33* 
A VOYAGE TO 
Some account of a Spanilh voyage to this coaft, in 1774, 
or 1775 ? had reached England before I failed; but the fore¬ 
going circumftances fufficiently prove, that thefe fhips had 
not been at Nootka *. Belides this, it was evident that iron 
was too common here; was in too many hands ; and the 
ufes of it were too well known, for them to have had the 
firffc knowledge of it fo very lately ; or, indeed, at any ear¬ 
lier period, by an accidental fupply from a fhip. Doubtlefs, 
from the general ufe they make of this metal, it may be 
fuppofed to come from fome conftant fource, by way of 
traffic, and that not of a very late date; for they are as dex¬ 
terous in uling their tools as the longeft practice can make 
them. The moft probable way, therefore, by which we 
can luppofe that they get their iron, is by trading for it 
with other Indian tribes, who either have immediate com¬ 
munication with European fettlements upon that continent, 
or receive it, perhaps, through feveral intermediate nations. 
The fame might be faid of the brafs and copper found 
amongll them. 
Whether thefe things be introduced by way of Hudfon’s 
Bay and Canada, from the Indians, who deal with our tra¬ 
ders, and fo fucceffively acrofs from one tribe to the other; 
or whether they be brought from the North Weftern parts 
of Mexico, in the fame manner; perhaps cannot be ealily 
determined. But it ffiould feem, that not only the rude 
materials, but fome articles in their manufactured Hate, 
find their way hither. The brafs ornaments for nofes, in 
* We now know that Captain Cook’s conjecture was well founded. It appears, 
from the journal of this Voyage, already referred to, that the Spaniards had intercourfe 
with the natives of this coaft, only in three places, in latitude 41 0 yg in latitude 47 0 2ig 
and in latitude 57 0 iS'. So that they were not within two degrees of Nootka; and it is 
moft probable, that the people there never heard of thefe Spanilh {hips. 
particular, 
