Mensies Journal. 



Lezuis Channel. 



71 



little presents in the Canoe such as Beads Medals Looking 

 Glasses pieces of Iron & Copper &c to convince them on 

 their return that we were amicably disposd, but on looking 

 into it on the following day we found these Articles 

 untouchd on which account it had not probably been visited. 



Tho these Channels are a considerable distance rcmovd 

 from the Ocean yet we found them frequented by Whales 

 Seals & Porpusses, but we saw very few sea Otters, which 

 shews that these Animals are not fond of penetrating far 

 into the inland branches tho the Channels are deep & 

 spacious abounding with insulated / Rocks & Caverns that 

 form commodious recesses for such Animals. 



The Shores in general were steep rocky & indented 

 forming in many places high perpendicular precipices with 

 scarcely a sandy Cove to be met with. The sides of the 

 Mountains which were high & broken with immense Rocks 

 & precipices, were mostly coverd with tall Pines except their 

 upper region which was checquerd with Snow & every where 

 presented a dreary & gloomy aspect, especialy amongst the 

 Continental Mountain where the Vegetable Creation became 

 scanty & stinted & where lifeless tracks of huge lofty Rocks 

 prevaild forming Mountains of immense elevation. 



On the afternoon of the following day the same Boats 

 were again dispatchd provided with a weeks provision 

 under the Command of the same Officers with orders to 

 proceed to the South Eastward along the Continental Shore 

 as far as they might find it necessary to confirm its connec- 

 tion with our present situation, as the Vessels had passed it 

 in a cursory manner on the evening of their arrival here & 

 on their way back to obtain some knowledge of the relative 

 position of the Islands scattered through this great Inlet & 

 the trendings of the opposite shore as far as their time would 

 allow to elucidate our further progress. 



Next forenoon Mr. Johnstone returnd to the Discovery 

 with the two Boats under his Command & from his Report 

 I am enabled to draw up the following short detail of their 

 proceedings. On meeting the Spanish Launch the day after 

 they set out as already noticd / they enterd the Northern Arm 

 wdiere we left oflf exploring in the last excursion, as w-e had 

 then surmisd, & tracd it but a short distance when they 

 were joind by two Canoes from the Western shore of it, 

 containing about a dozen or fourteen of the Natives. The 



1792. 

 June 30tb. 



July 1st. 



July 2nd. 



Bute Inlet. 



