340 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



despatched two boats under the command of the master ; 

 and as soon as the flood-tide made, followed with the ships. 

 We had now many evident proofs of being in a great 

 river. 



"Early next morning, being the 1st of June, the master 

 returned and reported that he found the inlet, or rather 

 river, contracted to the breadth of one league, by low land 

 on each side, through which it took a northerly direction. 

 He proceeded three leagues through this narrow part, which 

 he found navigable for the largest ships. While the ebb 

 or stream ran down, the water was perfectly fresh, but after 

 the flood made, it became brackish, and towards high water 

 very much so, even as high up as we went. 



" All hopes of finding a passage were now given up. 

 However, I despatched two boats, under the command of 

 Lieutenant King, to examine the tides, and to make such 

 other observations as might give us some insight into the 

 nature of the river, which I shall distinguish by the name 

 of River Turnagain. By means of this river, and its several 

 branches, a very extensive inland communication seems to 

 lie open. We had traced it seventy leagues or more from 

 its entrance, without seeing the least appearance of its 

 source. 



" If the discovery of this great river,* which promises 

 to vie with the most considerable ones already known to 

 be capable of extensive inland navigation, should prove 

 of use either to the present or to any future age, the time 

 we spent in it ought to be less regretted. But to us, who 

 had a much greater object in view, the delay thus occasioned 

 was an essential loss. The season was advancing apace. 

 We knew not how far we might have to proceed to the 

 south, and we were now convinced that the continent of 

 North America extended farther to the west than from 

 the most modern reputable charts, we had reason to expect. 

 This made the existence of a passage into Hudson's Bay 

 less probable, or at least shewed it to be of greater extent. 

 It was a satisfaction to me, however, to reflect that, if I 

 had not examined this very considerable inlet, it would 

 have been assumed by speculative fabricators of geography 

 as a fact, that it communicated with the sea to the north, 

 or with Hudson's Bay to the east. 



" In the afternoon I sent Mr. King again, with two 

 armed boats, with orders to land on the northern point of 

 the low land, on the south-east side of the river, there to 

 display the flag ; to take possession of the country and 



* Captain Cook having here left a blank, which he had not filled 

 up with any particular name, Lord Sandwich directed that it should 

 be called Cook's River. 



