184 



yourndl of a Voyage through the 



These people describe the distance across the country 

 as very short to the Western ocean ; and according to my 

 own idea, it cannot be above five or six degrees. If the 

 assertion of Mr. Mears be correct, it cannot be so far, 

 as the inland sea which he mentions within Nootka, must 

 come as far East as 126 West longitude. They assured us 

 that the road was not difficult, as they avoided the moun- 

 tains, keeping along the lowlands between them, many 

 parts of which are entirely free from wood. According 

 to their account, this way is so often travelled by them, 

 that their path is visible throughout the whole journey, 

 which lies along small lakes and rivers. It occupied them, 

 they said, no more than six nights, to go to where they 

 meet the people who barter iron, brass, copper, beads, &c. 

 with them, for dressed leather, and beaver, bear, lynx, 

 fox, and martin skins. The iron is about eighteen inches 

 of two-inch bar. To this they give an edge at one end, 

 and fix it to an handle at right angles, which they employ 

 as an axe. When the iron is worn down, they fabricate it 

 into points for their arrows and spikes. Before they pro- 

 cured iron they employed bone and home for those pur- 

 poses. The copper and brass they convert into collars, 

 arm-bands, bracelets, and other ornaments. They some- 

 times also point their arrows with those metals. They 

 had been informed by those whom they meet to trade 

 with, that the white people, from whom these articles are 

 obtained, were building houses at the distance of three 

 days, or two nights journey from the place where they met 

 last fall. With this route they all appeared to be well ac- 

 quainted. 



I now requested that they would send for the female 

 prisoner whom I saw yesterday, but I received only vague 

 and evasive answers: they probably apprehended, that it 

 was our design to take her from them. I was, however, 

 very much disappointed at being prevented from having 

 an interview with her, as she might have given me a cor- 

 rect account of the country beyond the forks of the river, ' 

 as well as of the pass, through the mountains, from 

 them. 



My people had listened with great attention to the re- 

 lation which had been given me, and it seemed to be their 

 opinion, that it would be absolute madness to attempt a 

 passage through so many savage and barbarous nations. 

 My situation may, indeed, be more easily conceived 



