THIRD VOYAGE 327 



" Sea-otters, which live mostly in the water, are found 

 here. The fur of these animals, as mentioned in the Russian 

 accounts, is certainly softer and finer than that of any others 

 we know of, and therefore the discovery of this part of 

 the continent of North America, where so valuable an 

 article of commerce may be met with, cannot be a matter 

 of indifference. 



" Birds, in general, are not only rare as to the different 

 species, but very scarce as to numbers, and these few are 

 so shy, that, in all probability, they are continually harassed 

 by the natives, perhaps for food, certainly to get possession 

 of their feathers, which they use as ornaments. Those 

 which frequent the woods are crows and ravens, not at all 

 different from our English ones ; a bluish jay or magpie, 

 common wrens, which are the only singing bird that we 

 heard ; the Canadian or emigrating thrush ; and a con- 

 siderable number of brown eagles, with white heads and 

 tails, which, though they seem principally to frequent 

 the coast, come into the Sound in bad weather, and some- 

 times perch upon the trees. 



" The birds which frequent the waters and the shores 

 are not more numerous than the others. Quebranta- 

 huessoses, gulls, and shags, were seen off the coast ; and 

 the two last also frequent the Sound ; they are of the 

 common sort. We observed wild ducks in considerable 

 flocks ; and the greater lumme, or diver, found in our 

 northern countries. There were also seen, once or twice, 

 some swans flying across the Sound. 



" Fish are more plentiful in quantity than birds, though 

 the variety is not very great ; and yet, from several circum- 

 stances, it is probable that even the variety is considerably 

 increased at certain seasons. 



" As to the mineral substances in this country, though we 

 found both iron and copper, there is little reason to believe 

 that either of them belong to the place. 



" The persons of the natives are in general under the 

 common stature, but not slender in proportion, being com- 

 monly pretty full or plump, though not muscular. The 

 visage of most of them is round and full, and sometimes 

 also broad, with high prominent cheeks ; and above these 

 the face is frequently much depressed, the nose also flatten- 

 ing at its base, with pretty wide nostrils, and a rounded 

 point. The forehead rather low ; the eyes small, black, 

 and rather languishing than sparkling ; the mouth round, 

 with large round thickish lips ; the teeth tolerably equal 

 and well set, but not remarkably white. Their eyebrows 

 are scanty, and always narrow ; but the hair of the head 

 is in great abundance, very coarse and strong, and without 



