CHAPTER IV. 



WATEE THE SHIP — VESSEL WITH SUPPLIES AEEITES— NATITES 

 AT CAPE TOEK — DESCEIPTIOK OP THE OOTTNTET AlfD ITS 

 PEODirCTIONS — POET ALBANT CONSIDEEED AS A DEPOT EOB 

 STEAMEBS — SAIL PEOM CAPE TOEK AND AEEITE AT POET 

 ESSINGTON — CONDITION OE THE PLACE — HISTOEY OP THE 

 SETTLEMENT— WOULD BE USELESS AS A COLONY— ABOEI- 

 aiNES — LEATE POET ESSINGTON — AEEITE AT STDNET. 



At leng-th^ on October 7th; we reached Cape 

 York, and anchored in the northern entrance to 

 Port Albany. At dayhg-ht next morning- two 

 parties were sent in various directions in search of 

 water. I found no traces of natives in Evans' 

 Bay, but at another place, while digging in the bed 

 of a watercourse, we were joined by a small party of 

 them, one of whom turned out to be an old ac- 

 quaintance. They seemed to be quite at home in 

 our company, asking for pipes, tobacco, and biscuit, 

 with which I was fortunately able to supply them. 

 Indeed, a da}- or two before, some of them had 

 communicated with the Asp in a most confident 

 and friendly manner. Had water been found near 

 the best anchorage in Port Albany, it was Captain 

 Stanlej'^s intention to have taken the ship there, 

 but, as it appeared from the various reports, 

 that Evans' Bay was preferable at this time for 



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