N.N.W. when we trimmed our ſails as ſharp as poſſible.
The ſummits of the higheſt mountains were already whitened with the ſnow. Theſe mountains form part of a chain which extends from ſouth-eaſt to north-weſt, and terminates near the fartheſt extremity of the harbour.
We were much gratified in viewing, from the ſhip, the places which we had lately viſited in our excurſions.
At one time we obſerved a thick ſmoke aſcending from the diſtant country to the northward of the great lake, and ſoon deſcried five of the natives walking away from a fire which they had juſt been kindling on the ſhore: one of them carried a fire-brand in his hand with which he lighted the flames in different places, where the fire preſently caught and was almoſt as ſoon extinguiſhed.
We plied to windward, keeping in with the coaſt; as we had no danger to apprehend from approaching it.
A ſlight breeze from the north, as well as the tide, being againſt us, we could not enter the ſtrait before night. We therefore caſt anchor at the mouth of it, in a bottom of grey ſand, at the depth of 30 fathoms. The place where we had
pitched
