the back. Several families resided in each, with a
very slight division between them. Each had its own bench, and in the
centre was the fire, without hearth or chimney. At the ends were seen
trunks of trees, carved into hideous images, and rudely painted,
supposed to be their gods, though but little veneration was paid them.
Two silver spoons, of old Spanish manufacture, were obtained here from a
native, who wore them as ornaments round his neck.

The progress of the ships along this coast can be but briefly described.
Although the mercury in the barometer fell very rapidly, Captain Cook
was so anxious to put to sea that he kept to his purpose of sailing on
April 26. A perfect hurricane came on ere long, in which the Resolution
sprang a serious leak. When the weather moderated one pump kept it
under. The ships proceeded along the coast, and several islands and
headlands were seen and named.

The voyagers landed at several places, and had some intercourse with the
natives. One inlet, where the ships brought up, was named Prince
William's Sound. Here the natives made a daring attempt to plunder the
Discovery, a mob of them getting on board, evidently under the
impression that she was feebly guarded. But before they had time to
carry out their nefarious design, the crew came on deck with their
cutlasses, and the plunderers went off in their canoes.

Captain Cook, believing that it was too late in the year to do anything
of importance in the way of fresh discoveries, resolved to return to the
south, and wait at the Sandwich Islands till the next season.

From Prince William's Sound the ships proceeded along the coast,
steering south-west, and passing many more capes, till the mouth of a
large river was found, up which they sailed. A volcano was here seen,
emitting smoke, but no fire.

A number of natives, of no very prepossessing appearance, now came off
the banks of the river to the ships, and a considerable quantity of
skins were obtained from them. It was held by some on board that this
river might be a strait, leading to Hudson's Bay; and to settle this
question Captain Cook sailed up it nearly seventy leagues from its
mouth, at which distance it still seemed to be a river, and nothing
more, upon which the explorers returned. On June 1, Lieutenant King was
sent on shore to display the royal flag, and to take possession of the
country, as in former instances, in the name of the King of Great
Britain. I