Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/327

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LOG OF THE COLUMBIA 315

4. N. Latt. 51 0'; W. Long. 129 1'. Some Canoes full of Indians came off from the Shore, abreast the Ship, and many valuable skins was purchas'd. Iron seem'd most in demand. These fellows soon grew saucy, and threw a number of stones, at our people, but as we did not wish, (if possible) to avoid it, for to shoot the poor mistaken savages, we bore off to the Northward, keeping in sounding from 30 to 20 fm., 2 miles off shore.

PINTARD'S STRAITS 142

5. N. Latt. 51 30'; W. Long. 129 30'; Azi. 20 3(X E. This day saw a large entrance in the land, between two points, above 4 leagues wide. 143 We haul'd in for the same and when between the points had no bottom with 30 fm. We directed our [course?] about E^S and cou'd not see the Land to the East. The Ship went in exceeding fast with a strong tide in favour. Water was quite salt, which prov'd it not to be a River. Observ'd many high Rocks and small Isles, scatter'd about in this famous Straits. Kept the Lead going but got no bottom with 30 fm. line, and saw no signs of Indians. Towards dark stretch'd close in to the South Shore for anchorage, but found none. Kept working under short sail all night, making short boards. No ground in any direction with 120 fm. line.

6. Azi. 20 30' E. Bore away up sound, in pursuit of anchorage and Natives. At length, after advancing 15 leagues up sound, we came to, within stone's throw of the beach, in 20 fm. water, sandy bottom, upon the South shore.

7. I went on shore abreast the Ship, with two boats after wood, took the Carpenter with me for to cut a Mizen topmast. We had not been long at work, in the Woods before above 200 Indians, of a sudden rush'd out upon us. The carpenter

142 Pinurds Sound was the name given by the Americans to the waterway now called Queen Charlotte Sound, in honour of J. M. Pintard of Boston, one of the owners of the Columbia and the Washington. The first mention of the name, so far as can be at present ascertained, is in Haswell's first Log in May, 1789, on the first voyage made by the Americans (that of the Washington) to the northward. "I am of opinion," says Haswell, "there must be some inland con- munication by lakes or perhaps the sea may continue by large arms and have communication in the interior part perhaps by way of Pintnrd Sound."

143 At its entrance this sound is twenty miles wide, though in its extent it* average width is from ten to fifteen miles. It is very deep. There are only two places. Beaver Harbour and Port Alexander, where a vessel of any sise can find good anchorage. The sound is only fifty miles long; the distances given in this part are much exaggerated.