Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/209

|7f »• ice, breaking off from the higher parts of the main body, and falling -^—t from a very confiderable height, which in one inftancc produced fo vio- lent a fliock, that it was fenfibly felt by the whole party, although the ground on which they were was at lead 2 leagues from the fpot where the fall of ice had taken place. Mr. Whidbey obferved, that a large portion of the few trees that this defolate and dreary region produced, had been much fliattered by the late ilormy weather; fome were torn up by the roots, others bent to the ground, and fome with their heads intirely broken off. After dinner they returned down this branch along its eafleru fide, which like die oppofite (hore is firm and compatl, until they reached a narrow opening lying fouth, 4 miles diftant from the fecond low projeding point. This opening led them through a narrow paffage, in iome places a mile in others not a quarter of a mile wide, and in an irregular direftion about s. 39 e., and about 3 leagues long, to a point on the continent communicating ;ith the found, and making the land on the well fide of this paffage an ifland about ten miles long, and four miles broad ; its fouth point being the nortb-eall point of entrance into the arm leading to Paffage canal. Here they refled for the night, and in the morning of the 9th -continued their inquiry along the fhores of the continent, which took, though irregularly, about an e. n. e. direftion, ten miles to the fouth- weft point of an arm, which I called Point Pellew, leading to the northward, where the obferved latitude was 60° 51', longitude 212° 57'. The fhores that tompofe this extent of coaft are formed by a low border of land, extending from the bafe of the mountains, much indented with fmall bays, and at high tide great- ly interfered by water; it produces a few dwarf trees, and other infig- nificant vegetable produftions ; and like the other parts of the continent bordering upon the found, is bounded by fmall iflands, iflets, and rocks, extending into the found as far as they were able to difcern, and which rendered the progrefs of the boats tedious and intricate. Ileie they were vifited by a fmall party of the native Indians, who conducted them- felves with great friendlinefs, and very civilly invited our gentlemen to their habitations, which they pointed out to be not far olf; but Mr. W'hidbey's objeft leading him another way, they inutually bade each other