Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/18



10 O. B. SPERLIN

courteous, and friendly." When his boat was stranded, as he tells us, they were very kindly, and by signs and other means afforded them such assistance as soon conducted them into deep water, when they took their leave and departed. Among the Haidas Vancouver had only to sign to the Indians that he was going to rest and the tribe retired to a distance. The Nootkas importuned Captain Cook 41 to pay them another visit. The tribes of the Fraser were always desiring the explorer to discontinue and remain with them. He was given presents of roots, hazelnuts, skins, berries, excellent dried and fresh salmon, and sturgeon. Apprised of their approach, the chief came out to meet the visitors 42 with roasted salmon. "They gave us 40 salmon," he records, "and sent young men along with us to carry them, saying, 'The Indians above are poor.' " Even these "poor" Indians generously shared 43 what they had. Indians assisted at the portages with their horses and carried part of the baggage themselves. He 44 pitched his tent by native camps and enjoyed entire peace and security. Indians had only to notice that his 45 men needed new pairs of mocca- sins, and a coat of mail was usually presented to him for the purpose. On his return journey, so he 46 writes, "They assisted us in passing our baggage over, which was of greatest service to us, the portage being long and the weather extremely hot." Perez 47 was invited by the Indians to land and was shown a good harbor. At the Fraser River mouth in 1792 Indians gave mulberries and shellfish, and when they found that Galiano 48 and Valdez needed water they went to their village and brought some vessels full of it. The Indians on Valdez Island "allowed but few minutes to pass without trying to point out to us 49 the dangers we were going to encounter and the mode and oppor- tunity of triumphing over them." They accompanied the

41 Voyage: Vol. II., p. 286.

42 Journal: p. 212.

43 Journal: p. 212.

44 P. 182.

45 P. 214.

46 P. 218.

47 Crespi: Diary.

48 Sutil y Mexicana: pp. ssff.

49 Sutil y Mexicana: pp. 82ff.