228 



about six or seven years of age, and being shown some copper were very 

 anxious that the bargain should be closed." 



At Port Townshend he saw no Indians, but a deserted village at the site of 

 the Tsemakum town, apparently in a state of decay. 



A few Indians were met with at Oak Cove (Port Lawrence), and near 

 the head of Hood Canal about sixty, including women and children, undoul)t- 

 edly of the Skokomish tribe, which were all that he met with on tliat 

 extensive line. " The region we had latel}^ passed," he says, "seemed nearly 

 destitute of human beings. Nowhere did the appearance of the party create 

 any alarm or miich astonishment, the Indians always treating them in a 

 friendly manner, and bartering their arms and other articles for iron, copper, 

 and trinkets." The following general observations are extracted entire, as 

 they bear upon the apparent population of the coiuitry at the time. They 

 refer more particularly to the Klallam, Tsemakum, and Skokomish. Van- 

 couver, it may be mentioned in passing, does not seem to have sought for 

 the names of any of the tribes, and none are mentioned in his book. Other 

 points are omitted which appear singular. In speaking of the fish taken in 

 the Sound, he never refers to the salmon ; and, what is most extraordinary, 

 he says nothing of the custom of flattening the head. 



" Having considered with impartiality the excellencies and defects of 

 this country, as far as came under our observation, it now remains to add 

 a few words on the character of its inhabitants. None being resident in 

 Port Discovery, and our intercourse with them having been very much con- 

 fined, the knowledge we may have acquired of them, their manners and 

 customs, must necessarily be very limited, and our conclusions drawn chiefly 

 from comparison. From New Dungeness we traversed nearly one hundi-ed 

 and fifty miles of their shores without seeing that mimber of inhabitants. 

 Those who came within our notice nearly resembled the people of 

 Nootka, their hair, as before mentioned, being in general neatly combed 

 and tied behind. 



"In their weapons, implements, canoes, and dress, they vary little. Their 

 native woolen garment was most in fashion, next to it, tlie skins of deer, 

 bear, &c. ; a few wore dresses manufactured from bark, which, like their 

 woolen ones, were very neatly wrought. Their spears, arrows, fish-gigs, 



