180 NARRATIVE OF A JOTJRNEV 



moorings, and with her sails unloosed stood out into the channel 

 way. The weather was overcast, and we had but little wind, so 

 that our progress during the morning was necessarily slow. In 

 the afternoon we ran aground in one and a half fathoms water, 

 but as the tide was low, we were enabled to get her clear in the 

 evening. The navigation of this river is particularly difficult in 

 consequence of numerous shoals and sand bars, and good pilots 

 are scarce, the Indians alone officiating in that capacity. To- 

 wards noon the next day, a Kowalitsk Indian with but one eye, 

 who said his name was George, boarded us, and showed a letter 

 which he carried, written by Captain McNeall, in the Hudson's 

 Bay service, recommending said George as a capable and expe- 

 rienced pilot. We accepted his services gladly, and made a bar- 

 gain with him to take us into Baker's bay near the cape, for four 

 bottles of rum; with the understanding, however, that every time 

 the brig ran aground, one bottle of the precious liquor was to be 

 forfeited. George agreed to the terms, and taking his station 

 at the bow, gave his orders to the man at the wheel like one 

 having authority, pointing with his finger when he wished a de- 

 viation from the common course, and pronouncing in a loud voice 

 the single word ookook, (here.) 



On the afternoon of the 4th, we passed along a bold precipi- 

 tous shore, near which we observed a large isolated rock, and 

 on it a great number of canoes, deposited above the reach of the 

 tides. This spot is called Mount Coffin, and the canoes contain 

 the dead bodies of Indians. They are carefully wrapped in 

 blankets, and all the personal property of the deceased, bows and 

 arrows, guns, salmon spears, ornaments, 6z;c., are placed within, 

 and around his canoe. The vicinity of this, and all other ceme- 

 teries, is held so sacred by the Indians, that they never approach 

 it, except to make similar deposites ; they will often even travel 

 a considerable distance out of their course, in order to avoid in- 

 truding upon the sanctuai'y of their dead. 



