84 



Menzies' Journal. 



Mensics Bay. 



1792. 

 July 14th. 



Menzies' Bay, 

 on the west or 

 larboard shore. 



Nymphe Cove. 



DiscOTery 

 Passage. 



Seymour 

 Narrows. 



Elk Bay. 



/ Early in the morning of the 14th both Vessels 

 weighed & ply'd up the Arm against a fresh North West 

 Wind till we gaind about ten Miles & then Anchord again 

 about 8 in the forenoon in a small Bay on the Star board 

 Shore, where we intended to remain till our Boats returnd. — 

 In the afternoon the Captain & some of the Gentlemen going 

 on shore to make some Astronomical observations gave me 

 an opportunity to accompany them to examine the natural 

 productions of the Country, which I found here exceeding 

 barren & met nothing new except a species of Penstemon. 

 We afterwards visited two Huts in a small Cove close to 

 our landing place containing several Families to the Amount 

 of about thirty people, & as my time was not otherwise much 

 occupied I got them to count their Numerals which I found 

 to agree nearly with those of the East side of the Gulph of 

 New Georgia ; hence it is probable that they spoke a broken 

 dialect of the same language, of which however our constant 

 movement from place to place did not suffer us to obtain 

 but a very superficial knowledge. We therefore consider 

 this to be about the Western limits of that Nation as we 

 soon afterwards fell in with the Nootka language. 



The small Bay we now occupied lays in Latitude 50° 8' 

 North & Longitude 234° 45' East. The Tide of Flood came 

 here from the Westward in a strong race & the Vertical rise 

 was from eight to ten feet. The Country around us was of 

 a moderate height & of a very hilly rocky & barren appear- 

 ance tho every where thinly coverd with stinted pines. 



In the evening our two Boats returnd & the Gentlemen 

 reported that the Channel we / were now in lead into John- 

 ston's Streights about four Leagues off, & appeard to be a 

 clear & navigable passage that far, only in some places it was 

 very narrow & the Tide run very rapid.— We were to get 

 under way with the next Ebb but had no Wind, we therefore 

 remaind in this Bay till the following afternoon ; when both 

 Vessels weighd & with the assistance of the Ebb Tide began 

 plying against a fresh Westerly breeze through a very 

 narrow pass with high rocky shores on both sides, & were 

 followd by some Canoes from the small Village for about 

 two leagues up the Arm & having gone about another league 

 we anchord again at 8 in the Evening on the Larboard Shore 

 where we stopd for the night. 



