1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 303 



and likewise keep the whole instrument constantly 

 bright. 



Iron, which they call seekemaile, (which name they 

 also give to tin, and all white metals,) being familiar 

 to these people, it was very natural for us to specu- 

 late about the mode of its being conveyed to them. 

 Upon our arrival in the Sound, they immediately dis- 

 covered a knowledge of traffic, and an inclination for 

 it ; ( and we were convinced afterward, that they had 

 not received this knowledge from a cursory interview 

 with any strangers; but, fro r their method, it seemed 

 to be an established practice, of which they were fond, 

 and in which they were also skilled. With whom 

 they carry oh this traffic, may perhaps admit of some 

 doubt. For though we found amongst them things 

 doubtless of European manufacture, or at least de- 

 rived from some civilized nation, such as iron and 

 brass, it, by no means, appears that they receive them 

 immediately from these nations. For we never ob- 

 served the least sign of their having seen ships like 

 ours before, nor of their having traded with such 

 people. Many circumstances serve to prove this 

 almost beyond a doubt. They were earnest in their 

 inquiries, by signs, on our arrival, if we meant to set- 

 tle amongst them ; and if we came as friends : signi- 

 fying, at the same time, that they gave the wood and 

 water freely, from friendship. This not only proves, 

 that they considered the place as entirely their pro- 

 perty, without fearing any superiority ; but the in- 

 quiry would have been an unnatural one, on a suppo- 

 sition that any ships had been here before, had 

 trafficked, and supplied themselves with wood and 

 water, and had then departed j for in that case, they 

 might reasonably expect we would do the same. 

 They, indeed, expressed no marks of surprise at see- 

 ing our ships. But this, as I observed before, may 

 be imputed to their natural indolence of temper, 

 and want of curiosity. Nor were they even startled at 

 the report of a musket ; tiil one day, upon their en- 

 deavouring to make us sensible, that their arrows and 



