"Of these masks they have great variety, and they parted with them willingly, except those of the human face; if they sold any of these, it seemed to be with some repugnance, as if they were parting with the image of a friend or a relation, and were ashamed to be seen so doing."

Captain Cook continued his survey of the American coast, entered Behring's Strait, and landed in what is called the Tschuktschi country in Kamschatka.

"This Asiatic people, although dwelling within fifty miles of the American coast, were evidently a different race from the inhabitants of the shores of Behring's Strait. All the Americans whom the English had seen since their arrival on the coast were low of stature, with round chubby faces, and high cheek-bones. The Tschuktschi, on the contrary, had long visages, and were stout and well made.

"Several things which they had with them, and more particularly their clothing, showed a degree of ingenuity surpassing what one could expect among so northern a people. Their dress consisted of a cap, frock, breeches, boots, and gloves, all made of leather or skins extremely well dressed, some with the fur on, some without it, and the quivers which contained their arrows were made of red leather neatly embroidered, and extremely beautiful.

"From this bay the ships again stood over to the north-east, and, continuing their examination of the American coast, Cook soon found himself surrounded by the dreary features which mark the scenery of the polar latitudes; a dark and gloomy sky, thick showers of snow and hail, and immense fields and mountains of ice, covered in some places

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by the huge forms of the walrus or seahorse, which lay in herds of many hundreds, huddling like swine one over the other."

Captain Cook continued his voyage to lat. 70° north, until he was opposed by an unbroken wall of ice, which seemed to stretch from continent to continent. The last point of land seen by Captain Cook was Icy Cape, which, till the discoveries of Captain Beechey, 1827, was the limit of European discovery in that part of the globe.

Captain Cook left the polar sea the end of August, and was killed at Owhyee by the natives, 1779.

The north-western coast of America has been since explored by Captains Meares, Vancouver, and Kotzebue. What they observed of the natives is not very unlike what is well known of the North American Indians.

The territory of Russian America extends from the United States' northern boundary to the Arctic Ocean along the Pacific, and is inhabited by ferocious tribes of Indians, estimated to be 50,000 in number. The Russian population does not exceed five or six hundred; they carry on the seal-fishery, and procure and sell large quantities of furs.

CHAPTER XX.

SOME of the most interesting discoveries in North America have been those of land travellers, and connected with the Hudson's Bay Company. After the French were established in Canada, and their

traffic with the natives had become profitable, the English, as discoverers of Hudson's Bay, presumed they might derive equal advantages from the territory on its borders.

In 1668, a company of English gentlemen obtained from the King of England a charter, in which they were called the Hudson's Bay Company; this authorized them to occupy the country, to defend their persons and property with forts and soldiers, and to carry on trade with the natives, and with remote countries, if they chose.

Trading-houses and forts were accordingly erected, and an extensive trade in furs has been carried on by agents of the company, stationed at convenient places in New-Britain. Among the products of the country, the Indians brought to the English factory specimens of copper ore, which was obtained, they said, from the neighbourhood of a distant river.

Copper is among the most valuable metals, and the governor of the company, in 1769, despatched Samuel Hearne, an intelligent man in their employment, to investigate the mineral region wherever he should find it. Mr. Hearne in this perilous expedition was accompanied by two Englishmen, two Indian guides, and eight other Indians.

Before we follow Mr. Hearne's travels, it will be well for the young reader to consider for a moment the prospect of the traveller through a cold country, full of wild beasts and wild men, and without coaches or horses, roads or inns, beds or fires, and without any article of food that forms our breakfast, dinner, or supper; indeed without any comforts.

Mr. Hearne's first journey commenced November

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6th, 1769. The manner in which he was furnished for it is thus described :

"He was provided with ammunition for two years, some necessary iron implements, a few knives, tobacco, and other useful articles. As to his personal outfit, his stock consisted simply of the shirt and clothes he wore, one spare coat, a pair of drawers, as much cloth as would make two or three pairs of Indian stockings, and a blanket for his bed.

"The nature of travelling long journeys,' he observes, 'in these countries will not admit of carrying even the most common article of clothing; so that the traveller is obliged to depend on the district he traverses for his dress as well as his sustenance.'

The Indians soon deserted, and Mr. Hearne was forced to return and set out again, better attended, as he thought, but the second attempt was not more successful. The difficulties of exploring the country were immense, and the conduct of the Indians, who had left their wives behind in this expedition, was still more trying to Mr. Hearne's patience.

The narrator of this expedition thus describes their folly and gluttony: "The voracity, improvidence, and indolence of the Indians subjected the party to repeated distress. If from fishing or hunting a larger supply than usual was procured, instead of using it with moderation, and laying up a store for future necessities, all was devoured by the savages, who, like the boa after he has gorged his prey, coiled themselves up, and remained in a state of sleepy torpor till the call of hunger again roused them to activity."

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In one place, Mr. Hearne met with a troop of wandering Indians, so numerous that they tered about seventy tents, containing nearly six hundred souls, and on moving in the morning the whole ground seemed alive with men, women, children, and dogs. The deer were so abundant, that though lately five or six individuals had almost perished from hunger, this numerous body supported themselves with great ease, and often killed their game for the skins, leaving the carcass to be devoured by the foxes. In this manner, engaged alternately in hunting and fishing, making observations on the country, and studying the extraordinary manners of his associates, the English traveller prepared for his winter sojourn."

But an accident compelled him a second time to return to the point whence he started. Mr. Hearne travelled as far as lat. 63° north. On his homeward route he endured incredible hardships. The Indians stole from him his razors, soap, and every personal convenience; and when he arrived at any of their settlements, and entreated their women to prepare him garments of deer-skins, which he stood greatly in need of, and also to make shoes for him, they cruelly refused.

While Hearne and his companions, five Indians hired for the service, continued their course in this forlorn condition, they met with "Captain Matonabbee, a powerful and intelligent chief, who was then on his way to Prince of Wales' Fort, with furs and other articles of trade. It was this person who brought the accounts of the Coppermine River, which induced the company to fit out the expedition, and he was naturally interested in its success. evinced the utmost activity in relieving their wants,

He