, 1860-05-04

! ing made the seat of a settlement. The
anchorage is close to shore, in twenty-seven
fathoms water. The name of Port Dis
covery was given by Vancouver; it is seven
miles long, one and half miles average
width, and its points, which terminate in
low sandy projections, inierlock each other
Protection Island covers it completely to
the north, and would render it easily defen-
sLle against a formidable attack. The
only objection to it as harbor is that al
ready spoken of, the great depth of water,
which in the middle is no where less than
forty or City fatbOms, and is often as much
as sixteen close to the shore"
Captain VancOuver-who in 1892 made
thorough examinations aud surveys of
these inland seas, gives a more full and de-
tailed description Of the beautiful bay des
cribed by Com. Wilkes, as above. He
says: Port Discovery, already mention
ed as a perfectly safe aud convenient har-
Dor, has its outer points one and three
fourths miles asunder, bearing from each
other S. 63 W. aud n. SO f.; its entrance
is situated in latitude 480 Z, longitude
2370 2OI, whence the port first takes a
S. so Z. about eight miles, aud then tcrmi-
mates s. w. by W. about league further
If it lies under any disadvantage, it is in.
its great depth of water, in which respect,
however, VIC found no Inconvenience, as
the bottom was exceedingly good holding
ground, and free from rocks Its entrance
we found to be about league wide, having
regular good Sonndings from ten fathoms
close to the shore to 80, 80, and 38 faith.
oms in the middle, without any apparent
danger from rocks and shoals. The shores
Of the harbor were of moderate height :;
its western side bounded at no very great
distance by ridge Of high craggy noun
tains, covered with snow, were, as l con-
ceived, connected with the mountains we
took fOrtHeNnt Olympus. In quest of the
only great object necessary for constituting
this one of the finest harJors in the world,
we prosecuted our researches, until almost
despairing of success, / suddenly fell in
with an excellent stream of very fine water
Towards the upper part Of the harbor it is
of less depth, but | saw no situation more
eligible dian that in which the vessel rode,
off the first low sandy point on the western
the entrance The shores Of Protection
Island, on its south side, which is about
two miles long, form q most excellent road
stead, and channel into Port Discovery
near two miles wide on either side, without
any interruption. Had this insular produc.
tion Of nature been designed by the most
able Engineer, it could not have been
placed more happily for the protection of
the port, not only from the northwest
winds, to the violence of which it would
otherwise be greatly exposed, but against
all attempts Of an enemy, when properly
fortified"
Continuing his examinations along the
south shore for few leagues, Capt. Van
couver discovers another spacious inlet, of
which he says:
1.-THE survey of this inlet, which had oc.
cupied our time since the preceding day at
noon, having been finally accomplished by
the joining Of the boats, it proved to be
very safe and more capacions harbor than
Port Discovery, and rendered more pleas
ant by the high land being at a greater
distance from the water side. Its sur
roundings also give it further advantage,
being very regular from side to side, from
ten to twenty fathoms depth of water, and
good holding ground. To this port l gave
the name of Port Townsend"
Com. Wilkes says: "Port Townsend
lies at the entrance of Admiralty Inlet. IT.
is fine sheet Of water, three and quar-
ter miles in length, and one and three-quar-
ters wide. On the west side is an exten-I
sive table land, free from timber, which
would be IA good site for town. This
bay is free from dangers, and is well pro-
tected in the direction from which stormy
winds blow. 1t has an anchorage of con-
venient depth, and there is abundance orI
fresh water to be had. The best anchor
age is on the north side. The soil in this
place is a light sandy loan, and appears
to be very productive. twas covered with
wild flowers and Strawberries in bloom, in
May. From this place Mount Baker is
distinctly seen to the northeast, and adds
a beautiful feature to the landscape, when
its conical peak is Illuminated by the set
ting SUM-"
Port Lawrence is just at the junction
Of Admiralty Inlet and Hoods Canal. LII
is convenient anchorage, and is separated
from one of the arms Of Port Townsend by
a narrow strip of land.
" Passing the entrance to Hoods Canal,
and up Admiralty Inlet, there are several
anchorages where vessel may await tide
in beating up such as Pilots and Apple
Tree Coves
Port Madison is the first harbor, and
affords every possible convenience for ship
ping 1t is on the west side of the Inlet,
and communicates on the south, by ship
channel, with Port Orchard The scenery
of this portion of Admiralty Inlet resem-
bleS strongly parts of the Hudson river,
particularly those about Poughkeepsie, and
above that place. The distant high lane,
though much more lofty, reminded US of
the Kattskills."
Capt Vancouver, whose surveys of these
waters was some fifty years prior to those
of Com. Wilkes, seems to have been as