Mensies' Journal. 



Gulf of Georgia. 53 



unbounded horizon to the North West & as we advanced 

 on we could perceive that the. South West shore was com- 

 posed of a broken group of Islands intersected by numerous 

 inlets branching in every direction while the opposite shore 

 on our right appeard streight & formed by a tract of low 

 land backd at some distance by a high broken ridge of 

 snowy mountains stretching to the North west ward from 

 Mount Baker which at Noon bore N78° E<= when our Lati- 

 tude was 48° 50' North about 2 miles off the Eastern shore ; 

 at this place the opening was about 3 leagues wide. 



In the afternoon we continued our course along the 

 Starboard shore with a very light breeze & seemingly a Tide 

 against us so that our progress was very slow & in the 

 evening stood in for a large Bay where we came to an 

 Anchor in 5 fathom over a soft bottom about half a mile 

 from the Shore. 



As this Bay was eligibly situated for the Vessels to stop 

 at, Captain Vancouver & some of the Officers went on shore 

 to look for a commodious place for erecting the Observatory 

 on, & carrying on the other duties wdiile the Boats might be 

 absent. I accompanied this party who landed on the South 

 side of the Bay where we saw the scite of a very large Vil- 

 lage now overgrown with a thick crop of Nettles & bushes, 

 we walkd along the Beach to a low point between us & the 

 bottom of the Bay where we found a delightful clear & level 

 spot cropt with Grass & wild flowers & divided from the 

 forest by a winding stream of fresh water that emptied 

 itself into the bottom of the Bay & added not only to the 

 beauty but to the conveniency of the situation for carrying 

 on all our operations to the best advantage, it was therefore 

 determined to remove the Vessels abreast of this point the 

 next morning & dispatch two boats to examine the Star 

 board shore of the large arm / to the northwestward. 



Early on the Morning of the 12th Cap* Vancouver set 

 off in the Pinnace accompanied by Lieut. Puget in the 

 Launch to explore the Shore & openings on the North side 

 of the great North West Arm. These Boats were well 

 armed & equipped with every necessary for 10 days. 



The Marquee Tents & Observatory were pitchd on 

 the spot allotted for them on the preceeding evening — the 

 Astronomical Instruments & Time-keepers were landed & 

 the necessary observations for ascertaining the rates of the 



1792. 

 June 11th. 



Birch Bay. 



Nettle (Urtica 

 Lyallii). Much 

 used formerly 

 by Indians for 

 making twine 

 and nets. 



June 12th. 



