jection. Indeed, if fome of our gentlemen did not understand the Ruffians, they had been obliged to make some severe examples, before they could bring the natives into any order. If there were feverities inflicted at firft, the beft apology for them is, that they have produced the happieft confequences; and, at prefent, the greatest harmony fubfifts between the two nations. The natives have their own chiefs in each ifland, and feem to enjoy liberty and property unmolelled. But whether or no they are tributaries to the Ruffians, we could never find out. There was some reason to think that they are. Thefe people are rather low of ftature, but plump and well fhaped, with rather thort necks; fwarthy, and chubby faces, black eyes, fmall beards,. and long, ftraight, black hair, which the men wear loofe behind, and cut before, but the women tie it up in a bunch. Their dress has been occafionally mentioned. Both fexes wear the fame fashion; the only difference is in the materials. The women's frock is made of the feal fkin; and that of the men, of the fkins of birds, both reaching below the knee. This is the whole drefs of the women. But over the frock, the men wear another made of the gut, which refifis water; and has a hood to it, which draws over the head. Some of them wear boats; and all of them have a kind of oval fnouted cap, made of wood, with a rim to admit the head. Thefe caps are died with green and other colours; and round the upper part of the rim, are tuck the long briftles of fome fea-animal, on which are ftrung giafs-beads, and on the front is a fmall image or two made of bone. They make use of no paint, but the women puncture their faces flightly; and both men and women bore the under lip, to which they fix pieces of bone. But it is uncommon at Oonalafhka, to see a man with with this ornament, as to fee a woman without it. Some fix beads to the upper lip, under the noftrils; and all of them hang ornaments in their ears. Their food confifts chiefly of fith, fea-animals, birds, roots, and berries; and even of fea-weed. They dry large quantities of fish in fummer; which they lay up in fmall huts for winter ufe; and probably, they preferve roots and berries for the fame time of fcarcity. They eat almost every thing raw. Broiling and boiling were the only methods of cookery that I faw them make use of; and the firft was very probably learnt from the Ruffians. Some have got little brafs kettles and thofe who have not, make one of a flat ftone, with fides of clay, not unlike a standing pye. I was once prefent, when the chief of Oonalashka made his dinner of the raw head of a large halibut, juft caught. Before any was given to the chief, two of his fervants eat the gills, without any other dref fing, befides fqueezing out the flime. This done, one of them cut off the head of the fith, took it to the fea and washed it, then came with it and fat down by the chief, first pulling up fome grafs, upon a part of which the head was laid, and the reft was strewed before the chief. He then cut large pieces off the cheeks, and laid thefe within the reach of the great man, who fwallowed them with as much fatisfaction as we should do raw oyfters. When he had done, the remains of the head were cut in pieces, and given to the attendants, who tore off the meat with their reeth, and gnawed the bones like fo many dogs. As these people ufé no paint, they are not fo dirty in their perfons as the favages who thus befmear themfelves but they are full as loufy and filthy in their houses. Their method of building is as follows: They dig, in the ground, an oblong fquare pit, the length of which feldom exceeds fifty feet, and breadth twenty; twenty; but in general the dimenfions are fmaller. Ikins. Their household furniture confifts of bowls, fpcons, buckets, cans, matted baskets, and perhaps a Ruffian kettle or pot. All thefe utenfils are very neatly made, and well formed; and yet we faw no other tools among them but the knife and the hatchet; that is a fmall flat piece of iron, made like an adze, by fitting it into a crooked wooden, handle. Thefe were the only inftruments we met with there made of iron. For although the Ruffians live amongst them, we found much lefs of this metal in their poffeffion, than we had met with in the poffeffion of other tribes on the American American continent, who had never seen, nor perhaps had any intercourfe with the Ruffians. Proba bly a few beads, a little tobacco and fnuff, purchased all they had to fpare. There are few, if any of theni, that do not fmoke, chew tobacco, and take fnuff: a luxury that bids fair to keep them always poor. They did not feem to with for more iron, or to want any other infruments, except fewing needles, their own being made of bone. With thefe they not only few their canoes, and make their clothes, but alfo very curious embroidery. Inftead of thread, they use the fibres of finews which they fplit to the thickness which each fort of work requires. All fewing is performed by the women. They are the tailors, hoe-makers, and boat-builders, or boat-coverers. They make mats and baskets of grafs, that are both beautiful and ftrong. Indeed there is a neatness and perfection in moft of their work, that fhews they neither want ingenuity nor perfeverance. I faw not a fire place in any one of their houses. They are lighted, as well as heated, by lamps; which are fimple, and yet answer the purpose very well. They are made of a flat stone, hollowed on one fide like a plate, and about the fame fize, or larger. In the hollow part they put the oil, mixed with a little dry grafs, which ferves the purpose of a wick. Both men and women frequently warm their bodies over one of these lamps, by placing it between their legs, under their garments, and fitting thus over it for a few minutes. They produce fire both by collifion and attrition: the former by ftriking two ftones one against another; on one of which is a flick of about eighteen inches in length, and the other a flat piece. The pointed end of the stick they prefs upon the other, whirling it nimbly round as a drill; thus producing fire in a few minutes. This method is common in many many parts of the world. It is practifed by the Kamt fchadales, by thefe people; by the Greenlanders, by the Brazillians, by the Otaheiteans, by the New Hola landers, and probably by many other nations. No fuch thing as an offenfive or defenfive weapon was feen among the natives of Oonalaihka. We cannot fuppofe that the Ruffians found them in such a defenceless ftate; it is more probable that, for their own fecurity; they have difarmed them. Political reasons too may have induced the Ruffians not to allow thefe iflanders to have any large canoes; for it is difficult to believe they had none fuch originally, as we found them amongst all their neighbours. However, we faw none here but one or two belonging to the Ruffians. The canoes made ufe of by the natives, are the fmalleft we had any where feen upon the American coaft; though built after the fame manner, with fome little difference in the conftruction. In the managment of their canoes, they make ufe of the double-bladed paddle, which is held with both hands in the middle; ftriking the water with a quick regular motion, first on one fide, then on the other. By this means, the canoe is impelled at a great rate, and in a direction as ftraight as a line can be drawn. In failing from Egoochfhak to Samganooda, two or three canoes kept way with the fhip, though fhe was going at the rate of seven miles an hour. Their fishing and hunting implement differ very little from thofe ufed by the Greenlanders, as they are described by Crantz. With refpect to the fishes in the feas, halibut and falmon feem to be in the greatest plenty; and on them the inhabitants of thefe ifles fubfift chiefly: at leaft, they were the only fort of fish, except cod, which we obferved to be laid up for their winter ftore. On Monday the 26th, Capt. Cook left this ifland. His intention was to proceed to the Sandwich Islands, 15 Ooo there |