Their conduft was exaftly fimilar to that of their more northern neighbours
who had vifited the Difcovery, all their aftions were direSed by
the ftrifteft honefty; the moil implicit confidence was repofed in all their
dealings, and in no one inftance did they abufe the indulgences that
were fhewn to them. They were very eager, expert, and clever in all
their commercial dealings. ’ They bartered away their garments, weapons,
fifhing-tackle, and ornaments in great variety, but neither offered,
nor appeared to have any furs for fale. Their various articles of drefe,
&c. were exchanged principally for fpoons and beads, as thefe people
placed but little value on iron or copper. Many of them fpoke the Ruffian
language, and from what could be inferred from their converfation
and figns, it fhould appear that they are much attached to the people of
that nation.
The wind at n . w . bringing more favorable weather in the evening-,
the Chatham proceeded about half a league along the fouthern Ihore, in
order to take a ftation near an excellent run o f water, and which in other
refpecls was more commodious for tranfafting their bufinefs with the
fhore. When moored the watering place bore by compafs s. 17 e., at the
diftance of a cable and a half; the points o f entrance into the harbour,
s. 81 w., and N. 70 w . ; fome detached rocks above water, from N. 66 e.
to n. 77 e . ; the oppofite fide of the harbour being about a mile diftant.
Owing to the extreme inclemency o f the weather, their operations of
refitting were greatly retarded; ftorms fucceeded ftor-ms, blowing from
all quarters with great violence, and attended with very heavy falls of
fhow. In one of thefe, on the 19th, the mercury-in the thermometer fell
to 15, which was the greateft degree of cold they experienced.
The wind between eaft and s. E. -blew on the 22d with more than its
former fury, and during the night obliged them to ride with two anchors
a-head until the next morning; when, after feme very- heavy rain, the wind
moderated, the clouds difperfed, and by noon the weather had become
ferene and pleafent, the mercury having rifen to 42. This favorable
change enabled them to accomplilh all their neceflary bufinefs with the
Ihore, and on the following morning they failed out o f the harbour, for
the purpofe of proceeding towards cape Douglas; but calm weather
about
about noon obliged them to anchor in the cove before mentioned, im- ’ 79t-
mediately on the outfide of the harbour, where a fingle Ruffian took up ■
his refidence amongfl a fmall party of the natives. This man, with an-
, other of the name of Mallacha, who faid he commanded a (loop mounting
eight guns, had, during the boifterous weather, vifited the Chatham.
On much anxiety being at that time exprefled to procure fome tidings of
the Difcovery, and as fome intelligence feemed likely to be gained by
fending over to cape Douglas, Mallacha took charge of a letter from
Mr. Puget, which he promifed fhould be fafely delivered, and an anfwer
returned in cafe the Difcovery had arrived in the inlet. Mr. Puget pre-
fented him with an affortment of ufeful commodities, and added to thefe
fome provifions and rum. This tranfaftion took place on the 23d, and
he promifed to be back, or to meet the Chatham On her way towards
cape Douglas, in the courfe of a few days ; but on their arrival in this
cove, they were greatly furprized by receiving a vifit from the refident
Ruffian in a ftate of intoxication, who delivered a requeft from Mallacha
■ for an additional fupply of rum, and who, from this man’s account, appeared
to have been in this cove ever fi-nce he had quitted the Chatham,
and in a conllant ftate of inebriety. Mr. Puget, juftly incenfed at Mallacha’s
unpardonable conduft, refufed his requeft; and Confidered the following
information given by the other as deferving of little credit. He ftated
that about twelve or fourteen days before fome Indians had feen a three-
mafted veflel pafs to the north o f the barren iflands on her way up the
inlet, and that an Englifh Veflel had anchored off the Kodiak for about
four hours, and then was driven to fea by a fouth-eaft gale, and had been
no more feen.
On this occafkm I cannot help obferving, that the difcrediting of thefe
reports was probably more owing to incorrefl interpreters than any intention
on the part of the Ruffians to deceive, and it fhews the great uncertainty
of any information obtained, when a competent knowledge of the
language made ufe of is not mutually poffefled by the parties converfing.
This cannot probably be more fully exemplified than in the prefent inftance
in which it is fair to prefume, that the intelligence conveyed was founded
on faffs; for the Difcovery had unqueftionably patted to the north of the
S 2 barren