' 794' fliould be in readinefs, but as fome of, them had been loaded many days
—i Mr. Whidbey ordered them to be difcharged into the air ; this foon after
produced a return of nearly an equal number from the Indians on
Chore ; but as the boats approached the opening, the canoes were all
haftily paddled off by the natives, and foon difappeared.
In the entrance .5 fathoms water was found, and after advancing about
half a mile it proved-to be only, a lhallow rocky place, having a fmall
part of its fouthern fide an ifland at high water. On each fide of the
entrance fome new habitations were conftrufting, and for the firfl time
during our intercourfe with the North Weft American Indians in the'vicinity
of thefe habitations, were found fome fquare patches of ground in
a ftate of cultivation, producing a plant that appeared to be; a fpecies of
tobacco; and which, weunderftood, is by no means uncommon amongft
the inhabitants of Queen Charlotte’s iflands, who cultivate much of this
plant. On the return of the boats the Indians again made their appearance
in a large body, headed by a chief who manifefted a friendly
difpofition, by frequently taking up and laying down his mufket, and
making figns that thofe in the boats lhould do the fame. On this being
complied with, he fent a young man dreffed in a fcarlet coat and blue
trowfers to invite our party on fhore; but Mr. Whidbey thought proper
to decline the intended civility, but gave the meffenger to underftand he
wanted fome filh; on which the young man, though not without fome
hefitation, got into the yawl, and difpatched his canoe for the purpofe of
obtaining a fupply. It was not long before the canoe returned with
fome fmall herrings, for which they were well rewarded; and no fooner
was this intelligence known on fhore, than the whole tribe were in motion,
and in the courfe of a few minutes the boats were furrounded by upwards
of five hundred Indians of all ages and both fexes, feemingly with no other
intent than that of carrying on a fair and bride traffic. This crowd
however became very unpleafant, and on Mr. Whidbey pointing out to
the chief that the throng was inconvenient to our party, he made.a fhort
harangue to the furrounding multitude, and they all returned to the fhore;
the chief followed his people, and fent an abundant fupply of fifh to the
. boats,
boats, for which kindnefs a handfome reward was fent back, and Mr. 'W -
Whidbey purfued his refearches. 1 ^ 1
About ten miles from point Parker, a projeaing point was palled,
which I called P o in t S am u e l , this forms the north point of Hood’s bay,
which is about a league and a half acrofs, having fome iflands nearly in its
center. On the fouth point of this bay the party flopped to breakfaft, and
were vifited by fourteen canoes from the Indian tribe they had laft feen,
in none of which were more than, four perfons. Their errand feemed
purely for the purpofe of trading, in which they conduHed themfelves
with the greateft good humour, and the ftrifteft honefty ; and feemed to
bp infinitely more inclined to difpofe of their fea otter fkins, than of their
fifh. O f the former they had great abundance, and many were thrown into
the boats, for which they thankfully received any trifling article of wearing
apparel in return, Mr. Whidbey defenbed their canoes as not materially
differing from the general falhion of thofe of Nootka, and the parts
to the north-well of that place; although they were better contrived, far
more ferviceable, and infinitely neater than any of that fort which he
had feen on this coaft. From thefe people he underftood, that the weft-
ern coaft was compofed of feveral iflands which they had lately paffed
' through, and had traded with veffels in fome port on the exterior coaft,
from whence they procured moft of the European commodities they had
about them, confifting chiefly of wearing apparel; of which, coats and
cloth trowfers feemed by them to be preferred to every other article,
excepting arms and ammunition I copper and iron being reduced to a
very inferior value.
Quitting this ftation Mr. Whidbey continued his furvey along the eaft-
ernftiore, ftill in the dire&ion of s. 7 e . ; two fmaller bays were now paffed,
and off the points of each of them, iflets and rocks were feen lying at a >
little diftance. In the evening a point was reached in latitude 57° 13 ’
near which the party relied for the night in a fmall cove. Soon after
dark they were vifited by fome Indians, who on ,being given to underftand
that their company was not defired, quietly departed. Here, they
evidently experienced the oceanic fwell rolling from the fouthward; and
after proceeding the next morning 13 miles, s. 10 e „ they arrived at. a
Y o l . III. L I point,