V ^ ' ^^•y IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k /, {./ ^ .^. ^Ji( Z 4^ V %* 1.0 1.1 11.25 itt ISO 12£ 125 Hi JJ 13.6 ^^ III u 140 2.0 u 1^ ^ vQ /. > /. '/ /^ Hiotograph^c ^Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STREiT WiBSTIR.N.Y. MSIO (716) 872.4503 gC>^ ?v €s 4^ 6^ '^.^■' '<^ .^. CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian da mlcroreproductlons historiquas Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D D D □ D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommag^e Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^e et/ou peliiculAe I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiques en couleur Coloured inic (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Reiid avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intirieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ 11 se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais. lorsque cela dtait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmdes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagies Pages restored and/oi Pages restauries et/ou pellicul6es Pages discoloured, stained or foxei Pages ddcolordes, tacheties ou piqu6es Pages detached/ Pages ddtachdes Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti in6gale de I'impression Includes supplementary materif Comprend du materiel suppi 'mentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible [~~] Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ I ~| Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ r~~l Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ I I Only edition available/ Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un ff- jllet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 filmies d nouveau de fapon A obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film6 au taux de rMuction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X C V 12X 1IX 20X 26X 30X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy filmed h«r« ha« b««n r«produc«d thanks to th« ganarotity of: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Columbia L'axamplaira filmi fut raproduit grAca A la ginArosit* da: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Columbia Tha iniagas appearing hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacifications. Las imagas suivantas ont At* raproduitas avac la plus grand soin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nattatA da l'axamplaira filmA. at an conformity avac las conditions du contrat da filmaga. Original copias in printad papar covars ara filmad beginning with tha front covar and ending on tha last nage with e printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the beck cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with e printed or illustrated impres- sion, end ending on the lest pege with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exempieires originaux dont la couverture en pepier est imprimte sont filmte en commenpant par la premier plet et en terminant soit par la derniAre pege qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par la second plat, salon la cas. Tous les autres exempieires originaux sont filmte en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la darniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The lest recorded frame on each microfiche shell contain the symbol ^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED "). or the symbol V (meaning "END "). whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants epparaltra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols ^^ signifie "A SUIVRE", ie symbols V signifie "FIN". Meps, pletes, cherts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de rMuction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seu! clichA, il est filmA A partir de I'angle sup6rieur geuche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, isn prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 mmm 09 » S P 03 H a CO H NARRATIYE" «* OF TBI ^ « ADVENTURES AND SUFFERINGS ^ ^ 9V 'a. JOHN R. JEWITT ; ONLY SURVIVOR OF THE CREW OF THE SHIP ^^ BOSTON, DVRINO ▲ CAPTIVITT Or MBARLY THRm TKARS AMOMtt TBtt SAVAGES OF NOOTKA SOUND: :t^c»sv. V: " .' WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS, MODE OF LIVING, AND RELIGIOUS OPINIONS OF THE NATIVES. 1 . EMBELLISHED WITH ENGRAVINGS. ^ / -v -4/V*^'^ v.. ♦ U ^eC^^*^' ITHACA, N.Y.: MACK, ANDRUS, & CO. * 18 49. ' v*c« ?v<} w .*» A LIST Ol" WORDS IN THE NOOTKIAN LANGUAGE, THE MOST IN USE. Clieck-up, Klootz-mah, IVoowexa, Hooma-hexa, TanaRsis, Katlahtik, Kloot-cliem-up, Tanaspis-check- 'J'annssis-kloolB- Tau-liat-se-tee, Kassce, Hap-se-up, Naetsa, Parpee, Chee-chee, Clioop, Kouk-a-nlk-sa, Klish-klin, Oophehh, Tar-toosc, 8ie-yah, Toop-elth, Cha-hak, Meetla, Queece, Noot-chee, Kiat-tur-miss, Een-nuk-see, Mook-see, Mtik-ka-tee, Wik. He-ho, Kak-koelth, Mah-hack, Kiack-e-mics, Quart-lak,' Coo-coo-ho-sa, Moo- watch, So-har, Too3ch-qiia, Pow-ee, Kloos-a-mit, Chap-atz, Oo-wha-pa, Cliee-me-na, Ckee-meii- Sick-a-minny, Man. Woman. Father. Mother. ^ Child. *% Brother. Sister. •up. Son. -mah, Daughter. Head. Eves. I^air. Nose. Ears. Teeth. "Tongue. Handfi. Feet. Sun or Moon. Stars. / Sky. Sea. Fresh water. Rain. Snow. Mountain or hill. Earth. Fire or fuel. Rock. House. No. Yes. Slave. Whale. Oil. Sea-otter. Seal. Bear. ^ . Salmon. Cod. Halibut. Herring. Canoe. Paddle. A fish-hook. Fish-hooks. Iron. 47387 Toop-helth, Cloth. Cham-mass, Fruit. Cham-maBs-* < Sweet or pleasant ish, \ to the taste. Moot-suD, Powder. Chee-pokes, * Copper. Hah-welks, Hungrr. Noe-sim-mer-hise, Enougn. Chlt-ta-yek, Kuife or dagger. Klick'-cr-yek, Rings. Smoke. Goose or duck. To blow. Een-a.qui-8i.it-tle,{'r«fl^^'"***«» Ar-teese, To bathe. Ma-mook-su-mali, To go to fish Ar-smootish- > . ,„.„•_ • check-up, J A warrior. " lat- C Quish-ar, Mar-met-ta, Pook-sliit-tle, Cha-alt-see-kl I Go oflf, or 90 away. To aelt. Give me something. How many. Much. tur-wah, Ma-kook, Kah-ah-pah-chilt, < Oo-nah, I-yah-ish, Kom-me-tak, I understand. T ,.«« «.• \^„ir 5 I n ^ * u mah-sish, } ^^ y«>" ^»°» *« *>"y- Kah-ah-coh, Sah-wauk, Att-la, Kat-sa, Mooh. Soo-chah, Noo-poo, At-tle-poo, At-lah-quelth, Saw-wauk-queltb» Hy-o, Sak-aitz, 9* Soo-jcwk, Hy-e-oak, Bring it. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six Seven. Ei^ht. Nme. Ten. Twenty. One hundred. One thousand. f^amei of the Crew of the Ship Boston^ belonging to Boston' in Massachusetts, oxoned by Messrs. F, Sf T. Amory, Merchants of that place — All of xehom ex- cepting two, xoere on the 22rf of March, 1803, barbar- dusty murdered by the Savages at Nootka. John Salter, B. Delouissa, William Iiigraliatn, Edward Thompson, Adam Siddle, Philip Brown, John Dorthy, Abraham Watcri, Francis Dufheld, of Boston, Do. of New-York, of BIyth, (England,) of Hull, Do. of Cambridge, (Mass.) of Scituate, Do. of Philadelphia, of Penton, (England,) John Wilson, (blackman) of Virginia, William Caldwell, Joseph Miner, William Robinson, Thomas Wilson, Andrew Kelly, Robert Burton, James M*CIay, Thomas Platten, Thomas Newton, Char lea Bates, ^ohn Hall, Samuel Wood, Peter Abtrom, Francis Marten, of Boston, of Newburyport, of Leigh, (Scotland,) of Air, Do. Do. Do. of the Isle of Man, of Dublin, of Blakeney, Norfolk, Eng. Do. of Hull, Do. Do. of St. James Deeping, Do. Do* of New-Castle, Do. Do. of Glasgow, (Scotland,) Do. Norwegian, Do. jDaptain. Chief-Mate. Second-Mate. Boatswain. Carpenter. Joiner. Blacksmith. Steward. Tailor. Cook. Seaman. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Portuguese, Do. Jupiter Senegal, (blackman) Do. John Thompson, Fhiladttlphia, Sail-Maker, who scaped — since dead. John R. Jewitt, of Boston, in England, Armourer, the writer of the Journal from whence this Narrstive is taken, and who at {iresent, July, 1815, resides in Middletown, in tlie State of Connecticut. n y • NARRATIVE OF JOHN R. JEWITT. I WAS born in Boston, a considerable borough town in Lincolnshire, in Great-Britain, on the 21st of May, 1783. My father, Edward Jewitt, was , by trade a blacksmith, and esteemed among the first in his line of business in that place. At the age of three years I had the misfortune to lose my mother, a most excellent woman, who died "in child-bed, leaving an infant daughter, who, with myself, and an elder brother by a former marriage of my father, constituted the whole of our family. My father who considered a good education as the greatest blessing he could bestow on his children, was very particular in paying every attention to us in that respect, always exhorting us to behave well, and endeavouring to impress on our minds thQ principles of virtue and morality, and no expense in his power was spared to have us instructed in whatever might render us useful and respectable in society. My brother, who was four years old- er than myself, and of a more hardy constitution, he destined for his own trade, but to me he had resolved to give an education superior to that which is to be obtained in a common school, it be- ing his intention that I should adopt one oP the learned professions. Accordingly at the age of twelve he took me from the school in which I had been taught the fust rudiments of learning, and 8 jewitt's narrative. I I^aced me under the care of Mr. Moses, a cele- brated teacher of an academy at Donnington, about twenty miles from Boston, in order to be instructed in the Latin language, and in some of the higher branches of the Mathematics. I there made considerable proficiency in writing, reading, and aridmietic, and obtained a pretty good knowl- edge of navigation and of surveying; but my pro- V gress in Latin was slow, not only owing to the lit- tle inclination I felt for learning that language, but to a natural impediment in my speech, which ren- dered it extremely difficult for me to pronounce it, so that in a short time, with my father's con- sent, I wholly relinquished the study. The period of m^^ stay at this place was the most happy of my life. My preceptor, Mr. Moses, was not only a learned, but a virtuous, benevolent, and amiable man, universally beloved by his pu- pils, who took dehght in his instruction, and to \ '' a he allowed every proper amusement, that » .. isted with attention to their studies. One of the principal pleasures I enjoyed was in attending the fair, which is regularly held twice a year at Donnington, in the spring and in the fall; the second day being wholly devoted to selling horses, a prodigious number of which are brought thither for that purpose. As the scholars on these occasions were always indulged with a holiday, I cannot express with what eargerness of youthful expectation I used to anticipate these fairs, nor what delight I felt at the various shows, exhibitions of wild beasts, and other entertainments that they presented. I was frequently visited by my father, who always discovered much joy on seeing me, praised me for my acquirements, and usually left me a small sum for my pocket expenses. jewitt's narrative. Among the scholars at this academy, there was one named Charles Rice, with whom I formed a particular intimacy, which continued during the whole of my stay. He was my class and room mate, and as the town he came from, Ashhy, was move than sixty miles off, instead of returning homo, he used frequently during the vacation, to go with me to Boston, where he always met with a cordial welcome from my father, who received me on these occasions with the greatest affection, apparently taking much pride in me. My friend in return used to take me with him to an uncle of ihis in Donnington, a very wealthy man, who, hav- ing no children of his own, was very fond of his [nephew, and on his account I was always a wel- Icome visitor at the house. I had a good voice, and an ear for music, to which I was always pas- sionately attached, though my father endeavoured to discourage this propensity, considering it, (as 'is too frequently the case) but an introduction to la life of idleness and dissipation, and having been i remarked for my singing at church, which was regularly attended on Sundays and Festival days tby the scholars, Mr. Morthrop, my friend Rice's uncle, used frequently to request me to sing; he [was always pleased with my exhibitions of tlus [kind, and it was no doubt one of the means that [secured me so gracious a reception at his house, number of other gentlemen in the place would jometimes send for me to sing at their houses, id as I was not a little vain of my vocal powers, was much gratified on receiving these invita- tions, and accepted them with the greatest pleasure. Thus passed" away the two happiest years of my ife, when my father, thinking that I had received sufficient education for the profession he intend- 10 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. f r I I ed me for, took me from school at Donnington in order to apprentice me to Doctor Mason, a sur- geon of on>incnce at Rcashy, in the neighhour- hood of the celebrated Sir Joseph Banks. With regret did I part from my school acquaintance, particularly my friend Rice, and returned home with my father, on a short visit to my fiunily, pre- paratory to my intended apprenticeship. The disinclination I ever had felt for the profession my father wished me to pursue, was still further in- creased on my return. When a child I was al- ways fond of being in the shop, among the work- men, endeavouring to imitate what I saw them do; tliis disposition so far increased after my leaving the academy, that I could not bear to hear the least meudLii made of my being apprenticed to a surgeon, and I used so many entreaties with my father to persuade him to give up this plan and learn me his own trade, that he at last consented. More fortunate would it probably have been for me, had I gratified the wishes of this affectionate parent, in adopting the profession he had chosen for me, than thus induced him to sacrifice them to mine. However it might have been, I was at length introduced into the shop, and my natural turn of mind corresponding with the employment, I became in a short time uncommonly expert at the work to which I was set. I now felt myself well contented, pleased with my occupation, and treated with much affection by my father and kind- ness by my step-mother, my father having once more entered the state of matrimony, with a wid- ow much younger than himself, who had been brought up in a superior manner, and was an ami- able and sensible woman. About a year after I had commenced this ap- JKWITT*S NARRATIVE. 11 gton in , a sur- ^hbour- With ntance, 1 home iy, pre- The ;ion my her in- was al- 3 vvork- lem do; leaving lear the led to a nth my )lan and isented. een for tionate chosen 3 them was at natural yment, pert at myself n, and 1 kind- once a wid- been m ami- jprcnticcship, my father finding that he could carry on his business to more advantage in Hull, remov- ed thither with his family. An event of no little importance to me, as it in a great measure influ- leiic(Ml my future destiny. Hull being one of the ")cst ports in England, and a place of great trade, ly fjithcr had tlierc full employment for his nu- icroiis workmen, particularly in vessel work, 'his naturally leading me to an acquaintance with he sailors on board some of the ships, the many cmarkable stories they told me of their voyages nd adventures, and of the manners and customs t)f the nations they had seen, excited a strong 'Itvhh in me to visit foreign countiies, which was 'increased by my reading the oyages of Capt. Cook, and some odier celebrated navi,i!;ators. ?" Tiius passed the four years that I lived at Hull, Jriiere my father was esteemed by all v-ho knew Jim, as a worthy, industrious, and thriving man. t this period a circumstance occurred which af- rded me tlie opportunity I had for some time ished, of gratifying my inclination of going abroad. Among our principal custom.ers at Hull, were c American? who frequented that port, and from hose conversation, my father as well as myself rmed the most favourable opinion of that conn- fry, as affording an excellent field for the exertions |f industry, and a flattering prospect for the estab- fehment of a young man in life. In the summer of the year 1802, during the peace between Eng- l|nd and France, the ship Boston, belonging to Boston, in Massachusetts, and commanded by apt. John Salter, arrived at Hull, whidier she e to take on board a cargo of such goods as re wanted for the trade, with the Indians on the •th-West coast of America, from whence, after us ap- 12 jewitt's narrative. [ ' r I- if I ■ « \ having taken in a lading of furs and skins, she was to proceed to China, and from thence home to America. The ship, having occasion for many- repairs and alterations, necessary for so long a voyage, the captain applied to my father to do the smith work, which was very considerable. That gentleman, who was of a social turn, used often to call at my father's house, where he passed ma- ny of his evenings, with his chief and second mates, Mr. B. Delouisa, and Mr. William Ingra- ham, the latter a fine young man of about twenty, of a most amiable temper, and of such affable manners, as gained him the love and attachment of our whole crew. These gentlemen used occa- sionally to take me with them to the theatre, an amusement which I was very fond of, and which my father rather encouraged than objected to, as he thought it a good means of preventing young men who are naturally inclined to seek for some- thing to amuse them, from frequenting taverns,, ale houses, and places of bad resort, equally de- structive of the health and morals, while the stage frequently furnishes excellent lessons of morality and good conduct. In the evenings that he passed at my father's, Captain Salter, who had for a great number of years been at sea, and seen almost all parts of the world, used sometimes to speak of his voyages, and observing me listen with much attention to his relations, he one day when I had brought him some work, said to me in rather a jocose manner, John, how should you li™^ go with me? I an- swered that it would give me great pleasure, that I had for a long time wished to visit foreign coun- tries, particularly America, which Iliad been told so many fine stories of, and that if nn/- fether would 1 » jewitt's narrative. 13 give his consent and he was willing to take me with him, I would go. I shall be very glad to do it, said he, if your father can be prevailed on to let you go, and as I want an expert smith for an armourer, the one I have shipped for that pur- uose not being sufficiently master of his trade, I have no doubt that you will answer my turn well, IS I perceive you are both active and ingenious; ind on my return to America, I shall probably be tble to do something much better for you in Bos- lon. I will take the first opportunity of speaking «.o your fatlier about it, and try to persuade him tc consent. He accordingly die next evening that he called it our house introduced the subject: my father at first would not listen to the proposal. That best of parents, though anxious for my ad- vantageous establishment in life, could not bear to think of parting with me, but on Capt. Salter's telling him of what benefit it would be to me to go the voyage with him, and that it was a pity to keep a promising and ingenious young fellow, like myself, confined to a small shop in England, when if I had tolerable success, I might do so much better in America, where wages were much higher and living cheaper, he at length gave up his ob- jections and consented tha* ^ should ship on board the Boston as an armourer, at the rate of thirty dollars per month; with an agreement that the amount due me, together with a certain sum of money which my father gave Capt. Salter for that purpose, should be laid out by him on the North- West Coast in the purchase of furs on my account, to be disposed of in China for such goods as would yield a profit on the return of the ship; my father i being solicitous to give me every advantage in his \ power, of well establishing myself in my trade in ^ i '^ ■> r.^ (I ill i' I ■; i 14 jevvitt's NARHATIVF.. Boston or some other maritime town of America. Such were the flattering expectations which this good man indulged respecting me. Ala*;! the fatal disaster that hefel us, not only hlastcd all these hopes, hut involved me in extreme distress and wretchedness for a long period after. The ship having undergone a thorough repair and heen well coppered, proceeded to t;ike on hoard her cargo, which consisted of English cloths, Dutch blankets, looking glasses, heads, knives, razors, &c. which were received from Holland, some sugar and molasses, about twenty hogsheads of rum, including stores for the ship, a great quantity of ammunition, cutlasses, pistols, and three thousand muskets and fowling pieces. The ship being loaded and ready for sea, as I was prepar- mg for my departure, my father came to me, and taking me aside, said to me with much emotion, John, I am now going to part with you, and heav- en only knows if we shall ever again meet. But in whatever part of the world you are, always bear it in mmd, that on your own conduct will depend your success in life. Be honest, indus- trious, frugal, and temperate, and you will not fail, in whatsoever country it may be your lot to be placed, to gain yourself friends. Let the Bible be your guide, and your reliance in any fortune that may befall you, that Almighty Being, who knows how to bring forth good from evil, and who never deserts those who put their trust in him. He repeated his exhortations to me to lead an honest and a christian life, and to recollect that I had a father, a mother, a brother, and sister, who could not but feel a strong interest in my welfare, enjoining me to write him by the first opportunity that should offer to Enj^land, from JEWITT » JNARHATIVE. M whatever part of the world I iiiiji;ht be in, moro particiihirly on my arrival in Jiostoii. This I promised to do, but long unhappily was it hciforo 1 was ahl(3 to fulfill tills promise. I then tocjk an anbctioiiate leave of my worthy parent, whose feeling;s uouhl hardly permit him to speak, and biddinjj; an alfectionate farewell to my brollu;r, sis- ter, and siep-mother, who expressed the greatest sclicilude for my future fortune, went on boai'd the ship, which proceeded to the Downs to be ready for the first favourable wind. I found my- self well acHonnnodated on board as regarded my work, an iron forge having been erected on deck; this my father had made for the ship on a new plan, for which he afterwards obtained a patent; while a corner of the steerage was appropriated to my vice bench, so that in bad weatlie.- I could work below. On the third day of September, 1802, we sailed from the Downs with a fair wind, in com- pany with twenty-four sail of American vessels, most of which were bound home. I was sea-sick for a few of the first days, but it was of short continuance, and on my recovery I found myself in uncommonly fine health and spir- its, and went to work with alacrity at my forge, in putting in order some of the muskets, and mak- ing daggers, knives, and small hatchets for the Indian trade, while in wet and stormy weatlier I was occupied below in filing and polishing them. This was my employment, having but little to do with sailing the vessel, though I used occasionally to lend a hand in assisting thg seamen, in taking in and making sail. As I had never before been out of siglit of land, I cannot describe my sensations, 16 JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. after I had recovered from the distressing effects of sea-sickness, on viewing the mighty ocean by which I was surrounded, bounded only by the sky; while its waves rising in mountains, seemed every moment to threaten our ruin. Manifest as is the hand of Providence in preserving its creatures from destruction, in no instance is it more so than on the great deep; for whether we consider in its tumultuary motions the watery deluge that each moment menaces to overwhelm us, the immense violence of its shocks, the httle diat interposes between us and death, a single plank forming our only security, which, should it unfortunately be loosened would plunge us at once into the abyss, our gratitude ought strongly to be excited towards that superintending Deity who in so wonderful a manner sustains our lives amid the waves. We had a pleasant and favourable passage of ♦wenty-nine days to the Island of St. Catharine on the coast of Brazils, where the Captain had de- termined to stop for a few days to wood and wa- ter. This place belongs to the Portuguese. On entering the harbour we were saluted by the fort, which we returned. The next day the Governor of the Island came on board of us with his suite; Captain Salter received him with much respect and invited him to dine with him, which, he ac- cepted. The ship remained at St. Catharine's four days, during which time, we were busily em- ployed in taking in wood, water, and fresh provis- ions. Captain Salter thinking it best to furnish himself here with a full supply for his voyage to the North- West coast, so as not to be obliged to stop at the Sandwich Islands. St. Catharine is a very commodious place for vessels to stop at that JEWITT » NARRATIVE. IT p - ai'e boLuid round Cape Horn, as it abounds with springs of fme water, with excellent oranges, plantuiiia, uiid bananas. Havijig conjpletod our stores we put to sea, and on the twciity-fiidi of December at lengdi passed Cane Horn, which we had made no loss than tliirty-.^ix da\s bolbre, but were repeatedly forced back by couiraiy winds, experiencing very rough and teuipesiuous weatber m doubling it. Immudiuiely after passing Cape Horn, all our dan- gers and diiliculties seemed to be at an end; the weatlic3r be( anie fine and so httle labour was ne- cessary on board the ship that the men soon re- covered from Uieir fatigue and were in excellent spirits. A few days after we fell in with an Eng- hsh Soutli Sea Whaling Ship, homewaid bound, vvhicb was ibe only vessel we spoke with on our voyage. ^Vc now took tlie trade wind or mon- soon, during which we enjoyed the finest weather possible, so diat for the space of a fortnight we were not obliged ,to reeve a topsail or to make a tack, and so light was the duty and easy the life of the sailors during this time, that they appeared tlie happiest of any people in the world. /jvUi^- n-x Captain Salter, who had been for many years in the East-India trade, was a iBost excellent sea- man, fnd preserved the strictest order and disci- pline on board his ship, though he was a man of,, mild temper and conciliating manners, and dispos- ed to allow every indulgence to his men, not in- consistent with their duty. We had on board a fine band of music, with which on Saturday nights, when the weather was pleasant, we w ere accus- tomed to be regaled, the Captain ordering them to play for several hours for the amusement of the crew. This to me was most dehghtful, especially 2# I 18 jewitt's narrative. [ I i I '.f (luring the serene evenings we experienced in tra- versing the Southern Ocean. As for myself, during the day I was constantly occupied at my forge, in re-fitting or repairing some of the iron work of the vessel, but principally in making tom- ahawks, daggers, &c. for the North West coast. During the first part of our voyage we saw scarc(}ly any fish, excepting some whales, a few sharks, and flying fish; but after weathering Cape Horn we met with numerous shoals of sea por- poises, several of whom we caught, and as we had been for some time without fresh provisions, I found it not only a palatable but really a very excellent food. To one who has never before seen them, a shoal of these fish presents a very striking and singular appearance ; beheld at a distance coming towards a vessel they look not unlike a great number of small black waves rolling over one another in a confused manner and approaching with great swiftness. As soon as a shoal is seen all is bustle and activity on board the ship, the grains and the harpoons are immediately got ready, and those who are best skilled in throwing them take their stand at the bow and along the gunwale anxiously awaiting the welcome troop as they come gamboling and blowing around the vessel, in search of food. When pierced with the harpoon and drawn on board, unless the fish is instantly killed by the stroke, which rarely happens, it utters most pitiful cries, greatly resembling those of an infant. The flesh cut into steaks and broiled, is not unlike very coarse beef, and the harslet in appearance and taste is so much like that of a hog, that it would be no easy matter to distinguish the one from the other; from this circumstance the sailors li:»ve given tlie name of the herring hog to this fish; ► '.HJ JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 19 I was told by some of the crew, that if one of them happens to free itself from the grains or har- poons, whon struck, all the others, attracted by the blood, immediately quit the ship and give chase to the wounded one, and as soon as they overtake it immediately tear it in pieces. We al- so caught a large shark, which had followed the ship for several days with a hook which I made for the purpose, and although the flesh was by no means equal to that of the herring hog, yet to those destitute as we were of any thing fresh, I found it eat very well. After passing the Cape when the sea had become calm we saw great numbers of Albatrosses, a large brown and white bird of the goose kind, one of which Captain Salter shot, whose wings measured from their ex- tremities fifteen feet. One thing, however, I must not omit mentioning, as it struck me in a most singular and extraordinary manner. This was, that on passing Cape Horn in December, which was mid summer in that climate, the nights were so light, without any moon, that we found no difficulty whatever in reading small print which we frequently did during our watches. In this manner, with a fair wind and easy weath- er from the 28th of December, the period of our passing Cape Horn, we pursued our voyage to the Northward until the 12th of March 1803, when we made Woody Point in Nootka Sound on the North West Coast of America. We immediately stood up the Sound for Nootka, where Captain Salter had determined to stop, in order to supply the ship with wood and water before proceeding up the coast to trade. But in order to avoid the risk of any molestation or interruption to his men from the Indians, while thus employed, he proceeded ^4» \ ,*■ ■AlHMMi immw ' .'«iii •I ,1 " 20 jkwitt's narrative. with the ship about five miles to the Northward of the village, which is situated on Friendly Cove, (uid sent out his chief mate with several of the crew in the hoat to find a good place for anchoring her. — After sounding for some time tliey returned with information that they had discovered a secure place for anchorage, on the Western side of an inlet or small bay at about half a mile from the coast, near a small island which protected it from the sea, and where there was a plenty of wood and excellent wa- ter. The ship accordingly came to anchor in this place, at twelve o'clock at night, in twelve fathom water, muddy bottom, and so near the shore that to prevent the ship from winding we secured her by a hauser to the trees. On the morning of the next ,-,: The arrival of the Boston, »t Nootka Sound, i ,^ v day, the thirteenth, several of the natives came on board in a canoe from the village of Nootka, with \ their king, called Maquina, who appeared much ', pleased on seeing us, and with great seeming cor- diality, welcomed Capt. Salter and his officers to his country. As I had never before beheld asav* ■■>^ JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 21 M age of any nation, it may readily be supposed that the nov(!lty of their appearance, so diliorent from any pcopk' that I liad hitherto seen, excited in me strong feehnirs of surprise and curiosity. I was, however, particularly struck with the looks of their king, whofwas a man of a dignified aspect, about six feet inlicight and extremely strait and wefll proportioned; his features were in general good and his face was rendered remarkable by a large Roman nose, a very uncommon form of feature among tiiese j)eople; his complexion was of a dark copper hue, though his face, legs, and arms were on tills occasion, so covered with red paint, that their natural colour could scarcely be perceived, his eye-brows ^^ ere painted black in two broad stripes like a new moon, and his long black hair, which shone with oil, was fastened in a bunch on the top of his head and strewed or powdered all over with white down, which gave him a most curious and extraordinary appearance. He was dressed in a large mantle or cloak of the black sea otter skin, which reached to his knees, and was fastened around his middle by a broad belt of the cloth of the country, wrought, or painted with figures of several colours; this dress was by no means un- becoming, but on the contrary had an air of sav- age magnificence. His men were habited in mantles of the same cloth, which is made from the bark of a tree, and has some resemblance to straw matting, these are nearly square and have two holes in the upper part large enough to admit the arms — they reach as low as the knees, and are fastened around their bodies with a belt about four mches broad of the same clotRI ^— From his having freqi^ently visited the English and American ships that traded to the coast, Ma- 22 jewitt's narrative. qiiina had learned the signification of a number of English words, and in general could make himself pretty well understood by us in our own language. Me was always the first to go on board such ships as came to Nootka, which he was much pleased in visiting, even when he had no trade to otTer, as he almost always received some small present, and was in general extremely well treated by the com- manders. He remained on board of us for some lime during which the captain took him into the cabin aiivl treated him with a glass of rum; these people being very fond of distilled spirits, and some biscuit and molasses which they prefer to any kind of food that we can ofl^er them. - As there are seldom many furs to be purchased at this place, and it was not fully the season, Capt. Salter had put in here not so much with an expec- tation of trading as to ])rocure an ample stock of wood and water for the supply of the ship on the coast, thinking it more prudent to take it on board at Nootka, from the generally friendly disposition of the people, than to endanger the safety of his men in sending them on shore for that purpose among the more ferocious natives of the north. With this view, we immediately seV about getting our water casks in readiness, and the next and two succeeding days part of the crew were sent on shore to cut pine timber and assist the carpenter hi making it into yards and spars for the ship, while those on board were employed in refitting the rigging, repairing the sails, &c. when we pro- ceeded to take in our wood and water as expedi- tiously as possible, during which time I kept my* self busily employed in repairing the muskets, making knives, tomaxes, &c. and doing such iron work as was wanted for the ship. Meantime more JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 9S ;uage. / or less of the natives came on board of i is daily, i bringine; with them fresh salmon with which they supplied us in great plenty, receiving in return some uilling articles. Capt. Salter was always very particular beforo admitting these people on board to see that they had no arms about them, by obligiu'j; them indiscriminately to dirow o(l' their ^ garments, so diat he felt ])crfcctly secure from any flf attack. On the fifteenth the king came on board ' with several of his chiefs; he was dressed as be- , fore in his magnificent otter skin robe, having bis face highly painted, and his hair tossed off with die white down which looked like snow; his chiefs Mere dressed ir mar ties of the coimtry I cloth of its natural colour, which is a pale yellow; * these were ornamented with a broad border paint- ed or wrought in figures of several colours repre- senting men's heads, various animals, &c. and se- cured around diem by a belt like tliat of the king from which it was distinguished only by being narrower: the dress of the common people is of the same fashion and diflers from that of the chiefs in being of a coarser texture and painted red, of one uniform colour, "» Captain Salter invited Maquina and his chiefs to dine with him, and it was curious to see how these people (when they eat) seat themselves (in their country fashion upon our chairs) with their feet under them crossed like Turks. They can- not endure the taste of salt, and the only thing they would eat with us was the ship bread which they were very fond of, especially when dipped in molasses; they had also a great liking for tea and coffee when well sweetened. As iron weapons and tools of almost every kind are in much request among them, whenever they came on board they 24 JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. f 1: \ I- ■I \ were always very attentive to me, crowding around me at the forge, as if to see in what manner I did my work, and in this way became quite fiuiiiliar, a circumstance, as will be seen in the end, of great imj)ortance to me. The sahnon which they brought us furnished a most delicious treat to men who for a long time had lived wholly on salt pro- visions excepting such few sea fish as we had the good fortune occasionally to take. We indeed feasted most luxuriously, and flattered ourselves that we should not want while on the coast for plenty of fresh provisions, little imagining the fate that awaited us, and that this dainty food was to prove the unfortunate lure to our destruction! On the nineteendi, the king came again on board and was invited by the Captain to dine with him. He Iiad much conversation with Capt. Salter, and in- formed him that there were plenty of wild ducks and geese near Friendly Cove, on which the Cap- tain made him a present of a double-barreled fowl- ing piece with which he appeared to be greatly pleased and soon after went on shore. On the 20th we were nearly ready for our de- parture, having taken in what wood and water we were in want of. ^ The next day Maquina came on board with nine pair of w^ild ducks, as a present, at the same time he brought witn him the gun, one of the locks of which he had broken, telling the Captain that il was peshak^ that is bad; Capt. Salter was very much offended at this observation, and consider- ing it as a mark of contempt for his present, he called the king a liar, adding other opprobrious terms, and taking the gun from him tossed it in- dignantly into the cabin and calling me to him said, ' John, this fellow has broken this beautiful fowl* ,if \ jewitt's narrative. M ; around T I did hniiliar, 3nd, of ch they to men ;alt pro- had the indeed nrselves oast for the fate was to on! On lard and n. He and in- d ducks he Gap- ed fowl- greatly our de- ater we rd with le same le locks n that il as very onsider- sent, ha robrious id it in- lim said, ill fowl- •1 ing piece, see if you can mend it:* on examining it I told him that it could be done. — As I have already observed, Maciuina knew a number of Eni:;lish words, and unlortunalely understood but too well the meaning of the reproachful terms that mo Captain addressed to him. — He said not a word in reply, but his countenance sufficiently ex- ]>ressed the rage he felt, though he exerted him- self to suppress it, and I observed him while the Captain was speaking repeatedly put his hand to/ his throat and rub it upon his bosom, which he aftorwards told me was to keep down his heart wiiich was rising into his throat and choaking him. He soon after went on shore with his dontly much discomposed. men. evi- ^-•1 On the morning of the 22d the natives came to us as usual with salmon, and remained on board, when about noon Maquina came along side with a considerable number of his chiefi^ and men in their canoes, who, after going through the customary examination were admitted into the ship. He had a whistle in his hand, and over his face a very ug- ly mask of wood representing the head of some wild beast, appeared to be remarkably good hu- moured and gay, and whilst his people sung and capered about the deck, entertaining us with a va- riety of antic tricks and gestures, he blew his whistle to a kind of tune which seemed to regulate their motions. As Capt. Salter was walking on the quarter deck amusing himself with their danc- ing, the king came up to him and enquired when he intended to go to sea? — he answered, to-mor- ' row. — Maquina then said, 'you love i^almon — much in Friendly Cove, why not go then and catch some?' — The Captain thought that it would be very desirable to have a good supply of these I r I 26 jewitt's narrative. :» ■ i > fish for the voyage, and on consultmg with Mr Delouisa it was agreed to send part of the crew on shore aftqr dinner with the seine in order to j)ro('ure a quantity — Maquina and liis chiefs staid and dined on board, and after (Hnner the chief male went off with nine men in tiie jolly boat and yawl to fish at Friendly Cove, having set the steward on shore at cmr watering place to wash the captain's clothes. rSliortly after the departure of the boats I went dowrTTo my vice-bench in the steerage, where I was employed in cleaning musk- ets. I had not been there more than an hour when I heard the men hoisting in the long boat, which, in a few minutes after, was succeeded by a great bustle and confusion on deck. I immedi- ately ran up the steerage stairs, but scarcely was my head above deck, when I was caught by the hair by one of the savages, and lifted from my feet; fortunately for me, my hair being short, and the ribbon with which it was tied slipping, I fell from his hold into the steerage. As I was falling, he struck at me with an axe, which cut a deep gash in my forehead, and penetrated the skull, but in consequence of his losing his hold, I luckily es- caped the full force of the blow; which, otherwise, would have cleft my head in two. I fell, stunned and senseless upon the floor — how long I continu- ed in this situation I know not, but on recovering my senses the first thing that I did, was to try to get up; but so weak was I, from the loss of blood, that I fainted and fell. I was however soon re- called to my recollection by three loud shouts or yells from the savages, which convinced me that they had got possession of the ship4» It is impos- sible for me to describe my feelings*at this terrific sound.— Some faint idpa mav be foimed of tbpm JEWITT » NARRATIVE. 27 Mr M-ew r to staid jbicf and : the wash irture Li the nusk- hour boat, ■ jd by medl- T was y the n niy an xii by those who have known what it is to half waken from a hideous dreani and still think it real. Nev- er, no, never, shall I lose from my mind, the im- pression of that dreadful moment. I expeeted every instant to share the wretched fate of my un- fortunate companions, and whnn I heard the song of triumph, by which these infernal yells \va|;j;suc-^«.'' ' ceeded, my blood ran cold in my veins .y^5^'in§ at length sufficiently recovered my senses' to look around me after wiping the blood from my eyes, I saA' diat the hatch of the steerage was shut. This was done, as I afterwards discovered, by order of Maquina, who, on seeing the savage strike at me with the axe, told him not to hurt me, for that I was the armourer, and would be useful to them in repairing their arms; while at the same time to prevent any of his men from injuring me, he had • the hatch closed. But to me this circumstance wore a very different appearance, for I thought that these barbarians had only prolonged my life in ordei^to deprive me of it by the most cruel tor- tures JI^I remained in this horrid state of suspense for aVery long time, when at length the hatch was opened, and Maquina, calling me by name, order- ed me to come u}). T groped my way up as well as I was able, being almost blinded with the blood that flowed from my wound, and so weak as with dilliculty to walk. The king, on perceiving my situation, ordered one of his men to bring a pot of water to wash the blood from my face, which having done, I was able to see distinctly with one of my eyes, but the other was so swollen from my wound, that it was closed. But what a terrific spectacle met my eyes; six naked savages, stand- ing in a circle around me, covered with the blood of my murdered comrades, with dieir daggers up- 28 jewitt's narrative. I I lifted in their hands, prepared to strike. I now thought my last moment had come, and recom- menrled my soul to my Maker. — The king, who, as I have air ady observed, knew enough of Eng- lish to make himself understood, entered the cir- cle, and placing himself before me, addressed me nearly in the following words — "John — I speak -—you no say no — You say no — daggers come!" lie then asked me if I would be his slave during my life — If I would fight for him in his battles — If I would repair his muskets and make dagge-s and kiiives for him — with several other questions, to all of which I was careful to ans.wer, yes. He then told me that he would spare my life, and or- dered me to kiss his hnnds and|feet to show my submission to him, which I dmTJ-In the mean time his people were very clamorous; to have me put to death, so that there should be lione of us left to tell our story to our countrymen and prevent them from coming to trade with them; but the king, in the most determined manner opposed their wishes, and to his favour am I wholly indebted for my be- ing yet among the living. As I was busy at work at the time of the attack, I was without my coat, and what with the coldness of the weather, my feebleness from loss of blood, the pain of my wound and the extreme a2:itation and terror that I still felt, I shook like a leaf, which the king ob- serving, went into the cabin and bringing up a great coat that belonged to the captain, threw it over my shoulders, telling me to drink some rum from a bottle which he handed me at the same time, giving me to understand that it would be good for me and keep me from trembling as I did. I took a drauglit of it, aft/^r which, taking me by the hand, he led me to the quarter deck, where 'S^'i^ JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. 29 I" in tlio most liorri.l siiJit prcsonted itself that ever my r>\es \\itn(\Nse(i — ilvi bonds of our unfortunate Cap- lain and liis crow, to the nunijjor of twenty-five, wrvv all arrnnued in a hue, and Matjuina ordering oiio of his peoj)h3 to hrinj: a head, asked me wliosc ii was: I answered, ilie Captain's; in like manner t!i(' others were showed me, and I told him thj iM'imes, excepting a few that were so horribly m; ylod that I \A'as not abb? to reco2;nize them. II now disoovered that all our unfortunate crow l\|d b; Ml massacred, ami learned that after sjetting pos- session of the ship, the savages had broke open t!io [\Y\n clu^st and magazine, and supplying them- ?' Ivos with ammunition and arms, sent a party on s'lore to attack our men who bad sfone thither to fisb, and being joined by numbers from the village, v.ilbout difhculty overpowered and murdered them, and cutting off their heads, brought them or. ])oar(l, after throwing their bodies into the sea. On looking upon the deck, I saw it entirely cov- ered with the blood of my poor comrades, whose throats had been cut with their own jack-knives, the savages having seized the opportunity while th(\v were busy in hoisting in the boat to grapple vviii) them and overpower tiiem by their nu!nbers; in tlie scuffle the captain was thrown overboard r\u(\ despatched by tho3^ in the canoes, who imme- diately cut off his heaTnj What I felt on this occa- sion, may be more rtadily conceived than ex- pres^d. fiftc r I bad answered his questions, Maquina took my silk handkerchief from my neck and bound it around my hearl, ])lacing over the wound a leaf of tobacco, of which we had a quantity on board. This was done at mv desire, as I had often found 3* mfsmm ^ ■% SO jewitt's narrative. i from personal experience the benefit of this appli- cation to cuts. Maquina then ordered me to get the ship under weigli for Friendly Cove. Tliis I did by cutting; the cables and sending some of the natives aloft to loose the sails, v/hich they performed in a very bungling manner. l]ut tliey succeeded so far in loosing the jib and topsails, that, with the advan- tage of a fair wind, I succeeded in getting the ship into the Cove, where, by order of the King, I ran her ashore on a sandy beach, at 8 o'clock at niglif. We were received by the inhabitants of the vil- lage, men, women, and children, with loud shouts of jvn", and a most horri!)le drumming with sticks upon the roofs and sides of llieir houses, in which they had also stuck a great number of lighted pine ^* torciies, to welcome their king's return and con-f; gratuiate hnn on the success ot his enterprize. ' s Maquina then took me on shore to his iiouse, * which was very large and filled with people — where I was received with much kindness bv the women, particularly those belonging to the king, wdio had uq less than nine wives, all of whom came around me expressing much sympathy for my misfortune, gently stroking and patting my head in an encouraging and soothing manner, with words expressive of condolence. How sweet is compas- sion even from savages? — Those who have been in a similar situation, can alone truly appreciate its value. In the mean time, all the w^arrlors of the tribe, to the number of five hundred, had assembled at the king's house to rejoice for their success. They exulted greatly in having taken our ship, and each one boasted of his own particular exploits JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 31 1 appli- I under cultiiij; aloft to a veiy 3 far iu advun- lie ship 5, I I an t nidit. the vii- l shouts I sticks 1 which ed pine ' fid con- 1 ze . I iiouse, ' jople — hv the le kins;, whom for my head in words ompas- ^e been :;iate its e tribe, bled at luccess. ir ship, exploits m in killing our men, but they were in geneial much dissatisfied with my having been suffered to live, and were very urgent with Maquina to deliver me to them to be put to death, which he obstinately re- fused to do, telling them that he had promised me my life niid would not break his word; and that besides, I knew how- to repair and to make ai'ms, and should be of great use to them. The king dien seated me by him and ordered his women to bring him something to eat, when thoy set before him some dried clams and train oil, of which he ate very heartily., and encouraged Hie to follow^ his example, telling me to eat much and take a great deal of oil which would make me strong; and fut; notwithstanding his praise of this new kind of food, I felt no disposition to indulge in it, both die smell and taste being loathsome to me; and had it been otherwise, such was the pain I endiu'cd. the agitation of my mind, and the gloominess of my reflections, that I should have felt very litde inclination for eating. Not satisfied with his first refusal to deliver me up to them, the people again became clamorous that Maquina should consent to my being killed, saying that not one of us ought to be left alive to give information to others of our countrymen and prevent them from coming to trade or induce them to revenge the de- struction of our ship, and they at length liecame so boisterous that he caught up a large club in a pas- sion and drove them all out of the house. During this scene a son of the king, of about elev'en years old, attracted no doubt by the singularity of my ap- pearance came up to me: I caressed him; he re- turned my attentions with much apparent pleasure, and considering this as a fortunate opportunity to g-iin the good will of the father, I look the child «» 52 jewitt's narrative. ': on my knee, and cutting the metal buttons from ofl' the coat I had on, I tied them around his neck. At tliis he was highly delighted, and became so much attached to me that he would not quit me. The king a])pc'are(l much pleased with my at- tention to his son, and telling me that it was tune to go to sleep, directed me to lie with his son next to him, as he was afraid lest some of his people would come while he was asleep and kill me with their daggers. I Iny down as he ordered me, but neither the state of my mind nor the pain I felt would allow me ' ) sleep. About midnight I was greatly alarmed by the approach of one of the na- tives, who came to give information to the king that there was one of the white men alive, who had knocked him down as he went on board the ship at night. This Maquina communicated to me, giving me to understand that as soon as the sun rose he should kill him. I endeavoured to per- suade him to spare his life, but he bade me be silent and go to sleep. I said nothing more but lay revolving in my mind what method I could de- vise to save the life of this man. What a con- solation thought I, what a happiness would it prove to me in my foilorn state among these heathen, to have a Christian and one of my own conn trymcn for a cojupanion, and how erreatly would it alleviate and li!j;hten the burden of my slavery. As I was thinking of some plan for his preserva- tion, it all at once came into my mind that this man was probably die sail-maker of the ship, named Thompson, as I had not seen liis head among those on deck, and knew that he was below at w^ork upon the sails not long before the attack The more I thought of it the more probable it ap- peared to me, and as Thompson wOfS a man nearly M 4 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 33 with ■ (brty years of age, and had an old look, I conceiv- ed it would be easy to make him ])ass for my fath- er, and by this means prevail on Maquina to spare his life. Towards morning 1 fell into a doze, but was awakened with die first beams of the sun by tlie king, who told me that he was- going to kill the man who was on board the ship, and ordered me to accompany him. I rose and followed him, leading with me the young prince his son. On coming to the beach I found all the men of - ilie tribe assembled. The king addressed them, saying that one of the white men had been found alive on board the ship, and requested their opin- ion as to saving his life or putting him to death. They were unanimously for the first: This de- termination he made known to me. Having ar- ran2;ed my plan, I asked him, pointing to the boy whom I still held by the hand, if he loved his son, he answered that he did; I then asked the child if lie loved his father, and on replying in the afi^rma- tive, I saidjind^-'-'- 1 also love mine." I then threw myself on my knees at Maquina's feet, and implor- ' ed him with tears in my eyes to spare my father's life, if the man on board should prove to be him, telling him that if he killed my father it was my wish that he should kill me too, and that if he did not I would kill myself, — and that he would thus lose my services; whereas, by sparing my father's lif[3 he would preserve mine, which would be of Igreat advantac;e to him by my repairing and mak- |ing arms for him. Maquina appeared moved by ^niy entreaties and promised not to put the man to ||rirath if he should be my fatlier. He then cx- iplained to his people what I had said, and oidered Jnie to go on board and tell the man to come on jhore. To my unspeakable joy on going into the 'S , i if 34 jewitt's narrative. hold, I found that my conjecture was true, Thomp- son was there/ (e had escaped without any injury, excepting a shght wound in the nose, giv^en him by one of the savages with a knife as he attempted to come on deck, during the scuffle. Finding the savages in possession of the ship, as he afterwards informed me, he secreted himself in the hold, hop- ing for some chance to make his escape — but that the Indian who came on board in the night ap- proaching the place where he was, he supposed himself discovered, and being determined to sell his life as dearly as possible, as soon as he came within his reach, he knocked him down, but the Indian immediately springing up, ran off at full speed. — I informed him in a few words that all our men had been killed; that the king had preserv- ed my life, and had consented to spare his on the supposition that he was my father, an opinion which he must be careful not to undeceive them in, as it was his only safety. After giving him his cue, I went on shore with him and presented him to Maquina, who immediately knew him to be the sail-maker and was much pleased, observing that he could make sails for his canoe. — He then took us to his house and ordered something for us to eat. On the 24th and 25th the natives w^ere busily employed in taking the cargo out of the ship, strip- ping her of her sails and rigging, cutting away the spars and masts, and in short rendering her as complete a wreck as possible, the muskets, am- munition, cloth and all the principal articles taken from her, being deposited in the king's house. While they were thus occupied, each one tak- ing what he liked, my companion and myself being obliged to aid them, I thought it best to secure the accounts and papers of the ship, in hopes that JEWITT's NAIlitATIVE. 35 Tliomp- Y injury, n him by iiptcd to ding the terwards :)ld, hop- -but that night ap- supposcd d to sell he came , but the ff at full 5 that all [ preserv- lis on the opinion them in, him his nted him to be the ig that he took us IS to eat. re busily lip, strip- away the her as <:ets, am- ies taken ouse. one tak- elf being o secure opes that jn some future day I nilglit have it in my power to restore them to ilie owners. U'ith this view I took possession of the Ca])tain's writing desk which ('oniiuned the most of them, together with some paper and im])1ements for writing. I had also the good fortune to find a blank account hook, in which 1 resolved, should it be permitted me to write an account of our capture and the most re- markable occurrences that i should meet with dur- ing my stay among these people, fondly indulging the hope that it would not be long before some vessel would arrive to release us. I likewise found in the cabin, a small volume of sermons, a bible, and a common prayer book of the Church of England, which furnislied me and my comrade great consolation in the midst of our mournful servitude, and enabled me, under the favor of divine providence, to support, v.ith firmness, the miseries of a life which I might otherwise have found bcjyond my strength to endure. As these people set no value u})on things of this kind, I found no dilFicully in appropriating them to myself, by ])utting them in m.y chest, which though it had been broken open and rifled by the savages, as I still had the key, I without much difliculty secur- ed. In this I also put some small tools belonging to the ship, with several other articles, particularly a journal kept by the second mate, Mr. Ingraham, and a collection of drawings and views of places taken by him, which I had the good fortune to |)reserve, and on my arrival at Boston, I gave them ^|o a connection of his, the honorable Judge Dawes, Avho sent them to his family in New- York. g On the 26th, two ships were seen standing in ^r Friendly Cove. At their first appearance the Inhabitants were thrown into great confiision, bi^t 36 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 11^ •I \ :i i If 1- » soon collecting a number of muskets and blunder- busses, ran to the shore, from whence they kept up so brisk a fire at them, that tliey were evidently afraid to approach nearer, and after firing a few rounds of grape shot which did no harm to any one, they wore ship and stood out to sea. These ships, as I afterwards learned, were the Mary and Juno of Boston. They were scarcely out of sight when Maquina expressed much regret that he had permitted his people to fire at them, being apprehensive that they would give information to others in what manner they had been received, and prevent them from coming to trade with him. A few days after hearing of the capture of the ship, there ajrived at Nootka a great number of canoes filled with savages from no less than twenty tribes to the North and South. Among those from the North were the Ai-tiz-zarts, Schoo-mad- i(s, Neu-wit-ties, Savin-nars, Ah-owz-arts, Mo- watch-its, Suth-setts, Neu-chad-lits, Mich-la-its and Cay-u-quets ; the most of whom w^ere consid- ered as tributary to Nootka. From the South, jewitt's narrative. 37 under- y kept idently ^ g a few to any These lary and Maquina tted his ve that n what nt them e of the nber of 1 twenty ig those oo-mad- ts, Mo- ch-la-its consid- South, ■I the Aytch-arts and Esquiates also tributary, with the Kla-oo-quates, and the Wickanninish, a largo and powerful tribe about two hundred miles dis- tant. These last were better clad than most of the others, and their canoes wrought with much greater skill; they are furnished with sails as well as paddles, and with the advantage of a fair breeze, are usually but twenty-four hours on their passage. Maquina, who was very proud of his new ac- quisition, was desirous of welcoming these visitors in the European manner. iHe accordingly order- ed his men, as the canoes "approached, to assem- ble on the beach with loaded muskets and blunder- busses, placing Thompson at the cannon which had been brought from the ship and laid upon two long sticks of timber in front of the villagey then taking a speaking trumpet in his hand he ascended with me the roof of his house, and began drum- ming or beating upon the boards with a stick most violently. Nothing could be more ludi- crous than the appearance of this motley group of savages collected on the shore, dressed as they were, with their ill-gotten finery, in the most fan- tastic manner, some in women's smocks, taken from our cargo, others in Kotsacksy (or cloaks) of blue, red or yellow broadcloth, with stockings drawn over their heads, and their necks hung round with numbers of powder-horns, shot-bags, and car- touch-boxes, some of them having no less than ten muskets a piece on their shoulders, and five or six daggers in their girdles. Diverting indeed was it to see them all squatted upon the beach, holding their muskets perpendicularly, with the butt pres- sed upon the sand instead of against their should- ers, and in this position, awaited the order to fire. Maquina, at last, called to them with his trumpet 38 JEWITT 8 NARRATIVE. to fire, which they did in the most awkward and timid manner, with their muskets hard pressed upon the ground as above mentioned. At the same moment the cannon was fired by Thomp- son, immediately on which they threw themselves back and began to roll and tumble over the sand as if they had been shot, when suddenly springing U]) they began a song of triumph and running back- ward and forward upon the shore, \vith the wild- est gesticulations, boasted of their exploits and ex- nibiied as trophies what they had taken from us.l Notwithstanding the unpleasantness of my situation, and the feelings that this display of our spoils ex- cited, I could not avoid laughing at the strange Mppearance of these savages, their awkward move- ments, and the singular contrast of tlieir dress and arms. Whtn the ceremony was concluded, Maquina in- vited the strangers to a feast at his house, consist- ing of whwle blubber, smoked herring spawn, and dried fish and train oil, of which they eat most plentifully. The feast being over, the trays out of which they eat, and other things were immedi- ately removed to make room for the dance which was to close the entertainment. This was per- formed by Maquina's son, the young prince Sat- sat-sok'sis, whom 1 have already spoken of, in the following manner — Three of the principal chiefs, drest in their otter-skin mantles, which they wore only on e>3:?faordinary occasions and at festivals, having their heads covered over with white down and their faces highly painted, came forward into the middle of the room, each furnished with a bag filled with the white down, which they scattered around in such a manner as to represent a fall of •now. These were followed by tlie young prince^ 4 jewitt's narrative. J and essed Lt the lomp- sclves sand inging back- wild- id ex- m us.l lation, lis ex- trangi move- ss and ina in- onsist- n, and most ys out imedi- which 3 per- e Sat- in the chiefs, r wore tivals, down d into a bag ittered fall of >rince. It, ,>■<» i* who wtis dressed in a long piece of yellow clotl', wrapped loosely around him, and decorated with small bells, uitli a cap on his head, to whicL' was fastened a curious mask in imitation of a wolf's head, while the rear was brought up by the king himself in his robe of sea-otter skin, with a small whistle in his mouth and a rattle in his hand, with which he kept time to a sort of tune on his whis- tle. After passing very rapidly in this order ai'ound the house, each of them seated himself, except the prince, who immediately began his dance, which principally consisted in springing up into the air in a squat posture, and constantly turn- ing around on his heels with great swiftness in a very narrow circle. This dance with a few inter vals of rest, was continued for about two hours, duping which the chiefs kept up a constant drum- ming with sticks of about a foot in length on a long hollow plank, which was, though a very noisy, a most doleful kind of music. This th^y accom- panied with songs, the king himself acting as chor- ister, while the women applauded each feat of activity in the dancer by repeating the words, Wo^ cash! Wocash Tyee ! ]thai is good! very good prince. As soon as the dance was fiitished Maquina began to give presents to the strangers in the name of his son Sat-sat-sok-sis. These were pieces of European cloth generally of a fathom in length, muskets, powder, shot, &c. Whenever he gave them any thing, they had a peculiar manner of snatching it from him with a very stern and surly look, repeating each time the words, ^Vocash Tyee. This I understood to be their custom, and was considered as a compliment which if omitted wc^^ld be supposed as a mark of disregard for the present. On this occasion Maquina gave away no less than S^ y^ at> n , m I ' l^U^M^. 40 jewitt's narrative. one hundred muskets, the same number of looking glasses, four hundred yards of cloth, and twenty casks of powder, besides other things. I After receiving these presents, the strangers retired on board their canoes, for so numerous were they that Maquina would not suffer any but the chiefs to sleep in the houses; and in order to prevent the property from being pillaged by them, he ordered Thompson and myself to keep guard, during the night, armed with cutlasses and pistols. In this manner tribes of savages from various pai'ts of the coast, continued coming for several days, bringing with them, blubber, oil, herring spawn, dried fish and clams, for which they re- ceived in return, presents of cloth, &c. after which they in general immediately returned home. I observed that very few, if any of tham, except the chiefs, had arms, which I afterwards learned is the custom with these people whenever they come upon a friendly visit or to trade, in order to show, on their approach, that their intentions are pacific. j Early on the morning of the 18th the ship was discovered to be on fire. This was owing to one of the savages having gone on board with a fire brand at night for the purpose of plunder, some sparks from which fell into the hold, and com- municating with some combustibles soon enveloped the whole in flames. The natives regretted the loss of the ship the more as a great part of her cargo still remained on board. To my compan- ion and myself it was a most melancholy sight, for with her disappeared from our eyes every trace of a civilized country; but the disappointment we ex- perienced was still more severely felt, for we had calculated on having the provision to ourselves, which would have furnished us with a stock for ','i jewitt's narrative. 41 I ^•3 1^. years, as whatever is cured with salt, together with most of our other articles of food, are never eaten by these people. I had luckily saved all my tools excepting the anvil, and the bellows which was attached to the forge, and from their weight had not been brought on shore. We had also the good fortune in looking over what had been taken from the ship to discover a box of chocolate and a case of port wine, which as the Indians were not fond of it proved a great comfort to us for some time, and from one of the natives I obtained a nautical almanack, which had belonged to the Captain, and which was of great use to me in determining the time. About two days after, on examining their booty, the savages found a tierce of rum with which they were highly delighted, as they have become very fond of spirituous liquors since their intercourse with the whites. — This was towards evening, and Maquina having assembled all the men at his house, gave a feast, at which they drank so freely of the rum, that in a short time, they became so extreme- ly wild and frantic that Thompson and myself, apprehensive for our safety, thought it prudent to retire privately into the woods, where we contin- ued till past midnight. On our return we found the women gone, who are always very temperate, drinking nothing but water, having quitted the house and gone to the other huts to sleep, so terrified were they at the conduct of the men, who all lay stretched out on the floor in a state of complete intoxication. How easy in this situation would it have been for us to have dispatched or made our- selves masters of our enemies, had there been any ship near to which we could have escaped, but as wfi were situated, the attempt would have been 4* \ 42 jewitt's narrative. I madness. The wish of revenge was however less strongly impressed on my mind, than what appeared to be so evident an interposition of di- vine Providence in our favour. How little can man penetrate its designs, and how frequently is that intended as a blessing which he views as a curse. The burning of our ship which we had lamented so much, as depriving us of so many comforts, now appeared to us in a very different light, for had the savages got possession of the rum of which there were nearly twenty puncheons on board, we must inevitably have fallen a sacri- fice to their fury in some of their moments of in- toxication. This cask fortunately and a case of gin was all the spirits they obtained from the shi ■ ., To prevent the recurrence of similar danger ,; , amined the cask, and finding still a considerable quantity remaining, I bored c small hale in the bottom with a gimblet, which before morning to my great joy completely emptied it. By this time the wound in my head began to be much better, so that I could enjoy some sleep, which I had been almost deprived of by the pain, and though I was still feeble from the loss of blood and my sufferings, I found myself sufficiently well to go to work at my trade, in making for the king and his wives bracelets and other small ornaments of copper or steel, and in repairing the arms, making use of a large square stone for the anvil, and heat- ing my metal in a common wood fire. This was very gratifying to Maquina and his women particu- larly, and secured me their good will. In the mean time great numbers from the other tribes kept continually docking to Nootka, bringing with them in exchange for the ship's plunder such quantities of provision, that notwithstanding the jewitt's narrative. 43 was little success that Maquina met with in whaling this season, and their gluttonous waste, always eat- ing to excess when they have it, regardless of the morrow, seldom did the natives experience any want of food during the summer. As to my- self and companion we fared as they did, never wanting for such provision as they had, though we were obliged to eat it cooked in their manner and with train oil as a sauce, a circumstance not a little unpleasant, both from their uncleanly mode of cooking, and many of the articles of their food which to an European are very disgusting, but, as the saying is, hunger will break through stone walls, and we found at times in the blubber of sea animals and the flesh of the dog fish, loathsome as it in general was, a very acceptable repast. But much oftener would poor Thompson, who was no favorite with them, have suffered from hunger had it not been for my furnishing him with provision — This I was enabled to do from my work, Maquina allowing me the privilege, when not employed for him, to work for myself in making bracelets and other orna- ments of copper, fish-hooks, daggers, &c. either to sell to the tribes who visited us, or for our own chiefs, who on these occasions, besides supplying me with as much as I wished to eat, and a suffi- ciency for Thompson, almost always made me a present of an European garment taken from the ship or some fathoms of cloth, which were made up by my comrade, and enabled us to go com- fortably clad for some time, or small bundles of penknives, razors, scissors, &c. for one of which we could almost always procure from the natives two or three fresh salmon, cod, or halibut; or dried fish, clams and herring spawn from the stran- ger tribes; and had we only been permitted to 44 jewitt's narrative. cook them after our own way, as we had pots, and other utensils belonging to the ship, we should not have had much cause of complaint in this res- Ipect ; but so tenacious are these people of their customs, particularly in the article of food and cooking, that the king always obliged me to give whatever provisions I bought to the women to cook — and one day finding Thompson and myself on the shore employed in boiling down sea-water into salt, on being told what it was, he was very much displeased, and taking the little we had pro- cured, threw it into the sea. In one instance alone, as a particular favor, he allowed me to boil some sa' "iOn in my own way, when I invited him and his qi. to eat with me; they tasted it, but did not like u, and made their meal of some of it that I had cooked in their country fashion. In May, the weather became uncommonly mild and pleasant, and so forward was vegetation that I picked a plenty of strawberries by the mid- dle of the month. Of this fruit there are great quantities on this coast, and I found them a most delicious treat. — My health had now become almost re-established, my wound being so far healed that it gave me no farther trouble. I had never failed to wash it regularly once a day in sea water, and to dress it with a fresh leaf of tobacco, which I obtained from the natives, who had taken it from the ship, but made no use of it. This was all the dressing I gave it, except applying to it two or three times, a little loaf sugar, which Maquina gave me, in order to remove some proud flesh which prevented it from closing. My cure would doubt- less have been much sooner effected had I have been in a civilized country, where I could have had it dressed by a surgeon and properly attended t iM^m" jewitt's narrative. 45 to. But alas! I had no good Samaritan with oil and wine to bind up my wounds, and fortunate might I even esteem myself, that I was permitted to dress it myself, for the utmost that I could expect from the natives was compassion for my misfortune, which I indeed experienced from the women, particularly the queen, or favorite wife of Maquina, the mother of Sat-sat-sox-sis, who used frequently to point to my head and mani- fest much kindness and solicitude for me. I must do Maquina the justice to acknowledge that he al- ways appeared desirous of sparing me any labour which he believed might be hurtful to me, frequently enquiring in an aftectionsite manner, if my head pain- ed me. As for the others, some of the chiefs ex- cepted, they cared little what became of me, and probably would have been gratified with my death. My health being at length re-established and my wound healed, Thompson became very importu- nate for me to begin my journal, and as I had no ink, proposed to cut his finger to supply me with blood for the purpose whenever I should want it. On the first of June I accordingly commenced a regular diary, but had no occasion to make use of the expedient suggested by my comrade, having found a much better substitute in the expressed juice of a certain plant, which furnished me with a bright green colour, and after making a number of trials I at length succeeded in obtaining a very tole- rable ink, by boiling the juice of the black-berry with a mixture of finely powdered charcoal and filtering it through a cloth. This I afterwards pre- served in bottles and found it answer very well, so true is it that " necessity is the mother of in- vention.** As for quills I found no difliculty in procuring them, whenever I wanted, from the y 46 jewitt's narrative. / crows and ravens with which the beach was almost always covered, attracted by the offal of whales, seals, &c. and which were so tame that I could easily kill them with stones, while a large clam shell furnished me with an ink stand. The extreme solicitude of Thompson that I should begin my journal, might be considered as singular in a man, who neither knew how to write or read, a circumstance by the way, very uncom- mon in an American, were we less acquainted with the force of habit, he having been for many years at sea, and accustomed to consider the keeping of / a journal as a thing indispensable. This man was born in Philar -is * JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 47 his breast bared and calling on him to fire. I in- stantly stepped up to Maquina, who was foaming with rage, and addressing him in soothing words, begged him for my sake not to kill my father, and at length succeeded in taking the musket from him and persuading him to sit down. On enquiring into the cause of his anger, I learned that while Thompson was lighting the lamps in the king's room, Maquina having substituted our's for their pine torches, some of the boys began to teaze him, running around him and pulling him by the trow- sers, among the most forward of whom was the young prince. This caused Thompson to spill the oil, which threw him into such a passion, that without caring what he did 5 he struck the prince so violent a blow in his face with his fist as to knock him down. The sensation excited among the savages by an act, which was considered as the highest indignity, and a profanation of the sa-^ cred person of majesty may be easily conceived^ The king was immediately acquainted with it, who, on coming in and seeing his son's face covered with blood, seized a musket and began to load it, determined to take instant revenge on the auda- cious offender; and had I arrived a few minutes later than I did, my companion would certainly have paid with his hfe for his rash and violent con- duct. I found the utmost difficulty in pacifying Maquina, who for a long time after could not for- give Thompson, but would repeatedly say, " Jolm, you die — Thompson kill." — But to appease die king was not all that was necessary. In conse- quence of the insult offered to their prince, the whole tribe held a council, in which it was unani- mously resolved that Thompson should be put to j__.u -•_ .u. j^^g^ cruel manner. I however inter- f ... K'J i. ^A. *j»^-. -•*-w . f" {■iA Ct I \ I ■ (L Vv<^Vv f- f V /C£« fp x:.XtC*. \ ->C3 .k-t^ i ^t^Vj^ J. ( It-o^ U I- J^'-^'tc. « *. -» -fc-*^/ . Jy i,-P spot. This custom appeared very singu- lar to my companion and myself, and it was a most awkward thing for us at first, to have to lug home with us, in ojr hands or arms, the blubber or fish that we received at these times; but we soon be- came reconciled to it, and were very glad of an opportunity to do it. • In point of personal appearance the people of Nootka are among the best looking of any of the tribes that I have seen. The men are in general from about five feet six to five feet eight inches in height; remarkably straight, of a good form, ro- bust, and strong, with their limbs in general well 'i 71 ^^* 1' jewitt's narrative. 61 on who 36 busi- Uer the e seats, !s as re- t or the 5xt him, r quali- le fami- 'nt any ited to gener- Iculate :)fusion t luxu- n they ray he of his bo eat >ng to stock, tribut- singu- most home r fish 1 be- 3f an [eof r the neral ches , ro- weli turned and proportioned excepting the legs and feet, which are clumsy and ill formed, owing no doubt to their practice of sitting on them, though I have seen instances in which they were very well sha- ped; this defect is more particularly apparent in the women, who are for the most part of the time within doors, and constantly sitting while employ- ed in their cooking and other occupations. The only instance of deformity that I saw among them was a man of dwarfish stature ; he was thirty years old and but three feet three inches high; he had however no otlier defect than this diminutive size, being well made, and as strong and able to bear fatigue as what they were in general. Their com- plexion, when freed from the paint and oil with which their skins are generally covered, is a brown, somewhat inclining to a copper cast. The shape of the face is oval; the features are tolerably regu- lar, the lips being thin and the teeth very white and even: their eyes are black but rather small, and the nose pretty well formed, being neither flat nor very prominent: their hair is black, long and coarse, but they have no beard, completely extir- pating it, as well as the hair from their bodies, Maquina being the only exception, who suffered his beard to grow on his upper hp, in the manner of mustachios, which was considered as a mark of dignity. As to the women they are much whiter, many of them not being darker than those in some of the Southern parts of Europe. They are in general very well looking and some quite handsome. Maquina's favorite wife in particular, who was a Wickinninish princess, would be considered as a beautiful woman in any country. She was uncommonly well form- ed, tall, and of a majestic appearance; her 62 jewitt's narrative. 'e> skin remai'kably fair for one of these peojjle, with considerable colour, her features handsome and her eyes black, soft, and languishing; her hair was very long, thick, and black, as is that of the females in general, which is much softer than tlmt of the men; in this they take nuuli ])ride, frequent- ly oiling and plaiting' it carefully into two broad plaits, tying the ends with a strip of the cloth of the country and letting it hang down before on each side of the face. The women keep their garments much neater and cleaner than the men, and are extremely mod- est in their deportment and dress; their mantle or Katsack, which is longer than that of the men, reaching quite to their feet, and completely envel- oping them, being tied close under the chin, and bound with a girdle of the same cloth or of sea otter skin around their waists; it has also loose sleeves which reach to the elbows. Though fond of ornamenting their persons they are by no means so partial to paint as the men, merely colouring their eye-brows black and drawing a bright red stripe from each corner of the mouth towards the ear. Their ornaments consist chiefly of ear-rings, necklaces, bracelets, :^'ngs for the fingers and an- kles, and small nose jewels, (the latter are however wholly confined to the wives of the king or chiefs) these are principally made out of copper or brass, highly polished and of various forms and sizes ; the nose jewel is usually a small white shell or bead suspended to a thread. The wives of the com- mon people frequently wear for bracelets and an- kle rings, strips of the country cloth or skin of the Metamelth painted in figures, and those of the king or principal chiefs bracelets and neck- laces, consisting of a number of strings of Ife-wawy 1 ''% m jewitt's narrative. 63 an article much prized by them, and which makes a very handsome appearance. This Ife-waw^ as they term it, is a kind of shell of a dazzling white- ness, and as smooih as ivory, it is of a cylindrical form, in a slight degree curved, about the size of a goose quill, hollow, three inches in length and gradually tapering to a point, which is broken off by the natives as it is taken from the water; this they afterwards string upon threads of bark, and sell it by the fathom; it forms a kind of circulating medium among these nations, five fathoms being considered as the price of a slave their most valuable species of property. It is principally obtained from the Aitizzarts, a people living about thirty or forty miles to the Northward, who collect it from the reefs and sunken rocks with which their coast abounds, though it is also brought in considerable quantity from die South. Their mode of taking it has been thus described to me. To one end of a pole is fiistened a piece of plank in which a considerable number of pine pegs are inserted, made sharp at the ends; above the plank in order to sink it, a stone or some weight is tied, and the other end of the pole suspended to a long rope; this is let down perpendicularly by the Ife-icato fishers in those places where that substance is found, which are usually from fifty to sixty fathoms deep; on finding the bottom they raise the pole up a few feet and let it fall, this they repeat a number of times as if sounding, when they draw it up and take off the Ife-icaio which is found adhering to the points. This method of procuring it is very laborious and fatiguing, especially as they seldom take more than two or three of these shells at ti lime, and frequently none. Though the women, as I have said, make but 64 jewitt's narrative. 1 little use of paint, the very reverse is the case with the men. In decorating their heads and faces they place their principal pride, and none of our most fashionable beaus, when preparing for a grand ball can be more particular: For I have known Maquina after having been employed for more than an, hour in painting his face, rub the whole off and recommence the operation anew when it did not entirely please him. The manner in which they paint themselves frequently varies, according to the occasion, but it oftener is the mere dictate of whim. — The most usual method is to paint the eye-brows black, in form of a half moon, and the face red in small squares, with the arms and legs and part of the body red ; sometimes one half of the face is painted red in squares, and the other black; at others, dotted with red spots, or red and black in- stead of squares, with a variety of other devices, such as pamting one half of the face and body red, and the other black. But a method of painting which they sometimes employed, and which they were much more particular in, was by laying on the face a quantity of bear's grease of about one eighth of an inch thick; this they raised up into ridges re- sembling a small bead in joiner's work, with a stick prepared for the purpose, and then painted them red, which gave the face a very singular appear- ance. On extraordinary occasions, the king and principal chiefs used to strew over their faces, af- ter painting, a fine black shining powder, procured from some mineral, as Maquina told me it was got from the rocks. This they call pelpelth, and value it highly, as, in their opinion, it serves to set off their looks to great advantage, glittering, especially in the sun, like silver. — This article is Drought them in bags by the MiochemasSy a very jewitt's narrative. 65 savage nation who live a long way to the North, fioin whom they likewise receive a superior kind ol" red paint, a species of very fine and rich ochre, which they hold in much estimation. Notwithstanding this custom of painting them- selves, they make it an invariable practice, both in sunimer and winter, to bathe once a day, and some- times oftener; but as the paint is put on with oil, it is not much discomposed ther(3by, and whenever they wish to wash it off, they repair to some piece of fresh water and scour themselves with sand or rushes. In dressing their heads on occasion of a festi- val or visit, they are full as particular, and almost* as long, as in painting. The hair, after being well oiled, is carefully gathered upon the top of the head and secured by a piece of pine or spruce bough with the green leaves upon it. After hav- ing it properly fixed in this manner, the king and principal chiefs used to strew all over it the white down obtained from a species of large brown eagle, which abounds on this coast, which they are very particular in arranging so as not to have a single feather out of place, occasionally wetting the hair to make it adhere. This, together with the bough, which is sometimes of considerable size, and stuck over with feathers by means of turpentine, gives them a very singular and grotesque appearance, which they, however, think very becoming, and the first thing they do on learning the arrival of strangers is to go and decorate themselves in this manner. The men also wear bracelets of painted leather or copper, and large ear-rings of the latter — but the ornament on which they appear to set the most value, is the nose-jewel, if such an appellation may 6* 66 jewitt's narrative. be given to the wooden stick, which some of thorn employ for this purpose. The king and chiefs, however, wear them of a difFcrent form, being either small pieces of polished copper or brass, of which I made many for them, in the shape of hearts and diamonds, or a twisted conical shell about iiiilf an inch in length of a blueish colour and very bright, which is brought from llie South. These are sus- pended by a small wire or string to the hole, in the gristle of the n.^se, which is formed in infancy, by boring it with a pin, the hole being afterwards enlarged by the repeated insertion of woodcTi pegs of an increased size, until it becomes about the di- ameter of a pipe stem, though some have them of a size nearly sufficient to admit the little finger. — The common class who cannot readily procure the more expensive jewels that I have mentioned, substitute for them, usually, a smooth round stick, some of which ju-e of an almost incredible length, for I have seen them projecting not less dian eight or nine inches beyond the face on each side; this ^ is made fast or secured in its place by litde wedg- es on each side of it. These sprit-sail-yard fel- lows, as my mess-mate used to call them, when rigged out in this manner made quite a strange show, and it was his delight whenever he saw one of them coming towards us with an air of conse- quence proportioned to the length of his stick, to put up his hand suddenly as he was passing him, so as to strike the stick, in order, as he said, to brace him up sharp to the wind; this used to make them very angry, but nothing was more remote from Thompson's ideas than the wish to cultivate their favour. The natives of Nootka appear to have but litde V inolination for the chase, though some of them i ■'W 4EWITT*S NARRATIVE. 67 m were exj)ert marksmen, and used sometimes to shoot ducks and geese, laut the seal and the sea- otter form the principal objects of their hunting, particularly the latter. Of this animal, so much noted for its vahiable skin, the following descrip- tion may not be uninteresting. The sea-otter is nearly five feet in length, exclusive of the tail, which is about twelve inches, and is very thick and broad where it joins the body, but gradually tapers to the end, which is tipped with white. The colour cf the rest is a shining silky black, with the exception of a broad white stripe on the top of the head. Nothing can be more beautiful than one of these animals when seen swimming, especially when on the lookout for any object. At such times it raises its head quite above the surface, and the contrast between the shining black and the white, together with its sharp ears and a long tuft of liair rising from the middle of its forehead, which look like three small horns, render it quite a novel and attractive object. They are in general very tame, and \/ill permit a canoe or boat to approacii very near before they dive. I was told, however, diat they are become much more shy since they have been accustomed to shoot them with muskets, than when they used only arrows. The skin is held in great estimation in China, more especially that of the tail, the fur of which is finer and closer set than that on the body. This is always cut off and sold separately by the natives. The value of a skin is determin- ed by its size, that being considered as a prime skin which will reach, in length, from a man's chin to his feet. The food of the sea-otter is fish, which he is very dexterous in taking, being an excellent swimmer, with feet webbed like those V 68 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. ' . of a goose. — They appear to be wholly confined to the sea-coast, at least to the salt water. They have usually three or four young at a time, but ! know not how often they breed, nor in what places they deposit their young, though I have frequently seen them swimming around the mother when no larger than rats. The flesh is eaten by the na- tives, cooked in their usual mode by boiling, and is far preferable to that of the seal of which they make much account. But if not great hunters there are few people more expert in fishing. Their lines are generally made from the sinew of the whale, and are ex- tremely strong. For the hook, they usually make use of a straight piece of hard wood, in the lower part of which is inserted and well secured, with thread or whale sinew, a bit of bone made very sharp at the point and bearded ; but I used to make for them hooks from iron, which they preferred, not only as being less liable to break, but more certain of securing the fish. Cod, halibut, and other seafish were not only caught by t}^3m with hooks, but even salmon. To take this latte** fish, they practise the following method — One person seats limself in a small canoe, and baiting his hook with a sprat, which they are always careful to pro- cure as fresh as possible, fastens his line to ilte har^dle of the paddle; this, as he plies it in the water, keeps the fish in constant motion, so as to give it the appearance of life, which the salmon seeing, leaps at it and is instantly hooked, and by a sudden and dexterous motion of the paddle, drawn on board. I have known some of the na- tives to take no less than eiglit or ten salmon of a morning in this manner, and have seen fmm twen- ty to thirty canoes at a time in Friendly Cove thus •r 4^V jewitt's narrative. 69 I ri M employed. They are likewise little less skilful in taking the whale. This they kill with a kind of javelin or harpoon, thns constructed and fitted. The barbs are formed of b'>ne which are sharpen- ed on the outer side and hollowed within for the purpose of forming a socket for the staff; these are then secured firmly together with whale sinew, the point being fitted so as to receive a piece of muscle shei! which is ground to a very sharp edge, and secured in its place by means of turpentine. To this head or prong is fastened a strong line of whale sinew about nine feet in length, to the end of which is tied a bark rope from fifty to sixty fathoms long, having from twenty to thirty seal skin floats or buoys, attached to it at certain inter- vals, in order to check the motion of the whale and obstruct his diving. In the socket of the har- poon a staff or pole of about ten feet long, gradu- ally tapering from the middle to each end, is plac- ed: this the harpivOner holds in his hand in order to strike the whale, and immediately detaches it as soon as the fish is struck. The whale is consid- ered as the king's fisb, and no other person, when he is present, is permitted to touch him until the royal harpoon has first drawn his blood, however near he may approach; and it would be consider- ed almost as sacrilege for any of the common peo- ple to strike a whale, before he is killed, particu- larly if any of the chiefs should be present. They also kill the porpoise and sea cow with harpoons, ,but this inferior game is not interdicted the lower class. With regard to the'r canoes, some of the hand- somest to be found on the whole coast are made at Nootka, though very fine ones are brought by tJ)0 Wickanninish nnH \ho Klaiz-znrt-s, who have 1 T mmmmm 1, 70 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. them more highly ornamented. They are of all sizes, from such as are capable of holding only one person to their largest war canoes which will carry forty men, and are extremely light. Of these, tlie largest of any that I ever saw, was one belonging to Maquina, which I measured and found to be forty-two feet six inches in length at the bottom, Q^ttd forty-six feet from stem to stern. These are made of pine hollowed out from a tree with their chisels solely, which are about three inches broad and six in length, and set into a handle of very hard wood. This instrument was formerly made of flint or some hard stone ground down to as sharp an edge as possible, but since they have learned the use of iron, they have almost all of them of that metal. Instead of a mallet for strik- ing this chisel, they make use of a smooth round stone, which they hold in the palm of the hand. With this same awkward instrument they not only excavate their canoes and trays and smooth their plank, but cut down such trees as they want, eith- er for building, fuel, or other purposes, a labour which is mostly done by their slaves. The falling of trees as practised by them is a slow and most tedious process, three of them be- ing generally from two to three days in cutting down a large one, yet so attached were they to their own method, that notwithstanding they saw Thompson frequently with one of our axes, of which there was a number saved, fall a tree in less time than they could have gone round it with their chisels, still they could not be persuaded to make use of them. After hollowing out their canoes, which they do very neatly, they fashion the outside, and slightly burn it for the purpose of removing any splinters =::■% jewitt's narrative. 71 e of all m\y one ill carry ese, the 3longing I to be bottom, lese are th their ;s broad of very f made I to as y have all of >r strik- 1 round 3 hand, ot only h their t, eith- laboiir n is a ?m be- cutting hey to 3y saw PS, of in less 1 their make ley do lightly linters or small points tliat might obstruct its passage through the water, after which they rub it over thoroughly, with rushes or coarse mats, in order to smooth it, which not only renders it almost as smooth as glass, but forms a better security for it from the weather; this operation of burning and rubbing down the bottoms of their canoes is practised as often as they acquire any considerable degree of roughness froin use. Tlie outside, by this means becomes quite black, and to complete their work they paint the inside of a bright red, with ochre or some odier similar substance; the prows and sterns are almost always ornamented with figures of ducks or some other kind of bird, the former being so fashioned as to represent the head and the latter the tail, these are separate pie- ces from the canoe, and are fastened to it with small flexible twigs or bark cord. Some of these canoes, particularly those employed in whaling, which will hold about ten men, are ornamented within about two inches below the gunwale, with two parallel lines on each side of very small white shells runnins; fore and aft, wliich has a very pret- ty effect. Their war canoes have no ornament of this kind but are painted on the outside with fig- ures in white chalk representing eagles, whales, human heads, &c. They are very dexterous in ihe use of their paddles, which are very neatly w^rought, and are five feet long with a short handle and a blade seven inches broad in the middle taper- ing to a sharp point. With these they will make a canoe skim very swiftly on the w^ater with scarce- ly any noise, while they keep time to the stroke of the paddle with tlieir songs. With regard to these they have a number which 72 jewitt's narrative. i they sing on various occasions; as war* whaling, and fishing, at their marriages and feasts, and at pubHc festivals or solemnities. The language of the most of the^e appears to be very different, in many respects, from that used in their common conversation, which leads me to believe either that they have a different mode of expressing them- selves in poetry, or that they borrow their songs from their neighbors, and what the more particular- ly induces me to the latter opinion, is, that when- ever any of the Newchemass, a people from the Northward and who speak a very different lan- guage, arrived, they used to tell me that they ejt- pected a new song, and were almost always suie to have one. Their tunes are generally soft and plaintive, and though not possessing great variety, are not defi- cient in harmony. — Their singing is,generally ac- companied with several rude kinds of instrumental music; among the most prominent of which is a kind of drum. This is nothing more than a long plank hollowed out on the under side and made quite thin, which is beat upon by a stick of about a foot long and renders a sound not unlike beating on the head of an empty cask, but much louder. But the two most favorite instruments are the rat- tle and the pipe or whistle ; these are however on- ly used by the king, the chiefs, or some particular persons; the former is made of dried seal-skin, so as to represent a fish, and is filled with a number of small smooth pebbles, it has a short handle and is painted red. The whistle is made of bone, generally the leg of a deer, it is short but emits a * A specimen of one of thtir war songs will be found at the end of this work. jr.»\ ITT s :,Ai*. iiATi\ i: 73 ivhaling, and at ;uage of 3rent, in common e either ig them- lir songs irticular- at when- 'rom the •ent lan- they ej:- ays sure itive, and not defi- srally ac- trumental hich is a an a long md made : of about :e beating h louder, •e the rat- wever on- particular il-skin, so a number landle and of bone, lut emits a nd at the end vcrv shrill somul. Tii'jy have likewise another kind of music, which they make use of in dancing, in the manner of castanets, this is produced by a nuijil)cr of muscle or cockle shells tied together and shaken to a kind of tune, w hich is accompa- nied with the voice. Their slaves, as I have observed, form their most valuable species of property. — These are of both sexes, being eidier captives taken by them- selves in war, or purchased from the neighboring tribes, and who reside in the same house, forming as it were a part of the family, are usually kindly treated, eat of the same food, and live as well as their masters. They are compelled howevei at times to labour severely, as not only all the murii- al offices are performed by them, such as bringing water, cutUng wood and a variety of others, but they are obliged to make the canoes, to assist in building and repairing the houses, to supply their masters with fish, and to attend them to war and to fight for them. None but the king and chiefs have slaves, the common people being prevented from holding them either from thei" inability to purchase them, or as I am the ra^'ier inclined to tliink from its being considered as the privilege of the former alone to have them, especially as all those made prisoners in war belong either to the king or the chiefs, who have captured them, each one holding such as have been taken by himself or his slaves. There is probably however some lit- tle distinction in favour of the king, who is alw^ays the commander of the expedition, as Maquina had nearly fifty, male and female, in his house, a num- ber constituting about one half of its inhabitants^ comprehending those obtained by war and purchase, whereas none of th« other chiefs had more than I IJJ.W1II' •'mmmnimi0m' I 74 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. twelve. The females are employed principally in manufacturing cloth, in cooking, collecting berries, &c. and with regard to food and living in general have not a much harder lot than their mistresses, the principal difference consisting, in these poor unfortunate creatures being considered as free to any one, their masters prostituting them whenever they think proper for the purpose of gain. In this way many of them are brought on board the ships and offered to the crews, from whence an opinion appears to have been formed by some of our navi- gators, injurious to the chastity of their females, than which nothing can be more generally untrue, as perhaps in no part of the world is that virtue more prized. The houses at Nootka as already stated, are about twenty, without comprising those inhabited by the Klahars, a small tribe that has been con- quered and incorporated into that of Nootka, though they must be considered as in a state of vassalage as they are not permitted to have any chiefs among them, and live by themselves in a cluster of small houses at a little distance from the village. The Nootka tribe which consists of about five hundred warriors, is not only more numerous than almost any of the neighbouring tribes, but far exceeds them in the strength and martial spirit of its people; and in fact there are but few nations within a hundred miles either to the North or South but are considered as tributary to them. In giving some account of the tribes that w^re accustomed to visit Nootka, I shall commence at the Southward with the Kla-iz-zarts, and the Wick- inninish, premising that in point of personal appear- ance there prevails a wonderful diversity between did viu:ious tribes on the coast, with the exception ►ally in erries, general resses, J poor free to enever In this e ships opinion ir navi- 3males, untrue, virtue 3d, are habited n con- rootka, ate of ve any s in a cm the f about nerous 3ut far )irit of nations rth or m. ,t were jnce at Wick- ippear- tvveen jeption jewitt's narrative. 4 \ of the feet and legs, which are badly shaped in al- most all of them from their practice of sittmg on them. The Kla-iz-zarts are a numerous and powerful tribe, living nearly three hundred miles to the South, and are said to consist of more than a thousand warriors. They appear to be more civilized than any of the others, being better and more neatly dressed, more mild and affable in their manners, remarkable for their sprightliness and vivacity, and celebrated for their singing and danc- ing. They exhibit also great marks of , im- provement in whatever is wrought by them; their canoes, though not superior to those of Nootkain point of form and lightness, being more highly or- namented, and their weapons and tools of every kind have a much higher finish and display more skill in the workmanship. Their cast of counte- nance is very different from that of the Nootkians, their faces being very broad, with a less prominent nose and smaller eyes, and the top of the head flattened as if it had been pressed down with a weight. Their complexion is also much fairer, and their stature shorter, though they are well formed and strongly set. They have a custom which appears to be peculiar to them, as I never observed it in any of the other tribes, which is to pluck out not only their beards, and the hair from their bodies, but also their eye-brows, so as not to leave a vestige remaining. They were also in general more skilful in painting and decorating themselves, and I have seen some of them with no less than a dozen holes in each of their ears to which were suspended strings of small beads about two inches in length. Their languaire is the same as spoken at Nootka, but their pronunciation is much more hoarse and guttural. Thcs« peo])lo '4 |:^ 76 JEWITT'S NARRATIVE. whaling, but are not only very expert in hunters of the sea otter and other animals vvitn which their country is said to abound, as the Me- tamelth a large animal of the deer kind, the skin of which I have already spoken of, another of a light grey colour, with very fine hair from which they manufacture a handsome cloth, the beaver and a species of large wild cat, or tyger cat. The Wickinninish, their neighbours on the North, are about two hundred miles from Nootka. They are a robust, strong and warlike peopl^e, but considered by the Nootkians as their inferiors in courage. This tribe is more numerous than tliat of Nootka, amounting to between six and seven hundred warriors. Though not so civilized as the Kla-iz-zarts and less skilful in their manufactures, like them they employ themselves in hunting as well as in whaling and fishing. Their faces are broad but less so than the Kla-iz-zarts, with a darker complexion, and a much less open and pleasing expression of countenance, while their heads present a very different form, being pressed in at the sides and lengthened towards the top, somewhat in the shape of a sugar loaf. These people are very frequent visitors at Nootka, a close friendship subsisting between the two nations, Maqunia's Arcomah^ or Queen, Y-ya-tintla-no, being the daughter of the Wickinn;nish king. The Kla-oo-quates adjoining them on the North are much less numerous, their force not exceeding four hundred fighting men; they are also behind them in the arts of life. These are a fierce, bold, and enterprizing people, and there were none that visited Nootka, whom Maquina used to be more on his guard against, or viewed with so much sus- picion. The Eshquates are about the same num ■.r;- JLWITT S NARRVTIVE. 77 ^ but ber; these are coiisldcied as tributary to Maquina: Their coast tibouiuls with rivers, creeks, and marshes. To the Nortli the nearest tribe of any importance is the Aitizzarts; these however do not exceed three hundred warriors. In appearance they greatly resemble the people of Nootka, to whom they are considered as tributary, their man- ners, dress, and style of living also being very similar. They reside at about forty miles distance up the sound. A considerable way further to the northward are the Cuyuquets; these are a much more numerous tribe than that of Nootka, but thought by the latter to be deficient in courage and martial spirit, Maquina having frequently told me that their hearts were little like those of birds. There are also both at the North and South many other intervening tribes, but in general small in number and insignificant, all of whom as well as the above mentioned speak the same language. But the Newchemass who come from a great way to the Northward, and from some distance inland, as I was told by Maquina, speak quite a different lansjuage, although it is well understood by those of Nootka. These were the most savage looking and ugly men that I ever saw, their complexion being much darker, their stature shorter, and their hair coarser, than that of the other nations, and their dress and appearance dirty in an extreme. They wear their beards long like Jews, and have a very morose and surly countenance. Their usual dress is a Kootsuck made of wolf skin, with a number of the tails attached to it, of which I have seen no less than ten on one garment, hanging from the top to the bottom; though they sometimes wear a similar mantle of bark cloth, of a much coarser texture than that of Nootka, the ■7* orig inal I* ■< 'TO *" jewitt's narrative. * colour of which appears to be the same, though from their very great fikhiness, it was ahnost im- possible to discover what it had been. Thoir mode of dressing their hair also varies essentially from that of the other tribes, for they suflbr that on the back of the head to hang loose, and bind the other over their foreheads in the manner of a fillet, with a strip of their country cloth, ornament- ed with small white shells. Their weapons iiro the Cheetoolth.) or war club, which is made from whale bone, daggers, bows and arrows, and a kind of spear pointed with bone or copper. Tiiey ^I^Dught-with them no furs for sale, excepting a few wolf skins, their merchandize consisting principal- ly of the black shining mineral called pelpelth, and the fine red paint which they carefully kept in close mat bags, some small dried salmon, clams, and roes of fish, whh ccasionally a little coarse matting cloth. They were accustomed to remain a much longer time at Nootka than the other tribes, in order to recover from the fatigue of a long journey, part of which was over land, and on these occasions taught their songs to our savages. The trade of most of the other tribes with Nootka was principally train oil, seal or whale's blubber, fish fresh or dried, herring or salmon spawn, clams, and muscles, and the yama^ a species of fruit which is pressed and dried, cloth, sea otter skins, and slaves. From the Aitizzarts, and the Cayu- quets, particularly the former, the best I-whaw and in the greatest quantities was obtained. The Eshquates furnished us with wild ducks and geese, particularly the latter. The Wickinninish and Kla-iz-zarts brought to market many slaves, the best sea otter skins, great quantities of oil, whale sinew, and cakes of the yama, highly ornamented :.^..W^'=^/i:i..i.. JEWITTS NARRATIVE. 79 St iiu- Tlioir 31- that l1 bind r of a aiiient- ns ni'o 3 from a kind They g a few ncipal- tli, and cept in clams, coarse remain other e of a and on ivages. >J'ootka ubber, clams, )f fruit skins, Cayu- -whaw The geese, h and is, the whale nentcd m canoes, some I-whaw, red ochre and pelpekh of an inferior quality to that obtained from the Nevv- chemass, but particularly the so much valued J\fct- amcltli^ and an excellent root called by die Kki-iz- zarts Quaivnoose. This is the size of a small on- ion, but radicr longer, being of a tapering form like a pear, and of a brownish colour. It is cook- ed by steam, is always brought in baskets ready prepared for eating, and is in truth a very fine veg- etable, being sweet, mealy and of a most agreea- ble flavour. It was highly esteemed by the na- tives who used to eat it as they did everything else with train oil. — From the Kla-iz-zarts was also re- ceived, though in no great quantity, a cloth manu- factured by them from the fur already spoken of, which feels like wool and is of a grey colour. Many of the articles thus brought, particularly the provisions, were considered as presents, or tributary offerings, but this must be viewed as lit- tle more than a nominal acknowledgment of supe- riority, as they rarely failed to get the full amount of the value of their presents. I have known eighteen of the great tubs, in which they keep their provisions, filled with spawn brought in this way. On these occasions a great feast is always made, to which not only the strangers, but the whole village, men, women, and children are gen- erally invited, and I have seen five c4* die largest tubs employed at such time in cooking at the king's. house. At these feasts they generally in- dulge in eating to an excess, making up in this respect for their want of inebriating liquors, which they know no method of preparing in any form, their only drink being water. Whenever they came to visit or trade it was their general custom, to stop a few miles distant 80 jewitt's narrative. under the lee of some bluff or rock, and rig them- selves out in their best manner, by painting and dressing their heads. On their first coming on shore, they were invited to eat by the king, when they brought to him, such articles as he wanted, after which the rest of the inhabitants were ])er- mitted to purchase, the <6trangers being careful to keep them in their canoes until sold, under strict guard to prevent their being stolen, the disposition of these people for thieving being so great, that it is necessary to keep a watchful eye upon them. This was their usual mode of trafRck, but when- ever they wished to purchase any particular object, as for instance, a certain slave, or some other thing of which they were very desirous, the canoe that came for this purpose would lie off at a little distance from the shore, and a kind of embassador or representative of the king or chief by whom it was sent, dressed in their best manner, and with his head covered with the white down, would rise, and after making known the object of his mission in a pompous speech, hold up specimens of such articles as he was instructed to offer in payment, mentioning the number or quantity oi each, when if the bargain was concluded, the exchange was immediately made. On their visits of friendship or traffick,' the chiefs alone used to sleep on shore, this was gen- erally at the house of the king or head chief, the others passing the night on board of their canoes, which was done not only for the preservation of their property, but because they were not permit- ted to remain on shore, lest they might excite some disturbance or commit depredations. All these people generally go armed, the com- mon class wearing only a dagger, suspended from JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. 81 thcm- g and iig on when anted, 3 per- :ful to strict osition that it lem. , when- objcct, ; other 3 canoe a little issador horn it d with Id rise, nission )f such yment, when ge was k," the as gen- ef, the Icanoes, tion of permit- excite e corn- el from tlieir neck behind, with a string of mctamchh, and sometimes thrust in their girdles. The rhiofs in addition to the dagger carry tlie Checlooltli^ or war-club suspended in the same manner beneath their mantles; this in the hands of a strong man is a powerful weapon, in the management of which, some of the older chiefs are very dexterous. It is made from the bone of a whale, and is very heavy. The blade is about eighteen inches long and three broad, till it a])proaches near the point, where it expands to the breadth of fom* inches. In the middle, from whence it slopes ofT gradually to an edge on each side, it is from one; to two inches in thickness. This blade is usually cover- ed with figures of the sun and moon, a man's head, &,c. and the hilt which is made to re])resent the head of a man or some animal, is curiously set with small white shells, and has a band of meta- niellh fastened to it in order to sling it over the shoulder. Some of the tribes have also a kind of spear headed with copper or the bone of the sling ray, which is a dangerous weapon; th'.s is however not usual, and only carried by the chiefs. The bow and arrow are still used by a few, but since the introduction of fire arms among them, this wea|')on has been mostly laid aside, "^mit to return to our unhappy '^nation. Though my comrade and myself fared as well, and even better than we could have expected among these people, considering their customs and mode of living, yet our fears lest no ship would come to our release, and that we should never more behold a Christian country, were ^o us a source of con- stant pain. .Our principal consolation in this gloomy state,\was to go on Sundays, whenever the weather would permit, to the berders of a M ,_ > — jfc.'t!^Jjii>iiii_ BBS 82 jewitt's narrative. t \ / fresh water pond, about a mile from the village, where, alter bathing, and putting on clean clothes, we would seat ourselves under the shade of a beautiful pine, while I read some chapters in tlie Bible, and t'.io prayers appointed by our Church for the day, ending our devotions with a fervent prayer to the Almighty that he would deign still to watch over and preserve our lives, rescue us from the hands of the savages, and permit us once more to behold a Christian land. In this manner were the greater part of our Sundays passed at Nootka; and I felt grateful to heaven, that amidst our other sufferings, we were at least allowed the pleasure of offering up our devotions unmolested, for Ma- quina, on my explaining to him as well as was in my power the reason of our thus retiring at this time, far from objecting, readily consented to it. The pond ajove mentioned was small, not more than a quarter of a mile in breadth and of no great length, the water being very clear, though not of great depth, and bordered by a beautiful forest of pine, fir, elm, and boach, free from bushes and underwood — a most dehghtful. retreat, which was rendered still more attractive by a great number of birds that frequented it, particularly the hum- ming bird. Thither we used to go to wash our clothes, and felt secure from any intrusion from the natives, as they rarely visited it except for the purpose of cleansing themselves of their paint.^; In July we at length thought that the hope of de- livery we had so long anxiously indulged, was on the point of being gratified. A ship appeared in the offing, but alas, our fond hopes vanished almost as soon as formed; for instead of standing in for the shore she passed to the northward and soon disap- npured. I shall not attempt to describe our disap- 1V V v .ti r jewitt's narrative. 68 village, clothes, de ol' a 1 in the Church fervent 1 still to us from ce more er were Nootka; ur other pleasure for Ma- I was in at this id to it. Dt more 10 great not of )rest of les and ich was number e hum- ash our )n from t for the lintT""/ e of de- ls on the \ In the most as for the 1 disap- ir disap- pointment — my heart sunk within me, and I felt as though it was my destiny never more to behold a Christian face. Vour days after there occurred a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning, chu'ing which the natives manifest great alarm and terror, the whole tribe, hurrying to Maquina's house, where, instead of keeping within, they seated themselves on the roof amid the severest of the temj)cst, drumming upon the boards, and looking up to heaven, while the king beat the long hollow plank, singing, and as he afterwards told me, beg- ging Quakootzc^ thv name they gave to Gud, not to kill diem, in which he was accompanied by the whole tribe; this singing and drunnning was con- tinued until the storm abated. As die summer drew near its close, we began to suffer from the frequent want of food, which was principally owing to Maquina and the chiefs being out whaling, in which he would not })ermit Thompson and myself to join, lest we should make our escape to some o^ the neighbouring tribes. At these times the women seldom or ever cook any provision, and we were often hungry, but were sometimes fortunate enough to procure secretly, a piece of salmon, some other fish, spaw'n, or even blubber, which, by boiling in salt water, \\ith a few onions and turnips, the remains of the Spanish garden, or young nettles and odier herbs, furnished us a delicious repast in private. In the mean time, we frequently received accounts from the tribes who came to Nootka, both from the north and south, of diere being vessels on the coast, and were advised by their chiefs to make our escape, who also promised us their aid, and to put us on board. These stories, however, as I afterwai'ds learned, were almost all of them with- 84 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. \ I out any foundation, and merely invented by these people with a view to get us into their power in order to make slaves of us themselves, or to sell us to others. But I was still more stmngly solic- ited to leave Nootka by a woman. This was a Wickinninish princess, a younsj^cr sister of Mmjiii- na's wife, who was there on a visit. I had the 2;oo(l fortune, if it may be so called, to become quite a favourite with her. She appeared much interested for me — asked me many questions respecting my country, if I had a mother and sister at home, and if they would not grieve for my absence. Her complexion was fairer than diat of the women in gen- eral, and her features more regular, and she woukl have been quite handsome had it not been for a de- fect in one of her eyes, the sight of which had been injured by some accident, the reason, as Maquina told me, why she had not been married, a defect of this kind being by these savages consid- ered as almost an insuperable objection. She urged me repeatedly to return with her, telling me that the Wickinninish were much better than the Nootkians; that her father would treat me more kindly than Maquina, give me better food and clothes, and finally put me on board one of my own country vessels. I felt, however, little disposed to accompany her, considering my situation with Maquina full as eligible as it would be with the Wickinninish, if not better, notwithstanding all she said to the contrarv. On the third of September, the whole tribe quitted Nootka, according to their constant prac- tice, in order to pass the autumn and winter at Tashees and Cooptee, the latter lying about thirty miles up the Sound in a deep bay, the navigation of which is very dangerous from the great number jewitt's narrative. 85 y these Dwer in to sell Y solic- was a Mufjui- ood le P (T quite a ;orested ting my ne , and Iler 1 in sen- e would for a de- ich had IS on, as arricd, a consld- Sbo line: me lan the le more >od and my own isposed on with vith the g all she )le tribe It prac- rinter at lit thirty ivigation number ft of reels and rocks with which it abounds. On these occasions every thing is taken with them, even tlic planks of their houses, in order to cover their new dwellings. To an European, surh a removal exhibits a scene quite novel and strange: canoes piled up with boards and boxes, and filled with meii, women and cliildren of all ranks and sizes, makiuci; the air resouiul with their cries and songs. At these times, as well as when they liave occasion to go some dista^n^e tVom their houses, the infjints are usually suspended across the moth- er's shoulders, in a kind of cradle or hammock, formed of bark, of about six mches in depth, and of the length of the child, by means of a leather band inserted through loops on its edges; this they also keep them in when at home, in order to pre- serve them in a stra' ht position, and prevent any distortion of the limos, most probably a principal cause of these people being so seldom deformed or crooked. The long boat of our ship having been re- paired and furnished with a sail by Thom])son, Mafpiina gave us the direction of it, we bjing bet- ter acquainted with managing it than his people, and after loading her as deep as she could swim, we proceeded in company with them to the north, quittinn; Nootka with heavy hearts, as we could entertain no hopes of release until our return, no ships ever coming to that part of the coast. Pass- ing Cooptee, which is situated on the southern bank, just within the mouth of a small river flow- ing from the east in a narrow valley at the foot of a mountain, we proceeded about fifteen miles up this stream to Tashees, between a range of lofty ImIIs on each side, which extend a great distance m-luiid, and are covered with the finest '^^'/f/. 86 jewitt's narrative. I i i i trees of the country. Immediately on our arrival we all went to work very diligently in covering the houses with the planks we had brought, the frames being ready erected, these people never pretend- ing to remove the timber. In a very short time the work was completed, and we were established in our new residence. Tashees is pleasantly situated and in a most se- cure position from the winter storms, in a sniall vale or hollow on the south shore, at the foot cf a mountain. The spot on which it stands is level, and the soil very fine, the country in its vicinity abounding with the most romantic views, charm- ingly diversified, and fine streams of water falling in beautiful cascades from the mountains. The river at this place is about twenty rods in width, and in its deepest part, from nine to twelve feet. This village is the extreme point of navigation, as immediately beyond, the river becomes much more shallow, and is broken into rapids and falls. The houses here are placed in a line hke those at Noot- ka, but closer together, the situation being more confined they are also smaller, in consequence ol which we were much crowded, and incommoded for room. The principal object in coming to this place, is the facility it aflx)rds these people of providing their winter stock of provisions, which consists principally of salmon, and the spawn of that fish; to which may be added herring dnd sprats, and herring spawn. The latter, however, is always procured by them at Nootka, previous to their quitting it. At the seasons of spawning, wl- : are early in the spring and the last of August, uey collect a great quantity of pine branches, which tliey place in different parts of the Cove at the 7 \ I arrival •ing the frames )retend- )rt tim? blished Qost se- a small bot cf a level, vicinity charm- falling . The width, \re feet, tion, as ch more j. The at Noot- ig more ence ol nmoded 3lace, is rovidins; consists lat fish; its, and always to their wV St, i.ey w^hich at the JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 87 , ) I * depth of about ten feet and secure them by means of heavy stones. On these the herring deposit their spawn in immense quantities; the bushes are then taken up, the spawn stripped from the branch- es, and after being washed and freed froLi the pine leaves by the women, is dried and put up in baskets for use. It is considered as their greatest dehcacy, and eaten both cooked and raw: in the former case, being boiled and eaten with train oil, and in the latter, mixed up u ith cold water alone. The salmon are taken at Tashees, principally in pots or wears. .Their method of taking them in wears is thus:— J-A pot of twenty feet in length, and from four to' five feet diameter at the mouth, is formed of a great number of pine splinters which are stronp;lv secured, an inch and a half from eachoth- er, by means of hoops made of flexible twigs, anc placed about eight inches apart. At the end it tapers almost to a point, near which is a small wicker door, for the purpose of taking out the fish. This pot or wear is placed at the foot of a fall or rapid, where the water is not very deep, and the fish driven from above with long poles, are inter- cepted and caught in the wear, from whence they are taken into the canoes. In this manner I have seen more than seven hundred salmon caught in the space of fifteen minutes, I have also some- times known a few of the striped bass taken in this manner but rarely. At such times there is great feasting and merri- ment among them. The women and female slaves being busily employed in cooking, or hi curing the fish for their winter stock, which is done by cutting off the heads and tails, splitting them, tak- ing out the back bone,and hanging them up in their houses t " '«.'■• % dry. They also dry the halibut 88 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. and cod, but these instead of curing whole they cut up into small pieces for that purpose, and ex- pose to the sun. The spawn of the salmon, \\hich is a principal article of their provision, they take out, and without any other preparation, throw it into their tubs, where they leave it to stand and ferment, for though tliey frequently eat it Cresh, they esteem it much more when it has acqiiiiod a strong taste, and one of the greatest favours they can confer on any person, is to invite him to cat QuakamisSj the name they give this iboil, though scarcely any thing can be more re])ugnant to a Eu- roj)ean palate, than it is in this state; and when- ever they took it out of these large receptacles, which they are always careful to fdl, such was the jtench which it exhaled, on being moved, that it uas almost impossible for me to abide it, even af- ter habit, had in a great degree dulled the delicacy of my senses. — When boiled it became less offen- sive, though it still retained much of the putrid smell and something of the taste. Such is the immense quantity of these fish, and they are taken with such facility, that I have know^n upwards of twenty-five hundred brought into Ma- quina's house at once, and at one of their great feasts, have seen one hundred or more cooked in one of their largest tubs. I used frequently to go out with Maciuina upon these fishing parties, and was alwavs sure to re- ceive a handsome present of salmon, which I had the privilege of caUing mine; I also went with him several times in a canoe, to strike the salmon, which I have attempted to do myself, but could never succeed, it requiring a degree of adroitness that T did not possess. I was also permitted to go out with a gun, and was several times very sue- I 'itr^. K(.l^,^ -h f t t vo O'r jewitt's narrative. 89 great a \ cessful in shooting wild ducks, and teal, which are very numerous here, though rather shy. These they cooked in their usual manner, by boiling, with- out any farther dressing than skinning them. In many respects, however, our situation was less pleasant here than at Nootka. We were more incommoded for room, the houses not being so spa- cious, nor so well arranged, and as it was colder, we were compelled to be much more within doors. We however, did not neglect on Sundays, when the weather would admit, to retire into the woods, and by the side of some stream, after bathing, re- turn our thanks to God for preserving us, and offer up to him our customary devotions. 1 was however, very apprehensive, soon after our arrival at this place, that I should be deprived of the satisfaction of keeping my journal, as Maquina one day observing me writing in it, enquired of me what I was doing, and when I endeavoured to ex- plain it, by telling him that I was keeping an account of the weather, he said it was not so, and that I was speaking bad about him and telling how he had takru our ship and killed the crew, so as to mform my countrymen, and that if he ever saw me writing in it again, he would throw it into the fire. I was much rejoiced that he did no more than threaten, and became very cautious afterwards not to let him see me write. Not long after I finished some daggers for him, which I polished highly; these pleased him much, and he gave me directions to make a cheetoolth, in which I succeeded so far to his satisfaction, that he gave me a present of cloth suflicient to make me a complete suit of raiment, besides other things. Thompson, also, who had become rather more of a favourite than formerly, since he had m 90 jewitt's narrative. made a fine sail for his canoe, and some garments for him out of European cloth, about tliis time completed another, which was thought by tlio sav- ages II most su])erb dress. This was a Kootsuk or mantle, a falhom square, made entirely of Eu- ropean vest patterns oi" the gayest colours. These were sewed togethw', in a manner to make the best show, and bound with a deej) trinmiing of the finest otter skin, with which the arm-holes were also bordered; while tl^ie bottom was farther em- bellished with five or six rows of gilt buttons, pla- ced as near as possible to each other. Nothing could exceed the pride of Maquina when he first put on this royal robe, decorated like the coat of Joseph, with all the colours of the rainbow, and glittering with the buttons, which as he strutted about made a tinkling, while he repeatedly ex- claimed in a transport of exultation, Klew shish Katsuck — ivick kum atack JSTootka, A fine gar- ment — Nootka cant make him. Maquina, who knew that the chiefs of the tribes who came to visit us, had endeavoured to persuade me to escape, frequently cautioned me not to listen to them, saying that should I make the attempt, and he were to take me, he should certainly put me to death. While here he gave me a book in which I found the names of seven persons belong- ing to the ship Manchester of Philadelphia, Capt. Brian, viz. — Daniel Smith, Lewis Gillon, James Tom, Clark, Jolinsbn, Ben and Jack. These men, as Maquina informed me, ran away from the ship, and came to him, but that six of them soon after went off in the night, with an intention to go to the Wickinninish, but were stopped by tlie Esho'^'-tes, and sent back to him, and that he or- aeied them to be put to death; and a most cruel \ I JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. 91 ;arments lis lime llio sav- Koolsuk of^ Ell- These akc the g of the es were ler em- us, pla- Noihing he first coat of aw, and strutted dly ex- w shish ine gar- e tribes ersuade to listen ittempt, nly put book in belong- Capt. James These 'om the m soon n to go by tiie he or- Bt cruel ■J iealh it was, as I was told by one the natives, our men holding one of them on the ground, and forcing open his nioulh, while they choakcd him by rannning stones down his throat. As to Jack the boy, who made no attempt to go off, Maquina after- wards sold him to the Wickimiinish. I was in- formed by the princess Yaqua^ that he was quite a small boy, who cried a great deal, being put to hard labour beyond his strength by the natives, in cutting wood and bringing wat(M', and that when he heard of the murder of our crew, it had such an eflect on him that he fell sick and died shortly after. On learning the melancholy fate of this un- fortunate lad, it again awakened in my bosom those feelings that I had experienced at the shocking death of my poor comrades. The king finding that I was desirous of learning their language, was much delighted, and took great pleasure in conversing with me. On one of these occasions, he explained to me his reasons for cut- ting off our ship, saying that he bore no ill will to my countrymen, but that he had been several times treated very ill by them. The first injury of which he had cause to complain, was done him by a Captain Tawnington, who commanded a schoon- er which passed a winter at Friendly Cove, where he w^as well treated by the inhabitants. This man taking advantage of Maquina 's absence, who had gone to the Wlckinninish to procure a w^ife, armed himself and crew, and entered the house where there were none but women, whom he threw into the greatest consternation, and searching the chests, took away all the skins, of which Maqui- na had no less than forty of the best; and that about the same time, four of their chiefs were bar- barously killed by a Captain Martinez, a Spaniard. 9d jewitt's narrative. That soon after Captain Hanna, of the Sea- Otter, in conseqnence of one of the natives having stolen a chisel from the carpenter, fired upon their ca- noes which were along side, and killed upwards of twenty of the natives, of whom several were Tyees or chiefs, and that he himself being on board the vessel, in order to escape was obliged to leap from the quarter deck, and swim for a long way under water. m r. The Sea Otter firing upon the Natives. These injuries had excited in the breast of Ma- quina, an ardent desire of revenge, the strongest passion of the savage heart, and though many years had elapsed since their commission, still they were not forgotten, and the want of a favoura- ble opportunity alone prevented him from sooner avenging them. Unfortunately for us, the long wished for opportunity at length presented itself in our ship, which Maquina finding not guarded with the usual vigilance of the North West Trad- ers, and feeling his desire of revenge rekindled by the insult offered by Capt. Salter, formed a plan for I JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. 93 m. attacking, and on his return, called a council of his chiefs, and connnunicatcd it to iheni, ac(jiiaint- ini:^ thcni with the; inaiHi(;r in which ho had hoeii treated. No less desirous of aven^ini:; this aflVont olleied iheir klnij;, than the former injuries, they rea(hly at^recd to his |)roj)osal, which was to goon hoard without arms as usual, hut under diiTerent pretexts, in greater numhers, and wait his signal for the moment of attacking their unsuspecting victims. The execution of this scheme, as the reader knows, was unhap[)ily too successful. — And here I cannot hut indulge a reflection that has frc(piently occurred to nie on the manner in which our peo{)le hehave towards the natives. For though they are a thievish race, yet I have no douht that many of the melancholy disasters have principally arisen from the imprudent conduct of some of the captains and crews of the shij)s em- ployed in this trade, in exasperating them hy insult- ing, plundering, and even killing them on slight grounds. This, as nothing is more sacred with a sav- age than the principle of revenge, and no peoj)le are so impatient under insult, indeces them to wreak their vengeance upon the first vessel or boat's crew that offers, making the innocent too frequently suffer for the wrongs of the guilty, as few of diem know to discriminate between persons of the same general appearance, more especially when speaking the same language. And to this cause do I believe, must principally be ascribed the sanguinary disposition with which these people are reproached, as Ma- quina repeatedly told me that it was not his wish to hurt a white man, and that he never should have done it, though ever so much in his power, had they not injured him. And were the commanders of our ships to treat the savages with rather more IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ M 1.0 I.I L£12.8 |50 "^ Hi ■U u 12.2 I L£ 12.0 IL25 i u mm 1.6 y ^w.> '^^v'-»* '^.^'* <> > Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREIT WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V k 4 m <^ '^>^ ;\ 'V- o^ ^ 94 JEWITT*8 NARRATirfi. civility than they sometimes do, I am inclined to think they would find their account in it; not that I should recommend to them a confidence in the good faith and friendly professions of these people, so as in any degree to remit their vigilance, but on the contrary, to be strictly on their guard, and suffer but a very few of them to come on board the ship, and admit not many of their canoes along side at a time; a precaution that would have been the means of preventing some of the unfortunate events that have occurred, and if attended to, may in future, preserve many a valuable life. Such a regulation too, from what I know of their disposition and wants, would produce no seri«us difficulty in trading with the savages, and they would soon become perfectly reconciled to it. Among the provisions which the Indians pro- cure at Tashees, I must not omit mentioning a fruit that is very important, as forming a great ar- ticle of their food. This is what is called by them the Yama, a species of berry that grows in bunch- es like currants, upon a bush from two to three feet high, with a large, round and smooth leaf. This berry is black, and about the size of a pistol shot, but of rather an oblong shape, and open at the top like the blue whortleberry. The taste is sweet but a little acrid, and when first gathered, if 6aten in any great quantity, especially without oil, is apt to produce cholics. To procure it, large companies of women go out on the mountains, ac- companied by armed men, to protect them against wild beasts, where they frequently remain for sev- eral days, kindling a fire at night, and sheltering themselves under sheds constructed of boughs. At these parties, they collect great quantities. I have known Maquina*s queen and her women re- ^ 3^-.# JEW^TT S NARRATIVE. 95 turn Ibided, bringing with them upwards of twelve bushels. In order to preserve it, it is pressed in the bunches between two planks, and dried and put away in baskets for use. It is always eaten with oil. Of berries of various kinds, such as strawber- ries, rasp-berries, black-berries, &c. there are great quantities in the country, of which the natives are very fond, gathering them in their seasons, and eating them with oil, but the yama is the onl;- one that they preserve. Fish is, however, their great article of focd, as almost all the others, excepting the yama, may be considered as accidental. — They nevertheless are far from disrelishing meat, for instance, venison and bear's flesh. With regard to the latter, they have a most singular custom, which is, that any one who eats of it is obliged to abstain from eating any kind of fresh fish whatever, for the term of two months, as they have a superstitious belief, that should any of their people after tasting bear's flesh, eat of fresh salmon, cod, &c. the fish, though at ever so great a distance off, would come to the knowledge of it, and be so much ofl^ended thereat, as not to allow themselves to be taken by any of the inhabitants. This I had an opportunity of obser- ving while at Tashees, a bear having been killed early in December, of which not more than ten of the natives would eat, being prevented by the prohibition annexed to it, which also was the rea- son of my comrade and myself not tasting it, on being told by M aquina the consequence. As there is something quite curious in their man- agement of tins >animal, when they have killed one, I shall give a description of it. After well cleans- ing the bear (rom the dirt and blood, with which \ li VA V^ V 96 jtewitt's narrative. it is generally covered when killed, it is brought in and seated opposite the king in an upriglit pos- ture, with a chief's bonnet, wrought in figures on its head, and its fur powdered over with ihe white down. A tray of provision is then set before it, and it is invited by words and gestures to eat. This mock ceremony over, the reason of which I could never learn, the animal is taken and skin- ned, and the flesh and entrails boiled up into a soup, no part, but the paunch being rejected. Thompson and one of the Indians shooting a Bear. This dressing the bear as they call it, is an oc- casion of great rejoicing throughout the village, all the inhabitants being invited to a great feast at the king's house, though but few of them, in con- sequence of the penalty, will venture to eat of the flesh, but generally content themselves with their favourite dish of herring spawn and water. The feast on this occasion was closed by a dance from Sat-sat'Sak'siSy in the manner I have already de- scribed, in the course of which he repeatedly shifted his mask for another of a different form. A few days after a second bear was taken like oc- t at on- the eir he om k- ke jewitt's narrative. y/ the former, by means of a trap. This I had the curiosity to go and see at the place where it was caught, which was in the following manner. On the edge of a small stream of water in the moun- tains, which the salmon ascend, and near the spot where the bear is accustomed to watch for them, which is known by its track, a trap or box about the heighth of a man's head is built of posts and planks with a flat top, on which are laid a number of large stones or rocks. The top and sides are then carefully covered with turf, so as to resemble a little mound, and wholly to exclude the light, a narrow entrance of the height of the build- ing only being left, just sufficient to admit the head and shoulders of the beast. On the inside, to a large plank that covers the top, is suspended by a strong cord a salmon, the plank being left loose so that a forcible pull will bring it down. On coming to its usual haunt, the bear enters the trap, and in endeavouring to pull away the fish, brings down the whole covering with its load of stones upon its head, and is almost always crushed to death on the spot, or so wounded as to be un- able to escape. They are always careful to ex- amine these traps every day, in order if a bear be caught, to bring it away, and cook it immediately, for it is not a little singular, that these people will eat no kind of meat that is in the least tainted, or not perfectly fresh, while, on the contrary, it is hardly possible for fish to be in too putrid a sW ^ for them, and I have frequently known them w^hen a whale has been driven ashore, bring pieces of it home with them in a state of ofFensiveness insup- portable to any thing but a crow, and devour it with high relish, considering it as preferable to that which is fresh. 9 \ %■ > ifi^ i-n 98 jewitt's narrative. On the morning of the 13th of December, com- menced what appeared to us a most singular farce. Apparently without any previous notice, Maquina discharp;ed a pistol close to his son's ear, who im- mediately fell down as if killed, upon which all the women of the house set up a most lamentable cry, tearing handfulls of hair from their heads, and ex- claiming that the prince was dead, at the same time a great number of the inhabitants, rushed intc- the house armed with their daggers, muskets, &c. en- quiring the cause of their outcry; these were im- mediately followed by two others dressed in wolf skins, with masks over their faces representing the head of that animal; the latter came in on their hands and feet in the manner of a beast, and taking up the prince carried him off upon their backs, retiring in the same manner they entered. We saw nothing more of the ceremony, as Maquina came to us, and giving us a quantity of dried pro- vision, ordered us to quit the house and not return to the village before the expiration of seven days, for that if we appeared within that period, he should kill us. At any other season of the year such an order would by us have been considered as an indul- gence, in enabling us to pass our time in whatever way we wished, and even now, furnished as we were, with sufficient provision for that term, it was not very unpleasant to us, more particularly Thompson, who was always desirous to keep as much as possible out of the society and sight of the natives, whom he detested. Taking with us our provisions, a bundle of clothes, and our axes, we obeyed the directions of Maquina, and w^ith- drew into the woods, where we built ourselves a cabin to shelter us 9 with the branches of trees, and L. A \' L/ jewitt's narrative. 99 keeping up a good fire, secured ourselves pretty well from the coli. Here we passed the prescrib- ed period of our exile, with more content than much of the time while with them, employing the day in reading and praying for our release, or in rambling around and exploring the country, the soil of which we found to be very good, and the face of it, beautifully diversified with hills and val- leys, refreshed with the finest streams of water, and at night enjoyed connfortable repose upon a bed of soft leaves, with our garments spread over us to protect us from the cold. At the end of seven days we returned and found several of the poeple of A-i-tiz-zart with their king or chief at Tashees, who had been invited by Maquina to attend the close of this performance, which I now learn was a celebration, held by them annually, in honour of their God, whom they call Quahootzc^ to return him their thanks for his past, and implore his future favours. It terminated on the 21st, the day after our return, with a most ex- traordinary exhibition. Three men, each of whom had two bayonets run through his sides, between the ribs, apparently regardless of the pain, traversed the room, backwards and forwards, sing- ing war songs, and exulting in this display of firmness . On the arrival of the 25th, we could not but call to mind, that this being Christmas, was in our country a day of the greatest festivity, when our fellow countrymen assembled in their churches, were celebrating the goodness of God, and the praises of the Saviour. What a reverse did our situation offer — captives in a savage land, and slaves to a set of ignorant beings unacquainted with religion or humanity, liardly were we permitted to offer up « .w ■^77" r 100 jewitt's narrative. our devotions by ourselves in the woods, while we felt even grateful for this privilege. Thither with the king's permission, we withdrew, and after reading the service appointed for the day, sung the hymn of the Nativity, fervently praying that heaven in its goodness, would permit us to celebrate the next festival of this kind in some Christian land. On our return, in order to conform as much as was in our power to the custom of our country, we were de- sirous of having a bettei supper than usual. With this view we bought from one of the natives, some dried clams and oil, and a root called A7e/- «M/), which we cooked by steaming, and found it very palatable. Tliis root consists of many fibres, of about six inches long, and of the size of a crow quill. It is sweet, of an agreeable taste, not un- like the Qwanoosc, and it is eaten with oil. The plant that produces it I have never seen. On the 3 1 St, all the tribe quitted Tashees for Cooptee, whither they go to pass the remainder of the winter, and complete their fishing, taking off every thing with them in the same manner as at Nootka. We arrived in a few hours at Cooptee, which is about fifteen miles, and immediately set about covering the houses, which was soon com- pleted. This place, which is their great herring and sprat fishery, stands just within the mouth of the river, on the same side with Tashees, in a very narrow valley at the foot of a high mountain. Though nearly as secure as Tashees from the win- ter storms, it is by no means so pleasantly situa- ted, though to us it was a much more agreeable residence, as it brought us nearer Nootka, where we were impatient to return, in hopes of finding some vessel there, or hearing of the arrival of ene near. jewitt's narrative. 101 The first snow that fell this season, was the day after our arrival, on New- Years ; a day that like Christmas, brought with it, painful reccollections, but at the same time led us to indulge the hope of a more fortunate year than the last. Early on the morning of the 7th of January, Ma(juina took me with him in his canoe on a visit to (Jpquesta^ chief of the A-i-tiz-zarts, who had invited him to attend an exhibition at his village, similar to the one with which he had been enter- tained at Tashees. This place is between twen- ty and thirty miles distant up the sound, and stands on the banks of a small river about the size of that of Cooptee, just within its entrance, in a valley of much greater extent than that of Tashees ; it con- sists of fourteen or fifteen houses, built and dis- posed in the manner of those at Nootka. The tribe, which is considered as tributary to Maqui- nn, amounts to about three hundred warriors, and the inhabitants, both men and women, are among the best looking of any people on the coast. On our arrival we were received at the shore bv the inhabitants, a few of whom were armed with muskets, which they fired, with loud shouts and exclamations of Wocash^ wocash. We were welcomed by the chiefs messenger, or master of ceremonies, dressed in his best gar- ments, with his hair powdered with white down, and holding in his hand the cheetoolth, the badge of his office. This man preceded us to the chiePs house, where he introduced and pointed out to us our respective seats. On entering, the visitors took off their hats, which they always wear on similar occasions, and Maquina his outer robes, of which he has several on whenever he pays a visit, and seated himself near the chief. As I was dress- 9* f 102 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. ed in European clothes I became quite an o})]e'^t of curiosity to these people, very few of whom had ever seen a white man. They crowded around me in numbers, taking hold of my clothes, exain- ^ ining my face, hands and feet, and even open- ing my mouth to see if I had a tongue^ for not- withstanding I had by this time become well nr- quainted with their language, I preserved the i^, strictest silence, Macpiina on our first landing luiv- ing enjoined me not to speak, until he should di- rect. Having undergone this examination for some time, Maquina at length made a sign to me to spo.ik to them. On hearing me address them in their own language, they were greatly astonished and \ delighted, and told Maquina diat they now por- \ ceived that I was a man like themselves, except ' that I was white and looked like a seal, alluding to my blue jacket and trowsers, which tliey wanted { 3rsuade me to take off, as thev did not like \.in^iC appearance. Maquina in the mean time gave an account to the chief, of the scheme he had j formed for surprising our ship, and the manner in i which he and his people had carried it into execu- tion, with such particular and horrid details of that transaction as chilled the blood in my veins. Trays of boiled herring spawn and train oil were soon af- ter brought in and placed before us, neither the chief or any of his people eating at the same time, it being contrary to the ideas of hospitality enter- ** tained by these nations, to eat any part of the food that is provided for strangers, always waiting until their visitors have finished, before they have their own brought in. The following day closed their festival with an exhibition of a similar kind, to that which had been civo.i at Tashees, but still more cruel, the different jewitt's narrative. 103 tnbes appearing on these occasions to endeavour to surpass eacli other, in their proofs of fortitude and endurance of pain. In the morning twenty men entered the chiefs house, with each an arrow run throuij;h the flesh of his sides, and either arm, with a cord fastened to tlie end, which as the performers advanced, singing and boasting, was forcibly drawn back by a person having hold of it. After this performance was closed we returned to Cooptee, which we reached at midnight, our men keeping time widi their songs to the stroke of their pad- dles. The natives now began to take the herring and bprat in immense quantities, with some salmon, and there was nothing but feasting from morning till night. The following is the method they em- ploy to take the herring. A stick of about seven feet long, two inches broad, and half an inch thick, is formed from some hard wood, one side of which is set with sharp teeth, made from wliale bone, at about half an inch apart. Provided with this in- strument, tlie fisherman seats himself in the prow of a canoe, which is paddled by another, and when- ever he comes to a shoal of herring, which cover the water in great quantities, he strikes it with both hands upon them, and at the same moment turning it up, brings it over the side of the canoe, into which he lets those that are taken drop. It is astonishing to see how miuiy are caught by those who are dexterous at this khid of fishing, as they seldom fail when the shoals are numerous, of tak- ing as many as ten or twelve at a stroke, and in a very short time will fill a canoe with them. Sprats are likewise caught in a similar manner. About the beginning of February, Maquina gave a great feast, at which were present not only all the 104 jewitt's narrative. inhabitants, but one hundred persons from A-i« tiz-zart, and a number from Wickinninish, who had been invited to attend it. It is customary with them to give an tmnual entertainment of this kind, and it is astonishing to see what a quantity of pro- vision is expended, or rather wnsted on such an occasion, when tlicy ahvays eat to the greatest ex- cess. It was at this feast that I saw upwards ol a hundred salmon cooked in one tub. The whole residence at Cooptee presents an almost uninter- rupted succession of feasting and gormondizing, and it would seem as if the principal object of these people was to consume their whole stock of pro- vision before leaving it, trusting entirely to their success in fishing .nd whaling, for a supply at Nootka. On the 25th of February, w^e quitted Cooptee, and returned to Nootka. With much joy did Thompson and myself again find ourselves in a place, where notwithstanding the melancholy recollections which it excited, we hoped before long to see some vessel arrive to our relief; and for this we became the more solicitous, as of late we had become much more apprehensive of our safety in consequence of information brought Maquina a few days before we left Cooptee, by some of the Cayuquets, that there were twenty ships at the northward prepar- ing to come against him, with an intention of des- troying him and his whole tribe, for cutting off the Boston. This story which was wholly without foundation, and discovered afterwards to have been invented by these people, for the purpose of disqui- eting him, threw him into great alarm, and notwith- standing all I could say to convince him that it was an unfounded report, so great was his jealousy of us. especially after it had been con6rraed to* V 1 JEWITT 8 NARRATIVE. 105 10 A him by some others o! the same nation, that he treated us with much harshness, and kept a very suspicious eye upon us. Nothing indeed could be more unpleasant than our present situation, w hen I reflected that our lives were altogether de- pendent on the will of a savage, on \yhose caprice and suspicions no rational calculation could be made. Not long after our return, a son of Maquina*s sister, a boy about eleven years old, who had been for some time declining, died. Immediately on his death, which was about midnight, all the men and women in the house, stt up loud cries and shrieks, which awakening rhompson and myself, so disturbed us that \.e left the house. This lamentation was kept up during the remainder of the night. In the morning, a great fire was kin- dled, in which Maquina burned in honour of the de- ceased, ten fathoms of cloth, and buried with him ten fathoms more, eight of I-whaw, four prime sea otter skins, and two small tnaiks, containing our unfortunate captain's clothes and watch. This boy was considered as a Tyee or chief, being the only son of Tootoosch^ one of their principal chiefs, who had married Maquina's sislerj whence arose this ceremony on his interment; it being an established custom with these people, that when- ever a chief dies, his most valuable property is burned or buried with him; it is, however, wholly confined to the chiefs, and appears to be a mark of honour appropriate to them In this instance Maquina furnished the articles, m order that his niiphew might have the proper honours rendered him. Tootoosch his father was esteemed the first warrior of the tribe, and was one who hid been particularly active in the destruction of our sliip, 4 ^ 'tv^ UCv-^ '^Y^^X. \« f^*. f' C A. ^ » 1 'J- 1 06 jewitt's narrative. naving killed two of our poor comrades, who were ashore, whose names were Hall and Wood. About the time of our removal to Tashees, while in the enjoyment of the highest health, he was suddenly seized with a fit of delirium, in which he fancied that he saw the ghosts of those two men constantly standing by him, and threatening him, so that he would take no food, except what was forced into his mouth. A short time before this, he had lost a daughter of about fifteen years of age, which afflicted him greatly, and whether his insanity, a disorder very uncommon amongst these savages, no instance of the kind having occurred within the memory of the oldest man amongst them, proceeded from this cause, or that it was the special interposition of an all merciful God in our favour, who by this means thought proper to induce these barbarians still farther to respect our lives, or that for hidden purposes, the Supreme Disposer of events, sometimes permits the spirits of the dead .to revisit the world, and haunt the murderer I know not, but his mind from tliis period until his death, which took place but a few weeks after that of his son was incessantly occupied with the images of the men whom he had killed. This circumstance made much impression upon the tribe, particularly the chiefs, whose uniform opposition to putting us to death, at the various councils that were held on our account, I could not but in part attribute to this cause, and Maquinaused frequent- y in speaking of Tootoosch's sickness, to express much satisfaction that his hands had not been stained with the blood of any of our men. When Maquina was first informed by his sister, of the strange conduct of her husband, he immediately went to his house, taking us with him; 3us»^c<.t.*.Q jewitt's narrative, 107 that his disease had been caused by us, and that the ghosts of our countrymen had been called thither by us, to torment hina. We found him raving about Hall and Wood, saying that they were peshak^ that is bad. Maquina then placed some provision before him to see if he would eat. On perceiv- ing it, he put forth his hand to take some, but in- stantly withdrew it with signs of horror, saying that Hall and Wood were there, and would not let him eat. Maquina then pointing to us, asked if it was not John and Thompson who troubled him. Wik^ he replied, that is, no, John klush- ish — Thompson klushish — John and Thompson are both good; then turning to me, and patting me on the shoulder, he made signs to me to eat. I tried to persuade him that Hall and Wood were n^t there, and that none were near him but our- selves: he said, I know very well you do not see them, but I do. At first Maquina endeavoured to convince him that he saw nothing, and to laugh him out of his belief, but finding that all was to no purpose, he at length became serious, and asked me if I had ever seen any one affected in this manner, and what was the matter with him. I gave him to understand, pointing to his head, that his brain was injured, and that he did not see things as formerly. Be* ^ convinced by Too- toosch's conduct, that we had no agency in his indisposition, on our return home, Maquina asked ^jfTie what was done in my country in similar cases. 1 1 told him that such persons were closely confin- '^d, and sometimes tied up and whipped, in order to make them better. After pondering for some time, he said that he should be glad to do any thing to relieve him, and that he should be whip- ped> and immediately gave orders to some of his 1 \ I ! 108 JEWITT S If ARRAnVE. t(,« yi y i \^ men, to go to Tootoosch*s house, bind him, and bring him to his, in order to undergo the op- eration. Thompson was the person selected to administer this remedy, which he imdertook very readily, and for that purpose provided himself with a good number of spruce branches, with which he whipped him most severely, laying it on with the best will imaginable, while Tootoosch displayed the greatest rage, kicking, spitting, and attempting to bite all who came near him. This was too much for Maquina, who, at length, unable to endure it longer, ordered Thompson to desist, and Tootoosch to be carried back, saying that if there was no other way of curing him but by whipping, he must remain mad. 7 The application of the whip produced no bene- ficial effect on Tootoosch, for he afterwards became still more deranged ; in his fits of fury sometimes seizing a club, and beating his slaves in a most dreadful manner, and striking and spitting at all who came near him, till at length his wife no longer daring to remain in the house with him, came with her son to Maquina's. ""TTET whaling season now commenced, and Ma- quina was out almost every day in his canoe in pursuit of them, but for a considerable time, with no success, one day breaking the staff of his har- poon, another, after having been a long time fast to a whale and the weapon drawing, owing to the breaking of the shell which formed its point, with several such like accidents, arising from the im- peridction of the instrument. At these times he always returned very morose and out of te^^per, upbraiding his men with having violated their ob- ligation to continence preparatory to whaling. In this state of ill humor, he woula give us very lit- \ JEWITT'S NARRATIVE. 109 La- in [ith lar- tast the lith ler, )b. lln Lt- tle to eat, which added to the women not coolc- mg when the men are away, reduced us to very low fare. In consequence of the repeated occurrence of similar accidents, I proposed to Maquina to make him a harpoon or foregangerof steel, which would be less liable to fail him. The idea pleased him, and in a short time I completed one for him, with which he was much delighted, and the very next day went out to make trial of it. He succeeded with it in taking a whale. Great was the joy throughout the village as soon as it was known that the king had secured the whale, by notice from a person stationed at the head-land in the off- ing. All the canoes were immediately launched, and, furnished with harpoons and seal skin floats, hastened to assist in buoying it up and in towing it in. The bringing in of this fish exhibited a scene of universal festivity. As soon as the canoes ap- peared at the mouth of the cove, those on board of them singing a song of triumph to a slow air, to which they kept time with their paddles, all who were on shore, men, women, and children, mount- ed the roofs of their houses, to congratulate the king on his success, drumming most furiously on the planks, and exclaiming Wocash — wocash Tyee. The wh{de on being drawn on shore, was im- mediately cut up, and a great feast of the blubber given at Maqui la's house, to which all the village were invited, who indemnified themselves for their lent, by eating as usual to excess. I was high- ly praised for the goodness of my harpoon, and a quantity of blubber given me, which I was permit- ed to cook as I pleased, this I boiled in salt water with some young nettles and other greens for 10 110 jewitt's narrative. t! i i Thompson and myself, and in this way we found it tolerable food. Their method of procuring the oil, is to skim it from the water in which the blubber is boiled, / and when cool, put it up into whale bladders for q use, and of these I have seen them so large as, •^ when filled, would require no less than five or six '^^ men to carry. Several of the chiefs, among whom r^; were Maquina's brothers, who after the king has ' I caught the first whale, are privileged to take them 1 also, were very desirous, on discovering the su- periority of my harpoon, that I should make some for them, but this Maquina would not permit, re- serving for himself this improved weapon. He however gave me directions to make a number more for himself, which I executed, and also made him several lances, with which he was greatly pleased, y As these people have some very singular obser- vances preparatory to whaling, an account of them will, I presume, not prove uninteresting, especially as it may serve to give a better idea of their man- V ners. I A short time before leaving Tashees, the ^ king niakes a point of passing a day alone on the mountain, whither he goes very privately early in the morning, and does not return till late in the evening. This is done, as I afterwards learned, for the purpose of singing and praying to his God for success in whaling the ensuii g season; At Cooptee the same ceremony is performed, and at Nootka after the return thither, with still greater solemnity, as for the next two days he appears very thoughtful and gloomy, scarcely speaking to any one, and observes a most rigid fast. On these occasions, he has always a broad red fillet made jewitt's narrative. Ill of bark, bound around his head, in token of humili- ation, with a large branch of green spruce on the top, and his great rattle in his hand. In addition to this, for a week before commencing their whal- ing, both himself and the crew of his canoe ob- serve a fast, eating but very little, and going into the water several times in the course of each day to bathe, singing and rubbing their bodies, limbs and faces with shells and bushes, so that on their return T have seen them look as though they had been severely torn with briers. They are like- wise obliged to abstain from any commerce with their women for the like period, the lalter restric- tion being considered as indispensable to their suc- cess. ^Early in June Tootoosch, the crazy chief, died. On being acquainted with his death the whole vil- lage, men, women, and children set up a loud cry, with every testimony of the greatest grief, which they continued for mor^ than three hours. As soon as he was dead, the body, according to their custom, was laid out on a plank, having the head bound round with a red bark fillet, which is with them an emblem of mourning and sorrow. After laying some time in this manner, he was wrapped in an otter skin robe, and three fathoms of T-whaw being put about his neck, he was placed in a large coffin or box about three feet deep, which was ornamented on the outside with two rows of the small white shells. In this, the most valuable articles of his property were placed with him, among which were no less than twenty-four prime sea-otter skins. At night, which is their time for interring the dead, the coffin was borne by eight men with two poles, thrust through ropes passed around it, to the place of burial, accom- n T-t*-— jv ■» 112 jewitt'8 narrative. C S ■l panied by his wife and family, with their hair cut short, in token of grief, all the inhabitants joining the procession. The place of burial was a large cavern on the side of a hill at a little distance from the village, in which, after depositing the coffin carefully, all the attendants repaired to Maquina's house, where a number of articles belonging to the deceased, consisting of blankets, pieces of cloth, &c. were burned by a person appointed by Ma- quina for that purpose, dressed and painted in the highest style, with his head covered with white down, who, as he put in the several pieces, one by one, poured upon them a quantity of oil to increase the flame, in the intervals between, making a speech and playing off a variety of buffoon tricks, and the whole closed with a feast and dance from Sat-sat-sak-sis, the king's son. * The man who performed the ceremony of burn- ing on this occasion, was a very singular charac- ter, named Kinneclimmets, He was held in high estimation.by the king, though only of the com- mon class, probably from his talent for mimicry and buffoonry, and might be considered as a kind of king's jester, or rather as combining in his per- son the character of a buffoon with that of master of ceremonies, and public orator to his majesty, as he was the one who at feasts always regulated the place of the guests, delivered speeches on re- ceiving or returning visits, besides amusing the company at all their entertainments, with a variety of monkey pranks and antic gestures, which ap- peared to these savages the height of wit and hu- mour, but would be considered as extremely low by the least polished people. Almost all the kings or head chiefs of the pnncipal tribes, were accom- panied by a similar character, who appeared to be jewitt's narrative. 113 attached to their dignity, and are called in their language, Climmer-habbee, This man, Kinneclimmets^ was particularly odious to Thompson, who would never join in the laugh at his tricks, but when he began, would al- most always quit the house with a very surly look, and an exclamation of, cursed fool ! which Maqui- na, who thought nodiing could equal the cleverness of his Climmer-habbee., used to remark with much dissatisfaction, asking me why Thompson never laughed, observing that I must have had a very good tempered woman indeed for my mother, as my father was so very ill-natured a man. Among those performances that gained him the greatest applause, was his talent of eating to excess, for I have known him devour at one meal, no less than seventy-five large herring, and at another time when a great feast was given by Maquina, he un- dertook, after drinking three pints of oil by way of whet, to eat four dried salmon, and five quarts of spawn, mixed up with a gallon of train oil, and actually succeeded in swallowing the greater part of this mess, until his stomach became so over- loaded, as to discharge its contents in the dish. One of his exhibitions, however, had nearly cost him his Hfe, this was on occasion of Kla-quak" ee-na, one of the chiefs, having bought him a new wife, in celebration of which he ran three times through a large fire, and burned himself in such a manner, that he was not able to stir for more than four weeks. These feats of savage skill were much praised by Maquina, who never failed to make him a present, of cloth, muskets, &c. on such occasions. The death of Tootoosch increased still more the disquietude which his delirium had excited ^ fW . \:^'A' .y,C 114 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. among the savages, and all those chiefs who had killed our men became much alarmed, lest they should be seized with the same disorder and die like him; more particularly, as I had told Maquina, that I believed his insanity was a punishment in- flicted on him by Q^uaJwotze^ for his cruelty in murdering two innocent men, who had never in- jured him. Our situation had now become unpleasant ir; the extreme. The summer was so far advanced, that we nearly despaired of a ship arriving to our relief, and with that expectation, almost relinquished the hope of ever having it in our power to quit this savage land. We were treated too with less in- dulgence than before, both Thompson and myself being obliged, in addition to our other employ- ments, to perform the laborious task of cutting and collecting fuel, which we had to bring on our shoulders from nearly three miles distant, as it consisted wholly of dry trees, all of which near the village, had been consumed. To add to this, we suffered much abuse from the common people, who, when Maquina or some of the chiefs were not present, would insult us, calling us wretched slaves, asking us where was our Tyee or captain, making gestures signifying that his head had been cut off, and that they would do the like to us; though they generally took good care at such times to keep well out of Thompson's reach, as they had more than once experienced to their cost the strength of his fist. This conduct was not only provoking and grating to our feelings in the highest degree, but it convinced us of the ill disposition of these savages towards us, and rendered us fear- ful lest they might at some time or other persuade or force Maquina and the chiefs, to put us to death. !,c 1C\ Vv^ f^ - » l^ t. * »> ■. a. jewitt's narrative. 115 We were also often brought to great distress for the want of provision, so far as to be reduced to collect a scanty supply of muscles and limpets from the rocks, and sometimes even compelled to part with some of our most necessary articles of clothing, in order to purchase food for our sub- sistence. This was, however, principally owing to the inhabitants themselves experiencing a great scarcity of provisions this season there having been, in the first place, but va > few salmon caught at Friendly Cove, a most unusual cir- , cumstance, as they generally abound there in the spring, which was by the natives attributed to their ' having been driven away by the blood of our men, who had been thrown into the sea, which with true savage inconsistency, excited their murmers against 'Maquina. who had proposed cutting off our ship. Relying on this supply, they had in the most inconsiderate manner squandered away their winter stock of provisions, so that in a few days after their return, it was entirely expend- ed. Nor were the king and chiefs much more fortunate in their whaling, even after I had furnish- ed Maquina with the improved weapon for that purpose; but four whales having been taken during the season, which closes the last of May, including one that had been struck by Maquina and escaped, and was afterwards driven on shore about six miles from Nootka, in almost a state of putridity. These afforded but a short supply, to a popula- tion, including all ages and sexes, of no less than fifteen hundred persons, and of a character so very improvident, that after feasting most gluttonously whenever a whale was caught, they were several times for a week together, reduced to the nocossi- ty of eating but once a day, and of collecting 116 jewitt's narrative. cockles and muscles from the rocks for their food. And even after the cod and halibut fishing com- menced in June, in which they met with tolerable success, such was the savage caprice of Maquina that he would often give us but little to eat, finally ordering us to buy a canoe and fishing implements, and go out ourselves and fish, or we should have nothing. To do this, we were compelled to part with our great coats, which were not only impor- tant to us as garments, but of which we made our beds, spreading them under us when we slept. From our want of skill, however, in this new em- ploy, we met with no success, on discovering which, Maquina ordered us to remain at home. Another thing, which to me in particular, proved an almost constant source of vexation and disgust, and which living among them had not in the least reconciled me to, was their extreme filthiness, not only in eating fish, especially the whale, when in a state of offensive putridity, but while at their meals of making a practice of taking the vermin from their heads or clothes, and eating them, by turns thrusting their fingers into their hair, and into the dish, and spreading their garments over the tubs in which the provision was cook- ing, in order to set in motion their inhabitants. Fortunately for Thompson, he regarded this much less than myself, and when I used to point out to him any instances of their filthiness in this respect, he would laugh and reply. Never mind John, the more good things the better. I must however do Maquina the justice to state, that he was much neater both in his person and eating than were the others, as was likewise his queen, owing no doubt to his intercouse with foreigners, which had given him ideas of cleanliness, for I never saw eitlier of irjrrT»r iSksaaKaaKtEanaM jewitt's narrative. 117 them eat any of these animals, but on the contrary they appeared not much to reHsh this taste in others. Their garments, also, were much clean- er, Maquina having been accustomed to give his away when they became soiled, till after he dis- covered that Thompson and myself kept ours clean by washing them, when he used to make Thomp- son do the same for him. Yet amidst this state of endurance and disap- pointment, in hearing repeatedly of the arrival of ships at the north and south, most of which proved to be idle reports, wiiile expectation was almost wearied out in looking for them, we did not wholly despond, relying on the mercy of the Supreme Being, to offer up to whom our devotions on the days appointed for his worship, was our chief con- solation and support, though we were sometimes , obliged by our task-masters to infringe upon the Sabbath, which was to me a source of much re- gret. We were nevertheless, treated at times, with much kindness by Maquina, who would give us a plenty of the best that he had to eat, and occa- sionally, some small present of cloth for a garment, promising me, that if any ship should arrive within a hundred miles of Nootka, he would send a canoe with a letter from me to the captain, so that he I might come to our release. These flattering prom- ises and marks of attention were however, at those times, when he thought himself in personal danger from a mutinous spirit, which the scarcity of pro- vision had excited among the natives, who, like true savages, imputed all their public calamities, of whatever kind, to the misconduct of their chief, or when he was apprehensive of an attack from gome of the other tribes who were irritated with him • --(' \ 118 jewitt's narrative. for cutting off the Boston, as it had prevented ships from coming to trade with them, and who were constantly alarming him with idle stories of vessels that were preparing to come agamst him, and ex- terminate both him and his people the Cayuquets. At such times, he made us keep guard over him both night and day, armed with cutlasses and pis- tols, being apparently afraid to trust any of his own men. At one time, it was a general revolt of his people that he apprehended — then three of his principal chiefs, among whom was his elder broth- er, had conspired to take away his life, and at length he fancied that a small party of Klaooquates, between whom and the Nootkians, httle friendship subsisted, had come to Nootka, under a pretence of trade, for the sole purpose of murdering him and his family, telling us, probably to sharpen our vigi- lance, that their intention was to kill us likewise; and so strongly were his fears excited on this oc- casion, that he not only ordered us to keep near him armed by day, whenever he went out, and to patrole at night before his house while they remain- ed, but to continue the same guard for three days after they were gone, and to fire at one and at foui^ in the morning, one of the great guns, to let them know, if, as he suspected, they were lurking in the neighbourhood, that he v/as on his guard. While he was thus favourably disposed towards us, I took an opportunity to inform him of the ill treatment that we frequently received from his people, and the insults that were offered us by some of the stranger tribes in calling us white slaves, and load- ing us with other opprobrious terms. He was much displeased, and said that his subjects should not be allowed to treat us ill, and that if any of the strangers did it, he wishod us to punish th« offand- JRIVITT's NARttATIYE. 119 em with death, at the ?ame time directing; us for oui security, to go constantly armed. This per- mission was soon improved by Thompson to the best advantage ; for a few days after, havini]; cione to the pond to wash some of our clothos, ami blanket for Maquina, several Wickinninish who were then at Nootka, came diither, and seeing him washing the clothes, and the blanket spread upon ijie grass to dry, they began according to custom to insult him, and one of them bolder than the other?, walked over the blanket. Thompson was highly incensed, and threatened the Indian with death if he repeated the offence, but he, in contem})t of the threat, trampled upon the blanket, when drawing his cutlass, without farther ceremony, Tliompson cut off his head, on seeing which the others ran Tliompson killing the laiiuk off at full speed; Thompson then gathering up the clothes and blanket on which were the marks of the Indian^s dirty feet, and taking with him the head, returned and informed the king of what had pass- ed, who was much pleased, and highly commend- .^' " ■■ *" 120 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. V ed his conduct. This had a favourable effect for us, not only on the stranger tribes, but the inhabi- tants themselves, who treated us afterwards with less disrespect. In the latter part of July, Maquina informed me that he was going to war with the A-y-charts^ a tribe living at about fifty miles to the south, on ac- count of some controversy that had arisen the pre- ceding summer, and that I must make a number of daggers for his men, and cheetoolths for hisb chiefs, which having completed, he wished me to make for his own use a weapon of quite a different form, in order to dispatch his enemy by one blow on the head, it being the calculation of these na- tions on going to war, to surprize their adversaries while asleep. This was a steel dagger, or more properly a spike, of about six inches long made very sharp, set at right angles in an iron handle ot fifteen inches long, terminating at the lower end in a crook or turn, so as to preveit its being wrench- ed from the hand, and at the upper, in a round knob or head, from whence the spike protruded. This instrument I polished highly, and the more to please Maquina, formed on the back of the knob, the resemblance of a man's head, with the mouth open, substituting for eyes, black beads, which I fastened in with red sealing wax. This pleased him much, and was greatly admired by his chiefs, who wanted me to make similar ones for them, but Maquina would not suffer it, reserving for himself alone this weapon. When these people have finally determined on war, they make it an invariable practice for jthrec or four weeks prior to the expedition, to go into the water five or six times a day, where they wash and scrub themselves from head to foot with bush JEWITT'S NARRATIVE. 1^1 es intermixed with briars, so that their bodies and faces will often be entirely covered with blood. During this severe exercise, they are continually exclaiming, '^IVocash Quahootze^ Teechamme ah weltli^ icik-etisli tau-ilth — Kar-sab-matemas — Wik-sish to hauk matemas — / yn-ish kah-shittle — Jls-smoolish wnrich matemas — Which signifies. Good, or great God, let me live — Not be sick — Find the enemy — Not fear him — Find him asleep, and kill a great many of him. During the whole of this period they have no intercourse with their women, and for a week, at least, before setting out, abstain from feasting or any kind of merriment, appearing thougluful, gloomy, and morose, and for the three last days, are almost constantly in the water, both day and night, scrubbing and lacera- ting themselves in a terrible manner. Maquina naving informed Thompson and myself that he should take us with him, was very solicitous that we should bathe and scrub ourselves in the same way with them, telling me that it would harden our skins so that the weapons of the enemy would not pierce them, but as we felt no great inclination to amuse ourselves in this manner, we declined it. y The expedition consisted of forty canoes, carr}'- ing from ten to twenty men each. Thompson and myself armed ourselves with cutlasses and pistols, but the natives, although they had a plenty of European arms, took with them only their daggers and cheetoolths, with a few bows and arrows, the latter being about a yard in length, and pointed with copper, muscle shell, or bone: the bows are four feet and a half long, with strings -made of whale sinew. To go to A-y-chart, we ascended from twenty to thirty miles, a river about the size of that of 11 i' I; \22 jewitt's narrative. Tashees, the banks of which are h'y^h and covered with wood. At midnight, we came in sight of the village, which was situated on the west hank near the shore on a si .cp hill difficult of access, and well calculated for defence. It consisted of fifteen or sixteen houses, smaller than those at Nootka, and built in the same style, but compactly placed. By Maquina's directions, the attack was deferred until the first appearance of dawn, as he said that was the time when men slept the soundest. At length all being ready for the attack, w^e landed with the greatest silence, and going around so as to come upon the foe in the rear, clambered up the hill, and wdiild the natives, as is their cus- tom, entered the several huts, creeping on all fours, my comrade and myself stationed ourselves without, to intercept those who should attempt to escape, or come to the aid of their friends. I wished if possible, not to stain my hands in the blood of any fellow creature, and though Thomp- son would gladly have put to death all the savages in the country, he was too brave to think of attack- ing a sleeping enemy. Having entered the houses, en the war-w^hoop being given by Maquina, as he seized the head of the chief, and gave liim the fatal blow, all proceeded to the work of death. The A-y-charts being thus surprised, were unable to make resistance, and with the exception of a very few, who were so fortunate as to make their escape, were all killed or taken prisoners on condition of becoming slaves to their captors. I also had the good fortune to take four captives, whom Maqui- na, as a favor, permitted me to consider as mine, and occasionally employ them in fishing for me, as for Thompson, who thristed for revenge, he had no wish to take any prisoners, but witli his eutlass, jewitt's narrative. 123 the only weapon he would employ against them, succeeded in killing seven stout fellows who came to attack him, an act which obtained him great credit with Maquina and the chiefs, who after this, held him in much higher estimation, and gave him the appellation of Cliehiel-suma-har, it being the naAie of a very celebrated warrior of their nation in ancient times, whose exploits were the constant theme of their praise. Thompson slaying the Natives. After having put to death all the old and infirm of either sex, as is the barbarous practice of these people, and destroyed the buildings, we re-embark- ed with our booty in our canoes, for Nootka, where we were received with great demonstrations of joy by the women and children, accompany- ing our war-song with a most furious drumming on the houses. The next day a great feast was given by Maquina, in celebration of his victory, which was terminated as usual with a dance by Sat-sat- sak-sis. Repeated applications had been made to Maqui- na, by a number of kings or chiefs, to |>urchase 124 jewitt's narrative. . t . !i' me, especially after he had showed them the har- poon I had made for him, which he took much pride in, but he constantly refused to part with me on any terms. — Among these, the king of the Wickinninish was particularly solicitous to obtain me, having twice applied to Muqiiina for that pur- pose, once in a very formal manner, by s(3nding his messenger with four canoes, who, as he ap- proached the shore, decorated in their highest style, with the white down on his head, &c. declared that he came to buy Tooteyoohannis, the name by which I v/as known to them, for his master, and that he had brought for that purpose four young male slaves, two highly ornamented canoes, such a number of skins of the metamelth, and of the quartlack^ or sea-otter, and so many fathoms of cloth and of I-wliaw, while as he mentioned the different articles, they were pointed out or held up by his attendants, but even this tempting offer had no influence on Maquiua; who in the latter part of the summer, was again very strongly urged to sell mo by Ulatilla, or as he is generally called, Ma- c)ee Ulatilla, chief of the Klaizzarts, who had come to Nootka on a visit. This chief, who could speak tolerable English, had much more the appearance of a civilized man, than any of the savages that I saw. He appeared to be about thirty, w^as rather small in his person, but extremely well formed, with a skin almost as fair as that of an European, good features, and a countenance expressive of candour and amiable- ness, and which was almost always brightened with a smile. He was much neater both in his dress and person than any of the other chiefs, seldom wearing jxiint, except upon his eye-brows, which after the custom of his coimtry, were plucked out, jewitt's narrative. 125 and a few strips of the pelpeltli on the lower part of his face. He always treated me with much kind- ness, was fond of conversing witli me in English and in his own language, asking mo many questions rela- tive to my country, its manners, customs, &c. and appeared to take a strong interest in my fate, tell- ing me, that if he could persuade Maquina to ])art with me, he would put me on hoard the first ship that came to his country; a promise, which from his suhsequent conduct, I have good reason to think he would have performed, as my deliver- ance, at length, from captivity and suflering was, under the favour of divine providence, wholly ow- ing to him, the only letter that ever reached an European or American vessel, out of sixteen that I wrote at different times, and sent to various parts of the coast, having been delivered by him in per- son. So much pleased was I with this man's be- haviour to me while at Nootka, that I made for him a Cheetoolth, which I burnished highly, and engraved with figures; with this he was greatly de- lighted; I also should have made for him a harpoon would Maquina have consented. With hearts full of dejection and almost lost to hope, no ship having appeared off Nootka this sea- son, did my companion and myself accompany the tribe on their removal in September to Tashees, relinquishing in consequence, for six months, even the remotest expectation of relief. Soon after our establishment there, Maquina in- formed me, that he and his chiefs had held council both, before and after quitting Nootka, in which they had determined that I must marry one of their women, urging as a reason to induce me to con- sent, that as there was now no probability of a ship Mming to Nootka to reloase me, that I mast goq- 126 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. sider myself as destined to pass the remainder of my life with them, that the sooner I conformed to their customs the better, and that a wife and family would render me more contented and satisfied with their mode of living. I remonstrated against this decision, but to no purpose, for he told me that should I refuse, both Thompson and myself would be put to death, telling me however, that if there were none of the w^omen of his tribe that pleased me, he would go with me to some of the other tribes, where he would purchase for me such an one as I should select. Reduced to this sad ex- tremity, with death on the one side, and matri- mony on the other, I thought proper to choose what appeared to me the least of the two evils, and consent to be married, on condition, that as I did not fancy any of the Nootka women, I should be permitted to make choice of one from some other tribe. This being setded, the next morning by day -light Maquina with about fifty men in two canoes, set out with me- for A-i-tiz-zart, taking w-ith him a quantity of cloth, a number of muskets, sea-otter skins, &c. for the purchase of my bride. With the aid of our paddles and sails, being favoured with a fair breeze, we arrived some time before sun set at the village. Our arrival excited a gen- eral alarm, and the men hastened to the shore, armed with the weapons of their country, making many warlike demonstrations, and displaying much zeal and activity. We in the mean time remained quietly seated in our canoes, where we remained for about half an hour, when the messenger of the chief, dressed in their best manner, came to wel- come us, and invite us on shore to eat. We fol- lov^ed him In procession to the chief's house, Ma- jewitt's narrative. 127 quina at our head, taking care to leave a sufficient number in the boats to protect the property. When we came to the house, we were ushered in with much ceremony, and our respective seats pointed out to us, mine being next to Maquina by his request. After having been regaled with a feast of herring spawn and oil, Maquina asked me if I saw any among the women who were present that I liked. I immediately pointed out to him a young girl of about seventeen, the daughter of Upquesta^ the chief, who was sitthig near him by her mother. On this Maquina making a sign to his men, arose and taking me by the hand, walked into the mid- dle of the room, and sent off two of his men to bring the boxes containing the presents from the canoes. In the mean time Kinneclimmets, the master of ceremonies, whom I have already spo- ken of, made himself ready for the part he was to act, by powdering his hair with the whi4:e down. — When the chests w^ere brought in, specimens of the several articles were taken out, and showed by our men, one of whom held up a musket, another a skin, a third a piece of cloth, &c. On this Kinneclimmets stepped forward, and addressing the chief, informed him that all these belonged to me, mentioning the number of each kind, and that they were offered him for the purchase of his daughter Eu-stoch-ee-exqua, as a wife for me. As he said this, the men who held up the various articles, walked up to the chief, and with a very stern and morose look, the complimentary one on these occasions, threw them at his feet. Imme- diately on which, all the tribe, both men and wo- men, who were assembled on this occasion, set up a cry of Klack-ko-Tyee, that is. Thank ye .•» "tut 128 JEW1TT*S NARKATIYE. \ chief. His men, after this ceremony, havuig re- turned to their places, Maquina rose, and in a speech of more than half an hour, said much in my praise to the A-i-tiz-zart chief, telling him that I was as good a man as themselves, differing from them only in being white, that I was besides ac- quainted with many things of which they were ig- norant; that I knew how to make daggers, chee- toolths, and harpoons, and was a very valuable person, whom he was determined to keep always with him; praising me at the same time for the goodness of my temper, and the manner in which I had conducted since I had been with them, ob- serving that all the people of Nootka, and even the children loved me. While Maquina was speaking, his master of cer- emonies was continually skipping about, making the most extravagant gestures and exclaiming Wo- cash. When he had ceased, the A-i-tiz-zart chief arose amidst the acclamations of his people, and began with setting forth the many good qualities and accomplishments of his daughter; that he loved her greatly, and as she was his only one, he could not think of parting with her. He spoke in this manner for some time, but finally concluded by consenting to the proposed union, requesting that she might be well used and kindly treated by her husband. At the close of this speech, when the chief began to manifest a disposition to consent to our uiiion, Kinneclimmets again began to call out as loud as he could bawl, Wocash, cutting a thousand capers and spinning himself around on his heel like a top. When Upquesta had finished his speech, he di- rected his people to carry back the presents which Maquina had given him, to me, together with two jewitt's narrative. 129 young male slaves to assist me in fishing. These, after having been placed before me, were by Maquina's men taken on board the canoes. This ceremony being over, we were invited by one of the principal chiefs to a feast, at his house, of Klussamit^ or dried herring, where after the eat- ing was over, Kinneclimmets amused the company very highly with his tricks, and the evening's en- tertainment was closed by a new war-^ong from our men, and one in return from the A-i-tiz-zarts, accompanied with expressive gestures, and wield- ing of their weapons. After this, our company returned to lodge at Upquesta's, except a few who were left on board the canoes to watch the property. In the morn- ing I received from the chief his daughter, with an earnest request that I would use her well, which I promised him, when taking leave of her parents, she accompanied me with apparent satisfaction on board of the canoe. The wind being ahead, the natives were obliged to have recourse to their paddles, accompanying them with their songs, interspersed with the witti- cisms and bufibnry of Kinneclimmets, who, in his capacity of king's steersman, one of his functions which I forgot to enumerate, not only guided the course of the canoe, but regulated the singing of tlie boatmen. At about five in the morning, we reached Tashees, where we found all the inhabi- iants collected on the shore to receive us. We were welcomed with loud shouts of joy, and ex- clamations of Wocash, and the women taking my bride under their charge, conducted her to Ma- quina's house, to be kept with them for ten days; it being an universal custom as Maquina informed me, that no intercourse should take place belvveen 130 jewitt's narrative. the new married pair during that period. At night Maquiiia gave a great feast, which was suc- ceeded by a dance, in which all the women joined, and thus ended the festivities of my mariinge. The term of my restriction over, Miiquina as- signed me as an apartment, the space in the rpper pai't of his house, between him and his elder broth- er, whose room was opposite. Here I eistalJished myself with my family, consisting of myself and wife, Thompson and the little Sat-sat-suk-sis, who had always been strongly attached to me, and now sohcited his father to let him hve with me, to which he consented. This boy was handsome, ex- tremely well formed, amiable, and of a pleasant, sprightly disposition. I used to take a pleasure in decorating him with rings, bracelets, ear jewels, &c. which I made for him of copper, and orna- mented and polished them in my best manner. I was also very careful to keep him free from vermin of every kind, washing him and combing his hair every day. These marks of attention were not oiily very pleasing to the child, who delighted in being kept neat and clean, as well as in being dress- ed ofF in his finery, but was highly gratifying both to Maquina and his queen, who used to express much satisfaction at my care of him. In making my domestic establishment, I deter- mined, as far as possible, to live in a more com- fortable and cleanly manner than the others. For this purpose, I erected with planks, a partition of about three feet high, between mine and the ad- joining rooms, and made three bedsteads of the same, which I covered with boards, for my family to sleep on, which I found much mo-e comforta- ble than sleeping on the floor amidst the dirt. Fortunately I found my Indian princess both >* jewitt's narrative. 131 amiable and intelligent, for one whose limited sphere of observation must necessarily give rise to but a few ideas. She was extremely ready to agree to any thing that I j)roposed relative to our mode of living, was very attentive in keeping her garments and person neat and clean, and aj)[)eared in every respect, solicitous to please me. She was, as I have said, about seventeen; lier person was small, but well formed, as were her I'entures, her complexion was, without exce})ti()n, fairer than any of the women, with considerable colour m her clieeks, her hair long, black, and much sof- ter than is usual with them, and her teeth small, even, and of a dazzling whiteness, while the ex- pression of her countenance, indicated sweetness of temper and modesty. She would, indeed, have been considered as very pretty in any country, and excepting Maquina's queen, was by far tlie hand- somest of any of their women. With a partner possessing so many attractions, many may be apt to conclude, that I must have found myself happy, at least comparadvely so; but far otherwise was it with me, a compulsoiy marri- age with the most beautiful and accomplished per- son in the world, can never prove a source of real happiness, and in my situation, I could not but view this connection as a chain that was to bind me down to this savage land, and prevent my ever again seeing a civilized country; especially, when in a few days after, Maquina informed me that there had been a meeting of his chiefs in which it was determined, that as I had married one of their women, I must be considered as one of them, and conform to their customs, and that in future, nei- ther myself nor Thompson should wear our Euro- pean clothes, but dress ui Kutsaks like themselves. ; 132 jewitt's narrative. This order was to me most painful, but 1 persuad- ed Maquina, at length, so far to relax in it as to permit me to wear those I had at present, which were almost worn out, and not to compel Thomp- son to change his dress, observing, that as he was an old man, such a change would cause his death. Their religious celebration, which the last year, took place in December, was in this, commenced on the 1 5th of November, and continued for four- teen days. As I was now considered as one of them, instead of being ordered to the woods, Ma- quina directed Thompson and myself to remain, and pray with them to Quahootze to be good to them, and thank him for what he had done. It was opened in much the same manner as the for- mer. After which,\all the men and women in the village assembled at JNIaquina's house, in their plainest dresses, and without any kind of ornaments about them, having their heads bound around with the red fillet, a token of dejection and humiliation, and tlieir countenances expressive of seriousness and melancholy. The performances during the continuance of this celebration, consisted almost wholly in singing a number of songs to mournful airs, the king regulating the time by beating on his hollow plank or drum, accompanied by one of his chiefs, seated near him with the great rattle. In the mean time, they eat but seldom, and then very little, retiring to sleep late, and rising at the first appearance of dawn, and even interrupting this short period of repose, by getting up at midnight and singing. It was terminated by an exhibition of a similar character to the one of the last year, but still more cruel. A boy of twelve years old, with six bayonets run into his flesh, one through each arm and thigh, and through each sidt; close to h>^^\x.ii- 6 -■ \b\xj\.\ih^i'^. jewitt's narrative. 133 the ribs, was carried around the room, suspended upon them, without manifesting any symptoms of pain. Maquina, on my enquiring the reason of this display, informed me that it was an ancient custom of his nation, to sacrifice a man at the close . of this solemnity in honour of their God, but that ' his father had abolished it, and substituted this in its i)lace. The whole closed (on the evening of Ci^ ^t'VN- the 29th^with a great feast of salmon spawn and ^j oil, at \vnich the natives as usual/ made up for ^ their late abstinence./ A few days after a circumstance occurred, which, from its singularity, I cannot forbear men- 'tioning. I was sent for \yj my neighbour Yealth- I lower^ the king's elder brother, to file his teeth, which operation having performed, he informed me that a new wife, whom he had a little time be- fore purchased, having refused to sleep w^ith him, it was his intention, provided she persisted in her refusal, to bite off her nose. I endeavoured to dissuade him from it, but he was determined, and in fact, performed his savage threat that very night, saying that since she would not be his wife, she should not be that of any other, and in the morning sent her back to her father. This inhuman act did not, however, proceed from any innate cruelty of disposition, or mahce, as he was far from being of a barbarous temper; but such is the despotism exercised by these sa- \ vages over their women, that he no doubt consid- \ ered it as a just punishment for her ofl!ence, in be- \ ing so obstinate and perverse; as he afterwards told I me, that in similar cases, the husband had a right, j with them, to disfigure his wife in this way, or [ some other, to prevent her ever marrying again. Abs'^tthe middle of December, we left Tash- ■ 7 12 134 jewitt's narrative. I li \ ! >' ■ ees for Cooptee. As usual at this season, we found the herring in great plenty, and here the same scene of riotous feasting as I witnessed the last year, was renewed by our improvident natives, who, in addition to their usual fare, had a plenti- ful supply ofwild geese, which were brought us in great quantities by the Esquates. These, as Ma- quina informed me, were caught with nets made from bark, in the fresh waters of that country. Those who take them, make choice for that pur- pose, of a dark and rainy night, and with their ca- noes stuck with lighted torches, proceed with as little noise as possible, to the place where the geese are collected, who, dazzled by the light, suffer themselves to be approached very near, when the net is thrown over them, and in this manner, from fifty to sixty, or even more, will sometimes be taken at one cast. On the 15th of January, 1805, about midnight, I was thrown into considerable alarm, in conse- quence of an eclipse of the moon, being awakened from my sleep by a great outcry of the inhabitants. On going to discover the cause of this tumult, I found them all out of their liouses, bearing lighted torches, singing and beating upon pieces of plank; and when I asked them the reason of this proceed- ing, they pointed :o the moon, and said that a great cod-fish was endeavouring to swallow her, and that they were driving him away. The ori- gin of this superstition I could not discover. Though in some respects, my situation was ren- dered more comfortable since my marriage, as I lived in a more cleanly manner, and had my food better and more neatly cooked, of which, besides, I had always a plenty, my slaves generally furnish- ing me, and Upquesta never failing to send me an jewitt's narrative. 135 ample supply by the canoes that came from A-i-tiz- zart; still, from my being obliged at this season of the year, to change my accustomed clothing, and to dress like the natives, with only a piece of cloth of about two yards long, thrown loosely around me, my European clothes having been for some time entirely worn out, I suffered more than I can ex- press from the cold, especially as I was compelled to perform the laborious task of cutting and bring- ing the fire wood, which was rendered still more oppressive to me, from my comrade for a consi- derable part of the winter, not having it in his i power to lend me his aid, in consequence of an v attack of the rheumatism in one of his knees, with \ which he suffered for more than four mondis, two \ or three weeks of which he was so ill as to be un- i able to leave the house. This state of suffering, with the little hope I now had of ever escaping from the savages, began to render my life irksome to me, still, however, I lost not my confidence in the aid of the Supreme Being, to whom, whenever the weather and a suspension from the tasks im- posed on me, would permit, I never failed regu- larly, on Sundays, to retire to the woods to wor- ship, taking Thompson with me when he was able to go. On the 20th of February, we returned to our summer quarters at Nootka, but on my part, with far different sensations than the last spring, being now almost in despair of any vessel arriving to re- lease liS, or our being permitted to depart if there should. — Soon after our return, as preparatory to the whaling season, Maquina ordered me to nake a good number of harpoons for himself and his chiefs, several of which I had completed with 8ome lanoes, when on the 16th of March, I was 136 jewitt's narrative. i taken very ill with a violent cholic, caused, I pre- sume, from my having suffered so much from the cold in going without proper clothing. For a number of hours I was in great pain, and expected to die, and on its leaving me, I was so weak as scarcely to be able to stand, while I had nothing comforting to take, nor any thing to drink but cold water. On the day following, a slave belonging to Maquina died, and was immediately, as is their custom in such cases, tossed unceremoniously out of doors, from whence he was taken by some others, and thrown into the water. The treatment of this poor creature made a melancholy impression up« :i my mind, as I could not but think, that such pro- bably, would be my fate should I die among these heathen, and so far from receiving a decent burial, that I should not even be allowed the comm.on privi- lege of having a little earth thrown over my remains. The feebleness in which the violent attack of my disorder had left me, the dejection I felt at the almost hopelessness of my situation, and the want of warm clothing and proper nursing, though my Indian wife, as far as she knew how, was ahvays ready, and even solicitous, to do every thing for me she could, still kept me very much indisposed, which Maquina perceiving, he finally told me, that if I did not like living with my wife, and that was the cause of my being so sad, I might part with her. This proposal I readily accepted, and the next day Maquina sent her back to her father. On parting with me, she discovered much emotion, begging me that I would suffer her to remain till I had recovered, as there was no one who wouVl take so good care of me as hei'self. But wLen I told her she must go, for that I did not tbi^k I should ever recover, which in truth I but little JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 137 I expected, and that her father would take good care of her, and treat her much more kindly than Maquina, she took an aflcctioMate leave, telling me that she hoped I should soon get better, and left her two slaves to take care of me. Though I rejoiced at her departure, I was greatly afi'ected with die simple ex])ressions of her regard for me, and could not but feel strongly in- teiested for this poor girl, who in all her conduct towards me, had discovered so much mildness and attention to my wishes; and had it not been that I considered her as an almost insuperable obstacle to my being permitted to leave tlie country, I should no doubt have felt the depriv^ation of her society a real loss. After her departure, I request- ed Maquina, that, as I had parted with my wife, he would permit me .0 resume my European dress, for, otherwise, from not having been accustomed to dress like them, I should certainly die. To this he consented, and I once more became com- fortably clad. Change of clothing, but more than all, the hopes which I now began to indulge, that in the course of the summer I should be able to escape, in a short time restored me to health, so far, that I could again go to work in making harpoons for Maquina, who, probably, fearing that he should have to part with me, determined to provide him- self with a good stock. I shall not however, longer detain the reader with a detail of occurrences that intervened between this period, and that of my escape, which, from that dull uniformity that marks the savage life, would be in a measure, but repetitions, nor dwell upon that mental torture ^ endured, from a con- stant conflict of hope and fear, when the former, 12* 138 JEW1TT*S NARRATIVE. almost wearied out with repeated disappointment, offered to our sinking hearts no prospect of release, but death, to wliich we were constantly exj)osed from die brutal ignorance and savage disposition of the conmion people, who in the various coiiiir- cils that were held diis season to determine wlnit to do with us, in case of the arrival of a shij), w ere almost always for putting us to death, expecting by that means to conceal the murder of our crew, and to throw the blame of it on some other tribe. These ba l'^"rus sentiments, were, however, uni- formly oppc by Maquina and his chiefs, wlio would not consent to our being injured. But as some of their customs and traits of national char- acter, which I think deserving of notice, have not been mentioned, I shall proceed to give a brief account of them. The office of king or chief, is, with those peo- ple, hereditary, and descends to the eldest son, or in failure of male issue, to the elder brother, \\ ho in the regular line, is considered as the second person in the kingdom. At feasts, as I have ob- served, the king is always placed in the higliest, or seat of honour, and die chiefs according to thoir respective ranks, which appear, in general, to be determined by their affinity to the royal family; ihey are also designated by the embellishments of their mantles, or Kutsaks. The king or head Tyee, is their leader in war, in the management of which he is perfectly absolute. He is also president of their councils, which are almost always regulated by his opinion. But he has no kind of power over the property of his subjects, nor can he re- quire them to contribute to his* wants, being in this respect, no more privileged than any other person. He has in common with his chiefs, the JEWITT 8 NARRATIVE. 139 right of holding slaves, which is not enjoyed by private individuals, a regulation probably arising from their having been originally captives taken in battle, the spoils of war being understood as ap- pertaining to the king, who receives and apportions iheni among his several chiefs and warriors, ac- cording to their rank and deserts. In conformity with this idea, the plunder of tlie Boston, was all deposited in Maquina's iiouse, who distributed part of it among his chiefs, according to their respec- tive ranks or degree of favour with him, giving to one, three hundred mus!:ets, to another, one hundred and fifty, with other things in hke proportion. The king is, however, obliged to support his dig- nity by making frecpient entertainments; and when- ever he receives a large supply of provisions, he must invite all the men of his tribe to his house, to eat it up, otherwise, as Maquina told me, he would not be considered as conducting like a Tyee, and would be no more thought of than a com- mon man. With regnvd to their rehgion — They believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, whom they call Quahootze^ and who, to use Maquina's expression, was one great Tyee in the sky, who gave them their fish, and could take them from them, and was the greatest of all kings. Their usual place of wor- ship, appeared to be the water, for whenever they bathed, they addressed some words in form of prayer to God above, intr eating that he would preserve them in health, give them good success in fishing, &c. These prayers were repeated with much more energy, on preparing for whaling or for war, as I have already mentioned. Some of them would sometimes go several miles to bathe, in order to do it in secret; the reason for this I could never 140 jewitt's narrative. learn, though I am induced to think it was in conse- quence of some family or private quarrel, and that they did not wish what they said to he heard; while at other times, thoy would repair in the same secret manner to the woods, to pray. This was more particularly the case with the women, who might also have been prompted by a sentiment of decency, to retire for the purpose of bathing, as they are remarkably modest. I once found one of our women more than two miles from the vil- lage, on her knees in the woods, with her eyes shut, and her face turned towards heaven, utter- ing words in a lamentable tone, among which I distinctly heard, JVocash jih-ivelth, meaning good Lord, and which has nearly the same signification with Quahootze. Though I came very near her, she appeared not to notice me, but continued her de- votions; and I have frequently seen the women go alone into the woods, evidently for the purpose of addressing themselves to a superior being, and it was always very perceptible on their return, when they had thus been employed, from their silence and melancholy looks. They have no belief however, in a state of fu- ture existence, as I discovered in conversation with Maquina, at Tootoosch^s death, on my attempting to convince him, that he still existed, and that he would again see him after his death : but he could comprehend nothing of it, and pointing to the ground, said that there was the end of him, and that he was like that. Nor do they believe in ghosts, notwithstanding the case of Tootoosch would appear to contradict this assertion, but that was a remarkable instance, and such a one as had never been known to occur before; yet from the mummeries performed over the sick, it is very ap- jewitt's narrative. 141 fu. 'ith the ind in ch lat ad parent that they believe in the agency of spirits, as they attribute disease to some evil one that has en- tered the body of the patient. Neither have they any priests, unless a kind of conjuror may be so considered, who sings and prays over the sick, to drive away the evil spirit. On the birth of twins, they have a most singular custom, which, I presume, has its origin in some religious opinion, but what it is, I could never sat- isfactorily learn. The father is prohibited for the space of two years from eating any kind of meat, or fresh fish, during which time, he does no kind of labour whatever, being supplied with what he has occasion for from the tribe. In the mean time he and his wife, who is also obliged to^, con- form to the same abstinence, with their children, live entirely separate from the otliers, a small hut being built for their accommodation, and he is never invited to any of the feasts, except such as con- sist wholly of dried provision, where he is treated with great respect, and seated among the chiefs, though no more himself, than a private individual. Such births are very rare among them; an instance of the kind however occurred while I was at Tash- ees the last time, but it was the only one known since the reign of the former king. The father always appeared very thoughtful and gloomy, never associated with the other inhabitants, and w^as at none of the feasts but such as were entirely of dried provision, and of this, he eat not to excess, and constantly retired before the amusements com- menced. His dress was very plain, and he wore around his head the red fillet of bark, the symbol of mourning and devotion. It was his daily prac- tice to repair to the mountain, with a chief's rattle in his liand, to sing and pray, as Maqaina informed 142 jewitt's narrative. I me, for the fish to come into their waters. When not thus employed, he kept continually at home, except when sent for to sing and perform his cere- monies over the sick, being considered as a sacred character, and one much in favour with their gods. These people are remarkably healthful, and live to a very advanced age, having quite a youthful appearance for their years. They have scarcely any disease but the cholic, their remedy for which, is friction, a person rubbing the bowels of the sick violently, until the pain has subsided, while the conjuror or holy man, is employed, in the mean time, in making his gestures, singing, and repeating cert^n words, and blowing off the evil spirit, when the patient is wrapped up in a bear skin in order to produce perspiration. Their cure for the rheuma- tism, or similar pains, which I saw applied by Maqui- na, in the case of Thompson, to whom it gave re- lief, is by cutting or scarifying the part affected. In dressing wounds, they simply wash them with salt water, and bind them up with a strip of cloth, or the bark of a tree. They are, however, very expert and successful in the cure of fractured or dislocated limbs, reducing them very dexterously, and after binding them up with bark, supporting them with blocks of wood, so as to preserve their position. During the whole time I was among them, but five natural deaths occurred, Tootoosch and his two children, an infant son of Maquina, and the slave whom I have mentioned, a cirumstance not a little remarkable in a population of about fifteen hundred; and as respects child- birth, so light do they make of it, tiiat I have seen their women the day after, employed as usual, as if little or nothing had happened. JEWITT S NARRATIVE. 143 I The Nootkians in their conduct towards each other, are in general pacific and inoffensive, and appear by no means an ill tempered race, for I do not recollect any instance of a violent quarrel be- tween any of the men, or the men and their wives, while I was with them, that of Yealthlower ex- cepted. But when they are in the least offended, they appear to be in the most violent rage, acting like so many maniacs, foaming at the mouth, kick- ing and spitting most furiously; but this is rather a fashion with them, than a demonstration of malig- nity, as in their public speeches, they use the same violence, and he is esteemed the greatest orator, who bawls the loudest, stamps, tosses himself about, foams and spits the most. In speaking of their regulations, I have omitted mentioning, that on attaining the age of seventeen, the eldest son of a chief, is considered as a chief himself, and that whenever the father makes a pres- ent, it is always done in the name of his eldest son, or if he has none, in that of his daughter. The chiefs, frequently purchase their wives at the age of eight or ten, to prevent their being engaged by others, though they do not take them from their parents until they are sixteen. With regard to climate, the greater part of the spring, summer, and autumn, is very pleasant, the weather being at no time oppressively hot, and the winters uncommonly mild, for so high a lati tude, at least as far as my experience went. A. Tashees and Cooptee, where we passed the cold- est part of the season, the winter did not set in till late in December, nor have I ever known the ice, even on the fresh water ponds, more than two or three inches in thickness, or a snow exceeding four inches in depth; but what is wanting in snow, is am- jewitt's narrative. 11 I ' i ()ly made up in rain; as I have frequently known it during the winter months, rain almost incessantly or five or six days in succession. It was now past mid-summer, and the hopes we had indulged of our release, became daily more faint, for though we had heard of no less than seven vessels on the coast, yet none appeared inclined to venture to Nootka. The destruction of the Boston, the largest, strongest, and best equipped ship, with much the most valuable cargo of any that had ever been fitted out for the North- West trade, had inspir- ed the commanders of others with a general dread of coming thither; lest they should share the same fate; and though in the letter I wrote (imploring those who should receive them, to come to the relief of two unfortunate Christians who were suf- fering among heathen), I stated the cause of the Boston's capture, and that there was not the least danger in coming to Nootka, provided they would follow the directions I laid down; still I felt very little encouragement, that any of these Ltters would come to hand, whehfon the morning of the nine- teenth of July, a daylffat will be ever held by me in grateful remembrance/ of the mercies of God, while I was employed with Thompson in forging daggers for the king, my ears were saluted with the joyful sound of three cannon, and the cries of the inhabitants, exclaiming, Weena, weena — Mameth- lee — that is, strangers — white men/ Soon after, several of our people came running into the house, to inform me that a vessel under full sail was coming into the harbour. Though my heart bounded with joy, I repressed my feel ings, and affecting to pay no attention to what wa* said, told Thompson to be on his guard, and no betray any joy, as our release, and perhaps ot- JEWITT's NARRATITI* 146 lO ^_ Arrival of the brig Lydia, at Nootka Sound. lives, depended on our conducting ourselves so as to induce the natives to suppose we were not very anxious to leave them. We continued our work^ as if nothing had happened, when in a few minutes after, Maquina came in, and seeing us at work appeared much surprised, and asked me if I. did not know that a vessel had come. I answered in ! a careless manner, that it was nothing to me. » How, John^ said he, you no glad go board. I \ replied that I cared very little about it, as I had become reconciled to their manner of living, and had no wish to go aw^ay. He then told me, that he had called a council of his people respecting us, j ^ and that we must leave off work and ue present at it. / "^ The men having assembled at Maquina 's house, he asked them what was their opinion should be done with Thompson and myself now a vessel had arrived, and wheUier he had not better go on board himself, to make a trade, and procur* such articles as were wanted. Each one of tie tribe who wished, gave his opinion. Some were for putting us to death, and pretendiqg to the strangers, that 13 14C JEW1TT*S NARRATIVE. a difierent nation had cut off tlie Boston, while others, less barbarous, were for sending us fifteen or twenty miles back into the country until the de- parture of the vessel. These, however, were the sentiments of the common people, the cliiefs op- posing our being put to death, or injured, and several of them, among the most forward of whom were Yealthlower and the young chief, Tooxcin- nakinnish, were for immediately releasing us; but this, if he could avoid it, by no means appeared to accord with Maquina's wishes. Having mentioned Toowinnakinnish, I shall briefly observe, that he was a young man of about twenty- three years old, the only son of Toopees- hottee, the oldest and most respected chief of the tribe. His son had always been remarkably k'^d and friendly to me, and I had in return frequr ' made for him daggers, cheetoolths, and other thinj^s, in my best manner. He was one of the hand- somest men among them, very amiable, and much milder in his manners than any of the others, as well as neater both in his person and house, at least his apartment, without even excepting Ma- quina. With regard, however, to Maquina's going on board the vessel, which he discovered a strong in- clination to do, there was but one opinion, all re- monstrating against it, telling him that the captain would kill him or keep him a prisoner, in conse- quence of his having destroyed our ship. When Maquina had heard their opinions, he told them that he was not afraid of being hurt from going on board the vessel, but that he would, however, in that respect, be guided by John, whom he had always found true. He then turned to me, and asked me if I thought there would be any danger jewitt's narrative. 147 in his going on board. I answered, that I was not surprised at the advice his people had given him, unacquainted as they were with the manners of the white mon, and judging them by their own, but if they had been with them as much as I iiiid, or even himself, they would think very 'JiUcront. That he had almost always experienced good and civil treatment from them, nor had he any r(>iison to fear the contrary now, as they never attempted to harm those who did not injure them, and if he wished to go on board, he might do it, in my opinion, with security. — After reflecting a few moments, ho said, with much apparent satisfaction, that if I would write a letter to the captain, telling him good of him that hr had treated Thompson and myself kindly since we had been with him, and to use him well, he would go. It may readi- ly be supposed that I felt much joy at this deter- mination; but knowing that the least incaution might annihilate all my hopes of escape, I was careful not to manifest it, and to treat his going or staying as a matter perfectly indifferent to me. I told him that if he wished me to write such a letter, I had no objection, as it was the truth, otherwise I could not have done it. I then proceeded to write the recommendatory letter, which the reader will naturally imagine was of a somewhat difl?erent tenor from the one he had required; for if deception is in any case warranta- ble, it was certainly so in a situation like ours, where the only chance of regaining that freedom of which we had been so unjustly deprived, de- pended upon it; and I trust that few, even of the most rigid, will condemn me with severity for making use of it, on an occasion which afforded me the only hope of ever more beholding a Chris- 148 JEWITT*S NARRATIYB. tian country, and preserving myself, if not from death, at least from a life of continued suffering. The letter which I wrote, was nearly ui the fol- lowing terms : — To Captain \.iih^ (iV i Sir, of the Brig , Kootka^ July 19, 1805, THE bearer of this letter is the Indian king by the name of Maquina. He was the instigator of the capture»the ship Boston, of Boston in North \ America, John Salter captain, and of the murder of \ twenty-five men of her crew, the two only survivors \ being now on shore — Wherefore I hope you will ' take care to confine him according to his merits, putting in your dead lights, and keeping so good a watch over him, that he cannot escape from you. By so doing we shall be able to obtain our reltase in the course of a few hours. JOHN P. JEWITT, Armourer of the Boston, for himself and John Thompson, Sail-maker of said ship, I have been asked how I dared to write in this manner: my answer is, that from my long resi- dence among these people, I knew that I had little to apprehend from their anger on hearing of their king being confined, while they knew his life de- pended upon my release, and that they would soon- er have given up five hundred white men, than have had him injured. This will serve to explain c ( •v. tv A I * ' < jewitt's narrative 149 ■■r^ r \ the little apprehension I felt at their menaces after- wards, for otherwise, sweet as liberty \ ;i to me, I should hardly have ventured on so hazcudous an exp erniieiit. On my giving the letter to Maquina, he asked me to explain it to him. This I did line by line, as he })oiiited them out with his finger, but in a sense very diliercnt from the real, giving him to understand that I had written to the ca])tain, that as he had been kind to me since I had been taken by him, diat it was my w^ish that the captain should treat him accordingly, and give him what molass- es, biscuit, and rum he wanted. When I had finished, placing his finger in a significant manner on niy name at the bottom, and eyeing me with a look that seemed to read my inmost thoughts, he said to me, /" John, you no lie?" ^l^ever did I undergo suclf a scrutiny, or ever expeneiice great- er apprehensions than I felt at that moment, when my destiny was suspended on the slightest tliread, and the least mark of embarrassment on mine, or suspicion of treachery on his part, would probably have rendered my life the sacrifice. Fortunately I was able to preserve my composure, and my be- ing painted in the Indian manner, which Maquina had since my marriage, required of me, })revented any change in my countenance from being noticed, and I rephed with considerable promptitude, look- ing at him in my turn, with all the confidence I could muster, (3l^hy do you ask me such a ques- tion, Tyee.'' have you ever known nii* to lie.'^'* [^^T^o." '^' l^hsn how can you suppose I should tell you a ue now, since I have never done it." As I was speaking, he still continued looknig at me with the same piercing e} , but obser\ ing noth- ing to excite liis suspicion, he told me that he bo- 13* 150 jkwitt's narrative. i i lieved what I said was true, and that he would go on board, and gave orders to get ready his canoe. His chiefs again attempted to dissuade him, using every argument for tha: purpose, while his wives crowded around hmi, begging him on their knees, not to trust himself with the white men. Fortu- nately for my companion and myself, so strong was his wish of going on board the vessel, that he was deaf to their solicitations, and making no other re- ply to them, than, *' John no lie," left the house, taking four prime skins with him as a present to the captain. Scarcely had the canoe put off, when he order- ed his men to stop, and calling to me, asked me if I did not want to go on board with him. Sus- pecting this as a question merely intended to en- snare me, I replied that I had no wish to do it, not having any desire to leave them. On going on board the brig, Maquina immedi- ately gave his present of skins and my letter to the captain, who on reading it, asked him into the cabin, where he gave him some biscuit and a glass of rum, at the same time, privately directing his mate to go forward, and return with five or six of tl men armed. When they appeared, the cap- tain told Maquina that he was his prisoner, and should coD'cinue so, until the two men, whom h knew to bt; on shore, were released, at the same time ordering him to be put in irons, and the win- dows secured, which was instantly done, and a couple of men placed as a guard over him. Ma- quina was greatly surprised and terrified at this re- ception; he however, made no attempt to resist, but requested the captain to permit one of his men to come and see him. One of them was accord- ingly called, and Maquina said something to him JEWITT*8 NIRRATIVE. 151 v/hich the captain did not understand, but suppos- ed to be an order to release us, when the man re- turning to the canoe, it was paddled ofTwith the utmost expedition to the shore. As the canoe ap- proached, the inhabitants, who liad all collected upon the beach, manifested some uneasiness at not seeing their king on board, but when on its arrival, they were told that the captain had made him a prisoner, and that John had spoke bad about him in a letter, they all both men and women, set up a loud howl, and ran backwards and forwards upon the shore like so many lunatics, scratching their faces, and tearing the hair in handfuls from their heads. After they had beat about in this manner for some time, the men ran to their huts for their weapons, as if preparing to attack an invading enemy; while Maquina's wives and the rest of the women, came around me, and throwins; themselves on their knees, begged m^^ with tears to spare his life, and Sat-sat-sak-sis, sA\o kept constantly with me, taking me by the hand, wept 1 itterly, and j<^'in- ed his entreaties to theirs, that 1 would not let the white men kill his father. I told them not to af- flict themselves, that Maquina's life was in ro Gan- ger, nor would the least harm be done t^ him. The men were however, extremely exasperated with me, more particularly the common \v )ple, who came ruiming in the most furious ni aer to- wards me, brandishing their weapons, and threat- ening to cut me in pieces no bigger than tlveir thumb nails, while others declared they would burn me alive over a slow fire, suspended by my heels. All this fury, however, caused me but lit- tle alarm, as I felt convinced they would not dare to execute their threats while the king was on 152 jewitt's narrative. (- board the brig. The chiefs took no part in this violent conduct, but came to me and enquired the reason why Maquina had been thus treated, and if the captain intended to kill him. I told them that if they would silence the people, so tliat I could be heard, I would explain all to them. They immediately put a stop to the noise, when I in- formed them that the cup tain in confining Maquina, had done it of his own accord, and only in order to make them release Thompson and myself, as he well knew we were with them, and if they would do that, their king would receive no in- jury, but be well treated, otherwise he would be kept a prisoner. ! As many of them did not appear to be satisfied witn this, and began to repeat their murderous threats-^Kill me, said I to them; if it is your wish, throwing open the bear skin which I wore, here is my breast,' I am only one among so many, and can make no resistance, but unless you wish to see your king hanging by his neck to that pole, pointing to the yard arm of the brig, and the sailors firing at him with bullets, you will not do it. 7 no, was the general cry, that must never be; but what must we do? -I told them that their best plan would be, to send Thompson on board, to desire the captain to use Maquina well till T was re- leased, which would be soon. This they were perfectl} willing to do, and I directed Thompson to go on board. But he objected, saying that he would not leave me alone with the savap;es. I told him not to be under any fear for me, for that if I could get him off, I could manage well enough for myself, and that I wished him immediately on get- ting on board the brig, to see the captain, nr.d re- quest him to keep Maquina close till I wh^ '-eleas- ed, as I was in no danger while he had hnr, safe, f jewitt's narrative. 153 When I saw Thompson off, I asked the natives what they intended to do with me. Tliey said I must talk to the captain again, in another letter, and tell him to let his boat come on shore with Maquina, and that I should be ready to jump into the boat at the same time Maquina sliould jump on shore. I told them that the captain, who knew that they had killed my shipmates, would never trust his men so near the shore for fear they would kill them too, as they were so much more numer- ous; but that if they would select any three of tlieir number to go with me in a canoe, when we came within hail, I could desire the captain to send his boat with Maquina, to receive me in ex- change for him. This appeared to please them, and after some whispering among the chiefs, who from what words I overheard, concluded that if the captain should refuse to send his boat with Maquina, the three men would have no difficulty in bringing me back with them, they agreed to my proposd, and select- ed three of their stoutest men to convey me. Fortunately having been for some time accustom- ed to see me armed, and suspecting no design on my part, they paid no attention to the pistols that I had about me. As I was going into the canoe, little Sat-sat-sak- sis, who could not bear to part witli me, asked me, with an affecting simplicity, since I was going away to leave him, if the white men would not let his father come on shore, and not kill him. I told him not to be concerned, for that no tone should injure his father, when taking an affection- ate leave of me, and again begging me not to let the white men hurt his father, he ran to comfort < I 154 jewitt's narrative. n his mother, who was at a little distance, with the assurances I had given him. On entering the canoe, I seated myself in the prow facing the three men, having determined if it was practicable, from the moment I found Maqui- na was secured, to get on board the vessel before he was released, hoping by that means, to be ena- bled to obtain the restoration of what property be- longed to the Boston, still remaining in the pos- session of the savages, which I thought, if it could be done, a duty that I owed to the owners. With feehngs of joy impossible to be described, did I quit this savage shore, confident now that nothing could thwart my escape, or prevent the execution of the plan I had formed, as the men ap- pointed to convey and guard me, were armed with nothing but their paddles. As we came within hail of the brig, they at once ceased pad- dling, when presenting my pistols at them, I or- dered them instantly to go on, or I would shoot the whole o^ them. A proceeding so wholly un- expected, threw them into great consternation, and resuming their paddles, in a few moments, to my inexpressible delight, I once more found myself along side of a Christian ship, a happiness which I had almost despaired of ever again enjoying?] All the crew crowded to the side to see me as tlie ca- noe come up, and manifested much joy at my safety. I immediately leaped on board, where I was welcomed by the captain, Samuel Hill, of the brig Lydia of Boston, who congratulated me on my escape, informing me that he had received my letter off Kla-iz-zart, from the chief Mackee Ula- tilla, who came off himself in his canoe, to deliv- it to him, on which he immediately proceeded JBWITT*8 NARRATIVE. 155 the hither to aid me. I returned him mv thanks in the best manner I could for his humanity, though I hardly knew what I said, such was the agitated state of my feelings at that moment, with joy for my escape, thankfulness to the Supreme Being who had so mercifully preserved me, and ,y:ratitude to those whom he Lad rendered ir>L.trun)ental in my delivery, that I have no doubt, that what with my strange dress, being painted with red and black from head to foot, having a bear skin wrapped around me, and my long hair, which I was not al lowed to cut, fastened on the top of my head in a large bunch, with a sprig of green spruce, I must have appear<^d more like one deranged than a ra- tional creature, as captain Hill afterwards told me, that he never saw any thing in the form of man, look so wild as I did when I first came on board. The captain then asked me into the cabin, where I found Maquina in irons, with a guard over him. He looked very melancholy, but on seeing me his countenance brightened up, and he express- ed his pleasure with the welcome of '' Wocash John;" when taking him by the hand, I asked the captain's permission to take off his irons, assuring him, that as I was with him, there was no dar'ger of his being in the least troublesome. He accordingly consented, and I felt a sincere pleasure in freeing from fetters, a man, who, though he had caused the death of my poor comrades, had nevertheless, al- ways proved my friend and protector, and whom I had requested to be thus treated, only with a view of securing my liberty. Maquina smiled and appear- ed much pleased at this mark of attention from me. When I had freed the king from his irons, cap- tain Hill wished to learn the particulars of our cap- ture, observing; that an account of the destruction n \ ft i JEWITT*S NARRATIVE. of the ship and her crew had been received at Boston before he sailed, but that nothing more was known, except that two of the men were liv- ing, for whose rescue the owners had offered a lib- eral reward, and that he had been able to get J nothing out of the old man, whom the sailors had / supplied so plentifully with ^rog, as to bring him * too much by the head to give any information. I gave him a correct statement of the whole pro- ceeding, together with the manner in which my life and that of my comrade had been preserved. On hearing my story, he was greatly irritated against Maquina, and said he ought to be killed. I ob served that however ill he might have acted in taking our ship, yet that it would, perhaps, be wrong to judge an uninformed savage, with the same se- verity as a civilized person, who had the light of religion and the laws of society to guide him. That Maquina's conduct in taking our ship, arose from an insult that he thought he had received from captain Salter, and from the unjustifiable conduct of some masters of vet sels, who had robbed him, and without provocation, killed a number of his people. Besides that, a regard for the safety of others ought to prevent his being put to death, as 1 had lived long enough with these people to know that revenge of an injury, is held sacred by them, and that they would not fail to retaliate, should he kill their king, on the first vessel or boat's crew that should give them an opportunity; and that, though he might consider executing hrm as but an act of justice, it would probably cost the lives of many Americans. The captain appeared to be convinced from what I said, of the impolicy of taking Maquina 's life> and said that he would leave it wholly with r JfiWITT'8 NARRATIYB. 157 « I of me whether to spare or kill him, as he was resolv- ed to incur no censure in either case. I replied that I most certainly should never take the life of VL man who had preserved mine, had I no other reason, but as there was some of the Boston's property still remaining on shore, I considered it a duty that I owed to those who were interested in that ship, to try to save it for them, and with that view I thought it would be well to keep him on board till it was given up. He concurred in this proposal, saying if there was any of the property feft, it most certainly ought to be got. During this conversation Maquina was in great Mixiety, as from what English he knew he perfect- ly comprehended the subject of our deliberation; constantly interrupting me to enquire what we had determined to do with him, what the captain said, if his life would be spared, and if I did not think that Thompson would kill him. I pacified him as well as I was able, by telling him that he had noth- ing to fear from the captain, that he would not be hurt, and that if Thompson wished to kill him, which was very probable, he would not be allowed to do it. He would then remind me that I was indebted to him for my Hfe, and that I ought to do by him as he had done by me. I assured him that such was my intention, and I requested him to re- main quiet, and not alarm himself, as no harni was intended him. But I found it extremely difficult to convince him of this, as it accorded so little with the ideas of revenge entertained by them. I told him however, that he must restore all the property still in his possession, belonging to the ship. This he was perfectly ready to do, happy to escape on such terms. But as it was now past iye> and too lata for the articles to be collectedi Ki <* 158 jewitt's narrative. and brought off, I lold him that he must content himself to remain on board with me that night, and in the morning lie should be set on shore as soon as the things were delivered. To this he agreed, on condition that I would remain with him in the cabin. I then went upon deck, and tlie ca- noe that brought me having been sent back, I hailed the inhabitants, and told them that their king had agreed to stay on board till the next day, when he would return, but that no canoes must at- tempt to come near the vessel during the night, as they would be fired upon. They answered, Wo- ho^ woho — very well, very well. I then returned to Maquina, but so great were his terrors, that he would not allow me to sleep, constantly disturbing me with his questions, and repeating, " John, you know when you was alone, and more than five hundred men were your enemies, I was your friend and prevented them from putting you and Thomp- son to death, and now I am in the power of your friends, you ought to do the same by me." I as- sured him that he would be detained on board no longer than the property was released, and th,?t as soon as it was done, he w^ould be set at liberty. At dav break I hailed the natives, and told them that it was Maquina's order that they should bring off the cannon, and anchors, and whatever remain- ed with them of the cargo of the ship. Tliis they set about doing with the utmost expedition, transporting the cannon and anchors by lashing to- gether two of their largest canoes, and covering them with planks, and in the course of two hours, tliey delivered every thing on board that I could recollect, with Thompson's and my chest, con- taining the papers of the ship, &c. When every thing belonging to the ship had ■ f, jewitt's narrative. 159 been restored, Maquina was permitted to return in his canoe, which had been sent for him, with a present of what skins he had collected, which were about sixty, for the captain in acknowledg- ment of his having spared his life and allowed liiin to depart unhurt; such was also, the transport ho felt when captain Hill came into the cabin, and told him that he was at liberty to go, that he threw off his mantle, which consisted of four of the very best skins, and gave it to him, as a mark of his gratitude; in return for which, the captain presented him with a new great coat and hat, with which he appeared much delighted. The captain then de- sired me to inform him that he should return to that part of the coast in November, and that he wished him to keep what skins he should get, which he would buy of him. This Maquina prom- ised, saying to me at the same time, " John, you know I shall be then at Tashees, but when you come make poiv, which means, fire a gun to let me know, and I will come down." When he came to the side of the brig, he shook me cordi- ally by the hand, and told me that he hoped I would come to see him again in a big ship, and bring much plenty of blankets, biscuit, molasses and rum, for him and his son who loved me a great deal, and that he would keep all the furs he got for me, observing at the same time, that he should never more take a letter of recommenda- tion from any one, or ever trust himself on board a vessel unless I was there. Then grasping both my hands, with much emotion, while the tears trickled down his cheeks, he bade me farewell, and stept into the canoe, which immediately pad- dled him on shore. ^Notwithstanding my joy at my deliverance, and 160 JEWITT S NARRATIVE. the pleasing anticipation I felt of once more be- holding a civilized country, and again being per- mitted to offer up my devotions in a Christian church, I could not avoid experiencing a painful sensation on parting with this savage chief, who had preserved my life, and in general treated me with kindness, and considering their ideas and manners, much better than could have been ex- pected. My pleasure was also greatly damped by an un- fortunate accident that occurred to Toowinnakinn- ish. That interesting young chief had come on board in the first canoe in the morning, anxious to see and comfort his king. He was received with much kindness by captain Hill, from the favorable account I gave of him, and invited to remain on board. As the muskets were delivered, he was in the cabin with Maquina, where was also the cap- tain, who on receiving them, snapped a number in order to try the locks; unluckily one of them hap- pened to be loaded with swan shot, and going off, discharged its contents into the body of poor Toowinnakinnish, who was sitting opposite. On hearing the report, I instantly ran into the cabin, where I found him weltering in his blood, with the captain who was greatly shocked at the acci- dent, endeavouring to assist him. We raised him up, and did every thing in our power to aid and comfort him, telling him that we felt much grieved at his misfortune, and that it was wholly uninten- tional ; this he told me he was perfectly satisfied of, and while we dressed and bound up his wounds in the best manner we could, he bore the pain with great calmness, and bidding me farewell, was put on board one of the canoes, and taken on shore, where after languishing a few Jays, he expired. JEWITT S NARRATIVE. iGi To nie, his niisfortune was a source of imicli affliction, as he Ii; d no share in the massacre of our crew, was of a niost ainiabh) character, and had ahv'iys treated lue willi the greatest kindness and hospitalify. Th(} JJrig Ix'ini^ under weii^li, iruirKMlialely on MiKjuina's ((uitting us, we proceeded to the north- ward, consiaiitly keeping the shore in sight, and touching at various places for the purpose of trad- ing. Having already exceeded the bounds T had pre- scribed myself, I shall not attempt any account of our voyage upon the coast, or a description of the various nations wc met with in the course of it, among vvlioin were a people of a very singular ap- pearance, called by the sailors the IVooden-lips, They have many skins, and the trade is principal- ly managed by their womer), who are not only ex- pert in making a bargain, but are as dexterous in the management of their canoes, as the men are elsewhere. After a period of nearly four mondis from our leaving Nootka, we returned from the northward to Columbia river, for the purpose of procuring masts, &c. for our brig, which had suffered con- siderably in her spars during a gale of wind. We proceeded about ten miles up the river, to a small Indian village, wliere we heard from the inhabi- tants, that Captains Clark and Lewis, from the United States of America, had been there about a fortnight before, on their journey over-land, and had left several medals with them, which they showed us. The river at this place, is of con- siderable breadth, and both sides of it from its en- trance, covered with forests of the very finest pine timber, fir and spruce, interspersed with Indian 162 JEWITt's NARRATIV2. settlements. Here, after providing ourselves with spars, we sailed for Nootka, where we arrived in the latter part of November. The tribe being ab- sent, the agreed signal was given, by firing a can- non, and in a few hours after a canoe appeared, which landed at the village, and putting the king on shore, came off to the brig. — Enquiry was im- mediately made by Kinnecliinmets, who was one of the three men in die r^anoe, if John was there, as the kins: had some skin:< to sell them if he was. I then went forward and invited them on board, with which diey readily comphed, telling me that Maquina had a number of skins with him, but tliat he would not come on board unless I would go on shore for him. This I agreed to, provided they would remain in the brig in the mean time. To this they consented, and the captain taking tiiem into the cabin, treated thorn with bread and molasses. I then went on shore in the canoe, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Thompson and the captain, who, thoi. ,h he wanted the skins, advised mo by no means to put myself in Manuina's power; but I assured him that I had no fear as long as those men were cr. board. As I landed Maquina came up and welcomed me with much joy: on enquiring for the men, I told him that they were to remain till my return. "Ah John," said he, I see '' you are afraid to trust me, but if they had come with you, I should not have hurt you, though I sliould have taken good care not to let you go on board of another vessel." He then took his chest of skins, and stepping into the canoe, I paddled him along-side the brig, where he was received and treated by Capt. Hill with the greatest cordiality, who bought of him liis skins. Ha left us much pleased with his reception, enquiring of me how JEW!TT*S NAPRATIVE. 163 many mooiis it would be before I should come back again to see him and his son, who had beg- ged him hard to let him come with him to see me : saying, that he would keep all his furs for me, and that as soon as my son, who was then about five months old, \vas of a suitable age to take from his mother, he would send for him, and take care of him as his own. Nk As soon as Maquina had quitted us, we got un- der weigh, and stood again to the northward. We continued on the coast until the eleventh of August, 180G, when having completed our trade, we sailed for China, to tiie great joy of all our crew, and particularly so to me. With a degree of satisfaction that I can ill express, did I quit a coast to which I was resolved nothing should again tempt me to return, and as the tops of the moun- tains sunk in the blue waves of ocean, I seemed to feel my heart lightened of an oppressive load. We had a prosperous passage to China, arriving at Macao in December, from whence the brig pro- ceeded to Canton. There I had the good fortune to meet a townsman and an old acquaintance, in the mate of an English East-Indiaman, named John Hill, whose father, a wealthy merchant in Hull, in the Balti^^ trade, was a next door neighbour to mine. Shortly after our arrival, the captain being on board the English ship, and mentioning his having iiad the good fortune to liberate two men of the Boston's crew from the savages, and that one of them was named Jewitt, my former acquaintance immediately came on board the brig too see me. Words can ill express my feelings on seeing him. Circumstanced as I was, among persons who were entire strangers to me, to meet thus in a fgriign land, with onp between whom and my- 164 jewitt's narrative. >«. self, a considerable intimacy had subsisted, was a pleasure that those alone who have be?^n in a simu- lar situation can properly estimate. He appeared on his part, no less happy to see me, whom he supposed to be dead, as the account of our capture had been received in England some time before his sailing, and all my friends supposed me to have been murdered. From this young man, I received every attention and aid, that a feeling heart, inter- ested in the fate of another, could confer. He supplied me with a new suit of clothes, and a hat, a small sum of money for my necessary expences, and a number of little articles for sea-stores on my voyage to America. I also gave him a letter for my father, in which I mentioned my wonderful preservation, and escape^ through the humanity of captain Hill, with whom I should return to Bos- ton. This letter he enclosed to his father, by a ship that was just sailing, in consequence of which it was received much earlier than it otherwise would have been. ^ Arrival of the brig Lydia at Boston, We left China in Februrary, 1807, and after a pleasant voyage of ons hundred and fourteen days, jewitt's narrative. 165 arrived at Boston. My feelings on once more find- ing myself in a Christian country, among a people speaking the same language with myself, may be more readily conceived than expressed. In the Post-Office in that place, I found a letter for me from my mother, acknowledging the receipt of mine from China, expressing the great joy of my family on hearing of my being alive and well, whom they had for a long time given up for dead, and requesting me to write to them on receiving her let- ter, which I accordingly did. While in Boston, I was treated witii much kindness and hospitality by the owners of the ship Boston, Messrs. Francis and Thomas Amory of that place, to whom I feel myself under great obligations for their goodness to me, and the assistance which they so readily afforded a stranger in distress. y'LA , •V.,jK.-v. , i ..- J- ( 1 A^-- w -< f /5 '/ J, ■■. c. J\r ^. V y'-^.CA ^ 166 jewitt's narrative. 4-* :.. ¥■• *. .^ WAR-SONG OF THE NOOTKA TRIBE. Commencing xoith a chorus repeated at the end of each line. Hah-yee hah yar har, he yar hah. le yie ee yah har — ee yie hah. le yar-ee yar hah — ee yar hah. le yar ee I yar yar hah — le yar ee yee yah ! I-ye ma hi-chill at-sish Kla-ha — Ha-ye-hah. Que nok ar parts-arsh waw — le yie-yar. Waw-hoo naks sar hasch — Yar-hah. I-yar hee I-yar. Waw boo naks ar hasch yak-queets sish ni-ese, Waw har. Hie yee ah-hah. Repeated over and over with gestures and brandish- ing of weapons. NOTE. le-yee ma hi-chill^ signifies, Ye do not know. It ap- pears to be a poetical mode of expression, the common one for you do not know, being, IVik-kum-atush; from this, it would seem that they have two languages, one for their songs and another for common use. The general meaning of this first song appears to be. Ye lit- tle know ye men of Klahar, what valiant warriors we are. Poorly can our foes contend with us, when we come with our daggers, &c. The Nootkians nave no songs of a historical nature, nor do they appear to have any tradition respecting their origin. THE END. N *■ ■ 'iH-^ *• * .. ♦ 1^ m # ar. -i* *. u of •m "%» ♦- lit. h- * on nn ne he it- ve ve -*%- e, •*(/ «