1 82 The Home of the Wolverene and Beaver. 



One account is, that on the following morning, 

 while the supercargo was still ashore, the natives 

 came off in great numbers, headed by the two sons 

 of Wicananish. They had with them many valu- 

 able sea-otter skins, and, eager to secure these, 

 Captain Thorn did not wait for McKay's return, 

 but commenced the trade himself, having first 

 spread out on the deck knives, blankets, fish-hooks, 

 and such other articles as he thought likely to 

 tempt his customers. The Indians, however, had 

 been accustomed to dealing with Europeans, and 

 were far from being the simple and credulous 

 people Captain Thorn supposed ; there was also 

 amongst their number an old chief namicd 

 Nookmis, who knew the value of each article as 

 well as the skipper himself, and from this veteran 

 the other Indians seemed to take their cue, rejecting 

 Thorn's offers with scorn, and demanding at least 

 double for their furs. This conduct was highly 

 displeasing to the captain, whose temper was, as we 

 know, none of the best ; so, ceasing to bargain with 

 the natives, he thrust his hands deep into his 

 pockets, and walked the deck in sullen silence. 

 Whilst thus engaged, he was followed step by step 

 by Nookmis, who held a sea-otter skin in his hand, 

 and pestered the angry man to trade. As impor- 

 tun ty elicited no reply, the old Indian tried other 



