s not so high, the ascent more gradual from thence to the tops of the
mountains, which are less covered with snow than those to the south.
They have from the strait the appearance of a compact range. Proceeding
up the strait about seventy miles, a long low sandy point attracted
Vancouver's attention; from its resemblance to Dungeness, on the coast
of Kent, he named it New Dungeness, and found within it good anchorage
in from ten to three fathoms; beyond this the coast forms a deep bay
about nine miles across; and three miles from its eastern point lies
Protection Island, so named from the position it occupies at the
entrance of Port Discovery. Vancouver landed on it on the 1st of May
1792, and thus describes its appearance:--"On landing on the west end,
and ascending its eminence, which was a nearly perpendicular cliff, our
attention was immediately called to a landscape almost as enchantingly
beautiful as the most elegantly finished pleasure-grounds in Europe.
The summit of this island presented nearly a horizontal surface,
interspersed with some inequalities of ground, which produced a
beautiful variety on an extensive lawn covered with luxuriant grass and
diversified with abundance of flowers. To the north-westward was a
coppice of pine trees, and shrubs of various sorts, that seemed as if it
had been planted for the purpose of protecting from the north-west winds
this delightful meadow, over which were promiscuously scattered a few
clumps of trees that would have puzzled the most ingenious designer of
pleasure-grounds to have arranged more agreeably. While we stopped to
contemplate these several beauties of nature in a prospect no less
pleasing than unexpected, we gathered some gooseberries and roses in a
state of considerable forwardness."

From this island, lying at the entrance of Port Discovery, commences the
maritime importance of the territory, with, says Vancouver, as fine a
harbour as any in the world, though subsequently he awards the palm to
its neighbour Port Hudson. Its shores and scenery have been thus
described by Vancouver:--

"The delightful serenity of the weather greatly aided the beautiful
scenery that was now presented; the surface of the sea was perfectly
smooth, and the country before us presented all that bounteous nature
could be expected to draw into one point of view. As we had no reason
to imagine that this country had ever been indebted for any of its
decorations to the hand of man