354 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



of Egoochshac ; but we found very deep water, so that 

 we were glad to get out again. The natives, many of 

 whom lived here, visited us at different times, bringing 

 with them dried salmon and other fish, which they ex- 

 changed with the seamen for tobacco. But a few days 

 before, every ounce of tobacco that was in the ship had 

 been distributed among them ; and the quantity was not 

 half sufficient to answer their demands. Notwithstanding 

 this, so improvident a creature is an English sailor, that 

 they were as profuse in making their bargains, as if we 

 had arrived at a port in Virginia. 



" In the afternoon of the 3rd, we anchored in Sam- 

 ganoohda harbour ; and the next morning the carpenters 

 of both ships were set to work to overhaul and repair the 

 ships. 



" There were great quantities of berries found ashore. 

 In order to avail ourselves as much as possible of this 

 useful refreshment, one-third of the people by turns 

 had leave to go and pick them. Considerable quantities 

 of them were also procured from the natives. If there 

 were any seeds of the scurvy in either ship, these berries 

 and the use of spruce beer which they had to drink every 

 other day, effectually eradicated them. 



" We also got plenty of fish ; at first mostly salmon, 

 both fresh and dried, which the natives brought us. Some 

 of the fresh salmon was in high perfection ; we caught a 

 good many salmon trout, and once a halibut that weighed 

 two hundred and fifty-four pounds. The fishery failing, 

 we had recourse to hooks and lines. A boat was sent out 

 every morning, and seldom returned without eight or ten 

 halibut, which were more than sufficient to serve all our 

 people. 



" On the 8th, I received by the hands of an Oonalashka 

 man, named Derramoushka, a very singular present, con- 

 sidering the place. It was a rye loaf, or rather a pie made 

 in the form of a loaf, for it enclosed some salmon highly 

 seasoned with pepper. This man had the like present for 

 Captain Clerke, and a note for each of us, written in a 

 character which none of us could read. It was natural to 

 suppose that this present was from some Russians now in 

 our neighbourhood, and therefore we sent by the same 

 hand to these our unknown friends, a few bottles of rum, 

 wine, and porter. I also sent along with Derramoushka, 

 Corporal Lediard, of the marines, an intelligent man, in 

 order to gain some farther information, with orders that, if 

 he met with any Russians, he should endeavour to make 

 them understand that we were English, the friends and 

 allies of their nation. 



