At five o’clock the next morning, the wind being northerly, and the weather moderate, we weighed again, and at seven passed Muscle bay, which lies on the southern shore, about a league to the westward of Elizabeth’s Bay. At eight, we were abreast of Bachelor’s River, which is on the north shore, about two leagues W. by N. from Elizabeth’s Bay. At nine, we passed St. Jerom’s Sound, the entrance of which is about a league from Bachelor’s River: when St. Jerom’s Sound

was open, it bore N.W. We then steered W.S.W. by the compass for Cape Quod, which is three leagues distant from the southermost point of the Sound. Between Elizabeth Bay and Cape Quod, is a reach about four miles over, called Crooked Reach. At the entrance of Jerom’s Sound, on the north side, we saw three or four fires, and soon afterwards, perceived two or three canoes paddling after us. At noon, Cape Quod bore W.S.W. ½ W. distant four or five miles, and soon after, having light airs and calms, we drove to the eastward with the flood tide; in the mean time the canoes came up, and after having paddled about us some time, one of them had the resolution to come on board. The canoe was of bark, very ill made, and the people on board, which were four men, two women, and a boy, were the poorest wretches I had ever seen. They were all naked, except a stinking seal skin that was thrown loosely over their shoulders; they were armed, however, with bows and arrows, which they readily gave me in return for a few beads, and other trifles. The arrows were made of a reed, and pointed with a green stone: they were about two feet long, and the bows were three feet: the cord of the bow was the dried gut of some animal. In the evening, we anchored abreast of Bachelor’s River, in fourteen fathom. The entrance of the River bore N. by E. distant one mile, and the northermost point of Saint Jerom’s Sound W.N.W. distant three miles. About three quarters of a mile eastward of Bachelor’s River, is a shoal, upon which there is not more than six feet water when the tide is out: it is distant about half a mile from the shore, and may be known by the weeds that are upon it. The tide flows here, at the full and change of the moon, about one o’clock. Soon after we were at anchor, several Indians came on board us, and I made them all presents of beads, ribands, and other trifles, with which they appeared to be greatly

Voyaging Accounts