w ork on their little bags, may be put in competition with
the moft delicate manufactures found in any part o f the
kn own world. In fliort, confidering the otherwife uncivilized
or rude ftate in w hich thefe people are, their Northern
fituation, amidft a country perpetually covered w ith fnow,
and the wretched materials they have to w ork with, it appears,
that their invention and dexterity, in all manual
works, is at leaft equal to that o f any o ther nation.
The food w hich w e faw them eat, was dried fifh, and the
fleih o f fome animal, either broiled or roafled. Some o f the
latter that was bought, feemed to be bear’ s fleih, but with a
fiihy tafle. The y alfo eat the la rge r fort o f fern-root, mentioned
atNootka, either baked, or dreffed in fome.other w a y ;
and fome o f our people faw them eat fre ely o f a fubilance
w h ich they fuppofed to be the inner part o f the pine bark.
Th e ir drink is moil probably w a te r ; for in their boats they
brought fnow in the wooden veifels, w h ich they fwallowed
b y mouthfuls. Perhaps it could be carried with lefs trouble,
in thefe open veffels, than water itfelf. The ir method o f
eating feems decent and cle an ly ; for they always took care
to feparate any dirt that m igh t adhere to their victuals.
And though they fometimes did eat the raw fat o f fome fea
animal, they cut it ca re fu lly into mouthfuls, w ith their
fmall knives. T h e fame migh t be faid o f their perfons,
w hich, to appearance, were always dean and decent, w ith out
greafe or d i r t ; and the wooden veifels, in w hich their
victuals are probably put, were kept in excellent o rd e r ;
as w e ll as their boats, w hich were neat, and free from
lumber.
T h e ir language feems difficult to be underltood at fir ft;
not from any indiftinCtnefs or confuiion in their words and
founds, but from the various fignifications they have.' For
they
they appeared to ufe the ve ry fame word, frequently, on w 8-
ve ry different occafions; . though doubtlefs this m igh t, i f <— .—
our intercourfe had been o f longer duration, have been
found to be a miftake on our fide. The only words I could
obtain, and for them I am indebted to Mr. Anderfon*, were
thofe that fo llow ; the firft o f w hich was alfo ufed at Nootka,
in the fame fen fe ; though w e could not trace an affinity
between th e tw o dialeCts in any other initance.
What's the name of that ?
An ornament for the ear.
A brown Jhaggy Jkin, perhaps a bear’s.
Yes. •
The Jkin o f a fea-otter. '
Give me fomething.
Give me fomething in exchange, or barter.
J Of, or belonging to me.— Will you, barter
i fo r this that belongs to me ?
A fpear.
A k a ih o u ,
Namuk,
Lu klu k ,
Aa,
Natoonefhuk,
Keeta,
Naema,
Ooonaka,
Manaka,
Ahleu,
Weena, or Veena, Stranger— calling to one.
Keelafhuk, Guts o f which they make jackets.
T aw u k , Keep it.
t A piece o f -white bear's (kin, or perhaps
Amilhtoo, < . . . . ■ H
{ the hair that covered it.
Whaehai, Shall I keep it % do you give it me ?
Yaut, I 'l l go; or Jhall I go ?
Chilke, One.
Taiha, Two.
T o k k e , .Three.
* W e are alfo indebted to him for many remarks in this chapter, interwoven with
thofe o f Captain C ook, as throwing confiderable ligh t on many parts o f his journal.
a (Tinke)