Page:The Northwest Coast; Or, Three Years' Residence In Washington Territory.djvu/36

 that this Bay extended a considerable way inland, spreading into several arms or branches to the northward and eastward. The back of it was bounded by high and mountainous land, which was at a great distance from us.

"A narrow entrance appeared to the northwest, but it was too remote for us to discover, even with our glasses, whether it was a river or low land. We had concluded this wild and desolate shore was uninhabited ; but this opinion proved to be erroneous, for a canoe now came off to us from the point with a man and a boy. On their approach to the ship they held up two sea-otter skins ; we therefore hove to, when they came alongside and took hold of a rope, but could not be persuaded to come on board. We then fastened several trifling articles to a cord, and threw them over the side of the ship, when they were instantly seized by the boy and delivered by him to the man, who did not hesitate a moment to tie the otter skins to the cord, and waved his hand as a sign for us to take them on board, which was accordingly done, and an additional present conveyed to him in the same manner as the former.

"These strangers appeared to be highly delighted with their unexpected treasure, and seemed at first to be wholly absorbed in their attention to the articles which composed it. But then their curiosity was in a short time entirely transferred to the ship, and their eyes ran over every part of it with a most rapid transition, while their actions expressed such extreme delight as gave us every reason to conclude that this was the first time they had ever been gratified with the sight of such an object. * * * * During the time we had been lying to for these natives, the ship had drifted bodily down to the shoals, which obliged us to make sail, when the canoe paddled into the Bay.

" It was our wish to have sent the long-boat to sound