Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/145

Rh rate cate no probability of their being any where interfctlcd by water. That which flowed between the banks of the river Itill retained a very confi- v_ derable degree of faltnefs, and clearly j)roved, that neither bv falls, flats, marlhes, or fens, any largo body of frefli w'ater found its way to the ocean by this communication, and that conlequently, according to the general acceptation of geographical terms, this can be no longer confi- dered as a river ; I fhall therefore diftinguifh it henceforth as an inlet. Thus terminated this very extenfive opening on the coad of North Weft America, to which, had the great and firlt difcoverer of it, whofe name it bears, dedicated one day more to its further examination, lie would have fpared the theoretical navigators, who have followed him in their clofets, the talk of ingrnioufly afcribing to this arm of the ocean a channel, through which a north-weft paffage exifting according to thcir doftrines, might ultimately be difcovered. Whilft we were engaged in making the neceffary obfervations for af- certaining the final termination of Cook's inlet, the northern extent of which was found to be in latitude 61° 29', longitude 211° 17', we were attended by a party of the natives, who condu6led themfelves in the fame orderly manner as thofe we had before feen; they invited us with great carneftnefs to their habitation, which was found on the plain about a mile from the water fide; it confifted of a houfe fimilar to thofe we had feen on the 24th of april, and, like them, appeared to have been conftru6led by the Ruffians; but as it was greatly out of repair, we fuppofed it was now only appropriated as a temporary rcfting place for travellers. Our vifit, I believe, v/as very acceptable, if a judgment might be formed by our reception and the cheerful and affable behaviour of the whole party, who, on finding that our intentions were to depart, fohrited us to prolong our ftay ; and, as an inducement for doing fo, gav^ s to undcrftand, that our friendly joung chief Chatidooltz was at no great diftance, and would foon arrive at their dwelling. But our curiofity being fatisfied, and having no bufinefs to detain us longer, we took our leave, and direded our way back to the fliip wnth the firft of the ebb tide ; and found but juft fufficient depth of water for the boats over the fhallow flat we had to pafs, extending about 5 leagues. About four o'clock in the al'ternoon