82 



Mcnzies' Journal. 



Cape Mudge. 



1792. 

 July 13th. 



This is the first 

 description of 

 members of the 

 Kwakiutl 

 Indians. 



ilrtor vitcB. 

 Our tree is 

 slmilfir to but 

 not identical 

 with this 

 Eastern 



species. It was 

 later described 

 as Thuja 

 plicata, the 

 well-known 

 Oiant Cedar of 

 this Coast. 



sisting of about I2 houses or Huts plankd over with large 

 boards some of which were ornamented with rude paintings 

 particularly those on the fronts of the houses. They were 

 flat roofed / & of a quadrangular figure & each house con- 

 taind several families to the number of about 350 Inhabitants 

 in all on the most moderate calculation, for there were 18 

 Canoes along side of the Ship before we left it, & on landing 

 we counted about 70 on the Beach, so if we allow only 4 

 persons to each Canoe which is very moderate it will give 

 upwards of the number we have above computed. 



Like the generality of Natives we met vv'ith in this 

 Country these were of a middling stature & rather slender 

 bodied, of a light copper colour : they were awkward in their 

 motions & ill formd in their limbs which no doubt in some 

 measure proceeded from their constant practice of squatting 

 down on their heels in their posture of setting either on 

 Shore or in their Canoes : They have flat broad faces with 

 small starting eyes : — Their Teeth are small & dirty ; their 

 Ears are perforated for appending Ornaments either of 

 Copper or pearly Shells; the Septum of the Nose they also 

 pierce & sometimes wear a quill or piece of tooth-shell in it ; 

 their Hair is streight black & long, but mixd with such 

 quantity of red-ocre grease & dirt puffed over at times with 

 white down that its real colour is not easily distinguishable ; 

 they have long black Beards with long Hair about their 

 privates, but none on their Breasts or on the Arm pits. — 

 Some had ornamented their faces by painting it with red- 

 ocre sprinkled over with black Glimmer that helped not a 

 little to heighten their ferocious appearance. 



/ The women & children did not appear any wise shy 

 or timerous tho we were pretty certain our party v/ere the 

 first Europeans they had ever seen or had any direct inter- 

 course with, nor did they seem to regard us or the Vessels 

 with any particular degree of curiosity. 



The women were decently coverd with Garments made 

 either of the Skins of wild Animals or wove from Wool or 

 the prepared bark of the American Arber Vitae Tree, but 

 many of the Men went entirely naked without giving the 

 least offence to the other Sex or shewing any apparent 

 shame at their situation. 



We saw but few Sea Otter Skins amongst them which 

 shews that these Animals do not much frequent the interior 



