ully towering
over the forest than those of the east side, bounded to a considerable
extent our western horizon; on these, however, not one conspicuous
eminence arose, nor could we now distinguish that which on the sea-coast
appeared to be centrally situated, forming an elegant biforked mountain.
From the south extremity of these ridges of mountains there seemed to
be an extensive tract of land, moderately elevated and beautifully
diversified by pleasing inequalities of surface, enriched with every
appearance of fertility."

The narrow channel from Possession Sound, at the back of the long island
lying at its mouth, which Vancouver named Whidbey's Island, affords some
small but convenient harbours; its northern entrance is so choked with
rocks as to be scarcely practicable for vessels; but its southern is
wide, and the navigation unimpeded.

The northern arm of the straits commences in an archipelago of small
islands, well wooded and fertile, but generally without water; in one of
them, however, Vancouver found good anchorage, though exposed to the
south, having wood, water, and every necessary; this he named Strawberry
Cove, from that fruit having been found there in great abundance, and
the island, from the trees which covered it, Cypress Island. About this
part the continental shore is high and rocky, though covered with wood;
and, it may be remarked generally, that the northern shore of the gulf
becomes more rocky and sterile, shewing gradually a less and less
variety of trees, until those of the pine tribe alone are found.

Above the archipelago the straits widen, swelling out to the east in a
double bay, affording good anchorage, beyond which the shores become low
and sandy, and a wide bank of sand extends along them about one or two
miles, closely approaching the opposite side of the gulf, leaving a
narrow but clear channel. This bank, affording large sturgeon, was
named by Vancouver after that fish; and keeping to the south around it,
he did not observe that here the gulf receives the waters of Fraser
River from the north. Here the gulf is open, and the navigation
unimpeded, except by a few islands on the north shore; one of them,
named by the Spaniards de Feveda, deserves notice; it is parallel with
the shore, narrow, and about thirty miles long.

Among the natural features of this part of the north shore of the gulf,
must not be omitted, on account of their singularity, the small
salt-water lakes, which