[Footnote 5:  Though the two silver table-spoons, found at Nootka Sound, most probably came from the Spaniards in the south, there seems to be sufficient grounds for believing that the regular supply of iron comes from a different quarter.  It is remarkable, that the Spaniards, in 1775, found at Puerto de la Trinidad, in latitude 41 deg.7’, arrows pointed with copper or iron, which they understood were procured from the north.  Mr Daines Barrington, in a note at this part of the Spanish journal, p. 20, says “I should conceive, that the copper and iron here mentioned, must have originally been bartered at our forts in Hudson’s Bay.”—­D.]

Of the political and religious institutions established amongst them, it cannot be supposed that we should learn much.  This we could observe, that there are such men as chiefs, who are distinguished by the name or title of Acweek, and to whom the others are, in some measure, subordinate.  But I should guess, the authority of each of these great men extends no farther than the family to which he belongs, and who own him as their head.  These Acweeks were not always elderly men; from which I concluded that this title came to them by inheritance.

I saw nothing that could give the least insight into their notions of religion, besides the figures before mentioned, called by them Klumma.  Most probably these were idols; but as they frequently mentioned the word acweek, when they spoke of them, we may, perhaps, be authorised to suppose, that they are the images of some of their ancestors, whom they venerate as divinities.  But all this is mere conjecture; for we saw no act of religious homage paid to them; nor could we gain any information, as we had learned little more of their language than to ask the names of things, without being able to hold any conversation with the natives, that might instruct us as to their institutions or traditions.

In drawing up the preceding account of the people of this Sound, I have occasionally blended Mr Anderson’s observations with my own; but I owe every thing to him. that relates to their language; and the following remarks are in his own words.

“Their language is by no means harsh or disagreeable, farther than proceeds from their using the k and h with more force, or pronouncing them with less softness than we do; and, upon the whole, it abounds rather with what we may call labial and dental, than with guttural sounds.  The simple sounds, which we have not heard them use, and which, consequently, may be reckoned rare, or wanting in their language, are those represented by the letters b, d, f, g, r, and v.  But, on the other hand, they have one, which is very frequent, and not used by us.  It is formed, in a particular manner, by clashing the tongue partly against the roof of the mouth with considerable force, and may be compared to a very coarse or harsh method of lisping.  It is difficult to represent this sound by any composition of our letters, unless somehow from lszthl.  This is one of their most usual terminations, though we sometimes found it in the beginning of words.  The next most general termination is composed of tl; and many words end with z and ss.  A specimen or two of each of these is here put down: