North-West Continent of America* 



253 



small cove, where we should not be readily seen, and could 

 not be attacked except in our front. 



Among other articles that had been stolen from us, at 

 our last station, was a sounding-line, which I intended to 

 have employed in this bay, though I should not probably 

 have found the bottom, at any distance from the shore, as 

 the appearance both of the water and land indicated a great 

 depth. The latter displayed a solid rock, rising, as it ap- 

 peared to me, from three to seven hundred feet above 

 high-water mark. Where any soil was scattered about, 

 there were cedars, spruce-firs, white birch, and other trees 

 of large growth. From its precipices issued streams of 

 fine water, as cold as ice. 



The two canoes which we had left at our last station fol- 

 lowed us hither, and when they were preparing to depart, 

 our young chief embarked with them. I was determined, 

 however, to prevent his escape, and compelled him, by ac- 

 tual force, to come on shore, for I thought it much better 

 to incur his displeasure, than to suffer him to expose him- 

 self to any untoward accident among strangers, or to return 

 to his father before us. The men in the canoe made signs 

 for him to go over the hill, and that they would take him 

 on board at the other side of it. As I was necessarily en- 

 gaged in other matters, I desired my people to take care 

 that he should not run away ; but they peremptorily refused 

 to be employed in keeping him against his will. I was, 

 therefore, reduced to the necessity of watching him myself. 



I took five altitudes, and the mean of them was 29. 23. 

 48. at 3. 5. 53. in the afternoon, by the watch, which makes 

 it slow apparent time l m 22 h 38 s 



In the forenoon it was 1 21 44 2 44 22 



Mean of both ... 1 22 11 

 Difference nine hours going of the time -piece slow 8 



1 22 19 



I observed an emersion of Jupiter's third satellite, which 

 gave 8° 32' 21" difference of longitude. I then observed 

 an emersion of Jupiter's first satellite, which gave 8. 31. 

 48. The mean of these observations is 8° 32' 2" which is 

 equal to 128. 2. West of Greenwich. 



I had now determined my situation, which is the most 

 fortunate circumstance of my long, painful, and perilous 



