480 DE FUCA'S STRAITS AND 



Many Indians, who were all cheerful and well disposed, visited the 

 port during the continuance of the survey. 



Port Orchard was found to communicate, on the north, with Port 

 Madison, which we had surveyed on our way up the sound. Lieu- 

 tenant Maury, with the boats, surveyed this passage, and found that it 

 had a depth of four and a half fathoms water at low tide. 



Near this passage is a place where the Roman Catholic missionaries 

 have established a station for teaching the surrounding tribes. A 

 large cross is erected, and a building one hundred and seventy-two 

 feet long by seventy-two wide, which was found to contain many rude 

 images. Many of the natives are capable of saying their prayers 

 and telling their beads, and some were met with who could sing some 

 Catholic hymns in their own language. 



The Indians frequenting this port called themselves of the Je-ach-tac 

 tribe. 



On the 31st, the same meteor that was observed by the other sur- 

 veying parties was seen. Its first appearance was at an altitude of 

 sixty degrees. Its course was not directly downward, but zigzag, and 

 it disappeared at an elevation of twenty degrees. Its track continued 

 luminous for half an hour, and gradually changed its shape, becoming 

 wider and less elongated. There was no explosion heard by any of 

 the parties. 



The next point visited and surveyed was Penn's Cove, between 

 Whidby's Island and the main. This island contains many small 

 villages, and appears to be more thickly peopled than other parts of 

 the sound. It is in possession of the Sachet tribe, who have here a 

 permanent settlement, consisting of large and well-built lodges of 

 timber and planks, similar to those already described on the Columbia 

 and elsewhere. The chief possessed a chest of valuables, carefully 

 preserved in a corner, the contents of which were shown by him with 

 no small pride, and consisted of a long roll of paper, on which were 

 many representations of European houses and churches, together with 

 rude sketches of the heavenly bodies, and a map of America. These 

 had been given to him and explained by the Roman Catholic priest, 

 and he seemed to understand the explanation. This whole tribe are 

 Catholics, and have much affection and reverence for their instructers. 



The priests of the Catholic mission made half-yearly visits, bap- 

 tizing and leaving tokens among these Indians, and have done much 

 good in promoting a good feeling among them. They were con- 

 structing a large building for a church, near which was erected a 

 large cross. 



