- In order to lull suspicion, I decided not to attempt a capture immediately, but to await our return from Bellingham bay. We started in the afternoon and were carried almost through the Swinomish slough. This is a natural canal through the tide flats, several hundred feet wide and about twenty feet deep. At high tide large boats are able to go through. The country is principally inhabited by Swinomish and Skagit Indians. White men have not yet thought of settling on these rich flats, which will certainly become very valuable on account of their productiveness.
- Early on the morning of the 10th we left Whatcom. The tide was with us, but the wind was against us, and it was 11 o’clock before we lost sight of Whatcom. We lunched in a beautiful little cove on Lummi island, which forms the southwest boundary of the [Bellingham] bay. The wind lulled, but, the tide favoring us, we continued on our course, entered the grand canal of the Swinomish [Slough] and succeeded in reaching our camp of the 6th near the same Indian camp.