May 27th [of 1853]. We went on a walking expedition today over to the straits. Here we found the claim of a Mr. Ross, his wife and son. I could see no sense in his location, for although the timber is fine there is no market for it; that is, no mill at hand, and he has no cattle to haul it and no pasture to feed the cattle. The extent of his farm is a productive garden which he has planted on an old Indian camping ground.
