missing with the Boat, and to make a further Essay as to the Trade, but
brought no Settlers with him, intended immediately for the Coast, which
he could not attain to on Account of the Ice, and went to _Trinity_ Bay
in _Newfoundland_, where he staid some Time. Sailed from thence the
27th of _June_; the 2d of _July_ saw _French_ Ships in the Streights of
_Belle Isle_, retarded by the Ice; and the 9th of _July_ joined Capt.
_Taylor_ in a Sloop of about 35 Tons, fitted out from _Rhode Island_
to go in Pursuit of a _North-west Passage_; and if not successful to
come down on the Coast of _Labrador_. Capt. _Goff_ said he had learned
by Capt. _Taylor_ that the _Philadelphia_ Schooner would be out, and
he should have suspected this to be her, but she entered the Inlet
so readily, and came up with that Boldness as could not but think
that the Schooner was a _French_ Vessel acquainted with the Coast;
and he had received Orders to avoid any Harbour in which a _French_
Ship should appear. Capt. _Taylor_ had seen a large _French_ Sloop in
Latitude 53, and to the Northward three hundred _Eskemaux_, who had
nothing to trade but their old Cloaths, and who were going further to
Northward, but were hindered by the Ice. Capt. _Goff_ and _Taylor_, who
had entered into an Agreement to associate, were eight Days grappled
to the Ice, and did not arrive at _Nesbit_'s Harbour until the 20th
of _July_. But had traded with some of the _Eskemaux_ before, though
for small Matters, and had some of these _Eskemaux_ aboard for three
successive Days, who then left them, and came no more aboard the
Vessels. Capt. _Goff_ suspected, though he had altered his Dress, that
they had then recollected him. The 1st of _August_ they sailed from
_Nesbit_'s Harbour, and attained to this Inlet where he now was; and
on the 11th sailed to the Northward, when Capt. _Taylor_ left him; and
on the 25th returned here again. That the Smoke which the Persons saw
on the Island when they travelled over Land, and which the Schooner
passed that Day, was made by his Order, but that he had not made any
other Smoke, and this was for a Direction for his Longboat, gone to the
Northward to trade, and to signify to Capt. _Taylor_ his being in the
Harbour, whose Return he expected.
Capt. _Goff_ said he had been in no Inlet but _Nesbit_'s Harbour, and
in this where the Snow was; and that Capt. _Taylor_, in the Snow's
Longboat, had searched the Head of this Inlet, shewed a Draught of the
Coast, which was defective, as he knew nothing of the intermediate
Inlets. Had no Account of the inland Country; of there being any Beaver
or other Furs to be acquired there; or of there being any Mines, of
which the Schooner's People had seen many Instances, and had collected
some Ore. Capt. _Goff_ had two _Dutch_ Draughts of the Coast, made from
late Surveys; but they were very inaccurate, the Views taken from Sea,
and there the Land appeared close and continued; the Inlets, excepting
that in which they now were, appearing like small Bays, their Entrance
being covered by Islands. They had, this Year, found the Corpse of one
of those who went in the Boat, stripped and lying on an island.
It being rainy Weather, and the Wind contrary to the Schooner's going
up the Inlet, they were detained, and on _September_ the 8th the
Snow's Longboat returned, after having been out fourteen Days, with
some Whalebone, and a Quantity of _Eskemaux_ Cloathing, which being
examined to find out if the _Eskemaux_ wore Furs, there was only seen
a small Slip of Otter Skin on one of the Frocks. And Capt. _Goff_,
being asked, said he never saw any Furs amongst them. It is pretty
evident the _Eskemaux_ only pass along this Coast, to go and trade
with the _Eskemaux_ in _Hudson_'s Streights, and occasionally put in
as Weather or other Occasions may make it necessary, which keeps the
Native or inland _Indians_ from the Coast, as they are their Enemies.
The _Eskemaux_ go up to Latitude 58, or further North; there leave
their great Boats, pass a small Neck of Land, taking their Canoes with
them, and then go into another Water which communicates with _Hudson_'s
Streights. Carry their Return of Trade into _Eskemaux_ Bay, where they
live in Winter; and the _French_ made considerable Returns to _Old
France_, by the Whalebone and Oil procured from these People. And this
Account is agreeable to the best Information that could be procured.
While the Schooner's People were viewing the Cloaths, Word was brought
that the _Eskemaux_ were coming, who may be heard shouting almost
before that they can be discerned, the Schooner's People repaired
aboard. On the Colours aboard the Snow being hoisted, the Schooner's
People displayed theirs; but the Snow being the nearest, and the Snow's
People so urged the _Eskemaux_ to come along-side them, that they were
afraid to pass. The _Eskemaux_ had no large Boats with them, only
their Canoes, three of which came afterwards along-side the Schooner.
It was perceived that none of the leading People were in the Canoes;
they exposed no Marks or Shew of any Trade they had, which was usual
for them to lay on the Outside their Canoes; nevertheless they were
presented with Rings. It was some Time before they began to trade with
the Snow's People, and then it was carried on in a very peremptory
Manner.
The People in the Schooner, a light Wind springing up, weighed Anchor,
with a Design to proceed up the Inlet, expecting to be followed by
the _Eskemaux_, when they saw that they were not Associates with the
Snow's People, so to have a future Opportunity of trading with them. It
was also consistent with the Design they had of searching this Inlet,
the first Opportunity that offered. They took their Leave of Capt.
_Goff_ as they passed, and when advanced further beat their Drum. The
_Eskemaux_ quitted the Snow and came after the Schooner. The Fire Arms
were all primed and in order aboard the Schooner, but concealed; each
Man had his Station; and they were ordered to treat the _Eskemaux_ as
Men, and to behave to them in an orderly Manner; no hallooing, jumping,
or wrestling with them when they came aboard; not to refuse some of
the _Eskemaux_ to come aboard, and let others, as there were but nine
Canoes in all.
As the _Eskemaux_ came along-side the Schooner, they were presented
each with a Biscuit, a Person standing in the main Chains with a
Basket of Biscuit for that Purpose. Then they aboard the Schooner
shewed a Kettle, a Hatchet, and some other Things, which seemed much
to please the _Eskemaux_. One of them attempting to get into the
Schooner, two of the People helped him in: He was received civilly
on the Quarter-deck; the trading Box shewed him, a Spoon, a Knife,
and a Comb with which he touched his Hair and seemed desirous of,
were given him. Other _Eskemaux_ were by this Time aboard. They were
presented with Fish-hooks, small Knives, Combs, and a King _George_'s
Shilling apiece, which they carefully put into their Sleeves. In the
interim the _Eskemaux_ who came first aboard was gone to the Side, and
called to another yet in the Canoe under the Title of _Capitaine_. The
_Eskemaux_ so called to immediately came aboard, saluted the Commander
with three Congees, and kissed each Cheek. He was presented with a
Spoon and a Knife. Being shewn the Goods, appeared very desirous of
a File, offering old Cloaths for it. But the Commander signified he
would not trade for old Cloaths, but _Shoeeock_ (which is Whalebone in
their Language) or Skins; and the latter he denoted to the _Capitaine_
by a Piece of white Bear Skin that the _Capitaine_ had brought in his
Hand. The _Capitaine_ expressed by his Action that he had not either
Bone or Skins: He was then presented with the File; was shewed a
Matchcoat, which he surveyed very accurately; signed to the Commander
if he was not come round from the South-west, meaning, as supposed,
from _Quebeck_ or the Gulph of _St. Lawrence_. Afterwards took the
Commander under his Arm, and shewed a Desire of going into the Cabbin,
which was complied with. He passed the Door first, and sat down in as
regular a Manner as any _European_, having first accurately looked
about him; but there were no Fire-Arms in Sight. Refused Wine, drank
Spruce Beer; was shewed a Sample of all the Kind of Goods, with which
he seemed well pleased; and it was signified to him that there was
Plenty of them. While in the Cabbin the other _Eskemaux_ who were on
Deck, called to their _Capitaine_, they were invited down. Three of
the _Eskemaux_ came, but it was observable the _Capitaine_ covered the
Goods with a Woollen Cloth, which lay on the Table. They were presented
with Beef and Pudding, which they took, and returned on Deck. The
_Eskemaux Capitaine_ put the Goods into the Box himself very honestly,
and seeming to admire a small Brass-handled Penknife, it was presented
to him. He then returned on Deck, pointed to the Sun, lowered his
Hand a little, then made a Sign of sleeping by shutting his Eyes, and
laying his Hand to his Cheek, and shewed with his Hand to have the
Schooner to come to an Anchor just above. By which it was understood
that a little after that Time the next Day he would be there with
Trade. The Schooner, being by this Time opposite to a narrow Passage or
Streight formed by Islands, through which the _Eskemaux_ had come into
this Inlet, the _Capitaine_ ordered his People into their Canoes, and
retired with a Congee himself, after repeating the Commander's Name, to
see if he had it right, and which he had been very industrious to learn
while he was in the Cabbin. The Commander attended him to the Side;
and seeing in his Canoe a War-bow and Arrows, which are of a curious
Construction, pressed him to let him have them, though the same Thing
as asking a Man to part with the Sword he wore. The _Capitaine_, by
Signs, shewed he could not part with it, and seemed to express it with
great Reluctance that he could not. This Circumstance, and their having
no Women with them, caused the Schooner's People to think they looked
upon themselves, when they set out, as coming amongst their Enemies.
The Drum was beat until they were out of Sight; and the _Capitaine_,
just before he lost Sight of the Schooner by being shut in by the
Islands, pointed to the Sun, and the anchoring Place. The _Eskemaux_,
while aboard, behaved with great Decency and Silence; though at first
they began to jump and halloo, as they had done aboard the Snow; but
finding the People of the Schooner not so disposed, soon left off.
Soon after the Schooner was anchored in an excellent Harbour, the
Snow's Boat came along-side, with the first Mate and Agent. They
were asked to mess; and it being enquired of them how far they had
been with the Longboat in the last Trip, said to Latitude 57° 14´:
Had seen no _Eskemaux_, but within a few Days, though they had been
out fourteen Days. The Mate said, that he had chased a trading Boat,
with two _Eskemaux_ in it, who had endeavoured to avoid them, and
dodged amongst the Islands; but he came up with them as though he had
been a Privateer's Boat; run bolt aboard them, and so frightened the
_Eskemaux_ that they fell on their Knees, cried out, _Tout Comerado_,
and they would have given him all they had. He said they took out the
Whalebone, which he brought aboard, about a Hundred and fifty Weight,
and paid them for it as much as he saw the Captain give. He saw other
_Eskemaux_ at times ashore, where they invited him, but would not
venture; and fired a Blunderbuss, charged with thirteen Bullets, over
them, which caused some of them to fall down, others to bow. Some
_Eskemaux_ came along-side, and traded their Cloaths; but with great
Fear, crying out, _Tout Comerado_, as he had four Men armed standing
in the Bow of the Boat. Said that those _Eskemaux_ had, who were just
gone from the Schooner, the Peoples Cloaths who had been trepanned the
last Year, particularly a brown Waistcoat, which had had white Buttons
on it, and a white Great-coat. The Great-coat meant was a _French_
Matchcoat, which the _Eskemaux_ Captain had on, made up in a Frock
according to the Manner that they wear them. The supposed brown Jacket
was a _French_ brown Cloth, and there were two _Eskemaux_ who had them.
The Mate said the Schooner's People had talked of some Inlets; but
no Answer was made, on which he declared there was no Inlet between
_Nesbit_'s Harbour and where they then were, nor any Inlet to Northward
between that and Latitude 57° 14´. After making some Enquiries, as to
what the Schooner's People further intended, quitted, and made for the
Streight the _Eskemaux_ had passed through.
This is mentioned as an Instance of what Caution should be used, as
to the Choice of Persons sent on Expeditions to explore unfrequented
or unknown Parts, as the Adventurers may be Sufferers, and the Reason
of their being so a Secret, and thereon pronounce decisively no
Advantages are to be made, thus deprived of what might be greatly to
their private Emolument in Time under a proper Conduct, and to the
Benefit of the Publick. And there is a further Misfortune attending an
improper Choice, which every social and generous Man will consider.
That according to the Impressions that _Indians_ receive on the first
Acquaintance, a lasting Friendship may be expected, or an Enmity
and Jealousy very difficult to remove, who, in the interim, will
execute their Revenge; not on those who gave the Offence, but on all
indiscriminately of the same Complexion, when an Opportunity offers.
Reasons would be unnecessarily urged in Support of what Experience
proves, and of which there have been several melancholy Examples on
this Coast. By a Privateer from _New York_, some Years since, the
first Offence was given; those who have gone since have done nothing
to mollify or abate this Enmity and Revenge. There could be no
Expectation of a Reconciliation with these _Indians_, to the great
Improvement of Commerce in various Branches, but by the Measures taken,
the sending some of his Majesty's Ships into these Parts to explore
and get a Knowledge of the Coast; and the Commanders to establish a
Regulation, which will be a Satisfaction and Encouragement to every
fair Trader; and where the Trade long since might have been brought
to some Perfection, had it not been from the little dirty Avarice of
those employed by private Adventurers, who hindered the original Design
having a due Effect; and by interfering the one with the other, to
their mutual Prejudice, they prevented those Returns on their Voyages
which might have been otherwise made. The Consequence was, all future
Attempts were dropt, and it was indeed rendered almost impossible that
any fresh Undertakings should meet with Success, by the Difficulties
flung in the Way on Account of the Natives, but which will now be
effectually removed by the Government giving their Assistance.
The next Morning three People were sent from the Schooner to go on
the Heights, to discover the Water the _Eskemaux_ had gone into, and
to see if the _Eskemaux_ were coming. The Account brought back was,
that there was seen an _Indian_ trading Boat or Shallop under Sail,
which presently tacked and stood towards four other Shallops. They all
lowered Sail, and the _Eskemaux_ seemed to be consulting together.
Soon after the People saw the Snow's Longboat coming, the Shallops
hoisted Sail, then went one Canoe, afterwards two more, to the Snow's
Longboat, while the Shallops crouded away. The Schooner's People, after
this Time, had no Opportunity of seeing the _Eskemaux_; and attributed
their coming no more to their Fear of meeting the Longboat, or the bad
Weather, it being wet and blustering for the several succeeding Days.
But they learned, after the Schooner had returned to _Philadelphia_,
that those in the Snow's Longboat followed the Shallops, came up with
them, and took what they had. The Reason is apparent for their not
coming to the Schooner as they had no Trade, and as they might have a
Suspicion that the Schooner's People had a Connivance with those in the
Boat, especially as they might see the three People from the Schooner
standing on the Heights.
The Commander searched the Head of this Inlet, the Shores of which were
the most barren of any that had yet been seen, from the Sea to the Head
of it, about nine Leagues. Upon their Return they found the Snow gone;
they then went through the Streight by which they saw the _Eskemaux_
pass to explore that Water. From this the Discoverer passed between
Islands, without going out to Sea into a second Inlet; and from that to
a third from where he had met the Snow, and the seventh from _Nesbit_'s
Harbour. And the seventh or last Inlet ran a North and Westerly Course,
and terminated the furthest inland, or had the most Western Longitude
of any of the Inlets; and its Head about fifteen Leagues from the Sea.
These last three Inlets to Seaward are separated by very large Islands,
and have Islands lying off directly athwart their Entrance, so that it
is difficult to discover, when within these Islands, that there is any
Outlet to the Sea. The Islands have little Wood on them, and are mostly
barren Rock; but the main Land much as in the other Parts, only the
Inland more level. The blue Ridge of Mountains appeared plainer than
from any other Part. The Latitude of the furthest Inlet about 56.
Having explored these respective Waters and adjacent Country, and
_Davis_'s Inlet, consequently, though it is difficult to which properly
to affix the Name; and the Autumn being far advanced, as was apparent
from the Birch Leaves becoming yellow, the Berries Frost-bit, the
Pines and Spruce turning brown, severe Gales, Snow and Sleet at times,
and excessive cold on the high Land; so as nothing further could be
carried on with any Spirit, but excessive Fatigue, and the Health of
the People, as well preserved as on first setting out, would be now
impaired, with no certain Prospect of doing any Thing further that
was material, sufficient Harbours having been found; on the 20th of
_September_ they set out on their Return.
Leaving the Land favoured with pleasant Weather, an Opportunity waited
for to make an accurate Survey of the Fishing Bank, and to find the
Distance it lay from the Land, which from the Soundings on making
the Land, the seeing the Islands of Ice aground, and the Account
of _Davis_, was known to be there, and named by him _Walsingham_'s
Bank, after the true Patriot and generous Patron of a Discovery of a
North-west Passage. Sounding about a League from Land, with one Hundred
and fifty Fathom of Line, had no Ground. At about six Leagues from
Land, twenty-five Fathoms afterwards various Soundings, and catched a
great many Cod, large and full fed, reckoned by the People aboard, to
be very extraordinary Fish, some of whom from _Boston_ followed the
Employ of fishing for Cod. The Bank was concluded to be about nine
Leagues broad, and ninety Fathom Soundings on the going off it, on the
Eastern Side; and it was concluded, on a pretty good Assurance, that
it reaches from Lat. 57 to Lat. 54, if not further; but the Weather
proving boisterous, as they ran to the Southward, could not continue
their Soundings.
The Schooner sounded with a Hundred and fifty Fathom of Line, close by
an Island of Ice, of a surprising Magnitude, between the Bank and the
Shore, which was aground, and they did not get Soundings.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
Page 16. L. 23. de Fuentes. The, _read_ de Fuentes, the.
44. L. 11. de Fonte's, _read_ de Fonte's Account.
45. L. 36. Don Ronquillo, _read_ Don Pennelossa.
49. L. 18. from, _read_ in.
54. L. 11. to the Southward, _read_ to the Northward.
61. L. 15. it, _read_ this Mission.
67. L. 29. as that worthy, _read_ that worthy.
82. L. 6. New Spain, _read_ Florida.
L. 9. Florida, _read_ Peruan Part.
83. L. 28. is consistent, _read_ is not consistent.
90. L. 17. Rivers and Harbours, _read_ River and Harbour.
106. L. 32. in the Year 1746, _read_ until the Year 1745.
111. L. 6. between the Sea, _read_ the Ocean and the Sea.
136. L. 14. nigh Summit, _read_ high Summit.
DIRECTIONS for placing the MAPS.
Map of _de Fonte_'s Discoveries, in Front.
Map of _New Spain_, from _Torquemada_, Page 86.
Map of the Discoveries in _Hudson_'s Bay, Page 122.
Just published, in QUARTO,
Very proper to be bound with this Book,
I.
VOYAGES from ASIA to AMERICA,
Made by the _Russians_ for completing the Discoveries of the
North-west Coast of _America_. Translated from the _High Dutch_ of M.
MULLER, of the Royal Academy of _Petersburgh_. Illustrated with Maps.
The Second Edition.
II.
The History of KAMTSCHATKA and the KURILSKI ISLANDS, with the Countries
adjacent.
Illustrated with Maps and Cuts. Published at _Petersburgh_ in the
_Russian_ Language, by Order of her Imperial Majesty; and translated
into _English_ by JAMES GRIEVE, M.D.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes
The sidenotes April 1708 and June 1708 were printed at the beginning of
each page of the chapter in the original. This duplication has been
removed.
The corrections in the Errata list have been implemented, the first of
which is on page 15, not 16.
Hyphenation has been standardised.
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected.
Other variations in spelling, punctuation and accents are as in the
original.
Italics are represented thus _italic_.
The long s has been replaced throughout.