NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 285 



naftinefs were beyond conception; their food, which ^ ^^^^^ ^^ 



confifted chiefly of fifh, was mixed up with ftinking oil, • ' 



and other ingredients equally difagreeable, and the re- Augmi. 

 mains of every meal were thrown into a corner of their °"''*^ ^°' 

 hut, upon a heap of the fame kind that was in a ftate of 

 putrefadion, which, together with large quantities of fat 

 and {linking oil, caufed a very loathfome and offenfive 

 fmell ; and what rendered it ftill worfe, the fame apart- 

 ment ferved them both to eat and fleep in» 



This uncomfortable fltuation frequently induced Wood- 

 eock to take a ramble into the woods ; but lie was always 

 very narrowly watched by fome of his new companions, who 

 feemed to apprehend that he was endeavouring to make his 

 efcape from them. Once in particular, having wandered a 

 conflderable diftance from the Indians place of refldence, he 

 began to amufe himfelf with whiffling part of an old fong, 

 not expelling, if the natives heard him, that it could pof- 

 fibly be a matter of offence ; but in this he was mifiaken, 

 for feveral of them immediately ran up to him, and in- 

 flfted on his giving over : at firft he did not comprehend 

 their meaning, and went on with his tune; however, one 

 of them foon put a ftop to it by laying his- hand on 

 Woodcock's mouth; being apprehenflve that he meant 

 the whiftling as a flgnal for fome of his companions to 

 come for him. Except their watching him fo clofely, 

 they treated him with great kindnefs ; and at their meals 

 always gave him what they confidered as choice dain- 

 ties, mixing his fiili with plenty of ftinking oil, which, 

 in their opinion gave it an additional and moft agreeable 

 relifh ; and he found it no eafy matter to, perfuade them, 

 to let him eat his fi£h without fauce. 



Thess. 



