NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 11.5 



they would go to procure more in the adjacent country, chap. 



VI. 



In the afternoon a ftrong gale of wind came on, which 

 continued till the forenoon of the 5th, varying from South Auguii. 

 South Eaft to South South Weft. A confiderable fea fet ^''"'"'^ ^• 

 into the bay, that caufed the ftiips to ride very heavy, 

 but we found much more fo at flack water than at any 

 other time. This difference I imagine to be occafioned 

 by our lying in a different tide to what there is in the 

 ftream ; fo that during the time of low water a fea rolls 

 in ; but as foon as the tide makes in the ftream, it runs 

 along the mouth of the bay, and breaks off the fea con- 

 ftderably. About ten o'clock in the forenoon, the wea- 

 ther growing moderate, one large canoe and feveral fmall 

 ones came along-fide, bringing us four good fea-otter 

 fkins, a few martins, racoons, and foxes, and plenty of 

 fine falmon. The large canoe had been abfent two days, 

 to trade for furs in various parts of the river, and the 

 people now gave us to underftand that the adjoining 

 country was entirely drained of fkins, and that they could 

 not procure any more. One of the Indians in the large ca- 

 noe had a very good Nankin frock, and another a blue frock, 

 which they wanted to fell : feveral of them had a number 

 of fmall blue glafs beads, which they feemed very fond of, 

 but the frocks v/ere held in very little eftimation. Thefe 

 articles muft doubtlefs have been procured from the Ruf- 

 fians previous to their quarrel, and foon after they came 

 into the river. I was inclined to believe the information 

 we obtained from our vifiters refpe(fling the fcarcity of 

 furs in this part ; as I had obferved for fome days paft the 

 canoes came from different quarters, and the few fkins 

 they brought were of an inferior quality ; I therefore de- 

 _ termined to quit Cook's River the firft opportunity, and 



Q^ 2 proceed 



