dians, or was treated by them with lilent contempt ;• indeed many
of the tribes who vifited us, were bufied in trading the moment
they came along fide, and hurried away as foon as their traffic was
over: others, again, who ftaid with us for any length of time,
were never of a communicative difpolition, but certainly fkulked
about the veffel for fome evil purpofe, though they never attempted
to board us, as we always kept the greateft part of our people on
deck when a number of canoes were near us. I f thefe circum-
fiances are duly confidered, I truft thou wilt not accufe me of inattention,
though it is not in my power to give thee any fpecimen
of the language fpoken by thefe people; however, from what ob-
fervations I was able to make, it feems fomething fimilar to that
of the inhabitants in Norfolk Sound.
In addition to what I have occafionally faid, refpedting the lavage
temper and brutal difpofition of the,people at thefe iflands,
I cannot help remarking, that there is a kind of ferocity, even in
their manner of finging. It mull be allowed, that their fongs
are performed with regularity, and in good time, but they are entirely
deflitute of that pleafing modulation and harmony of cadence,
which we had invariably been accuftomed to hear in the
fongs at other parts of the coafl.
The number of fea-otter fkins purchafed by us at Queen Charlotte’s
Iflands, was no lefs than 1,821, many of them very finep-
other furs are found in lefs variety here than in many other parts,
of the coafl, the few racoons before mentioned, a few pine martin,
and fome feals, being the only kinds we faw. Toes, at firfl, were
quite a leading article in barter j but fo great a number o f traders
required a variety of trade, and we were frequently obliged to produce
every article in our pofleflion, before we could pleafe our numerous
merous friends. Thus in one fortunate month, has our fuccefs 1787.
been much greater than that probably of both veffels during the Aaguft.
reft of the voyage.— So uncertain is the fur trade on this inhofpi-
table coafl.
I lhall now return to opr proceedings. On the morning of the-
4th we had a moderate breeze at South Weft, and cloudy weather.
At noon we.faw land, which we judged to be the main, bearing
South 40 deg. Eaft, about five leagues diftant. In the afternoon,,
the wind veered to the Weft ward, and a heavy fwell fet in front
the fame quarter, the weather thick and hazy. During the night
we hauled our wind, in order to clear the point o f land to the
Eaftward. In the forenoon of the 5th, having ftill a frefh. W ef-
terly breeze, we bore away to the South Eaft; and at four in the-
afternoon changed our courfe to Eaft by North. The weatherbeing
thick and hazy, we tacked occafionally during the night..
Early in the morning of the 6th, we made fail, and fleered our
courfe, with a frefh breeze at North-Weft. Our latitude at noon:
was 49 deg. 48 min. North, which was only twelve, miles to the-
Northward of King George’s Sound, but we were a confiderable-
diftance to the Weftward of it. The afternoon being tolerably
clear, at fix o’clock, we faw Woody Point bearing North Weft by
Weft, about four leagues diftant, and a fplit rock off the point,,
North 28 deg. Weft. At eight o’clock, we hauled by the wind
to the South Weft: during the night we had light airs, with
calms by turns. The morning of the 7th was thick and foggy,
with a heavy fwell from the Weftward, and quite calm. At ten.
o’clock a light breeze fprung up at South Eaft, and the fog cleared:
up: The land at noon bore from North Weft to Eaft South Eaft,
about two leagues diftant: the latitude was 49 deg. 39 min..
North. The breeze continuing very light during the afternoon,
our