TO kotzebue's sound, 209 



tributed tobacco ; the two chiefs received a double 

 portion ; and they were all evidently delighted at 

 this valuable present. Those who had received 

 tobacco first were cunning enough, secretly, to 

 change their places, in the hopes of receiving a 

 second portion. They prize tobacco highly, and 

 are as fond of chewing as of smoking it. It was a 

 curious sight to see this savage horde sitting in a 

 circle, smoking out of white stone pipes, with 

 wooden tubes. It is very remarkable that the use 

 of tobacco should already have penetrated into 

 these parts which no European has ever visited. 

 The Americans receive this as well as other Eu- 

 ropean goods from the Tschukutskoi. To the two 

 chiefs I gave knives and scissars ; the latter, with 

 which they seemed to be quite unacquainted, gave 

 them particular pleasure, when they remarked that 

 they could cut their hair with them ; and immedi- 

 ately they went from hand to hand round the whole 

 circle, each trying their sharpness on his hair. It 

 was probably the first time in their lives that these 

 Americans had seen Europeans ; and we recipro- 

 cally regarded each other. They are of a middle 

 size, robust make, and healthy appearance ; their 

 motions are lively, and they seemed much inclined 

 to sportiveness : their countenances, which have 

 an expression of wantonness, but not of stu- 

 pidity, are ugly and dirty, characterised by small 

 eyes and very high cheek-bones ; they have holes 

 on each side of the mouth, in which they wear 



VOL. I. p 



