Mensies' Journal. 



Johnstone Strait. 



At clay light on the i6th we again weighd & having 

 made Sail we soon after got into Johnstone's Streights where 

 we met a fresh breeze & rough water but taking the advan- 

 tage of the Ebb Tides we kept plying to the Westward this 

 & the following day & brought to on either side during the 

 Flood Tides as we found it necessary, for though the 

 Channel was seldom above two Miles wide yet it was so 

 deep that we could get no Anchorage except in the small 

 Bays close in shore. — We passed on the South Side of an 

 Island laying nearly mid-channel, while the Chatham went 

 on the other side, & we found both sides sufficiently safe & 

 clear of any apparent danger. On the following day when 

 we came to the first opening leading off to the Northward, 

 which Mr. Johnstone had passed unexamined in order to 

 ascertain the communication with the Ocean, Mr. Puget & 

 Whidbey were sent with our Launch & Cutter Manned & 

 Armed to explore it, after which they were to follow us to 

 the next / opening to the Westward on the same side of the 

 Channel & search for us about the Entrance of it. We 

 passed some small Villages on the Southern shore but had 

 no intercourse with any of the Natives, which we supposd 

 might proceed from their shyness or the panic with which 

 they might be struck at seeing two large Vessels traversing 

 their Channel to Windward with so much apparent ease & 

 moving in every direction so obedient to our will with such 

 mechanical powers as they could have no idea of, & must 

 no doubt afford to their uncultivated minds a subject of the 

 utmost admiration & astonishment. 



In the evening as we were standing into a Bay to 

 Anchor on the Southern Shore a breast of a low Marsh 

 which seemd to run back into a V^alley between the 

 Mountains we shoald our Water so unexpectedly that both 

 Vessels were nearly aground. 



On the 1 8th we continued our progress to the Westward 

 in the main Channel while the Chatham was sent over to the 

 North Shore to look into a Bay or Opening off which there 

 appeard some small Island, but as we had little wind it was 

 near noon before she enterd it & we lost sight of her, when 

 we concluded it to be an opening, we therefore made but 

 little advance till on the following morning when we were 

 joind again by Mr. Puget & Mr. Whidbey in the two Boats. 

 After having explord the Branch they went to examine to 



1792. 

 July 16tb. 



Port Neville. 

 July 17th. 



Ilavannah 

 Channel. 



Adams River. 



July 18th. 



Havannah 

 Channel. 

 Milly Id. 



