302 GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR. 
to the lowness of the country round it, which is partly even swampy and marshy.* Into the 
north part of the bay empties a pretty large river, and to the east of the bay lies a large interior 
lagoon. 
Elisa (1791) was the first who entered this bay and called it Seno de Gaston, (Gaston’s Gulf.+) 
It was again entered, after him, by Vancouver’s officer, Mr. Whidby. In a boat expedition 
from Birch bay, on June 11, 1792, he surveyed it thoroughly, and Vancouver gave it the name 
Bellingham bay—he does not say why. The bay was entered again, a day or two after Whidby 
surveyed it, by the Spanish ships Sutil and Mexicana. They of course continued the Spanish 
name Bahia de Gaston, and both the English and the Spanish name have now found their place 
on the charts of the bay after the manner already pointed out. 
Point William (48° 36’ north latitude, 122° 33’ west longitude) is the northern extremity of 
a narrow, long peninsula, which separates Padilla from Bellingham bay. It was first recog- 
nized by Elisa, and named by him Punta de Solane. Under this name we find it on all the 
Spanish charts. On Vancouver’s chart it is called Point William, which name has been 
continued. E. 
10. Point Francis (48° 42' north latitude, 122° 37’ west longitude) is the southern extremity 
of a long, low, and narrow peninsula (similar to that of Point William) which projects from the 
continent to the south and closes Gaston bay. On the Spanish charts I find no name for it. 
Vancouver on his charts gives to it the name of Point Francis, which it still bears. 
11. BLISA’S ISLAND is a small island between Points Francis and William. This island has по 
name, as far as I know, on former charts; Wilkes called it Elisa's island. — * 
12. Lummi ISLAND (48° 43’ north latitude, 122° 40’ west longitude) is a narrow island, nine 
nautical miles long from NW. to SE., which was parallel with Point Francis peninsula, and 
forms with it Hale’s Passage. 
It is, like Cypress island, somewhat elevated, and has upon it a mountain called Lummi Peak, 
of 1,560 feet height. 
It was named by the discoverer, Elisa, (1791,) Isla de Pacheco, probably after one of the 
titles of the Mexican viceroy who sent him. The entire name of this gentleman, the elements 
of which have been dispersed in the region, was Sefior Don Juan Vicente de Guemes Pacheco 
y Padilla Orcasitees y Aguayo Conde de Revilla Gigedo. 
Vancouver has no name for it. Wilkes called it MacLaughlin’s island, in honor of Dr. Mac- 
Laughlin, the famous and distinguished officer of the Hudson Bay Company, commanding at 
Fort Vancouver in the year 1841. 
An Indian name, Lummi island, probably introduced by the Hudson Bay Company traders, 
has prevailed over the former. 
The Lummis, or Nook Lummis, are an Indian tribe often mentioned in the vicinity of 
Bellingham bay. 
13. HaLE's РаввлвЕ (48° 44’ north latitude, 122° 40! west longitude) divides Lummi island 
from the peninsula of Point Francis; it was named by the old Spaniard £l Cans de Pacheco, 
from the neighboring island.$ 
Wilkes called it Hale's Passage in honor of Mr. Hale, the ethnographer of his exploring 
expedition. The same name of Hale's Passage was given by Mr. Wilkes to another strait in 
Puget Sound, between Fox island and the great peninsula. 
© ** Anegadizon’’ Galeana. See De Harley, in Schoolcraft, vol. V, page 701. 
TI could not find who this Gaston may have been. §See proofs in the Sutil and Mexicana, page 48. 
