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Excerpt from translation of LaPérouse's account
of early interaction with the Tlingits in Lituya Bay. His ships have just
survived a harrowing entrance to the bay, in which they had been caught
in a tidal current and had to wait for awhile before proceeding safely
in.
During our forced stay at the entrance to the bay, we had been continually
surrounded with the canoes of the savages, who offered us fish, skins
of otters and other animals, and different little articles of their dress,
in exchange for our iron. To our great surprise they appeared well accustomed
to traffic, and bargained with as much skill as any tradesman of Europe.
Of all our articles of trade, they appeared to have no great desire for
any thing but iron: they accepted indeed a few beads; but these served
rather to conclude a bargain, than to form the basis of it. We at length
prevailed on them to take pewter pots and plates: yet these had only a
transient success, iron prevailing over every thing. They were not unacquainted
with this metal. Every one had a dagger of it suspended from the neck,
not unlike the criss of the Malays, except that the handle was different,
being nothing more than an elongation of the blade, rounded, and without
any edge. This weapon had a sheath of tanned leather, and appeared to
be their most valued moveable. As we examined these daggers very attentively,
they informed us by signs, that they made use of them only against the
bears and other wild beasts. Some were of copper, but they did not appear
to give a preference to these. This metal is pretty common among them:
they use it chiefly for collars, bracelets, and various other ornaments;
and they also point their arrows with it.
Gold is not an object of more eager desire in Europe, than iron in this
part of America, which is another proof of its scarcity. Every man, it
is true, has a little in his possession; but they are so covetous of it,
that they leave no means untried to obtain it. On the day of our arrival,
we were visited by the chief of the principal village. Before he came
on board, he appeared to address a prayer to the sun. He then made a long
harangue, which was concluded by a kind of song, by no means disagreeable,
and greatly resembling the plain chaunt (sic)of our churches. The Indians
in his canoe accompanied him, repeating the same air in chorus. After
this ceremony, they almost all came on board, and danced for an hour to
the music of their own voices, in which they are very exact. I gave the
chief several presents, which made him so very troublesome, that he daily
spent five or six hours on board; and I was obliged to repeat them very
frequently, or he would go away discontented, and with an air of threat,
which however was not very formidable.
As soon as we had taken our station behind the island, almost all the
savages of the bay repaired thither. The report of our arrival soon spread
through the environs; and several canoes arrived laden with a considerable
quantity of otter skins, which the Indians bartered for hatchets, adzes,
and bar iron. At first they gave us salmon in exchange for pieces of old
hoops; but they soon became more difficult, and would not part with this
fish unless for nails, or small implements of iron. …….
…
As soon as we arrived at our second anchorage, we erected our observatory
on the island, which was not above a musket-shot from our ships, and formed
an establishment there for the time of our stay in port. We pitched tents
for our sail-makers and smiths, and made a store for our water-casks,
which we completely refitted. As all the Indian villages were on the main-land,
we flattered ourselves, that we should be in security on the island, but
we were soon convinced of our mistake. Experience had already taught us,
that the Indians were great thieves; but we did not suspect them of sufficient
activity and perseverance, to carry into execution difficult and tedious
schemes. In a short time we learned to know them better. They spent the
night in watching for favourable (sic) opportunities to rob us: but we
kept a strict watch on board our vessels, and they were seldom able to
get the better of our vigilance.
* As published in: Jean F.G. De la Pérouse, A
Voyage Round the World Performed in the Years 1785, 1786, 1878 and 1788
By the Boussole and Astrolabe, Volume 1, Bibliotheca Australiana #27,
N. Israel/Amsterdam and De Capo Press, 1968.
Note: Notice that LaPérouse begins his account
with description, but soon adds judgments about the Tlingits. For instance,
he calls them "savages," but admits that they were experienced
traders who knew exactly what they wanted, and had access to copper, which
we now know could only have come from trade up north with Copper River
Athabascans. Later, LaPérouse says the Tlingits were "great
thieves." In fact, Tlingits had very strong rules about property.
It was considered a grave offense to steal, so La Pérouse has jumped
to an untrue conclusion.
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