AGREEABLY to the proposed destination of each vessel, the Discovery and Chatham, at noon, on Friday the 18th of May, directed their course towards the objects of their respective pursuits; and as I had already traced the western shore in the boats, we now kept the eastern side on board, which, like the other, abounds with those verdant open places that have been so repeatedly noticed. On one of these beautiful lawns, nearly a league within the entrance of the inlet, about thirty of the natives came from the surrounding woods, and attentively noticed us as we sailed along. We did not discover any habitations near them, nor did we see any canoes on the beach: On the south side of the lawn, were many uprights in the ground, which had the appearance of having formerly been the supporters of their large wooden houses. We used our endeavors to invite these good people on board, but without effect. After advancing about four leagues up the inlet, the pleasant gale, which had attended. us from the N. W. died away, and a strong ebb making against us, we were compelled to anchor for the night, in 18 fathoms water, about half a mile from the eastern shore: Marrow-Stone point bearing by compass N. 56 W.; the N. E. point of Oak-cove S. 48 W.; and the Foulweather bluff S. 51 E. During the night, we had a gentle southerly breeze, attended by a fog which continued until nine o'clock on Saturday morning the 19th, when it was dispersed by a return of the N. W. wind, with which we pursued our route up the inlet; our progress was, however, soon retarded by the fore [Original Journal, Pages 117-119.] [May, 1792.] topsail yard giving way in the slings; on examination it appeared to have been in a defective state some time. The spare fore-topsail yard was also very imperfect; which obliged us to get the spare main-topsail yard up in its room; and it was a very fortunate circumstance, that these defects were discovered in a country abounding with materials to which we could resort; having only to make our choice. from amongst thousands of the finest spars the world produces. To describe the beauties of this region, will, on some future occasion, be a very grateful task to the pen of a skilful panegyrist. The serenity of the climate, the innumerable pleasing landscapes, and the abundant fertility that unassisted nature puts forth, require only to be enriched by the industry of man with villages, mansions, cottages, and other buildings, to render it the most lovely country that can be imagined; whilst the labour of the inhabitants would be amply rewarded, in the bounties which nature seems ready to bestow on cultivation. About noon, we passed an inlet on the larboard or eastern shore, which seemed to stretch far to the northward; but, as it was out of the line of our intended pursuit of keeping the continental shore on board, I continued our course up the main inlet, which now extended as far as, from the deck, the eye could reach, though, from the masthead, intervening land appeared, beyond which another high round mountain covered with snow was discovered, apparently situated several leagues to the south of mount Rainier, and bearing by compass S. 22 E. This I considered as a further extension of the eastern snowy range; but the intermediate mountains, connecting it with mount Rainier, were not sufficiently high to be seen at that distance. Having advanced about eight leagues from our last night's station, we arrived off a projecting point of land, not formed by a low sandy spit, but rising abruptly in a low cliff about ten or twelve feet from the water side. Its surface was a beautiful meadow covered with luxuriant herbage; on its western extreme, bordering on the woods, was an Indian village, consisting of [Original Journal, Pages 119-120.] [May, 1792.] temporary habitations, from whence several of the natives assembled to view the ship as we passed by; but none of them ventured off, though several of their canoes were seen on the beach. Here the inlet divided into two extensive branches, one taking a south-eastwardly, the other a southwestern direction. Near this place was our appointed rendezvous with the Chatham; and under a small island to the S. W. of us, appeared an eligible spot, in which, with security, we might wait her arrival; but, on approaching it, we found the depth of water no where less that 60 fathoms, within a cable's length of the shore. This obliged us to turn up towards the village point, where we found a commodious. roadstead; and about seven o'clock in the evening, anchored about a mile from the shore in 38 fathoms water, black sand and muddy bottom. The village point bore by compass N. 4 E.; the nearest opposite shore of the main inlet N. 52 E. about a league distant; and the direction of its southern extent S. E.; the above island lying before the branch leading to the south-westward, bore from S. 36 E. to south, about half a league distant; and the appearance of a small inlet or cove, west, about the same distance. We had no sooner anchored than a canoe in which were two men, paddled round the ship. We attempted to induce them, but they were not to be prevailed upon, to enter the vessel; and having satisfied their curiosity, they hastily returned to the shore. Before the evening closed in, I proceeded to acquire some information respecting the small opening to the westward. It was nearly dark before I reached the shore, which seemed to form a small cove about half a mile in width, encircled by compact shores, with a cluster of rocks above water, nearly in its center, and little worthy of further notice. On my return on board, I directed that a party, under the command of Lieutenant Puget and Mr. Whidbey, should, in the launch and cutter, proceed, with a supply of provisions for a week, to the examination of that branch of the inlet leading to the south-westward; keeping always the starboard or continental shore on board; which was accordingly carried into execution, at four o'clock the next morning. [Original Journal, Pages 120-122.] [May, 1792.] Our situation being somewhat incommoded by the meeting of different tides, we moved nearer in, and anchored in the same depth, and on the same bottom as before, very conveniently to the shore. Our eastern view was now bounded by the range of snowy mountains from mount Baker, bearing by compass north to mount Rainier, bearing N. [S.] 54 E. The new mountain was hid by the more elevated parts of the low land; and the intermediate snowy mountains in various rugged and grotesque shapes, were seen just to rear their heads above the lofty pine trees, which appearing to compose one uninterrupted forest, between us and the snowy range, presented a most pleasing landscape; nor was our western view destitute of similar diversification. The ridge of mountains on which mount Olympus is situated, whose rugged summits were seen no less fancifully towering over the forest than those on the eastern side, bounded to a considerable extent our western horizon; on these however, not one conspicuous eminence arose, nor could we now distinguish that which on the sea coast appeared to be centrally situated, and forming an elegant bi-forked-mountain. From the southern extremity of these ridges of mountains, there seemed to be an extensive tract of land moderately elevated and beautifully diversified by pleasing inequalities of surface, enriched with every appearance of fertility. On Sunday the 20th, in the meadow and about the village many of the natives were seen moving about, whose curiosity seemed little excited on our account. One canoe only had been near us, from which was thrown on board the skin of some small animal, and then it returned instantly to the shore. Our carpenters were busily engaged in replacing the topsail yards with proper spars, which were conveniently found for that purpose. Some beer was brewed from the spruce, which was here very excellent, and the rest of the crew were employed in a variety of other essential services. The gentle N. W. wind generally prevailed in the day, and calms, or light southerly breezes during the night. Towards noon I went on shore to the village point, for the purpose of observing the latitude; on which occasion I [May, 1792.] [Original Journal, Pages 122-124.] visited the village, if it may be so dignified, as it appeared the most lowly and meanest of its kind. The best of the huts were poor and miserable, constructed something after the fashion of a soldier's tent, by two cross sticks about five feet high, connected at each end by a ridge-pole from one to the other, over some of which was thrown a coarse kind of mat, over others a few loose branches of trees, shrubs, or grass, none however appeared to be constructed for protecting them, either against the heat of summer, or the inclemency of winter. In them were hung up to be cured by the smoke of the fire they kept constantly burning, clams, muscles, and a few other kinds of fish, seemingly intended for their winter's subsistence. The clams perhaps were not all reserved for that purpose, as we frequently saw them strung and worn about the neck, which, as inclination directed, were eaten, two, three, or half a dozen at a time. This station did not appear to have been preferred for the purpose of fishing, as we saw few of the people so employed; nearly the whole of the inhabitants belonging to the village, which consisted of about eighty or an hundred men, women, and children, were busily engaged like swine, rooting up this beautiful verdant meadow in quest of a species of wild onion, and two other roots, which in appearance and taste greatly resembled the saranne, particularly the largest; the size of the smallest did not much exceed a large pea: this Mr. Menzies considered to be a new genus. The collecting of these roots was most likely the object which attached them to this spot; they all seemed to gather them with much avidity, and to preserve them with great care, most probably for the purpose of making the paste I have already mentioned. These people varied in no essential point from the natives we had seen since our entering the straits. Their persons were equally ill made, and as much besmeared with oil and different colored paints, particularly with red ochre, and a sort of shining chaffy mica, very ponderous, and in color much resembling black lead; they likewise possessed more ornaments, especially such as were made of copper, the article most valued and esteemed amongst them. They seemed not |