1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. SZ5 



anchored before a small cove, a little within the 

 cape, in eight fathoms' water, a clayey bottom, and 

 about a quarter of a mile from the shore. 



The boats were then hoisted out, some to sound, 

 and others to fish. The seine was drawn in the 

 cove ; but without success, for it was torn. At 

 some short intervals, the fog cleared away, and gave 

 us a sight of the lands around us. The cape bore 

 south by west half west, one league distant ; the west 

 point of the inlet south-west by west, distant five 

 leagues ; and the land on that side extended as far 

 as west by north. Between this point and north-west 

 by west, we could see no land ; and what was in the 

 last direction seemed to be at a great distance. The 

 westernmost point we had in sight on the north shore, 

 bore north north-west half west, two leagues distant. 

 Between this point and the shore under which we 

 were at anchor is a bay about three leagues deep ; 

 on the south-east side of which there are two or three 

 coves, such as that before which we had anchored ; 

 and in the middle some rocky islands. 



To these islands Mr. Gore was sent in a boat, in 

 hopes of shooting some eatable birds. But he had 

 hardly got to them, before about twenty natives made 

 their appearance in two large canoes ; on which he 

 thought proper to return to the ships, and they fol- 

 lowed him. They would not venture along-side, but 

 kept at some distance, holloing aloud, and alter- 

 nately clasping and extending their arms ; and, in a 

 short time, began a kind of song exactly after the 

 manner of those at Nootka. Their heads were also 

 powdered with feathers. One man held out a white 

 garment, which we interpreted as a sign of friend- 

 ship ; and another stood up in the canoe, quite naked, 

 foralmost a quarter of an hour, with his arms stretched 

 out like a cross, and motionless. The canoes were 

 not constructed of wood, as at King George's or 

 Nootka Sound. The frame only, being slender laths, 

 was of that substance ; the outside consisting of 



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