Page:Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World in the Years 1791–95, volume 1.djvu/386

320 1792. June. pendous rocky mouiuains rifinq altnofl: pcr[)ciulicularly from the fca, principally compofcd the north weft, north and caflcrn quarters ; on ihefe, pine trees, though not of luxuriant growth, nor of iriuch variety, were produced in great numbers. The jileafing profpetts which the (hores on the eaftern fide ot" the gulph afforded by their contrail with the mountauis of the fnow' barrier, giving a grand and ir.tercding charaftcr to the landfcape, licre no longer exilled; nor had we been enabled to trace that range of mountains far to the north-wcllward of Scotch-Fir point, where the line of coaft forms a very confiderahle angle with that of the barrier mountains. It is however probable, that at fome dillance from our prefent anchorage, where the pcrpendicidar precipices we were now under, would no longer have obftru6ied our view of the inland country, their lofty fummits would have been ftill vifible. The tops of the rugged mountains that compofe thefe (hores were not fufficiently elevated to retain the fnow in funimer, which, in all probability, clothe them during the winter feafon.

Ihe infinitely divided ajipcarance of the region into which we had now arrived, promifed to furnifh ample employment for our boats.

To Lieutenant Puget and Mr. Whidbey in the Difcovcry's launch and cutter, I configned the examination of the continental fliore, from the place where ^"e had loit fight of it the preceding evening. Mr. John- lione, in the Chatham's cutter, accompanied by Mr. Swaine in her launch, were dire6}ed to inveftigate a branch of this found leading to the north weftward; and Sen'- Valdes undertook the furvev of the interme- diate coaft ; by which arrangement the whole, or if not of a very confidc- rablc extent, would foon be determined. Whilft the boats were equip- ping, Mr. Broughton went in queft of a more commodious fituation for the fliips up the found to the north weft.

The weather, which was ferene and extremely pleafant, afforded me an opportunity, in company with Sen'- Galiano and fome of our officers, to vifit the fliore of the ifland, near which we were at anchor, and to determine the fituation of its weft point to be in latitude 50" 6', longitude 235° 26'. With the former Sen'- Galiano's obfervations agreed, but bv his chronometer the longitude was made more wcflerly. My observations