Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/309

Rh the natives here was either fkins of the (ca otter, or garments made from the pine bark ; fome of thefc latter have the fur of the fea otter, very neatly wrought into them, and have a border to the fides and bot- tom, decorated with various colours. In this only they ufe woollen yarn, very fine, wellfpun, and dyed for that purpofe; particularly with a very lively and beautiful yellow.

We at firfl confidered the inhabitants of this region to be a much finci race of men than thofe further fouth ; the difference however apprared lefs confpicuous, when they were {een iu greater numbers, probably owing to our having become more familiar with their perfons, and to their having performed a long journey to vifit us, in extremely rough rainy weather. Their difpofitions, as far as our fliort acquaintance will authorize an opinion, aj)peared to be civil, good-humoured and friendly. The vivacity of their countenances indicated a lively genius, and from their repeated burfts of laughter, it would appear that they were great humourifl;s, for their mirth was not confined to their own party, or wholly refulting from thence, but was frequently at our expence ; fo perfeftly were they at eafe in our fociety. The chiefs generally approached us with the ceremony of firft rowing round the veflcls, and departed in the fame manner, finging a fong that was by no means unplcafing; this was fometimes continued until they had retired a confiderable dillance. They feemed a happy cheerful peo- ple, and to live in the ftridefl harmony ard good fellowfhip with each other. They were well verfed in commerce; of this we had manifeft proof in their difpofal of the fl^ins of the fea otter, and other animals ; about one hundred and eighty of the former I believe were purchafed by different perfons on board, in tlie courfe of their feveral vifits. This number feejned nearly to have exhaufted their llock, as mofl of the chiefs took their leave, as if they had no intention of returning, and in the fame friendl)' and cheerful manner as before related. The bay immediately to the caffward of this opening, which I had not very minutely examined, had been found by a fhooting party not to be clolcil, as I had imagined, but to communicate, by n chanm 1 about a -cable's length in width, with a narrow arm, about a fourth of a mile wide '793- June,