Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/248

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228
VOYAGE IN SEARCH
[1792.

During the night we ſaw ſeveral fires of the natives to S.E.

24th. On the following morning we weighed anchor, and plied to windward at the diſtance of about 500 toiſes from the land. We found every where a depth of water of at leaſt 6½ fathoms, over a very good bottom.

Though the thermometer had never indicated more than 7° above the point of congelation, even in the coldeſt mornings, the ſnows had greatly increaſed upon the high mountains ſeen W.N.W.

Whilſt the currents continued favourable we gained ground at every tack; but about ſix o'clock in the evening they became contrary; and we caſt anchor in a bottom of grey ſand at the depth of eight fathoms, very near to the coaſt, and to the northward of the ſtation from whence we had ſailed in the morning.

The natives kindled more than twenty fires upon the coaſt towards the ſouth. Many families of them had probably come down to the coaſt upon hearing the news of our being in the bay.

25th. About ſeven in the morning the current was favourable, and we made ſeveral tacks in order to enter a narrower part of the channel, where we ranged very near to the weſt coaſt, ſteering N.E.N.

Having