he took great pains to make me underftand, that notwithftanding
our apparent fuperiority in poffeffing various ufeful articles, which
they- did not, yet that our origin was the fame with their’s, that
they came from above as well as we, and-that the Sun animated
and kept alive every creature in theuniverfe. Thefe notions of
the Chief immediately brought to my recollection thofe beautiful
lines of Pope, in his Eflay on Man.
cc L o ! the poor Indian whole untutor’d mind, a ]
“ Sees God in clouds, or hears him in the wind,
<c His foul, proud fcience never taught to ftray,
“ Far as the folar walk or milky way,
tc Yet fimple nature to his hope has giv’n
<c Behind the cloud-topt hill an humble Heav’n j
gl Some fafer world in depth of woods embrac’d, ■ \
<c Some happier ifland in the watry walte,
“ Where (laves once more their native land behold,
r No fiends torment, no Chriftians third for golfL
<l To be, contents his natural defire,
“ He alks no angel’s wing, no feraph’s fire,
“ But thinks admitted to that equal Iky,
“ His faithful dog (hall bear him. company.” "
The Indians here alluded to by Pope, are undoubtedly thofe of
South America; yet many of thefe lines are applicable to the people
on this fide of the continent. The man I have juft been fpeaking
of had, no doubt, fome idea of a Supreme Being; and if we admit
the probability of their morning and evening fongs being intended
as a kind of adoration to that Supreme Being, it will ferve to give
us no very inadequate idea of their religion..
The canoes here are constructed in much the fame manner as
thofe at Port Mulgrave; but the large ones are finilhed in a more
comcompleat
and workman-like manner, and hold from fixteen to 1787.
twenty people. '—1
Befides their ordinary drefs, the natives at this place have a peculiar
kind of cloaks made purpofely to defend them from the inclemency
of the weather. I had no opportunity of examining them
minutely, but they appear to Be made of reeds fewed very clofely
together, and I was told by one of our gentlemen who was with
Captain Cook during his laft Voyage, that they are exaftly the fame'
with thofe wore by the inhabitants of New Zealand.
In regard to the language here, I have fome reafon to think it is
nearly the fame tyith that at Port Mulgrave ; however, as it may
perhaps be. in my power to obtain fome further information re-
fpedting this article before we leave the coaft, I will refume the fub-
je£t at a future opportunity.
I have already mentioned, that our trade feemed nearly over by
the 21 ft June, and we perceived .on the 22d the natives were gripped
of every thing worth carrying away, fo that it was determined
to leave this place the firft fair wind.
Our fuccefs at this place, if it did not anfwer our moft fanguine
expectations, was neverthelefs by far the moft encouraging we had
hitherto met with. We purchafed about two hundred excellent
fea otter lkins, a good quantity of inferior pieces of fea otter, together
with a large parcel of indifferent pieces and flips ; about one
hundred good feals, and a great number of fine beaver tails.
The various articles ufed by us in barter, I have alieady fpeci-
fied; as alfo the different degrees of eftimation they are held in ■,
j iron,