MOUNT RAINIER 



line of our intended pursuit of keeping the continental 

 shore on board, I continued our course up the main inlet, 

 which now extended as far as, from the deck, the eye 

 could reach, though, from the mast-head, intervening 

 land appeared, beyond which another high round moun- 

 tain covered with snow was discovered, apparently 

 situated several leagues to the south of mount Rainier, 

 and bearing by compass S. 22 E. This I considered as a 

 further extension of the eastern snowy range ; but the 

 intermediate mountains, connecting it with mount 

 Rainier, were not sufficiently high to be seen at that 

 distance. 



[Saturday, May 26, 1792.] Towards noon we landed 

 on a point on the eastern shore, whose latitude I ob- 

 served to be 47 21', round which we flattered ourselves 

 we should find the inlet take an extensive eastwardly 

 course. This conjecture was supported by the appear- 

 ance of a very abrupt division in the snowy range of 

 mountains immediately to the south of mount Rainier, 

 which was very conspicuous from the ship, and the 

 main arm of the inlet appearing to stretch in that direc- 

 tion from the point we were then upon. We here dined, 

 and although our repast was soon concluded, the delay 

 was irksome, as we were excessively anxious to ascertain 

 the truth, of which we were not long held in suspense. 

 For haying passed round the point, we found the inlet 

 to terminate here in an extensive circular compact bay, 

 whose waters washed the base of mount Rainier, though 

 its elevated summit was yet at a very considerable 

 distance from the shore, with which it was connected by 

 several ridges of hills rising towards it with gradual 

 ascent and much regularity. The forest trees, and the 

 several shades of verdure that covered the hills, grad- 

 ually decreased in point of beauty, until they became 

 invisible ; when the perpetual clothing of snow com- 

 menced, which seemed to form a horizontal line from 

 north to south along this range of rugged mountains, 



