T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 431 



fathoms, over a bottom of fine fand. Two hours after we ^'7^- 



July. 

 had anchored, thq water had fallen two feet and upward ; « , — -/ 



which proved, that it was the tide of ebb that came from 



the river above mentioned. We alfo examined fome of the 



water which we had taken up, and found that it was not 



half fo fait as common fea water. This f urnifhcd another 



proof, that we were before a large river. 



At four in the afternoon, the wind fhifting to South Wert, 

 we weighed and flood to the Southward, with boats ahead 

 founding ; and pafTedover the South end of the flioal, in fix 

 fathoms water. We then got into thirteen and fifteen ; in 

 which lafl depth we anchored, at half pad eight ; fome part 

 of the chain of mountains, on the South Eafl fhore, in fight, 

 bearing South Eaft half South ; and the Wefternmoll land on 

 the other (liore, North Weft. We had, in the courfe of the 

 day, feen high land, bearing North, 60° Weft, byeftimation 

 twelve leagues diftant. 



Having weighed next morning, at two o'^clock, with a Saturday u. 

 light breeze at South Weft by Weft, we plied to windward 

 till nine ; when judging the flood tide to be now made 

 againft us, we came to an anchor in twenty-four fathoms. 

 We lay here till one, when the fog, which had prevailed 

 this morning, difperfing, and the tide making in our fa- 

 vour, we weighed and plied to the South Weft. In the 

 evening, the wind was very variable, and we had fome 

 thunder. We had heard none before, fince our arrival upon 

 the coaft ; and this was at a great diftance. 



The wind having fettled again in the South Weft quarter, 

 in the morning of the 12th, we flood to the North Weft, and Sundayia. 

 at ten faw the continent. At noon, it extended from North 

 Eaft by North, to North North Weft a quarter Weft ; and an 



elevated 



