66 



Menaics' Journal. 



Malaspina Inlet. 



1792. 

 June 27th. 



Tbynne Id. 



Desolation 

 Arm. 

 Mink Id. 



Deep Bay. 



Melville, Mary, 

 and Morgan 

 Ids. 



Prideaiix 

 Haven. 



waterd that it was not thought worth while to put off time 

 in following it further, we therefore put back & breakfasted 

 on a small Island about the middle of it wooded with Pines, 

 after which we returnd out to the great Arm & proceeded 

 along shore to the North Eastward passing a large Island 

 in mid-channel, where the Arm is at least a league wide, 

 We soon after rounded out a deep Bay, on the West side of 

 which we saw a great number of fish stages erected from 

 the ground in a slanting manner, for the purpose of expos- 

 ing the fish f astend to them to the most advantageous aspect 

 for drying. These Stages occupied a considerable space 

 along shore & at a little distance appeard like the Skeleton 

 of a considerable Village; they were made of thin Laths 

 ingeniously fastend together with Withies of the Roots of 

 Pine Trees & from the pains & labor bestowd on them it was 

 natural to infer that Fish must be plenty here at some season 

 of the Year, & that a considerable number of Natives ren- 

 dezvous for the purpose of catching & drying them for 

 winter subsistance, but as we observd no Huts or places of 

 Shelter for their convenience, it is probable they make but 

 a short stay. 



/ After quitting this Bay we followed the same Shore 

 which still trended North Eastward & soon after passed by 

 a narrow Channel on the inside of a Cluster of steep rocky 

 Islands wooded with Pines, but did not proceed above a 

 league when at the farther end of these Islands we came to 

 a small Cove in the bottom of which the picturesque ruins 

 of a deserted Village placd on the summit of an elevated 

 projecting Rock excited our curiosity & indued us to land 

 close to it to view its structure. 



This Rock was inaccessable on every side except a 

 narrow pass from the Land by means of steps that admitted 

 only one person to ascend at a time & which seemd to be 

 well guarded in case of an attack, for right over it a large 

 Maple Tree diffusd its spreading branches in such an 

 advantageous manner as to afford an easy & ready access 

 from the summit of the Rock to a conceald place amongst 

 its branches, where a small party could watch unobservd & 

 defend the Pass with great ease. We found the top of the 

 Rock nearly level & wholly occupied with the skeletons of 

 Houses — irregularly arrangd & very crouded ; in some places 

 the space was enlargd by strong scaffolds projecting over 



