Being detained by the continuance of the gale on the 2nd of August some
men were sent out to hunt and the officers visited the tops of the
highest hills to ascertain the best channels to be pursued. The wind
abating at ten P.M. we embarked and paddled round the southern end of the
island and continued our course to the south-east. Much doubt at this
time prevailed as to the land on the right being the main shore or merely
a chain of islands. The latter opinion was strengthened by the broken
appearance of the land and the extensive view we had up Brown's Channel
(named after my friend Mr. Robert Brown) the mouth of which we passed and
were in some apprehension of being led away from the main shore and,
perhaps after passing through a group of islands, of coming to a traverse
greater than we durst venture upon in canoes: on the other hand the
continuous appearance of the land on the north side of the channel and
its tending to the southward excited the fear that we were entering a
deep inlet.
In this state of doubt we landed often and endeavoured, from the summits
of the highest hills adjoining the shore, to ascertain the true nature of
the coast but in vain, and we continued paddling through the channel all
night against a fresh breeze, which at half-past four increased to a
violent gale and compelled us to land. The gale diminished a short time
after noon on the 3rd and permitted us to reembark and continue our
voyage until four P.M., when it returned with its former violence and
finally obliged us to encamp, having come twenty-four miles on a
south-east three-quarter south course.
From the want of driftwood to make a fire we had fasted all day and were
under the necessity in the evening of serving out pemmican, which was
done with much reluctance, especially as we had some fresh deers' meat
remaining. The inlet when viewed from a high hill adjoining to our
encampment exhibited so many arms that the course we ought to pursue was
more uncertain than ever. It was absolutely necessary however to see the
end of it before we could determine that it was not a strait. Starting at
three A.M. on the 4th we paddled the whole day through channels from two
to five or six miles wide, all tending to the southward. In the course of
the day's voyage we ascertained that the land which we had seen on our
right since yesterday morning consisted of several large islands which
have been distinguished by the names of Goulburn, Elliott, and Young, but
the land on our left preserved its unbroken appearance and when we
encamped we were still uncertain whether it was the eastern side of a
deep sound or merely a large island.
