368 cook's voyage to june, 



I have before observed, that they are in possession 

 of iron ; that is, they have the points of their spears 

 and knives of this metal; and some of the former are 

 also made of copper. Their spears are like ourspon- 

 toons ; and their knives, which they keep in sheaths, 

 are of a considerable length. These, with a few glass 

 beads, are the only things we saw amongst them that 

 were not of their own manufacture. I have already 

 offered my conjectures from whence they derive their 

 foreign articles; and shall only add here, that, if it 

 were probable that they found their way to them 

 from such of their neighbours with whom the Russians 

 may have established a trade, I will be bold to say, 

 the Russians themselves have never been amongst 

 them j for, if that had been the case, we should hardly 

 have found them clothed in such valuable skins as 

 those of the sea-otter. 



There is not the least doubt, that a very beneficial 

 fur-trade might be carried on with the inhabitants of 

 this vast coast. But unless a northern passage should 

 be found practicable, it seems rather too remote for 

 Great Britain to receive any emolument from it. It 

 must, however, be observed, that the most valu- 

 able, or rather the only valuable skins, I saw on this 

 west side of America, were those of the sea-otter. 

 All their other skins seemed to be of an inferior qua- 

 lity ; particularly those of their foxes and martins. 

 It must also be observed, that most of the skins, 

 which we purchased, were made up into garments. 

 However, some of these were in good condition ; but 

 others were old and ragged enough ; and all of them 

 very lousy. But as these poor people make no other 

 use of skins but for clothing themselves, it cannot be 

 supposed that they are at the trouble of dressing more 

 of them than are necessary for this purpose. And, 

 perhaps, this is the chief use for which they kill the 

 animals ; for the sea and the rivers seem to supply 

 them with their principal articles of food. It would, 

 probably, be much otherwise, were they once habi- 



