Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/397

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A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

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his feizing the fpear, he in a groat meafure parried the blow, and de- flroyed its force; but on its being inftautly repealed, he received a very deep wound in tlic upper part of his thigh, which was httle fhort of being mortal. George Bridgeman was alfo badly wounded lower down in the thigh, by a fpear that pafTed quite through, I'rom one fide to the other. I had the fatisfadion however to learn from Mr. Menzics, after he had drefled the wounds, that he confidered neither of them likely to be attended with any prefent danger, nor with confequences that would be inconvenient hereafter. Betton and Bridgcman had both received their wounds as I was re- turning the fecond time to the flern of the boat, and juft before that I was compelled to give the order to fire ; the former as above ftated, and • he latter in preventing thofe in the large canoe, lying acrofs our boat's [>ows, from unfhipping one of the wall-pieces. Their wounds being dreficd, and births as convenient as circumllances would admit, one in each boat, being made for our unfortunate (hip-mates, we departed, giving the point on which we had landed the name of Escape Point, lituated in latitude 55° 37', longitude 228° 30'; and to a fmall opening, about a league to the northward of this point, the name of Traitor's Cove; thefe treacherous people having from thence made their firft appearance. From Lieutenant Swaine and Mr. Meiizies I learned, that when thefe audacious people firfl, approached them in the launch, they be- haved with the greated friendlinefs and good humour, offering their fkins for fa!e, two of which were thrown into the launch ; and in return they accepted any thing that was given them with apparent fiitisfattion. In confcquence of the friendly intercourfe that had taken place, and the avidity of the Indians in their commercial purfuits, they prefTed on the boat to take hold of her, but on this being ohje6ied to, and the canoes obliged to keep at a refpe6ial)le diflance, fbme little difcontcnt was ob- (ifrved to fhew itfelf amongfl them. This was attributed to their great ea- gerncls for trading, until the canoe conducted by the old virago, who was the' only female of the parly, finding the launch would not comply with their folicitations to Hop and trade, paddled acrofs the bow of the boat with