NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. iy 



It happened rather unluckily, that we had not a fepa- ^ ^^^^ p- 



rate chart of Falkland's lilands on board of either veflel. » ■ — » 



This circumftance, together with the variable winds and janua/y. 

 foggy weather we conftantly had, occafioned us to ply "^ ^^ ^' 

 with caution, though I was very defirous to make a har- 

 bour as foon as poffible; what water we could get at being 

 nearly expended, without breaking up the hold, which I 

 did not like to undertake in fuch ftorniy weather as we had 

 recently had. At fix o'clock in the afternoon, feeing the 

 appearance of an harbour to the South South Weft, I fent 

 my whale-boat on board the Queen Charlotte for captain 

 Dixon, and communicated to him my intention of ftanding 

 in for it next morning, as we (having then nearly a calm) 

 had no chance of coming to anchor whilft daylight con- 

 tinued. We now had foundings in twenty-lix fathom' 

 water, over a bottom of foft fand inclining to mud \ the 

 white rock juft mentioned bore North 41° Eaft, diftant 

 four or five leagues ; the Eafternmofl point of land in fight 

 North 61° Eafl:,and the Weflernmofl point South 65° Weft, 

 about feven miles diftant. We tacked during the- night as- 

 occafion required, and foon after two o'clock in the morn- 

 ing of the 4th, ftood for our expedled harbour ; but on wednef.4^ 

 our getting well in with the land, we found ourfelves^ dif- 

 appointed, the inlet not affording any fhelter for veffels- to 

 lie at anchor. On this we ftood to the Weftward, as I 

 judged we were too mjiich to the Eaftward for Port Eg- 

 mont, which I wiflied to make^ In the morning we had 

 light airs, and fo thick a fog, that- no land could be feen, 

 but at ten o'clock fome high land made its appearance over 

 the fog-bank, and prefently afterwards we faw low land 

 bearing from South by Eaft to South by Weft, about four 

 miles diftant : we had foundings in thij-ty-two fathom 



E 2 water,.. 



