pointed out to roe, as being o f a tribe that eat flelh. I now requeued
him to furnifti me with fome frelh falmon in its raw ftate ; -but, inftead
of complying with my wifh, he brought me a • couple of them roafted,
obferving at the fame time, that the;current was 'very'ftrong,. and would
bring'us to the next village, where our wants would be abundantly fup-
plied. In fhort, he requeued that we would make hafte to deplirt.f - This
was rather unexpe&ed after fo much kindnefs and-hofpitality, but-our
ignorance of the language prevented us from feeing able to- dïfedyéS t?he
caufe.
rt At eight this morning, fifteen men armed’, the friends and relad’é#% f
thefe people, arrived by land, in confequence of notice'fent them- in the
night, immediately after the appearance of our guides. They are more
corpulent and of a better appearance than the inhabitants of the interior.
Their language totally different from any I had heard; the Atna-h and
Chin tribe, as far as I can judge from theyeryJitttle I faw pf that people,
bear the neareft refemblance to them. They appear to be qf a"1 quiet and
peaceable chara&er, and never make any Jhoftile incurfions into the lands
of their neighbours.
: Their drefs confifts of a Angle robe tied over the fhoufders, falling'
down behind, to the heels,, and before, a little below the knees, with a deep
fringe round, the bottom. It is generally made of the bark- of the cedar
tree, which they prepare as fine as hemp; though fome of' thefe garments
are interwoven with ftrips ©f the fea-otter fkin, which give them the appearance
o f a fur on one fide. Others have ftripes of red mid yellow threads
fancifully introduced toward the borders, which have a very agreeable
effeft,
effe'ft. The men have no other&eovering than that which I have described,
and they, unceremonioufly lay it afide when they- find it conve- *—
nient. In addition to this robe, i the women wear a. clofe fringe hanging
down before, them about two feet in. length, and half as wide. When
they'ditldown1;they draw this,"between their thighs.- They wear their
hair fo fhort, that it requires little care or combing. The men. have
»theirs in plaits, and ■ being, fmeared with oil and red earth, inftead of a
comb they have a (mall ftick hangingiby a firing from one of the locks,
^Whifchthey employ to; alleviate anj| itching or irritation in the head.
The colour,of the eye is grey with a tinge of red. They have all high
«cheek-bones, but the women are more- remarkable for thaf feature than
the men. Their houfes,; arms, and utenfils I fhall deferibe hereafter.
I prefented my friend with feveral articles, and alfo diftributed fome
among 'others of the natives who had been attentive to us. One of my
guides had beeh very ferviceafile in procuring canoes for us to proceed
fen bur expedition; he-appeared alfo to be 4 fe'ry defirous of giving thefe
people a favourable impreffionof us!f and I was very much concerned
"that'he fhould leave me as he did, without giving me-the lead notice of
f e 4depa^ur§ or'receiving the prefents which I had prepared for him,
and' heto' welf deferved.' At noon I had an obfeHation which gave
^2. 28. 4 i. North l'ongitude.