Page:Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World in the Years 1791–95, volume 1.djvu/399

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A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY


1703.

tcrod an iiiKt, whole callcMti lirli- is fcMiuofl by a long narrow jjcninfula. tlio Couth extreme of which is fitnatcd in latitude 50", longitudi' 2,'}V'0'- Tltis promontory, alter my lirft lieutenant, wlio had alio diCeovercd the inlet from the top of a mountain he had afeended in this neii^hbour- liood, obtained the name of I*oiT Muunn. It forms a channel with the main land of the wellern fide of the gulph of about a mile in width, nearly in a n. n.v'. dirertion ; this was purfued about ;> or , leagues without any apparent tirmination ; the further iluy advanced the more extenfive it was found. The tide, which was regular, was alio rapid, and tin- flcxxl cidently came from the north-weft ward : all thelecircum- llanees indicating the chaiuiel to be of confidcrable extent, they return- ed to communicate this intelligence.

On point Mudge was a very large village of the natives, many of whom vifited the party on their paffing and repalling by it. who uniformly condutk'd themfelves with the greatell civility and refpect. On the wellern Ihore, immediately without the entrance of the inlet, they found a rivulet of excellent freih water. The pafl'age up the inlet is perfctUy free from danger, and affords good anchorage. Round point Mudge, at the diOanee of about half a mile, is a ledge of funken rocks ; thfcfe are, however, eafily avoided by the weeds which they produce. From hence their way was dirctled to the northward, in order to join the fliij) through the broken land that exifls between our prefent flat ion and j)()iiit Mudge. This was efPedcd through a very intricate chan- nel full of fimkcn rocks and rocky illets, leading them to the north point of the illand which formed our .s. w. (horc, and bearing from hence n. 53 w., diflant about four miles.

After receiving this information, I waited with no little impatience the return of ihe other boat party ; in the hope that, if no intelligence fhould be derived to facilitate the progrelis of the liiips, there w;is yet a great probability of finding a more comfortable reiling place than that we then occupied. This afforded not a fingle profpect that was pleafing- to the eye, the finalleff recreation on fliore, nor animal nor vege- table food, excepting a erv f(:anty proportion of thole eatables already riefcribcd, and of which the adjacent country was loon cxhaulLcd, alter our