Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 12.djvu/36

28 F. W. How AY an almost easterly direction ; but, as about 4 :30 that afternoon it began to blow hard and the weather looked disagreeable, Captain Gray ran into a "deep bay", called by the natives Pachenat, and by him, Poverty cove, but which from Has- well's description and the location, must be the Port San Juan of our maps. Haswell says : "These people have seen vessels before, as they are acquainted with the effect of firearms, but they all say they never saw a vessel like ours, and I believe we are the first vessel that ever was in this port." The Felice's long boat under Mr. Duffin had been in this port in July, 1788, and in an altercation with the natives had shot one at least, so that they understood by experience the effect of firearms. At eight o'clock in the morning of 31st March, the Wash- ington sailed across to within half a mile of the southern shore of the strait, which she followed for about four leagues to the eastward, but learning from the Indians that there were no furs to be obtained in that direction, Captain Gray tacked across to the northern shore. Wherever this four leagues terminates marks the limit of Captain Gray's examination of the strait. Haswell says : "To have ran further up these straits "at this boisterous season of the year without any knowledge "of where we were going, or what difficulties we might meet "in this unknown sea, would have been the height of impru- "dence, especially as the wind was situated so we could not "return at pleasure. The straits appeared to extend their "breadth a little way above our present situation, and form "a large sea stretching to the east and no land as far as the "eye could reach." The Washington returned once more to the southern shore, and on the following morning "the weather was moderate and clear, and we saw the sun rise clear from the horizon up the straits." That day, when about to enter Neah bay, a violent wind sprang up, and not wishing to be caught on a lee shore, Captain Gray headed for Port San Juan. On the morning of the 3rd April, he left that port again for the southern shore, entered Neah bay, but found his situation too dangerous, sailed