Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/542

500 did they feem to wifli, on any occafion ^•llatever, to elude the vigilance of their direftors. For feme of our commodities that were valuable to them, they would offer their furs in exchange ; but in no inftance did they propofe any thing of the kind to Ikle to the difad vantage of their employers. 'I'he Ruflians, mofl; Jikcly, unable to reduce the inhabitants of the infular country to the Ibuth-cailward from Crofs found, have preferred to fit down amongd thofe to liie wcftward ; where, from the compatlncfs of the coaft, and the lofty impaflable mountains which approach the fea (hore, the natives are relhained from indulging in the wandering life to which their more eaftern neighbours are accuftomed, and who being a much more warlilie race, may poITibly have been found by the Ruffians to be lefs tradable.

Notwithftanding that our furvcy of the coafl of North- Weft America has afforded to our minds the moft fatisfaftory proof that no navigable communication whatever exifts between the north pacific and north atlantic oceans, from t'^e 30th to the 56th degree of north latitude, nor between the waters of the pacific, nor any of die lakes or rivers in the interior part of the continent of North America ; yet, as it is very difficult to undeceive, and more fo to convince tlic human mind, when prepoffeffed of long-adopted notions, however erroncoufly they may have been founded, and efpecially when circumftances may be reforted to which have the appearance of being capable of furnifhing new matter for ingenious fpeculative opinions, it may not be improper to ftate, that Xo'vaioft although, from unavoidable circumftances, Mr. Broughton* was compelled, in his examination of Columbia river, to defift from attempting to afcertain the navigable extent of the feveral finall branches which fall into that river, yet that gentleman was thoroughly convinced, from the view he had obtained of each, and the circumftances attendant on them all, that no one of thofe branches admitted of any navigable communication whatever with the interior country.

With rel'pe6l to the ancient difcoveries of De Fuca, they appear to be upheld by tradition alone, and ought therefore to be received with great latitude, and to be credited wit^' ftill more caution. A celebrated S writer i.iptam the idval