over, called English Reach. About five miles
south of Cape Gallant lies a large island, called Charles's Island,
which it is necessary to keep to the northward of: We sailed along the
north shore of it, at about two miles distance, and sometimes much less.
A little to the eastward of Cape Holland is a fair sandy bay, called
Wood's Bay, in which there is good anchoring. The mountains on each side
the strait are, I think, higher, and of a more desolate appearance, than
any other, in the world, except perhaps the Cordeliers, both being rude,
craggy, and steep, and covered with snow from the top to the bottom.

From Cape Gallant to Passage Point, which are distant about three
leagues, the coast lies W. by N. by compass. Passage Point is the east
point of Elizabeth's Bay, and is low land, with a rock lying off it.
Between this and Cape Gallant there are several islands. Some of them
are very small; but the eastermost, which is Charles's Island, that has
been just mentioned, is two leagues long; the next is called Monmouth's
Island, and the westermost Rupert's Island: Rupert's Island lies S. by
E. of Point Passage. These islands make the strait narrow; between
Point Passage and Rupert's Island it is not more than two miles over,
and it is necessary to go to the northward of them all, keeping the
north shore on board: We sailed within two cables' length of it, and had
no ground with forty fathom. At six in the evening the wind shifted to
the westward, upon which we stood in for Elizabeth's Bay, and anchored
in ten fathom with very good ground: the best anchoring, however, is in
thirteen fathom, for there was but three or four fathom about a cable's
length within us. In this bay there is a good rivulet of fresh water. We
found the flood here set very strong to the eastward; and according to
our calculation, it flows at the full and change of the moon about
twelve o'clock. We found the variation two points easterly.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, on Thursday the 28th, the wind being
between the N.W. and W. with fresh gales and squalls, we made the signal
to weigh, and just as we had got the ship over the anchor, a violent
gust brought it home; the ship immediately drove into shoal water,
within two cables' length of the shore, upon which we let go the small
bower in four fathom, and had but three fathom under our stern: The
stream anchor was carried out with all possible expedition, and by
applying a purchase to the capstern,