THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
413 
ward. I cannot be particular; as we could not diftinguifh 
all the iflands from the coaft of the continent. Moll of 
thefe iflands are of a good height, very barren and rugged ; 
abounding with rocks and fteep cliffs, and exhibiting other 
romantic appearances. There are feveral fnug bays and 
coves about them; ftreams of frefli water run from their 
elevated parts ; fome drift-wood was floating around ; but 
not a tree or bulh was to be feen growing on the land. A 
good deal of fnow ftill lay on many of them ; and the parts 
of the continent, w'hich fhewed themfelves between the in- 
nermoft iflands, were quite covered with it. 
At four in the afternoon, we had paffed all the iflands 
that lay to the Southward of us; the Southernmoft, at this 
time, bearing South 3 0 Eaft, and the Wefternmott point of 
land now in fight, South 82° Weft. For this point we fleer¬ 
ed, and paffed between it and two or three elevated rocks 
that lie about a league to the Eaft of it. 
Some time after we had got through this channel, in 
which we found forty fathoms water, the Difcovery, now 
two miles aftern, fired three guns, and brought to, and 
made the fignal to fpeak with us. This alarmed me not 
a little ; and, as no apparent danger had been remarked in 
the paffage through the channel, it was apprehended that 
fome accident, fuch as fpringing a leak, muft have hap¬ 
pened. A boat was immediately fent to her; and in a fhort 
time returned with Captain Clerke. I now learned from 
him, that fome natives, in three or four canoes, who had 
been following the fhip for fome time, at length got under 
his ftern. One of them then made many figns, taking off 
his cap, and bowing, after the manner of Europeans. A 
rope being handed down from the fhip, to this he fattened 
a fmall thin wooden cafe or box ; and having delivered this 
fafe t 
1778. 
June. 
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