Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/296



284 JOHN BOIT

Harbour. Bore away and anchored under a point of land, in 17 fm. sandy bottom, let go three anchors, it being a wild road stead. We remain'd in this station, which we call'd Port Tempest 52 till the 8th and only four Indians made their ap- pearance, and I believe there was no villages 53 in the vicinity. Made severall excursions, with boats, and procur'd many Sal- mon and plenty of Berries. In one of these excursions I discover'd a small rivulet, 54 not deep enough to admit the boat. In it we caught upwards of 100 fine salmon, chiefly with the boat hook and grainz, and shot a deer upon the banks. Crew all in health.

8. Got under way and left Port Tempest (situated on the main land of America), 55 stood over for land in sight to the North'd and westward, and as we approach'd it severall Canoes came off, with furs and halibut.

10. N. Latt. 55 0'; W. Long. 133 0'. Light winds and pleasant, standing to the NW. and 6 P. M. came to with the Kedge 28 fm. Port Tempest bearing NEBN. 12 leagues. The Natives brought us plenty of fine Otter furs. Their Canoes are the same as at Charlotte Isles, some of them capable of carry- ing 30 men. They go well arm'd, with bows, arrows and spears, and appear to be a savage race. I went in the Cutter well arm'd to a small cove, not far distant from the Ship, and soon caught 9 large Halibut. The Ship was concealed by a point of land, making out from the NE. part of the Cove.

12. Still laying at anchor in same situation as on the 10th, the nearest land not above ^ mile distant, and the point of the Cove I was fishing in on 10 inst. about % mile. Mr. Caswell this morning took a Boatswain Mate and one Seaman with

52 This is identified as being near Point Higgins, at the western entrance of Revillagigedo Channel (otherwise Tongass Narrows), which separates Revillagi- gedo Island from the Gravina Group of Islands. The reasons which support this suggested identification are so lengthy that it has been thought better to include them in a "Supplementary Note on the Identification of Port Tempest and Massa- cre Cove," found at the close of the Journal, pages 350-1.

53 Hoskins, however, mentions two, Sushin and Cahta. Some inhabitants of the former were actually on board. The ship was striving to reach Sushin when she anchored near Massacre Cove. The villages were of the Kaigani Haida; the journalist may be referring to villages of the Tlingit; if so, the nearest, according to Vancouver, who was there in August, 1793, was at Point Whaley, perhaps fifty miles distant.

54 The unnamed creek which empties into Ward Cove in Revillagigedo Channel. See supplementary note hereto.

55 Until Vancouver circumnavigated Revillagigedo Island in August, 1793, it was thought to be part of the mainland. Port Tempest was near Point Higgins, the westerly point of that island.