30 



Mensies' Journal. 



Admiralty Inlet. 



1792. 



May 14th. 

 Skunk. 



May 15th. 



Port Discovery 

 again. 



North-western 



Redwing 



(Agelaius 



phoeniceus 



caurinus). 



May 16th. 



time within some distance of where it fell. I satisfied 

 myself however that it was the Skunk {Viverra Putorius). 



The morning of the 15th was thick fogg with constant 

 rain which entirely frustrated the design of any further 

 researches, & as all our provisions were now expended we 

 were obligd to set out pretty early for the Vessels without 

 waiting the return of fine weather, in this we were luckily 

 assisted by a fresh breeze from the South East which 

 enabled us to reach the Port by three in the afternoon, wet 

 hungry & uncomfortable. 



In this excursion which carried us about (blank) Miles 

 in a southerly direction from the Port we saw only the few 

 Natives / I have already mentioned, silence & solitude 

 seemd to prevail over this fine & extensive country, even 

 the featherd race as if unable to endure the stillness that 

 pervaded every where had in a great measure abandond it 

 & were therefore very scarce — A few large Cranes that 

 inhabited the inland pastures, some white headed eagles that 

 hoverd over the Arms & pearchd in the trees on both sides 

 watching for fish seemingly their only prey, a few Ducks 

 that were seen in two or three places on the ponds behind 

 the points & a kind of small Blackbird with red Shoulders 

 (Oriolus phoenicius) that hopped about amongst the Bull- 

 rushes with a few Crows that seemed to accompany the 

 Indians comprehended our ornithological list of this exten- 

 sive tract. We found every where a due depth of Water 

 for the purposes of Navigation but fresh water was scarce, 

 a few runs we here & there fell in with supplied our wants 

 but many of these would no doubt be dried up in the 

 summer months. The land on each side of us was of a 

 moderate height & nearly level till we came to the foot of 

 that ridge of lofty mountains between us & the sea coast 

 which extended as far to the South ward as we went. 



On the 1 6th the wind was light & unsettled with Rain 

 & thick weather — We were visited by some of the Natives 

 in a single Canoe & during our absence they frequented the 

 Port in greater numbers, one day in particular about thirty 

 came in four or five Canoes & they always behavd them- 

 selves quiet & harmless — They all spoke a dialect of the 

 Nootkan language, hence it is / probable that this forms 

 the Eastern boundary of that great & numerous nation, 

 though I am inclind to think that its limits hardly extend so 



