>794- of fair weather, with regular land and fea breezes, enabled our people
September.^ make all the progrefs that the tedious nature of their feveral labours.
would permit.
Since our arrival we had occafionally been vilited by Maquinna, Clew-
paneloo, with fome of the inferior chiefs, and many of the inhabitants,
who fold us a few fith, and brought to market fome venifon; but moll
of thefe people had now retired to their winter habitations up the.found.
Thefe Senr- Alava exprelfed a defire to vifit, and as we all knew that fuch
an excurfion would be highly flattering to Maquinna, and to the other
chiefs and people, a party was formed with three of our boats, and a
gpanilh launch to carry the luggage. Notwithftanding that we were,
well perfuaded of the friendly difpolition of the natives, yet I confidered
it necelfary that the boats Ihould be~equipped for defence, as on all other
fuch occaftons. The fettled Hate of the weather had now not only fa*
vored and forwarded all our tranfaHions, but 'was extremely inviting, to
the relaxation we had in view.
Sen"- Alava and Fidalgo, with Mr. Menzies, accompanied me.in the
Difcovery’s yawl; Mr. Puget, attended, by fome of the officers. of 'the
Chatham, was in the cutter; Lieutenant Swaine*- with fome of the gen*
tlemen of the Difcovery, were in our large cutter; and with thofe in the
Spanilh launch, our party confifted of fifty-fix officers and men. No
doubt was entertained that Maquinna, who had been informed of the
honor intended him, .would be in readinefs 3to receive us, and for this
reafon our courfe was firft direfted towards Tahfheis, the place of his
refidence. But as we were not much aflifted by the wind, it was near
fun-fet before we arrived at a very pleafant fpot not far from Maquinna''s
village, where we pitched, our tents:; and as. the day was too far. advanced,
our ceremonial vifit was deferred until the next day, and a mef-
Tage to that effeft was Tent by Clewpdneloo, who had attended us from the
fliips. But Maquinna, who with his people was in readinefs to receive us,
inllantly difpatched a meffenger, requefting that we would repair to his
refidence that evening. This however we thought, proper to decline, but
in order that .Maquinna might be fatisfied of our intentions to vifit him
in the morning, Tome of the gentlemen walked to the village, and explained
plained to him, that it was the latenefs of the hour only that prevented
our then complying with his requell. -
Matters being''comfortably arranged for the night, centmels were
planted, as well to avoid any Turprize from the natives, as to prevent our
own people from ftraying to their habitations, from whence difputes or
mifunderftandings might have arifen; ftrid. orders were iffued to this ef-
fe£l, and being uniformly adhered to, the night puffed without the lealt
After breakfaft on friday morning, we proceeded with the four boats to Friday 26.
Tahfheis, and were welcomed on our approach to the Ihore by a voci e-
rous old man, exclaiming | Wacojh, wacojh IB by which he meant to exprefs
friendlhip, and the good intentions of the natives towards us. Thele ien-
timents being returned in a fimilar manner by our party, we landed and
were received by Maquinna and two of his brothers, Whaclaffe pultz,
and Tdtoochjeatticus, with repeated expreffions of " Wacojh;' until we
were almoft flunned with their gratulations. This ceremony being
concluded, we weremondufled through the village to Maquinna s habitation,
where we were led to feats prepared and covered with clean mats
at the uppef end of the houle* , . ,
Having taken our feats, about thirty men began each to beat with a
flick on a hollow board, in order to affemble the inhabitants of the village
to that fpot; this fummons being readily obeyed, Maqumna informed
the affembled crowd with great earneftnefs, and m a fpeech .
of fome length, that our vifit was to be confidered as a great honor
done to him, and that it had taken place in conference- of the civ.
and Orderly behaviour of all the inhabitants of the found under his au-
thority towards the Ebglilh and the Spaniards. This he obferved, was
not the cafe with Wicananijh, or any other cljief whofe people comml ‘
ted a£ls of violence and depredation on the veffels and their cr^ s that
vifited their country; but that fuch behaviour was not Praftlfe^ “
Nootka, and that for this reafon they had been more frequently vifited:
by which means, their wealth in copper, cloth, and various other armies
of great value to , them, had been increafedfar exceeding that of any
of their neighbours. He particularly mentioned fome tribes, but by
■ - & R r 2 appellations