17?8. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 369 



tuated to a constant trade with foreigners. This in- 

 tercourse would increase their wants, by introducing 

 them to an acquaintance with new luxuries ; and, in 

 order to be enabled to purchase these, they would be 

 more assiduous in procuring skins, which they would 

 soon discover to be the commodity most sought for ; 

 and a plentiful supply of which, I make no doubt, 

 would be had in the country. 



It will appear, from what has been said occasion- 

 ally of the tide, that it is considerable in this river, 

 and contributes very much to facilitate the navigation 

 of it. It is high-water in the stream, on the days of 

 the new and full moon, between two and three o'clock, 

 and the tide rises, upon a perpendicular, between three 

 and four fathoms. The reason of the tide's being 

 greater here, than at other parts of this coast, is easily 

 accounted for. The mouth of the river being situ- 

 ated in a corner of the coast, the flood that comes 

 from the ocean is forced into it by both shores, and 

 by that means swells the tide to a great height. A 

 view of the chart will illustrate this. 



The variation of the compass was c 25 40' E. 



VdL.Vt, & B 



