On June 2, 1792, the schooners Sutil (under Dionisio Alcalá
Galiano) and Mexicana (under Cayetano Valdés) set sail from
Nootka, under instructions to explore the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the
Gran Canal de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Strait of Georgia).
By June 13th, they had reached Punta de Cepeda (Point Roberts),
where they encountered a British expedition under Captain George Vancouver.
Invited to join forces by the British, they were unable to keep up on the
way north, and were driven back into the strait by the outflow from the
Fraser River and strong offshore winds. Bowing to the inevitable,
they decided instead to sail west across the strait, where they anchored
off the east coast of Galiano Island, near Active Pass. The wind changed
during the night, and they set out the next morning to look for a better
harbour. They encountered difficulties among the islands of Porlier
Pass, where Mexicana almost capsized in a squall, and had to spend
several hours at the oars, working their way out again. They were
given blackberries, shellfish, and water by local residents, who "received
in exchange buttons and beads". They then continued up-island:
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| las barbas con perillas, y las cejas bastante
pobladas. Sus vestidos se reducian en lo general á unas mantas
de lana gruesas y bien texidas, sujetas por dos picos sobre
el hombro, alcanzando su largo solamente á las rodillas.
Alguno que otro vestia piel de venado, mereciendo particular atencion
la que cubria al que pareció ser el Tais, que traia ademas
otra manta de lana encima, un sombrero de figura de un cono truncado,
cinco brazaletes de laton en la muñeca derecha, y un aro de cobre
al cuello muy semejante al que habiamos visto á un Indio en los
sesenta grados de latitud el año anterior. Algunos lleveban
sombrero, y muchos iban pintados de almagra : se presentaban risueños,
parecian dóciles, y si no estúpidos, por lo menos
de una comprehension tarda. El idioma es enteramente diferente de
de Nutka, y hacen aun mayores esfuerzos y aspiraciones guturales,
por lo que nos pareció mas dificil de aprender.
Nos ofrecian al cambio grandes cantidades de sardinas secas al ayre y al humo , y armas , que se reducian á flechas , unas con lengüeta de pedernal ó concha de megillon muy bien formada , otras de hueso trabajadas en figura de sierra , macanas de hueso de ballena y arcos medianos de madera bastante fuerte y correosa. Tambien ofrecian mantas nuevas, que inferimos despues fuesen de lana de perro , ya porque cotejada la texida con la de estos animales no se encuentra diferencia , y ya por el grande número de elles que tienen en estas rancherías , de los quales los mas estaban esquilados. Son estos animales medianos , parecidos á los de casta inglesa , muy lanudos , y por lo comun blancos : entre otras cosas se diferencian de los de Europa en el modo de ladrar , que se reduce á un lamentable aullido. Nos fue muy sensible ver que á pesar del agrado |
and tufts of hair on their chins, and that their eyebrows
were rather thick. Their clothes were limited, in general, to coarse and
well-woven blankets fastened with two pins on the shoulder, only long enough
to reach the knees. An occasional one wore a deerskin. What covered the
man who appeared to be the chief, merited particular attention as he wore
a woolen blanket on top of one of these, a hat in the form of a truncated
cone, five brass bracelets on the right wrist, and a hoop of copper round
his neck, very similar to the one we had leen on an Indian in latitude
60° the year before. Some wore hats and many were painted with red
ochre. They came smiling, appeared gentle, and if not stupid at least slow
of understanding. The language is entirely different from that of Nootka
and they make even greater guttural noises and aspirates, so that it appeared
to us more difficult to learn.
They offered us in exchange great quantities
of sardines sun-dried and smoked, and weapons, namely: arrows, some having
well-shaped points of flint or mussel shell, others of bone serrated; clubs
of whalebone, and medium-sized bows of fairly strong and flexible wood.
They also offered new blankets, which we afterwards concluded were of dog's
hair, partly because when the woven hair was compared with that of those
animals no difference was found and partly from the great number of dogs
they keep in their villages, most of which were shorn. These animals are
of moderate size, resembling those of English breed, very woolly, and usually
white. Among other differences from those of Europe is their manner of
barking, which is simply a mournful howl.
It gave us pain to see that in spite of the pleasure |
| que procurábamos manifestar y las
pruebas contínuas de amistad que dabamos á estos Indios no
podiamos merecer su confianza. Siempre estaban suspensos y rezelosos ;
el menor movimiento les sobresaltaba , interrumpiendo esto muchas veces
nuestra comunicacion.
Tomaban con estimacion los abalorios y las conchas de Monterey , de cuyo nacar se sirven para sus adornos , y aprecian los trozos de hierro tosco mas que el trabajado en cuchillos ó navajas , quizá porque les sirven para lengüetas de flechas , harpones y otros usos. Es de notar la diferencia de carácter que advertimos en los naturales en tan corta distancia como la que media entre las bocas de Porlier y las de Wintuysen. Los primeros son confiados y afables ; los segundos rezelosos y desagradables. ¿Pero acaso no se advierte la misma diferencia entre poblaciones vecinas y en naciones mas civilizadas? Y si en pueblos qui viven baxo unas mismas leyes , la circunstancias de la educacion son suficientes á que asi suceda , ¿qué extraño es que acaezca lo mismo en estas Tribus , que el parecer son independentes , y no tienen entre si trato conconstante , como hemos observado notando que las Canoas no se separan de las rancherias sino hast cierta distancia? Estas reflexiones deben tener presentes los navegantes para no fiarse nunca de los salvages de las Costas , aunque hayan hallado humanos y cariñosos á los de otros pueblos vecinos. Nos entragamos en la noce al descanso , repartiendo nestra gente en quatro guardias , y poniendo las correspondientes centinelas , baxo cuya vigilancia pudiesen sosegar los demas. La noche fue apacible , yo no hubo en toda ella novedad alguna en el fondeadero. Empleamos parte del dia siguiente en coordinar y |
we endeavoured to show, and the continual proofs of friendship
which we gave these Indians, we could not obtain their confidence. They
were always hesitating and suspicious. The slightest movement upset them,
and this frequently interrupted our intercourse with them.
They prized beads and Monterey shells, the pearl of which they used for ornaments, and they value pieces of rough iron more than that manufactured into knives or clasp knives, perhaps because they use them for points for arrows, harpoons and other things. Very noteworthy is the difference in character which we perceived in the natives in such a short distance as that which lies between Porlier Pass and Nanaimo Harbour. The former are trusting and affable, the latter suspicious and disagreeable. Is not the same difference sometimes seen, however, between neighbouring settlements in more civilized nations? And if in towns existing under the same laes the circumstances of education are sufficient for this to happen, why is it strange that the same thing should occur among these tribes, which are apparently independent and have no constant intercourse together, as we have observed by noting that the canoes do not go away from the villages beyond a certain distance? Navigators must keep these reflections in mind and never trust the savages of the coasts, even if they have found those of other neighbouring villages to be humane and benevolent. We devoted ourselves to rest for the night,
dividing our crew into four watches, and setting sentinels accordingly,
so that by their vigilance the others might rest quietly. The night
was peaceful and throughout it nothing occurred in the anchorage.
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| poner en claro nuestros borradores de observaciones,
marcaciones y cálculos , y las noticias de todos ramos, que como
apuntes hechos en medio de las faenas y trabajos activos de á bordo
, necesitaban extenderse con regularidad y buen orden antes que otras nuevas
ideas confundiesen las adquiridas. Seguimos asimismo reemplazando
el agua, de la qual hallamosque en aquella estacion se podrian hacer al
dia treinta barriles en el parage en que estabamos.
Los Salvages no vencian sus rezelos por mas que nos esforzábamos á hacerles comprehender nuestras ideas pacificas : ningunas instancias ni obsequios bastáron á hacer subir al Xefe á bordo de la Sutil , y todas las Canoas se arrimaban unas á otras, y estaban al costado de la Goleta con gran sobresalto. No obstante siguéron haciendo sin novedad sus cambios y proveyéndonos de pescado hasta la tarde , que al desatracar el bote de la Sutil para ir á tierra se alarmáron todos los que estaban á su inmediacon, y se separáron sin atreverse á llegar á la Goleta en lo restante del dia. Despues apareciéron en el fondeadero dos Canoas que nos llamáron la atencion por la mala figura de los quatro Indios que iban en ellas , los quales eran todos vizcos y de semblantes muy desagradables. Nos enseñáron sus armas, y nos diéron á entender no carecian de valor : correspondimos con señales de amistad y de agasajo, y se retiráron mas ufanos de su denuedo que satisfechos de nuestras intenciones. En ningun otro parage de la Costa habiamos notado un modo tan ingenioso de pescar como el que observábamos en estos Indios. Traian en cada Canoa un harpon do concha de megillon muy bien trabajado , montado en un asta bastante larga , que llevaba una horquilla en el otro extremo. Traian tambien un trozo de madera en figura de cono, |
making fair copies of our notes of observations, points
of reference and calculations, and information of all kinds, which, as
jottings made in the midst of the duties and active work on board, needed
to be expanded in good form and order before other new ideas confused those
already acquired. We likewise continued to replenish the water, of
which we found that at that season thirty barrels daily could be obtained
in the place where we were.
The savages did not overcome their distrust
however much we endeavoured to make them understand our peaceable views.
No entreaties or attentions sufficed to induce the chief to come on board
the Sutil and all the canoes kept close together and were alongside
the schooner in great trepidation. Nevertheless they continued their
trading without trouble and supplied us with fish until the afternoon,
when, upon the boat putting off from the Sutil to go ashore, all
those who were near became alarmed and went off without daring to approach
the schooner during the rest of the day. Later on two canoes appeared
in the anchorage, and arrested our attention by the evil appearance
of the four Indians who came in them, for they were all cross-eyed and
of very disagreeable countenance. They showed us their weapons, and
gave us to understand that they did not lack courage. We responded
with signs of friendship and kindness, and they withdrew, more arrogant
about their own daring than satisfied as to our intentions.
On no other part of the coast had we seen such an ingenious method of fishing as among these Indians. They took in each canoe a very well-made harpoon of mussel shell, mounted on a fairly long pole with a hook at the other end. They also took a cone shaped piece of wood, |
| colocadas en la periferia de su base unas
tiras delgadas y correosas de corteza de arbol al modo de unas plumas ,
semejando el todo á un volante. Cogian este con la horquilla por
la base y encaxe de las plumas, y quando veian algun pez grande distante
debaxo del agua, lo introducian en ella con mucha ligereza , con el vértice
para abaxo y hasta la inmediacion de la cabeza del animal. A este tiempo
retiraban la horguilla , y subia el volante á la superficie con
una rapidez que no dexaba percibir al pez lo que era. Engañado en
esta forma seguia el objeto hasta cerca de la lumbre del aqua, y entonces
el Indio, que ya habia vuelto el asta y presentado el harpon, se lo tiraba,
comunmente con tal acierto, que pocas veces dexaba de herirlo.
En los dias 15 y 16 habia sido quasi continua la lluvia ; pero el 17 fue de deliciosa primavera. Baxo un cielo despejado se presentaba entonces á nuestra vista un pais agradable : el verde variado y luciente de algunos árboles y prados , y el magestuoso ruido de las aguas , que batian las peñas en diversos recodos , embelesaban nuestras sentidos , y nos ofrecian una situacion tanto mas agradable , quanto estabamos mas cerca de los pasados riesgos y fatigas. Deseando aprovecharla en beficio de las tripulaciones y adelanto de nuestros conocimientos , salió Salamanca con cinco hombres armados y surtidos de bugerias y abalorios con el fin de dirigirse hácia donde tenian los Indios sus rancherias , para ver si las habian desamparado , como podia inferirse , del paso de las Canoas armadas. Salamanca halló el terreno que fue á visitar cubierto de maleza y de pinos muy derechos : vió las armazones de la rancheria que habian abandonado los Indios ; y se restituyó á bordo. El dia 18 se recorrió el bote y continuó el tra- |
with some thin and flexible strips of bark fastened in the
periphery of its base like feathers, the whole being very like a shuttle
cock [badminton bird]. They fixed this in the hook by its base that held
the feathers, and on seeing a big fish at a great distance below the [surface
of] the water, they put it in very gently, point downwards, and close to
the head of the fish. They then pulled away the hook, and the shuttlecock
went up to the surface, too fast for the fish to see what it was. Thus
deceived, it followed the object up to the surface of the water, and then
the Indian, who had already turned the pole and presented the harpoon,
threw it at the fish, usually with such accuracy that he seldom failed
to wound it.
On the 15th and 16th the rain had been almost continuous, but the 17th was a delightful spring day. Under a clear sky a pleasant country then presented itself to our view. The varied and brilliant green of some of the trees and meadows, and the grand roar of the waters dashing upon the rocks in various corners charmed our senses and offered us a situation made even more agreeable by our recent past dangers and fatigues. Desiring to utilize it for the benefit of the crews and the advancement of our knowledge, Salamanca went out with five men, armed and supplied with beads and other trifles, to go towards the site of the Indian villages, to see if they had abandoned them, as might be inferred from the passing of the armed canoes. Salamanca found the country he went to visit to be covered with brushwood and very straight pine trees [probably Douglas fir]. He saw the framework of the village which the Indians had abandoned, and he returned to the ship. On the 18th, the boat was repaired, and [we] continued the |
| bajo de la aguada , y por la tarde fuimos
en la lancha á visitar lo interior de las bocas de Wintuysen, y
exáminar el fondo de las calas vistas el dia anterior. La segunda
, á contar desde nuestro fondeadero, es mas abrigada que la del
Descanso, pero no tan limpia y de tan buen tenedero. Corrimos despues un
Canal que torcia al E.SE., y segun su direccion debia ir á dar al
Archipielago que habiamos visto en la punta anterior á la oriental
del Puerto.
No habiendo perdido ocasion de adelantar nuestras tareas Geodesicas y Astronomicas para la formacion de la Carta , repuestas las fuerzas de la Marineria , y reemplazada la leña y aguada , nos levamos á las cinco de la mañana con el intento de ir á examinar el Canal de Floridablanca. El tiempo estaba claro , y sentiamos de quando en quando una ventolina suave por la popa. Luego que fuimos saliendo al Canal tuvimos el viento fresquito por el E¼NE, que ceñimos con proa al N¼NE para dirigirnos á la boca que deseabamos reconocer. En esta diligencia se pasó el dia, .... |
work of loading water. In the afternoon, we went in the
longboat to visit the interior of the Bocas de Wintuysen [Nanaimo
Harbour] and examine the ends of the coves we had seen the day before.
The second cove, reckoning from our anchorage, is more sheltered than that
of Descanso, but not so clear and good for anchorage. We then went along
a channel which turns to the ESE [probably Northumberland Channel], which,
from its direction, should lead into the archipelago we had seen in the
previous point to the east of the port [i.e. Descanso Bay]. [? referring
to Flat-Top Islands and Punta Gaviola?]
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