177^. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 313 



CHAP. IV. 



A STORM AFTER SAILING FROM NOOTKA SOUND. RESOLU- 

 TION SPRINGS A LEAK. PRETENDED STRAIT OF ADMI- 

 RAL DE FONTE PASSED UNEXAMINED. PROGRESS ALONG 



THE COAST OF AMERICA. BEERING'S BAY. KAV.e's 



ISLAND. ACCOUNT OF IT. THE SHIPS COME TO AN- 

 CHOR. VISITED BY THE NATIVES. THEIR BEHAVIOUR. 



FONDNESS FOR BEADS AND IRON. ATTEMPT TO PLUN- 

 DER THE DISCOVERY. RESOLUTION'S LEAK STOPPED. 



PROGRESS UP THE SOUND. MESSRS. GORE AND ROBERTS 



SENT TO EXAMINE ITS EXTENT, REASONS AGAINST A 

 PASSAGE TO THE NORTH THROUGH IT. THE SHIPS PRO- 

 CEED DOWN IT TO THE OPEN SEA. 



Having put to sea on the evening of the 26th, as 

 before related, with strong signs of an approaching 

 storm, these signs did not deceive us. We were 

 hardly out of the sound before the wind, in an instant, 

 shifted from N.E. to S.E. by E., and increased to a 

 strong gale with squalls and rain, and so dark a sky 

 that we could not see the length of the ship. Being 

 apprehensive, from the experience I had since our 

 arrival on this coast, of (he wind veering more to the 

 S., which would put us in danger of a lee-shore, 

 we got the tacks on board, and stretched off to the 

 S.W., under all the sail the ships could bear. For- 

 tunately the wind veered no farther southerly than 

 S.E., so that at day-light the next morning we were 

 quite clear of the coast. 



The Discovery being at some distance a-stern, I 

 brought to, till she came up, and then bore away, 

 steering N.W., in which direction I supposed the 

 coast to lie. The wind was at S. E., blew very hard, 

 and in squalls, with thick hazy weather. At half 

 past one in the afternoon, it blew a perfect hurri- 

 cane, so that I judged it highly dangerous to run 



