1767. diftant h a lf a mile, and the white patch on Charles’s ifland
. Ja""ary' . s. E. by S. We had frelh gales and heavy flaws off the land ;
and at two o’clock the weft point o f Cape Gallant bore E.
diftant three leagues, and York Point W. N; W. diftant five
leagues. At five, we opened York road, the Point bearing
N. W. at the diftance o f ha lf a m ile : at this time the Ihip
was taken a-back, and a ftrong current with a heavy fquall
drove us fo far to leeward, that it was with great difficulty
we got into Elizabeth bay, and anchored in 12 fathom near
a river. The Swallow being at anchor off the point o f the
bay, and very near the rocks, I fent all the boats with anchors
and haufers to her affiftance, and at laft ffie was
happily warped to windward into good anchorage. York
Point now bore W. by N. aflioal w ith weeds upon it W. N. W.
at^ the diftance o f a cable’s length, Point Paffage S. E. ~ E.
diftant ha lf a mile, a rock near Rupert’s ifle S. i E. and a
rivulet on the bay N. E. by E. diftant about three cables’
length. Soon after fun-fet we faw a great fmoke on the
fouthern Ihore, and another on Prince Rupert’s ifland.
Tiurfday 29. Early in the morning I fent the boats on fhore for water,
and foon after our people landed, three canoes put off from
the fouth Ihore, and landed fixteen o f the natives on the eaft
point o f the bay. When they came within about a hundred
yards o f our people they ftopt, called out, and made figns o f
friendlhip; our people did the fame, fhewing them fome
beads and other toys. At this they feemed pleafed, and began
to Ihout 5 our people imitated the noife they made, and
Ihouted in return \ the Indians then advanced, ftill fhouting
and laughing very loud. When the parties met they fhook
hands, and our men prefented the Indians with feveral o f
the toys which they had ffiewn them at a diftance. They
were covered with feal lkins, which flunk abominably, and
iome of therp were eating the rotten flelh and blubber raw,
8 with
with a keen appetite and great feeming fatisfa&ion. Their
complexion was the fame as that o f the people we had feen
before, but they were low o f ftature, the talleft o f them not
being more than five foot fix: they appeared tojse perifliing
with cold, and immediately kindled feveral fires. How they
fubfift in winter, it is not perhaps eafy to guefs, for the weather
was at this time fo fevere, that we had frequent falls of
fnow. They were armed with bows, arrows, and javelins:
the arrows and javelins were pointed with flint, which was
wrought into the fhape o f a ferpent’s tongue; and they dif-
charged both with great force and dexterity, fcarce ever failing
to hit a mark at a confiderable diftance. T o kindle a fire
they ftrike a pebble againft a piece o f mundic, holding under
it, to catch the fparks, fome mofs or down, mixed with a
whitiffi earth, which takes fire like, tinder: they then take
fome dry grafs, o f which there is every where plenty, and
putting the lighted mofs into it, wave it to and fro, and in
about a minute it blazes.
I When the boat returned fhe brought three o f them on
board the fhip, but they feemed to regard nothing with any
degree o f curiofity except our cloaths and a looking-glafs ;
the looking-glafs afforded them as much diverfion as it had
done the Patagonians, and it feemed to furprize them more :
when they firft peeped into it they ftarted back, firft looking
at us, and then at each ocher; they then took another peep,
as it were by ftealth, ftarting back as before, and then
eagerly looking behind i t : when by degrees they became
familiar with it, they fmiled, and feeing the image fmile in
return, they were exceedingly delighted, and burft into fits
of the moft violent laughter. They left this however, and
every thing elfe, with pcrfeft indifference, the little they
poffeffed being to all appearance equal to their defires. They
Z 2 ’ *• " eat
I767-
Jariuary.
Thuritfay 29.