Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/50

 not had the advantage of much school-education, but who had been constantly at sea since his youth; and though, with the assistance of a few good friends, he had passed through all the stations belonging to a seaman, from an apprentice-boy in the coal-trade to a post-captain in the royal navy, he had no opportunity of cultivating letters."

March 1, 1778, 44° 49', along the Lincoln County Coast

... it was remarkable, that we should still carry with us such moderate and mild weather, so far to the Northward, and so near the coast of an extensive continent, at this time of the year. The present season either must be uncommon for its mildness, or we can assign no reason, why Sir Francis Drake should have met with such severe cold, about this latitude, in the month of June. Vizcaino, indeed, who was near the same place, in the depth of winter, says little of the cold, and speaks of a reach of snowy mountains, somewhere on the coast, as a thing rather remarkable.

March 7, Six Days Later

... The land appeared to be of a moderate height, diversi fied with hills and vallies, and, almost everywhere, covered with wood. There was however no very striking object on any part of it, except one hill, whose elevated summit was flat. This bore East from us, at noon. At Northern extreme, the land formed a point, which I called Cape Foulweather from the very bad weather that we, soon after, met with.

March 11

... That part of the land, which we were so near when we tacked is of moderate height, though in some places it rises higher within. It was diversified with a great many rising grounds and small hills; many of which were entirely covered with tall, straight trees; and others, which were lower, and grew in spots like coppices; but the interspaces, and sides of many of the rising grounds, were clear. The whole, though it might make an agreeable summer prospect, had now an uncomfortable appearance; as the bare grounds toward the coast were all covered with snow, which seemed to be of a considerable depth between the hills and rising grounds; and, in several places toward the sea, it might