Page:Narrative of a Voyage around the World - 1843.djvu/155

1837.] was not a little surprised to find how completely they have arrived at their standard value, which is a very high price. A moderately good sea-otter skin will fetch from six to seven blankets, increasing to thirteen for the best; no bargain being conclusive without sundry nicknacks, similar to the Chinese cumshaw. These generally may be estimated at one blanket, which should be worth twelve shillings here. In money they frequently ask forty dollars; on the coast of California, at San Francisco, and Monterey, as much as eighty to a hundred.

When offering objects for sale, they are very sulky if their tender is not responded to; which in some measure accounts for the ill-humour experienced at Port Mulgrave, and which I am inclined to think would have terminated in hostility had I commenced purchases which could not have been followed up. Upon very mature consideration of what I have heard and seen respecting this subject, I think many of the unprovoked attacks we have heard of have originated in some transaction of this nature—refusal to trade being deemed almost a declaration of war. Facts, however, which have been acknowledged, prove that wanton malice has visited upon the next tribe the sins of their offending neighbours. This accounts for the two extremes we notice—extraordinary timidity when they are the weaker, and overbearing impertinence when they fancy themselves the more powerful party.

But to return to our party. The canoes were as