NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 125 



growing fcant, it fet us to leeward of the pafliige, and ^ ^y{^ ^' 



very faft towards fome fmall iflands and rocks which are ' -■- — ' 



fituated at the South extreme of an illand that forms the Augu(i. 

 Weftern fide of the pailage : I therefore, at fix o'clock, ^ " ^^ '^' 

 was under the neceffity of tacking and {landing to the 

 South South Eaft; and even then, with a three-knot 

 breeze, and all the fail we could carry, for near three 

 hours, we could barely keep clear of the rocks ; indeed I 

 could have anchored at this time, but we had eighty-four 

 fathoms water, which I thought too great a depth to 

 anchor in. During our ineffedual attempt to m.ake the 

 entrance, we had the boats a-head towing the fliip, but 

 all to no purpofe ; and I mufl own that it was rather a 

 mortifying circumP:ance to be thrown out, after making 

 ourfeives almcfl; fure of getting into the pafiage, as at one 

 time we had every reafon to exped:, and had got all ready 

 for anchoring. The wind continued variable, but gene- 

 rally in the Eaftern and Northern boards, which was quite 

 unfavourable to us, and we confequently plied to little 

 advantage. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the 2ifl Monda;- 2», 

 the South Weft point of Montague Ifland bore North Weft 

 by North ; having then a frefh breeze at Eafi; North Eaft, 

 I flood diredly in lor it, intending, if poflible, to have 

 luficd round it, and to have anchored in' a fandy bay 

 that lies jufi: round the South Wefi: point. For fome 

 tim.e every thing was in our favour, and I had hardly a 

 doubt of gaining anchorage, until we brought the South 

 Weft point to bear North by Eaft, when the current took 

 us on the weather-bov.', and drove us bodily to leeward ; 

 [o that there was not a pofTi bility of our making the wiftied- 

 for entrance. At four o'clock the extremes of Montague 

 Itland bcre North, 4° Eaft, and North, 45° Eaft, diftant 



from 



