Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 12.djvu/37

EARLY NAVIGATION OF THE STRAITS OF FUCA 29 out of that bay, rounded Cape Flattery which, says Haswell, is "the south cape of ye straits of Juan de Fuca," and turned southward. On the 4th April, the Washington was in latitude 47 35'. Still proceeding southward, a heavy gale was encountered, so that the little sloop was reduced to a three-reefed mainsail and the head of the foresail, and on the 6th April, as its violence showed no sign of abating, Captain Gray determined to bear away for Fuca strait and Port San Juan. But the gale still continuing with hail and sleet, and the sea running very high, and the tide very strong, he found himself on the morning of the 9th April, close to Clayoquot. He therefore entered the harbor and anchored there. On the 12th April, the Washington again left Clayoquot, and after some difficulties in the navigation of Barkley sound, steered for the strait of Fuca. At daylight of the 18th, the strait was open to view. At noon Cape Flattery bore E. Y^ S. distant, 7 leagues. Haswell's log is at this point quite in- definite as to locality, but it seems that the vessel kept along the Washington shore, south of Cape Flattery, during the early hours of the 19th, and lay to off a village to the south- ward of Foggy rocks (now known as Umatilla reef), where a considerable number of good sea-otter skins were purchased at the rate of five iron chisels per skin. At noon on the 19th the latitude was 48 1' N. The morning of the 20th saw the Washington once more in the vicinity of Tatooche island. The incoming tide set so strong, says Haswell, "that though it was calm all the succeeding night we were hurried into the straits." He continues : "At daylight several canoes came off and upwards "of 30 sea-otter skins were purchased, but we had the mortifi- "cation to see them carry off near 70 others, all of excellent "quality, for want of chisels to purchase them, and they re- peatedly told us they had great abundance on shore." Has- well does not indicate the situation of the vessel at this time, but at any rate it must have been near Tatooche island, per- haps as far inside the strait as Neah bay. Having no chisels