19 
The simple house poles and memorial poles, of the Nootkas and the 
Haidas, as described by Cook, Dixon, and Bartlett, are not likely in them- 
selves to represent a form of native art of the stone age in its purely abor- 
iginal state, undisturbed by foreign influences. They were observed from 
1775 to 1790. Even at that date iron and copper were found in the posses- 
sion of the natives; and they were used everywhere as only they could be 
by expert craftsmen through lifelong habit. The North West Coast at 
that date was no longer unchanged. The Russians had discovered and 
explored it many years before. “The reports of the Cossach Dezhnev, 
who discovered Bering straits, a century before Bering,” according to Leo 
Sternberg, “already contain a description of the American Eskimo.”^ 
The Spanish sailing from San Bias, on the west side of the Mexican pen- 
insula, had already left traces of their passage. Moreover, the influence 
of the French and the English had crossed the continent through contacts 
between intermediate tribes and the arrival of halfbreeds and coureur- 
des-bois west of the mountain ranges. It was presumed by the first 
regular explorers that metals were introduced early from the eastern trad- 
ing posts and could be obtained in the course of a normal, continuous 
system of barter, from hand to hand, between the tribes across the con- 
tinent. Quotations from the early sources here will definitely establish 
this notion. 
The following excerpts, from Captain Cook’s Voyage to the Pacific 
Ocean, bear on some of his observations on this point, among the Nootkas 
on the west side of Vancouver island.^ 
“They took from us whatever we offered them in exchange; but were more desirous 
of iron, than of any other of our articles of commerce; appearing to be perfectly acquainted 
with the use of that metal. 
From their possessing which metals, w’e could infer that they had either been visited 
before by some civilized nation, or had connexions with tribes on their continent, who 
had communication with them. 
These rtsitors also appeared to be more plentifully supplied with iron then the inhabi- 
tants of the sound. 
Their great dexterity in works of wood, may, in some measure, be ascribed to the 
assistance they receive from iron tools. For as far as we know, they use no other; at 
least, we saw only one chisel of bone. And though, originally, their tools must have been 
of different materials, it is not improbable that many of their improvements have been 
made since they acquired a knowledge of that metal, which now is universally used in 
their various wooden works. The chisel and the knife are the only forms, as far as we 
saw, that iron assumes amongst them. 
Most of them that W'e saw were about the breadth and thickness of an iron hoop; 
and their singular form marks that they are not of European make. 
Besides tliis, it was evident that iron was too common here; was in too many hands; 
and the uses of it were too w'ell known, for them to have had the first knowledge of it so 
very lately; or, indeed, at any earlier period, by an accidental supply from a ship. Doubt- 
less, from the general use they make of this metal, it may be supposed to come from some 
constant source by way of traffic, and that not of a very late date; for they are as dexterous 
in using their tools as the longest practice can make thern. The most proVjable way, 
therefore, by wliich we can suppose that they get their iron, is by trading for it with other 
Indian tribes, who either have immediate communication with European settlements 
upon that continent, or receive it, perhaps, through several intermediate nations. The 
same might be said of the brass and copper found amongst them. 
.\ppendii, No. 12, "The Pacific-Russian Scier.lijic Investigations,” 1926. 
^Appendix, No. 1. 
