trance of a two-horned cove sheltered by
the mountains. The small boats had all been mustered out to tow the
two ships in, when a slight breeze sprang up. The flotilla drifted
inland just as three canoes, carved in bizarre shapes of birds' heads
and eagle claws, came paddling across the inlet. Three savages were in
one, six in the other, ten in the third. They came slowly over the
water, singing some song of welcome, beating time with their paddles,
{186} scattering downy white feathers on the air, at intervals standing
up to harangue a welcome to the newcomers. Soon thirty canoes were
around the ships with some ten warriors in each. Still they came,
shoals of them, like fish, with savages almost naked, the harbor smooth
as glass, the grand _tyee_, or great chief of the tribes, standing
erect shouting a welcome, with long elf-locks streaming down his back.
Women and children now appeared in the canoes. That meant peace. The
women were chattering like magpies; the men gurgling and spluttering
their surprise at the white visitors. For safety's sake the guns of
the two ships were pointed ready; but the natives did not know the fear
of a gun. It was the end of March when Cook first anchored off what he
thought was the mainland of America. It was not mainland, but an
island, and the harbor was one to become famous as the rendezvous of
Pacific traders--Nootka!

Three armed boats commanded by Mr. King, and one under Cook, at once
proceeded from the ships to explore and sound the inlet. The entrance
had been between two rocky points four miles apart past a chain of
sunken rocks. Except in a northwest corner of the inlet, since known
as Snug Cove, the water was too deep for anchorage; so the two ships
were moored to trees, the masts unrigged, the iron forge set to work on
the shore; and the men began cutting timber for the new masts. And
still the tiny specks dancing over the waves carrying canoe loads of
savages to the English ships, {187} continued to multiply till the
harbor seemed alive with warriors--two thousand at least there must
have been by the first week of April after Cook's arrival. Some of the
savages wore brightly painted wooden masks as part of their gala
attire. Others carried totems--pieces of wood carved in the likeness
of bird or beast to typify manitou of family or clan. By way of
showing their prowess, some even offered the white men human skulls
from which the flesh had not yet been taken.