SECTION XIII.

_Observations made at the Sandwich Islands, on the Longitude,

Variation of the Compass and Tides.--Prosecution of the

Voyage.--Remarks on the Mildness of the Weather, as far as

the Latitude 44° North.--Paucity of Sea Birds, in the Northern

Hemisphere.--Small Sea Animals described.--Arrival on the Coast

of America.--Appearance of the Country.--Unfavourable Winds and

boisterous Weather.--Remarks on Martin de Aguilar's River, and Juan

de Fuca's pretended Strait.--An Inlet discovered, where the Ships

anchor.--Behaviour of the Natives._

After the Discovery had joined us, we stood away to the northward,

close hauled, with a gentle gale from the east; and nothing occurring,

in this situation, worthy of a place in my narrative, the reader

will permit me to insert here the nautical observations which I had

opportunities of making relative to the islands we had left; and which

we had been fortunate enough to add to the geography of this part of

the Pacific Ocean.

The longitude of the Sandwich Islands was determined by seventy-two

sets of lunar observations; some of which were made while we were at

anchor in the road of Wymoa; others before we arrived, and after we

left it, and reduced to it by the watch or time-keeper. By the mean

result of these observations, the longitude of the road is

200° 13' 0" East.

Time-keeper / Greenwich rate, 200° 0' 0"

\ Ulietea rate, 200° 21' 0"

The latitude of the road, by the \

mean of two meridian observations } 21° 56' 15" North.

of the sun /

The observations for the variation of the compass did not agree very

well among themselves. It is true, they were not all made exactly

in the same spot. The different situations, however, could make very

little difference. But the whole will be seen, by casting an eye on

the following table.

Time. Latitude. Longitude. Compass. East Mean

variation. Variation.

Jan. 18th. A.M. 21° 12' 200° 41' Gregory's 10° 10' 10"\

Knight's 9° 20' 5" } 90° 51' 38"

Martin's 10° 4' 40"/

19th. P.M. 21° 51' 200° 20' Knight's 10° 2' 10"\ 10° 37' 10"

Gregory's 11° 12' 30"/

28th. A.M. 21° 22' 199° 56' Gregory's 9° 1' 20"\

Knight's 9° 1' 25" } 9° 26' 57"

Martin's 10° 18' 5"/

28th. P.M. 21° 36' 199° 50' Gregory's 11° 21' 15"\

Knight's 10° 40' 0" } 11° 12' 50"

Martin's 11° 37' 50"/

Means of the} 21° 29' 200° 12' 10° 17' 11"

above }

On January 18. 21° 12' 200° 41' the north end of

the needle dipped 42° 1' 7".

The tides at the Sandwich Islands are so inconsiderable, that, with

the great surf which broke against the shore, it was hardly possible

to tell, at any time, whether we had high or low water, or whether

it ebbed or flowed. On the south side of Atooi, we generally found a

current setting to the westward, or north-westward. But when we

were at anchor off Oneeheow, the current set nearly north-west and

south-east, six hours one way and six the other, and so strong as to

make the ships tend, though the wind blew fresh. This was certainly

a regular tide; and, as far as I could judge, the flood came from the

north-west.

I now return to the progress of our voyage. On the 7th, being in the

latitude of 29° N. and in the longitude of 200° E. the wind veered to

S.E. This enabled us to steer N.E. and E.; which course we continued,

till the 12th, when the wind had veered round by the S. and W. to

N.E. and E.N.E. I then tacked and stood to the northward, our latitude

being 30° N. and our longitude 206° 15' E. Notwithstanding our

advanced latitude, and its being the winter season, we had only begun,

for a few days past, to feel a sensation of cold in the mornings and

evenings. This is a sign of the equal and lasting influence of

the sun's heat, at all seasons, to 30° on each side the line. The

disproportion is known to become very great after that. This must be

attributed almost entirely to the direction of the rays of the sun,

independent of the bare distance, which is by no means equal to the

effect.

On the 19th, being now in the latitude of 37° N. and in the longitude

of 206° E. the wind veered to S.E.; and I was enabled again to

steer to the E. inclining to the N. We had, on the 25th, reached the

latitude of 42° 30', and the longitude of 219°; and then we began

to meet with the rock-weed, mentioned by the writer of Lord Anson's

voyage, under the name of sea-leek, which the Manilla ships generally

fall in with. Now and then a piece of wood also appeared. But if we

had not known that the continent of North America was not far distant,

we might, from the few signs of the vicinity of land hitherto met

with, have concluded, that there was none within some thousand leagues

of us. We had hardly seen a bird, or any other oceanic animal, since

we left Sandwich Islands.

On the 1st of March, our latitude being now 44° 49' N., and our

longitude 228° E. we had one calm day. This was succeeded by a wind

from the N. with which I stood to the E. close hauled, in order to

make the land. According to the charts, it ought not to have been far

from us. It was remarkable, that we should still carry with us such

moderate and mild weather so far to the northward, and so near the

coast of an extensive continent, at this time of the year. The present

season either must be uncommon for its mildness, or we can assign no

reason why Sir Francis Drake should have met with such severe cold,

about this latitude, in the month of June. Viscaino, indeed, who was

near the same place in the depth of winter, says little of the cold,

and speaks of a ridge of snowy mountains somewhere on the coast, as a

thing rather remarkable.[1] Our seeing so few birds, in comparison of

what we met with in the same latitudes to the south of the Line,

is another singular circumstance, which must either proceed from a

scarcity of the different sorts, or from a deficiency of places

to rest upon. From hence, we may conclude, that, beyond 40° in the

southern hemisphere, the species are much more numerous, and the isles

where they inhabit also more plentifully scattered about, than any

where between the coast of California and Japan, in or near that

latitude.

[Footnote 1: See Torquemada's Narrative of Viscaino's Expedition

in 1602 and 1603, in the second volume of Vanegas's History of

California, English translation, from p. 229 to p. 308.--D.]

During a calm, on the morning of the 2d, some parts of the sea seemed

covered with a kind of slime, and some small sea-animals were swimming

about. The most conspicuous of which were of the gelatinous or

_medusa_ kind, almost globular; and another sort smaller, that had

a white or shining appearance, and were very numerous. Some of these

last were taken up, and put into a glass cup with some salt water, in

which they appeared like small scales or bits of silver, when at rest,

in a prone situation. When they began to swim about, which they did,

with equal ease, upon their backs, sides, or belly, they emitted

the brightest colours of the most precious gems, according to their

position with respect to the light. Sometimes they appeared quite

pellucid, at other times assuming various tints of blue, from a pale

sapphirine to a deep violet colour; which were frequently mixed with

a ruby or opaline redness; and glowed with a strength sufficient to

illuminate the vessel and water. These colours appeared most vivid

when the glass was held to a strong light; and mostly vanished on the

subsiding of the animals to the bottom, when they had a brownish cast.

But, with candle light, the colour was, chiefly, a beautiful pale

green, tinged with a burnished gloss; and, in the dark, it had a

faint appearance of glowing fire. They proved to be a new species of

_oniscus_, and, from their properties, were, by Mr Anderson, (to whom

we owe this account of them), called _oniscus fulgens_; being probably

an animal which has a share in producing some sorts of that lucid

appearance, often observed near ships at sea in the night. On the same

day two large birds settled on the water, near the ship. One of these

was the _procellaria maxima_ (the _quebrantahuessos_), and the

other, which was little more than half the size, seemed to be of the

_albatross_ kind. The upper part of the wings, and tip of the tail,

were black, with the rest white; the bill yellowish; upon the whole

not unlike the sea-gull, though larger.

On the 6th at noon, being in the latitude of 44° 10' N., and the

longitude of 234-1/2° E., we saw two seals and several whales; and at

day-break the next morning, the long-looked-for coast of New Albion[2]

was seen, extending from N.E. to S.E., distant ten or twelve leagues.

At noon our latitude was 44° 33' N., and our longitude 235° 20' E.;

and the land extended from N.E. 1/2 N. to S.E. by S. about eight

leagues distant. In this situation we had seventy-three fathoms water,

over a muddy bottom, and about a league farther off found ninety

fathoms. The land appeared to be of a moderate height, diversified

with hills and valleys, and almost every where covered with wood.

There was, however, no very striking object on any part of it, except

one hill, whose elevated summit was flat. This bore E. from us at

noon. At the northern extreme the land formed a point, which I called

_Cape Foulweather_, from the very bad weather that we soon after met

with. I judge it to lie in the latitude of 44° 55' N., and in the

longitude of 235° 54' E.

[Footnote 2: This part of the west side of North America was so named

by Sir Francis Drake.--D.]

We had variable light airs and calms till eight o'clock in the

evening, when a breeze sprung up at S.W. With it I stood to the N.W.,

under an easy sail, waiting for day-light, to range along the coast.

But at four, next morning, the wind shifted to N.W., and blew in

squalls, with rain. Our course was N.E. till near ten o'clock, when,

finding that I could make no progress on this tack, and seeing

nothing like a harbour, I tacked, and stood off S.W. At this time Cape

Foulweather bore N.E. by N. about eight leagues distant. Toward noon

the wind veered more to the westward, and the weather became fair

and clear; so that we were enabled to make lunar observations. Having

reduced all those that we had made since the 19th of last month to

the present ones, by the time-keeper, amounting in the whole to

seventy-two sets, their mean result determined the longitude to be

235° 15' 26" E., which was 14' 11" less than what the time-keeper

gave. This longitude is made use of for settling that of the coast;

and I have not a doubt of its being within a very few miles of the

truth.

Our difficulties now began to increase. In the evening the wind came

to the N.W., blowing in squalls, with hail and sleet; and the weather

being thick and hazy, I stood out to sea till near noon the next

day, when I tacked, and stood in again for the land, which made

its appearance at two in the afternoon, bearing E.N.E. The wind and

weather continued the same; but, in the evening, the former veered

more to the W. and the latter grew worse, which made it necessary

to tack and stand off till four the next morning, when I ventured to

stand in again.

At four in the afternoon we saw the island, which, at six, extended

from N.E. 1/2 E. to S.E. by S. about eight leagues distant. In this

situation we tacked, and sounded; but a line of a hundred and sixty

fathoms did not reach the ground. I stood off till midnight, then

stood in again; and at half-past six we were within three leagues

of the land, which extended from N. by E. 1/2 E. to S. 1/2 E.; each

extreme about seven leagues distant. Seeing no signs of a harbour, and

the weather being still unsettled, I tacked, and stretched off S.W.

having then fifty-five fathoms water, over a muddy bottom.

That part of the land which we were so near when we tacked, is of a

moderate height, though in some places it rises higher within. It was

diversified with a great many rising grounds and small hills; many

of which were entirely covered with tall, straight trees; and

others, which were lower, and grew in spots like coppices; but the

interspaces, and sides of many of the rising grounds, were clear. The

whole, though it might make an agreeable summer prospect, had now an

uncomfortable appearance; as the bare grounds towards the coast were

all covered with snow, which seemed to be of a considerable depth

between the little hills and rising grounds; and in several places,

toward the sea, might easily have been mistaken, at a distance, for

white cliffs. The snow on the rising grounds was thinner spread; and

farther inland, there was no appearance of any; from whence we might,

perhaps, conclude, that what we saw toward the sea, had fallen during

the night; which was colder than any we had experienced since our

arrival on the coast; and we had sometimes a kind of sleet. The coast

seemed every where almost straight, without any opening or inlet; and

it appeared to terminate in a kind of white sandy beach; though some

on board thought that appearance was owing to the snow. Each extreme

of the land that was now before us, seemed to shoot out into a point.

The northern one was the same which we had first seen on the 7th; and

on that account I called it _Cape Perpetua_. It lies in the latitude

of 44° 6' N., and in the longitude of 235° 57'E. The southern extreme

before us, I named _Cape Gregory_.[3] Its latitude is 43° 30', and its

longitude 235° 57' E. It is a remarkable point; the land of it rising

almost directly from the sea to a tolerable height, while that on each

side of it is low.

[Footnote 3: In our calendar, the 7th of March is distinguished by the

name of Perpetua M, and the 12th by that of Gregory B.--D.]

I continued standing off till one in the afternoon. Then I tacked, and

stood in, hoping to have the wind off from the land in the night. But

in this I was mistaken; for at five o'clock it began to run to the

west and south-west, which, obliged me once more to stand out to sea.

At this time, Cape Perpetua bore N.E. by N.; and the farthest land we

could see to the south of Cape Gregory bore S. by E., perhaps ten or

twelve leagues distant. If I am right in this estimation, its latitude

will be 43° 10', and its longitude 235° 55' E., which is nearly the

situation of Cape Blanco, discovered or seen by Martin d'Aguilar, on

the 19th of January, 1603. It is worth observing, that in the very

latitude where we now were, geographers have been pleased to place a

large entrance or strait, the discovery of which they take upon them

to ascribe to the same navigator; whereas nothing more is mentioned in

the account of his voyage, than his having seen, in this situation,

a large river, which he would have entered, but was prevented by the

currents.[4]

[Footnote 4: See the History of California, Eng. trans. vol. ii. p.

292.--D.]

The wind, as I have observed, had veered to S.W. in the evening; but

it was very unsettled, and blew in squalls, with snow showers. In one

of these, at midnight, it shifted at once to W.N.W. and soon increased

to a very hard gale, with heavy squalls, attended with sleet or

snow. There was no choice now; and we were obliged to stretch to the

southward, in order to get clear of the coast. This was done under

courses and two close-reefed top-sails; being rather more sail than

the ships could safely bear; but it was necessary to carry it to avoid

the more pressing danger of being forced on shore. This gale continued

till eight o'clock in the morning of the 18th; when it abated, and

I stood in again for the land. We had been forced a considerable way

backward; for at the time of our tacking, we were in the latitude of

42° 45', and in the longitude of 233° 30'.

The wind continued at W. and N.W.; storms, moderate weather, and

calms, succeeding each other by turns, till the morning of the 21st;

when, after a few hours calm, a breeze sprung up at S.W. This bringing

with it fair weather, I steered north-easterly, in order to fall

in with the land, beyond that part of it where we had already so

unprofitable been tossed about for the last fortnight. In the evening,

the wind veered to the westward; and at eight o'clock the next

morning, we saw the land, extending from N.E. to E. nine leagues

distant. At this time we were in the latitude of 47° 5' N. and in the

longitude of 235° 10' E.

I continued to stand to the north, with a fine breeze at W. and W.N.W.

till near seven o'clock in the evening, when I tacked to wait for

day-light. At this time we were in forty-eight fathoms water, and

about four leagues from the land, which extended from N. to S.E.

1/2 E. and a small round hill, which had the appearance of being an

island, bore N. 3/4 E., distant six or seven leagues, as I guessed; it

appears to be of a tolerable height, and was but just to be seen from

the deck. Between this island or rock, and the northern extreme of the

land, there appeared to be a small opening, which flattered us with

the hopes of finding an harbour. These hopes lessened as we drew

nearer; and at last we had some reason to think that the opening was

closed by low land. On this account I called the point of land to the

north of it _Cape Flattery_. It lies in the latitude of 48° 15' N.,

and in the longitude of 235° 3' E. There is a round hill of a moderate

height over it; and all the land upon this part of the coast is of a

moderate and pretty equal height, well covered with wood, and had

a very pleasant and fertile appearance. It is in this very latitude

where we now were, that geographers have placed the pretended strait

of Juan de Fuca. But we saw nothing like it; nor is there the least

probability that ever any such thing existed.[5]

[Footnote 5: See Michael Locke's apocryphal account of Juan de Fuca

and his pretended strait, in Purchas, vol. iii. p. 849-852, and many

later Collections.--D.]

I stood off to the southward till midnight, when I tacked, and steered

to the N.W. with a gentle breeze at S.W. intending to stand in for the

land as soon as day-light should appear. But, by that time, we were

reduced to two courses and close-reefed top-sails, having a very hard

gale, with rain, right on shore; so that, instead of running in for

the land, I was glad to get an offing, or to keep that which we

had already got. The south-west wind was, however, but of short

continuance; for in the evening it veered again to the west. Thus

had we perpetually strong west and north-west winds to encounter.

Sometimes, in an evening, the wind would become moderate, and veer to

the southward; but this was always a sure prelude to a storm, which

blew the hardest at S.S.E. and was attended with rain and sleet. It

seldom lasted above four or six hours, before it was succeeded by

another gale from the N.W. which, generally, brought with it fair

weather. It was, by the means of these southerly blasts, that we were

enabled to get to the north-west at all.

At length, at nine o'clock in the morning of the 29th, as we were

standing to the N.E. we again saw the land, which, at noon, extended

from N.W. by W. to E.S.E. the nearest part about six leagues distant.

Our latitude was now 49° 29' N. and our longitude 232° 29' E. The

appearance of the country differed much from that of the parts which

we had before seen; being full of high mountains, whose summits were

covered with snow. But the valleys between them, and the grounds on

the sea coast, high as well as low, were covered to a considerable

breadth with high, straight trees, that formed a beautiful prospect

as of one vast forest. The south-east extreme of the land formed a low

point off which are many breakers, occasioned by sunken rocks. On this

account it was called _Point Breakers_. It lies in the latitude of 49°

15' N., and in the longitude of 233° 20' E., and the other extreme

in about the latitude of 50°, and the longitude of 232°. I named this

last _Woody Point_. It projects pretty much out to the S.W. and is

high land. Between these two points the shore forms a large bay, which

I called _Hope Bay_; hoping, from the appearance of the land, to find

in it a good harbour. The event proved that we were not mistaken.

As we drew nearer the coast, we perceived the appearance of two

inlets; one in the N.W., and the other in the N.E. corner of the bay.

As I could not fetch the former, I bore up for the latter; and passed

some breakers, or sunken rocks, that lay a league or more from the

shore. We had nineteen and twenty fathoms water half a league without

them; but as soon as we had passed them, the depth increased to

thirty, forty, and fifty fathoms, with a sandy bottom; and farther in

we found no ground with the greatest length of line. Notwithstanding

appearances, we were not yet sure that there were any inlets; but

as we were in a deep bay, I had resolved to anchor, with a view to

endeavour to get some water, of which, by this time, we were in great

want. At length, as we advanced, the existence of the inlet was no

longer doubtful. At five o'clock we reached the west point of it,

where we were becalmed for some time. While in this situation, I

ordered all the boats to be hoisted out to tow the ships in. But this

was hardly done, before a fresh breeze sprung up again at N.W. with

which we were enabled to stretch up into an arm of the inlet, that was

observed by us to run into the N.E. There we were again becalmed, and

obliged to anchor in eighty-five fathoms water, and so near the shore

as to reach it with a hawser. The wind failed the Discovery before

she got within the arm, where she anchored, and found only seventy

fathoms.

We no sooner drew near the inlet than we found the coast to be

inhabited; and at the place where we were first becalmed, three canoes

came off to the ship. In one of these were two men, in another six,

and in the third ten. Having come pretty near us, a person in one of

the two last stood up, and made a long harangue, inviting us to land,

as we guessed, by his gestures. At the same time he kept strewing

handfuls of feathers towards us;[6] and some of his companions threw

handfuls of a red dust or powder in the same manner. The person who

played the orator, wore the skin of some animal, and held in each hand

something which rattled as he kept shaking it. After tiring himself

with his repeated exhortations, of which we did not understand a word,

he was quiet; and then others took it, by turns, to say something,

though they acted their part neither so long, nor with so much

vehemence, as the other. We observed, that two or three had their hair

quite strewed over with small white feathers; and others had large

ones stuck into different parts of the head. After the tumultuous

noise had ceased, they lay at a little distance from the ship, and

conversed with each other in a very easy manner; nor did they seem to

shew the least surprise or distrust. Some of them, now and then, got

up, and said something after the manner of their first harangues; and

one sung a very agreeable air, with a degree of softness and melody

which we could not have expected; the word _haela_ being often

repeated as the burden of the song. The breeze which soon after sprung

up, bringing us nearer to the shore, the canoes began to come off in

greater numbers; and we had at one time thirty-two of them near the

ship, carrying from three to seven or eight persons each, both men

and women. Several of these stood up in their canoes, haranguing and

making gestures, after the manner of our first visitors. One canoe was

remarkable for a singular head, which had a bird's eye and bill, of an

enormous size, painted on it; and a person, who was in it, who seemed

to be a chief, was no less remarkable for his uncommon appearance;

having many feathers hanging from his head, and being painted in an

extraordinary manner.[7] He held in his hand a carved bird of wood, as

large as a pigeon, with which he rattled as the person first mentioned

had done; and was no less vociferous in his harangue, which was

attended with some expressive gestures.

[Footnote 6: The natives of this coast, twelve degrees farther

south, also brought feathers as presents to Sir Francis Drake on

his arrival.--See an account of his voyage in _Campbell's edit. of

Harris_, vol. i. p. 18--D. And in this collection, vol. x.--E.]

[Footnote 7: Viscaino met with natives on the coast of California,

while he was in the harbour of San Diego, _who were painted or

besmeared with black and white, and had their heads loaded with

feathers_.--History of California, vol. ii. p. 272.--D.]

Though our visitors behaved very peaceably, and could not be suspected

of any hostile intention, we could not prevail upon any of them to

come on board. They shewed great readiness, however, to part with any

thing they had, and took from us whatever we offered them in exchange,

but were more desirous of iron than of any other of our articles of

commerce; appearing to be perfectly acquainted with the use of that

metal. Many of the canoes followed us to our anchoring-place; and

a group, of about ten or a dozen of them, remained alongside the

Resolution most part of the night.

These circumstances gave us a reasonable ground of hope, that we

should find this a comfortable station to supply all our wants, and to

make us forget the hardships and delays experienced during a constant

succession of adverse winds and boisterous weather, almost ever since

our arrival upon the coast of America.

CHAPTER IV.

TRANSACTIONS AMONGST THE NATIVES OF NORTH AMERICA; DISCOVERIES ALONG

THAT COAST AND THE EASTERN EXTREMITY OF ASIA, NORTHWARD TO ICY CAPE;

AND RETURN SOUTHWARD TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

SECTION I.

_The Ships enter the Sound, and moor in a Harbour.--Intercourse with

the Natives.--Articles brought to barter.--Thefts committed.--The

Observatories erected, and Carpenters set to work.--Jealousy of the

Inhabitants of the Sound to prevent other Tribes having Intercourse

with the Ships.--Stormy and rainy Weather.--Progress round the

Sound.--Behaviour of the Natives at their Villages.--Their Manner of

drying fish, &c.--Remarkable Visit from Strangers, and introductory

Ceremonies.--A second Visit to one of the Villages.--Leave to cut

Grass, purchased.--The Ships sail.--Presents given and received at

parting._

The ships having happily found so excellent shelter in an inlet, the

coasts of which appeared to be inhabited by a race of people, whose

inoffensive behaviour promised a friendly intercourse, the next

morning, after coming to anchor, I lost no time in endeavouring to

find a commodious harbour where we might station ourselves during our

continuance in the Sound. Accordingly, I sent three armed boats, under

the command of Mr King, upon this service; and soon after, I went

myself, in a small boat, on the same search. I had very little trouble

in finding what we wanted. On the N.W. of the arm we were now in, and

not far from the ships, I met with a convenient snug cove well suited

to our purpose. Mr King was equally successful; for he returned about

noon, with an account of a still better harbour, which he had seen

and examined, lying on the N.W. side of the land. But as it would have

required more time to carry the ships thither, than to the cove

where I had been, which was immediately within our reach, this reason

operated to determine my choice in favour of the latter situation. But

being apprehensive, that we should not be able to transport our ships

to it, and to moor them properly, before night came on, I thought

it best to remain where we were till next morning; and, that no time

might be lost, I employed the remainder of the day to some useful

purposes, ordering the sails to be unbent, the top-masts to be struck,

and the fore-mast of the Resolution to be unrigged, in order to fix a

new bib, one of the old ones being decayed.

A great many canoes, filled with the natives, were about the ships all

day, and a trade commenced betwixt us and them, which was carried

on with the strictest honesty on both sides. The articles which they

offered to sale were skins of various animals, such as bears, wolves,

foxes, deer, rackoons, pole-cats, martins, and, in particular, of the

sea-otters, which are found at the islands E. of Kamtschatka. Besides

the skins in their native shape, they also brought garments made of

them, and another sort of cloathing made of the bark of a tree, or

some plant like hemp; weapons, such as bows, arrows, and spears;

fish-hooks, and instruments of various kinds; wooden-vizors of many

different monstrous figures; a sort of woollen stuff, or blanketing;

bags filled with red ochre; pieces of carved work, beads, and

several other little ornaments of thin brass and iron, shaped like a

horse-shoe, which they hang at their noses; and several chisels, or

pieces of iron, fixed to handles. From their possessing which metals,

we could infer that they had either been visited before by some

civilized nation, or had connections with tribes on their continent,

who had communication with them. But the most extraordinary of all the

articles which they brought to the ships for sale, were human skulls,

and hands not yet quite stripped of the flesh, which they made our

people plainly understand they had eaten; and, indeed, some of them

had evident marks that they had been upon the fire. We had but too

much reason to suspect, from this circumstance, that the horrid

practice of feeding on their enemies is as prevalent here, as we had

found it to be at New Zealand and other South Sea Islands. For the

various articles which they brought, they took in exchange knives,

chisels, pieces of iron and tin, nails, looking-glasses, buttons, or

any kind of metal. Glass-beads they were not fond of, and cloth of

every sort they rejected.

We employed the next day in hauling our ships into the cove, where

they were moored head and stern, fastening our hawsers to the trees

on shore. On heaving up the anchor of the Resolution, we found,

notwithstanding the great depth of water in which it was let go,

that there were rocks at the bottom. These had done some considerable

damage to the cable; and the hawsers that were carried out to warp the

ship into the cove also got foul of rocks, from which it appeared

that the whole bottom was strewed with them. The ship being again very

leaky in her upper works, I ordered the carpenters to go to work to

caulk her, and to repair such other defects as, on examination, we

might discover.

The fame of our arrival brought a great concourse of the natives to

our ships in the course of this day. We counted above a hundred canoes

at one time, which might be supposed to contain, at an average, five

persons each; for few of them had less than three on board; great

numbers had seven, eight, or nine, and one was manned with no less

than seventeen. Amongst these visitors, many now favoured us with

their company for the first time, which we could guess, from their

approaching the ships with their orations and other ceremonies. If

they had any distrust or fear of us at first, they now appeared to

have laid it aside; for they came on board the ships, and mixed with

our people with the greatest freedom. We soon discovered, by this

nearer intercourse, that they were as light-fingered as any of our

friends in the islands we had visited in the course of the voyage.

And they were far more dangerous thieves; for, possessing sharp

iron-instruments, they could cut a hook from a tackle, or any other

piece of iron from a rope, the instant that our backs were turned. A

large hook, weighing between twenty and thirty pounds, several smaller

ones, and other articles of iron, were lost in this manner. And, as

to our boats, they stripped them of every bit of iron that was worth

carrying away, though we had always men left in them as a guard. They

were dexterous enough in effecting their purposes; for one fellow

would contrive to amuse the boat-keeper, at one end of a boat, while

another was pulling out the iron-work at the other. If we missed a

thing immediately after it had been stolen, we found little difficulty

in detecting the thief, as they were ready enough to impeach one

another. But the guilty person generally relinquished his prize with

reluctance, and sometimes we found it necessary to have recourse to

force.

The ships being securely moored, we began our other necessary business

the next day. The observatories were carried ashore, and placed upon

an elevated rock on one side of the cove, close to the Resolution. A

party of men, with an officer, was sent to cut wood, and to clear a

place for the conveniency of watering. Others were employed to brew

spruce-beer, as pine-trees abounded here. The forge was also set up,

to make the iron-work wanting for the repairs of the fore-mast. For,

besides one of the bibs being defective, the larboard trestle-tree and

one of the cross-trees were sprung.

A considerable number of the natives visited us daily; and every now

and then we saw new faces. On their first coming, they generally went

through a singular mode of introducing themselves. They would paddle,

with all their strength, quite round both ships, a chief, or other

principal person in the canoe, standing up with a spear, or some other

weapon, in his hand, and speaking, or rather hollowing, all the time.

Sometimes the orator of the canoe would have his face covered with a

mask, representing either a human visage, or that of some animal;

and, instead of a weapon, would hold a rattle in his hand, as before

described. After making this circuit round the ships, they would come

alongside, and begin to trade without further ceremony. Very often,

indeed, they would first give us a song, in which all in the canoe

joined, with a very pleasing harmony.

During these visits, they gave us no other trouble than to guard

against their thievish tricks. But, in the morning of the 4th, we

had a serious alarm. Our party on shore, who were employed in cutting

wood, and filling water, observed, that the natives all around them

were arming themselves in the best manner they could; those, who were

not possessed of proper weapons, preparing sticks, and collecting

stones. On hearing this, I thought it prudent to arm also; but, being

determined to act upon the defensive, I ordered all our workmen to

retreat to the rock, upon which we had placed our observatories,

leaving the natives in quiet possession of the ground where they had

assembled, which was within a stone's throw of the Resolution's stern.

Our fears were ill-grounded; these hostile preparations were not

directed against us, but against a body of their own countrymen, who

were coming to fight them; and our friends of the Sound, on observing

our apprehensions, used their best endeavours to convince us that this

was the case. We could see that they had people looking out on each

point of the cove, and canoes frequently passed between them and the

main body assembled near the ships. At length, the adverse party, in

about a dozen large canoes, appeared off the S. point of the

cove, where they stopped, and lay drawn up in a line of battle, a

negotiation having commenced. Some people in canoes, in conducting the

treaty, passed between the two parties, and there was some speaking on

both sides. At length, the difference, whatever it was, seemed to be

compromised; but the strangers were not allowed to come alongside the

ships, nor to have any trade or intercourse with us. Probably we were

the cause of the quarrel; the strangers, perhaps, being desirous to

share in the advantages of a trade with us, and our first friends, the

inhabitants of the Sound, being determined to engross us entirely to

themselves. We had proofs of this on several other occasions, nay, it

appeared, that even those who lived in the Sound were not united in

the same cause; for the weaker were frequently obliged to give way to

the stronger party, and plundered of every thing, without attempting

to make the least resistance.

We resumed our work in the afternoon, and the next day rigged the

fore-mast; the head of which being rather too small for the cap, the

carpenter went to work, to fix a piece on one side, to fill up the

vacant space. In cutting into the mast-head for this purpose, and

examining the state of it, both cheeks were found to be so rotten,

that there was no possibility of repairing them, and it became

necessary to get the mast out, and to fix new ones upon it. It was

evident, that one of the cheeks had been defective at the first, and

that the unsound part had been cut out, and a piece put in, which had

not only weakened the mast-head, but had, in a great measure, been

the occasion of rotting every other part of both cheeks. Thus, when we

were almost ready to put to sea, we had all our work to do over again;

and, what was still more provoking, an additional repair was to be

undertaken, which would require some time to be completed. But, as

there was no remedy, we immediately set about it. It was fortunate

for the voyage, that these defects were discovered, when we were in a

place, where the materials requisite were to be procured. For, amongst

the drift-wood, in the cove where the ships lay, were some small

seasoned trees very fit for our purpose. One of these was pitched

upon, and the carpenters began, without loss of time, to make out of

it two new cheeks.

In the morning of the 7th, we got the fore-mast out, and hauled it

ashore, and the carpenters of the ships were set to work upon it. Some

parts of the lower standing rigging having been found to be very much

decayed, as we had time now to put them in order, while the carpenters

were repairing the fore-mast, I ordered a new set of main-rigging to

be fitted, and a more perfect set of fore-rigging to be selected out

of the best parts of the old.

From the time of our putting into the Sound till now, the weather had

been exceedingly fine, without either wind or rain. That comfort, at

the very moment when the continuance of it would have been of most

service, was withdrawn. In the morning of the 8th, the wind freshened

at S.E., attended with thick hazy weather and rain. In the afternoon

the wind increased; and, toward the evening, it blew very hard indeed.

It came, in excessively heavy squalls, from over the high land on the

opposite shore, right into the cove, and, though the ships were

very well moored, put them in some danger. These tempestuous blasts

succeeded each other pretty quick, but they were of short duration,

and in the intervals between them we had a perfect calm. According to

the old proverb, Misfortunes seldom come single; the mizen was now

the only mast on board the Resolution that remained rigged, with its

top-mast up. The former was so defective, that it could not support

the latter during the violence of the squalls, but gave way at the

head under the rigging. About eight o'clock the gale abated; but the

rain continued with very little intermission for several days; and,

that the carpenters might be enabled to proceed in their labours,

while it prevailed, a tent was erected over the fore-mast, where they

could work with some degree of convenience.

The bad weather which now came on, did not, however, hinder the

natives from visiting us daily; and, in such circumstances, their

visits were very advantageous to us. For they frequently brought us a

tolerable supply of fish, when we could not catch any ourselves with

hook and line; and there was not a proper place near us where we could

draw a net. The fish which they brought us were either sardines, or

what resembled them much; a small kind of bream; and sometimes small

cod.

On the 11th, notwithstanding the rainy weather, the main-rigging was

fixed and got over head; and our employment, the day after, was to

take down the mizen-mast, the head of which proved to be so rotten,

that it dropped off while in the slings. In the evening we were

visited by a tribe of natives whom we had never seen before, and who,

in general, were better-looking people than most of our old friends,

some of whom attended them. I prevailed upon these visitors to go down

into the cabin for the first time, and observed, that there was not a

single object that fixed the attention of most of them for a moment;

their countenances marking, that they looked upon all our novelties

with the utmost indifference. This, however, was not without

exception; for a few of the company shewed a certain degree of

curiosity.

In the afternoon of the next day, I went into the woods with a

party of our men, and cut down a tree for a mizen-mast. On the day

following, it was brought to the place where the carpenters were

employed upon the fore-mast. In the evening the wind, which had been,

for some time, westerly, veered to S.E., and increased to a very hard

gale, with rain, which continued till eight o'clock the next morning,

when it abated, and veered again to the W.

The fore-mast being by this time finished, we hauled it alongside; but

the bad weather prevented our getting it in till the afternoon; and

we set about rigging it with the greatest expedition, while the

carpenters were going on with the mizen-mast on shore. They had made

very considerable progress in it on the 16th, when they discovered

that the stick upon which they were at work was sprung, or wounded,

owing, as supposed, to some accident in cutting it down. So that all

their labour was thrown away, and it became necessary to get another

tree out of the woods, which employed all hands above half a day.

During these various operations, several of the natives, who were

about the ships, looked on with an expressive silent surprise, which

we did not expect; from their general indifference and inattention.

On the 18th, a party of strangers, in six or eight canoes, came into

the cove, where they remained, looking at us, for some time, and then

retired, without coming alongside either ship. We supposed, that our

old friends, who were more numerous at this time about us, than these

new visitors, would not permit them to have any intercourse with

us. It was evident, upon this and several other occasions, that the

inhabitants of the adjoining parts of the Sound engrossed us entirely

to themselves; or if, at any time, they did not hinder strangers from

trading with us, they contrived to manage the trade for them in such a

manner, that the price of their commodities was always kept up; while

the value of ours was lessening every day. We also found, that many of

the principal natives, who lived near us, carried on a trade with

more distant tribes, in the articles they had procured from us. For we

observed that they would frequently disappear for four or five days at

a time, and then return with fresh cargoes of skins and curiosities,

which our people were so passionately fond of, that they always

came to a good market. But we received most benefit from such of

the natives as visited us daily. These, after disposing of all their

little trifles, turned their attention to fishing; and we never

failed to partake of what they caught. We also got from these people a

considerable quantity of very good animal oil, which they had reserved

in bladders. In this traffic some would attempt to cheat us, by mixing

water with the oil; and, once or twice, they had the address to carry

their imposition so far, as to fill their bladders with mere water,

without a single drop of oil. It was always better to bear with

these tricks, than to make them the foundation of a quarrel; for our

articles of traffic consisted, for the most part, of mere trifles; and

yet we were put to our shifts to find a constant supply even of these.

Beads, and such other toys, of which I had still some left, were in

little estimation. Nothing would go down with our visitors but metal;

and brass had, by this time, supplanted iron, being so eagerly sought

after, that before we left this place, hardly a bit of it was left in

the ships, except what belonged to our necessary instruments. Whole

suits of clothes were stripped of every button; bureaus of their

furniture; and copper-kettles, tin-cannisters, candle-sticks, and

the like, all went to wreck; so that our American friends here got a

greater medley and variety of things from us, than any other nation

whom we had visited in the course of the voyage.

After a fortnight's bad weather, the 19th proving a fair day, we

availed ourselves of it, to get up the top-masts and yards, and to fix

up the rigging. And, having now finished most of our heavy work, I set

out the next morning to take a view of the Sound. I first went to the

W. point, where I found a large village, and, before it, a very snug

harbour, in which was from nine to four fathoms water, over a bottom

of fine sand. The people of this village, who were numerous, and to

most of whom I was well known, received me very courteously; every one

pressing me to go into his house, or rather his apartment; for several

families live under the same roof. I did not decline the invitations,

and my hospitable friends, whom I visited, spread a mat for me to sit

down upon, and shewed me every other mark of civility. In most of the

houses were women at work, making dresses of the plant or bark before

mentioned, which they executed exactly in the same manner that the New

Zealanders manufacture their cloth. Others were occupied in opening

sardines. I had seen a large quantity of them brought on shore from

canoes, and divided by measure amongst several people, who carried

them up to their houses, where the operation of curing them by

smoke-drying is performed. They hang them on small rods, at first,

about a foot from the fire; afterward they remove them higher and

higher, to make room for others, till the rods, on which the fish

hang, reach the top of the house. When they are completely dried, they

are taken down and packed close in bales, which they cover with

mats. Thus they are kept till wanted; and they are not a disagreeable

article of food. Cod, and other large fish, are also cured in the

same manner by them; though they sometimes dry these in the open air,

without fire.

From this village I proceeded up the west side of the Sound. For about

three miles, I found the shore covered with small islands, which are

so situated as to form several convenient harbours, having various

depths of water, from thirty to seven fathoms, with a good bottom. Two

leagues within the Sound, on this west side, there runs in an arm in

the direction of N.N.W.; and two miles farther, is another nearly in

the same direction, with a pretty large island before it. I had no

time to examine either of these arms; but have reason to believe, that

they do not extend far inland, as the water was no more than brackish

at their entrances. A mile above the second arm, I found the remains

of a village. The logs or framings of the houses were standing; but

the boards that had composed their sides and roofs did not exist.

Before this village were some large fishing wears; but I saw nobody

attending them. These wears were composed of pieces of wicker-work

made of small rods, some closer than others, according to the size of

the fish intended to be caught in them. These pieces of wicker-work

(some of whose _superficies_ are, at least, twenty feet by twelve),

are fixed up edgewise in shallow water, by strong poles or pickets,

that stand firm in the ground. Behind this ruined village is a plain

of a few acres extent, covered with the largest pine-trees that I ever

saw. This was more remarkable, as the elevated ground, on most other

parts of this west side of the Sound, was rather naked.

From this place, I crossed over to the other, or east side of the

Sound, passing an arm of it that runs in N.N.E., to appearance not

far. I now found, what I had before conjectured, that the land, under

which the ships lay, was an island; and that there were many smaller

ones lying scattered in the Sound on the west side of it. Opposite

the north end of our large island, upon the main land, I observed a

village, and there I landed. The inhabitants of it were not so polite

as those of the other I had just visited. But this cold reception

seemed, in a great measure, if not entirely, owing to one surly chief,

who would not let me enter their houses, following me wherever I went;

and several times, by expressive signs, marking his impatience that

I should be gone. I attempted in vain to sooth him by presents, but

though he did not refuse them, they did not alter his behaviour. Some

of the young women, better pleased with us than was their inhospitable

chief, dressed themselves expeditiously in their best apparel, and,

assembling in a body, welcomed us to their village, by joining in a

song, which was far from harsh or disagreeable.

The day being now far spent, I proceeded for the ships, round the

north end of the large island; meeting, in my way, with several canoes

laden with sardines, which had been just caught, somewhere in the east

corner of the Sound. When I got on board, I was informed, that, while

I was absent, the ships had been visited by some strangers, in two

or three large canoes, who, by signs, made our people understand that

they had come from the S.E., beyond the bay. They brought several

skins, garments, and other articles, which they bartered. But what

was most singular, two silver table-spoons were purchased from

them, which, from their peculiar shape, we supposed to be of Spanish

manufacture. One of these strangers wore them round his neck, by

way of ornament. These visitors also appeared to be more plentifully

supplied with iron than the inhabitants of the Sound.

The mizen-mast being finished, it was got in, and rigged, on the 21st;

and the carpenters were set to work to make a new fore-top-mast, to

replace the one that had been carried away some time before.

Next morning, about eight o'clock, we were visited by a number of

strangers, in twelve or fourteen canoes. They came into the cove from

the southward, and as soon as they had turned the point of it, they

stopped, and lay drawn up in a body above half an hour, about two or

three hundred yards from the ships. At first, we thought, that they

were afraid to come nearer; but we were mistaken in this, and they

were only preparing an introductory ceremony. On advancing toward the

ships, they all stood up in their canoes, and began to sing. Some

of their songs, in which the whole body joined, were in a slow, and

others in quicker time; and they accompanied their notes with the

most regular motions of their hands; or beating in concert, with their

paddles, on the sides of the canoes, and making other very expressive

gestures. At the end of each song, they remained silent a few

seconds, and then began again, sometimes pronouncing the word _hooee!_

forcibly, as a chorus. After entertaining us with this specimen of

their music, which we listened to with admiration, for above half an

hour, they came alongside the ships, and bartered what they had to

dispose of. Some of our old friends of the Sound were now found to

be amongst them, and they took the whole management of the traffic

between us and the strangers, much to the advantage of the latter.

Our attendance on these visitors being finished, Captain Clerke and

I went, in the forenoon, with two boats, to the village at the west

point of the Sound. When I was there before, I had observed, that

plenty of grass grew near it; and it was necessary to lay in a

quantity of this, as food for the few goats and sheep which were

still left on board. The inhabitants received us with the same

demonstrations of friendship which I had experienced before; and the

moment we landed, I ordered some of my people to begin their operation

of cutting. I had not the least imagination, that the natives could

make any objection to our furnishing ourselves with what seemed to be

of no use to them, but was necessary for us. However, I was mistaken;

for, the moment that our men began to cut, some of the inhabitants

interposed, and would not permit them to proceed, saying they must

"_makook_," that is, must first buy it. I was now in one of the

houses; but as soon as I heard of this, I went to the field, where I

found about a dozen of the natives, each of whom laid claim to some

part of the grass that grew in this place. I bargained with them for

it, and having completed the purchase, thought that we were now at

liberty to cut wherever we pleased. But here, again, it appeared, that

I was under a mistake; for the liberal manner in which I had paid

the first pretended proprietors, brought fresh demands upon me from

others; so that there did not seem to be a single blade of grass, that

had not a separate owner, and so many of them were to be satisfied,

that I very soon emptied my pockets. When they found that I really

had nothing more to give, their importunities ceased, and we were

permitted to cut where-ever we pleased, and as much as we chose to

carry away.

Here I must observe, that I have no where, in my several voyages, met

with any uncivilized nation, or tribe, who had such strict notions

of their having a right to the exclusive property of every thing that

their country produces, as the inhabitants of this Sound. At first,

they wanted our people to pay for the wood and water that they carried

on board; and had I been upon the spot, when these demands were

made, I should certainly have complied with them. Our workmen, in my

absence, thought differently, for they took but little notice of such

claims; and the natives, when they found that we were determined

to pay nothing, at last ceased to apply. But they made a merit of

necessity, and frequently afterward took occasion to remind us, that

they had given us wood and water out of friendship.[1]

[Footnote 1: Similar to the behaviour of the natives of Nootka, on

this occasion, was that of another tribe of Indians, farther north, in

latitude 57° 18', to the Spaniards, who had preceded Captain Cook only

three years, in a voyage to explore the coast of America, northward of

California. See the journal of that voyage, writ by the second pilot

of the fleet, and published by the Honourable Mr Daines Barrington, to

whom the literary world owes so many obligations.--_Miscellanies_, p.

505, 506.--D.]

During the time I was at this village, Mr Webber, who had attended me

thither, made drawings of every thing that was curious, both within

and without doors. I had also an opportunity of inspecting more

narrowly, the construction of the houses, household furniture, and

utensils, and the striking peculiarities of the customs and modes of

living of the inhabitants. These shall be described in another place,

in the best manner I can, calling in to my assistance the observations

of Mr Anderson. When we had completed all our operations at this

village, the natives and we parted very good friends, and we got back

to the ships in the afternoon.

The three following days were employed in getting ready to put to

sea; the sails were bent, the observatories and instruments, brewing

vessels, and other things, were moved from the shore; some small

spars, for different uses, and pieces of timber, which might be

occasionally sawn into boards, were prepared and put on board; and

both ships were cleared, and put into a sailing condition.

Every thing being now ready, in the morning of the 26th, I intended to

have put to sea; but both wind and tide being against us, was obliged

to wait till noon, when the S.W. wind was succeeded by a calm, and

the tide turning in our favour, we cast off the moorings, and with

our boats towed the ships out of the cove. After this, we had variable

light airs and calms, till four in the afternoon, when a breeze

sprung up northerly, with very thick, hazy weather. The mercury in the

barometer fell unusually low, and we had every other fore-runner of

an approaching storm, which we had reason to expect would be from

the southward. This made me hesitate a little, as night was at hand,

whether I should venture to sail, or wait till the next morning. But

my anxious impatience to proceed upon the voyage, and the fear of

losing this opportunity of getting out of the Sound, making a greater

impression on my mind, than any apprehension of immediate danger, I

determined to put to sea at all events.

Our friends, the natives, attended us, till we were almost out of the

Sound; some on board the ships, and others in their canoes. One of

their chiefs, who had, some time before, attached himself to me, was

amongst the last who left us. Having, before he went, bestowed upon

him a small present, I received in return a beaver-skin, of much

greater value. This called upon me to make some addition to my

present, which pleased him so much, that he insisted upon my

acceptance of the beaver-skin cloak which he then wore; and of which

I knew he was particularly fond. Struck with this instance of

generosity, and desirous that he should be no sufferer by his

friendship to me, I presented to him a new broad sword, with a brass

hilt, the possession of which made him completely happy. He, and also

many others of his countrymen, importuned us much to pay them another

visit; and, by way of encouragement, promised to lay in a good stock

of skins. I made no doubt, that whoever comes after me to this place,

will find the natives prepared accordingly, with no inconsiderable

supply of an article of trade, which, they could observe, we were

eager to possess; and which we found could be purchased to great

advantage.[2]

[Footnote 2: Captain King, as we shall afterwards find, proposes a

plan for the establishment of a fur-trade with this coast of America.

To this he was incited by the experience of the value of these

articles in the Chinese market. In fact, a settlement for the purpose

of carrying on this trade was commenced in 1786, by an association of

British merchants resident in India. It was soon afterwards seized

on by the Spaniards who pretended a prior right. But they, as we have

already mentioned, vol. xv. p. 157, abandoned all claim to this Sound

in 1790; and in 1795, it was formally taken possession of, in name of

his Britannic Majesty.--E.]

Such particulars about the country, and its inhabitants, as came to

our knowledge during our short stay, and have not been mentioned

in the course of the narrative, will furnish materials for the two

following sections.

SECTION II.

_The Name of the Sound, and Directions for Sailing into it.--Account

of the adjacent Country.--Weather.--Climate.--Trees.--Other Vegetable

Productions.--Quadrupeds, whose Skins were brought for

Sale.--Sea Animals.--Description of a Sea Otter.--Birds.--Water

Fowl.--Fish.--Shell-fish, &c.--Reptiles.--Insects.--Stones,

&c.--Persons of the Inhabitants.--Their Colour.--Common Dress and

Ornaments.--Occasional Dresses, and monstrous Decorations of

wooden Masks.--Their general Dispositions.--Songs.--Musical

Instruments.--Their Eagerness to possess Iron and other Metals._

On my arrival in this inlet, I had honoured it with the name of King

George's Sound; but I afterward found, that it is called Nootka by the

natives. The entrance is situated in the east corner of Hope Bay, in

the latitude of 49° 33' N., and in the longitude of 233° 12' E.

The east coast of that bay, all the way from Breaker's Point to the

entrance of the Sound, is covered by a chain of sunken rocks, that

seemed to extend some distance from the shore; and, near the Sound,

are some islands and rocks above water.

We enter this Sound between two rocky points, that lie E.S.E., and

W.N.W. from each other, distant between three and four miles. Within

these points the Sound widens considerably, and extends in, to the

northward, four leagues at least, exclusive of the several branches

toward its bottom, the termination of which we had not an opportunity

to ascertain. But, from the circumstance of finding that the water

freshened where our boats crossed their entrance, it is probable that

they had almost reached its utmost limits. And this probability is

increased by the hills that bounded it toward the land, being covered

with thick snow, when those toward the sea, or where we lay, had not a

speck remaining on them, though, in general, they were much higher. In

the middle of the Sound are a number of islands of various sizes. The

depth of water in the middle of the Sound, and even close home to some

parts of its shore, is from forty-seven to ninety fathoms, and perhaps

more. The harbours, and anchoring-places within its circuit, are

numerous; but we had no time to survey them. The cove in which our

ships lay is on the east side of the Sound, and on the east side of

the largest of the islands. It is covered from the sea, but has little

else to recommend it, being exposed to the S.E. winds, which we found

to blow with great violence; and the devastation they make sometimes

was apparent in many places.

The land bordering upon the sea-coast is of a middling height and

level; but within the Sound, it rises almost every-where into steep

hills, which agree in their general formation, ending in round or

blunted tops, with some sharp, though not very prominent, ridges on

their sides. Some of these hills may be reckoned high, while others of

them are of a very moderate height; but even the highest are entirely

covered to their tops with the thickest woods; as well as every flat

part toward the sea. There are sometimes spots upon the sides of some

of the hills which are bare; but they are few, in comparison of

the whole, though they sufficiently point out the general rocky

disposition of these hills. Properly speaking, they have no soil upon

them, except a kind of compost, produced from rotten mosses and trees,

of the depth of two feet or more. Their foundations are, therefore, to

be considered as nothing more than stupendous rocks, of a whitish

or grey cast, where they have been exposed to the weather; but,

when broken, they appeared to be of a blueish grey colour, like that

universal sort which were found at Kerguelen's Land. The rocky shores

are a continued mass of this; and the little coves, in the Sound, have

beaches composed of fragments of it, with a few other pebbles. All

these coves are furnished with a great quantity of fallen wood lying

in them, which is carried in by the tide; and with rills of fresh

water, sufficient for the use of a ship, which seem to be supplied

entirely from the rains, and fogs that hover about the tops of the

hills. For few springs can be expected in so rocky a country, and the

fresh water found farther up the Sound, most probably arose from the

melting of the snow; there being no room to suspect, that any large

river falls into the Sound, either from strangers coming down it, or

from any other circumstance. The water of these rills is perfectly

clear, and dissolves soap easily.

The weather, during our stay, corresponded pretty nearly with that

which we had experienced off the coast. That is, when the wind was any

where between N. and W., the weather was fine and clear; but if to

the southward of W., hazy with rain. The climate, as far as we had any

experience of it, is infinitely milder than that on the east coast

of America, under the same parallel of latitude. The mercury in the

thermometer never, even in the night, fell lower than 42°, and

very often, in the day, it rose to 60°. No such thing as frost was

perceived in any of the low ground; on the contrary, vegetation had

made a considerable progress, for I met with grass that was already

above a foot long.

The trees which chiefly compose the woods, are the Canadian pine,

white cypress, _cypressus thyoides_, the wild pine, with two or

three other sorts of pine less common. The two first make up almost

two-thirds of the whole; and, at a distance, might be mistaken for the

same tree, as they both run up into pointed spire-like tops, but

they are easily distinguished on coming nearer from their colour, the

cypress being of a much paler green, or shade, than the other. The

trees, in general, grow with great vigour, and are all of a large

size.

There is but little variety of other vegetable productions, though,

doubtless, several had not yet sprung up at the early season when we

visited the place, and many more might be hid from the narrow sphere

of our researches. About the rocks, and verge of the woods, we found

strawberry-plants, some raspberry, currant, and gooseberry bushes,

which were all in a most flourishing state, with a few small

black alder-trees. There are, likewise, a species of sow-thistle,

goose-grass, some crow's-foot, which has a very fine crimson flower,

and two sorts of _anthericum_, one with a large orange flower, and the

other with a blue one. We also found, in these situations, some wild

rose-bushes, which were just budding, a great quantity of young

leeks, with, triangular leaves, a small sort of grass, and some

water-cresses, which grow about the sides of the rills, besides great

abundance of _andromeda_. Within the woods, besides two sorts of

underwood shrubs unknown to us, are mosses and ferns. Of the first

of which, are seven or eight different sorts, of the last, not above

three or four, and the species of both, are mostly such as are common

to Europe and America.

As the season of the year was unfavourable to our gaining much

knowledge of the vegetable productions of this country, so our own

situation while there, put it out of our power to learn much about

its animals. For as the want of water made it necessary that we

should enter the Sound at first, unforeseen accidents which happened

afterward, though they lengthened our stay, were rather unfavourable

to our obtaining any knowledge of this kind. The emergency of the

case required, that every person should be constantly employed in the

necessary business of the ships, which was the capital object, as the

season was advancing very fast, and the success of the voyage depended

upon their diligence and alacrity in expediting the various tasks

assigned to them. Hence it happened, that excursions of every kind,

either on the land, or by water, were never attempted. And as we lay

in a cove on an island, no other animals were ever seen alive in

the woods there, than two or three racoons, martins, and squirrels.

Besides these, some of our people who, one day, landed on the

continent, near the S.E. side of the entrance of the sound, observed

the prints of a bear's feet near the shore. The account, therefore,

that we can give of the quadrupeds, is taken from the skins which

the natives brought to sell; and these were often so mutilated with

respect to the distinguishing parts, such as the paws, tails, and

heads, that it was impossible even to guess at the animals to whom

they belonged, though others were so perfect, or at least so well

known, that they left no room to doubt about them.

Of these the most common were bears, deer, foxes, and wolves. The

bear-skins were in great numbers, few of them very large, but, in

general, of a shining black colour. The deer-skins were scarcer,

and they seem to belong to that sort called the fallow-deer by the

historians of Carolina, though Mr Pennant thinks it quite a different

species from, ours, and distinguishes it by the name of Virginian

deer.[1] The foxes are in great plenty, and of several varieties,

some of their skins being quite yellow, with a black tip to the tail,

others of a deep or reddish yellow, intermixed with black, and a third

sort of a whitish grey or ash-colour, also intermixed with black. Our

people used to apply the name of fox or wolf indiscriminately, when

the skins were so mutilated as to leave room for a doubt. But we got,

at last, an entire wolf's skin with the head on, and it was grey.

Besides the common sort of martin, the pine-martin is also here, and

another, whose skin is of a lighter brown colour than either, with

coarser hair, but is not so common, and is, perhaps, only a mere

variety arising from age, or some other accidental circumstance. The

ermine is also found at this place, but is rare and small, nor is

the hair remarkably fine, though the animal appeared to be perfectly

white, except an inch or more at the tip of the tail. The racoons and

squirrels are of the common sort; but the latter is rather smaller

than ours, and has a deeper rusty colour running along the back.

[Footnote 1: See Virginian deer. Pennant's Hist. Quad. vol. i. No. 46,

and Arctic Zool. No.6.]

We were clear as to the existence of all the animals already

mentioned, but there are two others besides, which we could not

distinguish with sufficient certainty. Of the first of these we saw

none of the skins, but what were dressed or tanned like leather. The

natives wear them on some occasions; and from the size as well as

the thickness, they were generally concluded to belong to the elk, or

mouse-deer, though some of them perhaps might belong to the buffalo.

The other animal, which seems by no means rare, was guessed to be a

species of the wild cat or lynx. The length of the skins, without the

head, which none of them had, was about two feet two inches. They are

covered with a very fine wool or fur, of a very light-brown or whitish

yellow colour, intermixed with long hairs, which on the back, where

they are shortest, are blackish; on the sides, where they are longer,

of a silver white; and on the belly, where they are longest, of the

colour of the wool, but the whitish, or silver hairs, are often so

predominant, that the whole animal acquires a cast of that kind. The

tail is only three inches long, and has a black tip. The whole skin

being, by the natives, called _wanshee_, that, most probably, is their

name for this animal. Hogs, dogs, and goats, have not as yet found

their way to this place. Nor do the natives seem to have any knowledge

of our brown rats, to which, when they saw them on board the ships,

they applied the name they give to squirrels. And though they called

our goats _eineetla_, this, most probably, is their name for a young

deer or fawn.

The sea-animals seen off the coast, were whales, porpoises, and seals.

The last of these seem only of the common sort, judging from the

skins which we saw here, their colour being either silvery, yellowish,

plain, or spotted with black. The porpoise is the _phocena_. I have

chosen to refer to this class the sea-otter, as living mostly in the

water. It might have been sufficient to have mentioned, that this

animal abounds here, as it is fully described in different books,

taken from the accounts of the Russian adventurers in their

expeditions eastward from Kamtschatka, if there had not been a small

difference in one that we saw. We, for some time, entertained doubts,

whether the many skins which the natives brought, really belonged to

this animal, as our only reason for being of that opinion, was founded

on the size, colour, and fineness of the fur, till a short while

before our departure, when a whole one, that had been just killed,

was purchased from some strangers who came to barter; and of this Mr

Webber made a drawing. It was rather young, weighing only twenty-five

pounds, of a shining or glossy black colour, but many of the hairs

being tipt with white, gave it a greyish cast at first sight.

The face, throat, and breast were of a yellowish white, or very

light-brown colour, which, in many of the skins, extended the whole

length of the belly. It had six cutting teeth in each jaw, two of

those of the lower jaw being very minute, and placed without, at

the base of the two middle ones. In these circumstances, it seems to

disagree with those found by the Russians, and also in not having the

outer toes of the hind feet skirted with a membrane. There seemed also

a greater variety in the colour of the skins, than is mentioned by

the describers of the Russian sea-otters. These changes of colour

certainly take place at different gradations of life. The very

young ones had brown hair, which was coarse, with very little fur

underneath; but those of the size of the entire animal, which came

into our possession, and just described, had a considerable quantity

of that substance, and both in that colour and state the sea-otters

seem to remain, till they have attained their full growth. After that,

they lose the black colour, and assume a deep brown or sooty colour,

but have then a greater quantity of very fine fur, and scarcely any

long hairs. Others, which we suspected to be still older, were of

a chesnut-brown; and a few skins were seen that had even acquired a

perfectly yellow colour. The fur of these animals, as mentioned in

the Russian accounts, is certainly softer and finer than that of any

others we know of; and, therefore, the discovey of this part of the

continent of North America, where so valuable an article of commerce

may be met with, cannot be a matter of indifference.[2]

[Footnote 2: Mr Coxe, on the authority of Mr Pallas, informs us, that

the old and middle-aged sea-otters' skins are sold at Kiachta, by the

Russians to the Chinese, from 80 to 180 rubles a skin, that is, from

16l. to 20l. each.--See _Coxe's Russian Discoveries_, p. 13.--D.]

Birds, in general, are not only rare as to the different species,

but very scarce as to numbers; and these few are so shy, that, in all

probability, they are continually harassed by the natives, perhaps to

eat them as food, certainly to get possession of their feathers, which

they use as ornaments. Those which frequent the woods, are crows and

ravens, not at all different from our English ones, a blueish jay or

magpie, common wrens, which are the only singing bird that we heard,

the Canadian or migrating thrush, and a considerable number of

brown eagles, with white heads and tails, which, though they seem

principally to frequent the coast, come into the Sound in bad weather,

and sometimes perch upon the trees. Amongst some other birds, of

which the natives either brought fragments, or dried skins, we could

distinguish a small species of hawk, a heron, and the _alcyon_, or

large-crested American king-fisher. There are also some, which, I

believe, are not mentioned, or at least vary, very considerably, from

the accounts given of them by any writers who have treated professedly

on this part of natural history. The two first of these are _species_

of wood-peckers. One less than a thrush, of a black colour above,

with white spots on the wings, a crimson head, neck, and breast, and a

yellowish olive-coloured belly, from which last circumstance it might,

perhaps, not improperly be called the yellow-bellied wood-pecker.

The other is a larger, and much more elegant bird, of a dusky brown

colour, on the upper part, richly waved with black, except about the

head, the belly of a reddish cast, with round black spots, a black

spot on the breast, and the under-side of the wings and tail of a

plain scarlet colour, though blackish above, with a crimson streak

running from the angle of the mouth, a little down the neck on each

side. The third and fourth, are a small bird of the finch kind, about

the size of a linnet, of a dark dusky colour, whitish below, with a

black head and neck, and white bill; and a sand-piper, of the size of

a small pigeon, of a dusky brown colour, and white below, except the

throat and breast, with a broad white band across the wings. There are

also humming-birds, which yet seem to differ from the numerous sorts

of this delicate animal already known, unless they be a mere variety

of the _trochilus colubris_ of Linnæus. These, perhaps, inhabit more

to the southward, and spread northward as the season advances; because

we saw none at first, though, near the time of our departure, the

natives brought them to the ships in great numbers.

The birds which frequent the waters and the shores, are not more

numerous than the others. The quebrantahuessos, gulls, and shags, were

seen off the coast, and the two last also frequent the Sound. They are

of the common sorts, the shags being our cormorant or water-crow. We

saw two sorts of wild-ducks; one black, with a white head, which were

in considerable flocks, the other white, with a red bill, but of a

larger size; and the greater _lumme_, or diver, found in our northern

countries. There were also seen, once or twice, some swans flying

across the Sound to the northward, but we knew nothing of their

haunts. On the shores, besides the sand-piper, described above, we

found another, about the size of a lark, which bears a great affinity

to the burre, and a plover differing very little from our common

sea-lark.

Fish are more plentiful in quantity than birds, though the variety is

not very great; and yet, from several circumstances, it is probable,

that even the variety is considerably increased at certain seasons.

The principal sorts, which we found in great numbers, are the common

herring, but scarcely exceeding seven inches in length; a smaller

sort, which is the same with the anchovy, or sardine, though rather

larger; a white, or silver-coloured bream, and another of a gold-brown

colour, with many narrow longitudinal blue stripes. The herrings and

sardines, doubtless, come in large shoals, and only at stated seasons,

as is common with that sort of fish. The bream of both sorts, may

be reckoned the next to these in quantity; and the full-grown ones

weighed, at least, a pound. The other fish, which are all scarce,

are a small brown kind of _sculpin_, such as is found on the coast

of Norway, another of a brownish red cast, frost-fish, a large one,

somewhat resembling the bull-head, with a tough skin, destitute of

scales; and now and then, toward the time of our leaving the Sound,

the natives brought a small brownish cod, spotted with white, and a

red fish of the same size, which some of our people said they had seen

in the strait of Magalhaens, besides another differing little from

the hake. There are also considerable numbers of those fish called the

_chimæræ_, or little sea-wolves, by some, which is akin to, and about

the size of, the _pezegallo_, or elephant-fish. Sharks, likewise,

sometimes frequent the Sound, for the natives have some of their teeth

in their possession; and we saw some pieces of ray, or scate, which

seemed to have been pretty large. The other marine animals that ought

to be mentioned here, are a small cruciated _medusa_, or blubber,

star-fish, which differ somewhat from the common ones, two small sorts

of crabs, and two others which the natives brought, one of them of

a thick, tough, gelatinous consistence, and the other a sort of

membranaceous tube or pipe, both which are probably taken from

the rocks. And we, also, purchased from them once a very large

cuttle-fish.

There is abundance of large muscles about the rocks, many sea-ears,

and we often saw shells of pretty large plain _chamæ_. The smaller

sorts are some _trochi_ of two species, a curious _murex_, rugged

wilks, and a snail, all which are, probably, peculiar to this place,

at least I do not recollect to have seen them in any country near the

same latitude in either hemisphere. There are, besides these, some

small plain cockles, limpets; and some strangers, who come into the

Sound, wore necklaces of a small blueish _volute_ or _panamæ_. Many of

the muscles are a span in length, and some having pretty large pearls,

which, however, are both badly shaped and coloured. We may conclude,

that there is red coral in the Sound, or somewhere upon the coast,

some thick pieces, or branches, having been seen in the canoes of the

natives.

The only animals of the reptile kind observed here, and found in the

woods, were brown snakes two feet long, with whitish stripes on the

back and sides, which are harmless, as we often saw the natives carry

them alive in their hands; and brownish water-lizards, with a tail

exactly like that of an eel, which frequented the small standing pools

about the rocks.

The insect tribe seem to be more numerous. For though the season,

which is peculiarly fitted to their appearing abroad, was only

beginning, we saw four or five different sorts of butterflies, none

of which were uncommon, a good many humble-bees, some of our common

gooseberry moths, two or three sorts of flies, a few beetles, and some

musquitoes, which, probably, may be more numerous and troublesome in

a country so full of wood, during the summer, though at this time they

did little mischief.

As to the mineral substances in this country, though we found both

iron and copper here, there is little reason to believe that either of

them belong to the place. Neither were the ores of any metal seen,

if we except a coarse, red, earthy, or ochry substance, used by the

natives in painting themselves, which probably may contain a little

iron, with a white and a black pigment used for the same purpose. But

we did not procure specimens of them, and therefore cannot positively

determine what are their component parts.

Besides the stone or rock that constitutes the mountains and shores,

which sometimes contains pieces of very coarse _quartz_, we found

amongst the natives, things made of a hard black _granite_, though not

remarkably compact or fine grained, a greyish whetstone, the common

oil-stone of our carpenters, in coarser and finer pieces, and some

black bits which are little inferior to the hone-stone. The natives

also use the transparent leafy _glimmer_, or Muscovy glass, a brown

leafy or martial sort, and they sometimes brought to us pieces of

rock-crystal, tolerably transparent. The two first are, probably,

found near the spot, as they seemed to be in considerable quantities;

but the latter seems to be brought from a greater distance, or is very

scarce; for our visitors always parted with it reluctantly. Some of

the pieces were octangular, and had the appearance of being formed

into that shape by art.

The persons of the natives are, in general, under the common stature;

but not slender in proportion, being commonly pretty full or plump,

though not muscular. Neither doth the soft fleshiness seem ever to

swell into corpulence; and many of the older people are rather spare

or lean. The visage of most of them is round and full, and sometimes

also broad, with high prominent cheeks; and, above these, the face is

frequently much depressed, or seems fallen in quite across between

the temples; the nose also flattening at its base, with pretty wide

nostrils, and a rounded point. The forehead rather low, the eyes

small, black, and rather languishing than sparkling; the mouth round,

with large round thickish lips, the teeth tolerably equal and well

set, but not remarkably white. They have either no beards at all,

which was most commonly the case, or a small thin one upon the point

of the chin, which does not arise from any natural defect of hair on

that part, but from plucking it out more or less; for some of them,

particularly the old men, have not only considerable beards all over

the chin, but whiskers or mustachios, both on the upper lip, and

running from thence toward the lower jaw obliquely downward.[3] Their

eye-brows are also scanty, and always narrow; but the hair of the head

is in great abundance, very coarse and strong, and, without a single

exception, black, straight, and dank, or hanging down over the

shoulders. The neck is short, the arms and body have no particular

mark of beauty or elegance in their formation, but are rather clumsy;

and the limbs in all are very small in proportion to the other parts,

and crooked or ill-made, with large feet badly shaped, and projecting

ancles. Their last defect seems in a great measure to arise from

their sitting so much on their hams or knees, both in their canoes and

houses.

[Footnote 3: One of the most curious singularities observable in the

natural history of the human species, is the supposed defect in

the habit and temperature of the bodies of the American Indians,

exemplified in their having no beards, while they are furnished with

a profusion of hair on their heads. M. de Paw, the ingenious author

of Recherches sur les Americains, Dr Robertson, in his History of

America, and, in general, the writers for whose authority we ought to

have the highest deference, adopt this as an indisputable matter

of fact. May we not be permitted to request those who espouse their

sentiments, to reconsider the question, when we can produce Captain

Cook's evidence on the opposite side, at least so far as relates to

the American tribe, whom he had intercourse with at Nootka? Nor is

Captain Cook singular in his report. What he saw on the sea coast,

Captain Carver also met with amongst the American Indians far up in

the country. His words are as follow:--"From minute enquiries, and a

curious inspection, I am able to declare (however respectable I may

hold the authority of these historians in other points), that their

assertions are erroneous, and proceeding from a want of a thorough

knowledge of the customs of the Indians. After the age of puberty,

their bodies, in their natural state, are covered in the same manner

as those of the Europeans. The men, indeed, esteem a beard very

unbecoming, and take great pains to get rid of it, nor is there any

ever to be perceived on their faces, except when they grow old, and

become inattentive to appearances.--The Naudowesses, and the remote

nations, pluck them out with bent pieces of hard wood, formed into a

kind of nippers, whilst those who have communication with Europeans,

procure from them wire, which they twist into a screw or worm;

applying this to the part, they press the rings together, and with

a sudden twitch, draw out all the hairs that are inclosed in

them."--_Carver's Travels_, p. 224, 225. The remark made by Mr

Marsden, who also quotes Carver, is worth attending to, that the visor

or mask of Montezuma's armour, preserved at Brussels, has remarkably

large whiskers; and that those Americans could not have imitated

this ornament, unless nature had presented them with the model.

From Captain Cook's observation on the west coast of North America,

combined with Carver's in the inland parts of that continent, and

confirmed by the Mexican vizor as above, there seems abundant reason

to agree with Mr Marsden, who thus modestly expresses himself: "Were

it not for the numerous and very respectable authorities, from which

we are assured that the natives of America are naturally beardless, I

should think that the common opinion on that subject had been hastily

adopted; and that their appearing thus at a mature age, was only the

consequence of an early practice, similar to that observed among the

Sumatrans. Even now, I must confess, that it would remove some small

degree of doubt from my mind, could it be ascertained that no such

custom prevails."--_Marsden's History of Sumatra_, p. 39, 40.--D.]

Their colour we could never positively determine, as their bodies were

incrusted with paint and dirt; though, in particular cases, when these

were well rubbed off, the whiteness of the skin appeared almost to

equal that of Europeans; though rather of that pale effete cast which

distinguishes those of our southern nations. Their children, whose

skins had never been stained with paint, also equalled ours in

whiteness. During their youth, some of them have no disagreeable look,

if compared to the generality of the people, but this seems to be

entirely owing to the particular animation attending that period

of life; for, after attaining a certain age, there is hardly any

distinction. Upon the whole, a very remarkable sameness seems to

characterize the countenances of the whole nation; a dull phlegmatic

want of expression, with very little variation, being strongly marked

in all of them.

The women are nearly of the same size, colour, and form with the

men, from whom it is not easy to distinguish them, as they possess no

natural delicacies sufficient to render their persons agreeable; and

hardly any one was seen, even amongst those who were in the prime of

life, who had the least pretensions to be called handsome.

Their common dress is a flaxen garment, or mantle, ornamented on

the upper edge by a narrow strip of fur, and, at the lower edge, by

fringes or tassels. It passes under the left arm, and is tied over the

right shoulder, by a string before and one behind, near its middle, by

which means both arms are left free, and it hangs evenly, covering the

left side, but leaving the right open, except from the loose part of

the edges falling upon it, unless when the mantle is fastened by a

girdle (of coarse matting or woollen) round the waist, which is often

done. Over this, which reaches below the knees, is worn a small cloak

of the same substance, likewise fringed at the lower part. In shape

this resembles a round dish-cover, being quite close, except in the

middle, where there is a hole just large enough to admit the head, and

then, resting upon the shoulders, it covers the arms to the elbows,

and the body as far as the waist. Their head is covered with a cap,

of the figure of a truncated cone, or like a flower-pot, made of fine

matting, having the top frequently ornamented with a round or pointed

knob, or bunch of leather tassels, and there is a string that passes

under the chin, to prevent its blowing off.

Besides the above dress, which is common to both sexes, the men

frequently throw over their other garments the skin of a bear, wolf,

or sea-otter, with the hair outward, and tie it as a cloak near the

upper part, wearing it sometimes before and sometimes behind. In rainy

weather, they throw a coarse mat about their shoulders. They have

also woollen garments, which, however, are little in use. The hair is

commonly worn hanging down loose; but some, when they have no cap, tie

it in a bunch on the crown of the head. Their dress, upon the whole,

is convenient, and would, by no means be inelegant, were it kept

clean. But as they rub their bodies constantly over with a red paint,

of a clayey or coarse ochry substance, mixed with oil, their garments,

by this means, contract a rancid offensive smell, and a greasy

nastiness; so that they make a very wretched dirty appearance, and

what is still worse, their heads and their garments swarm with vermin,

which, so depraved is their taste for cleanliness, we used to see them

pick off with great composure and eat.

Though their bodies are always covered with red paint, their faces are

often stained with a black, a brighter red, or a white colour, by

way of ornament. The last of these gives them a ghastly, disgusting

aspect. They also strew the brown martial _mica_ upon the paint, which

makes it glitter. The ears of many of them are perforated in the lobe,

where they make a pretty large hole, and two others higher up on the

outer edge. In these holes they hang bits of bone, quills fixed upon a

leathern thong, small shells, bunches of woollen tassels, or pieces of

thin copper, which our beads could never supplant. The _septum_ of the

nose, in many, is also perforated, through which they draw a piece of

soft cord; and others wear, at the same place, small thin pieces of

iron, brass, or copper, shaped almost like a horse-shoe, the narrow

opening of which receives the _septum_, so as that the two points may

gently pinch it, and the ornament thus hangs over the upper lip.

The rings of our brass buttons, which they eagerly purchased, were

appropriated to this use. About their wrists they wore bracelets

or bunches of white bugle beads, made of a conic shelly substance,

bunches of thongs, with tassels, or a broad black shining horny

substance, of one piece. And about their ancles they also frequently

wear many folds of leathern thongs, or the sinews of animals twisted

to a considerable thickness.

Thus far of their ordinary dress and ornaments; but they have some

that seem to be used only on extraordinary occasions, either when they

exhibit themselves as strangers, in visits of ceremony, or when they

go to war. Amongst the first may be considered the skins of animals,

such as wolves or bears, tied on in the usual manner, but ornamented

at the edges with broad borders of fur, or of the woollen stuff

manufactured by them, ingeniously wrought with various figures. These

are worn either separately, or over their own common garments. On

such occasions, the most common head-dress is a quantity of withe, or

half-beaten bark, wrapped about the head, which, at the same time, has

various large feathers, particularly those of eagles, stuck in it,

or is entirely covered, or we may say, powdered with small white

feathers. The face, at the same time, is variously painted, having its

upper and lower parts of different colours, the strokes appearing like

fresh gashes, or it is besmeared with a kind of tallow, mixed with

paint, which is afterward formed into a great variety of regular

figures, and appears like carved work. Sometimes, again, the hair is

separated into small parcels, which are tied at intervals of about two

inches, to the end, with thread, and others tie it together behind,

after our manner, and stick branches of the _cypressus thyoides_ in

it. Thus dressed, they have a truly savage and incongruous appearance,

but this is much heightened when they assume, what may be called,

their monstrous decorations. These consist of an endless variety of

carved wood masks or vizors, applied on the face, or to the upper part

of the head or forehead. Some of these resemble human faces, furnished

with hair, beards, and eye-brows; others, the heads of birds,

particularly of eagles and quebrantahuessos, and many, the heads of

land and sea-animals, such as wolves, deer, and porpoises, and others.

But, in general, these representations much exceed the natural size,

and they are painted, and often strewed with pieces of the foliaceous

_mica_, which makes them glitter, and, serves to augment their

enormous deformity. They even exceed this sometimes, and fix on the

same part of the head large pieces of carved work, resembling the

prow of a canoe, painted in the same manner, and projecting to a

considerable distance. So fond are they of these disguises, that I

have seen one of them put his head into a tin kettle he had got

from us, for want of another sort of mask. Whether they use these

extravagant masquerade ornaments on any particular religious occasion,

or diversion, or whether they be put on to intimidate their enemies

when they go to battle, by their monstrous appearance, or as decoys

when they go to hunt animals, is uncertain. But it may be concluded,

that, if travellers or voyagers, in an ignorant and credulous age,

when many unnatural or marvellous things were supposed to exist, had

seen a number of people decorated in this manner, without being able

to approach so near as to be undeceived, they would readily have

believed, and, in their relations, would have attempted to make others

believe, that there existed a race of beings, partaking of the nature

of man and beast, more especially, when, besides the heads of animals

on the human shoulders, they might have seen the whole bodies of their

men-monsters covered with quadrupeds' skins.[4]

[Footnote 4: The reflection in the text may furnish the admirers of

Herodotus, in particular, with an excellent apology for some of his

wonderful tales of this sort.--D.]

The only dress amongst the people of Nootka, observed by us, that

seems peculiarly adapted to war, is a thick leathern mantle doubled,

which, from its size, appears to be the skin of an elk or buffalo,

tanned. This they fasten on, in the common manner, and it is so

contrived, that it may reach up, and cover the breast quite to

the throat, falling, at the same time, almost to the heels. It is,

sometimes, ingeniously painted in different compartments; and is not

only sufficiently strong to resist arrows, but, as they informed us by

signs, even spears cannot pierce it, so that it may be considered as

their coat of mail, or most complete defensive armour. Upon the same

occasion, they sometimes wear a kind of leathern cloak, covered

with rows of dried hoofs of deer, disposed horizontally, appended by

leathern thongs, covered with quills, which, when they move, make a

round rattling noise, almost equal to that of many small bells. It

seems doubtful, however, whether this part of their garb be intended

to strike terror in war, or is only to be considered as belonging to

their eccentric ornaments on ceremonious occasions. For we saw one of

their musical entertainments, conducted by a man dressed in this sort

of cloak, with his mask on, and shaking his rattle.

Though these people cannot be viewed without a kind of horror, when

equipped in such extravagant dresses, yet, when divested of them,

and beheld in their common habit and actions, they have not the

least appearance of ferocity in their countenances; and seem, on

the contrary, as observed already, to be of a quiet, phlegmatic, and

inactive disposition, destitute, in some measure, of that degree of

animation and vivacity that would render them agreeable as social

beings. If they are not reserved, they are far from being loquacious;

but their gravity is, perhaps, rather a consequence of the disposition

just mentioned, than of any conviction of its propriety, or the

effect of any particular mode of education. For, even in the greatest

paroxysms of their rage, they seem unable to express it sufficiently;

either with warmth of language, or significancy of gestures.

Their orations, which are made either when engaged in any altercation

or dispute, or to explain their sentiments publicly on other

occasions, seem little more than short sentences, or rather single

words, forcibly repeated, and constantly in one tone and degree of

strength, accompanied only with a single gesture, which they use at

every sentence, jerking their whole body a little forward, by bending

the knees, their arms hanging down by their sides at the same time.

Though there is but too much reason, from their bringing to sale human

skulls and bones, to infer that they treat their enemies with a degree

of brutal cruelty, this circumstance rather marks a general agreement

of character with that of almost every tribe of uncivilized man, in

every age, and in every part of the globe, than that they are to be

reproached with any charge of peculiar inhumanity. We had no reason to

judge unfavourably of their disposition in this respect. They seem to

be a docile, courteous, good-natured people; but, notwithstanding the

predominant phlegm of their tempers, quick in resenting what they look

upon as an injury, and, like most other passionate people, as soon

forgetting it. I never found that these fits of passion went farther

than the parties immediately concerned, the spectators not troubling

themselves about the quarrel, whether it was with any of us, or

amongst their own body, and preserving as much indifference as if they

had not known any thing about it. I have often seen one of them rave

and scold, without any of his countrymen paying the least attention

to his agitation; and when none of us could trace the cause, or the

object of his displeasure. In such cases they never discover the least

symptom of timidity, but seem determined, at all events, to punish the

insult. For, even with respect to us, they never appeared to be under

the least apprehension of our superiority; but when any difference

happened, were just as ready to avenge the wrong, as amongst

themselves.

Their other passions, especially their curiosity, appear in some

measure to lie dormant. For few expressed any desire to see or examine

things wholly unknown to them; and which, to those truly possessed

of that passion, would have appeared astonishing. They were always

contented to procure the articles they knew and wanted, regarding

every thing else with great indifference; nor did our persons,

apparel, and manners, so differ from their own, or even the

extraordinary size and construction of our ships, seem to excite

admiration, or even engage attention.

One cause of this may be their indolence, which seems considerable.

But, on the other hand, they are certainly not wholly unsusceptible

of the tender passions; if we may judge from their being so fond of

music, which is mostly of the grave or serious, but truly pathetic

sort. They keep the exactest concert in their songs, which are often

sung by great numbers together, as those already mentioned, with which

they used to entertain us in their canoes. These are generally slow

and solemn; but the music is not of that confined sort found

amongst many rude nations, for the variations are very numerous and

expressive, and the cadence or melody powerfully soothing. Besides

their full concerts, sonnets of the same grave cast were frequently

sung by single performers, who keep time by striking the hand

against the thigh. However, the music was sometimes varied, from its

predominant solemnity of air; and there were instances of stanzas

being sung in a more gay and lively strain, and even with a degree of

humour.

The only instruments of music (if such they may be called) which I saw

amongst them, were a rattle, and a small whistle, about an inch long,

incapable of any variation, from having but one hole. They use the

rattle when they sing; but upon what occasions they use the whistle

I know not, unless it be when they dress themselves like particular

animals, and endeavour to imitate their howl or cry. I once saw one

of them dressed in a wolf's skin, with the head over his own, and

imitating that animal by making a squeaking noise with one of these

whistles, which he had in his mouth. The rattles are, for the most

part, made in the shape of a bird, with a few pebbles in the belly;

and the tail is the handle. They have others, however, that bear

rather more resemblance to a child's rattle.

In trafficking with us, some of them would betray a knavish

disposition, and carry off our goods without making any return. But,

in general, it was otherwise; and we had abundant reason to commend

the fairness of their conduct. However, their eagerness to possess

iron and brass, and, indeed, any kind of metal, was so great, that

few of them could resist the temptation to steal it, whenever an

opportunity offered. The inhabitants of the South Sea Islands, as

appears from a variety of instances in the course of this voyage,

rather than be idle, would steal any thing that they could lay their

hands upon, without ever considering, whether it could be of use to

them or no. The novelty of the object, with them, was a sufficient

motive for their endeavouring, by any indirect means, to get

possession of it; which marked that, in such cases, they were rather

actuated by a childish curiosity, than by a dishonest disposition,

regardless of the modes of supplying real wants. The inhabitants of

Nootka, who invaded our property, cannot have such apology made for

them. They were thieves in the strictest sense of the word; for they

pilfered nothing from us, but what they knew could be converted to the

purposes of private utility, and had a real value according to their

estimation of things. And it was lucky for us, that nothing was

thought valuable by them, but the single articles of our metals.

Linen, and such like things, were perfectly secure from their

depredations, and we could safely leave them hanging out ashore all

night, without watching. The same principle which prompted our Nootka

friends to pilfer from us, it was natural to suppose, would produce

a similar conduct in their intercourse with each other. And,

accordingly, we had abundant reason to believe, that stealing is

much practised amongst them, and that it chiefly gives rise to their

quarrels, of which we saw more than one instance.

SECTION III.

_Manner of Building the Homes in Nootka Sound.--Inside of them

described.--Furniture and Utensils.--Wooden Images.--Employments

of the Men.--Of the Women.--Food, Animal and Vegetable.--Manner of

preparing it.--Weapons.--Manufactures and Mechanic Arts.--Carving

and Painting.--Canoes.--Implements for Fishing and Hunting.--Iron

Tools.--Manner of procuring that Metal.--Remarks on their Language,

and a Specimen of it.--Astronomical and Nautical Observations made in

Nootka Sound._

The two towns or villages, mentioned in the course of my journal, seem

to be the only inhabited part of the Sound. The number of inhabitants

in both might be pretty exactly computed from the canoes that were

about the ships the second day after our arrival. They amounted to

about a hundred; which, at a very moderate allowance, must, upon an

average, have held five persons each. But as there were scarcely any

women, very old men, children, or youths amongst them at that time,

I think it will rather be rating the number of the inhabitants of the

two towns too low, if we suppose they could be less than four times

the number of our visitors, that is, two thousand in the whole.

The village at the entrance of the Sound stands on the side of a

rising ground, which has a pretty steep ascent from the beach to the

verge of the wood, in which space it is situated.

The houses are disposed in three ranges or rows, rising gradually

behind each other, the largest being that in front, and the others

less, besides a few straggling, or single ones, at each end. These

ranges are interrupted or disjoined at irregular distances, by

narrow paths, or lanes, that pass upward; but those which run in the

direction of the houses, between the rows, are much broader. Though

there be some appearance of regularity in this disposition, there

is none in the single houses, for each of the divisions, made by the

paths, may be considered either as one house, or as many, there

being no regular or complete separation, either without or within, to

distinguish them by. They are built of very long and broad planks[1],

resting upon the edges of each other, fastened or tied by withes

of pine bark here and there, and have only slender posts, or rather

poles, at considerable distances on the outside, to which they also

are tied, but within are some larger poles placed aslant. The height

of the sides and ends of these habitations, is seven or eight feet;

but the back part is a little higher, by which means, the planks that

compose the roof slant forward, and are laid on loose, so as to be

moved about, either to be put close to exclude the rain, or, in fair

weather, to be separated, to let in the light and carry out the

smoke. They are, however, upon the whole, miserable dwellings, and

constructed with little care or ingenuity. For, though the side-planks

be made to fit pretty closely in some places, in others they are

quite open, and there are no regular doors into them, the only way

of entrance being either by a hole, where the unequal length of the

planks has accidentally left an opening, or, in some cases, the planks

are made to pass a little beyond each other, or overlap, about two

feet asunder, and the entrance is in this space. There are also holes,

or windows, in the sides of the houses to look out at; but without any

regularity of shape or disposition; and these have bits of mat hung

before them, to prevent the rain getting in.

[Footnote 1: The habitations of the natives, more to the north upon

this coast, where Behring's people landed in 1741, seem to resemble

those of Nootka. Muller describes them thus: "Ces cabanes étoient de

bois revetu de planches bien unies, et même enchainées en quelques

endroits."--Muller, _Découvertes_, p. 255.--D.]