Page:Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World in the Years 1791–95, volume 1.djvu/332

268 •70*' which were now hourly expctlcd, flioulci take Mr. Whiflbcv in one of y^-^-mmj them, iiiul proceed iinmediatcly to the invclligation of that arm of this iiilct. which we had palled on the ealleni {hore, llrctching to the n. n. k. ; and I (Icdied that llie Chathani might he anchored within its entrance in fomc conlpicuous phiee on the (larboard hdi-, where the Difcovery or the bouts would cahly find her, in cafe the rel'ult of my inquiries fhould render it expedient for the vcll'els to proceed further in that direthon. SatuiJay2C. On faturdav morning, accompanied by Mr. Baker in the yawl, and fax'ored by pleafant weather and a fine northerly gale, we departtxl and made confiderablc progrefs. Leaving to the right the opening which )iad been the object of Mr. Puget and Mr, Whidbey's expedition, we diretted our route ;dong the wcftcrn fhore of the main inlet, which is about a league in width ; and as we proceeded the fmoke of feveral fires were feen on its eaflern fhore. When about 4 leagues on a foutherly di- re6lion from the Hiips, we found the courfe of the inlet take a fouth wefterly inclination, which we purfucd about fix miles with (bme little increafeof width. Towards noon we landed on a point on the eaflern fliore, whofe latitude I obferved to be 47° 21', round which we flattered ourfelves we fhould find the inlet take an extenfive eallwardly courfe. This conjefture was fupported by the appearance of a very abrupt di- vifion in the fnowy range of mountains immediately to the fouth of mount Rainier, which was very confpicuous from the fhip, and the main arm of the inlet appearing to ftretch in that direftion from the point we were then upon. We here dined, and although our repafl was foon concluded, the delay was irkfome, as we were exccflively anx- ious to afcertain the truth, of which we were not long held in fufpenfc. For having paffed round the point, we found the inlet to terminate here in an extenfive circular compaft bay, whole waters wafhed the bafe of mount Rainier, though its elevated fummit was yet at a very confi- derablc diflance from the fhore, with which it was connefted by feveral ridges of hills rifing towards it with gradual afcent and much regularity. The forefl trees and the feveral fhades of verdure that covered the hills gradually decreafed in point of beauty until they became invifible ; when the perpetual clothing of liiow commenced, which feemed to form a horizontal