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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 63° 23', and 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 had 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 everything 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 martens. 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.

CHAPTER 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 west south-west and south south-west, 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 west, with which we got under sail, and at eight passed the Barren Isles, and stretched away for Cape St. Hermogenes. At noon this cape bore south south-east, eight leagues distant; and the passage between the island of that name and the main land, bore south. 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 north-west 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 south half east to south south-east, a quarter east; and the rocks that lie on the north side of it bore southeast, 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 north, four leagues distant. At this time, the southernmost point of the main land, within or to the westward of St. Hermogenes, lay north half west, 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 west of it, obtained the name of Whitsuntide Bay. The land on the east side of this bay, of which Cape Whitsunday is the 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 straight or passage that separates it from the main land.

Between one and two in the afternoon, the wind, which had been at north-east, shifted at once to the southward. It was unsettled till six, when it fixed at south, 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 west south-west. In this situation, we tacked in thirty-five fathoms water, the island of

In stand

St. Hermogenes bearing north, 20° E., and the southernmost land in sight, south. ing 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'; Cape St. Hermogenes bore north, 30" W. eight leagues distant, and the southernmost part of the coast in sight, the same that was seen before, bore south-west, 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 south, 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 south-east by south, and south south-east, 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 south-west, in the evening of the 12th, we had a sight of the land bearing west, 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 north-east half east, ten miles distant; and the coast extended from north, 42° E. to west south-west. The northeast extreme was lost in a haze; but the point to the south-west, 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 incumbered 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 south-west by west, 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 south, 69° W.; and without it other land, that had the appearance of an island, bore south, 59° W.

At noon, on the 13th, being in latitude 56° 49', Cape St. Barnabas bore north, 52° E.; Two-headed Point north, 14° W. seven or eight miles distant; and the coast of the continent extended as far as south, 724 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 east and west. 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* ; but its situation so near the main does not suit his chart.

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

*Tamannoi-ostrow, c'est-à-dire, L'isle Nebuleuse. Muller, p. 261.

a low point facing Trinity Island, and which we called Cape Trinity, now bore west northwest. 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 north-east of it, nor does the 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 south; and we had reason to expect that it would soon be at south-east. Experience having taught us that a southeasterly wind was 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 south south-east; which, before midnight, veered to the south-east; 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 west north-west, 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 north-west, 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 got sight of the coast again, extending from west by south to north-west, 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 west south-west to north-east by north; and some elevated land, bearing south-east half south; by estimation eight or nine leagues distant. The north-east 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 but little wind all night, a breeze sprung up at north-west. 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 220° 45'; 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 north by west; a point, with three or four pinnacle rocks upon it, which was called Pinnacle Point, bore north-west by west; and a cluster of small islets, or rocks, lying about nine leagues from the coast south south-east. At noon, when our latitude was 56° 9', and our longitude 201° 45', these rocks bore south, 58° E, ten miles distant; Pinnacle Point, north north-west, distant seven leagues; the nearest part of the main land north-west by west, six leagues distant; and the most advanced land to the south-west, which had the appearance of being an island, bore west, 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 south-west to north north-east; the nearest part about eight leagues distant.

On the 17th, the wind was between west and north-west, a gentle breeze, and sometimes

VOL. II.

Y

almost calm. The weather was clear, and the air sharp and dry. At noon, the continent extended from south-west to north by east; the nearest part seven leagues distant. A large group of islands lying about the same distance from the continent, extended from south 26° W., to south 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 south-west 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, revolving backward as a ram's horn. The bill and feet are red. It is, perhaps, the Alca monochora of Steller, mentioned in the history of Kamtschatka*. 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 other large fish.

In the afternoon we got a light breeze of wind southerly, which enabled us to steer west for the channel that appeared between the islands and the continent; and at daybreak 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 a 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 †, according to the information we afterward received. I left the rest of them without names. I believe them to be the same that Beering calls Schumagin's Islands; or those islands 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 showed themselves between the innermost islands were quite covered with it. 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. 3° E., and the westernmost point of land now in sight, S. 82o 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.

*P. 153, Eng. Trans.

† See an account of Kodiak in Stæhlin's New Northern Archipelago, pp. 30. 39.
Sec Muller's "Découvertes des Russes," pp. 262. 277.

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