60 /. C. Russell — Expedition to Mount St. Elias. 



The name " Bale de Monti " was given to the inlet in honor 

 of De Monti, the officer who first landed. The location of this 

 bay, as described in the narrative and indicated on the map 

 accompanying the report of the voyage, shows that it corresponds 

 with the Yakutat bay of modern maps. 



Observations made at this time by M. Dagelet, the astronomer 

 of the expedition, determined the elevation of Mount St. Elias 

 to be 1,980 toises. Considering the toise as equivalent to 6.39459 

 English feet, this measurement places the elevation of the moun- 

 tain at 12,660 feet. What method was used in making this 

 measurement is not recorded, and we have therefore no means 

 of deciding the degree of confidence to be placed in it. 



After failing to find an anchorage at Yakutat bay. La Perouse 

 sailed eastward, and on June 29 discovered another bay, which he 

 supposed to be the inlet named " Bering's bay " by Captain Cook. 

 It will be remembered that Cook's " Bering's bay " is Yakutat 

 bay as now known. It is evident that the French navigator 

 made an error in his identification, as the inlet designated as 

 Bering's bay on his chart corresponds with that now known as 

 Dry bay. On the maps referred to, a stream is represented as 

 emptying into the head of this bay and rising a long distance 

 northward ; this is evidently Alsek river, the existence of which 

 was for a long time doubted, but has recently been established 

 beyond all question. 



Finding it impossible to enter Dry bay, La Perouse continued 

 eastward and discovered Lituya bay, as now known, but which 

 he named " Port des Francais." Here his ships anchored, after 

 experiencing great difficulty in entering the harbor, and remained 

 for many days, during which trade was carried on with the In- 

 dians, while surveys were made of the adjacent shores. 



Dixon, 1787.* 



Although the actual discovery of Yakutat bay is to be credited 

 to the French, the first exploration of its shores was made by an 

 English captain. On May 23, 1787, Captain George Dixon an- 

 chored his vessel, the Queen Charlotte, within the shelter of its 

 southeastern cape, and, in honor of Constance John Phipps, 

 Lord Mulgrave, named the haven there discovered " Port Mul- 



* The Voyage around the World ; but more particularly to the North- 

 west Coast of America. Performed in 1788-1789, in the King George and 

 Queen CJiarlotte; Captains Portlock and Dixon: 4°, London, 1789. 



