T H E PACIFIC OCEAN. 33^ 



determined. But it fhould feem, that not only the rude >778. 

 materials, but fome articles in their manufadlured ftate, 

 find their way hither. The brafs ornaments for nofes, in 

 particular, are fo neatly made, that I am doubtful whether 

 the Indians are capable of fabricating them. The materials 

 certainly are European ; as no American, tribes have been 

 found, who knew the method of making brafs; though 

 copper has been commonly met with, and, from its foft- 

 nefs, might be fafliioned into any fliape, and alfo poliflied. 

 If our traders to Hudfon's Bay and Canada do not ufe fuch 

 articles in their traffic with the natives, they muft have been 

 introduced at Nootka from the quarter of Mexico, from' 

 whence, no doubt, the two filver tablc-fpoons, met with here, 

 were originally derived. It is moft probable, however, that 

 the Spaniards are not fuch eager traders, nor have formed 

 fuch extenfive conne(5tions with the tribes North of Mexico, 

 as to fupply them with quantities of iron, from which they 

 can fpare fo much to the people here *. 



Of the political and religious inftitutions cftabliflicd 

 amongft them, it cannot be fuppofed that we fhould learn 

 much. This we could obferve, that there are fuch men as 

 Chiefs, who are diftinguiftied by the name or title of Ac- 

 iveek, and to whom the others are, in fome meafure, fubor- 

 dinate. But, I fhould guefs, the authority of each of thefe 

 great men extends no farther than the family to which he 



* Though the two filver table-fpoons, found at Nootka Sound, moft probably 

 Game from the Spaniards in the South, there feems to be fufficient grounds for believ- 

 jng that the regular fupply of iron comes from a different quarter. It is remarkable, 

 that the Spaniards, in 1775, found at Puerto dc la Trinidad, in latitude 41° 7', arrows 

 pointed with copper or iron, which they underjlood were procured from the North. Mr. 

 Daines Barrington, in a note at this part of the Spanifh Journal, p. 20. fays, " I 

 " fhould conceive that the copper and iron, here mentioned, muft have originally beeai 

 **^ baster^d at our forts in Hudfon's Bay." 



' belongs, 



