514 DE FIJCA'S STRAITS AND 



I had been in hopes that, after the severe tour of surveying duty 

 for the last three months, I should be able to give the crew-s some 

 relaxation ; but I found this impossible, for the duties were necessarily 

 much increased by the absence of the Peacock and Flying-Fish, and 

 the necessity of finishing as much of the northern survey as possi- 

 ble, as well as obtaining accurate information in relation to the posi- 

 tions, &c. I deemed it of too much importance to allow a day to go 

 by unimproved. Orders were therefore given to the boats under 

 Lieutenant Case to proceed to Port Townsend, to fill up the surveys 

 and connect them with Hood's Canal and those of Whidby's Island. 



Another division of boats, with those of the Porpoise, were em- 

 ployed in surveying New Dungeness Bay, and connecting it with 

 Protection Island, while I was occupied in getting a series of obser- 

 vations for latitude and longitude, dip and intensity, at the low sand 

 point which forms the bay. Orders were also prepared for the Por- 

 poise to proceed to Port Townsend; thence to Fraser's river, visiting 

 Fort Langley ; and then through Johnson's Straits, and round the 

 north end of Vancouver's Island, to Nootka Sound. 



A large boat expedition was also fitted out, of which I took charge 

 in person, to proceed across the Straits of De Fuca, to complete the 

 survey of the Canal de Arro, with the adjacent bays and harbours, 

 and thence to the mouth of Fraser's river, where I anticipated falling 

 in with the Porpoise again. 



On the morning of the 25th, the brig parted company, and in the 

 afternoon I set out, with seven boats, to cross the strait. The wind 

 had been blowing strong, but I did not anticipate much sea or danger. 

 It proved otherwise, however, for the tide was found to be running 

 strong ebb against the wind, producing a very high sea, which made 

 the passage at times perilous. We, however, crossed this distance 

 of twenty miles without any other accident than the loss of a mast 

 belonging to one of the boats, and reached the opposite shore in 

 safety, though completely wet from the quantity of water we had 

 shipped. The boats all behaved uncommonly well; and many, who 

 had believed them unsafe, were now satisfied that they were admi- 

 rably adapted for all weathers. Large fires and dry clothes soon 

 restored the men to their wonted good spirits. 



On the 26th, we began the survey of this labyrinth of islands, 

 which was continued the next day, 27th, on the afternoon of which 

 I was joined by Passed Midshipman May, with letters from the ship 

 and despatches from Nisqually, informing me of the loss of the 



