l and Change of the Moon, and
rises and falls upon a Perpendicular 7 or 8 feet. The flood comes in
through the Strait from the South-East, and sets strong over upon the
North-West Head and the reef laying off it; the Ebb sets with great
rapidity to the South-East over upon the Islands and Rocks lying off the
South-East Head. The Variation of the Compass from good observations we
found to be 13 degrees 5 minutes East. The land about this Sound is of
such height that we first saw it at the distance of 20 Leagues. It
consists wholy of high hills and deep Valleys, well stored with a variety
of excellent Timber, fit for all purposes except Ships' Masts, for which
use it is too hard and heavy. The Sea abounds with a variety of fish, and
in such plenty that, without going out of the Cove where we lay, we
caught daily, what with the Sean, Hook, and Lines, quite sufficient for
all hands, and upon our first arrival we found plenty of Shags and some
few other Wild Fowls, which to people in our situation was fresh food not
to be dispised. The Number of Inhabitants hardly exceeds 300 or 400
People. They live dispers'd along the Shore in search of their daily
bread, which is fish and firn roots, for they Cultivate no part of the
lands. Upon the appearance of danger they Retire to their Hippas or
strongholds, for in this situation we found them, and they remain'd so
for some days after. This people are poor when compared to many we have
seen, and their Canoes are mean and without ornament. The little Traffick
we had with them was wholy for fish, for we saw little else they had to
dispose of. They had some knowledge of Iron, for they very readily took
Nails in Exchange for fish, and sometimes Prefer'd them to anything else,
which was more than the people of any other place would do. They were at
first fond of Paper, but when they found it spoile by being wet they
would not take it; nor did they set much value upon the cloth we got at
George's Island, but shew'd an extraordinary fondness for English broad
cloth and red Kersey, which shew'd them to be a more sensible People than
many of their Neighbours. Besides the common dress, many of these People
wore on their Heads round Caps made of Birds' feathers, which were far
from being unbecoming.* (* Cook was not able to explore the whole of
Queen Charlotte's Sound, which runs into the land for 25 miles. Towards
the southern end is Picton, the port of Blenheim, the capital of the
province of M