them, and at its expiration they were to receive a hundred dollars in
merchandise. The captain had shipped another dozen as hands on the
coasting voyage. These people, who make very good sailors, were eager to
be taken into employment, and we might easily have carried off a much
greater number.

We had contrary winds till the 2d of March, when, having doubled the
western extremity of the island, we made northing, and lost sight of
these smiling and temperate countries, to enter very soon a colder
region and less worthy of being inhabited. The winds were variable, and
nothing extraordinary happened to us till the 16th, when, being arrived
at the latitude of 35° 11' north, and in 138° 16' of west longitude, the
wind shifted all of a sudden to the S.S.W., and blew with such violence,
that we were forced to strike top-gallant masts and top-sails, and run
before the gale with a double reef in our foresail. The rolling of the
vessel was greater than in all the gales we had experienced previously.
Nevertheless, as we made great headway, and were approaching the
continent, the captain by way of precaution, lay to for two nights
successively. At last, on the 22d, in the morning, we saw the land.
Although we had not been able to take any observations for several days,
nevertheless, by the appearance of the coast, we perceived that we were
near the mouth of the river Columbia, and were not more than three miles
from land. The breakers formed by the bar at the entrance of that river,
and which we could distinguish from the ship, left us no room to doubt
that we had arrived at last at the end of our voyage.

The wind was blowing in heavy squalls, and the sea ran very high: in
spite of that, the captain caused a boat to be lowered, and Mr. Fox
(first mate), Basile Lapensee, Ignace Lapensee, Jos. Nadeau, and John
Martin, got into her, taking some provisions and firearms, with orders