Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/170

150 May. Friday t6. Tajfage from Cook's inlet to Prince William's found— Meet a large fleet of canoes — Spring the bowfprit in a gale of wind— Carry away the Jore- yard — Arrive in port Chalmers — Survey of Prince William's found by, the boats — A violent Jiorm — Vifited by a few Ruffians — Some account of their ejlablifliments in the found — Chatham difpatched to continue thefur- vey of the coajl eajlward from cape Hinchinbrook — Aflronomical and nautical obfervations.

1 H E weather was delightfully ferene and pleafant, and the morning of the 16th was ufhered in by a fight we little expefted in thefe feas. A numerous fleet of flcin canoes, each carrying two men only, were about the Difcovery, and, with thofe that at the fame time vifited the Chat- ham, it was computed there could not be lefs than four hundred Indi- ans prefent. They were almoft all men grown, fo that the tribe to which they belonged mufl: confequently be a very coniiderable one. They infl;antly and very willingly entered into trade, and bartered away their hunting and fifliing implements, lines and thread, extremely neat and well made from the finews of animals ; with bags ingenioufly decorated with needle work, wrought on the thin membrane of the whales intef- tines ; thefe articles, with fome fifh, and fome well executed models of canoes with all their appendages, conftituted the articles of commerce with thefe people, as well as with our Indian friends in Cook's inlet ; for excepting thofe furs given to me by Chatidooltz's, party, not an article of this defcription had been offered for fale, or even feen in the poirelfion of the natives, as forming a part of their apparel, as was the cafe in my former