NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. X23 



Having in general light variable winds, with calms by ^ 



turns, we took the advantage of the tide in {landing down 

 the river, and by noon on the 13 th were well clear of it. Aoguii. 

 At that time the extremes of the Barren Iflands bore South ^""'^*'' '^* 

 Weft and South, 38" Weft; Cape Elizabeth North, 80° 

 Weft, diftant about five leagues ; and our diftance from 

 the neareft fhore about three leagues. The land on which 

 Cape Elizabeth is fituated is an ifland, and in the ftraits 

 formed by it and the back land there is good anchorage 

 and fhelter. Hereabouts would be a moft defirable fitu- 

 ation for carrying on a whale-fiftiery ; the whales being on 

 the coaft, and clofe in fhore, in vaft numbers ; and there 

 being convenient and excellent harbours quite handy for the 

 bufinefs. The Barren Iflands, which are fituated nearly in 

 the midway between Point Banks and Cape Elizabeth, are 

 very high and totally barren ; they lie in a clufter, and 

 appear to have good pafiages between them. With a fine 

 breeze from the Weft South Weft we ftood along- fhore, at 

 the diftance of three leagues, fteering Eaft by North for 

 Prince William's Sound. The lead was kept conftantly 

 going, but we got no ground with forty fathoms of line. 

 At eight o'clock I changed the courfe to North Eaft 

 half Eaft, in order to make the South Weft point of 

 Montague Ifland ; the Wefternmoft land in fight bearing 

 Weft South Weft, and the Eafternmoft North by Weft, 

 eight or nine leagues diftant. 



Light variable winds, with intervening calms and hazy 

 weather, prevented us from making any great progrefs to- 

 wards the entrance into Prince William's Sound. At two 

 o'clock in the afternoon of the 17th, having nearly a Thurfdayij? 

 calm, and the current fetting us diredlly off fhore, we 



R 2 anchored 



