394 



A VOYAGE TO 



'778- At two o'clock next morning, being the iflof June, the 



• '^r-^ — t mafter returned, and reported that he found the inlet, or, 



°" ^^ '* rather, river, contraded to the breadth of one league, by 

 low land on each fide, through which it took, a Northerly 

 direftion. He proceeded three leagues through this narrow 

 part, which he found navigable for the largeft fhips, being 

 from twenty to feventcen fathoms deep. The lead water, 

 at a proper diftance from the (hore and fhoals, was ten fa- 

 thoms ; and this was before he entered tlie narrow part. 

 While the ebb or llream run down, the water was per- 

 fedlly frefli ; but, after the flood made, it became brackifli ; 

 and, toward high water, very much fo, even as high up as 

 he went. He landed upon an iUand, which lies between 

 this branch and the Eaflern one ; and upon it faw fome cur- 

 rant buflies, with the fruit already fet ; and fome other 

 fruit-trees and buflies, unknown to him. The foil appeared 

 to be clay, mixed with fand. About three leagues beyond 

 the extent of his fearcli, or to the Northward of it, he ob- 

 ferved there was another feparation in the Eaftern chain of 

 mountains, through which lie luppofed the river took a 

 North Eaft direction j but it feemed rather more probable 

 that this was only another branch, and that the main chan- 

 nel kept its Northern direcftion, between the two ridges or 

 chains of mountains before mentioned. He found that 

 tliefe two ridges, as they extended to the North, inclined 

 more and more to each other, but never appeared to clofe ; 

 nor was any elevated land fcen between them, only low 

 land, part woody, and part clear. 



All hopes of finding a paflage were now given up. But 

 as the ebb was almoft fpcnt, and we could not return againfl: 

 the flood, I thought 1 might as well take the advantage of 



the 



