turning, fiv,e of our people were fent, with the Boatfwain in the
whale boat, on a fifhing party, having orders not to lofe fight of
the ihips, and others had liberty to recreate themfelves on fhore.
About one o’clock, we had the pleafure of feeing two large
canoes, and feveral fmall ones, full of Indians, come round the
North Eaft point of the bay. When they came in fight of the
vefiels, they began to ling, keeping regular time with the ftrokes
of their paddles in the water : their finging feemed to be in a great
meafure directed by the Chief, and the cadence was not without
fome degree of harmony.
When they came along-fide the King George, they were profufe
in their friendly falutations ; at the fame time their Chief, whofe
name was Shanway, fhewed a letter for Captain Portlock, which
came, he faid, from the .Nootka, on which he was admitted, on
board, together with a number of his people.
It feems the hunting party we faw at our firft coming in, on the
24th of April, belonged to old Shan'way’s tribe; thefe people lived
near Snug Comer Cove, and on their return had acquainted Captain
Meares, that they had feen two Ihips at anchor a great dif-
tance down the channel; on which he immediately wrote the
above-mentioned letter, without knowing whom particularly to
addrefs it tp, and gave it to the Indians, who promifed to return
back to us immediately ; but thefe trufty meflenger s never found
their way till now, when the letter was of no confequence.
Captain Portlock’s motive for admitting Shanway s people on
board, was from a fuppofition that fuch an indulgence would encourage
them to trade more freely; but to his great mortification,
2 - he
he.foon found that traffic did not induce them to come near him, 1787.
what little trade they brought being .mere .refufe, and that their , ■
bringing the letter now was only for an opportunity to get on
board, in order to fteal every thing which lay in their way. I could
fee moft of their tranfaftions, from our quarter-deck, and mufi:
fay, they were managed with a good deal of art. Shanway, and
fome of his attendants endeavoured {o amufe the King George’s
people with finging and dancing, whilft others traverfed the decks,
and threw every thing which came in their way to their companions
in the canoes. Captain Portlock was prefently aware of
his guefts thievifh difpofition; but being unwilling to drive them
away by force, he Rationed his people in different parts of the vef-
fel to watch their motions : notwithftanding this precaution, they
Role a number of articles, and got them unperceived into their
canoes. Whenever they were detefted in a theft, they relinquifh-
ed their booty with the utmoft unconcern ; but when any thing
was once in their poffeffion, it was with difficulty they were prevailed
on to reftore it. At firft, the only articles they attempted to
fteal, were iron and cloaths; but .finding themfelves watched, they
became indifcriminate plunderers, and feized on every thing in their
power.
Having fatisfied their curiofity, and found their depredations
put a flop to, old.Shanway and his people left us about five in the
afternoon. Our whale-boat, at this time; lay at anchor about two
miles diftant from the vefiels, the people in her bufy fifhing, which
the Indians happening to fee, as they paddled out of the bay, they
direftly made up to them. This alarmed Captain Portlock, who
all along had been attentive to Shanway’s motions, and he immediately
manned his whale-boat and yawl, and went off to our peo
pie’s,affiftance, being apprehenfive not only for the boat, but that
X their