The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-29


posed by Cant. Cook. The name of the
place was changed BY Vancouver to COOKS
inlet. The surveys and explorations were
continued easterly along The coast OF the
mainland during May and June, reaching
the bay before mentioned in July.
Captain Vancouver. in his account OF
this portion of his exploration states, that
within q league of Icy bay Is q point,
which he named Point Riou. 1T Is well
wooded and low, with small isiet de.
tached st q little distance TO the westward
or il. Eastward from the steep cliffs that
terminate this bay, and from whence the
ice descends into the sea, the coast Is again
composed OF spacious margin OF low
land. rising with a gradual and uniform
ascent 10 the foot of the still connected
chain of lofty mountains, whose SUBMITS
ERE but the base from whence Mount
Elias towers, aJestlcaliy conspicuous III
regions of perpetual frost"
s.As we advanced to the eastward. con-
tinues Capt. Vancouver, "this border De-
came less extensive aud was more eie-
waited and much less covered with wood,
and for few miles totally destitute oil
either wood or verdure, and like that part
before noticed between Point Riou and
Point Mandy, was composed OF naked,
rugged fragments of rock of various mag
nitudes, lying as it were in front OF Mount
Fairweather like those on the shore before
Mount ST. Ellas.
I'VE passed within about half league
of Cape Fairweather. This cape cannot
be considered very conspicuous prom
ontory; it is most distinguishable when
seen from the southwark, as the
land to the west of 1t retires
few miles back to the north, and
there forms a bend in the coast.
Mount St. Elias bore by compass north
1874 west, and Mount Fearweather, north
10 east; the length of time we had been in
sight OF these very remarkable, lofty
mountains afforded Us many observations
for ascertaining their situation; whence
the former appeared TO be in latitude 90
deg. 221i min. and longitude 219 deg. Il
min, aud twenty-five miles from the near
est seashore (Icy bay); the latter IN lati-
tude 68 deg. 81 min.. longitude ID deg.
~ mIn., and nine miles from the seashore.
The favorable breeze continuing with
delightfully."- pleasant weather. and having
the advantage OF daylight nearly the W hole
ofthe twenty -four hours We were enabled
to keep within five miles of the coast.
which was now again we'll wooded.
Until past IL at night Mount st. Elias was
yet within our visible horizon, appearing
Ike lofty mountain, although at this
time IL was 1T the distance of 100 geograph-
ical miles. By O'clock next
morning our course was directed to
high, bluff promontory, which, as We sup
posed, proved to be the west point of en-
trance into Cross sound, named by me in
honor of Lord Spencer-Cape Spencer"
This brought Vancouver to that portion
of the coast which he had partially ex-
amined from the south before he left for
the Hawaiian islands in September, 1893.
The balance of the continental shore was
then explored and surveyed. $40 the
and uaf I'LL
cupied by a compact sheet of ice as far as
the eye could distinguish. The shores of
the continent, along two large bays, we're
formed of solid mountains of ice, rising
perpendicuinrly from the waters edge,
and bounded TO the north by a continual
ton of the united. lofty frozen mountains
that extend eastward from Mount Fair
weather. In the bays were great quanti-
ties of broken ice."
About seven leagues easterfy q point
was reached which Vancouver named
Point Couverden. after The family seat of
his ancestors. Passing onward about two
miles an extensive arm of the sea from
five to six miles wide opened out in two
Irections-south-southe and north
northwest. The exploring party first took
the latter arm, which Was bounded on
both sides by lofty. stupendous mount
AIMS. covered with perpetual ice and snow,
whilst the shores in the nelghborhood APP
peared To be composed of ellis of very
hne slate. interSpersed with beaches of
excellent having stone.
Further north Point Seduction divided
the arm into two branches, into each Of
which flowed considerable stream of
pure water. The upper part of the arm
Vancouver named Lynn canal. after the
place OF his nativity. the town OF Lynn, in
Norfolk, England. On the return of the
party they met large number of In-
dams, who at first appeared very friendly.
but subsequently attempted 10 plundsr
until driven away at Point Retreat,
which now is generally the extent Of
the trip by tourist steamers. being only n
short distance north of juneau. Nancou-
yer bonored the group of islands lying
south OF Cross sound with the name of
king George the Thirds Archipelago"
Having thus completed the mission with
which he was specially charged, namely,
the examination and survey of the coast Of
North America. which he faithfully and
with wonderful, precision performed, and
showed that no nayigable water commune
cation or strait existed between the North
Pacific ocean and Hudson bay, Capt. Van
couver, after calling at Nootka on matters
connected with the withdrawal of the
Spaniards from that station. returned to
England arriving there in lI85