THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
39i 
leagues. Through this channel ran a prodigious tide. It 1778. 
looked frightful to us, who could not tell whether the agi- 
tation of the water was occafioned by the ftream, or by the 
breaking of the waves againft rocks or fands. As we met 
with no fhoal, it was concluded to be the former; but, in 
the end, we found ourfelves miltaken. I now kept the 
Weftern fhore aboard, it appearing to be the fafefi. Near 
the fhore we had a depth of thirteen fathoms ; and two or 
three miles off, forty and upward. At eight in the even¬ 
ing, we anchored under a point of land which bore North 
Eaft, three leagues diftant, in fifteen fathoms water. Here 
we lay during the ebb, which ran near five knots in the 
hour. 
Until we got thus far, the water had retained the fame 
degree of faltnefs at low, as at high-water; and, at both 
periods, was as fait as that in the ocean. But now the 
marks of a river difplayed themfelves. The water taken 
up this ebb, when at the loweft, was found to be very con- 
fiderably frefher, than any we had hitherto tailed; info- 
much that I was convinced that we were in a large river, 
and not in a ftrait, communicating with the Northern 
feas. But as we had proceeded thus far, I was defirous of 
having llronger proofs; and, therefore, weighed with the 
next flood in the morning of the 31ft, and plied higher Sunday 31. 
up, or rather drove up with the tide ; for we had but little 
wind. 
About eight o’clock, we were vifited by feveral of the 
natives, in one large, and feveral fmall canoes. The latter 
carried only one perfon each ; and fome had a paddle with 
a blade at each end, after the manner of the Efquimaux. 
In the large canoes were men, women, and children. Be¬ 
fore they reached the fhip, they difplayed a leathern frock 
upon 
