>79'I-
July,
t -_
treraely anxibus to be quit of fuch dangerous vifitors, and had determined
on returning to the Kodiak as foon as the Chatham fhould leave
the bay; in the mean time he purpofed to remove his whole fquadron
from its then Ration to point Turner, For this purpofe he departed,
and on the morning of the tft of july, he returned with his numerous
little fleet, and pitched his encampment oh that point".
In the evening the Chatham was in readinefs for fea agreeably to my
dire'EHons; but as the weather during the day had been' pleafant with a
fine wefterly breeze, Mr. Puget was in conftant expectation of feeing the
Difcovery, and deemed it moll prudent to remain ftationary until the
next morning, rather than rilk a longer reparation by proceeding to fea.
His conjeEtures of the Difcovery being nigh at hand, were in a great
meafure confirmed late in the evening; and Mr. Manby was difpatched as
before related. The next morning however brought no tidings to the
Chatham either of Mr. Manby, or the veffel; but as it had been pre-
vioully fettled, that Mr. Manby’s not returning Ihould denote the arrival
of the Difcovery, Mr. Puget concluded (he was coming into port Mul-
grave, and remained at anchor in that expectation.
In the afternoon Mr. Puget vifited the Ruffian encampment on point
Turner, and found the whole party comfortably fituated. Portoffhad
an excellent fmall tent made o f Ruffian fail cloth, which feemed to be
appropriated to his foie ufe, and as a depbfit for their fire arms, ammunition,
and other articles of value; near which, an Indian hut was erefted
for the refidence of, the other Ruffians; the captive chief and his family,
and the reftof the party, were fo fituated, that no furprize could be well
apprehended; their fpears, formed at the point like a fpontoon, were
placed near each habitation, in readinefs to a£t on the defenfive; and
their daggers, and other weapons were equally well_ difpofed. Their
temporary habitations were each formed by two canoes placed edgeways,
about four feet afunder, and their paddles conftituted a kind of roof, over
which were laid thick fkins of land animals, which effeEtually proteEled
them from the inclemency of the weather; and formed, though a fmall
and low, yet a comfortable refting place; the bottom being firft covered
by a mat, flrewed over with clean dry grafs. Many fea otters that were
juft brought on fhore by fome of the Kodiak Indians, gave Mr. Puget
an opportunity of feeing their manner of preparing thofe fkins, which
differed materially from that praElifed by the other inhabitants o f the
coaft, in whole poffeffion we have found that fpecies of fur. Thefe people
drew the fkin over the body of the animal, without making any inci-
fion either in the back or the belly, and in that Rate the fkins were hung
up to dry; but whether they underwent any other procefs prior to their
being fent to market was not underftood. The flefh of thefe animals is
efteemed to be a very great dainty ; and whilft fome were employed in
fitinrting, the furrounding company were bufily engaged, with their
knives, in feraping the blubber or fat from thecarcafe, and in that raw
Rate eating it with the greateft reliftt. The reft of the animal was boiled,
with the wild vegetables procured in great abundance, in and about the
woods, and afforded the party an excellent repaft. The bones of the
fea otter, with thofe of all other amphibious animals, are preferved with
the greateft care by thele Indians, but for what purpofe Mr. Puget was
unable to learn. Thofe of the party who were not thus engaged, feemed
to be induftrioufly employed in.making fuch articles , o f curiofity, as
found the; moil ready market amongft their Englifh friends.
In the evening the canoes that had been fent with Mr. Manby returned
without him, and as they brought neither letter nor meffage, it ferved to
confirm Mr. Puget in his former opinion, that the Difcovery was coming
into port; efpecially as the wind and weather were extremely unfettled,
and confequently, very unfavorable to die examination of the coaft to the
leaftward. The arrival of a large party of native Indians the next morning,
on the fouthern fhore of the main land oppofite to point Turner,
threw the whole Ruffian encampment into a ftate of confufion, and
caufed every preparation to be made for aEting on the defenfive; in the
mean time the captive chief was difpatched in a Kodiak canoe, for the
purpofe of ufing his endeavours to bring about a friendly intercourfe, and
to eftabfifh a good underftanding. On this occafion feveral meffages
paffed, but no interview took place between the two parties during die
day, which was very unpleafant, the wind being very boifterous from the
eaftward. Early in the morning of the 4th, a large wooden canoe, with
V o l. III. H h twelve