48 GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR. 
Taking a more general view of the coast, it may be said to be developed in a straight line 
from west to east, without any far projecting headlands and peninsulas, and without deep and 
long bays and indentations. 
Nearly all the bays and harbors along the shore are broad, shallow, and afford no good pro- 
tection. Only towards the eastern part some deep inlets appear, which become deeper and 
longer the more we advance to the east. First, New Dungeness harbor; then Discovery 
harbor; then the very long Hood’s Channel; and last—the longest and widest of all—Admirality 
Inlet. 
The latter two great inlets will be considered in a particular chapter, and we will adopt 
Wilson Point as the terminus of this particular section of the coast. 
NEEAH HARBOR, 48? 21’ NORTH LATITUDE, 124° 37, WEST LONGITUDE. 
Of all the small bays of this section Neeah harbor is the most interesting, and has been 
longest known. It is a well protected bay near Cape Flattery, and has been visited by all who 
have explored the vicinity of the cape. 
On passing Cape Flattery and entering the strait, the rocky shore recedes to the south and 
again turns towards the east, forming a little bay, which is closed on the northeast by a small 
island called Waadda island or Wyadda island. 
A narrow but safe passage for vessels of ordinary draught separates this island from the main 
land. The body of the bay itself contains no hidden dangers, and has regular soundings from 
12 to 5 and 4 fathoms depth of water. 
The eastern part of the bay shore is low and sandy, but the western part is lined with a 
ledge of rocks projecting irregularly above the bottom. This ledge of rocks is partly lined 
with a field of kelp, which affords protection against the swell of the sea. The best anchorage 
for large vessels is close to the kelp, but smaller vessels can anchor at all seasons in the 
channel between the shore and Waadda island. 
This bay may be considered as a part of the valley which runs behind Cape Flattery from 
De Fuca strait to the Pacific ocean. The bay is about four miles deep, and along the inner 
shore lies an elevated beach, upon which the famous Indian village Claaset, which gave its 
name to the locality, was situated. This beach is the site of an Indian village to this day. 
The first chart on which Neeah bay was laid down is that of Captain Duncan of the 15th of 
August, 1188, but it was imperfectly represented, and without a name. That Waadda island 
is indicated (though not in its right place) is sufficient proof that Neeah bay is meant. Duncan 
did not pass to the eastward of this bay. The Spaniards were the first to know a little more 
about it. It was called by them, as early as 1790, (during the expedition of Quimper to De 
Fuca strait,) Puerto de Nunez Gaona, the port of Nunez Gaona. 
In April of the year 1192 Vancouver passed the bay. He mentions and describes it in his 
report, but gives no name to it, and did not find it worth his while to anchor there, because he 
was in expectation of finding better ports to the east.* 
Soon after, in the summer of 1792, the Spanish marine officer, Don Salvador Fidalgo, was 
sent to this port from Nootka to establish a Spanish settlement and erect fortifications. 
Some weeks after the port was again reached by the expedition of the Sutil and Mexicana, 
(June, 1792,) the officers of which had an interview with Fidalgo.t They say that the Indian 
name of the harbor was Quinacarnot. 
9 Vancouver, vol. I, p. 218. 4 Sutil and Mexicana, pp. 29, 30. 
