about fixteen miles, to a point called by mc Point Marsdfn, along
the eafhrrn fliore of the canal, concluding it to be the continent, taking ^
a diret}ion s. g k. ; it is conipofed of kind, very moderately elevated,
covered with fine timber, chiefly of the pine kind, and terminating at
the water-fide, with alternate deep rocky cliHs and fiiuill fandv bays,
with a few detached rocks and iflcts lying near it. The wind was ftill
boificrous, with thick, rainy, unpleafant weadier, fo that they could
feldom fee a mile beibrc them ; the)- were, however, fometimes favored
by a light northerly wind, with which, on the 20th, they advanced about
10 leagues further, flill finding the eaflern fliore compact, and the coun-
try of a fimilar defcription to that they had pafTed the preceding day.
Here, at a point in latitude 57", '37', longitude 20.3" 2(/, which I called
Point Parki.r, the party took up their abode for the night, which
was very rainy ; but in the morning of the 2 ill: the weather became fair,
and gave them a diltincl view of the furrounding regi:)n. It was Caen
that they were advancing in a very fpacious ftrait or channel, to all ap-
pearance free from interruption ; its weflern fhore, difl.ant (even miles,
appeared to confifl; of an extenfive traft of land, or a large group of
illands, that feemed to form channels, which took a wedcr!)' direftioii
towards the ocean ; the latter appearing the mofl probable, 1 have ho-
nored this country with the name of King Gkorge tiu; Third's
Archipelago.
The flood-tide, although of fliort d.i .'ion, not running nv-re than two
hours, had, fince their palFing to the fcvih of the fpacious branch, com-
municating with Crofs found, bc' n .-egularly obferved to come from the
louihward, and flongly indicated thr.t 'i'is cliannel likewife communica-
ted wiUi the ocean in a foutherly d'rciLiion. .^s the weather was now
favorable to that purfuit they loll .. limo, but flul kc'.^t along the eaflern
fliore, which, from point Parkci', took a general direction s.7 k. indent-
ed into fevcral finall bavs : the fiiores are low, .md at liigh tide are much
divided bv the water. A league to the s.i:. of point Parker, in one of
thcl'e bays, is an opening about the eighth part of a mile wide, where
many of the natives in their canoes were alfembkd, and IVom the treat-
ment our party had lately received, it was neceflar; that their fire-arms
1794. July.
fliould
