to be doubted whether we have yet feen the main land; certain it
is that the coaft abounds with iflands, but whether any land we
have been near is really the continent, remains to be determined by
future navigators: Thus much we can venture to affirm, (and
which is of the jir jl confequence to this undertaking) that the fur
trade is inexhauftible wherever there are inhabitants, and they
(experience tells us) are not confined to any particular fituation,
but are fcattered in tribes all., along the-coaft, which (as far as-
concerns future traders to examine) extends from 40 to 6i deg.
North latitude j and from 126 to 155 deg. Weft longitude.
This vaft country (with very little deviation) has the appearance
of one continued foreft, being covered with pines of different
fpecies, and thefe intermixed with alder, birch, witeh-hazle, &c,
betides various kinds of brufh-wood; and the vallies and low
grounds, which are expofed to the fun, and fheltered from the:
wind, afford wild currants, goofeberries, ralberries;, and various
other flowery fhrubs. The foil on the hills is a kind of compoft,
confifting o f rotten mofs and old decayed trees. This is frequently
wafhed down into the vallies by the fudden melting of the fnow,,
and there incorporating with a light fand, forms a foil in which:
moft of our garden productions, might be. cultivated, with, fuccefs.
The climate, as may he expelled, is various b u t I da not
think it fo temperate even in King George’s Sound as in England,,
for the hills of a moderate height are perpetually covered with;
Ihow.
I have already enumerated the various kinds of birds and’ marine
productions we have met with. What account I can give off
the quadrupeds thou mayeft colieCt from the various fkins pur-
-chafed
chafed by us. The only animals we faw amongft the natives, were 1 78/1
dogs, they are of the wolf kind, very large, and appear quite do-
mefticated. There is little doubt of variety of metals, and minerals
being found here. I have, already obferved,-that we found a
vein of coals in Cook’s River. The paint ufed by the natives in
daubing their faces and bodies, appears chiefly to be black lead
and red oker; and we frequently faw large circular wreaths of
copper both at Norfolk Sound and Queen Charlottes Iflands,
which did not appear to be foreign manufacture, but twifted into
that lhape by the natives themfelves, to wear as an ornament about
the neck.
What number of inhabitants this extent of coaft may contain,
is not eafy to determine with any degree of certainty; but from
a moderate, computation,, there cannot be lefs. than 10,0.00 ; in-;
deed, appearances might warrant the conjecture of their being,
eonfiderably more, as. tire women appear very prolific, (every tribr
we law having numbers of young children), and the people aie totally
free from that long catalogue of difeafes, which luxury and
intemperance have introduced amongft more civilized nations-
But then it muft be remembered,, that neighbouring tribes are
generally at war with, each other, and thefe,, commotions,- both
from the nature of their weapons, and the fav.age difpofition of
the people, muft be attended with fatal eonfequenees ; befides,,
there is reafon to fuppofe that numbers are loft at- fea; as they ga
out to a very confiderable diftancea filhing, and Ihpuld bad weather
fuddenly come on, it is. impoflible for their canoes to live..
Thefe circumftances certainly tend to depopulate the country, and
in fomemeafure account for its being, fo thinly inhabited