Page:Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World in the Years 1791–95, volume 1.djvu/303

Rh 1705. conR to be fomcwhat indented with finidl l);ivs, where, near the (liore, we had foundings from 5 to 12 fathoms: but in the middle of the canal, though not more than <> miles in width, no bottom could be reached with 1 10 fathonjs of line.

We had not advanced more than r> or 3 ntiles before we lofl tlie ad- vantage of the flood tide, and met a flream that ran conlLmtly down. This, with a very frefh s.w. wind fo retarded our progrefs, that it was not until Iriday noon that we reached the extent above mentioned, which liiday u. we found to be fituated due fouth of our obfervatory in port Dilcovery, in the latitude of /jy' 3fy. From this Ihition, which I called Hazel Point in confequence of its producing manvofihofe trees, the canal divides into two branches, one taking a direftion nearly due north, the other s.w. 'e Hill continued on the right hand, or continental (liore, and found the northern arm terminate at the dillance of about feven miles in a fpacious bafon, where bottom could not be found with 70 fathoms of line. As we returned to take up our abcwlc for the night at the s.w. point of this arm, we obferved fomc fmoke on Oiore, and faw a canoe hauled up into a fmall creek ; but none of the inhabitants could be difcocre(l, nor did we hear or fee any thing of them during the night.

The next morning at four o'clock we again embarked. Having been Saturday k lupplied for five days only, our provifions were greatly e.xhaufted, and the commencement of this, which was the fixth, threatened us with (hort al- lowance. Our fportfnien had been unable to ftfllfl our flock ; and the profpc6l of obtaining any fupplies from the natives was equally uncertain. The region we had lately pafTed feemed nearly deftitute of human beings. The brute creation alfo had defertcd the fliores; the tracks of deer were no longer to be feen ; nor was there an aquatic bird on the whole extent of the canal ; animated nature feemed nearly exhaufted ; and her awful filence was only now and then interrupted by the croaking of a raven, the breathing of a feal, or the fcream of an eagle. Even thefe folitary founds were fo feldom heard, thru the rufl:ling of the breeze along the Ihore, i^iTified by the folemn flillniis that prevailed, gave rife to ri- diculous fulpicions in our feamen of hearing rattlefnakes, and other hideous