THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 515 



non. I could fupport this opinion by many inftances befides '778. 



Cftober. 



the one juft mentioned. v; — ,~-^ 



No fuch thing as an ofFcnfive or even defenfive weapon 

 was feen amongft the natives of Oonalaflika. We cannot fup- 

 pofe that the Ruffians found them in fuch a defencelefs ftate -, 

 ic is more probable that, for their own fecurity, they have 

 difarmed them. Political reafons too may have induced the 

 Ruffians not to allow thefe iflanders to have any large canoes; 

 for it is difficult to believe they had none fuch originally, as 

 we found them amongft all their neighbours. However, 

 we faw none here but one or two belonging to the Ruffians. 

 The canoes made ufe of by the natives are the finalleft we 

 had any where feen upon the American coafl ; though built 

 after the fame manner, with fome little diffi^rence in the 

 contlrucftion. The flern of thefe terminates a little abruptly; 

 the head is forked ; the upper point of the fork projeding 

 without the under one, which is even with the fiirface of 

 the water. Why they fliould thus conftruft them is difficult 

 to conceive ; for the fork is apt to catch hold of every thing 

 that comes in the way ; to prevent which, they fix a piece 

 of fmall flick from point to point. In other refpeds, their 

 canoes are built after the manner of ihofc ufed by the 

 Greenlanders and Efquimaux ; the framing being of flender 

 laths, and the covering of feal-fkins. They are about twelve 

 feet long; a foot and a half broad in the middle; and twelve 

 or fourteen inches deep. Upon occafion, they can carry two 

 perfons -, one of whom is flretched at full length in the canoe; 

 and the other fits in the feat, or round hole, which is nearly 

 in the middle. Round this hole is a rim or hoop of wood, 

 about which is fewed gut-lTcin, that can be drawn together, 

 or opened like a purfe, with leathern thongs fitted to the outer 

 edge. The man feats himfelf in this place; draws the fl^in 



3 U 2 tjgbc 



