336 LEVEL BAY—INDIANS—BRAZO ANCHO. Feb. 1830. 
of fish in many of the bights; with a seine, therefore, an 
abundant supply might be obtained. 
** The woodland eastward of our anchorage had very recently 
been on fire, and the conflagration must have been extensive, 
and very destructive; for throughout a space of ten or twelve 
miles along shore, all the trees had been consumed, the dead 
trunks of the larger ones alone remaining. We left Level Bay 
on the morning of the 25th, and passed a canoe full of In- 
dians ; but they pulled to the shore, and ran into the woods; 
therefore, since they avoided us, and we had a fair wind, I 
did not seek their acquaintance. We had noticed traces of them 
in the neighbourhood of the Narrow, on each side of which 
many wigwams, that had been recently occupied, were seen. 
“For the next ten or twelve miles we went through a fine 
reach, whose shores were low, and whose channel was interspersed 
with several islands, affording probably excellent anchorages ; 
but to the southward the hills became more steep, and, except 
in the ravines, were destitute of vegetation. At four or five 
leagues to the E.S.E., beyond the English Narrow, an opening, 
apparently a channel, presented itself, and the reach in which 
we were sailing seemed to end. Doubtful which course to fol- 
low, we anchored the vessel in Rocky Bight, and despatched 
the boats to examine both passages. That to the E.S.E. 
was found to run direct nearly ten miles, and to communicate 
with a fine clear channel, trending to the $.S.W., which proved 
afterwardstobe the Wide Channel (Brazo Ancho) of Sarmiento. 
At the junction, a considerable arm extended to the N.N.E., 
apparently a continuation of the Wide Channel. 
“On Mr. Kirke’s return from examining the passage in 
which we were sailing, I learnt that the same width continued 
about five miles southward of our present anchorage, and that 
there the shores approached closely, forming the intricate 
passage called Rowlett Narrow ; which, after a S.E. course of 
many miles, also joins Wide Channel. The island formed by 
the two channels was named Saumarez Island, in honour of the 
gallant admiral. 
“‘It rained hard and blew strongly. the whole day, which 
