1792.] 



GRA5T S ACCOUNT OF HIS DISCOVERIES. 



235 



minutes, he gave little, or rather no credit, being content with his 

 own examination of that part of the coast. On the day after his 

 meeting with the Columbia, he writes, " The river mentioned by 

 Mr. Gray should, from the latitude he assigned to it, have existence 

 in the bay south of Cape Disappointment. This we passed in the 

 forenoon of the 27th ; and, as I then observed, if any inlet or river 

 should be found, it must be a very intricate one, and inaccessible to 

 vessels of our burden, owing to the reefs and broken water, which 

 then appeared in its neighborhood. Mr. Gray stated that he had 

 been several days attempting to enter it, which, at length, he was 

 unable to effect, in consequence of a very strong outset. This is 

 a phenomenon difficult to account for, as, in most cases where there 

 are outsets of such strength on a sea-coast, there are corresponding 

 tides setting in. Be that, however, as it may, / was thoroughly 

 convinced, as were also most persons of observation on board, that 

 we could not possibly have passed any safe navigable opening, harbor, 

 or place of security for shipping, on this coast, from Cape Mendocino 

 to the promontory of Classet, [Cape Flattery, at the entrance of the 

 Strait of Fuca;] nor had we any reason to alter our opinions, 

 notwithstanding that theoretical geographers have thought proper 

 to assert in that space the existence of arms of the ocean commu- 

 nicating with a mediterranean sea, and extensive rivers with safe 

 and convenient ports." 



Having thus recorded his convictions, the British navigator 

 proceeded to survey the Strait of Fuca ; whilst the American fur 

 trader sailed towards the mouth of the river, into which he resolved, 

 if possible, to effect an entrance. 



After parting with the English ships, Gray sailed along the coast 

 of the continent to the south, and, on the 7th of May, he " saw 

 an entrance which had a very good appearance of a harbor," in the 

 latitude of 46 degrees 58 minutes. Passing through this entrance, 

 he found himself in a bay " well sheltered from the sea by long 

 sand-bars and spits," where he remained at anchor three days, 

 engaged in trading with the natives ; and he then resumed his 

 voyage, bestowing on the place thus discovered the name of Bul- 

 finch's Harbor, in honor of one of the owners of his ship. 



At daybreak on the 11th, after leaving Bulfinch's Harbor, Gray 

 observed " the entrance of his desired port, bearing east-south-east, 

 distant six leagues ; " and running into it, with all sails set, between 

 the breakers, (which Meares and Vancouver pronounce impassable,) 

 he anchored, at one o'clock, "in a large river of fresh water," ten 



