Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/380

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A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY


1793- Augufh

cas de Quadra. The fouth point of its entrance in the chart is, how- ever, placed in gt^° 1 1 , which is lo" further nordi than it appeared to be by our ohfervations.

An cxtenfive opening, dividing the weftern land between N. 60 w., and N. 46 w., was evidently a continuation of the Canal de Rcvilla Gi- gedo, and its fouthern fide, the Ifland de Gravina, The width of this canal at Foggy pomt is about four miles, and abreaft of this ifland not quite a league -, though, in the Spanifii chart, it is laid down at the width of eight or nine miles, from the entrance to this ftation. The land in the Canal de Rcvilla Gigedo was too dillant to admit of our afcertain- ing the fituation of any of its particular points, excepting that above mentioned, lying n. 46-i- w., five miles from this illand ; it is very con- fpicuous, and forms the weft part of an extenfive branch, taking ap- parently a northern courfe along the Ihores of the continent. To this point I gave the name of Point Alava, in compliment to the Spanifii governor at Nootka.

The oppofite, or wedern fhore, particularly to the fouth of tlie Ca- nal de Revilla Gigedo, feemed to be much broken. The Ihores in moft direftions were low. or of a moderate height ; but the more interior country was compofed of mountains covered with iiiow, not only in the eaftern quarter, but to the northward and weflward.

The iflet, on which we had dined, feemed to be formed of different materials from, thofe we had been accuftoined to vifit ; it being one in- tire quarry of flatc. In walking round and acrofs it, through the trees, we found no other fort of ftone. Slate had been frequently ftcn forming a kind of beach, or in thin flrata, lying between the rocks ; but, till now, we had never met with this Ibblhince in fuch a prodigious mufs. This iflet, which obtained the name of Si.a ie Is lei, we quiitt^d, leaving the Canal de Revilla Gigedo to the westward of us, and direfciing our inquiries along the continental fhore, to a point that lies from Slate iflet N. 10 w. four miles. This, after one of the gentlemen of the Dilco- very, I named Poin i' Sv kks. From thence, the continental fhore, which is a little indented and has a few fmall iflets ; d rocks lying near it, takes a diredion about n. 37 k. to a point, which, after Captain Nelfon of the 3 navy.