heard of this, I went to the field, where I
found about a dozen of the natives, each of whom laid claim to some
part of the grass that grew in this place. I bargained with them for
it, and having completed the purchase, thought that we were now at
liberty to cut wherever we pleased. But here, again, it appeared, that
I was under a mistake; for the liberal manner in which I had paid
the first pretended proprietors, brought fresh demands upon me from
others; so that there did not seem to be a single blade of grass, that
had not a separate owner, and so many of them were to be satisfied,
that I very soon emptied my pockets. When they found that I really
had nothing more to give, their importunities ceased, and we were
permitted to cut where-ever we pleased, and as much as we chose to
carry away.

Here I must observe, that I have no where, in my several voyages, met
with any uncivilized nation, or tribe, who had such strict notions
of their having a right to the exclusive property of every thing that
their country produces, as the inhabitants of this Sound. At first,
they wanted our people to pay for the wood and water that they carried
on board; and had I been upon the spot, when these demands were
made, I should certainly have complied with them. Our workmen, in my
absence, thought differently, for they took but little notice of such
claims; and the natives, when they found that we were determined
to pay nothing, at last ceased to apply. But they made a merit of
necessity, and frequently afterward took occasion to remind us, that
they had given us wood and water out of friendship.[1]

[Footnote 1: Similar to the behaviour of the natives of Nootka, on
this occasion, was that of another tribe of Indians, farther north, in
latitude 57 deg. 18', to the Spaniards, who had preceded Captain Cook only
three years, in a voyage to explore the coast of America, northward of
California. See the journal of that voyage, writ by the second pilot
of the fleet, and published by the Honourable Mr Daines Barrington, to
whom the literary world owes so many obligations.--_Miscellanies_, p.
505, 506.--D.]

During the time I was at this village, Mr Webber, who had attended me
thither, made drawings of every thing that was curious, both within
and without doors. I had also an opportunity of inspecting more
narrowly, the construction of the houses, household furniture, and
utensils, and the striking peculiarities of the customs and modes of