vouring, b y any indirect means, to ge t poileffion o f i t ? ,
which marked that, in fuch cafes, the y were rather actuated
b y a childi'ih curiofity, than by a diihoneft difpofition, re-
gardlefs o f the modes o f fupplyin g real wants. T h e inhabitants
o f Nootka, who invaded our property, cannot have
fu ch apology made fo r them. They were thieves in the
ftrifteft fenfe o f the word ; fo r they pilfered nothing from
us, but what they k n ew could be converted to the purpofes
o f private utility, and had a real value according to their
«ftimation o f things. And it was lu ck y fo r us, that nothing
w as thought valuable by them, but the fingle articles o f our
metals. Linen, and fu ch lik e things, were p er fe ftly Secure
from their depredations; and we could fa fe ly leave
them h an ging out aihore all night, without watching. T he
fame principle which prompted our Nootka friends to pilfer
from us, it was natural to fuppofe,, would produce a fimilar
con d u it in their intercourfe with each other. And, accordingly,
we had abundant reafon to believe, that Sealin g
is much praitifed amongft them ; and that it chiefly gives
rife to their quarrels ; o f w hich we faw more than one in-
ftance.
C H A P . HI*
Manner o f building the Houfes' in Nootka Sound.— Infide
o f them defcribed.— Furniture and Utenfih.— Wooden
Images.— Employments of the Men.— O f the Women.—
Food, animal and vegetable.-— Manner o f preparing it.
— Weapons.— ManufaElures and mechanic A rts__
Carving and-Painting.— Canoes.— Implements fo r fifhing
and hunting.—Aron ‘Tools.-—Manner o f procuring that
Metal.—-Remarks on their Language, and a Specimen
o f it. — AJlronomical and nautical Obfervations made in
Nootka Sound.
TH E two towns or villages, mentioned in the courfe
o f m y Journal, feem to be the only inhabited parts
o f the Sound. T h e number o f inhabitants in both might
be pretty exactly computed from the canoes that were about
the ihips the fecond day after our arrival. T h e y amounted
to about a hundred; which, at a ve ry moderate allowance,
muft, upon an average, have held five perfons each. But
a s there were Scarcely any women, very old men, children,
or youths amongft them at that time, I think it will rather
be rating the number o f the inhabitants o f the two towns
too low, i f we fuppofe they could be lefs than four times the
number o f our vifiters; that is, two thoufand in the whole.
The village at the entrance o f the Sound ftands on the
fide o f a riling ground, which has a pretty fteep afcent
V ol. II. S f from