*x\'in III»! iiiore ingi'iiiousl}' iiuido. Aiiumg tlieir
poltrv we noticed several gray fox and laiul-otter skins, but they would
not part with tliem for less than a liatehet apiece. In addition to the
usual weapons of bows and arrows, these people had short iron spears
neatly inlaid with brass, upon all which implements they set great
value, and kept them wrapped in skins. Among the inhabitants of the
village on tlie noiThern shore, named Choonowuek, there were several
girls with massive iron bracelets. One had a curb chain for a necklace,
and another a bell suspended in front, in the manner described the
preceding year at Choris Peninsula.
There are very few natives in the outer harbour. On the northern
side there is a village of yourts, to w hich the inhabitants apparently
resort only in the winter. At the time of our visit it was in charge of
an old man, liis wife, and daughter, wdio received us civilly, and gave
us some fish. The yourts were in a very ruinous condition: some
were half filled with water, and all were filthy. By several articles
and cooking utensils left upon the shelves, and by some sledges which
were secreted in the bushes, the inhabitants evidently intended to
return as soon as the frost should consolidate all the stagnant water
within and about their dwelhngs. One of these yourts was so capacious
that it could only have been intended as an assembly or ban-
quetting room, and corresponded with the description of similar rooms
among the eastern Esquimaux.
There was a burying-ground near the village in which we noticed
several bodies wrapped in skins, and deposited upon drift-wood, with
frames of canoes, and sledges, &c., placed near them, as already described
at the entrance of Ilotham Inlet. The old man whom we
found at this place gave the same names to the villages at the head
of the inner harbour, and to the points of land at its entrance, as we
had received from the natives of King-a-ghe whom we met in Kotzebue
Sound.
His daughter had the hammer of a musket suspended ahout her
neck, and held it so sacred that she would scarcely submit it to examination,
and afterwards carefully concealed it within her dress. She was
ajiparently very modest and bashful, and behaved with so much propriety
that it was a pleasure to find such sentiments existing beneath
so uncouth an exterior.
Ujioii the low point at the entrance of the inner harbour, called
Nooke hy the natives, there were some Esquimaux fishermen, who
reminded us of a former acquaintance at Chamisso Island, and saluted
us so warmly that we felt sorry their recollection had not entirely failed
them. They appeared to have established themselves upon the point
for the purpose of catching and drying fish; and from the number c f
salmon that were leaping in the channel, we should have thought they
might have been more successful. They had, however, been fortunate
in taking plenty of cod, and some species of salmon trout: they had
also caught some herrings.
We were also recognised by a party from the southern shores of
the harbour, who, the preceding year, had extended their fishing excursions
from this place to Kotzebue Sound. These were some of the
most cleanly and well-dressed people we had seen any where on the
coast. Their residence was at King-a-ghe—a place which, judging
from the respectability of parties from that place, whom we had seen
elsewhere, must be of importance among the Esquimaux villages upon
this coast.
These two ports, situated so near Beering’s Strait, may at some
future time be of great importance to navigation, as they will be found
particularly useful by vessels which may not wish to pass the strait in
bad weather. To the outer harbour, which for convenience and seciirity
surpasses any other near Beering’s Strait with which we are acquainted,
1 attached the name of Port Clarence, in honour of his most gracious
majesty, then Duke of Clarence. To tlie inner, w hich is well adapted
to the purposes of repair, and is sufficiently deep to receive a frigate,
provided she lands her guns, wliich can be done conveniently upon the
sandy point at the entrance, I gave the name of CIrantley Harbour, iu
compliment to Lord Grantley. To the points at the entrance of Port
Clarence I attached the names of Spencer and Jackson, in compUment
to the lionourable Captain Kobert Spencer and Captain Samuel Jackson,
C. B., two distinguished officers in the naval service: to the latter
* AI