ioS^ ^^^j^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) /. ^ A^4 /- f/j 1.0 I.I 11.25 b^l^S |2.5 ^ m 40 12.0 2.2 1.4 — 6" 1.6 VI Ta 7] .v>>>> ^^ '/ PhotDgraphic Sciences Corporation 4 #^ ^ ,v \\ [V Is \ ^^ 23 WEST MAIN STRMT WEBSTER, N.Y. 145S0 {716) 872-4503 ■^' ..^^sp,iy US(4^aiu/tiiZfS< 6r,^iiuU'n^ . AK" tj'- iv A B M.1J]) GE M ]E IN^ T ^j^' rOK.T.]LO€X A^zDlDIXO^^S "V'OIC^OE ROX^KD THIEWO]tttlj), t^]em]FO]r.m:]e ID i:^ liZSJ-, 1^86, i;78;7; and IJBS . B-iiited foi- JoliUT, .S to nlclalp PiccadillT, and George GonldingJanies Street fo^'eiit Garden, ^ U- w' /"^^ Sd}^^'^ ,'i^. 7 2*^ii^^^^''^«-^ CONTENTS. ■' ■ » CHAPTER I. Account of the different Terfom whojirji carried on the Fur Trade, — The King George* s Sound Company eftablijhed. — Two VeJfeJs pur- chafed. — The Completion of their Crews, and Names of the Officers.^Paffagefrom Grave- fend to Portfmouth, — Employments. — Their ' Departure from Portfmouth,— Arrival at Guernfey, CHAPTER II. Various Refrefhments procured at Guernfey, — Leave that Place and proceed on the Voyage, -^Arrival at St, Jago, — Refrefhments to be * a met CON T E NTS. met with there. — Departure from thence. — Fortunate Prefervation of a Boy, who felt cverboard.'—4rrival at Falkland's glands. CHAPTER III. l,eave Falkland's Iflands. — Arrival at Sand- wich Iflands,-— 'Unruly Behaviour of the Na- tives, — Refrejhments procured. — Departure from Whahoa — Account of the prefent Go- ' vernment. — Anchor at Oneehow^-JTranfac^ iions there ^ CHAPTER IV, Continuations of Tranfadlions at Oneehow,"^ Departure from it, ^Arrive in fight of A- merica. — Meet with Ruffian Settlers. — Ar- rival in Cook's River. -^Yifited by a Ruffian Chief — Anchor in Coal Harbour .—Vifit the ^Rtiffian Settlement. — Indians come to the Ships mtk Furs. —Shew a Thieving Difpofition. Bring Salmon. — Defcription of the Country. P^equefiedby the Indians to join againfl the RufRans^ CONTENTS. Ruffians. --^Proceed towards Prince William's Sound, — Prevented making it by contrary Winds. — Proceed along the Cvaft. iiV ! CHAPTER V. Arrive at Owhyhee.-^UefreJhments obtained?^ Natives Propenftty to theft,-— Plan of future Proceedings. ^-LeaveOwhyhee, and Anchor at Whahoa.-^ViJitedby Taheeterre.— Pernicious EfeSls of the Tava-Root,—An Eatooa ereB^ ed,— Chiefs make Offerings to their Gods. — Meditate an Attack on the Ships.—Shewn the Effea of Fire Arms. —Indians w ^ark for Atooi. Take leave ofTaheeterre.—The old Prieji.-- Anchor in Wymoa Bay, Atooi i • — An Excurfon on Shore* ^K\ntH«^rv) ' 1 CHAPTER VI. ^o i^ariety qf Refrejhments procured.^Fiftted by the King.-- A large floark caught.— Grdte- fkl Behaviour of Neeheo'whooa.-^Arrival at Qneehow,^-Leave Oneehow, and arrive at 3 /itOOt.-"*- CONTENTS. ^'^'ylmii'^RemarkaMe Circumflance of a Wo- matiy with a Puppy at her Breafl.-^Cbief Exercife with Spears. — Houfe built for Cap- tain Portlock, — Leave Atooi^ and arrive at Oneehow.—An Attempt on the Life of an ,y^to&i Chief -^Departure from Sandwich • V ,tOV^l^t*-*~>^\^-^C\ •' • *;-,»txt4r ■■■• ; i jdv^^A* V'CHAPTER VII. ^ i -^r^ m "^x^ - -^'vy, ^ • ■ ■ :) j" . ■. 'Arrival at Montagu J/Iand.-~ Anchor in Jffan- " ^%ng*s, M^yl'-Soatsfent on a Trading Expe- "^''Mti6n,--^Meetwith a Vejfelfrom Bengal--^ '^'^heir diftrefjed Situation, -•- Re frefiments '''fentthem,—Vifitedby a powerful Tribe of ^ l7rdians. — Their Propenfify to theft, — Leave ^'"^Montagu Ifland.'-The Ships feparate,^-^ ^ ^^Jirrival of the King George in Hinchinbrooke ""''^ 'Cove. — Lidians viftt the Ship with Sea-otter Skins. Boats Jent on a Trading Expedition, Plwjdered by the Indians. — Arrival of the Nootka.-^^Lofjg'Boatfent to Cook's River, — Departure of the Nootka, — Lo?ig'Boafs Re- '--f«hr.^Fi/ited by different Tribes of tndtans. v.« CONTENTS. ^Abundance of Salmon, Herrings and Crabs.^Departure from Port Etches. ,,;,. VVO -t^^ ■ -tT">?, iVlV-A CHAPTER VIIL .'. > Short Account of Prince William Sound, ^De^ fcription of the Inhabitants.— Their Perfons, —M^nners^-^-Difeafes^^Drefs^—andOma-^ ments.^^^Food.-^-Cookery^-.-JVeapons.'^Pro-' ceed along the Coajl, — Anchor in Portloclis Harbour.— TranfaSlions there, — Vifit an Indian Habitation, — An Account of the laniards being there and leaving the SmalU Pox.— Another Vifit from the Natives, Ceremonies to be obferved.—Jof. Woodcock fent as an Hojlage into the Country. -...An Ac- count of the Natives, -^^Their Thieving Dif pofttion, iic. ---Leave the Coaft of America. Arrival at Sandwich IJlands,— Receive a Letter from Captain Dixon,— Leave that Place and Arrive at China, CHAPTER iX. 4l\00 A Tte^een Charlotte arrives at Port Mulgrave, %-~TranfadHomtkere. — Account of the Inba- ottants,—^ CONTENTS. ^' ^hitatifs.^^^rheh' Method of Ft/hi ng,-^^ took- ' ing^"— Burial Places. — Leave Fort MnU grave, — Arrival at Norfolk Sound. De^ - fcription 9f that Place^^^^Tht Manners and Cujloms of the Inhabitants. — Departure from Norfolk Sound. — Fhiceed along the C^^fl, — jtrrival at Port Banks. — De- feription of that Place. CHAPTER X. Leave Port Banks and proceed along the Coafl. — Difiover a Group of Iflands.'-*Tra^e with the Natives and procure a great Number of Sea-Otter Skins, — Short Account of the In- habitants of^een Charlotte's IJlands,—-Me?f mth Two Englijh Veffels.-^Paffage from the Coaji to the Sandwich Iflands.^Tranfaeiions there. — Leave Sandwich Jflands and proceed to China, — Arrival at Canton, CHAPTER XI. tranfaaions at Canton, — DeathofMr. MLeod, ^-Shv't A^eoutit of Tyaana, a Sandwich Ifland \ . : '..» CONTENTS. Jjland Chief, ^-.^Furs fold. ^^-Rea fort for thetr not fetching a better Price, -^^ibort Account of the Fur-Trade, ^^^Ships leave Wampoa. Death of Mr. Lauder, Surgeon to the ^een Charlotte. .--The Vefehpart Company, ---Ar. rival at St. Helena,-.-The Vejfeh meet there. Departure from thence, and Arrival in Engla?id, ^^'' i\ \\<^ ^\r^\\^^ ' \\ ■ / A\ y^ v> )ud U *V } M'\>if\^!jx'iO "Tiii^ 4' ^y:W3 i^ c^<:^t^ti\ %<» •} r '. .*.. VOYAGE. &c. *:>, rTf CHAPTER I. Accounf of the different perfons whofirji car^ riedonthe Fur TraSc-^The King George's •Sound Company eJiabliJhed.-^^T'wo veffehpur^ chafed. The completion of their crews,- and names of the officers,^Paffagt^ omGravefend to Portfmouth.^Employments.-^rheir de^ parture from For tfmouth.-^ Arrival at Guernfey, ThQUGH that illuftrious navigator. Captain Cook, did not, with all his ikill and all his perfeverance, obtain the great objea of his voyage to the Wellern coaft of America, the difcov^ry of a praaicable paffage from the North Pacific to the North Atlantic ocean, he furnifhcd Philofophy with many additional fads, and he opened to Commerce feveral extenfive profpeas. E The i i I i I S A VOVAGE TO rut The voyages of the prefent reign, as they were profecuted with views the n^oft difm- terefted, were expofed to the world without referve, and every nation and every indivi- dual had thus aij opportunity of forming new defigns, either for the cultivation of fcienpe, or the advantage of traffic. If Gre^t Britain owe fomcthing to France, fof h^r difcoveries in former t}m«s, the French ai^ mtJcH indebted in the prefent to the Britifti mariners, for laying open the whol$ globe to human eyes, an4 tp bumga induftry. The French King, witji a whlc emulation, feems to have fent out feveral officers with fuitable accommodations, to iQllow the tr^as of the fucccfTiYe voyages, whi^h hiid been fo happily atchieved under liis Majefty's aul^iccs 5 though an Englifli fcaman may be allowed to fay, that the French navigators failed in their wake, at a great diftance a-^ern. No fooner were the voyagef of Cook, of Clerk, of Gore and ¥:ing accomplifhed, and their narratives pubfiftied, than a new expedition was, in 31785, dii>atched from France, under the con- :^# KORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA." J conduflof Mefih ■' cyroufe and De Langle, in order to glean en this ample fields what the misfortune of Cook had left unattained. -■As early indeed as 1781, a well known individual, Mr. Bolts, attempted an adyen* ture to the North Pacific Ocean, from the bottom of the Adriatic, under the Empe- ror's Flag ; but this feebk effort of an im- prudent man fail<^ prematurely, owing to caufes which have not yet been Aiificiently explained. The projed of Bolts appear$ to have been early, and ' adopted by the Britifh fubjeds, who are fettled in Afia^ and who ftand high, in an adive age, for knowledge and for cnterprize. They were naturally ftruck with the fuggeftion of Captain Cook, what a gainful trade might be carried on from America to China for furs ; and a brig of fixty tons, with twenty men, under the command of James Hanna, was, in purfuit of tihis flattering objea, difpatched from the river of Canton in April 1785, and after coafting Northward, and traverfing the Southern extremity of Japan, this brig arrived in the fubfcquent Auguft at B 3 Nootka ; ( •'■ n A VOYAGE TO THE • !' I> ii i ! i ;! ?. Nootka Sound, the American mart for pel-*, try : whatever may have been the fuccefs of Hanna, in 1785, he performed, in a larger veflel, a fimilar voyage in 1786. In this year the merchants of Bombay fent two tef- fels under the direflion of James Strange ; while the traders of Bengal difpatched two fhips which were commanded by Lieutenants Mear and Tipping, to the American coaft for furs, in the hopes of Indian profits. Thefe feveral adventures, the gains of which were no doubt greatly amplified, incited to fimilar purfuits the torpid fpirit of the Por- tugueze at Macao, whofe fathers had been the difcoverers, the conquerors, and mono- polifls of theEafl. Thefe enterprizes have proved extremely important to the world, though their profits, confidering the capital and the rifques, were not envioufly great. Thefe enterprizes, how- ever, by enlarging the limits of difcovery, made navigatipn morb fafe in the North Pacific Ocean ; they familiarized the South Sea iflanders to European perfons, manners and traffic j they taught the American fa- NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. f vages, that ftrength muft always be fubor- dinate to difcipline : and having difcovered the Ahooa Indians on the borders of Nootka Sound, who had fo far advanced from their favage ftate as to refufe to fell to Mr. Strange, for any price, the peltry which they had al-' ready engaged to Mr. Hanna. Thefe enter- prizes have afcertained this exhilarating truth to mankind, that civilization and morals muft for ever accompany each other. In the effluxion of ages, periods often arife, when mankind, by a confentaneous fpirit,' purfuewith ardor, analagous enterprizes. At the fame epoch, Columbus and Gama were employed, the one in difcovering the lands in the Weft, the other in exploring the re- gions of the Eaft. In the prefent times, the Britfh, the French, and the Spaniards, at the fame moment, bufied themfelves in fearch- ing every coaft and every creek, with the glo- rious purpofe of benefitting the human race, by adding to their happinefs. While thofe adventures were thus performing from the Eaftern extremities of Afia, to the Weftem fliores of America, private perfons under^ took a more arduous voyage, of a like kind, ^ 3 from •" 1 & JL VOYAGE TO THE i I from England. It was in May, 1785, that Richard Cadman Etches, and other traders, entered into a commercifal partncrlhip, under the title of the King George's Sound Com- pany, for carrying on a fur trade from the Wel^ern coaft of America to China. For this purpofc, they obtained a licence from the South Sea Company, who, without car- rying on any traffic themfelves. Hand in the mercantile way of more adventurous mer* chants. They procured alfo a fimilar licence from the Eaft-India Company, who, at the fame time, engaged to give them a freight of teas from Gantonu This enterprise of the King George's Sound Company alone evinces what Engliih copartnerfhips and Englifh capitals could undertake and execute, were they lels oppofed by prejudice, and rcflrained by monopolies. In order to execute this de- fign, the King George's Sound Company purchafed a fhip of 320, and a fnow of 200 tons 5 having thus a iize and burthen which Captain Cook, after adequate trials, recom- mended as the fitteft for diftant employ- ments, and which, owing to the merchants experience, England happily, enjoys in the greateft 'i'lL., « » NORTH-WE^r COAst &t AMERICA. f j^reateft nmbcr^, Thek veffds were im- fttedkfely p&t into dock, in order tte they tt^ight be completely fitted for fo long- a voy^g(t. With dH the fkiH and diligfettce of m /hipwrights 6f the ThatAcs, it was not^ Rowever, till the 8th of J%;that th^fe vd^ fels wer ^ moored at Eleptfbrd, f6r the c6h- Vehience of fitting thdr %ihg, eng^ift^ feameri, and taking on bbardfudi i*o?e& aiid ethei* ne^efiaries as were judged' needful for a voyage 6f fueh length' anti variety, the Bdt p^ro^^fi^n* were fmtcHafed, a^ beJrig the th&tp6aMth& end 5 aiid great attention ^^ay uM iri. |>fcKriding thofe ai^tieles^ whi^h were thought Mbft likely to prderve the heafth of ^t cttWi, by adding t& their cotnfort^. fn tRe fntan time, tire Owners appt^m Mr. NatHaHlelPortlock Conrmailder of th*' largef Vefia, and George Dixonof the fmal- ler , both of them having accompanied Capw tam Cook m his laft voyage to- the Pacific ©tean, virerfr deemed raoft proper for an ad- venture which required no' commoft know, ledge and experience: other officers of cbnit petent tafents were at the fame time appoint- ^4 ed. •■■ ) <«r ! 1 3 A VOViVGE TO THE cd, in order that they might knowesach other and facilitate the outfit. The novelty of this enterprize attracted the notice of feveral perfons, who were eminent either for talents or ftation, and who promoted this voyage by their countenance, or ftrengthened the Company by their approbation. When Sir Jofeph Banks and Lord Mulgrave,Mr. Rofe and Sir John Dick came on board, the Se- . cretary to the Treafury named the largeft veffel the King George, and the Prefident of the Royal Society called the fmaller the Qi4pen Charlotte, Exclufive of the profits of, traffic, or the advantages of difcovery, this voyage was declined jto other nationalobjefts. Several gentlemen's fons who had (hewn an incUnation to engage in a fea-faring life, were put under Captain Portlock's care, for the purpofe of being early initiated into the know- ledge of a profeflion which requires length of experience, rather thanfuper-eminence of ge- nius. At the fame time was engaged Wil- liam Philpot Evans, and Jofeph Woodcock, two of the pupils of Mr. Wales, the Mafter of the Mathematical School in Chrift's Hof- pital, who were able to affift in teaching the boys NOR - '.-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. g boys the rudiments of navigation, and might be ufefully employed in taking views of re- markable lands, and in conftruaing charts of commodious harbours. . rr ■iz.i Having got mod of their (lores on board, they proceeded down the river, and arrived off Gravefend on the 29th of Auguft, when the articles of agreement refpeding the voyage were read to both fhips companies : fome of them at firft refufed to fign, but after a proper explanation, they all chearf ully confented, except two, who were immediately discharged. The next day, the crews were paid their river wages, with a month in ad- vance, and having ftood towards the Downs with a frefh South Wefterly wind, the ihips came to anchor the fame evening in Mar- gate Roads. From this time to the 7th of September, they were detained by a very fevere gale in the Channel, when they came to anchor at Spithead. During their flay there, they were employed in getting fuch articles as had not been provided in London, that were tliought ■ ^ ' ■ ■ to .-■■ 1 m III. i I , !' I 1 1 ^d X VOYAGE TO THli ^:/i to be ncccffai*7 in fo long a voyag*. By the ijthcTcry thing was got ready $ at 7 o'clock on the morning of the i6th got under fail j and at 6 o'clock in the evening of the 2oth came to anchi^r in Guernfey Roadw I. J ; . / . V ■■•■■ n 111 i\t'(i/ .'jCi'wiii! •■'Mil ;., i * • -iFDr't 4 . ' : f CHAP- KORTH-WEST COA&T OF AMERICA. l^ CHAPTER IL Various Refrejhments frtkmred at Guernfey,-"^ Leave that Place and proceed on the Voyage^, — Arrival at St, Jago, -^Refrejhments to be met with there, — Departure from thence,*^ Fortunate prefervatioh of a Boy that fell overboard. — Arrival at Falkland IJlands^ J\S it was the intention of the Owners to have the fame quantity of liquor ferved out to the fliip's comi^nies as is cuftomary on^ board his JVfajefty's veffels, their principal bufinefs at Guernfey was to procure a pro- per fupply of liquor for that purpofe. Ac- cordingly, they received on board a quantity of fpirits, port wine, and cyder, which en* , gaged them till the 24th. On the 25th unmoored, had a very heavy gale, when the wind fuddenly chopping round. Captain Portlock gave orders for the top-gallant maft to be ftruck, and got upoa deck; likewife caufed preparation to be made for ftriking tlie top-mails, and fplicedoneof the \' : i if ' ♦*.' 1 1 jfT ■ II' M A VOYAGE TO THE the ..w." iblcs to the beft bower, intending, ftiouy th ^ale continue till the cvenhig, to lower the top-ma/ls, and to have veered to a cable and half on thcbeft bower, and half' a cable on the fmali one. li the fhip had not held taAwith thefe precautuns, he meant to have run through the Little RufTels.as he had a pilot on board, and by having the lower yard aloft, might have brought her under the courfes, and on occafion, the top-fails clofe reefed j but fortunately, towards the evening, the wind got round to the North- ward, though it continued blowing in fud- den gufts through the night. At fix o'clock in the morning of th* 26th, weighed an- chor ; and on Monday the 24th of Oflober, arrived fafe at St. Jago, where, after waiting on the Commander of the fort, who is ftiled the Captain Moor, atid paying a port charge of four dollars for each veficl, Captain Port- lock went to infpea the wells, ;both of which he found to be excellent water. They were inform-d that a market would be held ai Praya on the morrow, wliere they could be provided with plenty of live ftock, and va- rious kinds of refrefhments, which are. ' brought NORTH'WEST COAST OF AMERICA. -13 brought th6re by the inhabit nts from dif ferent parts of the ifland. On the 25th, were employed in purchafing hogs, goats, fhcep, and oranges, which they met with in tolerable plenty. Every bufmefs at this place being compleated,they propofed leaving it the firfl opportunity; and by day-light the 29ih, unmoored, weighed, and made fail. St. Jago is generally mountainous, and appears to be a very fine ifland > but their fliort flay, and other profeiTional duties, pre- vented them from having any opportunities of viewing the interior parts of the country. The vailies are fertile, and there is much land, which feems fit for producing fugar cane. They raife cotton. Some of the na- tives appear to be induflrious, but are ex- ceedingly opprefTed by the Portugueze fol- diers, who exaft an exorbitant toll from the unhappy countrymen who bring their com- modities to market. On the whole, they found the refrefliments which St. Jago fup- plies, makes it a very eligible flation for thofe vefTels to touch at, which are employed in ■f : . i« '• . ■.r..' i.. , <■ d as watering the fhips was of material confequence. Captains Port- lock and Dixon both went on fhore, where they met with no oppofition from the na- tives j but on the contrary, they were re- ceived with marks of kindnefs, and every queftion anfwered with readinefs and plea- fure. On enquiry for water, they were conducted to a kind of bafon formed by the rocks, about fifty yards from the place where they landed; ^Iput the quantity fo fmall, that it would not even afford a temporary fupply. On this daey enquired for more, but found ^ 4 ' none .^■' 1 M A VOYAGE TO THE I M none to be had but at a confiderable diftanco to the weftward. After making the Indians fome trifling prefents, they returned to their boats, and rowed to the northward clofe to a reef which appeared to run quite acrofs the bay, about a quarter of a mile diftance from the beach. Having proceeded nearly a mile in this direction, a fmall opening in the reef prefented itfelf, for which they fleered. The channel was narrow, but in the middle they had two fathoms water; after getting through they had from three to four fathom over a bottom of fine fand, and good room between the reef and beach for a number of vefTels to ride at anchor. They landed on a fine fandy beach, amid ft a great number of the inhabitants, who all behaved with great order, and never attempted to approach nearer than they defired.* They informed them there was no water near their landing place, but plenty farther down along fhore ; and one of the natives undertook to be their guide. However, their progrefs was foon impeded by a little falt-water river that has a communication with King George's Bay. This putting a ftop to ^ their progrefs by land. KORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 2J land, they had recourfe to their boats, and attempted to get to the weftward within the reef, but found the water fo fliallow that it was impraaicable; fo they returned by the paflage they went in at, and afterwards rowed to the weftward, keeping clofe along the outr.de of the reef, until they got near the watering place pointed out by the Indians. In this fituation, feeing a fmall opening in the .eef. they made for it ; and the moment they made it a breaker overtook them, and nearly filled and overfet their boats. How- ever through good management of the fteerfmen. who were the third mates to each ftip, they efcaped without any misfortune though they had the mortification, after getting over the reef, to find the water fo fallow they could not get within two hun- dred yards of the Ihore. Under thefe cir- cumftances, they found they could not water here without an infinite deal of trouble, bd- fides the danger of lofing their cafks, getting the boats dalhed to pieces againft the rocks! and the inconvenience of carrying their calks fo far amongft a multitude of Indians. Which would make it neceffary to have an armed t J, I' ; 1' ■•• J a$ A VOYAGE TO TH? armed force on fliore, the (hips lying at too great a diflance for them to cover or fecure SI watering party : they therefore determined to give up the idea, and font two boats, the .^rft opportunity, to examine the Weftern part of the bay for a good landing place and convenient watering. They returned on board, and found a pret- ty brifk trade carrying on for hogs, fugar- ,cane, and vegetables; the Captain having left orders for every thing that was brought to be purchafed. As they had no time to lofe, they were under a neceffity of coming to fome refolution about watering the fhips ; [ and both the Captains being inclined to think the natives might be induced to bring water off, fufficient at leaft for a prefeht fupply; at all events, with proper care, they had fufficient to ferve three months longer, but it happened to be all in the ground tier j they therefore determined to have all the water got to hand, and the ground tier filled with fait water. In the mean time, all hands that could be fpared were employed in repairing the rigging, and in every refpeft making the veflels NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 27 vcfTels fit for the farther pro^'-iitlon of their voyage, as foon as the crews were properly refrefhed. Their prefent fituation being the moil eligible one they knew of at thefe iflands, they rclolved not to quit it till all their bufmefs was conipleated. Early on tlae 3d of June, Mr. Hay ward and Mr. White, in a boat from each iliip, were difpatched to examine the Weft part of the bay for a land- ing place and frefli water ; they were like- wife ordered to land, and make an excurfion to that part of the ifland, as there appeared, from the fhip, to be a fine deep bay in that fituation. The natives now began to brin^- them water very brilkly, and fome of their ca- labafhes contained near ten gallons ; for one of thefe they gave a tenpenny nail, which was much cheaper than they could pofTibly procure the water themfelves, allowing for the damage the boat would fuftain, and the prefents they would have been under the neceffity of mak- ing on fhore to the Chiefs. The weather being now fine, all the ailing people were fent on fhore, under the care of the Surgeon of the King George ; and as the natives ■ ■ ■ I-*" 1 i M -■.s».. l. 28 A VOrAGE TO THE natives had behaved, to this time, in a quiet, inofFeiive manner, there was no danger of their being molefted. No Chiefs of confe- quence as yet had paid them a vifit ; inferior ones indeed came on board v^'ithout fcruple, and fome of them flept on board every night : amongft the reft they had a daily vifit from an old prieft, who alway? brought, by way of prefent, a fmall pig, and a branch of the cocoa-nut tree. From him they learned that their prefent king's name was Taheeterre ; and that he was alfo king of Morotoe and Mowee. The old man informed them that his refidence was in a bay round the Weft point, and importuned them very much to bring the Ihips there, as that place, he faid, afforded plenty of fine hogs and vegetables. Indeed they had fome reafon to think the inhabitants on that part of the ifland were more nume- rous than in King George's Bay, as they ob- ferved moft of the double canoes came round the Weft point; but as the people now brought them plenty of water, they deter- mined to keep their prefent fituation, it being in many refpe6]:s a very eligible one ; for they had hitherto been favoured with a moft re- frefhing ^'l KORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, 29 freihing fea breeze, which blows over the low land at the head of the bay ; and the bay all round has a moft beautiful appear- ance, the low land and vallies being in a high ftate of cultivation, and crouded with plantations of taro. fweet potatoes, fugar- cane, &c. interfperfed with a great number of cocoa-nut trees, which renders the pro- Ipea: truly delightful. In the afternoon, the boats returned, and Mr. Hayward reported that he had landed in the Weft part of the bay, where he met with a pond of ftanding water; but it was very inconvenien.Uy f.tuated. and could not be got at without difficulty. He afterwards walked up to a rifing ground, from which he could perceive the land round King George's Bay to fall in, and form a fine deep bay, running well to the Northward, and the Weftward land ftretching out to the Southward. This however, did not induce them to change their' prefent fituation. Towards evening the Sur- geon returned on board with the invalids, and reported that the inhabitants had be- haved in a very quiet and inoffenfive manner, though ,■ • ill JjO A VOYAGE TO THE though they were rather incommoded by the multitudes which curiofity brought about them. By the 4th of June all their water Was got from the ground tier, and the cable coiled down. The inhabitants now brought them water in fuch plenty, that by noon this day, they had filled all their empty caiks, Iiavi«g produced twenty-nine butts, eight hogfheads, and three brandy pipes, which contained 130 gallons each: as good water, in any quantity, may be procured at this ifland with the greateft facility, for fmall nails and buttons, it undoubtedly is the beft and fafeft way of procuring it. Potatoes and taro they met within plenty ; but bread, fruit, and yams fcarcety any, which made them conclude they were not cultivated by the natives of Whahoa. Having compleat- cd their water, and procured fuch refrefh- ments as the place afforded, they determined to make for Oneehow without lofs of time, in order to get a fupply of yams, which that ifland produces in abundance. On the 5th they weighed, when their friend the prieft came on board to take his leave, and brought a very good feathered cap, as a prefent for Captain NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 31 Captain Pbrtlock, from Taheeterre j in re- 'turn he fent him two large towees, and other articles of trifling value j they likcwife gave the prieft a light horfeman's cap, ^nd another to a young Chief who had been a conftant vifitor fmce their arrival, being dcfirous to fhew any future navigator that might touch there, that the place hafd recently been vi- fited by Britifh fliips. They were highly de- lighted With their prefents, and after many profeffions of frrendfhip, took their leave anc! Went 6n fhore. In ftretching along the Weftern part of the ifland they were a<^coftt^' panied by a number of canoes, who brought fome flying-fifh to fell, the largeft of the kind they had ever feen," matiy of them meafurirlg fr6m eleven to" twelve inches in length, ^rid thick in proportion : t^tey catch thefe fifli in nets, which the people manage With amazing dexterity. Captain Portlock thinks Whahoa the firft ifland in the whole group, and moil: likely to be turned to ad- vantage, were it fmkd by Europeans, than any of the reft, there being fcarcely s fpot that does not appear futile. They founti here a great number of wardors and warlike inftru- ^ A VOYAGE TO THE inflruments ; many of their warriors tatooed in a manner totally different from any they had before feen at any of the Sandwich If- lands; there faces were tatooed fo as to appear quite black, and great part of the body ta- tooed in a variety of forms. The greateft part of the daggers left in the time of Cook, feem moftly to center in this ifland, for they fcarcely ever faw a large canoe in which the natives had not one a piece, and at Owhyhee they did not fee above two or three. As they are a dangerous and deflru6live weapon, they did not fuffer any to be made in either fhip, though ftrongly importuned by the natives. Captain Portlock fays, he was always averfe to it in the laft voyage, thinking it very im- prudent to furnifh them with weapons that might, at one time or another, be turned againft themfelves ; and his fufpicions were but too well founded, as it was fuppofed that their late Commander, Captain Cook, fell by one of thefe daggers. He unfortu- nately fet the example, by ordering fome dag- gers to be made after the model of the Indian pahooas, and this., pra(5t ice was followed by. every one on board that could raife iron enough NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 33 enough to make one; fo that the armourer dunng their ftay at thefe iflands, was em- ployed in little elfe than making thefe de- flrudive weapons ; and fo liberally were they difpofed of, that Captain Portlock faw eight or nine given by Captain Clerk to Matha Maiha in exchange for a feathered cloak; though fince their arrival this time they pur- chafcd fome cloaks confiderably better than that of Captain Clerk's for a fmall bit of iron worked into the form of a Carpenter's plane: thefe the Sandwich Iflanders make ufe of as adze, and call them towees, and to them they anfwer every purpofe of an edged tool. Since the year 1778, which was the time thefe Iflands were difcovered, there appeared to be almofl: a total change in the Govern- ment. From every thing they could learn, Taheeterre was the only furviving Monarch left amongft the Iflands. He then was King of Moretoi only j and Peereoraune, who now governs Whahoa, was at war with him, and had fent a number of fighting canoes to attack his dominions. It fecms ^ tb^t ( 'i!' J^ A VOYAGE TO TttE that Peereoraune's forces were worfted oil, this occafion ; for prefently after Taheeterre took poffeflion of Whahoa, and flufhed with his fuccefs, he attacked and took the Illand of Mowee, which, as before obferved,is now annexed to his dominions. Tereeoboo, who at that time was King of Owhyhee and Mowee, fell in battle whilft defending his dominions. They had no reafon to doubt the truth of thefe relations, for Maiha Maiha, the prefent King of Owhyhee, at the time they laft were there, was only an infe- rior Chief, and is now, as they underftood, infome manner fiibje6t to Taheeterre; befides which, the Whahoa Chiefs having in their pofTeffion mod of the daggers left at Owhy- heei is a moft convincing proof that they have been vi61:orious ♦, for they know that the natives of thefe Iflands will never part with their weapons but at the expence of their lives. From the beft information that could be got, they found that the principal of the Sandwich Iflands were governed at this time by the followihg perfons : Whahoa, More- toi, and Mowee, were fubjedt to Taheeterre; Maiha-Maiha governed Owhyhee and Ranai ; koRTH-WEST COAST OF AtaklCA. 35 and a Chief, whofe name they Underftood was T^'aao, was King of Atooi and Onee- how. At five o'clock in the morning of the 7th of June they were off Atooi; the Eaft fide of the land rifes gradually from the fea fide till it terminates in high land, which feems fituated near the center of the ifland. Thefe hills are clothed to the fummit with lofty trees, whofe verdure has a beautiful appear-" ance. The land next the fhore affords a few bu(hes,'but feems quite uncultivated, and def- titute of inhabitants. On the Eaftcrn fhore is a few fmall fandy bays, but they afforded us tio fhelter for fhips to ride in. After pafling the South Eaft point, they found the land cultivated in general, and houfes were fcat- tered here and there all along flioic to the Weflward. By noon they had fever^l canoes about the fhip, from whom they procured t few vegetables ; but the furf ran fo high on the beach that the natives could not bring off any confiderable quantities. As they knew Atooi afforded plenty of .'"'li D 2 fine I -. 36 A VOYAGE TO THE fine ho^s and other refrefhments, they ftood in for Wymoa bay, where Captain Cook anchored the lafl voyage, being defirous to get fome good hogs for faking, and likewife taking a live flock to fea, but were difap- pointed, and obliged to anchor at Oneehow. No fooner were they moored than feveral canoes vifited them, bringing yams, fweet potatoes, and a few fmall pigs. Amongft the people who came in thefe canoes were feveral faces whom Captain Portlock re- membered again, particularly an old priell in whofe houfe a party of them took up their abode when detained all night on fhore by a heavy furf, and who treated, them in ^ friendly manner. Their principal bufinefs ^eing to procure a good ftock of yams, they had the pleafure to have them brought in^ great plenty; but they began to be doubtful about the hogs, for as yet they had feen but few, and thofe none of them exceeding the weight of twenty pounds. They expected to find no difficulty in procuring water, as Mr. Bligh, who was Mafler of the Refolu- tion during the lafl voyage, difcovered the bay they now lay in, and found two wells of : ^ ^ ^ frefli NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 37 frc/h water in the neighbourhood of their prefent fituation. E^arly on the 9th they Were furrounded by canoes, who brought a plentiful fupply of yams and fugar-cane. A Chief named Ab- benooe, whom Captain Portlock knew when at this Ifland before, paid them a vifit, and immediately recognized his old acquaintance. Having appointed fix perfons to trade with the natives, the Captain went on fhorc in fearch of the wells mentioned by Mt, Bligh^ accompanied by Ahbenooe as a guide. Upon their landing, a number of the natives who were alTembled on the beach, f-etired to a confiderable diftance, and they walked to the wells without the kaft moleftation ; one of them had tolerable good water, the other very brackifh and ftinking. The good wa- ter was fituated about half a mile to the Eaftward of the beach, and the direft path to it was over a fait marfh, to avoid which a confiderable circuit muft be taken which renders the fituation very inconvenient. A Hup in diflrefs for water might procure it here, though much time muft be fpent in ^3 doing i \ :"'i tS A VOYAGE TO THE doing it. The Captain recommends to all fhips watering among Indians, to have theip calks hooped with wood inftead of iron, for the purpofe of filling on fhore ; thefc might be ftarted afterwards into other cafks. By this means much mifchief might be avoided, for the Indians would have no temptation to fteal them, and mi^ht fafely be trufted to ^flift in rolling them. 'i Aft^r examining the wells, they made an cxcurfipn into the country, accompanied by Abbenooe and a few of the natives. The ifland appeared well cultivated, its principal production yams 3 there are befides, fweet potatoes, fugar-cane, and the f\veet root called by the native* tee. A few trees are fcattered here and therej but in little order or variety; fome that grew near the well juft mentioned, were about fifteen feet high, and proportippably thick, with fpreading branches apd a fmooth bark; the leaves were round, and they bore a kind of nut fpmewhat refembling a wallnutj another kind were nine feet high, and had bloflbms pf a beautiful pink colour. They alfo ob- ferved NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 39 ferved another variety, with nuts growing on them like our horfe chefnut. Thefe nuts, they undcrftood, were ufcd by the natives as fubftitutes for candles, and they give a moft excellent light. After having viewed every thing remarkable on this fide the ifland, they repaired on board, accompanied by Abbe- nooe, and found a brifk trade carrying on with the natives ; a few hogs had likewife been purchafed, fufficient for daily confump^ lion. ::^ri D4 CHAF- 40 A VOYAGE TO THE CHAPTER IV- Continuation of tranfadtiom at Oneehow. — De^ farture from it, — Arrive injight of Ameri* ca. — Meet with Ruffian fettlers, — Arrival in Cooks River. — Vijited by a RuJJian Chief Anchor in Coal Harbour, — Vijit the Ruffian Settlement, — Indians come to the jhips with Furs, — Shew a thieving difpofition, — Bring Salmon, — Defcription of the Country, — Re- quejied by the Irdians to join againji the Ruf- fians, — Proceed towards Prince William's Sound, — Prevented making it by contrary winds. — Proceed a-long the Coafi, H .AVING already obferved that Oneehow belonged to Ta'aao, King of Atooi, they learnt that he was there at prefent, and that Abbenooe governed Oneehow in his abfence. They made the old man a prefent of fome red baize, with two larse towees, which he fent away immediately to Ta'aao at Atooi, and gave them to underfland that they might " . expe6l NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 4I cxpea plenty of hogs and vegetables from that place in confequence of that prefent. They feemcd to place little reliance on this piece of information; but on the loth, was agreeably furprifed to fee Abbenooe's mef- fengcr return, accompanied by feveral large double canoes, which brought a number of very fine hogs to be difpofed of, together with taro and fugar cane. The meffenger inform- ed them that Ta'aao himfelf meant to have paid them a vifit, but that he could not leav» Atooi under fix or feven days, being detained there during that time in order to perform fome religious ceremonies, for one of his wives who was lately dead ; and this ir r- mation was likewife confirmed by Abbenooe. However, they had no ^vc^t reafori to regret the abfence of his Majefty, for Abbenooe kept the natives in very good order, encou- raging them to bring whatever the ifland afforded ; and after the people of Atooi had difpofed of their cargo, he fent them back for a frefh fupply. Being defirous of making Ta'aao fome further acknowledgement, for his iupplying us " n 4a A VOYAGE TO THE ■ il. lis with the various refrefhments Atooi af- forded, though at fuch a confiderable dif- tance, they fent him as a prefent a light- horfeman's cap. This, however, Abbenooe fcarcely thought fufficient, and flrongly im- portuned. Captain Portlock to fend with it an armed chair, which he had in the cabin, as it would be peculiarly ufeful, he faid, to one of the King's wives, who had lately Iain in. He willingly complied with his friend's requeft, and the cap and chair were difpatched to Atooi, under the care of fpecial meliengcrs. Their bufmefs now went re- gularly and brilkly forward, the trading party were bufily employed in bartering for yams and other refrelhments ; and others were bufied in killing and falting for fea ftore. Obferving the natives to break the yams in bringing them off, which prevents their keeping for any length of time, Gap- tain Portlock's Second Mate was fent on fhore on the nth to purchafe fome, by which means they procured a large quantity of very fine ones. Since their arrival at this place, fuch of the feamen as were fcarcely recovered were fent on ihore, and found great NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 43 great benefit from exercife and land air. Indeed the inhabitants of this Ifland are not numerous, and they were kept in fuch order by Abbenooe, that the people walked about wherever inclination led them, without the leaft moleftation : befides hogs and vegeta- tables, they purchafed fome fait fifh of va- rious kinds, fnch as fnappers, rock~cod and bonetta, all well cured and very fine; the natives fupplying them with water in cala- bafhes, fufficient for daily ufe, and to re- place what had been expended fmce they left Whahoa. " Curiofities too found their way to market, and they purchafed foitie very fine fly flaps i the upper part compofed of beautiful variegated feathers, the handles were human bone, and inlaid with tortoifc fliell in the neateft manner, which gave them the appearance of fineered work. By the 1 2th they had purchafed near thirty hogs, weighing, on an average, about fixty pounds each ; the principal part of which, were brought from Atooi : thefe they faltedforfea-ftore, as they got daily fupplies fufficient for prefent confumption. By this fime they had procured near ten tons of yams on i. '"'\\ 44 A VOYAGE TO THE on board the King George, and about eight tons on board the Queen Charlotte. I'hc health of both Ihips crews perfe6lly reftored, and ever)' neccflary bufinefs compleatcd, they now began to make preparation for fea, as the fcafon for commencing their opera- tions on the American Coaft, was already begun. At five o'clock in the morning of the 13th of June, they unmoored,, and at eight weighed, and got under fail; ftanding out of the Bay,, which attained the name of Yam Bay, from the great quantity of yams they perceived there. As their vifit to thefe Illands was a very tranfient one, they had little oppfortunity of obtaining any informa- tion rcfpc6ting the manners and cuftoms of the natives, fo that the reader muik col- lect what little intelligence can be given from the following detail of their tranfaftions* Hogs, fweet potatoes, taro, fugar canes and yams, may, as has been obferved, be pro- cured m almoft any quantity ; and water is fo cleverly procured, that in little more than one day, they got upwards of thirty tons on board. Amongft: the refrefliments thefe Iflands abound with, the fweet root or tee, WiliCil ut eight J. The eftored, pleated, for fea, : opera- already ning of and at landing lame of af yams to thefe hey had iforma- cuftoms uft col- en from actions* r canes be pro- vater is )rethan tons on s thefe : or tee, which NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 45 which they met with in great abundance at Whahoa, deferves particular attention, as it ferved them to make very good beer; which, after two or three trials, they brought to perfection. The great utility of this root, was not known in the laft voyage, fo that the method they made ufe of to brew it, may not be amifs in this place. The rooi was peeled very clean, cut into fmall pieces, and put into a clean kettle, and fix of the large roots were found a fufficient quantity for twelve gallons of water. This was put on the hre n three o'clock in the afternoon, and aft.i .iling an hour and a half, was put away to cool. By the time the water was lukewarm, a gill of prepared yeaft was added, and afterwards it was put into a calk. It generally began to work about mi^l'- night, and by nine o'clock the next morning, it vyas excellent drink. They found it ne^ cell^ry to make ufe of yeaft only once; the grounds fermented the liquor afterwards, and they were inclined to think that when yeaft cannot be had, a little leaven would anfwer as a fubftitute. This beer was conftantly drank by fuch of the failors as were afflidted with -'-'i 46 A VOYAGE TO THC c with thefcuiTy, and they found great benefit from it; fo that in addition to its being very ufefulas common drink, they found ita mofl exceHent antifcorbutic. Having fucceeded fo well ni brewing the fweet root, they tried fugar-cane by the fame method, and made a good wholfome drink from it, though much inferior to the other. They flood to the North North Weft along the weft fide of Oneehow, which form fcveral fine bays, that feem to afford good (helter and ancho- rage: at ten o'clock their worthy friend Abbenooe took his leave of them, and all the canoes left them; on which occafion they hoifted their colours and fired ten guns, by way of taking leave of this friendly little ifland; and from this time to the 1 6th of July, was fpent in their paffage to the coaft of America, which was feen extending from North Eaft to Weft by North, diftant from the neareft land about twelve leagues. On the 1 9th, they were greatly furprifed to hear the report of a gun, which they anfwered j but it nof being anfwered again, they fired a fe- cond, when another was immediately fired from the.fhore; it was now evident that fOiac ^^ORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 47 fome other nation had got to this place be- fore them, which was a great mortification to them : foon after they perceived a boat rowing out towards the fhips, on which they tacked and flood for fhore, in order to meet her. By feven o'clock they got on boaid, and were found to be Ruffians. Hav- ing no one on board who underftood their language, the information they got was but httle; they found they came from Kodiac, and proceeded to Cook's River in boats. The harbour which they intended to make, the Ruffians informed them was a very good one, and they offered to take a perfon in their boat to examine it. Their offer was accepted, and Mr. M'^Leod was fent along with them to examine the harbour, and found the entrance, there being fome rocks near it. The Ruffians left them about half paft eight o'clock, and immediately af- terwards, they came to anchor in thirty-five fathoms water, over a bottom of coarfe fand and fhells. At four o'clock in the morning of the 20th, Mr. M-^L^od -returned, and in- ' formed them, that the harbour was a very good one, and that there was a fate pafTage into !f^ 48 A VOYAGE TO THE into it on either fide of the fmall Ifland at the entrance. After examining the harbour, he landed on a beach juft without the South entrance of it, where the Ruflians had taken up their abode. It feems they only continue here during the Summer feafon, as they had nothing more than tents, covered over with canvafs or (kins. He obfervcd but few fea- otter Ikins amongft them, and thefe appear- ed moftly green, as if they had been recent- ly taken from the animal. The party con- fided of twenty-five men : they had alfo a number of Indians along with them, who had Ikin canoes, and feemed to be on the moft friendly terms with the Ruffians; which inclined them to think they were not natives of that place, ' but brought from Kodiac or Oonalafka, for the purpofe of hunting, efpecially as Mr. M'Leod could not perceive an Indian habitation near the Ruf- fian fettlement. The Ruffian Chief brought them a prefent of a quantity of fine falmon, fufficient to ferve both {h\ps for one day; for which they gave him fome yams, with directions how to drefs them ; fome beef, pork, and a few bottles of brandy. He •J V. KdRTH-W^ST COAST OP AMEftlCA. 4^ hiade his acknburledgements in the beft mani"' nfer he was able, and v^ent on fhor^ perfeaiV well pleafed with his reception. Thefe pebi' pie, quite contrary to Ruffian cnftom, were'"- partltUlarly cSreful riot to get Intoxicated; but they had feafori to think, it proceed-"^ ed from a fear of being furprifed by the In^ dians, for they obferved them to be cOni- ftantly Oil their guard, With their arms al-- ways ready, dhd that no man flept without a rifle bairell'd piece under his arm, and his cutlafs, arid i long knife By his fide. They ' now began tb be in Want of food, and the crews flood in need of fome exercife on fliore which mdueed the Captains to get into the adjacent harbour, and more particularly a$ there was not the leaft appearance of any inhabitants near it; fo that their bufl- hefs could be darried on without danger ormoleftationj another reafon for doing fd was to try to find out how long the Ruffians had been there, and how long they intended to ftay : alfo to know where their floops lav as they had none in Cook's River: likewife to enquire in what manner they procured their furs, whether by bartering with the In. T dians, .-••■) iii diaps, or IfUUng the aninxals. tli^mfel.^qs^ ^y elevejQ, o'clocl^ pn the, apt^h, tfey aD.chpr§c|f in^cji^vea f$thoms water, well into the haR- bpuf, omj a. bottom of W^ck mqddy/jaqcJK C^gtain ]fpf;tl9ck, early ii>i the morniog Qfr trhp 2jft» went oafhprein fearchof a$, aj ihoiT^ I^) the ^ftef no<9in,, . tb9. feiy^' w;af .haule4;at| the head of : thpjh^jfy w^^ret^e^lay, but. with, lit^Jp fucce^Si. pi^ly- a fe^vv:, colea|h being caught. WfeSftftfe^yr \Y,ere doing this,, th^ Rqf^ati, Chief p?jid^ em. a yifu, and informed, them . thf t th^ pla<3e, where . they hauled the ifeine- w^s ^iiiot ;ft<2?Qkjed ^ with fiihf. but that n^^r^his- refidejc^Ge, pfentyi m^ht^becaiight: they, accordingly, ; topfethe, Hpi^. tli^ther, and; in. feveral hauls caught about thirty falmon, and a fe;v\f flat fifli* TW^ indilfcrpnt fucpefsj a§tbeir, friend the. Rnf- ■-:■?■, NORTH-WES* COAST 6* AMERICA. jt ftan informed them, was'6win^to thetimi oftide, bring tHen low water; wKenthebeft time for battling thg feine was at high wa-' ten Howeverj hei irtformed them that jf they wotiM leave the feine all night, and a man' along with it, iliey woiild have plenty of filh the ^eitnibrnfng: They eAbracetf the offei- *5th pleafure; and left one of thi Mors, wKo had foihe trifling Knowledge ofl the Ruffian langua^' TheRufllari fettle!^' ment Was fituated 6tf W^leafint piece of flat? ground; aboiit three miles in leiigth, arid about two huridfed fards over, tbuJidby-S good faridf beach oh one flde, and a. fnialf lake of frd/h v^ater. which empties intd thi^ Tl-a^I °^"' ^ ^^ ' ^^ c^* ^ StS*" ^"""F *« Wach^ttrminataj- at eabh Hd^ • itf hl^'' pelts' 6f lahd; whicK forth i fiitig bay; whefe fmall waft- rifi^he' fie wiffi |;i-eat fafttyi- .%« Ruffikns ^eW tVehty-fiVe iir riuihfa-, eiclbfxve of the In^' dian^i wWdh they hiow found wdre brought from Rodiac and Oonafafka. They had tw Han boats, each calculated to row twely^ oars, and the thwarts were double banfed; H«- tindefttood that tKe Chief >^ha'the In^ dianSj^ •■• ) ii" 2 s^ A VOYAGE TO tHt dians, toA up their abode in a fmall tent covered with canvas, and the remainder flept under the two boatsjuft mentioned. Amongft the party were three Indian women: they have no bread j their diet chiefly confifts of fiih, and a mefs made of the root of a plant i they had alfo fpme very gpod tea. They foon perceived that they procured no furs by [barter with the Americans, and that they got no fea-otter fkins, nor indeed furs of anv kind : but what t;he Kodiac Indians caught in hunting. During their flay among the RulTianS; they were all very bufily •mployedi fome drefling green fea-ottqr fl^Jns, others repairing thcii'bp^t]^ and gleaning arms : moil pf the Indians yv^r^ out, on a hunting party^ the few th,atvyer^ left, vrerc, bufied in.fetting darts to their fpears^ making fn\ifF from tc^bacco, ^f,; ]^}v£^ they feem very foi^, and their Ayo wen in» cooking. , ;i.t w-as very that they were a fet; of favage, cruel peopie,r but fpokc^luch in J NOTTTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, 55. in favour of the Kodiac and Oonalaflca In* dia^ns. At feven o'clock on the 22a, the whale- boat was fent on fhore to the Ruffian fettle- ment, to learn what fuccefs they had had with the feine: the boat returned about nine o'clock, deeply laden with fine falmon, part of which was fent on board the Queen^ Charlotte. After this, they weighed and ftood^ further up Cook's River, but with faint hopes of fuccefs, being apprehenfive the Ruffians had drove the Indians away from the place. Soon after, they anchored, and two fmall canoes came off from the fhore nearly a-breaft of the fliip, and ^ xnt along-: fide the Queen Charlotte : they had nothin- to barter, except a few dried falmon, which Captam Dixon purchafed for beads, and al- fo made them a few prefents, in order to convmce them that their intentions were friendly, and that they wifhed to trade with them m a peaceable manner. They feemed to comprehend Captain Dixon's meaning, and promifed to bring furs the following e fatisfaAST OF AMERICA. 59 River, fcveral finall canoes came off from a town near the South point of Trading Bay. In one of them was a man who had been very ufeful in procuring furs, upon which account he received the name of the Faftor . They ekarly underftbod from him, that the Ruffians frequented the Weft fide of the ifland to the Southward, and that there is a paffage betwixt that and the main. If fo, they think it muft be greatly incom- moded with fhoals, and dangerous on ac- count of the rapidity of the tides. Their friend, the Faftoi, brought nothing to dif- pofe of, but a few falmon. It feems his principal motive in paying this vifit, w c. .o beg tlieir affiftance againft the Ruffians. He was very importunate v/ith them to grant his requeft, intimating at the fame time that he could prefently aflemble a large fleet of canoes, with which, affifted by their ihips, they could eaGly get the better of their ene- mies. On their refufmg his requeft, he feemed greatly mortified ; but to confole him in fome meafure for his difappointment, they gave him a light horfeman's cap, of which he was very proud -, and his countrymen be- held ""'11 6o A VOYAGE -TO THE ' I I! held him with fuch a mixture of admiration and envy, that they queftioncd whether he would be able to keep it loii^ in his paffefi. lion. They alfo diftributed a few trifles amongft the other Indians, and they returned on ihore perfedly fatisfied, though they did not meet with fuccefs in their embafiy. The fhips now left Cook's River, and from the loth of Auguft to the 23d of Septem-. ber, were kept beating about the coaft with- out hieing able to get into any harbour. When they were off King George's Sound diis day, about two o'clock, they perceived a canoe coming off from (hore : they (hortened fail and brought to, for her to come up. She had two Indians in her, but neither of them could be prevailed upon to go mto the fhip. They had fome fifh which were bought, and a few trifling prefents were made them s after which they left the fhip, and paddled for that part of the coafl: which lays •betwixt Woody Point and King George's Sound. At five o'clock, the North point of the entrance into King George's Sound bore 73 deg. Eall j the breakers that lie off that point y.u NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 6 1 point Eafl, half North, three leagues diftant. From this time to the 28th, they were kept beating off and on. trying to get into King George's Sound, without efFecl:, when they were obliged to finally bear away for Sand- wich lilands. ^ n ■itrvt^ 'aa^\^:s'i-. I \KUmT :'\Wilki) i : 3dj Ml i At .': i JI-. i<^ 'i ':^'. CTT A T^ 4j| A- IrOYAGt tCh 'i?H* CHAPTEli V: Arrive at Owbyhee»'-^RefreJhmeK(tsohtainea,--^'^ Natives propenfify to Theft. — Fian of future Proceedings. — Leave Owhyhe and anchr at JVhahoa. — Viftted by Taheet err e.-^'Fernicioiis Eff0 of I be Tava Root. — An Eatooa ereB^ id, — Chiefs make Offerings to their Gods,--* Med^ime an Attack on the Ships. — Shewn the Ejf/^d^ of Fire Arms. — Indians embark for Atooi. — Take leave of Taheeterre. — The old Frieji* — Anchor in Wymoa Bay, Atooi* — An Excurfion on Shore, Oi 'N the 1 6th of November they arrived off Owhyhee, where feveral canops came off to them with a few fmall fifh, the fea running fo high that the natives could bring off no- thing elfe. When night arrived, they per- ceived fires lighted in different parts of the country. The next morning, being not more than 4 miles from fhore, a number of canoes ' -i'l were NORTH-WESX COAST OP AMERICA, ^^ were prepared to follow themi. The adja-. cent country is very pleafant, and there apa peared feveral villages, fituated amidffc fiit^ groves of cocoa-nut trees. As theyj ruiii along the ihore, the nativea of both icxe^ were allembled. on the beach in great num- bers^ waving pieces of their white cloth as a) token of their peace and friendfhipv Thfsyj prefently came off with' the different produc- tions pf the ifland, fuch a& hogs, bread- fruit, taro, cocoa-nut®, plantains^ fbwk and^ geefe of a.wildfpecies, with plenty! of falti Their trade wpnt fo brifkly forward, that m a, very, fliort time they purchaf^d hogs fm-- cient to fill feven tierces, bofidcs great num^^ bers of a fmaller fort f4>r pt^fent ufe' awdt near two tons^ of vegetables ; fo plentifully^ didthe^natives fupply them, that they, were* under a neceliity of turning fome away that were brought. The Indians^ all the time traded v^ry.fairiy J but-fomc of the^j^dlai^ tprs, ofx whom they had great! numb{jrs^ ofi both fcxesi fhewed -their ufual pTopenflty.tOi thieving* One man had dexterity, enough in his profeffiba to ffcal, a boat hook out of f a^ boat aloMg^ade, though thei^- was>a boati.; keeper • ■-sr 64 A VOYAGE TO THE keeper in her; and another crept up the rudder chains, and ftole the azimuth com- pafs out of one of the cabin windows, and got clear off with it, notwithftanding a per- Ibn was fet to look after them over the ftern. Many other trifling articles were ftolen in the courfe of the day, which they did not won-« der at, confidcring the number of canoes around them, which was not Ms than 250, which contained more than icbo people. When the trade was over, the natives in- treated them to flay near the land, and in the morning they would bring us plenty of find hogs. On ^ promife being made them, they paddled on ihore, leaving them iii a moil friendly manner;, and the next day they purchafed very fine. ones upon . their ufual terms. , j, • ■.. -r;:;L'i :' On the 19th of November,, the Captairt confulted rcfpedling their future proceedings, having how pretty well drained Owhyhee, by purchafmg all the trade they had brought. The fliips were very light from having fuch B, quantity of water expended, and their rig- ging flood much in need of repairing and over-hauling i NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 65 over-hauling ; fo that they concluded it heft to quit their prefent fituation and proceed for King George's Bay, Whahoa, where they could lie well fheltered from the prevailing winds, and do every thing neceflary both for the hulls and the rigging of the fliips. In their pafTage from Owhyhee to Whahoa, a little before dark on the 19th of November^ they faw a canoe to the South- Weft making after them, with a fmall mat up for a fail, and paddling very hard. On this they brought to, and picked her up. There were four men in the canoe, befides a quantity of provifions. It feems they belonged to the Ifland of Mowee, and on their ftanding in for the Eaft point of it, had put off with their little cargo, hoping to make a good market of it; but upon the fliip's bearing away from the ifland, they found the weather fo bad, with a ftrong wind dire6lly againft them, that they could not reach the fhore, therefore bore away after them, fet their little fail, and ufed every effort in their power to get up with the fhip. TSey were greatly pleafed to have it in their power to fave them, for in a little time they muft all have pe- ^ rifhed i .. . i •" 1! 66 A VOYAGE to tm rilhed. Their canoe, when they came along-» fide, was ahnoft full of water, and themfelves fo much fpent with fatigue, that they were obliged to hc;i|:' dicux up the iliip's fide. All their things vveie got into the fhip, the canoe hauled in upon deck, and every method irt their power made ufe of to recover them, which had the wifhea-ioi ^wod effeft j and nevsr were men more grateful than thefe poor Indians, for the little favours they were fo happy in fhewing them. On the 2 2d, being off Mo wee, a number of large and fmall canoes came nlong-fide, with the various produce of the ifland. On the 23d, it being nearly calm> the In- dians that they picked up at fea, took this opportunity of going on fhore. They en- deavoured to prevail op chem to ftay till next morning, tuat they might have an opportu- nity of ftanding clofe in fhore, when they might have gone with greater fafety; but they chofe to go this tin-A., and made light of the diftance, th 'gh not lefs than hve leagues. Thefe pc r ilows did not go away NORTH-WEST COAST OF MERICA. 6j away empty-handed, for befides the prefents they had from the Captain, almoft every perfon on board gave them fome little token of friendlhip, fo that their misfortune turned out to great advantage. On the 30th, they anchored in King George's Bay. A fevi^ canoes came along- fide immediately afterwards, but brought little with them : they wgvq given to underftandj that water was wanted^ - d was defired to befupplied in the fame manner as formerly, which they w ould have been very glad to have complied with ; but they informed them that . oth water and every thing elfe was taboo'd b> he K'ng s order. Finding things in this fituation, tney gave to a man who appeared to k ofth- mo<> confequence amongft them, a prefent . the King, and another for the old Prieli, requtiHng him at the fame time to inform the King, that they were in want of water, and fuch r.5re(hments as th ifland afforded, and therefore, ihould be glad if he would immediately ^ake off tne ta- buo, that they might obtai i a fupp' ©f thefe articles. At fun-fet tte natives left tne * , -: 1 i i , 68 A VOYAGE TO THfi the fhip, and went on fliore. Early the next morning, they had fame canoes along- iidc, who brought them water and a few vegetables, notwithftanding the taboo. Soon after a large quantity of canoes came round Point Dick into the bay, and landed at the head of it : prefently their old friend the Prieft paid them a vifit, and came, accord- ing to cuflom, in a large double canoe de- corated with branches of the cocoa-nut tree. After paddling round the fhip with great fo- lemnity, and running down every fmall ca- noe that came in his way, he came along- fide; but oefore he entered the fhip, he en- quired for Capt. Portlock, on whofe ap- pearance he handed up a fmall pig, which at his coming on board was prefented to the Captain, as a token of peace and friendfh'^p. This has been obferved to be the ufual prac- tice at all thefe iflands. The old man in- formed them that the King, who had jufl ar- rived in the bay with a large fleet of canoes, would be on board to pay them a vifit, and upon his returning again on fhore, the taboo would be taken off, and the natives at liber- ty to bring them every thing the ifland af- forded. I'l^ NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 69 forded. They made him a piefent, and likewifc gave him one for the King, which they defired he would carry on fhore and de- liver with his own hand. The Pried left them about ten o'clock, and returned about eleven in his own canoe, accompanied by many others, both large and fmall ; in a very large canoe paddled by 16 ftout men, was the King himfelf, attended by many of the principal Chiefs. When his canoe came near the fhip, all the reft paddled at fome. diftance, to make room for his Majefty, who, after paddling three times round the fhip with great ftate, entered on board without the leaft appearance of fear, and would not ' fufFer any of his attendance to follow him, till he had got permilfion for their ad-* mittance, which was given to eight or ten j)inicipal Chiefs. The King brought them a few hogs, and fome vegetables by way of a prefent, for which he received a prelent, which highly pleafed him: many of the Chiefs likewife brought triffing prefents, for which they received fuitable returns, be- ing defirous to keep themfelvcs on a friendly footing at this ifland. The . > i 4 . . 'r*'ii ^ 3 !'fi lli-^: i„,.^ i .1] 70 A VOYAGE TO THE The King, whofe name is Taheeterre, is an exceeding flout well made man, about fifty years oldj appears to be fenfible and well difpofed, and is much efteemed by his fubjedls : he inquired whether they had been at Owhyhee, and on being ^nfwered in the affir- mative, he was very defirous of learning fom^ particulars refpefting that ifland, and the King, with whom he feemed to be at va- riance: but they could give him no informa- tion, but that the King was in good health, and the ifland in a very flourifhing condition. Taheeterre remained on board the greatefl part of the day, ^nd gave the natives direc- tions to bring un plenty of water, and every thing elfe the ifland afforded: towards even- ing he returned on fhore, perfe6lly fatisfied with his reception, and the prefeuts that were made him. They foon began to feel the good effeas of Taheeterre's. vifit, the natives, now no longer under the influence of the taboo, brought them plenty of water, and they procured a good iupply of hogs and vegeta- bles, fo that a party was employed in falling pork for fea ftore. On .' •/ NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. yi ' On the 3d of December, Taheeterre paid them another vifit in much the fame manner as before J great numbers of canoes were about the fhips, and multitudes of both fexes playing in the water, notwithftanding their diflance from the (hor^, which was not lefs than two miles, Their old fjiend the Priell: was almoft conftantly on board, and according tocufloin, drank vafl quan- tities of yava, which kept him in a moft wretched condition; he feemed quite debili- tated, and his body was entirely covered with a kind of le^irous fcurf. The old man had generally two attendants with him, to chew the yava-root for him, and he found them fo much employment that their jaws were frequently tired, and he was obliged to hirefomeof the people Jn the canoes to chew for him, at a bead for a mouthful. One of the yava chewers, a very intelligent fellow, informed them that to the weflward of Point Rofe, in Queen Charlotte's Bay, there was an exceeding fnug harbour, where the (hips might lay with lafety. As they had a heavy fvvell fetting into the Bay, round Point Pipk, which caufed the fliip t9 roll very ' 11 ' 'III m 72 A VOYAGE TO THE much, they determined to ifcnd the long-boat down to examinee it, and if found a fafe fi- tuation, to remove the ihip thither. The dillrid where the harbour Xits is called by the natives Whyteetee, and the yava chewer, who was found to be a man of fome pro- perty, offered himfelf as a pilot, which was readily accepted. On the 4th they received another vifit from his Majefty, and in addition to his ufual prefent, he brought a large quantity of fine mullet, which he told them were caught in ^ fmall lake at th^ head of the Bay. He fre- quently eat with them, but could never be perfuaded to tafte either wine or fpirits; nor did he even ufe the yava, but always drank water. He feemed greatly delighted with the attention paid him ; indeed his vifits feem to have been no ways unacceptable, for he not only encouraged the natives to bring them freely water and other neceflaries, but at the fame time kept them in good order. This afternoon their water was compleated, having in the fpace of three days filled forty butts, befides a number of puncheons and NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 73. brandy pieces; fo eager did the natives pur- fue this profitable trade. They now began to want fuel, and no fooner was it mentioned than the natives brought them a plentiful fupply, for nails and buttons. Numbers of fharks were caught, and after taking out their livers, they were given to the natives, who confidered them as very acceptable pre- fents; particularly the old Prieft, who got two, and having got them lafh'd to his canoe, was going to fend them on fhore, when the following odd accident happened : One of the fliarks not being properly fecured, fell out of the canoe, and funk to the bottom in eleven-fathom water; at the fame time there was feveral large hungry or fwim- ming about, yet an Indian went down with a rope, flung the dead fhark, and afterwards hauled him into his canoe, without any ap- parent fear of the others that furrounded him. They found the fharks were efleemed valuable, as they anfwer a variety of pur- pofes ; they eat the flefh, the fkin ferves for cover to their drum heads, and the teeth they fix in wooden iniiruments which they ufeas knives. The r4| * ^1 74 A VOYAGE TO THE The natives continued to bring them plenty of every thing, and great numbers vifited the fliip to gratify their curiofity : thofe who had no canoes would fwim from the fliore, though two miles dillant; and after flaying all day in the water, fwim away for the fhore with as much compofure as if they had only a few yards to go. . The old Prieft continued his vifits, fome^ times going on fhore, under pretence of pay^ ing a morning vifit to his Majefly ; but it was foon founi his principal motive was to replenifh his flock o ^ wa, of which, as has .already been obferved, he confumed a great quantity. He now began to appear very refllefs and uneafy; on the Captain's inquiring into the caufe, he hinted that Ta- heeterre and his principal warriors were me- ditating fome mifchief againfl the fhips ; and taking them upon deck, pointed to a large houfe on the top of a hill. This houfe, he afiured them, was building for an Eatooa, or God's Houfe, wherein they were going to make great offerings to their different Ea- tooas, and to confult them on the event of an :]g them numbers :uriofity : im from mt; and ^im away fure as if :s, fome* c of pay^ y; but it ve was to hich, as 1 fumed a o appear Captain's that Ta- were me- lips; and to a large houfe, he atooa, or going to rent Ea- : event of an NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 7.5 an attack on the fliips, which they wer? de- termined on. provided they met with encou- ragement from their Oracles. He appeared quite difpleafed with the King's conduft on this occafion, and defired they would be con- ftantly on their guard againft him. Though this piece of information feemed rather im* probable, yet they thought it prudent to be on their guard to prevent a furprize ^ and at the fame time ordered a conllant watch to be kept on the cables, to prevent their being cut by the natives. They had obferved the natives building this houfe a day or two be- fore the Prieil pointed it out to them, and had feen people going up towards it, loaded, probably with offerings to their differ mt Dei- ties. Towards noon, they obferved with their glaffes that the houfe was nearly finifhed, and the natives were covering it with red cloth. As they had conftantly treated the King and his attendants with great kindnefs, they could fcarcely give any credit to the old Prieft, although the hopes of poflefling all the iron they had on board might probably tempt them to the attack. At any rate, they determined to adir it Taheeterre on board as ufuaL '"'1 76 A VOYAGE TO THE ( 1 ufual whenever he came, and to regulate their condu6l by his behaviour. ' Towards noon the next day, the King came ofF in a large double canoe, attended by a number of his principal Chiefs, all of whom were admitted on- board, and treated with the ufual freedom ; but they kept well pro- vided for an attack, had one been attempted j having all the loop-holes in the combings of the hatches fore and aft opened, and ten or twelve ftand of arms below under the direc- tion of proper people, who would very foon have cleared the decks if the Indians had of- fered them any violence : befides which, cen- tinels were placed in different parts of the fhip, and all their great guns and fwivels were pointed into the canoes along-fide, with lighted matches at hand. Taheeterrc could not help obferving their fituation, and fpoke of it to his attendants 5 notwithftanding which, he obferved his ufual manner. After being on board fome time, hv* was very defi- rous to fee theefFed:s of their fire-arms, which Captain Portlock fewed him, by difcharging a piftol loaded with ball at a hog that flood at KORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, yj at feme diflance, and killed it on the fpot. The King and his attendants were ftartled at the report of the piftol j but when they faw the hog lie dead, and the blood running from the wound, they were both furprized and terrified; and they had not the leaft doubt but this fatal efFed of their fire-arms, made a deep impreffion on their feelings^ and prevented them from making the attack! The King ftaid on board near two hours, and after receiving a fmall prefent, took his leave, informing them at the fame time that he intended leaving the bay, and returning to his refidence at Whyteetee, in the evening. They could not help remarking, that imme- diately after the iCing Jeft the fhip, all the canoes left them, and paddled to the fhore in different parts of the bay ; bin the -reateft number of them landed in he Eaflirr. part of it, where the King had a tea porary refi. dence. •I Soon afterwards the old Prieft came on board, not in a large double canoe as ufual, but in a fmall old crazy one, that would fcarcely carry him, and appeared as if he had cume ij [I. i .^ I ' 7^ A VOYAGE TO THE come off by flealth. The moment the old man got upon deck, he began to tell them that the King was a great rafcal> perfifted in his former ftory, and begged them to watch him narrowly. After haranguing for a fhort time, he left them and went on board the Queen Charlotte, where he fpent the remain- der of the day. By this time their wooding bufmefs was com pleated, having purchafed a quantity fufRcient for at lead fix months confumption. Next morning the long boat came back, and Mr. Hay ward informed the Captain, that the place where his guide con- du6led him, was a fmall bay clofe to a fandy beach, where thenatives generally landed with their canoes ; but no place for a fhip to ride m with fafety. Adjoining to the beach, in a beautiful valley, furrounded by fine groves of cocoa-nut trees and a delightful country, there was a large town, where the Yava Chewer informed them the King ufually rcfided ; and the diftrid round it was called Whyteetee. According to Mr. Hayward's account, there was very few canoes to be fcen j nei- 4-Vn ' / NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 79 ther did he fee any great number of inhabi- tants: fo that they reafonably concluded, that moft of them were come into the bay, led either by bufmeia or curiofity. From this time not a fmgle native came near the fliips for two days, and their canoes were hauled out of fight j but they perceived great numbers about the houfe at the top of the hill. By day-light of the 17th, the old Prieft came on board, and feemed quite en- raged at the King's recent conduft. He in- formed them that the King and all his prin- cipal Chiefs had been making offerings to their Gods, and confulting them j but that the Gods were good for nothing, and that the King and his adherents were no better than villains for intending to do them any mifchief, after the many prefents they had received from both ihips. They thanked him for his intelligence, and told him they fhould be conftantly on their guard. For fome time Captain Portlock had been impor- tuned by the Yava Chewer, and a very fine young man of the firft confequence in the ifland, and a conftant companion of the King's, to take them along with him to Atooi. . * . (I .;:• t * I . ■'-■■ >•'■ H mmtt "^ t . lb A VOYAGE TO TrtE A tool. But he never thought they were in earneft tUl on the 17th, when the young Chief, whofe name was Paapaaa, ca' \e on board, and joined his intrcaties with liiofe of the Yava C hewer, in fo prelTing a man- ner, that he promifcd to take them on board, and they returned on fliore to prepare thcm- felves for the paffage. The Yava Che^'^er being now as it were a gentleman pafTei.ger, no longer confidered himfelf as afervant, but took to drinking Yava heartily, and laid in a plentiful flock of that root. Towards the evening this day, the natives were obferved | uncovering and pulling to pieces their new- built boufe on the hill, and ibout eight o'clock fcverai large houfes were on fire along the lhortr*ear the bayj but as no Indians were on board, they did not know whether by ac- cident or defign. Next morning the old Priefl came on board, and upon enquiring the caufe, he told them they were houfes belonging to Gods whom the Chiefs were difpleafed with, there- fore out of revenge they had burned Gods and houfes together. The King paid them another I sy were in ;he ^ young , cane on A'ith liiofe ig a man- on board, )aFe thcm- /a C e^'^e" pafTei.ger, :rvant, but d laid in a wards the e obferved their new- ght o'clock along the dians were ther by ac- came on ife, he told g to Gods /ith, there- rned Gods paid them another KORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 8l another vifit, ! at he appeared fomwha^ ' On the Captain's taki..g notice of the .^d houfe on the top of the bill, he appeared a good deal confufed, and waving the conver* fation, began to talk about his two country- men who were going with them to Atooi. He feemed very much interefted in Paapaaa's weitare, and particularly requertec a to' take care o. him and treat him wel ^nd if they flopped at Atooi, he begged . at they would leave him under the care of Taaao, who it feer 's brother to Taheeterre, and a relation of i^apaaa's. The two pafTengers alkedthem for a few trifles to leave ai ngUt their friends, which was granted them. ThS Captain likewife made the King a prefent, on which he took his leave of them for the laft time; and after taking a very affedlionate one of his countrymen, he quitted the ihip and went on fhore: the other anoes re- mained along-fide to difpofe )t their car- goes, and a good fupply of .ogs was pur- chafed, which enabled them to fet the falters to work again. They now began to get every thing ready for fea. The old Prieft was yet on board > but towards noon on the 20th of ^ December, .w. '%^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1^128 12.5 ^ 112.2 2.0 1.8 L25 i 1.4 ill 1.6 ^ "/a ^ o /}. 7 e. "^m Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) 872-4503 <^^/^ 4l^ ,^ <; i/j ^ I.: ^/ ! i « f i^s: Mlr,r \\ 82 A VOYAGE TO THfi December, lie took his leave, and Captain Portlock made him a preferit with which he was highly pieafed. He then went on board the Queen Charlotte to take leave of Captain Dixon, and foon after left the (hips, and tvith the other canoes paddled for (hdre, ' They did not come to anchor again till the i^th, which was in Wymoa b';. Soon after which, feveral canoes came/ /f, and they en quired for the King and thoir old friend Ab- benooc, who, they were informed, were with the principal Chiefs at Apoonoo, a town in the North Eaft part of the iflandi where the • King tifually rcfides j but were infortfted the King and his retinue would (hortlj be down at Wymoa. The natives in the mean time tfupplied them with every thing they could cwifti for. The next day, Captain Portlock, -attended by his two paflengers, went on ihore with an intention of walking round the Weftern point of theiilland, in hopes of finding a weil-lhcltered bay fdr the {hii>5 to ride in. After reaching the. fhore, he was received in~^ moft friendly manner by a vift - number of th^ '"--bitants, and afterwards ■I2v, ^•' were . NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. ftj were joined by fome people of cottfeqnence, who offering to go with them, their proffer was accepted, and they were of great fervice in keeping the nauves^t a diftance, though they did not croud round therti with any mifchi^vous intention , but on the contrary, to render them any little fervice in their power. After walkitig two or thrse miles along; the fhore, they fat down to take a little refrefhment During their repaft, a Chief named Tyaana, who they underftood was brother to the King, joined them, and prefled the Captain very much to go back with him to Wymoa, and eat with him there. As he was very anxious to find out a good bay for the fhips, he declined this friendly offer, but promifed to call on him on bis return ; on which he took his leave with many profeffions of friendfhip, and they continued their walk along the Ihore. Being difappointed in his fearch for a har- bour, they began to think of returning back to the Ibipj but after walking four or five miles, they found it would be impraaicabic to reach Wymoa before night came on" nnd G » being ••I \ I « (if 84 A VOTAGE TO TH* being not far from a comfortable houfc be- lotiging to Abbenooe, determined them to take up their abode in it all night, being all greatly fatigued with their walk. They arrived at the hdufe about fun-fet, and one of Abbenooc's men, who had joined them in the courfe of the afternoon, gave directions for a hog and a dog to be immediately killed and drefled for their fuppers, together with a large quantity of taro. The houfe was ,well lighted up with torches made of green rufhes, and at eight o'clock fupper being ready, it was ferved up in great order, and they feemed to think few people ever eat heartier than they did. Their friend's man a6led as mafter of the ceremonies, and ferved the provifion to each perfon j and after the feaft was over, he ordered the remainder to be put by for their ufe in the morning before they left the houfe, which they did; and previous to their quitting the houfe, there were near one hundred women about it, moftly with children in their arms. They were very anxious to know the Captain's name, which they pronounced Popotc j and fuch of the in- fants as could fpeak,. were taught to call on ilii: PoDote. NORTH- WE5T COAST OP AMERICA. ^5 Popote. On this, he diftributed fome tri- fling prefents amongft them, to pleafe them. They then walked to Wymoa, and reached the (hore abreaft of the Queen Charlotte, about nine o'clock. During the Captain's ^bfenee they had carried on a brifk trade for provifions, and the decks were covered with fine hogs fit for falting. viii l>*S. 1 \' 'i ' Jl ri ^ CKAP* ■f* - iii •H I I UN^ ■• *l ,1 .>■.= i ''- 8^ A VOYAGE TO THE CHAPTER VI, Variety of Refrtfiments procured. — Vifited By the King. — A large Shark caught. — Grate- ful Behaviour of Neehebwhooa. — Arrival at Oneehow. — Leave Oneehoiv^ and arrive at Atooi. — Remarkable Circumjiance of a Wo^ man 'with a Puppy at her Breajt. — Chief Exercife with Spears. — Houfe built for Captain Port lock. — Leave Atooi ^ and arrive at Oneehow. — An Attemp on the Life of an Atooi Chief. — Departure from Sandwich IJlands, o. 'N the 25th, the Chief named Tyaana, whom Captain Pcrtlock met with on fhore, , came off in a large double canoe, and brought him a prefent of fome hogs and vegetables, which was accepted, and a fuitable return made. He informed them that the King and a number of the principal Chiefs would be down in a day or two -, and in the mean- time. J . NORTH-WEST COAST Of AMERICA. 87 time, they fliould have whatever the place produced. After many profeffions of friend- , ihip, Tyaana took his leave and went on ihore. This day the Captain fent his boat for a failor and the two Chiefs whom lie had left on fhoie, after their excurfion there 5 his man returned, but the two Chiefs chofe to remain on fhore a day or two longer amongfl- their new friends, who were greatly careil'ed by the natives. On the 28th, , they obferved a great num- ber of canoes come round the Eartern point of the bay; and foon afterwards their good friend Abbenooecame on boaixl, but fo much reduced, and fo covered with a white fcurf from the immoderate ufe of the yava, that they fcarcely knew him. He- brought two canoes loaded with different kinds of provi- fions, as a prefent for the two ihips. After flaying a fhort time with Captain Portlock, he went on board the Queen Charlotte with the prefent he intended for Captain Dixon, and returning again in the evening, took up his lodgings with Captain Portlock. The next day Abbenooe went on fhore, andpre- ^ 4 fently ^1 Mi,„juiilii;! :[(. '^4 A VOYAGE TO THE fently afterwards returned in company with Taaao and moft of the principal Chiefs be- longing to the ifland. His Majefty brought a very handfome prefent, confifting of hogs, taro, cocoa-nuts, ana plantains, together with cloths, mats, and feveral elegant fea- thered cloaks J all which he infifted on their receiving: they were accordingly got into the fhip, and an ample return was made him. The two Chiefs who came with them being now on board, Captain Portlock took this opportunity of introducing them to the King, agreeable to Taheeterre's reque/l; previous to which he gave them a few tri- fling articles, which they prefented to him, and were received with great affability and kindnefs ; and he aflured the Captain they Ihould be under his immediate protedlion. According to the ideas they had entertained, they found Abbenooe was a man highly efteemed by the King, who confulted him on every occafion. Taaao appeared to be about forty-five years of age, flout and well made, and feemed the befl difpofed man that they had met among the iflands. He offered Captain Portlock his friendfhip in the mofl earneil NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 89 carnefl manner; and aflured him' he fhould be fupplied with every thing this and the adjacent iflands afforded. He requefted Abbenooe to ftay on board, in order to pre- vent any of the natives difputing with their people. The King and his attendants flaid on board about two hours, and gratified their curiofity by looking at different parts of the fhip, which they feemed greatly to ad- mire. After taking leave, they went on board the Queen Charlotte, where they flaid a fhort time, and then returned on fhore. Abbenooe attended his Majeff y, and then re- turned on board, where he flaid all night ; and as he conflantly took up his abode ..ith them, they hung him up a cot in the cabin, which pleafed him fo much that he never flept out of it. "On the 3ifl, the King paid them another vifit, accompanied by an elderly Chief, whofe name was Neeheowhooa, who they under- flood was uncle to the King, and a perfon of the firfl confequence. This old Chief, it feems, in his time, had been one of the ^reatefl warriors that Atooi, or any of the , |l ' l| . 1 1 » . I- •■ 1 i r 90 A VOYAGE TO THE iflands could boaft: of, and has been greatly inflrumcntal in fettling them under their prefent Kings, Taheeterre and Taaao : his body was almofl covered with fears, and he was quite a cripple; and to add to his dif- trelied fituation he had entirely loft an eye, and the other was in a very weak ftate, oc- cafioned by fome wounds he had lately re- ceived in battle, and which v/as beyond their art to heal. Taaao appeared very unhappy on account of his uncle's fituation; and per- haps thinking they could perform wonders, begged of them to cure him. Captain Portlock recommended him to the care of his Surgeon, who wafhed his wounds, applied dreflings to them, and gave him fome frefli ones, which he was to make ufe of once a day. Neeheowhooa fcemed })erfeclly to un- deiftand the Surgeon's inftruftions, and pro- mifed to follow them in the mcft punctual manner. After rcmaiiung on board a few hours, Taaao and his uncle left them, highly pleafed with the treatment they had received. The next morning, though fme, very few i-'i\ t. NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 91 few canoes made their appearance. Upon afking Abbeiiooe the reafon, he informed them that it was occafioned • by a tabooara bemg laid on by the King, which it feems is a kmd of tax impofed upon the fubjefts by the King, and confifls of a certain portion oi then- various produce. At Abbenooe's requeft. Captain Portlock accompanied him on fhore to fee the ceremony, which he could not but admire; great order and regularity wereobferved, men, women, and even children paid their contributions with chearfulnefs and good-will. Some brought hogs, others taro, bread-fruit, and indeed every thing the ifland produced; all of which were placed in two feparate heaps. Taaao and moft of the principal Chiefs at- tended, to fee the tabooara was punctually complied with, and when it was finifhed the whole was divided into two parcels' which the King informed C. ^ tain Portlock' was for the two /liips, and defired him to fend boats on fhore to take them oiF. He was greatly pjeafed with the King's method of proceeding, and determined he Ihould not be a loier by his liberality, though he hap- 92 A VOYAGE TO THE t^.. M- v'i 1^' pened to have nothing about him which he thought a fuitable return for fo noble a pre- fent, the magnitude of which aftonifhed him. After taking a very friendly leave, the King retired to a houfe fituated a little to the Eaftward of the River, where he refides when at this part of the ifland -, and Captain Port- lock went off accompanied by Abbenooe, in his large boat to the (hip. Next day the weather being tolerably fine, they fent the long boat on fhore for more provifions, and Captain Portlock, accompanied by his friend, followed in the whale boat. They landed abreaft of the village of Wymoa, and whilft the people were getting the hogs, &c. in the long boat, walked two or three miles up a valley which leads from Wymoa- towards the mountains: this valley abounds with taro, which is planted in trenches that con- tain about fix inches depth of water. The taro grounds are divided at convenient diftances by raifed foot-paths, which, as well « ^ ^s trenches, are made of ftone in a very re- gular manner, and muft have coft the natives an infinite deal of time and trouble. ' Ab- benooe conduced Captain Portlock to a large NpRTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 93 large new houfe belonging to himfelf, fi- tuated fome diftance up the valley, and very well built, after their manner : he there fat down a little while, and after taking fome refrefliment, returned to Wymoa. In the afteinoon of the 4th of January, they caught a fhark fo large that it was obli* ged to be hoided out of the water by the ta- ckle; it meafured thirteen feet and a half in length, eight and a half in circumference, and the liver fix feet ; its mouth was fo large that it admitted the head of a puncheon with eafe. On its being opened, there were found forty-eight young ones in her, each about eight inches long j two entire turtles weigh- ingeach fixty pound, befides feveralfmallpigs, and a large quantity of bones. The liver vvas kept for oil, and the fiOi given to the natives, who confidered it an ineftimabie treafure. Taaao paid them another vifit, which he informed Captain Portlock was his farewell vifit, as he intended to return to Apoonoo, but that he fhould leave Abbe- nooe on board, who was to accompany them down to Onechow, which ifland and its I !| \ H .. f'ICNi i . ' ilK. ■ I li-,^- 94 A VOYAGE ^O THE . produce, he prefled the Capmin to accept of as a prefent, and defired Abbcnooe to fee that the natives fupplied them with plenty of every thing, without taking any thing for it in return : he was this time accompa- nied by Taaevee his eldeft fon, a very fine boy about twelve years old. Captain Port- lock, after expreffing himfelf in a fuitable manner, for the magnitude of the prefent made him, had much to do to get leave for the people of Oneehow to have fomcthing given them for their goods : but after fome little aIterc2*tion, he got leave for them to be paid for digging and bringing of the yams. After this affair was fettled to mutual fatisfa^lion, the Captain made the King and his attendants fuch pj efents as he thought fuitable to the generofity of his vifitors. Amongfl: the people of confequence, who attended Taaao on his farewell vifit, was his uncle Neeheowhooa -, his wounds were get- ting better, and he feemed quite at a lofs how to exprefs his gratitude and thankful- nefs : he begged permiffion whilft there, to come on board every day to have them dref^ NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 95 fed, and feemed to think they would Toon be healed. After attending his nephew on iliore, he returned with a large double ca- noe full of hogs, for a prefent to the Surgeon and Captain, as a token of his gratitude : the hogs were taken on board, but declined accepting them as a prefent, though it was with great difficulty the old warrior could be prevailed on to take any thing in exchange. He was defircd to go daily on board to have his wounds drefled, which ^leafed him much, and he departed highly fatisfied with his reception. On the 7tli, the King in a large double canoe, attended by feveral others, fet off for Apoonoo, Abbenooe ftill remaining on board, who was found a very ufeful friend. They then weighed anchor and made fail for Oncehow, where they came to anchor in Yam bay. The Captain accompanied by Abbenooe, took a walk on fliore, where he fownd great part of the country poorly cul- tivated . Upon enquiring the reafon, Abbe- nooe told him, fmce they took in their ftock of yams, the people had in a great meafure negleaed . I I 1 1 I ' ■ *fl If 56 A VOrAGE TO THE m '■% m I i-.- ! ;,.. IL if'- 1 ' ' '■■ negle6ledthe ifland; barely planting enough for their own ufe : and that fome had en- tirely left the ifland, and taken up their fu- ture refidence at Atooi. In the evening they returned on board. On the 20th, feveral of the people had leave to go on fhore, all of whom returned except three, who were in a very poor ftatc of health, and whom the Captain thought of letting remain a few days on fhore, for the benefit of their health. Abbenooe had provided them a comfortable houfe, and or- dered them to be fupplied by the natives with every refrefhment they could get. Soon after a heavy gale coming on, they were un- der the neceffity of cutting their cables, and running out of the bay, being obliged to leave the three invalids on fhore. Abbe- nooe and feveral Indians were on board at that time, and went to fea with them. From the 21ft to the 27th, they were kept ! eating off and on, about Oneehow and Atooi J fuch a heavy fea running that no canoe could come off to them, till this day, when a few ventured off from Yam Bay. One NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 95^ One of them called ong.fide the long-boat, (which was fentinto the bay on the aad^ inftant, to endeavour to get, in the ends of the cables, and lie at anchor there till the fhip arrived) with a letter from th to let him 1 low it was he,, and that he wanted to come on board, which he did. He then unfolded his forrowfiil tale, and wanted Captain Portlock to punifh the mef- fenger for his behaviour ; but had he been incliiied to do it he could not, for he never after that time put himfelf in his power. Nohomitehitee in a few days after that, being tired of living on fait provifions, left them, and they had no opportunity before they left the iflands to enquire what was done in the affair. From this time to the 3d of March was employed in getting ready for fea ; and leaving, for the fecond time, thefe friendly iflands, made the beft of their way for the coafl of America, where they arrived orithe 24th of April, without meeting with any very remarkable occurrence; they looked for NORTH-WEST CpAST OF .AMERICA. 1 1 1 for the Iflands of St. Maria la Gorta, laid down from fome old charts, but found no fuch place, having run direftly over the ipot where they wire iHid td'bl: ' . -. T ■ '■''■ , '" '"-^ ■" -'-Vi- '% W^ii^Uvjlb. ' ■ >.\s^^li - '!\ ViJ' , . \ ■ \^^\ - A# \r\v^. *. . ■ - M\ CHAP- Mi 112 A VOYAGE to THE rryi \ CHAPTER VII. 1^.. .-■i^. Arrival at Montagu IJland — Anchor in Ham- mi fig's Bay — Boats Jent on a Trading Expe- dition. — Meet with a vejfel from Bengal. — Their diflrejfed Situation, — Refrejhments fent them. — Vifited by a powerful Tribe of In- dians. — - Their Propenfity to Theft. — Leave Montagu IJland. — The Ships feparate. — Ar- rival of the King George in Hinchinbrooke Cove. — Indians vift the Ship with Sea-Otter Skins. — Boats fent on a Trading Expedition — Plundered by the Indians. — Arrival of the Nootka — Long- Boats fent to Cook's River. — Departure of the Nootka. — Long-Boats re- turn. — Vifted by different Tribes of Indians. — Abundance of Salmon^ Herrings and Crabs. — Departure from Port Etches, IJPON coming to anchor at Montagu liland they were vifited by five canoes, fome containing but one, others two men in them ; they were rather furprised to find that they had :V^<. KORTH-WEST COAST OP AMfiRlCA. 1 IJ had not thelkin of any animal amongft theiiij > they pofTefTed many beads of various colours, which they Teemed to put a great value on, and they were obferved to be of the fame kmd with thofe ken in Cook's River the Summer before. Their vifitors frequently repeated the word Nootka, pointing at the fame time up the Sound. Never having either at this place or in Cook's River, heard the natives make ufe of the word before they were induced to think they bad beeri taught the word by fome vifitors who had recently been at Nootka; and they were foon convinced that there had lately been fome people trading with them, for on afking for the fea-otler Ikins, they were given to under- ftand that all they had been able to get was fold to a Thomas Molloy, who, they underftood, had left the Sound. This piece of information, however incorreft it might be, convinced them that they had very little to hope for from that place. However, they ftood in fcr Prince William's Sound. To- wards evening their vifitors left them and paddled out of the bay, after dealing feveral fHhing lines that were hanging overboard. . ^ The ^i ^H A VOYAOE TO THE 'It ' t ■ ''^ If I ■> The only wind to Which this bay is expofed is the South-Wefl, and with that a veflel may run before it into the harbour. On the 25th they got fome water for prefent ufe, and fome of the fhips company were fent on fhore on the 26th to gather lliell-fifh, which were the only refrefhment this place was known to afford. The only fpace to walk in was along the beach, the adjacent country being en- tirely covered with fnow. There were plenty of wild gQQCe and ducks, but fo fhy that they could not get within fhot. In a walk Cap- tain Portlock took along the beach, he faw the remains of two Indian huts, and a quan- tity of wood that had been cut down with edged tools 5 the cuts in the wood were fo large and fair as to co^ivince him they were made by tools of a different kind to thofc ufed by Indians j it was therefore concluded that the Ruflians had vifited this place tlie lail Autumn. No Indians coming near, they determined to leave the place ; and accordingly, on the 29th they unmoored the fhip, weighed, and failed out of the bay -, but the fame evening i were K0RTH-WE6T COAST OP AMERICA." il| were under the neceflity of running in again, on account of contrary wind. But on the 2d of May, they weighed and fleered up the Sound, and on the 4th came to anchor in a bay farther up the Sound, where the long-boat and whale-boat belonging to each fhip were made ready for a trading expedition up the Sound ; and early on the morning of the 5th fet out, under the command of Captain Dixon. In the mean time Captain Portlock had all hands employed in cleaning and re- pairing the fliips, and thinking it neceffary for both velTels to be on fhore,it Was done, and by the loth every thing was finiOied, when Captain Dixon returned and gave the follow* ing account of his cxcurfion: " This morning, the 5th of May, I Cet out with the boats, in order to fearch for In- dians, and if pofiible to purchafe fome fursi my intention was to make Htnchinbrooke Cove firll, and from thence proceed to Snug Corner Cove, as I knew they were the mofl likely places to meet with inhabitants. Bad weather coming on at eight o'clock, I put into a Cove in Montagu IQand, but towards 1 2 nine 1i6 A VOYAGE TO THE* K I M nip' t. nine, the weather" clearing up, I proceeded round the North-Eal end of the ifland into a large bay. Here I found feme Indians on a hunting party, who gave me to underftand that they belonged to Cape Hinchinbrookc. It being late in the evening, I came to an an- chor for the night in the long-boat, and made the whale-boats faft, one on each fide. <* As the Indians did not leave us when the night came on, I ordered fix hands to keep watch, and the remainder to have their arms ready, fo that I might call them at a moment*s notice. The Indians fculked about us till near two o*clock, waiting, no doubt, for an opportunity to cut the boats off, but finding us attentive to all their mo- tions, they then left us. At four o'clock next morning I weighed and flood over for Cape Hinchinbrookc, where I came to anchor at half pad ten. At this place I found feveral Indians, and purchafed a few fea-otter fkins. The Indians frequently pointed to Snug Corner Cove, and endeavoured to make me underftand aveffel lay there. Though this cir- cumftance flrongly excited my curiofity, and made .*Mi-*- NOllTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 117 made me particularly anxious to know whe- ther this piece of intelligence was true, yet the day being by this time far fpent, I de- termined to keep my prefent fituation during the night, as the weather was very unpro- mifing: fo that our ftanding for Snug Cor- ner Cove, under fuch circumftances, would be attended with fome degree of difficulty and danger. A flrid and vigilant look out was more neceffary this night, if poffible, than the preceding one. The Indians whom I had traded with for furs during the afternoon, were a different tribe from that I met with in the bay. Their behaviour was very daring and infolent, though they did not direaiy attack us ; nor did they leave the boats till day-light next morning. I make no doubt, but a fight of the various articles I had brought to trade with thefe people, occafioned them to lurk about us all night, in hopes of a booty ; but finding themfelves difappointed, they paddled away feemingly much difcontented, "Early in the morning of the 7th, I fet off for Snug Corner Cove? but the wind during ■J ^1 I^ th( n8 A VOYAGE TO THE i I the whole day being very light, the long boat made very little way; fo that the whale- boats were obliged to take her in tow: this retarded my paffage fo much, that I did not arrive in the cove till 1 1 o'clock at night. Contrary to my expeftation, I found no Veffel, neither did I perceive any of the in- habitants : notwithftanding which I ordered the fame flrid watch to be kept as before, remembering, that the Difcovery was board- ed by the natives in this very cove, during Captain Cook's laft voyage, in open day. During the night none of the inhabitants came near \\s. At day-light in the morning" of the 8th, two Indians came along-fide in a canoe, and gave us to underfland, that there was a ihip at no great diftance; and at the fame time offered to condu6l me to it for a ftring of beads. Glad to embrace this propofal, I willingly accepted their offer i and fet off in the whale-boats, leaving the long-boat at anchor. I had not gone far, before the Weather grew very bad; and my guides gave me the flip. I however continued the fearch along *i *. l^ORTH-WEST COAST OP AMIRICA. II^ along rhore till 12 o'clock; by which time I had got into the entranct of a large bay, and the weather growing very fqiially with heavy ftorms of fnow and fleet, I thought it moft advifeable to return to the boat, where I afrived about three o'clock. At half paft fix, fix canoes came into the cove where we lay, and told us there was a fhip not far off, to which they were going, and offered to (hew me the way. The weather was then very bad j but as they were going up the inlet, and not out to Tea as my guides had done in the morning, I fet out with them in my own whale-boat j and at ten o'clock in the evening, we arrived in the creek, where the veffel I fo much wiihed to fee lay. I found her to be a fnow, called the Nootka from Bengal, commanded by a Captain Meares, under Englifli colours. I learned from Captain Meares, that he had failed from Bengal in March 1786, and that he had touched at Oonalafka in Auguft: : from thence he proceeded to Cook's River, which he intended to make by way of the Barren Iflands; but the weather at that time being thick and hazy, he got info 1 4. Whit- f ^1 120 A VOYAGE TO THE i.^ 'tr .' (• 1:! ■, . 1 1 i 4^1 - ■'■- '• 1 •* , Whitfuntide Bay, through which he found a way into Cook's River. In this ftraight he met with a party of Rufllan fettlers, who informed him, that the land to the Eaftward of the flraight is called by them Kodiac, and that they had a fettlement there : iike- wife, that two Ejuropcan veflels were then at anchor at Kodiac, and that they had lately fcen two other (hips in Cook's River. This intelligence induced him to fteer for Prince William's Sound, where he arrived the latter end of September. He had wintered in the creek, where I now found hinri ; and his veflTel was ftill taft in the ice : the fcurvy had made fad havock amongft his people, he having loft his fecond and third Mate, Sur- geon, Boatlwain, Carpenter, Cooper, Sail- maker, and a great number of his foremaft men, by that dreadful diforderj and the re- maining part of his crew were in fo feeble a ftate at one time, that Captain Meares him- felf was the only perfon on board able to walk the deck. It gave him very great pleafure to find two veflels fo near him who could in fome meafijre affift him in his dif- trefs, and 1 had no Ipfs latisfadion in af- furing NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 12 J « Turing him, that he (hould I furnifhcd with every n( ceflkry we could poflibly fparc. As Captain Meares's people were getting bet- ter, he defired me nc^t to take the trouble of fending a:.y refreihments to him, as he would come on board us very fhortly in his own boat. ** I left the Nootka, at three o'clock in the morning of the 9th, and got to my boats about eight: at ten o'clock, I weighed and ftood down for our fhips, being now con- vinced that there was no profpeft of my meeting with any furs of confequence. To- wards noon it grew nearly calm, and the whale-boats were obliged to take the long- boat in tow : whilft we were proceeding in this manner acrofs the found, fome canoes joined us J and one of the Indians had a few fea-otter fkins, which he offered to feU. Happening to caft his eyes on a frying-pan, which my people had to drefs their viduals in, he requefted to have it m barter ; accord- mglyit was offered him; but he abfolutely refufed to take it entire, and defired us break off the handle, which he feemed to regard as Hi A VOYAGE TO THE f I * . n. as a thing of ineftimable value 5 .and rejected the bottom part with contempt. Towards fix o'clock, the wind frefliening, the whale- boats were caft off; and foon after the wea- ther grew very rough, with conftant fnow and fleet, which occafioned the boats to fe- parate. The night was very ftormy, and I did not get on board my own velTel, till four o'clock in the morning of the tenth : the King George's boats arrived nearly about the fame time.'* They now found out, the number of lliips that had been on the coafl:, and the ^reat price given for the Ikins, had made the value of their cargo much lefs than they €xpecled. The only articles the natives would even look at, were green and red beads, and unwrought iron, in pieces nearly two feet long : they therefore ordered a tent to be eredted on fhore for the armourers, and they were bufily employed in working .up iron into U^es, about eighteen inches or two feet long, thefe being articles the In- »• , On the 1 3 th they were vifited by two large canoes, containing about forty natives, with a number of fmall canoes attending them : they brought only two very indifferent Ikins, and a few furs, which were purchafed, and a prefent made the Chief, whofe name they underftood was Sheenawaa. This they found to be a very powerful tribe in the Sound : they were audacious thieves, and what was very remarkable, the little boys were fur- iiifhed with fmall hooked flicks for the pur- pofe of picking pockets. Their vifitors re- mained about the fhip till about 6 o'clock, when they left them and went out of the harbour. At this time the Queen Charlotte's people were about two miles from the Ihips on a fifhing party, and the Indians imme- diately joined them. Being apprehenfive of their pillaging the boat, Captain Portlock kept a look out with his glafs, and prefenty perceived a ftruggle betwixt the two parties; on this he immediately fet off in the whale- boat, which was always kept ready armed, to their alfiftance, and leaving directions for the yaul to follow, puflied out towards them with all fpeed. The Indians no foonerfaw tha NORTH-WE$T COAsr OP AMERICA: t2f the boat than'they took to their paddles, and went ofF as faft as they were able. Upon joining the boat they found the Indians had taken away all their fifhing Unes, arid.w^re juft forcing their anchor out of the boat as they hove in fight. On enquiry, they found the people had no fire-arms in the boat, which was very unlucky, as even the (Ight of a muikct will prevent the Indians from attempting any violence, fo thoroughly have the Ruflians taught them, by experience, the fatal efFcdbof fire-arms. Captain Mearcs informed them that, fined their vifit in the Refolution, a party of Ruffians had wintered in the Sound, and, accoi'ding to the defcrip- tion given, in the very place they were now at anchor in, where they had a battle with the natives, who were beat off; hut {tvtvk Ruffians loft their lives in the conteft..-^ -^t^: On the 14th, having every thing ready for fea, and thinking this a good opportunity for parting. Captain Dixon went ovk boaixi the King George, and they took leave of each other. The Queen Charlotte Ihaped her courfe out of the Sound, and the King George 129 A VOVAGfi TO THB if •■ George made for Hinchinbrooke Cove, where they arrived next day. We fhall now follow the King George till their arrival at China, at which place they met with Captain Dixon again $ and then fliall give an account of the proceedings in the Queen Charlotte, from the time of their feparation to their arrival afChii^a. On the 1 6th Captain Portlock had, in the courfe of the day, feveral canoes along-fide, of whom he purchafed ten or twelve good fea-otter ikins; they likewife hauled the feine frequently, but without fuccefs. On the i8th the Captain went in the whale-boat with an intention of furveying the harbour, but whilft engaged in this bufi- nefs he faw the enfign flying ; this being the lignalfor canoes, he returned on board, and purchafed a few good fkins from the natives. On enquiry for falmon, he was given to un- derftand, that when the fnow melted from the hills there would be plenty. As the ar- ticles he had to barter with were held in no p-reat 9 I '' NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 12^ great eftiniation, he difpatched Mr. Creffles. man, the Second Mate, with the whale-boat and yaul, on board the Nootka, to requeft of Captain Meares fome articles of trade, which he could well fpare. Having now no other way of getting on Ihore but in the Sandwich Ifland canoe, and fhe being difficult to ma- nage, it became neceflary to have fome fafer kind of conveyance. Accordingly, the Car- penter, aflifted by feveral other hands, be- gan to build a punt of twelve feet long, fix feet wide, and about three feet deep ; the Captain approved of the plan very much, ad this punt could not fail to be ufeful in wood- ing and watering whilft the boats Were ab- fent. The harbour afFo-ding very fine crabs and mufcles, a number of the people were fent to procure fome, and they returned in the evening with a good quantity of each. Several canoes came along-fide with a trad- ing party, who brought fome very good fea-otter ficins and a few indifferent ones. The weather being fine^ all their operations on fhore went brifkly forward ; one'^ part were employed cutting wood, another faw- "K " , ing r 130 A VOYAGE TO THE I,, ing plank, and the Carpenter, with his af- fiftants, about the punt. Two canoes vilited them on the 2 2d, and brought a few good Ikins. They informed the Caj:)tain that the adjacent country was called Tacklaccimute, and that it was inha- bited by a tribe, the name of whofe Chief was Nootuck, and the name of another Chief belonging to the fame tribe was Corcha. Three canoes belonging to Nootuck's. tribe came to the (hip the next day, but brought nothing except a few halibuts. On the 25th the whale-boat returned from the Sound ; they had parted with the yaul juft off the North point of the bay. The next day they had a very heavy gale of wind, and the yaul not making her appear- ance, it gave them great uneafinefs, as her crew were not only expofed to the weather,* but might probably be driven out of the Sound and all perifli: neither could the whale-boat be fent to look for and affift them, without running a great rifk of lofmg her crew like wife. However, the weather grow- NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 131 ing moderat on the 27th, the whale-boat was ftnt ,n fearch of the yaul, with proper refrerhmencs for her crew, and at nine o clock both boats came along-fide, the yaul s crew in a much better ftate than could be expefted. The whale-boat met the yaul at the entrance of the bay. making an effort to get in, which muft have been a fruitlefs one. had they not met and taken them in tow i for the boats were fcarcely got along, fide before it began to rain and blow as vio- lently as before. From this to the 30th bad weather pre- vented any bufmefs from going forward on fliore. Dunngthis interval only three canoes came along-fide, with cod and halibut fuffi. cient to feive the Ihip's company one day and a few middling fea-otter Ikins. The wea ther now growing moderate, the parties re- fumed their different employments on Ihore. On the 4th of June MelTrs. Creffleman nd Bryant were fent with the whale-boat ^d yaul on a trading expedition, up an openmg between the harbour they lay in ani ^* Snug ^1 132 A VOYAGE TO THE '*. Sniig Corner Cove, by which means they were likely to obtain part of the trade in- tended for the Nootka. Juft as night came on a few Indians came along-fide with fome halibut and cod, but no furs. The weather being fine on the 6th, a party was fent to dig a piece of ground for a garden, on a fmall ifland fituated in the entrance of the cove, and which was named Garden Ifland. After the ground was ready, a variety of feeds were fown in it, fucli as cabbage, onion, Scotch kale, radifli, favoy, purflane, thyme, celery, fpinach, cauliflour, turnip, muflard, rape and crefs, with peas, beans, French beans, and lettuce, befides oats and barley. The foil being tolerably good, it/ would be rather extraordinary if, among fo great a variety, nothing fliould come to per- fection. In the evening the whale-boat and yaul returned from their expedition, with a few very good fkins, which they purchafed of a Chief whofe name was Sheenaawa, and who was conjedlured to be the fame perfon who paid them a vifit at Montagu Ifland. The Captain intended them for a longer trip, ■ .-. but NORTH-WEST COAST OP ANfERICA. I33 but it feems they unluckily got into a large flat bay, where the boats grounded, and be- fore they could extricate themfclves from the fhoals the tide ebbed, and left them dry for near two miles round. Sheenaawa and his tribe, which confilled of near two hun- dred men, faw their fituation and paid them a vifit, moft of them armed with knives and fpears. The boats crews at firft were greatly alarmed at their fituation ; but their fears rather fubfided, when they found that plun- der was what the Indians wanted : this they endeavoured to prevent, but at the ikme time kept their plunderers in good temper; which was the moft prudent method the people could pofTibly hive taken, for had they aded in any other manner, and ftrove to have prevented them from ftealing by force, not a man in either boat could have efcaped the vengeance of their numerous opponents. This plundering party obtained an excelleut booty in their own eftimation j they ftole moft of the trading articles, two mufkets, two pjftols, and fome of the peo- ple's cloaths ; but what old Sheenaawa feemed to regard as a thing of ineftimable value, was J^3 Mr, 134 A VOYAGE TO THE I V .-^f' ' t ■•■ ^:- ... Mr. Greflleman's quadrant, which he feized, together with his epheracris and requifitc tables. It was at this time, that they pur- chafed the fkins juft mentioned : Sheenaawa's people affecting to traffic as a fort of intrp- du(5tion to their depredations. Captain Portlock being at Garden Ifle on the 9th, faw the Nootka turning in to- wards the port J on this, the whale-boat and yaul were immediately fent to her affiftance ; and in the afternoon, (he anchored juft without the King George. Some Indians came into the bay on the loth, and appear- ed fhy on feeing the Nootka, which could not be accounted for any other way, than they having fired at fome of the natives juft before they left Sutherland's Cove, and wounded one of them. Captain Meares went on board the King George, to requeft of Captain Portlock to fend his carpenter on board the Nootka, to examine her mafts, pumps and fides, which was complied with. The carpenter found her malts and yards in good order, but the fides in many parts were dangeroufly open, and her pumps in a very bad N0RTH-W5ST COASr OF AMERICA. I35 bad condition; on this, he was kut to work on board her ; the armourer was fet to work on her pump geer: a party of men were fcnt oh (horc to cut fire wood for her, and the cooper employed in brewing fpruce beer for her ufe. On the nth, the long-boat returned from Cook's River, and had met with tolerable fuccefs. Meffrs. Hayward and Hill afluring Captain Portlock, that much more bufinefs might be done in another trip. As foon as the boat was cleared, he ordered her to be fitted out with provifions, and an aflbrt- ment of trade, for a fecond expedition. / ter the boat' arrival in Cook's River, fooit after getting above poin*- Becie, they fell in with a body of Kodiac Indians, who they fuppofed were hunting on account of the Ruffians, but they faw no Ruffian party s and the inhabitants in the river behaved in a friendly manner. Early next morning, the boat failed again for Cook's River, with pofitive orders to return by the 20th of July. By the 17 th, the artificers belonging to thq K4 JCing f^^'Wim'MiiNWi^iaWtMMv'' 136 A VOYAGE TO THE I. t-^.^ r, I , . 1 1 : • 1 , ' ■ i * 1 ■■■! i ' 1 t *■ King George, had put the Nootka in a con« dition fit for fea. • For fome time paft the weather had in general been very wet, which afFe6led the health of the failors very muchj and many of them were laid up with fevers and vio- lent colds. The Nootka being ready for failing, at one o'clock on the 19th ftie weighed anchor, and flood out for the cove. Spruce beer, which was now in good order, was daily ferved out ; and the fick people found great benefit from it. The Surgeon, and thofe people who had been ill, took a walk on fhore on the 20th, and gathered a good quantity of water crefTes, which they found growing near the frefli water rivulets. The people cauglit plenty of flounders ^long-fide with hook and line j thefe, toge- ther with crabs, which were now very, fine, proved an excellent change from fait provi- Jions. Some of them in fifhing along-fide for flounders, caught feveral cod and hali- but} on this, the canoe was fent on the 2 2d, at fome diflance into the bay, to try fof them, and they iqon returned with a I a con* had in led the d many ind vio- ady for ith fhe he cove, i order, ; people Lirgeon, took a hered a ch they ivulets. sunders ', toge- ry^fine, : provi- ing-fide id hali- on the to try with a NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. I37 load of fine halibut and cod. This fuccefs induced them to fend her out frequently with a fifhing party, and they caught confi- derably more than what was fufficient' for daily confumption, fo that the remainder was faked for fea ftore. In the afternoon, a party of Indians vifited the fhip bringing a few good fea-otter fkins ; they pointed to the South Weft, and gave them to under- ftand that plenty of furs might be procured from that quarter : on this, Captain Port- lock difpatched the whale-boat and yaul on the 24th, on a trip to the South Weft part of the found with provifions for a month, and a proper aflbrtment of trade. Some of the people, who had leave to go on fliore, afcended the higheft hills in the neighbour- hood; on the fides of which, they found good quantities of fnake root, and a variety of flowers in full bloom. In the evening they obferved two Indian boats and feveral ca- noes come into the bay. They landed on a fandy beach, about three miles diftant from the fliip. Early next morning, their new vifi- tors came along-fide ; the party confifted of About twenty fivQ perfons. Their Chief ap- peared :J ^3^ A VOVAQE TO THE I!:. '■ ' it*-' I*. ilij f: '*'■ ^ i' pearcd to be a welldifpofed man, rather low in datura, with a long beard ; and feemed about fixty years of age : he was entirely difabled on one fide, probably by a para- letic ftroke. The old man made Captain Portlock a prefent of a good fkin, but had little to fell except a few falmon : he gave the Captain to underftand that his name was Taatucktel- lingnukej that the country he came from was called Cheeneecock, and fituated in the South Weft part of the found. The whole of this party were very friendly and well difpofed. The country where Sheenaawa and his tribe take up their refidence, is cal- led Taaticklagmute : they, it feems, are the moft powerful tribe about the found, and hated by all their neighbours, with whom they are continually at variance. Sheenaa- wa, (whofe rapacious difpofition has already been noticed) whilft the Nootka wintered in Sutherland's Cove, fent frequent meffages, intimating that he intended to come and cut them off. Thefe meffages or rather threats, were always delivered to a^ Indian girl that an NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 13^ an officer belonging to the Nootka had purchafed on their firft arrival in the found. This girl made her efcape from the Nootka towards the latter part of the Winter^ and propaWy gave the Indians an account of her weak and defencelefs fituation : for there is hardly a doubt, from the number of men that Sbeenaawa had with him at the time he plundered the King George's boats, but that he then meditated an attack on the Nootka, but very bad weather coming on immediately afterwards, probably fruftrated ms defign. The party who were daily fent out to filh for cod and halibut, had their hooks and Imes often broke by large ground Iharks: fcveral of them were killed, but they were ofnoufe. their livers yielding fcarcely any oil. Taatucktellingnuke vifited the fhip on the 26th, and was particularly anxious to take one or two of the people with him on Aore to fpend the night, oftering at the fame time, to leave fome of his people on board as hoftages till their return. Captain Portlock complied with this fingular requeft. " i. : ■*l\ 'i-'n "^iffttm >rt-«|i|q»^4.*-/-' 140 A VOYAGE TO THE . -•) and gave two of the people leave to accom- pany him on fhore : he left three of his tr\be on board, being defirous to convince them that he intended no harm. Early the next morning, the friendly old Chief came on board in one of his boats, and after ex- changing hoftages, and receiving a few pre* fents, he went on fliore highly pleafed. Thefe Indians lodged in temporary huts, compofed only of a few flicks and a little bark : the principal part of their food was fifh, and by way of variety they e^t the in- ner rind of the pine bark dried; but their greateft luxury was a kind of rock weed co- vered with the fpawn of fome fifti or other, of which they gathered and eat great quan- tities : they alfo eat the inner rind of the angelica and hemlock rootSj which though poifon to Englilhmen, by conftant and ha- bitual ufe, becomes to them familiar and ferviceable. In hauling the feine on the 30th, they caught a large quantity of her- rings, and fome falmon: the herrings though fmall, were very goodj and two Jbogfhheads of them were falted for fea (tore, At NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. I41 ' At noon on the 6th of July the whale- boat and yaul returned from their expedition, without the leaft fuccefs, not having feen a fingle canoe during their trip. Captain Port- lock was now convinced that nothing could be done by fending the boats on another ex- pedition,and expecting the long-boat's retui it in a few days, after which he intended to get to fea as quick as poffible, all hands were fet to work in getting the fhip ready. Large quantities of falmon were daily caught, but the unfettled ftate of the weather not permitting them to cure it on board, the Boatfwain was fent with a party on Ihore, to build a kind of houfe to fmoke them in. * On the 9th the houfe was finifhed, and the Boatfwain, with his party, were em- ployed in fmoking falmon ; they had fuffi- cient room to hang 600 fifh up conveniently, and feven fires being conftantly burning! they were cured very well. The feine was frequently hauled oil the nth, and not lefs than '2,000 falmon were caught at each haul ; indeed, they were now in ■■!',. .^ - i^'^ I ' 142 A VOYAGE TO THE in fuch numbers along the (hores, that any quantity whatever might be caught with the greateft eafe. On the 21ft Captain Portlock tookfeveral of the people who were lately recovered from ficknefs on (hore, to take a walk and gather water-crefles. This little excurfion had a wonderfully good efFea on every onej they fat down on the grafs and made a hearty meal on fried pork and falmon, and, by way of fallad, had an abundance of water- crefles: they likewife gathered a fufficient quantity to ferve every perfon on board. Near the place where they landed was a frefli water lake, in which there was abun- dance of falmon, and not far from it was ^ piece of wild wheat growing, at leaft two feet high, amongft which they found the water-crefies. This wheat, with proper care, might certainly be made an ufeful article of food. They returned on board in the evening without feeing any Indians. Next day at noon, the long-boat came along-fide, and all her crew in good health. In I 1 i^ NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. 143 In this trip they had experienced a great deal of very bad weather, and had not met with fuch good fuccefs as they expe6lcd. They fell in with numbers of the Kodiac Indians, who always behaved in the moft friendly manner, as did all the inhabitants of the river. In the afternoon of the 24th they corn- pleated their wood andwdter, and everything from the fhore was got on board. They lopped all the branches off the higheft tree on Garden Ifland, and fixed a ftafF about ten feet long at the top^ with a wooden vane on it, and near the bottom was in- fcribed the fhip's name, with the year and day of the month. V Every thing being ready for fea, they weighed anchor at two o'clock in the morn- ing of the 26th, and flood out of the cove. On quitting the harbour (which obtained the name of Port Etches) Captain Portlock at firft intended to ftand out of the Sound by way of Cape Hinchinbrooke, but on opening that pafTage, the weather looked I Ill, •'• 144 A VOYAGE TO THE very thick and dirty, on which he came to the refolution of puihing for the pafTage on the Weft fide of Montagu Ifland. Accord- ingly they ftood to the South- Weft, but meeting with contrary winds, did not get through till the morning of the 31ft, when they were well clear of the land, the South Weft point of Montagu Ifland being three leagues diftant. . .,1 - , ;i 4"' TT A Tl-* aT A Tl t, >■ UOkTH'WEST COAST OF AMERICA, 14^ mdi^ : CHAPTER VIIL Sljort Account, of Prince William's Sound, ^ Defcription of the Inhabitants, -^Tbeir Per- fon5,:^Manners,^.Difeafes,^Drefs, — and Ornaments.-^Food.-^Cookery,— Weapons, '- Proceed along the Coaft,—- Anchor inPortlock's Harbour. — TranfuBions there, — Vifit an Indian Habitation. An Account of the Spaniards being there and leaving the Small- Pox,— 'Another Vifit from the Natives, — Ceremoniet to be obferved,—fof. Woodcock fentas an Hojlage into the Country. -^An Ac- count of the Natives.— Their Thieving Dif poftion, ^C— Leave the Coaji of America. — Arrival at Sandwich Ijlands. — Receive a Letter from Captain Dixon,-^Leave that Plade and Arrive at China, Oi 'N taking leave of Prince William's Sound, though a copious defcription of the. natives, their manners, cuftoms, &c. and produce of their country, may perhaps be unnecefTary, yet, a few particulars may be fe- kcled, which probably will give the reader L fatisfa(5liony ^i WMDilmiiWif II iiiarwi 146 A trOYAGE tO TfrE I ;l!^ fatisfaaion, as they are the refult of clofc at- tention, and minute remarks on their beha- viour and general condu6l. Thcfe people are, for the tnoft part, ftiort in ftature, and fquare made men ; their faces, men and women, are in general flat and round, with high cheek bones and flattlfh nofes : their teeth are very good ahd white j eyes dark, quick of fight : theif fmell vtry good, and which they quicken by fmellbg at the fnake-root parched. As to their com-' plexi^ns, they are generally lighter than the Southern Indians, and fome of their women have rofy cheeks. Their hair is bUck and flraight, and they are fond of having it long ; but on the death of a friend they ciit it fhort, to denote them to be in mourning; nor does it feem they have any other way to mark their forrow and concern For the lofs of their relations. The men have generally bad ill-ihaped legs, which is attributed to their fitting in one conftant pofition in their canoes. They generally paint their faces and hands. Their ears and nofes are bored, and their under lips (lit. In the hole in th& ^xyjit:- WORTH-WEST COAST Ot AMERICA* I47 nofe they hang an ornament, as they deem it, made of bone or ivory, two or three inches long : at the ears, they mo% wear beads hanging down to the fhoulder ; and in the flit in the lip, they have a bone or ivory in- ftrument fitted, with holes in it, from whicl> they hang beads as low as the chin : thef$ holes in the lip disfigure them very much, fome of them having it as large as the mouth. But with all this fancied finery* they are remarkably filthy in their perfons; and not frequently changing their garments, ihey are very loufy ; and in times of fcarcity, thcfe vermin probably ferve them as an arti- cle of food, for they often pick and eat them 5 and in general they are very larg-. Their clothing confifts wholly of the ikins of ani- mals and birds. In juftice to them it muft be faid, that in general they were found very- friendly; and they appear fo remarkably tender and affeaionate to their women and children, that you cannot pleafe them more than in making them fmall prefents j but your attention to their women muft bt car- ried no farther, for nothing gives them L z * ' greater 1 )i '1 45 A VoVAGfi TO TIffi f ■ ■ ti' greater difpleafure than taking liberties with them. If Anothcfvefy prevalent inclination, is, that of thieving: this, however, is by no means peculiar to them, but is equally to be fcen in all other Indians not only from ftrangers, but from one another. In the courfe of their trading they were ifrequcntly feen to flreal from each othei', and on being deteaed, they will give up the articles they have ftoien with a laugh, and immediately appeal? as unconcerned as if nothing had happened amifs. Thieving with dexterity, h rather confidered a grace than a difgrace, and the complete thief is a clever fellow; but the bungling pilferer is lefs admired. The man who comes as a profeded thief may generally be known, for his face will be all daubed with paint} and whilfl you may be viewing the curious figure he cuts with his painted face, you fnay be fure that his hands are not idle, if there is any thing near him worth ftealingjand whenever you fee his arm ilipped from out of jth^ ileeve of.the frock of •ikins which they always wear, you may reft • afTured NORTH-WBST COAST OF AMERICA. 149 ^(Turcd that the perfon is uitent on thieving ; and they always conceal the articles they have ftolen under their frocks, until they have dn opportunity of /lowing them away in their canoes. But notwithtlanding all Captain Portlock's care, and all the people's vigilance, they frequently dole httle things from them : however, on the Captain appearing rather angry, and endeavouring to convince them of the impropriety of their beli^.'iour, they became lefs addi6led to tliiev 11 \ . ?^.Jpon the whole, they appear a good V\v^A nc people, and thei:e is net the leaft doubt, if a fettlc- ment of fufficient ftrength was eftablifhed, ■would be an induftrious fet of people in hunting, and procuring the fea-otter and other ikins, for fale to the fettlers. The weaker tribes are frequently robbed and plundered by the ftronger, and prevented from hunting ; which would not be the cafe were there a proper fettlement efta- bliflied in fome convenient place, for that would give prote6lion to the whole, TJie inhabitants of this Sound, and indeed from hence to .:p:ing George's Sound, are by no pieans fo numerous as was in general fup- ,>m«f»» mtltism ' mmi'i'imm''m* ■ir* A VOYAGE TO THE pofed; therefore, not fo dangerous to fet- tlers. This Sound, and as far as Comp- troller's Bay, would fcarcely mufter three hundred fighting men; and Cook's River, according to Mr. Hill's obfefvation, could not mufter much above that number; and the whole of thefe people ftand fo much in awe of fire-arms, that a few men, well pro- vided, would be perfeflly fecure. The place moft likely for wintering at and forming a fettlement, feems to be the Weft harbour of Port Etches : it hath fe- veral advantages over any place Captain Portlock faw upon the coaft ; one of them is, that it lies fo near the fea, that in all probabi- lity it would be one of the laft places that would freeze, and one of the firft in which the ice would break : In the next place, the fettkrs would be much ftieltered by the high land lying to the Eaftward and Northward, from the bleak winds in the Winter; and they would have all the Southern afpe6l open over the low land which lies to the South- ward, which land in a very little time might be turned to very ufeful purpofes in raifing articles NORTH-WE5T COAST OF AMERICA. ,ICI articles of food. They might fee from this ■fituation, the paflage from fea and a great part pf the Sound. The furrounding coun- try aftei: the fnovv leaves it, which is about the middle of June, is pleafant enough ; the weather is at times, long before that period, very fine and pleafant, and at other times exceedingly boifterous with conftant ram, which wafhes in a fliort time, great quanti- ties of the>fnow away, foon leaves the lower parts clear, and you may immediately per- ceive, the vegetables coming forth. This country abounds with trees of the pine kind, fome very large ; a good quantity of alder and witch hazel. The fruit-bufhes are in great abundance; fuch as bilberry.bufhes, ralberry-bufhes, ftrawberries, alderberry- buflies, and currant-buflies, red and black. The vegetables, are water-crefles, wild cele- ry, four-dpck, fhepherd's purfe, angelica, hemlock, wild peas, and wild onion. Un- fortunately none of the feed that was fown on Garden Illand came to any perfe6lion ; but probably it was fpoiled by age, being near twelve months old before the (liip left England. There were no berries fit for ga- L 4 th^ring n\ ^^^WWr«I^HffT(Trtfc# V*"^ l! I \:-- 'M ' •>•,'■ -■ .( iSi A VOyAGfi TO THE thering when they left Port Etches, but in a fhort time would be quite ripe, and any quantity might be gathered for a Winter's ftock. They made ufe of alder-buds when they were young as greens, and when they were boiled they eat very well. All the fhip's company partook of them one day for dinner, but they had a ftrange effe6l j not a perfon on board but what was phyficked in a moft extraordinary manner: On fome it adted as an emetic as well as a purge, and kept working for thirty-fix hours. The buds of the young black currant-buflies were made ufe of as tea, with the pine-tops mixed, which drank very pleafant. The ar- ticles of food of the inhabitants, are fifh, and animals of all kinds, of which they eat very heartily when they have it in their power ; they alfo eat the vegetables which the coun- try affords, and the inner bark of the pine- tree, which in the Spring muft be of infinite fervice in recovering tkem from the fcurvy, with which aifeafe, there is reafon to think, they are much afftifted during the Winter, as many of them had fwollen legs and fores, which certainly proceeded from that dif- but in a ind ^'ny Winter's Is when len they All the : day for t; not a :ked in a fome it •gc, and s. The t-bu flies ine-tops Thear- fifh, and eat very - power ; le coun- he pine- f infinite e fcuFvy, to think, Winter, ,nd fores, that dif- NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA.^ I53 cafe; for as the Summer advanced, little of thofe appearances were to be feen. They never fmoke their provifions -, and for want of faJt, have no other way of curing their Winter ftock of fifli than drying it in the fun : their frefh fifh they generally roaft, by running fome flick through to fpread it, and then putting it before the fire. Their ani- mal food they generally drefs in bafkets or wooden veffels, by putting to it red-hot flones, until the vi6luals are dreffed enough; and it is furprifmg to fee how quick they drefs their provifions in this way. During the Summer feafon they lead a flrange wa- dering life; and the fhelter they live under in bad weather, when from home, is cither their canoes, or fmall flieds made of a few fticks, and covered with a little. bark. Their Winter habitations are alO) ill- made andin- confiftent; they in general are not more than from four to fix feet high, about ten feet long, and eight feet broad, built with thick plank, and the crevices filled up with dry mofs ; and one of thefe houfes is gene- rally occupied by a great number of inhabi- tants. Their weapons for war are fpears .V ' of H\ ^54 A VOYAGE TO THE I*. ! 1 . of fixtcen or eighteen feet long, beaded with iron, bov/s and arrows, and long knives ; all of which they are amazingly dexterous in uling. Their fiftiing implements are wooden hooks, with lines made of a fmall kind of rock^weed, which grows to a confidtrable length. With thefe hooks and lines they catch halibut and cod; falmon they either fpear or catch in wiersj and herring they catch with fmall nets. Their implements that they kill the fea-otter and other amphi- bious animals with, are harpoons made of bone with two or more barbs, at the top of a flaff fix or eight feet long, on which is faftened a large bladder as a buoy, and darts of about three or four feet long, which they throw with a wooden inflrument of about a foot long. It fhould before have been mentioned, that in the bay where the water- crefTes grew, was a tree with an infcription on itj the charaflers, fome were of opinion, were Greek : it appeared as if the infcription had been made in the latter part of the preced- ing year, and probably by a man who fome time after the Nootka's arrival, left her. This !»•*,.:, NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 755 This man is a native of one of the iflands in the Mediterranean, and it (hould feem, was drove from the Noo tka by bad ufage, and is Aill among the Indians. Being well clear of Montagu Ifland, they flood to the Southward and Eaft ward, with- 'an intention of making a harbour near Cape Edgecombe, On the 6th of Auguft, they faw an open- ing in the land, which promifed well foi* a good harbour, and fituated about eight leagues to the South- Eaft of Crofs Cape. On drawing near the opening, a large Indian boat came out with twelve people in her, and only three of them men, the reft women and children. About noon, they anchored in a moft fpacious and excellent harbour, en- tirely land-locked. Soon after they were moored, the Indian boat which had followed them in, came along-fide, and gave them a fong in the ufual Indian manner : their lan- guage was totally different from that fpoken by the natives in Prince William's Sound; but they extended their arms as a token of Their 'I ill'. 1; I ;; . "!-■■<.' "l !;6 ' A VOYAGE TO THE ' Their boat was the body of a large pirte* tree, neatly excavated, and tapered away to- wards the ends until they came to a points indeed the whole wa,> finifhed in a neat tnd ' very exaft manner. Captain Portlock made Vis vifitors fome trifling prefents, and fliew- *ing them a fea-otter's (kin, made figns for them to bring him fome, which they feemed inclined to do. They were ornamented with beads of vanous forts, and had fomc: tin Icettles ana to'vvees, which mclined the Cap- tain to think, tliat the Queen Charlotte had touched neai^ this neighbourhood j particu- larly, as they made him underftand thai the vefTel from which they procured thefe arti- cles, had been in a port to the Eaftward of Cape Edgecombe, and that Ihe had two mafts. This information induced Captain Portlock to think that the Charlotte might ' flill be fomewhere about the Cape ; and as he had formed an intention of fending the long-boat on a trading expedition, he deter- mined to fit her out with all pollible dif- patch. The Indians, after receiving a few prefents, left the (hip and went on fliore, where they remained a (liort time, and then ret 'ued ..4 '7 NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. I57 returned with a few good dry fea-otterlkins; Thefe Indians are not fo particular in dreflV ing or ftretching their fkins, as the inhabi- tants in Prince WiUiam's Sound, or Cook's River J neither were any of them marked with paint, as is the practice in the Sound and River. On a marked fkin being fliewn to the Chief, he immediately knew what country it caAie from, and defcribed the in- habitants as having their under lips flit, and wearing ornaments in them; he alfo de- fcri bed their canoes, with their method of paddling J and on being fhewil a model of the Prince William's Sound canoes, he knew it to be the fame fort with thofe he had been defcribing. He informed Captain Portlock that they had a frequent intercourfe with the natives of Prince WiUiam's Sound., in the courfe of which, quarrels often arofe, and battles frequently enfued ; and one of the ir.en fhewed a deep wound near his lip, which he received in an engagement with them. The daggers which the people here- abouts ufe in battle, are made to (tab with either end, having three, four, or five inches above the hand, tapered to a iharp point. TovvarHs n M^ A VOYAGE TO THE I i.'. V ! Towards evening, the Indians prepared to go on fhore -, but by way of i'ecuring the Cap- tain's friendihip, were defirous to leave one of their party on board for the night, and take one of his people on fhore. As they feemed to betray neither a mifchievous or thieving difpofition, he had no obje6lion to the propofalj particularly, as the perfon who went with them, might have an oppor- tunity of obferving what number of fea-otter fkins they pofTeffedj and might alfo form fome idea of their manner of living. Accord- ingly, one of the people was fent on fhore, and that they might be under no apprehen- fion about his fafety, two of the Indians (inflead of one as was firft propofed) re- mained on board, and behaved remarkably well. They were both young, very well made, good-looking men, and appeared to be brothers. Next morning, the Indians returned with the man they had taken away the night be- fore j but they brought very little trade. Their reiidence was at the foot of a hill near a run of frelh water, which ifTued out of an NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. ^59 i^accnt valley. Their houfe (for they had only one) appeared to be only a temporary habitation, and they feemed to have but few ' articles of trade amongft them. Early in the morning of the 7th, the long- boat was fent on a trading expedition to- wards Cape Edgeeortibe, with particular or- ders to return in feventeen days. The adja- cent country abounding with white cedar, the carpenter was fent on fhore with a party on the 8th, to cut fome for fawing into fheathing-boardsj the remainder of the (hip's Company were bufied in various neceflary employments. In the courfe of the day, a fmall canoe came along-fide with one man and a wonlan in her, but had nothing to fell. After fome time, they went on fhore in order to give their tribe intelligence of our being in the harbour. Towards evening, their firft vifitors came along-fide, and the two young men again requefted to fleep on board, which was permitted; and Jofeph Woodcock, one of the Captain's apprentices, flept on fhore with their party. When the Indians left the fhip, they did not go to their old i6o A VOYAGE TO THE old habitation, but took up their abode in a fmall bay near the fhip; where they ereded a miferable hut, infufficient to keep out either wet or col''. Not having any fuccefs in hauling the feine near the fhip, the whale-boat was fent with it up an arm of the fju. -vhich ex- tended to the Northward. At the head of it they found a fieOi water rivulet, where they caught a few good falmon, and a great num- ber of very indifferent ones, moft of which were lufJered to efcape. Thofe of the bad fort had a moil difa^reeable colour, to ap- pearance, as if in a flate of putrefaaion, and the upper jaw had a number of large teeth projecling almoft right OMt of it. Since their arrival they had frequently feen in the freih water creeks (in which places thefe kind of falmon get a confiderable height) many oi .aem dying, and g. eat num- bers on the bank quite dead: indeed, there is reafon to fuppofe that few of them fur- vive the approach of Winter: but the other fort keep in deep wat *, a-id about the mouths of creek 3. The NORTH -WKSr COAST OP AMF-^Ca: ih The fmall canbe, which Mu i the flilj^ in the morning, returned again At eight o'clock, in company with two large boats^. containing about twenty-five men, women .' and children: after fmging near an hour, they took thtir leave, and went on fhore td the little bay juft mentioned; where fome o£ them ereaed temporary huts to lodge in: but others contented themfelves with fuch kind of fhelter, as fome rocks which hung over the beach afforded. On i ^ ving the fhip^ they promifed to bring fome very good furs the next morn* :ig. Accordingly, foon after, day-light they came along-fide with five very gocl fea-otter, and a number of beautiful blacL fkins v hich appeared to be a ipecies offeah .'< •! Il This tfibv idcd -^ery fairljr, aiid as the^ did notfeem to h. jf a thieving difpofition^ Cap lin Portlock admitted a number of them on board. When dinner as brought into the cabin, they required very little invita- tion to partake 3 buit berun to eat very hcar^ tily, and fo well did tuey relifli the viiflua^s^ that the table wm prefentiy cleared 5 and M n-.V iit A, VOYAGE TO Tttfi I there was occafion for another courfe, whicTi was brought in, and they fell to with as keen an appetite as at firft; till at length, being fairly fatiated, they gave over, though with fome reluaance. Soon afterwards, they re- turned to the (hore, well fatisficd with their entertainment. In the afternoon, an In- dian boat vifited the (hip with two men and two childun in her. One of the men was a remarkably fine-looking fellow, and ap- peared to be a perfon of great confequence. They brought a few good fea-otter (kins, and a number of wild geefe. The method they make ufe of in catching thefe birds, is to chace and knock them down, immediately after they have fhed their large wing feathers, at which time they are not able to fly. Thefe Indians were ornamented with beads of a different fort to any that had hitherto been feen, they had alfo a carpenter's adze, -With the letter B, and three fleurs-de-lis on it. They procured thefe articles from two vcffels, which had been with them to the North Weftj and the Chief defcribed them, as having three mafts, and that they had a drum on board, and a number of great guns. Thefe m NORTH-WEST tOAST or AN^ERICA. i6^J Thefe circumftances render it probable th^t the vefTels dcfcribed by the Chief, were the French men of war that were fitting out for difcovery, at the time the King George and Queen Charlotte left England. Befides thefe two fhips, they alfo mentioned another veffel with two mafts, having been on the coaft, and that an unfortunate accident happened to one of her boats, which was fiftiing at anchor in the mouth of the port where fhe lay; whilft fifhing, the wind came in frefh from the fea^ and when endeavour- ing to weigh their anchor, the cable flipt on the broad fide of the boat, which overfet her; and before any afliftance could be given them from the fhip, five men were drowned. This boat they defcribed to be cxa6lly like the King's George's wha'c-boat. Thib Chief and his little party took leave of Captain Portlock on the loth, and told him that he would return in ten days with more furs. On the nth, two large boats came into the found from the Eaftward, with a tribe which were entire ftrangers i they brought It ^ vx 4 a I - t: ' .» .. I--'-'-' I, ' • 164 A Voyage to triijl a kvr good fea-otter fk'iis, and ibmc of ttic black (kins before mentioned. This new |)arty of trader? did not affoci^te with the other Indians; but after their bufinefs was over, they went on (hore in a bay not far from the fhip, where the cooper was employ- ed in brewing fpruce beer; and took up their lodging in a good convenient houfe, which he and liis afllilants had built to ihelter themfelves from the rain^ and which was well covered with cedar bark. Some of their former acquaintance came on board in the cveniiig, and a hoftage was fent on fhore as ufual : indeed it was abfolutely neceffaiy to conform to their cuftom in this particular for more than once. When Captain Port- lock refufed to exchange hoftages with them, .they Were immediately alarmed, and would Slot come near the fliip on any account whatever 5 but on his permitting a perfon to go with them on (here, they would re- ceive him on entering their boat with a ge- neral fliout of exultation, and feem perfe6l- ly convinced thstt no harm ivas intended them- On thefe occafions,; inftead of one Indian ftaying on board in exchange for the pe nun NORTH-WJEST COAST OF AMERICA. l6$ pcrfon fent on ftiore, more than half a dozen would offer themfelves as volunteers, and three or four of them generally flept on board. On the 1 2th, part of the fhip*s company had lieave given to recreate themfelves on Ihore. In the courfe of their ramble, they fell in with a large quantity of Indian tea: this difcovery was a timely one> ibr the greateiS^ part of their tea was expended; and this iiewly-difcovof the native? from the Weilward had the lead fe*aces pf it. Thefe circumftanccs make it probable that thj5 veifei, from which thefe imfortunate- Indians caught the infe6lion, was in a harbour fomewh'**'" about /Cape Edgecombe 5 and none of tL«; natives to the Weflward of this Sound having ^ny inter- coufe with her, by that means happily cf- paped the diforder. On the 15th, the long-boat returned from her expedition to the Eaftward of Cape Edgecombe, when they had brought fome pretty good lea- otter fiiins. The people with whopi they bartered had a number of articles, the fame as thofe on board the King George; fuch as tin kettles, rings, &c, fo < •!. , when ft have iC coun- :his day number ; Sound vith the kr had ex)f the he leaft nake it :h thefe feftion. It .Cape s to the J inter- )pily cf- eturned of Cape It fome people nber of ard the igs, &c. NORTH-WEST OGAST OP AMERICA. l6^ fo that it was pretty evident the Charlotte had bee A in that neighbourhood, Whilft th^y were at anchor, and btified in putting the boat to rights, fome of the Indians cut their cable, and afterwaixis made for thd flione. The people in the long boat purfued them, and deftroyed their canoes 5 but th« Indians fled into the woods with precipita- tion. On the long-boat's rettirn, one of the people fell overboard, but was providentially faved by another af them fwimming to him with an bar, by which he kept himfeflf above water till they got him c»n board, ti : ■> ; On the 1 8th, Captain Pcrtlock went in the whale-boat to furvey part of the Sound, and landing in a fmall bay, found a fort of monument, eredled probably to the memory of fome diftinguifhed Chief. This edifice was compofed of four pofts, each about twenty feet long, and ftuck in the ground, about fix feet diftant from each other. About twelve feet from the ground there y/as a rough boarded floor, in the middle of which, an Indian chell: was depofitcd ; and 0^ jthat part of the fdiace which pointed up the 'f $^9 A TOY ACE TO THE ■ 1.1 % r ,11? the Sound, there was painted the refemblance of a human face. As none of the inhabi- tants were near, they intended to examine the cheft; but on one of the boat's crew at- tempting to get up for that purpofe, the whole iabriic had like to have given way, on which he defifted, as Captain Portlock was nojt willing to deftroy a building that proba- bly was looked on by the Indians as facred. , On the loth, their late vifitor from the North- Weft made his appearance in a large boat, along with about twenty men ^nd women, and twelve children. This Chief came along-iide with great parade, and fmg- ing in their ufual way , and by way of addi- tion, their finging was accompanied by inftru- mental mufic,.fuch as a large old cheft for a drum^ and two rattles. The Chief was fireffed in an old cloth cloak that formerly Jiad been fcarlet, with fome old gold fringe ^bout the fhoulders, and ornamented with buttons down each fide : with this coat, and his hair full of white down, (which they always wear when in full drcfs) he difplayed as much importance a? any Spanifh Doi) ;jni would -•hi l^ORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. tyx would have done. He had befides in hi» boat, another old drefs that was compofed of different coloured pieces, and worn chief- ly by his wife. The Chief did not produce any thing for fale, but foon went on fhore, probably to fort his trade, for he foon, re- turned ; but did not come on board until he had entertained them with Tinging ; during which timie, the Chief aded different cha-, ra6liers, arid always changed his diefs for each reprefentation J at the iame time, fome of Jlis people held up a large mat by way of fcene, to prevent them on board from feeing what was going on behind the curtain. At one time he appeared in the characler of a warrior, with all the ferocity of an Indian about him ; and ai : nether time, he repre-^ fented a woman, in which chara6ler he wore a very curious mafk, reprefenting a /soman's face. After this entertainment vv.'S ove^*, the Chief and fome of his people wen: ji\ board, and trade commenced. During the day. Captain Portlock bought about twenty-five pieces of good fea-otter fkins j but the Chief traded in fo very tedious a manner, that he fould not purchafe the whole of his furs be- fore syz A VOYAGE TO tWE K '*.i fore the evening came on. The Chief rc-^ mained an board with one of his people ; and as he required a hoftage, Jofeph Wood- cock was fent on fhore with his party. Woodcock having frequently been on fhore as an hoftage, he was well known to the natives, and they feemed very fond of his company. On one of thefe occafions, he re- mained amongft the Indians for three day8> during which time he had an opportunity of feeing their cuftoms and mode of living. Their filth and naftinefs was beyond con- ception ; their food, which confifted chiefly of liih, was mixed up with ftinking oil, and other ingredients equally difagreeablfe ; and the remains of every meal were thrown into a corner of their hut, upon a heap of the fame kind that was in a ft ate of putrefaction, which, together with large quantities of fat and ftinking oil, caufed a very loathfome and offenfive fiaell 3 and what rendered it ^ifi worfe, the fame apartment fervid them both to eat and fleep in. This imcomfortabk fituation, frequently induced ■ ', J I ief rc*i )eople ; Wood- sen on Dwn to I of his ;,here- ;e day8» mity of living, d con- chiefly n\y and t ; and vn into of the ■a^ion, J of fat thfome eied it i them quently ndured NORTH-WEST coast op AMERICA. I73 induced Woodcock to take a ramble intd the woods; but he was always narrowly watched by fome of his new companions, who fcemed to apprehend that he was en- deavouring to make his eicape from them, Once in particular, having rambled a con- fiderable diftance from the Indians place of refidence, he begun to amufe himfelf with whiftling, not expefting, if the natives heard him, it could poffiblybe a matter of offence; but in this he was miitaken, for fevcral of them immediately ran up to him and infifted upon his giving over: at firflr, he did not comprehend their meaning, and went on with his whiftling; however, one of them foon put a flop to it, by laying his hand on Woodcock's mouth, being appre- henfive that he meant the whiftling as a fig- nal for fome of his companions to come for him. Except their watching him fo clofely, they always treated him with great kindnefs, and at meal-times gave him what they con- fidered as choice dainties; mixing his fifti with plenty of ftinking oil, which in their opinion gave it an additional and moft agree- able relilh ; and he found it no eafy matter to f»74 A VOYAGE TO TflE : .t' .•■ to perf adc them to let him cat his fiffi without lauce. Thefe poor wretches by living in fo filthy manner, were entirely co- vered willi vermin, and when the lice grevv troublefome, they picked and eat them with the greatefl relilh and compofure: ibm> times indeed, when they were greatly pcf- tcred, and had not an opportunity of rid- ding themfelves of their guefts in that man- ner, they would turn their jackets and wear them inlide outwards by way of giving them a few hours of refpite. Poor Woodcock foon became as much incumbered with ver- min as his companions; but ufe had not as yet reconciled him to fuch troublefome guefls, and ht felt his fituation very difa- greeable. At length, he perfuaded one of the wromen to n^ him of the vermin, and flie (probably conlidering them as a peculiar dainty) accepted the office with pleafure, and entirely cleared him from every thing of the kind. The next morning trade again com- menced, and the Chief at laft difpofed of all his furs. Captain Portlock finding the adja- cent lis (i(h hes by ely CO- e grevv m with Ibme- tly pcf- of rid- t man- id wear ig them lodcock Lth ver- not as )lerome :y difa- I of the and file )cculiar leafure, y thing com- d of all tie adja- NORTH-WEST CO^ SJ JP aMBKICA. I75 cc^?t neighbourhood was ftript of all thel furs, determined to go to fea the fii.t opportunity. Accordingly, n the morning of the 2 2d, they weighed anchor and flood out of the Sound, This party from the North Wefl, were much more addifted to thieving than any of the Indians in the Sound; and it was nifhing to fee w ^th what patience they ^ * wait, when once they had fixed on any ng to leal, and with what dexterity they would convey their b )ty away. One fellow took a liking to Capiain Portlock's drinking mug, 4iiid he got -t under hi'' frock, uut unfortu- nately for the poor fellow, it happened to be half full of beer, a part of which fpilling over, difcovered the thief. Notwithftand- ing, two people were conllantly in the ca- bin to watch the Indians, one fellow found an opportunity to get a cutlafs urder his frock, and was not difcoverea till he was going down the fide of the fhi and ano- ther found means to fleal four pair of worf- ted {lockings, vvith which he got out of the fhip undifcovered. A ii.-^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 l^|28 |2.5 ■tfUU 1.4 1111.6 1^ f 7] ^l /; -^ ^ '<^ 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (71«) S72-4S03 V J • - .* iV pt^'Ei;:. Thhie W<«n€n at this Sound, (which has ^» toffAed the naime of Foi^lock's Harbour) '*■* :..'=: i friORTH.WEST COAST Oi? AMERICA, tj^ to Owhyhee, took his pafTage on board the King George to Oneehow, and was received by the Kittg and principal men with much fatisfaaion . This Chief informed Captain Portlock that he was prefent when Captain Cook was killed j and on feeing a bayonet in the cabin, he laid hold of it, and faid thd Orono (the name by which Captain Cook Was diftinguifhed) was killed with a VVeapon of that kind, the point entering between his fhoulders and coming out at his br^afti Abbenooe acquainted them, that the Nootka had left Oneehow near a month, and that they parted on vcvy bad terms. Captain Meares having fired on them^ but that no pcrfon was hurt : he alfo mentioned Tyaana % VOYAGfi TO T«E. Ill . ■ *'f Early n^xt morning, Abbcnooe's meffen* gcr returned from Atooi, with Captain IDixQp's letter. Every thing now being ready for fea, they weight anchor and got under fail, in order t<> proceed to China, which was the next pl^ce of their deftina- tion* i^dOn the 4th of November, they paffid the Jflands of Saypan and Tinian, which h^ a jnoft beautiful appearance. . . , ■ . ■ ■ ^ At day-light in the nwiwng of the i8th, they were furrounded by a great; number of Chinefe hfiing-boats ; and fooyir afterwgrda feeing a Chinefe vcffel fleering towards thpm, they fhortened fail, and fcnt a boat on board her for a pilot ; the boat prefently returned with one, and Capt^ Portlock agre^ with him to carry the fhip ta Macao. They an- chored in Macao Roads on th? 20th, and the whale-boat was fent on fiiore to Macao. Next morning the bo^ returned^ and the Officer brought a letter from Captain Dixon, informing them of his fafe arrival in China* i I NOftTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, iSl Having ftnifhed their bufincfs at Macao, they weighed anchor on the 23d, and pro^ ceeded towards Wampoa, at which place they came to anchor on the 25th, whei-e they met with Captain Dixon, whofe proceedings we (hall now give an iaccount of from the time of their reparation, to thisir arrival at China. '■.■>'■ I ' ■ • -^l :i N3 CHAP -m • l82 A VOYAGE TO THE CHAPTER JX. •ti- The ^een Chariot fe arrives at Fort Mulgrave, TranfaSiiom there. — Account of the Inhabi- tants. ■^-I'beir Method of Fijhing^ — Cookings ^^Burial Places. — Leave Port Mulgrave, .. — Arrival at Norjolk Sound. — De/cription of that Place. — The Manners and Cufioms of ^ the Inhabitants. — Departure from Norfolk Sound.— Proceed along the Coa/i. — Arrival 0t Port Banks. — Defcription of that Place, t H , m jTTlFTER the vefTels parted company, Cap- tain Dixon fleered for the paffage between Cape Hinchinbrooke and Montagu Ifland, with an intention of ftanding well in with the coaft, in hopes of meeting with a har- bour o,n his paffage to King George's ^ound. They kept coafting along with light variable winds, till the 2 2d of May, when feeing the appearance of an inlet, the Captain deter- fnined to examine it, as |h^re was a proba- '. ' bility KORTH-WESt COAST OF AMERICA. 183 tility of finding inhabitants, and confe- quently fome trade might be expedled. Ac- cordingly, next morning the Second Mate was fent in the boat to look for anchoring ground j and foon afterwards, they perceived a fiugle canoe with one perfon in her, which gave them great pleafure, as there was now a certainty of their finding inhabitants in thd adjacent harbour. The Mate returned in^ the forenoon, with an -account that he had found an excellent harbour, and feen a num- ber of inhabitants J on which they ftood in, and came to anchor in the evening. Thcfc' people were found to be a diflferent nation from thofe of Prince William's Sound ; not only from their differti.je of language, but from the conftru6lion of their canoes, which were altogether of wood, and very neatly finiftied. The inhabitants were greatly pleafed at the arrival of the (hif and un^ derflanding that they were come for furs^ an old man brought ten excellent fea-ottcr ikins, which he fold for towees. This cir- cumftance, together with their feeing very ^ few ornaments amongft the Indians, gave fhem reafon to expe(5l a good traffic; but a • N ij. _ few 'I "i !■• 184 A VOYAGE TO THE few days convinced them that their conjtc* tures were built on a Tandy foundation, for they procured very few valuable furs, and the Indians were remarkably tedious in their trading: four or fix of them would come ^long-fide in a canoe, and wait an hour be- fore they produced any thing to fell j they then by fignificant ihrugs, would hint at hav- \fkg fomething to difpofe of, and wifh to fee what would be given in exchange, even be* fore their commodity was expofed to vie\y. If this manoeuvre did not fucceed, a few trifling pieces of old fea-otter fkins were produced, and a confiderable.time was taken up in concluding the bargain. This har- bour was calculated to contain about feventy inhabitants, including women and children j they in general are about the middle fize -, their Umbs ftraight and well-fliaped; but like the other inhabitants on the coaft, are jparticularly fond of painting their faces with a variety of colours -, fo that it is no eafy matter to difcover their real complexion : hoVever, one woman was prevailed on by perfuafion and a trifling prefent, to wafh her fa^e and hands, and the alteration it made n NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 185 in her appearance was abfolutely furprissing j her countenance had all th* chearFul glow of an Englilh milk-maid j and the healthy red which fluihed her cheek, was even beau* tifully contrafted with the whitenefs of hef neck: her eyes were black and fparkling; her eye-brows the fame colour, and moft beautifully arched • her forehead fo remark* ably clear, that the transflucent veins werd feen meandring even in their minuteft branches : in ihort, fhc was what would be reckoned handfome, even in England. But this fymmetry of features is entirely de* ftroyed by a cuftom extremely fingular, and which has never been mentioned by any na- vigators whatever : an aperture is made in the thick part of the under-lip, and increafed by degrees in a line parallel with the mouth, and equally long. In this aperture, a piece of wood is conftantly wore, of an eliptical form, about half an inch thick 5 the fuper* ficies not flu but hollowed out on each fide like a fpoon, but not quite fo deep; the edges are likcwife hollowed in the form of a pulley, in order to fix this precious orna- ment mpre firmly in the lip, which by this means ' ' ' ■■'■■'•I iS6 A VOYAGE TO THE means is frequently extended at leaft three inches horizontally, and confequently dif^ torts every feature in the low n* part of the face. This curious piece of wood is wore only by the women, and feems to be con- fidered as a mark of diftin6lion,.it not being worn by all indifcriminately, but only by thofe who appeared in a fuperior ftation to the reft. . * ^^1 Their habitations are the moft wretched hovels that can be conceived : a few poles ftuck in the ground, without order or regu- larity, enclofed and covered with loofe boards, conftitute an Indian hut ; and fo little care is taken in their conftru6lion, that they are quite infufficient to keep out the fnow or rain J the numerous chinks and crannie* ferve, however, to let out the fmoke, no par- ticular aperture being left for that purpofe. The infide of thefe dwellings exhibits a com- plete piflure of dirt and filth, indolence and fezinefs ; in one corner are thrown the bones and remaining fragments of viduals left at their meals 3 in another, are heaps. of fifli> pieces of llinking flelh, greafe, oil, &c. In fhort NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. '187 fliort, the whole fcrvcd to fhew in how wretched a ftate it is pofTible for human beings to exift ; and yet thefe people appear contented with their fituation, and probably enjoy a greater portion of tranquility than is to be found under the gilded roofs of the moft defpotic monarch. Tis proba- ble, that the chief reafon why thefe Indians take no greater pains in the ftrufture of their habitations is, that their fituation is merely temporary ; no fooner does the mailer of a tribe find game begin to grow fcarce, or fi^i not fo plentiful as he expected, than he takes down his hut, puts the boards into his ca-t noe, and paddles away to feek out for a fpot better adapted to his various purpofesj which having found, he prefently ere6ts his dwelling in the fame carelefs maaaer as before. • •■■ii '3 I M. . - .5 ^l The boat was one day fent out with feveil people to catch halibut, which are very plen- tiful at this place, but their fuccefs was* greatly inferior to that of two Indians who were fifhing at the fame time; which is rather extraordinary, if we confider the apparent inferiority of their tackle to that of Captain T\r. »_ ^■'; m^ A VOYAGE TO THE pTTT ■'hm Dikon's people. Their hook is a large fim- pie picteof wood, the fhank at kaft half an inch in diameter j that part which turns up, and which forms an acute angle, is confider- aWy feiallcr, and brought gradually to a point ; a flat piece of wood, about fix inches long, and near two inches wide, is neatly iaftied to the fhank, on the back of which is rudely carved the reprefentation of an hu* man face. Tis not likely that this was al- together intended as an ornament to their hooks, but that it is intended as a kind of Peity to infure their fuccefs in fiihing, which is conduced in a fingular manner : They bait their hook with a kind of fiCh, called by the failors fgaids, and having funk it to the bottom, they fix a bladder to the end of the line as a buoy, and Ihould that not watch fiifficiently, they add another. One man is fufficient to look after five or fix of thefe lines: when he perceives a fifh bite he is in no great hurry to haul up his line, but gives him time to be well hooked, and when the fifh is hauled up to the furface of the water, be knocks him on the head with a fhort club firovided for that purpofe, and afterwards * flows ■■■ r i NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 1S9 flows his prize away at his kifure. This is done to prevent the haKbut (which fomc«< times are very large), from damaging, or perhaps upfetting his canpe in their dying ftruggles. .They drcft their victuals by putting heateA flones into a kind of wicker haiket, amongft pieces of lifh, feal, porpoife, 6cc. and covered up clofe ; fometimes they make broth, and fifh-foup by the fame method, which they always preferr ' to boiling ; though Captain 0ixon gave them fome brafs pans, and pointed out the mode of ufmg them. The Indians are particularly fond of chewing ai plapt wiiich appears to be a fpecies of to- bacco 5 not content, however, with chewing it in its fimpleflate, they generally mix lime along with it, and fometimes the inner rind of the pine-tree, tc^ether with a rofmou* fubftance extracted from it. About a mile and a half from where the (hip lay at anchor were a number of white rails, on a level piece of ground ; at that diftance they ap- peared to be conflrufled with fuch order and regularity, that Captain Dixon concluded .1 :.i •l"'l bii\,iii mJimWii » i « "» . sg6 A VOYAGE TO THIJ ' them beyond the reiaclt of Indian contrivance^ and confequently, that they were ereaed by • fome civilized nation : willing to be fatisfied in this particular, he took an opportunity of going to the fpot, and to his great fur- prize, found it to be a kind of burying- place, if that it may be called fo, where dead bodies are not depofited in the earth. The manner in which they difpofe of their dead is very remarkable: they feparate the head from the body, and wrapping them in furs, the head is put into a fquare box, and the body in a kind of oblong cheft. At each end of the cheft which contains the bo- dy, a thick pole, about ten feet long, is drove into the earth in a flanting pofition, fo that the upper ends meet together, and are firmly lafhed with a kind of rope prepared for that purpofe. About two feet from the top of this arch, a fmall piece of timber goes acrofs, and is very neatly fitted to each pole: on this piece of timber the box which contains the head is fixed, and ftrongly fe- cured with rope: the box is frequently de- corated with two or three rows of fmall /I 11 ineiis. NORTH-WEST COAST OP AMERICA. igt fhel!:^ nd fometimes teeth,- which are let into Ciiij wood with great neatnefs and inge- nuity, and as an additional ornament, is painted with a variety of colours j but the poles are uniformly painted white. Some- times thefe poles are fixed upright in the earth, and on each fide the body, but the head is always fecured in the pofition al- ready defcribed. What ceremony is ufed by thefe people, when theydepofit their dead in this manner, could never be learned,, as nothing of tha.t fort happened during tha veffel's ftay in the harbour. The different forts of furs purchafed here, were the^ fea- otter, land-beaver, and fome cloaks ' made, from the earlefs marmot: and the articles of trade, were towees and beads. The na- tives being flript of all their furs. Captain Dixon weighed anchor on the 4th of June, and flood out of the harbour, fhaping his courfe along fhore to the Southward. 1 I it, 1 1 ■•. i On the nth, they faw Cape Edgecombe, and the fame afternoon, opened a very large and extenfive bay, which had every appear- ance .-.'i uga A tOYAOE TOt TH« mce of an excelfent harbour) but night cooong 0^3 they did not come ta anchor. The nextmarning at day-light, they again ftood for the Bay, and at fix o'clock, faw a large boat full of people, a very c6nfiderabk ^ftance out at fea, making towards them as faft aspoffible: {he hoiftedfomcthing which had the appearance of a white flag, but they could not diftinguifh, with the help of their glaffes, what nation file belonged to j fome judging them to be Ruflians, and others thought they might p6ffibly be Spa- niards, who had been left here everflnce the year 1775, at which time, two Spanifh veflels ^yere at anchor near this place 5 or that they belonged to fome fhip which pro- bably lay here at prefent. However, the boat on coming near, was found to be an Indian canoe, which belonged to the place they were ft eering for. The Indians had feen thelliip oa the preceeding evening, and had loft fight of her during the night. What had been taken for a white flag on fee- ing the canoe, was a tuft of white feathers, which the Indians had hoiftcd at the top of a long NORtH-WEsf COAst 01^ AMERICA. l^J ft long pdle, as an eitibfetn of jieacioi^frfend* fhip. They purchafed a few furs from thd people in this canoe, artd were given to un-i derftand that they would meet with plenty in the adjacent harbour, which encouraged them to proceed. At twelve o'cloek they came to an anchor in an excellent and well Iheftered fituation. One of the Matfes. who had beeri out in the whale-boat to examine thd harbour, faw a large cave, forfried by Nattire in the fide of a mottntainv about four miles to the Northward of thes^anchor- ing-bitthr curiofity^ prompted' Him to go oh fhorc, in order to examine^ iftiaS'therii appeared fomething,' Which, ^t a diftarfcd Idoked bright and fparkliftgi 0h getting imo thecal, he fouhAtheoBje^b which at-^ tradicd hrs attention, td fee a ft^uare boot, with st huiiian head in it, depofitcd in thtf niatm^r already defcribed at Port Mu^rave : the hot Was very beautifully ornamented with fmall fhells, and fcemed to have beea left there recently, being the only one in the place. This circumftance feems to fhew,' that the natives of this place difpbfe of their dead in* the fame* manner as at Fori O Mulgrave; ,- ■ ) )1 t •• It 1. '94 A VOVAGE TO THE ,t»0V3 Mulgrave; but probably make choice of caves for that purpofe, in preference to the open air. By day-light, in the morning of the 15th, they had a number of canoes, full of inha- -bitants, along-fide : after a conf.derable time fpent in ringing, a briik trade commenced and-they. bought a number of excellent fea-otter Ikins. The peopU Teemed far more lively and alert, than thofe they had left at Port Mulgrave ; and from every appearance, they had reafon to expea an excellent trade at this place. To-es were the article of traffic held in the firft eftimation by the natives ; but they always refufed fmall ones, wanting , them in general from eight to fourte«^ inches long. Befides thefe, they traded with pewter bafons, hatqhets, ho\yels, buckles, rings, &c. Of thefe, the bafons were beft liked ; for though the hatchets and howels were obvioufly the beft tools thefe people could poffibly have had. yet they were only taken in exchange for furs of inferior value. Beads of every fort were conftantly refufed with contempt, when offered NORtH-WTfcSt dOAST Of AMERICA." 1 95 oflfeted by way of barter, and Would fcarcely be accepted of as prefents. . Amongft the people who Came to trade, was an old man, who feemed remarkably intisUigent : he gave them to underftand, that a good while ago there had been two vefTels at anchor near this place, one of whicfh, wfes confiderably larger than the- Queen Charlotte j that they carried a great number of gunS) and that the people i*efembled them in colour and drefs. He (hewed Captain Dixon a white fhirt they had given himj and which he feemed to regard as a great curiof*ty: on ex-* amiriirig it, the Captain found it to be maide after the Spanifli fafhion, and imme- diately judged theft veffels defcribed by th^ Indian to be the Spaniards, who (as has al- ready been related) were on this coaft in 1775. Should this conjedture be right, it fufficiently proves, that this place is feldom vifited by Europeans j for in that cafe, a va- riety of fhips would have rendered the old man's accounts confufed and imperfeft ; on the contrary, his remarks were always clear and pertinent, and uniformly tended to de- fcribe the fame objeft. Though trade O 2 , principally :", If ) .) 1 ; ! i- : . ^ t • ... I U-; ,M !»».,. ig6 . A voVAGE to tnt pnndpally engaged Captain PJxon*fe atten-» tion, yet a Variety of necQlfcry ewiployments >vcre carried op, and parties w«re frequently fcnt on flsorc to cvit fire-wood, and fill ivateri .>uo^ 'tj; i vOHB "^n t . t7 CS/v) I * ^ . "i* At firft, the n^€m» belwived civilly ^noqgh, apd fafiered th^ people to follow their vnripn? employmentfi nnmolefte4 > but they foon grew very tiroMhjiefpine, and at- tempted to pick their pQ^fth and even to ftea] their (^w^ and axes, in, the moftopen, djming manner 5 indeed thjey conjd fcarcely U roftr^ned from thefe, p^q^eedings with- «mt viQlejEice; but this it.iiv^s neither the C&pt»i[n*» ihtereft or inclinartipn to offers if it could poffiWy be avoided, Luckily, the tittms had frequently feen him fhoot birds, and as the |>eople went on fhore well armed, the flght of « few mufquets Jijept tlie Indians 10 a kind of awe* This harbour (which Captain Dixon diftingui(he4 by the name of Norfolk Sound) is a very extenfive place j but how fei: it ftretches to the Northward is unccrtaMl* Th^ fto^^ here, in common With the tftft of the cpaft, abounds with Uii^S. NORTH-WESr COAST OF AMERICA. 19)? pines. There is alfo greater quantities of the witch-haile here than had hitherto been met with. There was alio various kinds of flowering-trees and Ihrubs; attibrigft which were wild-goofeberries, currants, and raf- berriesj wild parlley is found in great plenty, and they frequently picked gteat quahtltiei of it, which eat excellently, either as a faliai, or boiled among foup. The faranne, or wild lilly-root, grows here in great plenty and perfedion. There are very few wild ducks or geefe feen here, and thofb fhy and diffi- cult of approach. Captain Dixon was fre- quently on fhore with his fowling-piece, but he fhot any thing that came in his way, indifcriminately J his motive being rather to (hew the Indians the effedls of fire-arm^, than to purfue game; and the event fhewed that his intention was completely anfwered. The inhabitants frequently caught halibut j and large quantities of falmbn were fj*e- quently feen hung up on fhore to dry ; but they were not willing to fell it, which fhews, that fifh is a principal and favourite article of food here : a few falmon, indeed, were bought, but they were of a very inferior O 7 kind. * ' I M.>^Pfl O *> \ h ■ , Fittiifflii mikiiffl 198 A VOYAGE TO THI kind to thofe met with in Cook's River, Fifh, however, being the only frefh provifion in their powa* to obtain, the boat was fre- quently fent out with fix hands, to catch fifh for the fhip'c .ompany j and they were always ' tolerably fuccefsful, catching great num- bers of fine rock-fi(h, and fome hake, but very few halibut. There are great quantf?. ties of mufcles in fome parts of the Sound, together with a few crabs, flar-fifh, &c. The number of inhabitants in the harbour were eflimated at four hundred and fifty, including women and children. Their make, fhape, and features, are pretty much the fame with thofe at Port Mulgrave. Their faces are alfo painted with a variety of co- lours. The womon ornament, or rather diftort their lips, in the fame manner as has already been defcribed j and it fhould feem, that the female who is ornamented with the Jargefl piece of wood, is mod refpefted by her friends, and the community in general. This curious operatipn of cutting the under- lip of the females never takes place during their infancy, but feems confined tO a pecu- liar period of life. Wh?ji the girls arriye at the PF^" NORTH-WEST CdAST OF AMERICA. r'g^ the age of fourteen or fifteen, the center of the under-lip, in the thick part of the mouth, is fimply perforated, and a piece of copper- wire introduced to prevent the aperture from clofing: the aperture afterwards is length- ened from time to time in a line parallel with the mouth, and the wooden ornaments are enlarged in proportion, till they arc fre- quently increafed to three, and even four inches in length, and nearly as wide j but this generally happens when the matron is advanced in years, and confequently the mufcles are relaxed. Their traffic, and in-^ deed all their concerns, appear to be con-' dua:ed with great order and regularity: they conftantly came along-fide to trade at day- light in the morning j and never failed to^ fpend more than half an hour in fmging; before the traffic commenced. The Chief of a tribe has the entire management of all the trade belonging to his people, and takes infinite pains to difpofe of their furs advan- tageoufly. Should a different tribe come along-lide to trade whilft he is engaged in traffic, they wait with patience till he has done J and, if in their opinion, he has made ^4 a good •I' ,i- ^ 4 VOYAGE TO TH» %f/, ;" ^\ a good market, they frequently employ him to fcU ihcir fluns } fomrtimes, indeed, they arc extrenicly jealous of each other, and ufe every precaution to prevent their nci<^hbo\irs from obf and as they advanced up it there was every appearance of an excellent harbour; but unluckily both wind and tide were againft" them, fo that they found it impoffible to make the harbour; therefore hove to, in order- to trade with the Indians, who by this time were about the fhip in ten canoes, contain- ing 120 people, many of whom brought^ beautiful fea-otter cloaks, others excellent fkins, and, in fliort, none came empty-handed; ' and the rapidity with which they fold them ' was a circumflance additionally pleafing: they fairly quarrelled with each other who fhould fell his cloak firfl, and fome adually threw their furs on board, if nobody was' at hand to receive them ; but particular care was taken to let none go from the VefTei unpaid. Towces were the only articles bar- tered with on this occafion, and in lefs than an hour near three hundred fea-otter fkins were purchafed, of an excellent quality. p rh$ \.\\l*- » •r. . * 'K ? 10 A VOYAGE TO THJe The cloaks generally contained three fea-. otter ikins, one of which was cut into two pieces, afterwards they are neatly fewed to-, gether, fo as to form a fquare, and aro loofely tied about the fhoulders with fmalli leather ftrings faftened on each fide. Trade being, entirely over by 3 o'clock, they made fail and flood out of the bay, with an in- tiention of trying for the harbour the next morning. In the forenoon of the 3d, feveral canoes came along-fide, but they found them to be the Indians traded with the day before, and that they were ftrippedof every thing worth purchafmgj which made Captain Dixon Icfs anxious of getting into the propofed harbour, as there was a greater probability of meeting with frefh fupplies of furs to the Eaftward. * ■in the afternoon of the s^h^^ they naet with a frefti tribe of Indians, bringing a. number of good cloaks, which thsy difpofed of very eagerly j but trade now feemi^d to have takea. j^ d^^m.^ ^u]^,i fef afs , p^s, p^^m 9i-* A . <>■ NORTH-WUST COAST OF AMERICA. 21 f batons, and tin kettles, being the articles moft efteemed by thefe people. Captain Dixon now judged it more advantageous to ply along fhore, as circumftances required, than come to anchor; efpecially, as he had every reafon to conclude that the natives did not live together in one focial communi- ty, but were fcattered about in different tribes, and probably at enmity with each other. The Indians did not leave the fhip till evening came on, and then promifed to return the next morning with more fursi In the forenoon of the 6th, the Indran* returned with fome excellent fea^-otter cloaks, which they difpofed of with the fame facility as before. The furs in each canoe, feemed to be a diftindl property, and the people were particularly careful to prevent their neighs hours from feeing what articles they bartered for. Meeting now with a frefh tribe of Indians, Captain Dixon was convinced that coafting along fhore to the Eafhvard, was attended with better and fpeedier fuccefs, than lying at anchor could poffibly be. Be- ing clofc-iit fhore in the afternoon of th* ' . P 2 7th, 1 ■^ I aiz A VOYAGE TO TUt IL \V> .h ■ i "t ;• m 7th, a number of canoes were fecn putting off, on which they ihortened fail and lay to for them. The place thefe people came from had a very fmgular appearance, and on examining it narrowly, it was found that they lived in a very large hut, built on a fmall iHand, and well fortified after the manner of an Hippah, on which account, this place was diftinguilhed by the name of Hipfab IJland, The tribe who inhabit this Hippah, feem well defended by Nature from any fudden afTault of their enemies j for the afcent to it from the beach is fteep and dif- ficult of acccfs. And the other fides, are well barricadocd with pines and brufhwood. Notwithflanding whkh, they have been at infinite pains in raifing additional fences of rails and boards, fo that they muft furely repel any tribe, who fhould dare to attack their fortification. A number of circum- ftances had occurred fince their firft trading in Cloak Bay, which ferved to ihew, that the inhabitants at this place were of a more fa- yage difpofition, and had lefs intercourfe with each other, than any Indians met with on the Coaft: and there was great reafon to iuipect 1 putting and lay pie came •, and on und that lilt on a after the account, name of habit this ture from i} for the ) and dif- fides, are •ufhwood. e been at fences of lift furely to attack if circum- rft trading r, that the i more fa- ntercourfe met with : reafon to iufpect NORTH-WlESt COAST OF AMERi I13 fufpe6t, thdt they Were cannibals in fome 214 A VOYAGE TO THI5 very good cloaks, and a few good fldns. In one of the canoes was an old mjwij who appearqji to have fome authority over the reft, though he had* nothing to dUjpofe of: he gave thepii to underftand, ihajt in another part of .tiitfe iflands (pointing t© the Eaft- ward) he coiiild procytre a plfentifvil fvpply of fttt-8 J on which Captain Pixon gave him a light-horleman'e fii^: thk prefcnt added greatly tp his confequencc, and procured him the ejnvy of hU companions in the .other -canoes, who beheld Jhe c^p with 9 longing eye, and feemcd to wi(h it in theirpolfcflipn. Therie were likewife a few women amongft them, who ^11 feemcd pretty well advajnced in year? ;, ithejr wider lips were diftortcd in -the feipae manner as ihefe of the women at Port Mujgr^ve. and Norfolk Soynd, and the pieces of wood were particiilgi-ly large. One of tbfife lip pieces jappcaring to \)t pecu- liarly ornamented. Captain Dixor^ WJflied to purchafe it, and offered the old woman to whom it belonged a hatchet 5 but this Ihe refufed with contempt : towees, bafons, and fcveraj other articles were afterwards fliewn to her, and conftantly rejected. ^^Jhe Cap- lain od fldns. i9,r\, who over the lipoid of: n another th0 Eaft- ^ ftipply gave him ent added procured the .other « longing pOlJeiTipn. 1 amongft ad^ra^ced iftorted in ivomen at Vind, and ^lily large. ? J)e pecu- ^ifhed to woman to tt this fhe afons, and rds fliewn yhe Cap- NORTH-WEST COAST OF AM«TIICA. ^13 tain began nt*' to defpair of making his wifhcd-for purchafe, and had nearly given it up, when one of the people happening to fhrw the old iady a few buttons, which looked remarkably bright, fhe eagerly cm- . Tjraccd the offer -, and was now altogether as teady to part with her wooden ornament, as before (he was defirous of keeping it. Thi^ ttnions lip-piece meafured three and fevch- ti|ghth inches long, and two and five-eighth inthes in the widcft parti itf'wis inlaiA with a fmali pearly fhell, rotind ^hlA was a rim of copper. In (landing along fhoreto the EaAward, they metMrith different tribes' of Indiahs, with whbm they traded much in the fame manner- ati' beforfe. '^ •^^^ t)ri ttie 24th, eleven catloes came aldnj^:- fide, containing near one hundred ang eighty men, women, and children, whicA was by far the greateft concourfe of peoplfe they had km at any one time ; but curiofity) it feems, had chiefly induced the natives td vifit the fhip at that time, for they brought fcarcely any thing to fell: indeed, -till now, they fcldom had fcen any women or childreii • ■ laia i' 4 m 2l6 A VOYAGE TO THE "i:-. in the trading parties j for the rtien, proba- bly expeding to meet with their adverfaries, for the moft part left the women and chil- dren behind, as an ufelefs incumbrance .. The land which they had been cruizing along fpjT ipme time pall, w?is now judged to be a group of iflandsi and as it was pretty evident that no more trade could be expected en that fide. Captain Dixon purpofed ftaiwJt ing round a point to the South-Eafl, in if* dcr to try what the oppofite fide afforded. , 6 y"" After proceeding round the point, they ^fcJl in with feveral tribes of Indians, wrho brought fome v^rj gooAfii^s,,, , On (landing round the iflands, land was fecn to the Eafiward, which they fuppofedto be the Continenti and on the 29th, the tide getting out from that land, it frequently ^ff>^e large patches of fea-weed, long grafs, and pieces of wood, by the veflel, which made them conclude that there is a large river fet- ting out from that part of the coaft. The fiy^r called Los Keys by Dc Fonte, is near . . this , proba- erfaries, nd chil- nce cruizing idgedto IS pretty :xpe6tcd d Itandt t, in or* )rded> , It, they IS, WfhQ and was pofed.to the tide :quently g grals, ch made iver fet- . The is neac this NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, 217 this place ; and though what he fays about it is almoft incredible, yet from the above circumftance, it appears very probable that there are deep inlets into the ^ogntry. Mi In the afternoon of the aQth, no Icfs than eighteen canoes ^^me along^fide, containing more than two hundred people. This wag not only the greateft concourfe of traders they had feen, but what rendered the circum- ftance additionally pleafing, was- the great quantity ot excellent furs they brought, and the facility with which they traded. Amongft thefe traders was the old Chief * whom they had feen on the other fide thefe ■ iflands, and who now appearing to be of th^ firft confequence, Captain Dixon permitte4. him to come on board. The moment he got on the quarter-deck, he b?gan to tell a long ftory, the purport of which was, that he had loft in battle the cap which had been given him i and by way of corroborating this cir* gimftance, he fhewed fevcral wounds which he had received in defending his property, Notwithflanding this, he begged for another cap. 2iS ^A-'V^^i^G'E' '¥^ fnk • »'i^^ . ilr ^p;intimatffiV* the Me? *^rne, tli^t ;h4 wmman pains to niafke Captain Dl^eon comprehend his meaiiing. H6 clofed hrs relation with advlfing him not < : to NORTH- -trrr tX)AST QFlAMFRICA. C^t^ 'to go near that part of thecoaft, for that the inhabitants th^re would certainly deftroy :hiin and his people, ■ T"- » , V . ^ ■ ' , J ' ■ r ■ ; ■■ ■ J - I " ■■ . , ^ ■ -> ^ ■ - Thiey eiideavoured to Jcarn how rfic inh ^ans difpofed of the bodies of tTneir enemies who were :ilain in battle ; and though they could not miderftand the Chief clearly «nottgh,^ofitivcly to affert that thcfe poor wretches are feafted on by the yi6tars, yet there k too much reafon to fear, that this iborrid ciaftoin is pra(5i:ifed on this part of the coaft^ The heads jaite always prefervcd as ftandimg trophies of vidlory. ? Of all the Indians they had feen* this Chief had the mofl favage afpeft ; and his .whole appearance fufficiently marked him as -a proper perfon to lead on a tribe ©f cani- bals. His ftature was above the common iize J his body fpare and thin j and though at firft fight he appeared lank and emaciated, yet his llep was bold and firm, and his limbs apparently ftrong and mufcularj his eyes were large and goggling, and feemed ready to ftart out of their focketsj his Ibrehead ' ^ . deeply ; ■.]; f='-i il'.:o4[ '• -'f '»t .*■ 220 A VOYAGTi: TO TH» deeply wrinkled, trot merely by age, but from a continual frown j all this, joined to a long vifage, hollow cheeks, high elevated check bones, and a natural ferocity of temper, formed a countenance not ealily beheld with- out fomc degree of emotion : however, he proved very ufcful in condu fling the traffic (b as to give general fatisfa6tion j and the intelligence he gave Captain Diicon, and thie methods he took to make himfelf under- ftood, Ihewed him to poffefs a ftrong natu- ral capacity. Befides at leaft three hundred and fifty Ikins, which were procured from this party, they brought feveral racoon cloaks, each cloak confiding of feven racoon {kins, neatly fewed together j they had alfo a good quantity of oil, in bladders of various fizes, from a pint to a gallon : this was a moft excellent fort for the lamp, was per- fe6lly fweet, and chiefly collected from the fat of animals. Towards evening, thefe numerous tribes of Indians having difpofed of every faleable article, they left the fhip and paddled for the fhore. Next day in the afternoon, eight canoes came NORTH- WfeST CdAST OP AMERICA. 221 came off to the fhip, but they brought very few furs, and thofe of an inferior quality; intimating at the fame time, that their ilock was nearly exhaufted. Some of them had been out on a fifhing party, and caught a number of halibut, which proved a feafon- able refrcfhment to the fhip's company. ' Hitherto all the people that had been met with at thefe Iflands, though evidently of a favage difpofition, had behaved in a quiet orderly manner, but this evening they gave a convincing proof of their mifchievous dif- pofition, and that in a manner which fhewcd a xonfiderable degree of cunning. The people who had got the halibut to fell, art- fully prolonged their traffic more than was cuftomary, and endeavoured by various means to engage the attention of the people on board. In the mean time feveral canoes paddled flily aftern, and feeing fome fkins piled againft one of the cabin windows, one of the Indians thruft his fpear through it, iiv order to fteal the furs, but perceiving the noife alarmed thofc on deck, they paddled away with precipitation : Captain Dixon, -- . however. -! U f . v{.. ! 1 .'i ' * ■ ■ > 1^^^^^^ £2:1 A VOYAGE TO THB however, willing to majte them fen fjblo that he was able to piiniih attempts of this fort* even at a diftance, ordered fevcral muiket^ to be fired after them, but did not perceive that they were a^eaded with any fatal effe^s, .,.;•- r, : ■• . . It being pretty evident that few furs more were to be expelled from this part. Captain Di«m judged it moft prudent to make for King George's Sound, efpecially as the time was nearly at hand when he expected tojoiw Captain Portlock at that place^i.u«. On the ift of Auguft, in the evening, ^ eanoe, with fourteen Indians, came along- fide, buthadnothkg to fellj they gave the people on d€ck to imderftand that one of their companbns was killed with a mulket fliot, and at the fame time endeavoured tor make them fenfiWe that they were not afc variance with them on that account. Ind^ they came along-^fide the veffel without the leaft fear, and it is probable that the defign. 6f their vifit was to inform the Queen Char-» Ibtte'S' people of the above circumftance^ <:-L:,U^.* i'i^' \pj NORTH- Wp&T COASa^^' i>JvIERICA. ^2-^ rt-The iflands juft left ha v€ proved uiwrorm- monly fortunate j a few-remarks conceariiing them may, perhaps, not be unacceptable to the reader. Thare is every reafon to fupp-ofe; not only from the number ol inlets they met with in coaftirig along; tli^ fliQre;, but frpm meeting, the fame inhabttaotts one the oppofite fides of the coalft, tjtat this ia not qm contiawed land, but rather, fi)rras a group of iflandsj and as fuch they were diftinguiflicd by the nam<^ of ^een CbarJaftts IJlaadsi, The number of people ' inhabiting thd«| iflands were eftimated at 1,700, and tho great plenty of furs m^t with here fufficiently indicated thals the natives havfe had na in^^ tercourfe whatever with any civilized nation j ^nd there is no doubt but Captain 'Dixon may juftly claim the honour of adding Queen Charlotte's Iflands to the geography of thi« piart of the coafl:. The ornaments feen ar mongfti them were very few j and 'tis proba.^ fele that their knives and fpears have been obtained by war rather Jihantraific^ aS; there feems to be an univerfal variaiice amongft ^e difierent tribes. However, be aUr this: as it may, . they ^undoubtedLy. approach mucli \\ - f *»t .• ■nearer 4 : 1 224 A VOYAGE TO THE Mk' ■ nearer to a ftatc of favage brutality than any Indians that were fecn on the coaflr. The Indians in general are very jealous of their women, and would feldom permit them to come on board ; but this was not altoge- ther the cafe with thefe favages, many of whom not only permitted, but urged their females to come on board, whenever invited; but it vyas foon found that they were not inftigated to pay thefe vifits from any amo- rous difpofition, but merely for the fake of plunder, as they were by far the moft rapa- cious thieves that had been feen during the voyage, dealing every thing indiiciiminately which they could lay their hands on, and that with a degree of dexterity which would not difgrace a difciple of the Jujiitia hulk, Notwithftanding the general tenor of thefe women's behaviour, one inftance of feeling and fenfibility was met with amongft them which was perfedlly aftonifliing, and is not, perhaps, always to be feen amongO: the fex in civilized countries. .. -.- It was on the 24th of July (as has already been related) when the natives came along- jr than caafi'. ous of it them altoge- any of 1 their ivitcd ; re not J amo^ fake of t rapa- ng the inately n, and would a hulk, f thefe feeling X them is not, he fex ilrcady along- NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, 22^ fide principally through curiofity, that a Chief and his wife were very defirous to fee the fhip. Captain' Dixon, willing to gratify them in this particular, and thinking that a fight of the veffel would be a ftanding fubjeft for them to talk about, permitted them to come on board. They had a little, child along with them, of which they feem- ed particularly fond, and not caring to truft it with the people in their canoe, the Chief came on board byhimfelf, leaving their ten- der charge with his wife. When the poor fellow firft came on deck, he was a good deal frightened, and began to fing, and make a number of humiliating geiluresi the intent of which was to imprefs them with a favour- able opinion of him. By degrees, he grew eafy, and was prevailed on to go down into the cabin : having ftaid there fome time, he came upon deck, and after fatisfying his cu- riofity with looking at various things, went into his canoe very well pleafed. The wo- man, after giving her infant a maternal kifs, came over the fide without the leaft hefita- tiqn } and when fhe got on the quarter deck, gav? them to underftand, that fhe was only '^ COui@ Ni 'I r.i ti6 A VOYAGE TO tHE I-;- I . come to fee the veffel, and with a nlodefl diffidence in her looks, endeavoured to be- fpcak their indulgence and permiffion for that purpofc. She was neatly drefled after their fafhion: her undtr garment, which was made of fine tanned leather, fat clofe to her body, and reached from her neck to the calf of her leg : her cloak or upper gar- ment was rather courfer, and fat loofe like a petticoat, and tied with leather firings. Having taken notice of every thing which fccmed to attra6l her attention, Captain Dixon made her a prefent of a firing of beads for an ornament to each ear, and a Jiumber of buttons, with which fhe was highly pleafed, and made her acknowledge- ments in the befl manner fhe was able. She- was fcarcely got into the canoe, before a number of women flocked about her, and feeing the beads in her ears, began to talk very earneflly : mofl probably to tax her with inconflancy, for fhe immediately claf- ped her infant to her brcaft with unfpeakable fondnefs, and burfV into a flood of tears; and it was a confiderablc timre before the foothings of her hufband, and the apologies a modeft d to be- (fion for (Ted after :, which fat clofe neck to pper gar- loofe like r firings, tg which Captain firing of ir, and a fhe was lowledgc- ble. She before a her, and 1 to talk > tax her itely claf- fpeakable of tears; lefore the apologies /• 0£ NORTH-WEST COAST OJP AMERICA, ^i^ of her friends, could bring back her former chearfulnefs and tranquility. Harmony be- ^ng at length reflored in the canoe, the Chief held up his child, and endeavoured to make them fenfible that it was equally dear to him as his wife; intimating at the fame time, that though he had received no prefent, yet he hoped his little one would he remembered! On this Captain Dixon gave the child a couple of towees, which pleafed the Chief wonderfully: a few buttons w^realfij diflri- butcd amongft the other women in the ca- «oc, and they left the (hip foon afterwards, pcrfeaiy fatisfied with their prcfents. Though every tribe at thefe iflands is go- verned by ita refpeaive Chief, yet they are divided intQ famUies, each of which appears to h^ve regulations, and a kind of fubordi- nate government of its own. The Chief ufually trades for the whole tribe, butfome- ^imes, when his method of barter lias been difapproved of, each feparate family has claimed a right to difpofe of their own furs, «id the Chief always complied with this re- quea : thoug^h it is uncertain whether he Q*i receives • I '^: '.4^8 A VOYAGE TO THE W :... T-r: receives afty emolument upon thefe oc- cafions* ' The number of fea-otter fkihs collc£led at - Queen Charlotte's Iflands was no lefe than 1,821, many of them very fine: otherfursare .found in kfs variety here, than in many other parts of the coaft. Racoons, pine i martin and feals, being the only kinds thdt were feen* Towees, at firfV, were quite a leading article in barter : but fo great a num- ber of traders required a variety of trade, and they were frequently obliged to producae every article on boardj before their numc*- rous friends were pleafed. Captain Dixon ftbbd oil tev King George^s HSound, and on the 8th of Atrguft, being then no great diftance from the entrance in- to that harbour, they faW a fail, and pre- fent'y afterwards a fthalller veffel in compa- ny: this gave them fome hopes ^ that' it might poffibty be the Kihg Gedrg^ and hk 'long-boat ; but on coming up with them, they proved to be two veflels from London, mrid belonged to the fame owners as the tt: NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. a^^L King George and Queen Charlotte. Thefo, vcfFels had been in King George's Sound, but the King George was not arrived there. ASt therefore, there was no neceffity for the Charlotte to proceed int ) that harbour, they took leave of their new partners in trade, and Ihaped a courfe for Sandwich Iflands, A few general remarks concerning tlic coaft of America, in addition to what has occafionaliy been faid, may not be difpleafing to the reader. This vaft country, wit^ /ery little devia- tion, has the appearance of one continued foreft, ' iig covered with pines of different i|)ecii s, and thefe intermixed with alder, birch, witch-hazle, tzc. .befvdes various kinds of bruih-wood; and the vallpys and low grounds, which are expoled to the fun, and flieltered from tl;ie wind, afford wild cur- rants, goofeberries, ra/berries, and various other flowery fhrubs. The foil on the hills 13 a kind of compoft, confifling of rotten mofs and old decayed trees. This is fre- a « H3 m :.'.! *1 '» " :. -! ip A VOYAGE to tHU (Juently wafhed down into the vallies by the fudden melting of the fnow, and there in- corporating with a light fand, forms a foil in which mod of the Engli(h garden pro* du6tions might be cultivated with fuccefs. What number of inhabitants the coaft, from Cook's River to King George's Sound, may contain, is not eafy to determine with any degree of certainty ; but from a mode- rate computation, there cannot be lefs than ten thoufand; indeed, appearances might warrant the conje6ture of there being con- iiderably more, as the women appear very prolific, and the people are totally free from that long catalogue of difeafes, which luxury and intemperance have introduced amongft more civilized nations. But then it muft be remembered, that neighbouring tribes are generally at war with each other j and thefe commotions, both from the nature of their weapons, and the favage difpofition of the people, muft be attended with fatal confc- quences ; befides, there is reafon to luppofe, that numbers are yearly loft at fea, as they p out to 21 very confiderable diftance from g the NORTH-WEST COAST OF AgMERICA. 23 1 th€ land on fifliing parties, and fhould bad weather fuddenly come on, it is impoffible for their qanoes to live. Thefe circum- ftances certainly tend to depopulate the country, and in fome meafure account for its being fo thinly inhabited. The hair of both fexes is long and black, and would be an ornament to them, were it not for the large quantities of greafe and red oker con- ftantly rubbed into it, which not only gives it a diigufting appearance, but affords a never-failing harbour for vermin. Some- times, indeed, the women keep their hair in decent order, parting it from the forehead to the crown, and tying it behind after the manner of a club. The young men have no beards j but this does not arife from a natu-. ral want of hair on that part, for the old men had beards all over the chin, and fome of them had whilkers on each fide the upper- lip. As this fuppofed defed amongft the natives of America has occafioned much fpeculative enquiry amongft the learned and ingenious, every opportunity was taken of learning how it was occafioned j and they were given to underftand. that the vouns- 0^4 rnen iwi' '•■ n Im:-' '-hm . «'. , 232 A VOYAGE TO THfe men got rid of their beards by plucking thein out, but as they advance in years the hair is lufFered to grow. It might be imagined^ that the chilren of thefe favages would enjoy the free and unreftrained ufe of their limbs from their earlieft infancy : this, however, is not altogether the cafe. Three piecesof bark are faftened together, fo as to form a kind of chair j the infant after being wrapped iri furSi is put into this chair, and lafhed fo clofe, that it cannot alter its pofture even with ftrugglingj and the chair is fo con- trived, that when a mother wants to feed her child, or give it the breafl, there is no no occafion to releafe the infant from its fhackles. Soft mofs . is ufed by the Indian nurfe to keep her child clean j but little re- gard is paid to this article, and the pOor in- fants are often terribly excoriated; nay, boys of fix or feven years old, may frequently ipe feen, whofe pofteriors have been evident marks ofthis neglect in their infancy. Ornaments feem to differ in particular places, more than drefs. The aperture, or fccond mouth above the chin, fcems con«- fined i.iit.-J NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 233 ing them le hair is magined,^ Lild enjoy ;ir limhs wevcr, is ;sof bark 1 kind of ipped ill lafhed (o ire even fo con- ; to feed ere is no from its e Indian little re- p6or in- d; nay, equently I evident :y. articular ture, or tns con* lined fined to the men of Cook's River and P/mcc William's Sound ; whilfl the wooden orna- ment in the under-lip is wore by the wonven only, in that part of the coaft from Port Mulgrave to Queen Charlotte's Iflands, Beiides the ornaments already mentionedj^ the Indians arc very fond of mafks or vifors, and various kinds of caps, all which are painted with different devices -, fuch as birds, beads, fifhes, and fometimes, reprefentations of the human face; they have likewife many of thefe devices carved in wood, and fome of them are far from being ill executed. Thefe curiofities are greatly valued, and are care- fully packed in neat fquare boxes, that they may the more conveniently be carried about. Whenever any large party came to trade, thefe treafures were fiift produced, and the principal perfons dreffed out in all their finery, before the finging commenced. In addition to this, the Chief (who always con- du6ts this vocal concert) puts on a large coat made of the eik-lkin, tanned, round the lower part of which is one, or fometimes two rows of dried berries, or the beaks of birds, which make a rattling noife whenever 1 ' '^.- ' • ' '. i, " ' .1* * •.• . • 634 A VbYAGE TO TME he moves. In his hand he has a rattle, or more commonly a contrivance to anfwer the fame end, which is of a circular form, about nine inches in diameter, and made of three , fmall fticks bent round at different diftanc^s from each other; great numbers of birds* beaks and dried berries are tied to this cu- rious inrtrument, which is (hook by the Chief with great glee, and in his opinion, makes no fmall addition to the concert. Their fongs generally confift of feveral ftanzas, to each of which is added a chorus. The beginning of each ftanza is given out by the Chief alone; after which, both men and women join, and fing in o6laves, beating time regularly with their hands or paddles : meanwhile, the Chief fliakes his rattle, and makes a thoufand ridiculous gefticulations, fmging at intervals in different notes from the reft ; and this mirth generally continues near half an hour without intermiflion. Whether or no they make ufe of any hieroglyphics to perpetuate the memory of events, cannot be afcertained, though their numerous drawings of birds and fifties, and their NORTH- Wtsi" COAST OF ANfERICA. tt^g ttle, or iver the , about f three ftanc^s ■ birds* his GU- by the pinion, oncert. feveral :horus. en out :h men beating addles : ie, and lations, s from ntinues on, of any nory of h their es, and their fheu* carved reprbTeritations of animals and human faces, might perhaps, warrant a fup- pofition of the kind. Many of thefe carv- ings arc well proportioned, and executed with a confiderable degree of ingenuity, which appears rather extraordinary amongft a people fo remote from civilized refinement. But then, we muft confider, that this art is far from being in its infancy ; a fondncfs for carving ana fculpture, wasdifcovered amongft thefe people by Captain Cook : iron imple- ments were then alfo in ufej and their knives are fo very thin, that they bend them into a variety of forms, which anfwer their every purpofe nearly as well as if they had recourfe to a carpenter's tool-cheft. ' At what period iron was introduced on this coaft is very uncertain, but it muft doubtlefs be a confiderable time ago, and their implements certainly are not of Englifh manufacture j fb that there is little doubt of their being obtained from the Ruffians. The only implement that was feen (iron ex- cepted) was a towee made ofjafper, the fame as thofe ufed by the New Zealanders. ' The 1 i!. 1 ■ i. K ; ■». ■« , ■,* 836 A. yOVAGK TO THE, The ingenuity of thefe people is not con* fined to devices on wood, or drawings on bark ; they manufacture a kind of variegated blanket, or cloak, fomething like the fenglifli; horle-cloths 5 they do not appear to be wove,^ but made entirely by hand, and are neatly, finifhed. Thefe cloaks are made of wool, collefted from the Ikins of beafts killed in the chaoe ; they are held in great eftimation, and and only wore on extraordinary occafions. Befides the fkin-coats wore in common, triey have large cloaks purpofely for wear, made, of the elk-lkin, tanned, and wore double, ibmetimes three-fold. Tliough thefe poor favages are in their ge- neral manners, truly in a ftate of unculti- vated barbarifm, yet in one inilancethey can boaft of a refinement equal to that of more polite nations, and that is gammg, which is carried on here to a very great pitch. The only gaming implements they faw, were fifty-two fmallround bits of wood, about the fizeof the middle finger, and differently marked with r^d paint. A game is played by two perfons, with thefe pieces of wood, and it chiefly con- iifrs NORTH-WESt COAST OF AMERICA. '237 Dt con* igs on legated inglidi: : wove,, neatly, wool, I in the )n, and ;a(ions. n, tney , made double, leir ge- nculti* ley can f more hich is le only ty-two ; of the ;d with Derfons, ly con- mis (ifts in J)lacing them in a variety of pofti tions. A man at Port Mulgrave loft a knife; a fpear, and feveral towees at this game, iri lefs than an hour. Though this lofs wai at leaft equal to an Englifh gamefter lofing his eftate, ' yet the poor fellow bore his ill- fortune with great patience arid equanimity of temper. ... f - ■ » ^ 4 i \ - t . f <•. : < ' iflt tS'Time is calculated by moons, and re- markable events are remembered with eafe, for one generation -, but whether for any longer period) is very doubtful. What other particulars refpefling the manners and cuf* toms of thefe people, occurred during tl>e voyage, have already been given in the formed part of this work. ^ After quitting the American Coaft, they fteered for Sandwich Iflands, and arrived in- fight of Owhyhee on the 5th of September. The next day they were furrounded by ai number of canoes, and the Indians traded very eagerly ; many of them climbing up the fliip's fide for that purpofe, and numbers merely to gratify their curiofity, and look for 1 ! . ^^, :l ■I W'\\ 1 I m \\-\ (If J I ! ,r.''-11 ■^■v^t|■ iiSS A VOYAGE TQ THS for any thing they could run av/ay with. One of this laft defcription, watching hi)S opportunity whilft all the people were bufi- ly engaged with the traders, fnatched a po- ker from the armourer's forge, and jumped overboard with it. They repeatedly called to him to bring it back, but all in vain; the fellow fwam off with it, and feemed rematf kably well ^leafed with his acquifition. Prefently one of the canoes picked him up, and they paddled away for the (hore. On this, the Captain determined to make aJI example of him, and the more fo, as, if he was fuffered to efcape with impunity, they would find it inipolBble to trade with fuch a multiplicity of people, without being continually fubjedl to their depredations; on which feveral mufquets were fired at the thief, and they prefently faw he was very feverely wounded by his bleeding profufelf. After fome time, his companions were per- fuaded to bring him along-fide, and they got him on board. The ball had llruck his under jaw, and hurt part of the upper lip> The Sur;^eon drefTed the wound in the beft manner he was able, and fent the poor fel- - low i^-zay with, xhing hi|9 vere bu fi- led a po- id jumped dly called vain; the ed remar-i- quifition. him up, ore. On make aJi , as, if he lity, they ivith fuch ut being edations : red at the was very profufely. were per- and they Iruck his apper lip. ^ the beft poor fel- low NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 239. low away j but before he left the fhip, he petitioned the Captain for a towce, and re- ceived it. The Indians were not in the leafl intimidated by this circumftance, but traded prefently afterwards, as if nothing had happened. * r i- 'A'i Having procured a good fopply of hog^ and vegetables, together with a l^rge quan- tity of excellent lii>e for making rope, at Owhyhee, they fleered for Whahoa, and anchored in King George's Bay on the loth. The next day al* the fhip*s company were hufily employed, in purchafmg wood and water, the natives bringing both tbofe arti- cles, together with what refrefliments the ifland afforded, as ufual. About noon the King came on board, and repeatedly en- quired for * Popote : after flaying fometime, and receiving a few prefents, he returned f>n fliore. By the 1 3th, the wooding and watering bulinefs being compleated, they weighed anchor, and made fail ibr Atooi. Before they !'(; . ^■fl ■ i - 1 :..j ■. »/ %! 240 A VOYAGE TO THlW 11 they were well out of King George*? Bay, they • faw a large canoe putting off in a hprry»f and when it came near, they foun4 U t^i>P,> Talieetcrre and his attendants. , Wh^ti th^i King came on board, he feeired,ii), and^t^ the fame time frequently infmuated, that their being fo fpeedily fupplicd with- wood and ivater, was in confequence of, his im- mediate orders for that purpofe ;< ^nd that the fame refpedful attention ihould b^ (hewn to Popote whenever h^ :,arriv€d^ On this Captain Dixon made him a prefent of a few faws and axes, which pleafed him greatly ; and he took his leave with mauyr profelTions of frien^Piip. r t On the 1 6th they arrived near the Eaft fide of Atooi, and on {landing along ftiore, were joined by a great ^oumber of canoes. The people rejoiced to fee them again ; numbers afked after Popote, and feemed concerned that he was not in their company. fe the afternoon :they anchored in Wy- ♦VI z^** iifi'.vi^:,^ NORTH-WEST fcOAST OF AMERICA. 24I moa Bay. Early the next morning they were fnrronnded with canoes, bringing the greatell abundance of fine hogs and vege-* tables 5 and Abbenooe wis particularly anxious to accommodate Captain Dixon with every thing in his power. On the 1 8th their decks were crowded with vifitors of rank, and amongft the reft, Tyheira (fon to Abbenooe) introduced his wife and two little boys : the eldeft was a fharp little fellow about four years old ; the younger, an infant in his mother's arms. Tyheira, by way of compliment, had named his eldeft Popofe, after Captain Portlock; and the other, Ditteana, after Captain Dixon. In the forenoon Taaao came on board, in a large double canoe, accompanied by another, in which were his daughter and two nieces. The attend- ants on thefe great pe^ Tons were very nu^ merous, and joined in a heeva, or fong, on their coming along fide, fuperier to any thing of the kind ever heard at thefe iilands. 15;- U! m R The l^U! ■ <: I * t. ^. 242 A VOYAGi: TO Tilt '» . ■- , The king was greatly plcafcd to fee thcn^ tgain, and inquired particulaily after Po- potc. He ftcmed folicitous to accommo- date them with every thing the ifland af- forded; and indeed, all the Chiefs vied with each other in fupplying their various wants. Amongft the many inftances of kindnefs and good-natured attention they met with at this time from the Chiefs in general, an a£lion of Nohomaitahaite'f muft not be omitted, iis it does him the greatelt honour, and would rtflear credit rven on a peribn of education and refined fenfibility. Nohomaitahaite had been often on board when they were laft at Atooi, and by that mcarts was perfonaily acquainted with ^U the people. Being naturally cu- rious and 'snquiiitive, he now took an oppor- ftiuiity of going amongft thctn, to alk a fiumber df queftions about the voyage. On going down between decks, he met with the Carpenter who had been U'oubled with a lingering difordcr for a confiderable time, and at prefent was very weak and poorly. His pale countenance and emaciated figure afFeded poor Nohomaitahaite very fenfibly j a tear t^ORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 243 fccthcnfi ifter Po- ccommo- ifland af-» icfs vied ir various tances of ition they Chiefs in aitahaite's him the e6t credit nd refined )cen often Vtooi, and icquainted arally cu- an opppr- to aik a yage. On it with the led with a able time» md poorly, ated figure •y fenfibiy t a tear a tear qf pjty ftole unheeded down his cheek i and he began to enquire about his complaint, in a tone of tendernefs and compafllon: feeing him very weak and infirm, he gently chafed and prefled the finews and mufcles if his legs and thighs, and gave him all the con- folation in his power. Prefently afterwards he came upon deck, called his capoe, and went on fhore in a hurry, without taking leave of any p "rfpn on the quarter-deck, which wa? ' ontrvy to his ufual cuftom^ ^but he retun !d r-ry ihortly, bringing a fine fowl along with him^ which he immediately carried down to the Carpenter} told him to have it drefled immediately, and he hoped it ^Jy^Qi^Jid make bim better in a day or two. At noon a frefh bree2e fpringing up from tl^e Northward, Captain Dixon wifheJ to embrace this opportunity of weighing au- „chor, but on looking over his flock of ve- getables it was judged neceflary to procure a further fupply. No fooner were the King jind Chiefs informed of this circumftance, Ihan they all went on fliore, promifing to 0^'n fhprtly with great plenty of taro ; ac-" 1 I ' xv 2 -J!. VOrUiii^Fjf H li-:^, ■"•■•■'' [II ; '*' f IP '". .'.. ij; ': :.. 'it. ,, i , ■ *'***. iii(*t'''i, "" liiii" ■!;■ f * M4- A VOYAGE TO THJJ cbrdingly by three o'clock they all returned, each bringing a large double canoe, lozided with taro and fugar-cane, fo that now they were completely furnifhed with every necef- fary article the ifland afforded.. The expe- dition and difpatch with which this laft taro was brought, and. their free and generous manner m bringing it on board, both fur- prized and pleafed Captain Dixon> and he was not flow in making fuitable returns. To the King he gave afahou, a large baize cloak edged with ribbon, and a very large towee, which pleafed him fo much that he began to think himfelf the greateft mfonarch in the univerfe. The other Chiefs were re- warded with towees, axes, and faws, entirely to their fatisfaftion. The ladies too, (of whom they had no fmall number on board) were liberally ornamented with buttons and bead?; in fliort, all parties were perfeaiy pleafed, and were profufe in their profeffions of kmdnefs and acknowledgment. ^ The different produflions of thefe iflands have already been noticed, yet a fliort fup- plementarv account, in addition to what has already iturned, , loaded ow they y necef- le expe- iaft taro renerous oth fur- and he returns, •ge baize ery large Lthat he rnonarch were re- , entirely too, (of n board) tons and perfe6lly rofeflions :fe iilands hort fup- what has already NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA, 24^ already been faid about them, will find a place here. Thefe people, in their temper and difpo- fition, are harmlefs, inofFenfive, and friendly ; not fubjedt to paflion or ealily provoked : in their manners they are lively and chearful, ever ready to render any ii. tie fervice in their power even to ftrangcrs, and purfue every thing they undertake with unremitting dili- gence and application. When attached to any perfon they are fteady in their friendfhip, and are not eafily tempted to negleiSl the intereft of a perfon for whom they have one? profefled a regard. Their language is foft, fmooth, and abounds with vowels. In their converfation with each other, it appears very copious, and they fpeak with great volubility when converfing with each other j but wheji converfing with their vifitors they only made ufe of thofe words which are mod expreflive and fignificant. The Sandwich Iflanders in general are about the middle fize, their limbs ftrait and well proportioned. Some of the Chiefs, and particularly the women, are in- clined to corpulency, and their ikin is R 3 fmoother ,'\\ h 5 («. .Ij* ^ 'A VOviGt to ThSb fmoother arid fofter than thofe of tick cbm^ xnon rank ; but this is owing to want of ek- crcife, and an unlimited indulgence in the article of food. They are in general of a hut colour, though fome of the women arc feirfer, and their hands and fingers are re- markably feill ^nd delicate. Both fexes go Jiaked except about the waift. the men wear a narrow piece of cloth, called a marii'd^ tarcly fufficient to cover the adjacent parts; The ahouy or women's drefs, is much lar^, ^nd generally reaches from the waifc to t3le middle of the thigh. The beards of the men are fuffered to grow j their hair is cut clofe cin each fide of the head, but grox)vs Idrtg "from the forehead to the back of the neck, fomewhat refembling an helmet. The wo- inen cut theirs quite clofe behind and on the top of the head J the front is turned up in the jForm of a toupee, and is fr^qiiently daubed '^ith cocoa-ntit oil, and lime made froni ftlells, which often gives it a Tandy difagree- ^ble colour. Sometimes, by way of ornai Jrient, they wear a wreath of flowersf, fanci- fully difppfed, about the head j inftead of a Wcelet a fhell is tied round the wrifl, and a fondnels ♦ ••^ a. H0RTH-WE8T COAST OP AMERICA, %£fj, ■ fondnefs for this ornament has rendered bi^t. tons fo much efteemed b]j thefe gay damfels in general; the neck too is decorated with various forts of (hells, fattened on ftring^ after the manner of a necklace. Bat the- moft beautiful ornament Vvore by the women is a necklace, or araia, made from the varic-» gated feathers of the humming bird, which are fixed on firings fo regular and even as to have a furface equally fmooth as velvet j ^nd the rich colour of the feathers gives it an appearance equally rich and elegant. Thp caps and cloaks wore by the men are ftill fu- perior in beauty and elegance. The cloaks are in general about the . c^ thofe wore by the Spaniards ; the ground is net- work, and the feathers are fewed on in alternate fquares, or triangular forms of red and yel.- low, which have a moft brilliant appearance. The ground of the caps is wicker work in the form of a helmet 5 the elevated part from the forehead to the hind part of the neck, is about a hand's brsadth, and generally covered with yellow feathers, the fides of the cap with red. This cap, together with the cloak, has an appearance equally fpjeadid, M not iiiienQi* r fr"' - ■ -T ^1.1 •,• '^ It .^ 248 A VOYAGE TO THE fuperior, to any fcarlet and gold whatever. Thefe truly elegant ornaments are fcarce, and only pofTeffed by Chiefs of higK rank, who wear them on extraordinary occafions. There are cloaks of an inferior kind, which have only a narrow border of red and yellow feathers, the reft being covered with feathers pf the tropic and man of war bird. Nor are thefe caps and cloaks, though confefTedly elegant in a fuperior degree, the only proofs of invention and ingenuity fhewn by thefe people in matters of ornament. Their mats are made with a degree of neatnefs equal to any of European manufa<5lurc, and prettily diverfified with a variety of figures ftained with red. Thofe ufed to fleep on are plain, and of a coarfer kind, but made with an equal degree of neatnefs and regularity^ Cloth is another article which gives thefe Indians equal fcope for fancy and invention. It is made from the Chinefe paper-mulberry tree, and when wet (it being of a foft mal- leable fubftance) is beat out wdth fmall fquare pieces of wood, from twelve to eighteeil inches wide, and afterwards ftamped with Various colours, and a djverfty of pattern?, the NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 249 latever, fcarce, X rank, :arions. which yellow eathers . Nor feffedly proofs )y thefe ir mats ;qual to prettily flained e plain, srith an uiarity^ es thefe rention. ulberry )ft mal- 1 fquare 'ighteeil :d with lattern?, the the neatnefs and elegance of which would not difgrace the window of a London linen- draper. The different colours with which their cloth is ftamped are extra6led from ve- getables found in the woods. There is ano- ther kind of cloth much finer than the above, and beat out to a greater extent : it is of a white colour, and frequently wore by the Aree women, in addition to the ahou. Fans and fly -flaps are ufed by both fexes. The fans are ufually macje of the cocoa-nut fibres, neatly wovej the mounting is of a fquare forpi, and the handle frequently decorated with hair. The nj'-flaps are very curious ; the handles are decorated with alternate pieces of wood and bone, which at a diflance has the appearance of finiered work ; the i:ipper part or flap is the feathers of the man of war bird. * Filh-hooks are made of the pearl oyfter-fliell, and fo contrived as to ferve for both hook and bait. Thofe in- tended for fliarks are confiderably larger, and made of wood. The form of their gourds, or calabalhes, is fo very various, that they certainly make ufe of art to give them different fliapes ; fome are of a gloLu- I ■ S! II ^'. .«. 'i ^50 A VOYAGE TO THE lar fotm, with a long narrow neck like t bottle ; others arc tall and circular, but of equal width from top to boctora; others again, though narrower to war- 's the moiith, yet are fufficiently wide to idmit tht; hura : «many of thefe are very prettily ilained with lindulated lines.; ^vhich at a diPcance appear like {>aint. Their houfes greatly refcmble an hay (lack in (hapc, and arc neatly thavched ^ith flags or ruQies j the do^:*r-place is fo A'cvy low that they are obliged to enter al- rnoit double. They have no better con- ;tnvarice for a door than a few temporary :^r this dfelay, it will be necdfary to ob(er\re, that thefe furs wer6 configned to j|^ fesft-India Company'* Supercargoes, 9o were to fell them tO*the beft advantage. I&brdihgly, after the fkltis ^r^ Isroperly aflbrted, tvVo thoufand five hundred lea-ott^r, befides fUndry other (kins, \vere offered to the Hong Merchants, in expeaation o|||||heir taking them at an ad- vantageous pric^ but in this partifcukr the Captaitis werMroefully difappointed, for thS' iiioAient thefe Hong Merchants had l*ked the fkins over, ahd fixed a value oh them, no other Merchant durft interfe!% in the purchafe; feefldes, the quantity juft mentioned, was riot fuffered to be divided, and there were not many people, except the Hong Mcrthants, who had it in their power to buy fd large a parcel, and advance the money i^ediately :' add to this, the duty ©n merchandize at the Poet of Canton, feems ler ori'tlie le bufmefs of the furs offv- BrtF sa of the it will be furs wer# hem tmht er the fkltis mfand five 3ther Ikins, chants, in . at an 'id- partltular jointed, for hants had a value oti interf^!% in antity juft be divid'ed, , except the thtir power idvancc the s, the duty oi Canton, feems NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. z6l ^eems n^, to be regulated by any fixe4,rul ., but xeftfein a great meafure in the breads of thofe. appointed by the Hoj)go to lay it pn, and who fix it higher or^ Ipw^r at pieafur^. With thel^ people the Hciig Merchanti^ have great influence j fo that had any indif- ferent perfon ]j^n at liberty to purchafe t^ie Ikins, and difpfefed to give ai^ advantageous price for them, the fe^r qf having an pnor- ^ous duty top^y, would at once d^t^rthem from any attempt of the iind. Puring this time, fome qf the refufe fold tp c »nfideraW^ advantage. . Captam Portlock being one day on a yifit to Mr. Cox, an En^-Mfh gentleman refident at Canton, was mucii furprized to fee his old friend Tyaana, whom the reader, may recoi- led he met with on his firft vifit to the Sandwich Illands. Tya^^ immedi^tdy ,|^- ^olleaed him, and (o ienftbhr was he affected with the interview, that he Hafped his ar||^ about lum in the mo/1 affeding manner, and reclined his headonCapt.Portlock'? fliOpHer, whik tears ran unheeded down his cheeks. It was a confiderabie time before he became 3 <^4pi^ ^ .3 1 f . •'i4 262 A VOYAGE TO THE m calm or collefled enough to pronounce the vr name dT his old acquaintance Popbte, or to enquire after his friends at Atooi. On en- quiring how he came to China, it feems Captain MeaSs had touched at Atooi in his paffage from the coaft of America to China, and Tyaana expreffing a wife to accompany him to PreUne, Captain fMares had taken him on board and brought him' to Macao, at which place hj^eft him in the care of Mr. Rofs his Chilf Mate, of whom Tyaana was remarkably fond, they remained fome time at Mace , and Tyaana was generally indulged in walking about whenever his in- clination led Mm: on thefe occafions, he conftantly wore a beautiful feathered cap and cloak, with a fpear in his hand, to fhew that he was a^perfon of confequcnce, and did not lik*^ to wear any other drefs, except the maro, which is ahvays wore by the Sandwich Ifl^nders about ^e waift. Such an appear- Mk, however, ^ing fcarcdy modeft in a ci- vilized country, Mr. Rofs got a light fattin waiftcoat and a pair of trowfers made for him, which he at firft wore rather reluaant- Jy, but afterwards they became habitual. .j^ T/aana, # % *ii'f* ounce the lote, or to On en- , it feems tooi in his to China, ccompany had taken to Macao, le care of m Tyaana dned fome ; generally /er his in- ifions, he ed cap and fhew that id did not xcept the Sandwich m appear- jft in a ei- ght fattin made for reluctant- habitual. Tyaana, NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 263 Tyaana, though no papijl, ufed often to frequent the places of public worihip at Macao, and alwa^aid p^ti|jlar.^t^ntion to .|he .external ceremonies of the coji^^- gation> ftanding up when they ftopd up» kneeling when they kneeled, and in lhort» conformed to all their rules with the moft obfequious decorum. His noble and gene- rous fpirij: was ihewn on many occafionsj one time he went up to an orange-flail, an4 picking out half a frozen of the fined, gave the woman who fold the oranges, a couple of nails for them, things of great eftirnation in his own country, obferving jt ibe fame time, that though one nail was jftore than iuffi- cient for his purchafe, yet he would make: her a handfome prefent beiides. 1 he gcxxl woman, howepr, was. not by any means fatisfied.withfuch payment, and was going to raife a difturbancci but fome gentlemen, who luckily happened to be with Tyaana at the time, loon fatisfied the orange-feller, r^When the Queen Charlotte arrived in Ma.rio Roads, Mr. Rpfs ami Tyaana went witii Captain Dixon, as pafiengers to Warn- ^ 4 poa. % Hi r .'» • r» t ' i •f s 4 . --. • ■ ■ . €1 r' h:' *' itirv- L'i' ^ "■■.1 |;-^ ». -V ■ ■*>. •• # 264 A VOYAGE TO THE poa. During this fhort paffage, Tyaana often exprcfled his diflfe of the Chinefe, and could fcarcely bf^efveH^ from throwing thc^Pilot overbold. When he arrivtd at Canton, he was particularly noticed by the gentlemen at the Englifh fa6lory, and in ihort, by every perfon at that place. ■V A Captain Talker, of the Milford, from Bombay, gave a fumptuous entertaiment to SL number of Lnglifh gentlemen, and of courfe Tyaana (being a favourite) was amongft the guefls. After dinner, being upon deck> a number of poor Chinefe in fmall fampans Ifce about the fliip, alking ^ilms, as is cuftomary there.. Tyaana im- mediately enquired what they wanted, and was told they were beggart^ on which, he oblerved, that it was wrong to let any perfon want food ; that they had no people of that defcription at Atooi j at the fame time he was very imi>ortunate to have fomething given them. Captain Tafker willing to gra- tify him in this particular, ordered all the broken vii^uallrto b«- brought upon deck, and Tyaana had the diftribution of them ^ % Tyaana inefe, and throwing arrivtd at ;ed by the ^, and in v«. 3rd, from aiment to 1, and of rite) was ler, being ^hinefe in p, afking ^aana im- nted, and A/hich, he ny perfon le of that e time he fomething ng to gra- ed all the pon deck, of them amonffft H-WEST COAST OF AMERIC amongft the pQir, Chinefe, which he did in dlM^ moft impartial manner., Cap^in Port- lock aiked him if he was i|^^,wiUii| to go to Pretanct bi^ he faid tha^e ex^^^ed - to have been there in twelve moons, but that now he iliould be glad to return to Atooi. : Ji>ai.. It feems Captain Meares had engaged in % % Portugueze expedition to the coaft of Ame- rica, and promifed to leave Tyaana at Atooi, in his paflage thither. ■JUi: iThe gentl^cn at Canton, defirous to give him lading Jiroofs of their friend^), fur- niftied him with whatever could be ufeful or ccc-ptable; fuch as bulls, cows, (heep, ^at^> rabbits tuij|ies, &c. with oranges^ mangoes, and vrrj-ii^s kinds of plants; io that (hould h^ arrive fafe with his cargo, it will be of th.: utmoft importance to hi« country. %t M : , Tyaana is tall, being fix feet two inclcs in height, and exceedingly well made, rather inclined to corpulency ; has a pleafijig and animated countenance, with exfrqjpfe fea- tures M^ # • 4.' i ;vi.. 266 A VOYAGE TO THE !■■ ■m 'II'- • •■■■ J': ' • .•*v' m.^ turcs and fine piercing eyft ia fhort, 'his whole figiure has fomething in it exceedingljt^ prepofT^l^g, ^dihcws him to be a perfon of the iml coniequcnce. ^ The furs already mentioned, after being in the market till the 26th of January, were then fold and delivered to the Eaft-India Company's Supercargoes for 50,000 dollars. There ftill remained fundry parcels of infe- rior furs to difpofe of; and as thefe kept the ^ Captains at Canton, they at lafl were bought by an old Chinefe Merchant, -whole name '""-fii' '■' was Clilpiinqua, and w^o obferved; that he had no other motive for making this pur- chafe, than a wifh to haften their departure, it being a pity, he faid, that two fuch fmall veifels Ihould be detained at a heavy expence for fuch a trifle. f, By this tim af%targo of teas was got on b^rd each veffel, and all their bufinefs being filially fettled, they weighed anchor, and on the qth of February, arrived in Macao Roads, # ■■il Before lort, 'his ;eedinglf/ a perfoii being in iry, were ift-India ) dollars. of infe- kept the 5 bought fe name that he his pur- iparture, chfonal} expence s got on efs being , and on . Macao Before •^ NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 267 Before they left this place, a friend gave them the following account of the dif- ferent fhips that had been at China, with furs, wkli the quantity each veflel had. The firft was fitted out J» a Captain Hanna, being a brig of fMy tons, and thirty men: Ihe arrived m King George's Sound, in Auguft 1785, and procufiiid five hundred and fixty fea-otter ftins ; ind ar- rived at Macao in December, the faine year. The total amount of which Ikins fold for 20,600 dollars. The fame veflel made a fecond trip, when they procured only four hundred ikins, which was fold for 8,000 dollar*. "■* r ■^ The Mk Captain Cook, Captain Lorie, of 300 tons, and the fnow Experiment, Capt:^Guife, of one hundred tons, were fitted out at Bombay, and left that place in the beginning 1^1786. They arrived in King George's Sound in June, where they procured fix huilred Jfea-otter lliins, which fold for 24,000 dolljffs. « I'M ^■4. \li" ' ■ J^ 268 A VOYAGE TO THE . jThe Nootka, Captain Mearcs, was fitted out at Bengal, by a fet of gentlemen wl^o fliled themfelves the Bengal Fur Society, and failed from thence in March . 786 She procured thi;ee hundred and^ty-ieven (kins, which fold for 14,242 dollars. ii \ tti l^fi Imperial Eagle, Captain J^e»-kley, had eight Ijpndred Ikins, and the pr. :e fixed on theqiii^s 30,000 dollars, though they were not fold when thefe fhips left China. ■J^ '. ft *• ' - 1*' / ^ **■-..•'- >" J The Spaniards had likewife impo. ed about fcventeen hundred, which wei- • ot ,.K ^ ; i>4 1 * ^fffP ih The two French fhips, lit)mmanded Feyroufe and De Langle, procure#1about ft hundred fea-otter Ikins, which werf^pld for 10,000 dollars 1 and the furs l^ro^jfj^t by thefe two fhips, fold in j|^or. 14,8^57 dol- What furs the RufHai^^rocure on the Americap coaft, it is inj^ffible to afcertain, fl^^.^,the;^iever Bring them to the Canton %#'- ^p^ 'WP market 5 "'^-, ^^ *^k flp^p »^as iittqd nen who Society, '86. She en fkins. kley, had fixed on hey were impoi ed ATCic rot nawJ 15 ibout fur ^Xold for i^t by ^S7 dol- 5 on the ifcertain. Canton market* <^ . f ♦ KOliTH-WEST COAST. OF^MERICA. 269 ftinrketj but they feem think their annual t V^£lion cannot ex ed five hundred From the ahove Iketch, it appears very plain that tlm fur traJe, if once fet on a proper footing, gby ellablirtiirlg a fadlory on the coaft, would be ucrative branch of commerce. And - are likewife other articles to ht met h, which might be made ufcful ; fuch as ginfang, dopper, oil, fpais, 6cc. with great quantities of falmon. On the 9th of Februaiy, 1788, they weighedj and flood down Macao RoadSj from whence they proceeded on their courfe to Oil England. On the 28th of February, the Queen Charlotte loft her ''^urgeon. He was taken in long befoxe they left Wampoa, but for fome time thr had hopes of his recovery, being young and of a found conftitution ; yet his diforder baffled the power of medi- cine, and he refigned hnnfeif to the Divine will « • m IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) #- A '^ .«\^ i/j V, 1.0 I.I 1.25 m|2e 12.5 Iff us, 12.0 — 6" U il.6 V] v: '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. M580 (716)872-4503 v.. n » I \ ' Vi it 270 A VOYAGE TO THE '• ^'} will with the greateft compofure, being j>cr-» fttSbly fenfibie to the !aft moment 5 and the next day he was committed to the deep. ,< From this time to the 28th pf March, they experienced a great deal of ficiknefs in palling through the Jtraiglts of Banci and Snnda, the land on b^ coafts being low, flat, and marfhy j and they had in general light winds, with hot fult**/ wea- ther. .[ #. The I^g George loft two of their peo- ple with the flux. They now agreed to part company, and each make the beft of their way to St. Helena, where the King George arrived on the 1 3th of June, and the Queen Char- lotte on the 18th. 1;, Here they got on board fome frefli ptO" vifions, and fuch other neceflaries as could be procured, and made the beft of their way to England, where the King George arrived the 2 2d day of Auguft, and thp Queen I \ # NORTH-WEST COAST 0F>AMERICA. j^ Queen Charlotte nat iiil the a7th day of September^ all hands Well, and in high Ipirits. ^iJiHum^: The grand objeft of the voyage, of which an accotmt is given in the preceding flieets, being to trade fof*!!^, with an expe6lation, no doubt, of g^^| more than common profits by an undertaking which at once was new, hazardous, and uncertain, the world will naturally enquire whether fuch ex- pectation has been anlwercd; and more par- ticularly, as reports have been ^dffilrioufly I "propagated to the contrary. That the King George's Sound Company have not accumulated immenfe fortunes, may, perhaps, be true; but it is no lefs cer- tain, that t^ Ire gain'ers to the amount of fome thoufands of pounds j and that the voyage did not anfwer the utmoft extent of their wiihes, undoubtedly was owing to their own inexperience -, for when the King George and Queen Charlotte arrived at Can- ton, and even a m.onth from that period, prime fca-otter Ikins fold from eighty to ;ty ill! ^,-i ■ m € U J* '"H,^ I'lmw^ j^a A vovage'to jnt wntty dollars each. Of this quality, thefc ihips had ?it \t^9i two thoufand on board, be- fides a large quantity of furs of inferior va- lue J but though they could have fold their cargo with eafe, they were not at liberty to difpofe of one material a|ticle, the fole ma- nagement of it being |||^ in the hands of the Eaft-India Compass Supercargoes; and at length, thefkinsjuft mentioned, were fold for left than twenty dollars each. Frotma:his plain ftatement of faSis, the public iSfllt once perceive, that this branch of commerce, fo far from being a lofing one, is, perhaps, the mod profitable and lucra- tive employ that the enterprizing Merchant . can poffibly engage in. • n FINIS. f 9 (u Ibfl 160 ] I- 6. r .)0 L S8 I I II u TUL :t tS\8 EE let in /.J ri C' I /.» 1 I /J ErrrrrrLTiJTT r Lirn: /o ixrtxnxn:n:E :rn:riTixixi nT mnoxiiLL- L /.7( /./[/ XE TTT]-n Mrs! vmm \\1>' -;'' 7 a n .;.? y Schiuiinj-hia llli-» Koiu.n hii Cook o/ oO ■to TL If, Ti. [Trrr /,.'y E TTI I I LLLLnj-J-U-^^"^ /.>,'/ t-^t^ EXK( Lord HighABi A ] //;>/ f/n V'/UCXS 0/ '//fc A '///( // _/,'„,/,•//' w :''* / 'j'j. s'.s' ^' A) xrrxi'-i-LJ-i i-i. i. I I i 1 ' /,;u /,) I I 1 1 1 I I — 1 1 I — I — 1 — 1 1 1 1 1 1 I /.;.f /.i i-l II LLJ M ' T I .>'/ •.■••B*^'^ J iV.r. llf.:V.' t;. Xi flk- l(".inlt.\|iril/'/. //W/. 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