1823.] 
and weatness* superior to what has 
been hitherto observed: they reside 
in large villages, particularly remark- 
able for the colossal figures which 
decorate the houses of the principal 
inhabitants, and the gaping mouths 
of which serve as doors. Above the 
largest of these villages there is a 
fort, the parapet of which is covered 
with a fine turf, and surrounded by a 
palisade, in good condition. 
<Itomtchou, the principal chief of 
Masset, came on-board with his three 
wives, and was so Satisfied with the 
reception given him, that he wished to 
change names with M. Roquefeuil ; 
who, to oblige him, because he could 
not pronounce the whole name, made 
the diminutive Roki. They conversed 
by means of a native of Skitigats, one 
of the principal of Queen Charlotte’s 
island, named Intchortge, who made 
himself well understood in English, 
and piqued himsclf on having the 
manners of Boston; forthe inhabitants 
of this coast, who have hardly any 
intercourse except with the ships of 
that city, consider Boston as _ the 
capital of the civilized world. 
The inhabitants of Friends’ Cove 
( Anse des Amis,) are always at war 
with their neighbours: they probably 
have been, and perhaps still are, An- 
tropophagi. It is only to the Kuro- 
eans that they show any good-will. 
Their chiefs, who are at the same time 
their bigh-priests, call themselves re- 
lations of the sun. The members of 
their families, to the third degree, form 
the class of patricians under the name 
of Tahis Calati; the others, who are a 
kind of slaves, are called Mitschimis. 
The miserable half-naked chiefs of 
these hungry tribes, dirty inhabitants 
of smoky and filthy huts, are as proud 
of their illustrious origin as the first 
potentates of the civilized world; and 
itisa frequent subject of their con- 
versation. Their wives and daughters 
participate in this pride. 
A wife is not to be had hut by 
making presents to her relations. 'The 
poor Mitschimis are for the most part 
obliged to live in celibacy ; while 
there, as on the whole north-west 
coast, the plurality of wives is the 
privilege of the chiefs and nobles. 
Very different from the South-Sea 
islanders, the women of this country 
behave with great modesty. 
The dialect of Noutka is full of con- 
sonants and aspirations; which, how- 
ever, are not so harsh as in the lan- 
A new Voyage round the World, by M. de Roquefeuil. 
‘evening. 
203. 
guages’ of the northern part of the 
coast,—‘“in which (says the author,.) 
there are sounds resembling the kind 
of hissing that cats make when angry : 
we frequently met with terminations 
in tz, ¢/, or tzl,as in the Mexican. This | 
little tribe is indolent, poor, and weak; 
but they are generally pretty seusible, 
inclined to good, and grateful for 
kindnesses. } 
It unfortunately appears that it is 
now much more dangerous to deal 
with the Indians of the north-west 
coast, since they have become ac- 
quainted with the Europeans, and 
have obtained fire-arms. M. Roque- 
feuil relates various instances of their 
having attacked European ships. He 
himself made an agreement, at the 
Russian settlement of New Archangel, 
with Mr. Heigmeister, the governor ; 
according to which the Russian Com- 
pany was to furnish him with thirty 
baidares, for the purpose of taking 
sea-otters. Each baidare was to be 
manned with two Kodiak hunters; the 
whole under the superintendance of 
two agents: the produce was. ‘to be. 
equally divided, and an indemnity of 
200 piastres paid for every Kodiak 
who should lose his life in an attack 
from the Indians. With every pro- 
spect of success, M. Roquefeuil pro- 
ceeded to the north-west part of the 
Prince-of-Wales’s Island. Having 
reconnoitered the country for several 
leagues round, and found no signs of 
population, the Kodiaks were landed; 
and even allowed to bivow&c on shore. 
Some Indians, but in small numbers, 
showed themselves from time to time, 
to sell their furs. On the 18th of 
June, 1818, the Indians suddenly dis- 
appeared; which exciting Mr. R.’s 
suspicions, he resolved not to Jet the 
Kodiaks pass that night on-shore : but, 
not thinking there could be any fear 
of the Indians during the day, he de- 
ferred recalling the Kodiaks till the 
However about noon, walk- 
ing alone at some distance from the 
camp, he was surprised at hearing a 
musket-shot, immediately succeeded 
by a brisk and continued discharge. 
Judging, therefore, that the Indians 
must have attacked the camp, he was 
proceeding in that direction; but, 
seeing the Kodiaks fly without resis- 
tance,in complete disorder, lie thought 
it necessary to provide for his personal 
safety, and called to the boat which 
had brought him on-shore, and had 
not yet reached the ship; but he was 
not 
