LOG OF THE COLUMBIA 317
not but one canoe come along side at a time. They obey'd the command, and one canoe, with 42 men came alongside, but had only a skin or two. We soon discover'd that the main body of canoes was paddling towards us, singing a War Song. We fir'd a cannon and some Muskets over their heads. At this they mov'd off about 100 yds. and again halted. A Small Canoe, with a Chief, (paddled by two Indians) kept con- stantly plying between the Ship and the main body of the Canoes, counting our men, and talking earnestly to the Natives along side, encouraging them to begin the attack. He was suffer'd to proceed in this manner some time, when Capt. Gray told him to come near the Ship no more, but he still persisted, and was shot dead for his temerity. Also the Chief Warrior, of the Canoe along side, was shot, for throwing his Spear into the Ship. They then made a precipitate retreat, and the trading Indians, who had kept at a small distance viewing the transactions, again recommenced their trade with us. They inform'd us these Indians, who meant to attack us, was of another tribe with them. Canoes with Indians, came along side and traded away their Otter Skins, but not without Manifest signs of fear.
12. The Natives kept bringing furs, which we purchas'd for Copper and Goth. Iron very dull sale.
FROM PINTARD'S STRAITS TO COLUMBIA'S COVE
13. Weigh'd and came to sail, standing down straits saw a number of fishing canoes, at a distance but none came near. Towards evening came to in 16 fm. at our former anchorage. See no Indians.
14. Fair wind and pleasant, weigh'd and stood down straits, and at 9 in the evening got clear out bound to Columbia's Cove, our place of Rendezvous. Shou'd these straits join with Juan da Fuca, which perhaps it does, it must make the whole Coast between the Latitudes of 48 15' and 51 30' North and Longi- tudes 120 57' and 129 30' W. a vast Archipelago of Islands. 145
145 This idea is not original with Boit. It was in the air at that time. In M cares Voyages, 4to. ed., prefixed to his account of bis voyages in 1788 and 1789, is a map in which is shown the celebrated, and now proved to have been imag- inary, track of the Washington, entering at the Strait of Juan de Fuca and emerging at Queen Charlotte Islands. The curious will find further imaginary details of this voyage in the correspondence- of Meares annexed to the Report of the Archivist for British Columbia, 1014, and also in Newcombe's First Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. The quotation from Haswell's first Log set out in note 142 ante shows the same opinion. Ingraham also entertained it
