now convinced, that the continent of North America extended farther to the west, than from the modern most reputable charts we had reason to expect.  This made the existence of a passage into Baffin’s or Hudson’s Bay less probable, or at least shewed it to be of greater extent.  It was a satisfaction to me, however, to reflect, that, if I had not examined this very considerable inlet, it would have been assumed, by speculative fabricators of geography, as a fact, that it communicated with the sea to the north, or with Baffin’s or Hudson’s Bay to the east; and been marked, perhaps, on future maps of the world, with greater precision, and more certain signs of reality, than the invisible, because imaginary, Straits of de Fuca and de Fonte.

[Footnote 5:  Captain Cook having here left a blank which he had not filled up with any particular name, Lord Sandwich directed, with the greatest propriety, that it should be called Cook’s River.—­D.

Some readers may require to be informed, that, for reasons mentioned in the account of his voyage, Captain Vancouver has called it Cook’s Inlet.—­E.]

In the afternoon, I sent Mr King again, with two armed boats, with orders to land on the north-eastern point of the low land, on the south-east side of the river; there to display the flag; to take possession of the country and river in his majesty’s name; and to bury in the ground a bottle, containing some pieces of English coin of the year 1772, and a paper, on which was inscribed the names of our ships, and the date of our discovery.  In the mean time, the ships were got under sail, in order to proceed down the river.  The wind still blew fresh, easterly; but a calm ensued, not long after we were under way; and the flood-tide meeting us off the point where Mr King landed, (and which thence got the name of Point Possession,) we were obliged to drop anchor in six fathoms water, with the point bearing S., two miles distant.

When Mr King returned, he informed me, that as he approached the shore, about twenty of the natives made their appearance, with their arms extended; probably to express thus their peaceable disposition, and to shew that they were without weapons.  On Mr King’s, and the gentlemen with him, landing, with musquets in their hands, they seemed alarmed, and made signs, expressive of their request to lay them down.  This was accordingly done; and then they suffered the gentlemen to walk up to them, and appeared to be cheerful and sociable.  They had with them a few pieces of fresh salmon, and several dogs.  Mr Law, surgeon of the Discovery, who was one of the party, having bought one of the latter, took it down toward the boat, and shot it dead, in their sight.  This seemed to surprise them exceedingly; and as if they did not think themselves safe in such company, they walked away; but it was soon after discovered, that their spears, and other weapons, were hid in the bushes close behind them.  Mr King also informed me, that the ground was swampy, and the soil poor, light, and black.  It produced a few trees and shrubs; such as pines, alders, birch, and willows; rose and currant bushes; and a little grass; but they saw not a single plant in flower.