Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/364

334 «794- November. Sunday tS.

which I acquainted Governor Borica, by letter, on funday morning, and at the fame time added, that I (hould reprefent the bufmefs fully to the Board of Admiralty, kad that I had no doubt that the flridlefl judice would be done. With this the governor feemed to be complete- ly, fatisfied, and in his letter to this efFeft, after exprefTing the greateft approbation, he, in virtue of the harmony and good underftanding that continued to exift between us, folicited my good offices in behalf of thedeferters before mentioned.

The weather, fince the 8th, had been delightfully pleafant; in the day-time the wind blew a gentle gale from the fea, and during the night a calm, or gentle breeze, prevailed from the land, fo that the precaution we had taken of ftriking our yards and topmads, fmce the moment of our having fo done, ceafed to be neceflary. This agreeable weather caufed the water in the bay to be fo very tranquil, that landing was eafily effeft- ed on any of its fliores, and rendered our intercourfe with the country extremely pleafant.

The fame caufe operated to invite the excurfions of feveral parties into the country on foot and on horfeback. Thefe were rendered further agreeable and pleafant, by the friendly and attentive behaviour of our Spanifh friends, of which I was feldom able to avail myfelf, not only from the various matters of bufinefs in which I was deeply engaged, but from the very debilitated ftate of my health, under which I had feverely laboured during the eight preceding months; I was, however, Wfdncf. 19. on wednefday able to join in a party to the valley through which the Monterrey river flows, and was there gratified with the fight of the moft extraordinary mountain I had ever beheld. On one fide it prefented the appearance of a fumptuous edifice fallen into decay; the columns which looked as if they had been raifed with much labour and induftry, were of great magnitude, feemed to be of an elegant form, and to be compofed of the fame cream-coloured fl;one, of which I have before made mention. Between thefe magnificent columns were deep excavations, refembling different paflages into the interior parts of the fuppofed building, whofe roof being the fummit of the mountain appeared to be wholly fupported by thefe columns rifing perpendicularly with the moft minute . mathematical