156 B GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



had soundings from ten to twenty-five fathoms water, over a rocky 

 bottom, but unluckily, the harbour trended right in the wind, and at one 

 o'clock the tide set so strongly against us, that we found it impossible 

 to make the harbour, as we lost ground every boai-d, on which we hove 

 the maintop-sail to the mast, in order to trade with the Indians. 

 Great abund- >' A scene now commenced, which absolutely beggars all description, 



anee of skins. " ~~ L 



and with which we were so overjoyed, that we could scarcely believe 

 the evidence of our senses. There were ten canoes about the ship r 

 which contained, as nearly as I could estimate, 120 people ; many of 

 these brought most beautiful beaver cloaks, others excellent skins, 

 and, in short, none came empty-handed, and the rapidity with which 

 they sold them, wag a circumstance additionally pleasing ; they fairly 

 quarrelled with each other about which should sell his cloak first; 

 and some actually threw their furs on board, if nobody was at hand to 

 receive them; but we took particular care to let none go from the 

 vessel unpaid. Toes were almost the only article we bartered with on 

 this occasion, and indeed they were taken so very eagerly, that there 

 was not the least occasion to offer anything else. In less than half an 

 hour we purchased near 300 beaver skins, of an excellent quality; a 

 circumstance which greatly raised our spirits, and the more, as both 

 the plenty of fine furs, and the avidity of the natives in parting with 

 them, were convincing proofs, that no traffic whatever had recently 

 been carried on near this place, and consequently we might expect a 

 continuation of this plentiful commerce. That thou mayest form some 

 idea of the cloaks we purchased here, I shall just observe, that they 

 generally contain three good sea-otter skins, one of which is cut in two 

 pieces, afterwards they are neatly* sewed together, so as to form a 

 square, and are loosely tied about the shoulders with small leather 

 strings, fastened on each side. 



" At three o'clock, our trade being entirely over, and the wind still 

 against us, we made sail, and stood out of the bay, intending to try 

 again for the harbour in the morning. * * * On the morning of 

 the 3rd, we had a fresh easterly breeze, and squally weather, with rain ; 

 but as we approached the land it grew calm ; and at ten o'clock, being 

 not more than a mile distant from the shore, the tide set us strongly 

 on a rocky point to the northward of the bay, on which the whaleboat 

 and yawl were hoisted out and sent ahead, to tow the vessel clear of the 

 rocks. 

 Supply of skins "Several canoes came alongside, but we knew them to be our 

 friends whom we had traded with the day before, and found that they 

 were stripped of everything worth purchasing, which made us less 

 anxious of getting into our proposed harbour, as there was a greater 

 probability of our meeting with fresh supplies of furs to the eastward." 



