1787. '
April.
L E T T E R XXIX.
I L E F T thee at the conclufion of my lall, immediately on our
coming to anchor, and I doubt not by this time, thou art impatient
to be acquainted wifh our proceedings. As I know nothing
more difagreeable than a ftate of fufpence, I will immediately endeavour
to relieve thee from it, in the bell manner I can.
It feems. Captain Port-lock's motive for coming to anchor, as,
already mentioned, vya-? a fight of two canoes, at fome diftance up
the bay, which gave him reafon to expect meeting with inhabitants,
, and confequently that fome bufinefs might be done 3 a thing we
were mpH particularly anxious about, as this, our lall feafon, was
already flipping away.
In the evening of, the 24th, five canoqs came along-fide us, but
brought no furs, or traffic of any kind. They feinted us by extending
their arms, and a frequent repetition of the word Lauleigh,,
generally laying a great emphafis on the latter, fyliable.-, This we.
underltood as a friendly falutation, and .returned it by fimilar g e t
" ticulations, and a repetition of the word Lauleigh. On our enquiry
for NotooneJhuqks which is. the name they ufefor.fea.otter’s
lkin, they immediately pointed ’ towards Prince William’s Sohnd,.
repeating the words. “ Nootka Notoonejhuck,” plenty, very .frequently,
and in the moll earned: manner. Some dogs we had: on board,
hearing flrangers about the Ihip, ran upon the gun-wale, and
began to bark at them, on which the Indians, directly called out,
Towzer, Towzer,v here, here,” whiffling at the fame time, afterthé
manner uled to coax' dogs' in England., We were pretty much
puzzled to account for thefe circumltances, though it appeared
very evident, from thefe people fpeaking E.nglilh, -and having fome
idea'of our manners; that ah Engli'fli veifel either lay in the found
at the prelent moment, or had been there very recently 5 but none,
of us could guéfs at the meaning of Nooilia, though they repeated
that word much oftener than any of the reft.
Thefe canoes were covered with Ikins, the fame as we had feen
lall feafon.in Cook’s River : three of them were built for two men
each, and the two Others held only a Angle perfon.
The ears of thefe Indians were ornamented with plenty of fmall
blue beads, but thefe, we had reafon to fuppofe, were procured
from the Ruffians, as Tome’knives -arid iron weapons which they
lhewèd 'us, were evidently of Ruffian manufadture.
Early in the morning of the 25th, our boats were fent on Ihore
for wood and water, both which were very eafily procured. In the
mean time, our Captains went all round the bay, and examined
every adjacent creek and inlet, but found no inhabitants, nor any
traces of recent habitations in this part, which made us conclude,
that our vilitors were only a hunting party from Prince William’s
Sound 3 however, we made them fome trifling, prefents, hoping,
that it might induce them not only to bring us furs, but alfo encourage
their neighbours to follow their example': they feemed
peffe&ly fatisfiéd with the trifles we gave them, and told us, that
they would return foon and bring Notoonejhuck, plenty.
We waited till the 28th, with the greatell anxiety, in hopes that
the Indians would' return to trade with us 5 but in this we were
difap