cessary to secure the ships in
some place, to wait for a clearer sky. With this view, I hauled close
under Cape Hinchingbroke, and anchored before a small cove, a little
within the cape, in eight fathoms water, a clayey bottom, and about a
quarter of a mile from the shore.

The boats were then hoisted out, some to sound, and others to fish.
The seine was drawn in the cove; but without success, for it was torn.
At some short intervals, the fog cleared away, and gave us a sight
of the lands around us. The cape bore S. by W. 1/2 W., one league
distant; the W. point of the inlet S.W. by W., distant five leagues;
and the land on that side extended as far as W. by N. Between this
point and N.W. by W., we could see no land; and what was in the last
direction seemed to be at a great distance. The westernmost point we
had in sight on the N. shore, bore N.N.W. 1/2 W., two leagues distant.
Between this point, and the shore under which we were at anchor, is a
bay about three leagues deep; on the S.E. side of which there are two
or three coves, such as that before which we had anchored, and in the
middle some rocky islands.

To these islands Mr Gore was sent in a boat, in hopes of shooting
some eatable birds. But he had hardly got to them, before about twenty
natives made their appearance in two large canoes; on which he thought
proper to return to the ships, and they followed him. They would not
venture alongside, but kept at some distance, hollowing aloud, and
alternately clasping and extending their arms; and, in a short time,
began a kind of song exactly after the manner of those at Nootka.
Their heads were also powdered with feathers. One man held out a white
garment, which we interpreted as a sign of friendship; and another
stood up in the canoe, quite naked, for almost a quarter of an hour,
with his arms stretched out like a cross, and motionless. The canoes
were not constructed of wood, as at King George's or Nootka Sound. The
frame only, being slender laths, was of that substance; the outside
consisting of the skins of seals, or of such like animals. Though
we returned all their signs of friendship, and, by every expressive
gesture, tried to encourage them to come alongside, we could not
prevail. Some of our people repeated several of the common words of
the Nootka language, such as _seekemaile_, and _mahook_; but they did
not seem to understand them. After receiving some presents, which were
thrown to them, they retired