158 b 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



Meditated 

 treachery. 



Profuse apolo- 

 gies. 



of it, the tide was found to run very rapid. The passage takes its 

 course east and west about ten or twelve miles, and forms a commu- 

 nication with the open sea, It was now named Cox's Channel. Very 

 soon after the ship was moored, the long-boat was sent to sound in Hu- 

 mid-channel, but no soundings could be obtained with eighty fathoms 

 of line ; but near the rocks, on the starboard shore, they had twenty 

 and thirty fathoms water. 



" Having been visited the preceding night by two canoes, which lay 

 on their paddles, and dropped down with the tide, as was 'supposed, in. 

 expectation of finding us all asleep, they were desired to keep off', and 

 finding themselves discovered they made hastily for the shore. As no 

 orders had been given to fire at an y boat, however suspicious its 

 appearance might be, these people were suffered to retreat without 

 being interrupted. This night, however, there happened to be several 

 women on board, and they gave Captain Douglas to understand, that 

 if he or his crew should fall asleep, all their heads would be cut off, as 

 a plan had been formed by a considerable number of the natives, as 

 soon as the lights were out, to make an attempt on the ship. The 

 gunner therefore received his instructions, in consequence of this. 

 information, and soon after the lights were extinguished, on seeing a 

 canoe coming out from among the rocks, he gave the alarm, and fired 

 a gun over her, which was accompanied by the discharge of several 

 muskets, which drove her back again with the utmost precipitation. 



" In the morning the old chief Blakow-Coneehaw, made a long 

 speech from the beach ; and the long-boat going on shore for wood, 

 there were upwards of forty men issued from behind a rock, and held 

 up a thimble and some other trifling things, which the}^ had stolen 

 from the ship ; but when they found that the party did not intend to- 

 molest them, they gave a very ready and active assistance in cutting 

 wood, and bringing the water casks down to the boat. Some time 

 after the chief came on board, arrayed, as may be supposed," in a 

 fashion, of extraordinary ceremony, having four skins of the ermine 

 hanging from each ear, and one from his nose; when, after Captain 

 Douglas had explained to him the reason of their firing the preceding 

 night, he first made a long speech to his own people, and then assured 

 him that the attempt which had been made, was by some of the tribe 

 who inhabited the oj>posite shore; and entreated, if they should repeat 

 their nocturnal visit, that they might be killed as they deserved. He 

 added, that he had left his house, in order to live along-side the ship, for 

 the purpose of its protection, and that he himself had commanded the 

 women to give that information which they had communicated. The 

 old man exercised the most friendly services in his power to Captain 

 Douglas, and possessed a degree of authority over his tribe, very supe- 



