NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 71 



to ride at anchor. We landed on a fine Tandy beach ^ "^^^ ^' 

 amidft a vaft number of the inhabitants, who all behaved 

 with great order, and never attempted to approach nearer 

 to us than we defired. They informed us that there was 

 no water near our landing-place, but that we fhould find 

 plenty farther down along fhore, and one of the natives 

 accompanied us as a guide: however, our progrefs was 

 foon impeded by a little fait water river that has a commu- 

 nication with King George's Bay. This putting a flop to 

 our progrefs by land, we again had recourfe to our boats, 

 and attempted to get to the Weftward within the reef; but 

 the water was fo fhallow that it was impradlicable ; fo 

 that we returned through the paflage we came in at, and 

 afterwards rowed to the Weftward, keeping clofe along the 

 outfide of the reef, until we got near the watering-place 

 pointed out to us by the Indians. In this fituation, fee- 

 ing a fmall opening in the reef, we made for it ; and the 

 moment we entered, a breaker overtook us, which almoft 

 filled and nearly overfet our boats. However, through 

 the good management of the fteerfmen, who were mine 

 and captain Dixon's third mates, we efcaped without 

 any misfortune ; though we had the mortification, after 

 getting over the reef, to find the water fo fhoal, that our 

 boats could not get within 200 yards of the fhore.. 



Under thefe circumftances, I found that we could not 

 water at this place without an infinite deal of trouble, be- 

 fides the danger of lofing our cafks, getting the boats 

 dafiied to pieces againft the rocks, and the inconvenience 

 of carrying our cafks fo far amongft a multitude of In- 

 dians, which would make it neceffary to have an armed 

 force on ftiore, the fhips lying at too great a diftance . for 



them- 



