Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/100

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A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY


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pafs s. 58 v. (liRant 2 miles; ". dry fand bank k. 81 w. half a mile diftjnt ; the inner breakers on the fame fide n. 3 j i.. at the like dillance; tlie outer breakers on the fouthern fide s. 32 w. dillant 2 miles ; and the inner breakers im that fide, N» 6^ t.; thefe form the channel within the bar: there is alfo a breaker on the bar about a quarter of a mile from the s. vv. point of the northcrnmoft ledge of breakers, which bore s. 50 w. On the morning of the 20th the wind blowing a ftrong gale from the N.E., prevented the Ihip moving; but whilfl the flood tide lafted, the boats were profitably employed in the further examination of the chan- nel. The obferved latitude was found to be 46' 58'^. Fair weather attended the n.e. gale, which continued until the next morning, when the wind veered to the s. e. ; the Daedalus then ftood into the harbour, and was moored about noon in 4 fathoms water, off the north point of entrance. This is a rounding point, bearing by compafs from n. 34 w. to N. 68 w., the former diftant half a mile ; the fouth point of entrance bore s. 20 w. and the intermediate fpace was fliut in from the fea by the reefs. This anchorage was found to oe a very fnug and fafe fituation, and it was a fortunate retreat, as a hard gale of wind fet in from the s. e. with a great deal of rain, which continued until the next morning, when Mr. Whidbey began his examination of the harbour. It feemed to be of no great extent, as the land appeared to be clofely connefted on every fide ; the operation however proved to be very tedious, in confequeficc of the very bad weather, and the ditticulty of approaching the leveral parts of the fhore on which it was neceffary to land. This furvey was not finifhed fo far as the boats could proceed, until the morning of the 26ih. The north point of entrance, named by Mr. Whidbey after N'owrear Captain* Brown, is fituated in latitude 47°, longitude 236" 7'; the va riation of the compafs iS't^aflcrly. From hence its fouthern point of entrance, which obtained the name of Point Hanson after Lieutenant Hanfon who commanded the Daedalus, lies s. 10 e., diftant about 2 miles and a quarter from the former ; the breakers of the northern fide of thechatmel ftretch firft s, 33 vv. for half a U gue, and then s. 72 w. two admiial. I I ^ Oil tthf