They seemed to me to be the
Hottentots of our own continent. Still they were not altogether
without the means of commanding our respect. As physical men they were
both active and strong, and there were gleams of ferocity about them,
that all their avarice and art could not conceal. I could not
discover in their usages, dress, or deportment, a single trace of that
chivalrous honour which forms so great a relief to the well-established
cruelty of the warrior of our own part of the continent. Then, these
sea-otter dealers had some knowledge of the use of fire-arms, and were
too well acquainted with the ships of us civilized men to have any
superstitious dread of our power.
The Dipper, and his companions, sold us one hundred and thirty-three
sea-otter skins the very afternoon we anchored. This, of itself, was
thought to be a sufficient reward for the trouble and risk of coming
into this unknown basin. Both parties seemed pleased with the results
of the trading, and we were given to understand that, by remaining at
anchor, we might hope for six or eight times our present number of
skins. Captain Williams was greatly gratified with the success with
which he had already met, and having found that all the Dipper had
promised came true, he determined to remain a day or two, in his
present berth, in order to wait for more bargains.
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