nd, and in which they
were also well skilled. With whom they carry on this traffic, may,
perhaps, admit of some doubt. For though we found amongst them things
doubtless of European manufacture, or at least derived, from some
civilized nation, such as iron and brass, it by no means appears
that they receive them immediately from these nations. For we never
observed the least sign of their having seen ships like ours before,
nor of their having traded with such people. Many circumstances
serve to prove this almost beyond a doubt. They were earnest in their
enquiries, by signs, on our arrival, if we meant to settle amongst
them, and if we came as friends; signifying, at the same time, that
they gave the wood and water freely, from friendship. This not only
proves, that they considered the place as entirely their property,
without fearing any superiority; but the enquiry would have been an
unnatural one, on a supposition that any ships had been here before;
had trafficked, and supplied themselves with wood and water; and had
then departed; for, in that case, they might reasonably expect we
would do the same. They, indeed, expressed no marks of surprise at
seeing our ships. But this, as I observed before, may be imputed to
their natural indolence of temper, and want of curiosity. Nor were
they even startled at the report of a musquet; till one day, upon
their endeavouring to make us sensible, that their arrows and spears
could not penetrate the hide-dresses, one of our gentlemen shot a
musquet-ball through one of them, folded six times. At this they were
so much staggered, that they plainly discovered their ignorance of the
effect of fire-arms. This was very often confirmed afterward, when we
used them at their village and other places to shoot birds, the manner
of which plainly confounded them; and our explanations of the use of
shot and ball were received with the most significant marks of their
having no previous ideas on this matter.

Some account of a Spanish voyage to this coast, in 1774, or 1775,
had reached England before I sailed; but the foregoing circumstances
sufficiently prove that these ships had not been at Nootka.[4] Besides
this, it was evident, that iron was too common here; was in too many
hands; and the uses of it were too well 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. Doubtless, from the
general use they ma