From Point Wollaston To Our Encampment The Coast
Is Skirted With Trap Cliffs Which Have Often A Columnar Form And Are Very
Difficult Of Access.
These cliffs lie in ranges parallel to the shore and
the deer that we killed were feeding in small marshy grassy plats that
lie in the valleys between them.
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.
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