Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/271

246 '793' May.

The identity of porto de la Trinidada therefore cannot be doubted ; and this affords me an opportunity of remarking, that as our attention whilft employed in exploring thefe (hores, had been conftantly direfted to the difcovery of openings in the coaft, and fecure retreats for fhip- p'.ng, it is by no means improbable that very many otheryUcA ports as that of Trinidada may be found to exift, and intirely to have eluded the vigilance of our examination.

We had little opportunity of becoming acquainted with the country, as our travels were confined to the vicinity of the water fide. About the out-flcirts of the woods the foil, though fomewhat fandy, appeared to be a tolerably good mould lying on a ftratum of clay, frequently in- terrupted by protruding rocks. The grounds bordering on the fea-fhore were interfperfed with feveral rocky patches of different extent ; thefe did not produce any trees, but were covered with fern, grafs, and other herbage. Beyond this margin the woods formed one uninterrupted wildernefs to the fummit of the mountains, producing a variety of ftately pine trees ; amongll thefe was obferved, for the firft time in the courfe of the voyage, the black fpruce, which with the maple, alder, yew, and a variety of fhrubs and plants, common to the fouthern parts of New Georgia, feemed principally to compofe the forefl. Of the land ani- mals we could form no opinion but from their fkins, worn as garments by the inhabitants; thefe feemed to be like thofe found in the more northern part of the continent. And as to the productions of the fea, we knew no more of them than what have already been enumerated. Our flay was too fhort to enable us to obtain any other knowledge of the inhabitants than their external charafter. Their perfons were in general but indifferently, though floutly made, of a lower flature than any tribe of Indians we had before feen. They wore their hair chiefly long, kept very clean, neatly combed and tied ; but the paint they ufe for ornament, disfigures their perfons, and renders their fkins infinite- ly leCs clean than thofe of the Indians who vifited us the former year, to the fouthward of cape Orford; to whom in moll refpe6ls thefe bear a very flrong refcmblance, as well in their perfons, as in their friendly and courteous behaviour. Their canoes alfo were of the fame fin- gular