35^ A V O Y A G E T O 



m!i^ otter fkins. But Iiere I mud obferve, that they fct no more 

 *— — -^ value upon thefc tlian upon other Ikins, which was alfo the 

 cafe at King George's Sound, till our people fet a higher price 

 upon them ; and even after that, the natives of both places 

 would fooner part with a drefs made of thefe, than with one 

 made of the ikins of wild -cats or of martins. 



Thefe people were alfo defirous of iron; but they wanted 

 pieces eight or ten inches long at leaft, and of the breadth 

 of three or four fingers. For they abfolutely rcjeifted Imall 

 pieces. Confequently, they got but little from us ; iron 

 having, by this time, become rather a fcarce article. The 

 points of fome of their fpears or lances were of that metal ; 

 others were of copper ; and a few of bone ; of which the 

 points of their darts, arrows, &c. were compofed, I could 

 not prevail upon the Chief to tru(l himfelf below the upper 

 deck ; nor did he and his companions remain long on board. 

 But while we had their company, it was ncceflary to watch 

 them narrowly, as they foon betrayed a thievifli difpofuion. 

 At length, after being about three or four hours along-fidc 

 the Refolution, they all left her, and went to the Difcovery ; 

 none having been there before, except one man, who, an 

 this time, came from her, and immediately returned thi- 

 ther in company with the reft. When I obferved this, I 

 thought this man had met with fomething there, which he 

 knew v^^ould pleafe his countryiuen better than what they 

 met with at our Ihip. But in this I was millaken, as will 

 foon -appear. 



As foon as they were gone, I font a boat to found the head 

 of the bay. For, as the wind was moderate, I had thoughts 

 of laying the fliip afhore, if a convenient place could be 

 found ',whcre I might begin our operations to flop the leak. 



It 



