numbers, tgfifh, They, now prc&ufed, ft^n^brafe, copper* ai^ trinkets*
ffom the Weft ward; but; formerly thefe articles were obtained from the*
lower parts of the river, thoughin final! quantifies;, A knifo wa&prodded;
which had been brought from that quarter. The (blade was ten inches*
long, and an inch and an half broad, but with a very blunted edge*. Th&
handle, was of horn. We underftood that- this inftrument had been,
obtained 6om white men, long hoforo they had heard that any carnfe to
the, Weft ward. One very old man ofrfgr-ved, that as long as he -could;
*e»embet:, he was told of-white people to the §ou4 wafdt a*fh b&
had heard, thoughhe didrnofc vbuph for the trufhiof ffiti' ftpoft,throng;
o f them had madean attempt t© come up the river, and was de&oyesL .
Thefe people %fcrihe dig diftance aprofa the oounfry aSiWy
the Weftern. ocean; and, avoiding tp nay QWh idea, it qannpt. be abpve;
five or fix degrees. lith e aJfertion ofMriM.ears bocorrre^,.it;,;c^anoti;
be fo far, as the inland ;fea which he; mJtn&QllStWfthin No@tka, muft .com©:
a& far Eaft as .126 Weft longitude. They affured us that
not difficult, as they avoided the, mountains keeping along fol low food?/
between them, many, parts of which, are,
cording, to. their account, this way i&. fo often; tfatielted by* them> thafe
their path is vifible throughput the whole; journey, whirih liesj along
fmall lakes and rivers. It occupied them* tbeytfajd/; no; XttQre<than -,fcfe
nights, to go to where they meet the people- who barter iron.-brafs, cop*?,
per, beads, &c, with them, for-dceffed. leather, anft beaver .bear, lynx,
fox, and marten fkins. The iron is about, eighteen inches ,o£ two-inch
bar. To this they give- an edge at one endj and fix. it« to-an-handle
at right angles, which they -employ as an. axe. Whent the iron is
worn
wbfn dowA they fabricate it into points for their arrows and fpikesi
Before they procured iron they employed bone and horh for thofe pur*
pofes. The ccfppet and brafe'hhey cOnv£ft/ihto collars,' arm-bands,
ffr£cfelete£ aha'Otfter brnametits. They femetimes alio point their arrows
With tHOfe ffiejtals. They had been ittfofrried by thofe whom they meet
to trade with, that the white people, from whom thefe articles are ob-
fainedfWfere biiilding hbufes at the diftance of throe days', or two nights
jbnfftfey Mm ltbe place where/ they met l&ft falh With this route they
all appeared to -be well acquainted.
1 * nbW^reqtiefted that they would fend 0 r the female prifoner whom I
faw:‘yd®iftay^' but If #ec^¥ed ^nfy -Wague and ewdlive ahfweM: they
probably apprehended, that it wa$ OUrdefigii to take her from them,
Uwas^ftOweviA yeiy much difappdihtedwt bmftgTre^eTOick from having
an interview with her, as fhe might have given me a cWre£I account of
the eburitry beyond the forks of the river, as weft as of the’pafr, through,
the; mountains* froth them,
>•. My people had liftened with, great attentftxn to the Eelation which had
been given me,; and ft feeffied fo be their opinfon,^hafctif; wbuld be ab-
folute madnefs to attempt a paffage through fo' many favage and barbarous
nations. My fituatson-ffiafy/Mdee'dy be mci|eJ;eafily cbitoei^ed
than exprefted; I hdd no mOrO than thirty daya provifton remaining^
hXelnfiyi "Of fuich fupplies as I might obtain from the natives-, and the
foil of dim hunters; Whiehvhoweyerf w^'foprOcaSious hs to-be matter of
little dependence: befides, OUr ammunition would fbon be exhaufted,
particularly our ball, oft -which we had riot more than ari hundred and