Menaies' Journal. 



Puget Sound. 35 



to meet us, we made tliem amicable signs to come along side 

 of the Boat, but no inducement could make them venture 

 near us, on the contrary they with menacing signs wanted 

 us to return back the way we came, & treated with contempt 

 the alluring presents we held up to them. As their disposi- 

 tions were thus inimical it was not / thought prudent to give 

 them any further uneasiness by visiting their habitations, it 

 was however necessary to convince them by some means or 

 other that we were still inclind to be friendly & an expedient 

 was hit upon which answerd the purpose, Some Copper 

 Iron Medals Buttons & other Trinkets were fastened on a 

 piece of Board & left floating on the surface of the water 

 while we pulled away to a little distance & sufferd the 

 Indians to take it up, this was repeated two or three times 

 with the same success, by this method they venturd to come 

 along side of the Boats. They were three stout fellows, 

 two of them were much pitted with the small pox & each 

 destitute of a right eye. As we kept pulling along shore 

 they followd us accepting of little presents but offering no 

 return. On the whole their disposition appeard still shy 

 & distrustfull notwithstanding our liberality & friendly 

 behaviour towards them. They seemd to value Copper but 

 would not part with their Bows or Arrows in exchange 

 for it. They frequently mentioned the Words Poo Poo 

 pointing to the direction we came from by which we sup- 

 posed they meant the report of our Muskets w^hich they 

 might have heard while we were amusing ourselves in 

 shooting young Crows on Crow Island. They kept call- 

 ing now & then with a vociferous noise to other Indians 

 on the opposite shore in which we could plainly perceive 

 ourselves distinguished by the name of Poo Poo men. As 

 the weather was now very sultry we hauld in for a small 

 Creek on purpose to dine in the heat of the day, / here we 

 found two or three small runs of water & was going to haul 

 a small Seine we had in the Launch, but the appearance of 

 six Canoes with about 20 people in them which our shy fol- 

 lowers had collected by their voiciferous noise prevented it, 

 These strangers paddled directly into the Creek & landed 

 close to us, but a mark was drawn on the Beach which they 

 perfectly understood to prevent their intermixing with our 

 party till we had dind when we could better watch their 

 motions & pilfering dispositions. 



1792 

 May 



