquiring some knowledge of the

country and of its inhabitants. The result of our observations will

be mentioned in another place. At present I shall only describe the

harbour.

It is called, by the natives, _Samganoodha_, and is situated on the

north side of Oonalashka, in the latitude of 58° 55', in the longitude

of 193° 30'; and in the strait, or passage, that separates this island

from those that lie to the north of it, and whose position before the

harbour shelters it from the winds that blow from that quarter. It

runs in S. by W., about four miles, and is about a mile broad at the

entrance, narrowing toward the head, where its breadth is not above a

quarter of a mile, and where ships can lie land-locked, in seven, six,

and four fathoms water. Great plenty of good water may be easily got,

but not a single stick of wood of any size.

SECTION VIII.

_Progress Northward, after leaving Oonalashka.--The Islands

Oonella and Acootan.--Ooneemak.--Shallowness of the Water along

the Coast--Bristol Bay.--Round Island.--Calm Point.--Cape

Newenham.--Lieutenant Williamson lands, and his Report.--Bristol

Bay, and its Extent.--The Ships obliged to return on account of

Shoals.--Natives come off to the Ships.--Death of Mr Anderson; his

Character; and Island named after him.--Point Rodney.--Sledge Island,

and Remarks on Landing there.--King's Island.--Cape Prince of Wales,

the Western Extreme of America. Course Westward.--Anchor in a Bay on

the Coast of Asia._

Having put to sea with a light breeze, at S.S.E., we steered to the

N., meeting with nothing to obstruct us in this course. For, as I

observed before, the island of Oonalashka on the one side, trended

S.W., and on the other, no land was to be seen in a direction more

northerly than N.E., the whole of which laud was a continuation of the

same group of islands which we had fallen in with on the 25th of June.

That which lies before Samganoodha, and forms the N.E. side of the

passage through which we came, is called _Oonella_, and is about seven

leagues in circumference. Another island to the N.E. of it, is called

_Acootan_, which is considerably larger than Oonella, and hath in it

some very high mountains which were covered with snow. It appeared,

that we might have gone very safely between, these two islands and

the continent, the S.W. point of which opened off the N.E. point of

Acootan, in the direction of N. 60° E.; and which proved to be the

same point of land we had seen when we quitted the coast of the

continent, on the 25th of June, to go without the islands. It is

called by the people of these parts _Ooneemak_, and lies in the

latitude of 54° 30', and in the longitude of 192° 30'. Over the cape,

which of itself is high land, is a round elevated mountain, at this

time entirely covered with snow.

At six in the evening, this mountain bore E. 2° N., and at eight we

had no land in sight. Concluding, therefore, that the coast of the

continent had now taken a north-easterly direction, I ventured to

steer the same course till one o'clock the next morning, when the

watch on deck thought they saw land a-head. Upon this we wore, and

stood to the S.W. for two hours, and then resumed our course to the

E.N.E.

At six o'clock, land was seen a-head, bearing S.E., about five leagues

distant. As we advanced, we raised more and more land, all connected,

and seemingly in the direction of our course. At noon, it extended

from S.S.W. to E., the nearest part five or six leagues distant; Our

latitude at this time was 55° 21', and our longitude 195° 18'. This

coast is on the N.W. side of the volcano mountain, so that we must

have seen it, if the weather had been tolerably clear.

At six in the evening, after having run eight leagues upon an E. by

N. course from noon, we sounded, and found forty-eight fathoms, over

a bottom of black sand. Being at this time four leagues from the land,

the eastern part in sight bore E.S.E., and appeared as a high round

hummock, seemingly detached from the main.

Having continued to steer E.N.E. all night, at eight in the morning of

the 4th, the coast was seen from S.S.W. to E. by S.; and at times we

could see high land, covered with snow behind it. Soon after it fell

calm, and being in thirty fathoms water, we put over hooks and lines,

and caught a good number of cod-fish. At noon, having now a breeze

from the east, and the weather being clear, we found ourselves six

leagues from the land, which extended from S. by W. to E. by S. The

hummock, seen the preceding evening, bore S.W. by S. ten leagues

distant. Our latitude was now 55° 50', and our longitude 197° 3'. A

great hollow swell, from W.S.W., assured us that there was no main

land near in that direction. I stood to the N. till six in the

afternoon, when the wind having veered to S.E., enabled us to steer

E.N.E. The coast lay in this direction, and at noon, the next day, was

about four leagues distant.

On the 6th and 7th, the wind being northerly, we made but little

progress. At eight in the evening of the latter, we were in nineteen

fathoms water, and about three or four leagues from the coast, which,

on the 8th, extended from S.S.W. to E. by N., and was all low

land, with a ridge of mountains behind it, covered with snow. It is

probable, that this low coast extends, some distance, to the S.W.; and

that such places as we sometimes, took for inlets or bays, are only

valleys between the mountains.

On the morning of the 9th, with a breeze at N.W., we steered E. by N.,

to get nearer the coast. At noon, we were in the latitude of 57° 49',

and in the longitude of 201° 33', and about two leagues from the land,

which extended from S. by E. to E.N.E.; being all a low coast, with

points shooting out in some places, which, from the deck, appeared

like islands; but, from the mast-head, low land was seen to connect

them. In this situation, the depth of water was fifteen fathoms, the

bottom a fine black sand.

As we had advanced to the N.E., we had found the depth of water

gradually decreasing, and the coast trending more and more northerly.

But the ridge of mountains behind it continued to lie in the same

direction as those more westerly; so that the extent of the low

land, between the foot of the mountains and the sea-coast, insensibly

increased. Both high and low grounds were perfectly destitute of wood;

but seemed to be covered with a green turf, except the mountains,

which were covered with snow. Continuing to steer along the coast,

with a gentle breeze, westerly, the water gradually shoaled from

fifteen to ten fathoms, though we were at the distance of eight or ten

miles from the shore. At eight in the evening, an elevated mountain,

which had been in sight for some time, bore S.E. by E., twenty-one

leagues distant. Some other mountains, belonging to the same chain,

and much farther distant, bore E. 3° N. The coast extended as far as

N.E. 1/2 N., where it seemed to terminate in a point, beyond which we

hoped and expected, that it would take a more easterly direction. But,

soon after, we discovered low land, extending from behind this point,

as far as N.W. by W., where it was lost in the horizon; and behind it

was high land, that appeared in detached hills.

Thus the fine prospect we had of getting to the north vanished in a

moment. I stood on till nine o'clock, for so long it was light, and

then the point above mentioned bore N.E. 1/2 E., about three miles

distant. Behind this point is a river, the entrance of which seemed

to be a mile broad; but I can say nothing as to its depth. The water

appeared to be discoloured, as upon shoals, but a calm would have

given it the same aspect. It seemed to have a winding direction,

through the great flat that lies between the chain of mountains to the

S.E., and the hills to the N.W. It must abound with salmon, as we saw

many leaping in the sea before the entrance; and some were found

in the maws of cod which we had caught. The entrance of this river,

distinguished by the name of _Bristol River_, lies in the latitude of

58° 27', and in the longitude of 201° 55'.[1]

[Footnote 1: Mr Arrowsmith lays down this river, but without naming

it. Mr Coxe does neither. Both of them specify Bristol Bay. Mr A.'s

delineation of the coast of the peninsular projection, corresponds

extremely well with Captain Cook's description.--E.]

Having spent the night in making short boards, at day-break on the

morning of the 10th, we made sail to the W.S.W., with a gentle breeze

at N.E. At eleven o'clock, we thought the coast to the N.W. terminated

in a point, bearing N.W. by W.; and as we had now deepened the water

from nine to fourteen fathoms, I steered for the point, ordering the

Discovery to keep ahead. But before she had run a mile, she made a

signal for shoal water. At that instant we had the depth of seven

fathoms; and before we could get the ship's head the other way, had

less than five; but the Discovery had less than four.

We stood back to the N.E. three or four miles; but finding there was

a strong tide or current setting to the W.S.W., that is toward the

shoal, we anchored in ten fathoms, over a bottom of fine sand. Two

hours after we had anchored, the water had fallen two feet and upward;

which proved, that it was the tide of ebb that came from, the river

above mentioned. We also examined some of the water which we had taken

up, and found that it was not half so salt as common sea-water. This

furnished another proof that we were before a large river.

At four in the afternoon, the wind shifting to S.W., we weighed, and

stood to the southward, with boats ahead, sounding; and passed over

the south end of the shoal in six fathoms water. We then got into

thirteen and fifteen; in which last depth we anchored, at half-past

eight; some part of the chain of mountains, on the S.E. shore, in

sight, bearing S.E. 1/2 S., and the westernmost land, on the other

shore, N.W. We had, in the course of the day, seen high land, bearing

N. 60° W., by estimation twelve leagues distant.

Having weighed next morning, at two o'clock, with a light breeze

at S.W. by W., we plied to windward till nine; when, judging the

flood-tide to be now made against us, we came to an anchor in

twenty-four fathoms. We lay here till one, when the fog, which had

prevailed this morning, dispersing, and the tide making in our favour,

we weighed, and plied to the S.W. in the evening, the wind was very

variable, and we had some thunder. We had heard none before since our

arrival upon the coast; and this was at a great distance.

The wind having settled again in the S.W. quarter, in the morning of

the 12th, we stood to the N.W., and at ten saw the continent. At noon,

it extended from N.E. by N., to N.W. 1/4 W.; and an elevated hill bore

N.N.W., ten leagues distant. This proved to be an island, which,

from its figure, obtained the name of _Round Island_. It lies in the

latitude of 58° 37', and in the longitude of 200° 6', and seven miles

from the continent. In the evening, at nine, having stood to the

northward to within three leagues of the shore, we tacked in fourteen

fathoms water; the extremes of the coast bearing E.S.E. 1/2 E. and W.

The wind veering to the N.W. enabled us to make a good stretch along

shore till two o'clock in the morning, when we got all at once into

six fathoms water, being at this time two leagues from the shore.

After edging off a little, our depth gradually increased, and at

noon we had twenty fathoms, when the latitude was 53° 13', and the

longitude 199°. Round Island bore N., 5° E.; and the west extreme of

the coast N., 16° W., seven leagues distant. It is an elevated point,

which obtained the name of _Calm Point_, from our having calm weather

when off it. To the N.W. of Round Island are two or three hillocks

that appeared like islands; and it is possible they may be such; for

we had but a distant view of the coast in this place.[2]

[Footnote 2: Both Round Island and Calm Point are named by Coxe;

Arrowsmith marks them, but has omitted the names.--E.]

During the 14th and 15th our progress was slow, having little wind,

and sometimes so thick a fog, that we could not see the length of the

ship. The soundings were from fourteen to twenty-six fathoms; and we

had tolerable success in fishing, catching cod, and now and then a few

flat fish. At five in the morning of the 16th, the fog having cleared

up, we found ourselves nearer the land than we expected. Calm Point

bore N., 72° E., and a point eight leagues from it, in the direction

of W., bore N., 30° E., three miles distant. Between these two points,

the coast forms a bay, in some parts of which the land was hardly

visible from the mast-head. There is also a bay on the N.W. side of

this last point, between it and an elevated promontory, which at this

time bore N., 36° W. sixteen miles distant. At nine, I sent Lieutenant

Williamson to this promontory, with orders to land, and see what

direction the coast took beyond it, and what the country produced;

for from the ships it had but a barren appearance. We found here the

flood-tide setting strongly to the N.W. along the coast. At noon it

was high water, and we anchored in twenty-four fathoms, four leagues

distant from the shore. At five in the afternoon, the tide making in

our favour, we weighed, and drove with it, for there was no wind.

Soon after, Mr Williamson returned; and reported, that he had landed

on the point, and having climbed the highest hill, found, that

the farthest part of the coast in sight bore nearly north. He took

possession of the country in his majesty's name; and left on the hill

a bottle, in which was inscribed, on a piece of paper, the names of

the ships, and the date of the discovery. The promontory, to which

he gave the name of _Cape Newenham_, is a rocky point, of tolerable

height, situated in the latitude of 58° 42', and in the longitude

of 197° 36'. Over, or within it, are two elevated hills, rising one

behind the other. The innermost, or easternmost, is the highest. The

country, as far as Mr Williamson could see, produces neither tree nor

shrub. The hills are naked; but on the lower grounds grew grass and

other plants, very few of which were in flower. He saw no other animal

but a doe and a fawn; and a dead sea-horse or cow upon the beach. Of

these animals we had lately seen a great many.

As the coast takes a northerly direction from Cape Newenham, that Cape

fixes the northern limit of the great bay and gulf lying before the

river Bristol, which, in honour of the Admiral, Earl of Bristol, was

named _Bristol Bay_. _Cape Ooneemak_ is the south limit of this bay;

and is distant eighty-two leagues from Cape Newenham, in the direction

of S.S.W.[3]

[Footnote 3: Cape Newenham is mentioned by Arrowsmith, but not by

Coxe; both have Shoal Ness, soon to be spoken of.--E.]

About eight in the evening, a light breeze springing up, which fixed

at S.S.E., we steered N.W. and N.N.W., round Cape Newenham, which, at

noon next day, bore S. by E., distant four leagues. At this time the

most advanced land to the northward bore N., 30° E.; our depth of

water was seventeen fathoms, and the nearest shore 3-1/2 leagues

distant. We had but little wind all the afternoon; so that, at ten at

night, we had only made three leagues upon a north course.

We steered N. by W. till eight the next morning, when, our depth of

water decreasing suddenly to five and seven fathoms, we brought-to,

till a boat from each ship was sent ahead to sound, and then steered

N.E. after them; and at noon we had deepened the water to seventeen

fathoms. At this time, Cape Newenham bore S., 9° E., distant eleven or

twelve leagues; the N.E. extreme of the land in sight N., 66° E.; and

the nearest shore about four or five leagues distant. Our latitude, by

observation, was 59° 16'.

Between this latitude and Cape Newenham, the coast is composed of

hills and low land, and appeared to form several bays. A little before

one o'clock, the boats ahead made the signal for meeting with shoal

water. It seems they had only two fathoms; and at the same time the

ships were in six fathoms. By hauling a little more to the northward,

we continued in much the same depth till between five and six o'clock,

when the boats meeting with less and less water, I made the signal

to the Discovery, she being then ahead, to anchor, which we did soon

after. In bringing our ship up, the cable parted at the clinch, which

obliged us to come-to with the other anchor. We rode in six fathoms

water, a sandy bottom, and about four or five leagues from the

main land; Cape Newenham bearing S., seventeen leagues distant. The

farthest hills we could see to the north, bore N.E. by E.; but there

was low land stretching out from the high land as far as N. by E.

Without this was a shoal of sand and stones, that was dry at half ebb.

I had sent the two masters, each in a boat, to sound between this

shoal and the coast. On their return, they reported, that there was a

channel, in which they found six and seven fathoms water; but that it

was narrow and intricate. At low water, we made an attempt to get a

hawser round the lost anchor, but did not succeed then. However,

being determined not to leave it behind me, as long as there was a

probability of recovering it, I persevered in my endeavours, and at

last succeeded in the evening of the 20th.

While we were thus employed, I ordered Captain Clerke to send his

master in a boat to look for a passage in the S.W. quarter. He did so;

but no channel was to be found in that direction; nor did there appear

to be any way to get clear of these shoals, but to return by the track

which had brought us in. For although, by following the channel

we were in, we might probably have got farther down the coast; and

though, possibly, this channel might have led us at last to the north,

clear of the shoals, still the attempt would have been attended with

vast risk; and if we should not have succeeded, there would have been

a considerable loss of time that could ill be spared. These reasons

induced me to return by the way in which we came; and so get without

the shoals.

A number of lunar observations, made by Mr King and myself on this

and the four preceding days, and all reduced to the ship's present

station, gave the longitude

197° 45' 48"

By the time-keeper it was 197 26 48

Our latitude was 59 37 30

Variation by the \ A.M. 23° 34' 3" \

mean of three } P.M. 22 19 40 / mean 22° 56' 51" E.

compasses, /

The northernmost part of the coast that we could see from this

station, I judged to lie in the latitude of 60°. It seemed to form a

low point, which obtained the name of _Shoal-Ness_.

The tide of flood sets to the north, and the ebb to the south. It

rises and falls, upon a perpendicular, five or six feet; and I reckon

it to be high-water on the full and change days at eight o'clock.