1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 379 



islands are of a good height, very barren and rugged ; 

 abounding with rocks and steep cliffs, and exhibiting 

 other romantic appearances. There are several snug 

 bays and coves about them ; streams of fresh water 

 run from their elevated parts ; some drift-wood was 

 floating around ; but not a tree or bush was to be seen 

 growing on the land. A good deal of snow still lay 

 on many of them ; and the parts of the continent, 

 which showed themselves between the innermost 

 islands, were quite covered with it. 



At four in the afternoon, we had passed all the 

 islands that lay to the southward of us ; the south- 

 ernmost, at this time, bearing S. 8 E., and the 

 westernmost point of land now in sight, S., 82 W. 

 For this point we steered, and passed between it and 

 two or three elevated rocks that lie about a league to 

 the east of it. 



Some time after we had got through this channel, 

 in which we found forty fathoms water, the Dis- 

 covery, now two miles astern, fired three guns, and 

 brought to, and made the signal to speak with us. 

 This alarmed me not a little ; and as no apparent 

 danger had been remarked in the passage through 

 the channel, it was apprehended that some accident, 

 such as springing a leak, must have happened. A 

 boat was immediately sent to her ; and in a short 

 time returned with Captain Clerke. I now learned 

 from him that some natives, in three or four canoes, 

 who had been following the ship for some time, at 

 length got under his stern. One of them then made 

 many signs, taking off his cap, and bowing, after 

 the manner of Europeans. A rope being handed 

 down from the ship, to this he fastened a small thin 

 wooden case or box ; and having delivered this safe, 

 and spoken something, and made some signs, the 

 canoes dropped astern, and left the Discovery. No 

 one on board her had any suspicion that the box con- 

 tained any thing till after the departure of the ca- 

 noes, when it was accidentally opened, and a piece 



