They Had But Just Got Aboard, When A Canoe Appeared Off A Point About
A Mile From Us, And Soon
After, returned behind the point out of sight,
probably owing to a shower of rain which then fell; for it
Was no sooner
over, than the canoe again appeared, and came within musket-shot of the
ship. There were in it seven or eight people. They remained looking at us
for some time, and then returned; all the signs of friendship we could make
did not prevail on them to come nearer. After dinner I took two boats and
went in search of them, in the cove where they were first seen, accompanied
by several of the officers and gentlemen. We found the canoe (at least
a-canoe) hauled upon the shore near to two small huts, where were several
fire-places, some fishing-nets, a few fish lying on the shore, and some in
the canoe. But we saw no people; they probably had retired into the woods.
After a short stay, and leaving in the canoe some medals, looking-glasses,
beads, &c. we embarked and rowed to the head of the cove, where we found
nothing remarkable. In turning back we put ashore at the same place as
before; but still saw no people. However, they could not be far off, as we
smelled the smoke of fire, though we did not see it. But I did not care to
search farther, or to force an interview which they seemed to avoid; well
knowing that the way to obtain this, was to leave the time and place to
themselves. It did not appear that any thing I had left had been touched;
however, I now added a hatchet, and, with the night, returned on board.
On the 29th, were showers till the afternoon; when a party of the officers
made an excursion up the bay; and Mr Forster and his party were out
botanizing. Both parties returned in the evening without meeting with any
thing worthy of notice; and the two following days, every one was confined
to the ship on account of rainy stormy weather.
In the afternoon of the 1st of April, accompanied by several of the
gentlemen, I went to see if any of the articles I had left for the Indians
were taken away. We found every thing remaining in the canoe; nor did it
appear that any body had been there since. After shooting some birds, one
of which was a duck, with a blue-grey plumage and soft bill, we, in the
evening, returned on board.
The 2d, being a pleasant morning, Lieutenants Clerke and Edgecumbe, and the
two Mr Forsters, went in a boat up the bay to search for the productions of
nature; and myself, Lieutenant Pickersgill, and Mr Hodges, went to take a
view of the N.W. side. In our way, we touched at the seal-rock, and killed
three seals, one of which afforded us much sport.
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