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[Page 2]
straits of De Fonte. But our researches prove, that no navigable branch or Inlet go beyond fifty leagues inland, and generally terminated, like the rest of our summer's examinations, among vast ridges of Mountains, composed of huge solid Rocks, whose summits are covered with perpetual Snow, and where any soil is formed on the lower regions; its general produce, is, a dense forest of Pinery. The shores too, of these Channels, are generally so rugged & steep, that it was often difficult & even sometimes impracticable, to land from the Boats, either to cook our victuals, or take our evening's repose; & tho' not above a mile, or two across, they were generally unfathomable, with our Common Deep-sea lines, which rendered the Situation of the Vessels, very often precarious.
In one of these boat expeditions this summer we unfortunately lost one man by his having eat too freely, of some Mussels, recently picked of the rocks, which proved of so deleterious a quality that he expired in four hours after - the rest of the boat's crew & officers, who ate of them, were also taken ill at the same time, & narrowly escaped the like fate, by drinking large potions of warm water, & using violent exercise.
In another boat's cruise on the 12th of August last in about the Latitude of 55½º North and 228½º East Longitude - The Pinnace in which Capt Vancouver himself Commanded was unwarily attacked by a small tribe of Indians who plundered the boat, in open day light, of several fire arms - & Cartridge boxes - wounded two of the people with