Ii6 Menzies' Journal. 



Nootka. 



1792. 

 Sept. 4tli. 



Mahwinah of 

 Has well ; 

 Marvinas Cay 

 of charts. 



Wild clover 

 (Trifolium 

 flmbriatum) , 



commodious Boat, S^ Quadra with some of his Officers 

 embarkd in her along with Ca.p^ Vancouver, & the rest of 

 the party divided themselves in the other Boats. We then 

 pulled along the western shore of the Sound, which in an 

 eminent degree posessd the general dreary rocky aspect of 

 the Country, & was every where coverd with a forest of 

 Pines down to the Waters edge. We did not go above two 

 Leagues when we put on shore to breakfast at a small 

 harbour called Mawccna, & soon after setting out again we 

 enterd a considerable branch leading to the North West 

 Ward & winding inland by a deep Valley between very high 

 steep mountains. The Water was smooth & the day was 

 uncommonly favorable for our excursion, we therefore 

 proceeded at an easy rate, with drums beating & Fifes play- 

 ing to the no small entertainment of the Natives, as it gave 

 a martial solemnity to our Visit, highly gratifying to their 

 feelings in thus imitating their own customs on similar occa- 

 sions, for in their friendly Visits their approach is always 

 announced by vociferous songs & plaintive airs. 



The afternoon was well advancd before / we reachd in 

 sight of the Village of Tashecs which we found situated in 

 a retired situation near the head of the Arm, & on account 

 of being so late, it was agreed not to make our Public Entry 

 till next day. The whole party therefore brought to & 

 encamped for the night in a fine Meadow delightfully skirt- 

 ing a small Bay a Httle short of the Village, but while the 

 Tents were pitching & dinner getting ready, a party of the 

 Officers walkd along the Beach & paid their respects to the 

 Chief at his own House in a short visit, which he & several 

 of his Attendants returnd by coming to the Encampment to 

 dine with us. 



In the evening our curiosity was excited in observing a 

 number of Females busily occupied in digging up a part of 

 the Meadow close to us with Sticks, with as much care & 

 assiduity as if it had been a Potato field, in search of a small 

 creeping root about the size of a pack thread. This I found 

 to be the Roots of a new species of Trifolium which they 

 always dig up at this time of the year for food. After 

 washing it clean they mix it with a quantity of Oil & eat a 

 portion of it raw with their Fish or Animal food in the 

 same manner as we do Sallad. Wherever this Trifolium 

 abounds the ground is regularly turnd over in quest of its 



