Mr Scolder's Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. 6i) 



jaw curved down, and projected more than an inch beyond the 

 lower. In almost every individual the colour was paler on one 

 side than on the other. 



We remained in Observatory Inlet till the 24th ; and it is re- 

 markable, that as soon as the Indians had disposed of the goods, 

 they seldom returned to the vessel, and showed but little curi- 

 osity, no doubt arising from the frequent opportunities they 

 have of trading with other vessels. The natives of other parts 

 of the coast were constant in their attendance on us, and much 

 more tractable. On the afternoon of the 26th, we landed our 

 interpreter near his native village, although this interesting 

 Indian would cheerfully have accompanied us to England, and 

 had often spoken to us about taking him there. From his 

 friendly and ingenuous conduct, we had formed a high opinion of 

 him, and in his manners we probably witnessed those of most 

 of hisr countrymen, as there must be far less variety in the ha- 

 bits of savage than of civilized life. He was remarkably clean- 

 ly, and expressed on all occasions an unequivocal contempt for 

 our Columbian Indian, and often wished us to punish him for 

 being so inattentive to cleanliness. He eagerly adopted every 

 thing civilized in the dress and manners of those about him ; 

 and unlike his countrymen, he would never use tobacco, and 

 had a happy aversion to rum. With all his good qualities, 

 poor Tom had an unfortunate propensity for pilfering, a crime 

 of which we have many extenuating circumstances, when an 

 Indian is the culprit. No circumstance shows the superiority 

 of those islanders over the Columbian and Nootkan Indians, 

 than the facility with which they adopt the improvements of 

 civilized life. Around Skittegass, the potato is now pretty ex- 

 tensively cultivated, and they brought us plenty to sell. One 

 cannot but rejoice at this symptom of commencing civilization, 

 which, if persevered in, will limit their wanderings, and give 

 them better ideas of property, and teach them that more is to 

 be gained by cultivating their fertile soil, than in following sal- 

 mon up every creek, or spending days in the uncertain support 

 of the chase. The Indians of the Columbia, who enjoy far 

 greater opportunities for improvement than those of Skittegass, 

 have as yet steadily refused to cultivate the ground, in spite of 

 the example and encouragement of the settlers, and have re- 



