d to manage the trade for them in such a
manner, that the price of their commodities was always kept up; while
the value of ours was lessening every day. We also found, that many of
the principal natives, who lived near us, carried on a trade with
more distant tribes, in the articles they had procured from us. For we
observed that they would frequently disappear for four or five days at
a time, and then return with fresh cargoes of skins and curiosities,
which our people were so passionately fond of, that they always
came to a good market. But we received most benefit from such of
the natives as visited us daily. These, after disposing of all their
little trifles, turned their attention to fishing; and we never
failed to partake of what they caught. We also got from these people a
considerable quantity of very good animal oil, which they had reserved
in bladders. In this traffic some would attempt to cheat us, by mixing
water with the oil; and, once or twice, they had the address to carry
their imposition so far, as to fill their bladders with mere water,
without a single drop of oil. It was always better to bear with
these tricks, than to make them the foundation of a quarrel; for our
articles of traffic consisted, for the most part, of mere trifles; and
yet we were put to our shifts to find a constant supply even of these.
Beads, and such other toys, of which I had still some left, were in
little estimation. Nothing would go down with our visitors but metal;
and brass had, by this time, supplanted iron, being so eagerly sought
after, that before we left this place, hardly a bit of it was left in
the ships, except what belonged to our necessary instruments. Whole
suits of clothes were stripped of every button; bureaus of their
furniture; and copper-kettles, tin-cannisters, candle-sticks, and
the like, all went to wreck; so that our American friends here got a
greater medley and variety of things from us, than any other nation
whom we had visited in the course of the voyage.

After a fortnight's bad weather, the 19th proving a fair day, we
availed ourselves of it, to get up the top-masts and yards, and to fix
up the rigging. And, having now finished most of our heavy work, I set
out the next morning to take a view of the Sound. I first went to the
W. point, where I found a large village, and, before it, a very snug
harbour, in which was from nine to four fathoms water, over a bottom
of fine sand. The people of this vill