NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 219 



would even look at were green and red beads,- and ^ "v^ ^' 



unwrought iron, in pieces nearly two feet long ; but ' ' 



hatchets, howels, faws, adzes, brafs pans, pewter bafins. May." 

 and tin kettles, would not be taken in barter even for fifh; ^^'''^'^^y '®- 

 fo that all we could depend on in our trade with the na- 

 tives at this place, was pieces of iron and a few beads. 

 I therefore ordered a tent to be eredred on fliore for the 

 armourers, and they were buHly employed in working ud 

 iron into towes about eighteen inches long, and fpear- 

 heads, near two feet in length ; thefe being articles the 

 Indians were very fond of. About eight o'clock, being 

 on £hore giving direcftions about the armourers tent, I was 

 inlormed from the fhip, that they faw a boat about the 

 entrance of the bay, plying into the harbour : conjectur- 

 ing it to be the Nootka's, I went immediately on board, 

 and fent my whale-boat out to her afliftance. At ten 

 o'clock my boat returned with the Nootka's long-boat in 

 tow: their afliftance was very acceptable; for the long- 

 boat's crew were almoft worn out with wet and cold, and 

 were in a very weak condition. Captain Meares came in 

 the boat himfelf, and from him I received fome further ac- 

 count of their diftreiling situation during the winter; and 

 indeed it muft have been a very dreadful one ; for before 

 the winter broke up the captain and a Mr. Rofs, his chief 

 mate, were the only two perfons capable of dragging the 

 dead bodies from the fhip over the ice, and burying them 

 in the fnow on fhore. Nay, there was not a fingle perfon 

 on board who was not deeply affected with the fcurvy. 

 I learned from captain Meares, that on his arrival in the 

 Sound he could not for a long time purchafe one fingle 

 fkin ; they being all difpofed of to his confort, the Sea- 



F f 2 Otter, 



