1786: What a long Strange trip! James Strange’s journal on the northern PNW coast (Part 1: Narrative)

James Charles Stuart Strange (1753-1840), godson of Bonnie Prince Charlie, led a fur-trading expedition from India to Vancouver Island in the early era of contact between the Indigenous people there and non-Indigenous newcomers.

Captain Strange (image credit: Wikipedia)

The voyage of the Captain Cook and the Experiment is documented in the book, “James Strange’s Journal and narrative of the commercial expedition from Bombay to the Northwest coast of America” (Fairfield, WA: Ye Galleon Press, 1982).

Part 1: THE NARRATIVE OF STRANGE’S STAY AT NOOTKA

First sighting of the North American coast, off Vancouver Island, was on June 24th, 1786 (page 18, page 70).

Several canoes of Indigenous people very soon come aside, trading some fresh fish and “small leeks” to the crew. Next morning, locals keep rowing out (page 71): “In our enquiries for Nootka, they directed us to, at least, half a dozen different parts of the Coast; each Party being desirous of Our anchoring in that part of it to which he pointed, and in which it is probabl[e] he resided.” The reality is that Strange’s people were misunderstanding the Nuuchahnulths; they had read Captain Cook’s report of his 1778 first contact, and along with him, had misunderstood locals’ word Nootka as a place name, when it was actually directional guidance to “go around” a cape of land! “…I was not tardy in my Enquiries after a good Sea Otter Skin. Nor was it long before I was gratified in my turn.”

Page 72: “During Our Progress up the Sound we were accompanied by Many Canoes, & were Welcomed with a Song, or rather an Oration, from one of the Chiefs, in like manner as mentioned by Captain Cook.”

Page 73:

“From this time [30th of June] to the 5th. July we continued in Our present
situation [Nootka Sound], having failed in two or three attempts we made to quit it;
The Winds or Currents always Counteracting Our Efforts. Being now
anxious to get the Ships to come Commodious and Centrical situation
of the Sound, I therefore Ordered out the Long Boat of each Vessel
with directions to explore Ship Cove, and any other place that seemed
an Eligible situation for the purpose of refitting the Ships, as well as of
Trading with the Natives. I was too busily employed in attending to a
great number of Very Welcome Visitors who were now Coming from
all Quarters, to be able to Quit the Ships Side for half an hour
together; from my first Interview with these people, I had determined
never to suffer any of them to come on Board Ship, and during my stay
at Nootka, I always adhered to this determination, except in favor of
two or three of the Chiefs, to whom I wished to shew some marks of
Respect & distinction, and who were accordingly received on Board,
on several Occasions. But as for the Common people, not One of [sentence breaks off, at least in this edition of the journal].”

Page 74, the 6th of July:

“Having at length come to Our moorings in Friendly Harbor, my
first Care was to provide Accommodations on Shore for the Sick.
With this View I landed for the first time since my arrival in the
Sound, & took with me Our Surgeon, in Order that he might fix on
the most eligible situation that could be found for the reception of
Our Invalids. I went directly to the Village, and was received by all
ranks and descriptions, in the most friendly and Courteous Manner
Possible; nor could I pass a house without being invited into it in very
pressing terms.”

Page 75: Strange asserts that Captain Cook’s 1778 descriptions of Nootka Sound people and life were so thorough that he himself can’t add anything to them; he excuses himself on page 76 as having been too busy to record many substantial observations. Page 77 has him again evading accountability on this point, saying he went ashore only 3 times in a month’s stay. A pity, and in keeping with some scholars’ evaluations of Strange’s excessive caution and conservatism in this 1786 venture. He limits himself to saying, on page 77, “The Occasion I therefore had, of acquiring any knowledge of the manners & Dispositions of the Natives, were such only, as occurred in my transactions with them in the Course of Bartering.” I’m not sure how much more contact any of his crew had with the Nuuchahnulths (on p. 81 he claims some of them made “enquiries”), but mere trading would’ve limited Strange’s range of conversation quite a bit, eh? In Strange’s defense, he explicitly says he left behind a young crew member (the Experiment‘s surgeon Mackay) to learn as much as possible about local language, “manners, Laws, and Customs” for future visits’ benefit (also p. 77).

Page 76:

“I now made Known to the Natives, the Object of my present
Visit to the Village, which was to purchase a house for the reception
of the Sick. No sooner were my wants explained, Than I had the
Offer of any house that I chose. I accordingly purchased One (for about the Value of a Shilling)…”

Page 78: Strange is convinced that

“the Generality of them [Nuuchahnulths], conceived Our Visit proceeded from no other Cause, than a want of food; Our Own Country having failed to supply us in that Article; and they accordingly brought us no inconsiderable quantity of dried fish, which they offered for Sale, and which I as constantly rejected, as I wished to impress on their minds, that my wants were Confined to the Article of Skins alone…Another very material purpose, would, I conceived, be answered in leaving a person behind me; it was a sure testimony to the Inhabitants, that my return to them next Season was Certain; & before I left them, they perfectly understood such to be my intention…an Existence, as it was possible such a situation to admit of. I placed
him in the Family of a Chief named Maquilla; whose Friendship I
had secured by repeated acts of Liberality, and who assured me in the
presence of Enkitsum (The God of Snow) that my Doctor should eat
the choicest Fish the Sound produced; and that on my return, I
should find him, as fat as a Whale.”

Page 79: The Nuuchahnulth people are not used to, and don’t like, European food or drink —

“I left
with him [Mackay] as much Beef, Biscuit, Rice, Salt, Sago, Tea, Sugar &
Tobacco, as his Occasions could require, and I am in hopes that he
will have the sole enjoyment of them; for it is a singular truth, that
none of the Natives, could relish any one of the above articles,
although I repeatedly, during my stay amongst them, endeavored to
introduce the use of them.”

Page 80:

“Amongst the various Articles with which
(at the desire of Maquilla) Mr. Mackay was supplied, a Musket &
Pistols were particularly requested, nay insisted on, in such pressing
terms, as to Compel me to a Compliance with their wishes on the
subject. I would willingly have refused my Consent to gratify them
in this instance, but it was not to be done, without risking their
Friendship, for One and all, joined in the request, giving me to
understand, that in the possession of these, would depend the
security of Mr. Mackay, as no Enemy however strong, would dare
attack him while thus armed.
I at length reluctantly yielded, and gave the wished for
Instruments of Death, together with a hundred rounds of Powder &
shot…”

Pages 80-81: Strange makes sure to demonstrate to the locals how dangerous these weapons are, by shooting a hole in a large canoe.

“I now took Occasion to tell them, that
this Instrument of destruction, was only fatal, in the hands of a
White Man; and that if any time they dared to meddle with it, it
could not fail to hurt them; this hint they either did not well
comprehend, or if they did they treated it with contempt. I
therefore asked, which of them was in like manner willing to try his
skill. Many Candidates offered themselves on the Occasion, and
among the number M’. Mackay’s Patron was One. To him the
preference was given, I accordingly reloaded the Piece, putting into
it at the same time, such a Charge of Powder, as I well Knew could
not fail in its Effects, to give a very rude shock to the Person who was
to fire it. My Gentleman very composedly received the piece, took his
aim & fired; and had not some of his attendants been standing near
him, he could not have failed measuring his length on the ground.
The terror and dread of all present was now strongly painted in each
countenance, and my Hero in particular. When he recovered from
his fright, could not help condemning his imprudence in having thus
inconsiderately brought a mischief on himself, and complained most
bitterly of the pain which the shock Occasioned. I now again Offered
the Piece to any that chose to fire it. All however declined the honor,
& promised me never again to think of touching it.
In addition to the musket & Pistols, a red coat and Cap was
strongly solicited, in Order to Complete M’. Mackay’s Warlike
appearance. On inquiring why a Red Coat he chose, in preference to
any other, I was informed, that, that was the Color, the appearance
of which, would most intimidate the Enemy. It is probably with this
View they so frequently rub their bodies over with red Oc[h]re, and
which I observ’d was invariably practiced by such of the Strangers as
Visited us, and who lived at any distance from the Sound.”

Page 82, visiting in Maquilla’s (Maquinna’s) house:

“I now expressed a Wish to Know in
what manner they worshipped Enkitsum, on which Maquilla most
readily agreed to satisfy my curiosity. To this end therefore, an
additional quantity of Wood was added to a Fire, already
considerably large, and all external air, was as effectually excluded as
was in their power to do, by stopping every Crevice they could
conveniently reach; when this business was over, they all Seated
themselves round the fire, to the number of about a hundred Persons,
and began a Song by no means unmusical, in honor of Enkitsum I
suppose; whose Name they frequently repeated with Strong
Emphasis.”

Page 85: Strange greatly impresses a set of visiting high-class males by using a pair of cymbals in accompaniment to “a sort of ring ting tune” he improvises; the result is a bidding war for these instruments, netting 3 or 4 sea otter skins per pair of cymbals.

Page 86: When these men return the next day, they reject trade goods made or iron and copper, insisting they only want more cymbals, but they demand Strange sing again. They don’t like his first through fourth, “each man shaking his head told me it was Claotra, that is, the other they wanted me to sing. I now perfectly understood what they meant, & that it was my Yesterday’s composition that was required of me.” But Strange can’t recall the song he made up the day before, so these men start singing it. “I seldom after this period bought a Skin without first being call’d upon to Sing.”

Same page:

“In the Course of this Days excursion, I was accosted by One of
the most Celebrated Warriors in the Sound, named Clamata; who
had been previously introduced to me by Maquilla, as a Man famous
for his Bravery & address in War, having personally slain Eight and
twenty of the Enemy within the last Ten Moons.”

[Clamata seems to demonstrate that the human hands and heads he is offering for trade are meant for eating:]

“However prepared I was for this Exhibition, yet I could not help
expressing horror & Detestation at the Act. He immediately
comprehended my meaning, & endeavored to reconcile me to the
deed, by assuring me that if I died, or if my Friend, or his Friend
Died, he would not Eat us; But the hand he had then Eaten was the
hand of his Enemy, whom he had killed in War, & that the Eating of
it was a deed acceptable in the Eyes of Heaven, to which he at the
time pointed.”

Page 88: “During our Stay in Nootka Sound, we neglected no Opportunity
of acquiring a knowledge of their language, and we accordingly
added several hundred Words to Captain Cooks Vocabulary, from
the use of which we were greatly facilitated in this Task.” (See Part 2 of this mini-series.) Strange’s expedition leave Nootka Sound for the north on July 28th (same page).

The 4th of August (page 91), at the northern tip of Vancouver Island: “At Day break the next Morning, We were Visited by a Canoe in
which were 4 Men, They immediately came along side of us, and
began a Kind of Song or Harrangue in the same style as those of
Nootka, and were in the like manner painted and studded with
Feathers. In my invitations to them to come on Board, I made use of
all my knowledge of the Nootka language; three or four words only of
which they understood.” Strange here implies he & his people understood nothing of the local language. I’ve got to point out that such a figure as 3 or 4 Nootka words being “understood” is within the range of random chance! These Kwakwaka’wakws (also known by the inaccurate older name Kwakiutls, are speakers of a very different Wakashan language from Nuuchahnulth, and might be presumed to have gathered the meaning of 3 or 4 words purely from obvious contextual use.

Same page — Strange finds that these Native people appear totally unacquainted with European contact, and overjoyed by acquiring iron from the mariners. This goes strongly in favor of my view that there was little, or quite likely no, pre-existing pidgin / trade / contact language along this part of the North Coast yet.

Page 102: September 1st, in the area of Cape Hinchinbroook in Alutiiq (“Eskimoan”-language) territory in south central Alaska, adjacent to Prince William Sound:

“The Second Day after Our Arrival here, we were at length Visited by
a Single Canoe, in which was an old man. He approached the Vessel with
apparent Fear & Distrust; nor could any civilities on my part, induce him
to come within a hundred yards of the Ship, until tempted by the
irresistable bribe of a string of Beads; These he joyfully accepted, on the
end of his spear, which he tremblingly presented for the purpose of
receiving them. He now Paddled away from the Ship, with incredible
Dispatch, and having got a considerable length from it, On hailing the
shore, we soon saw two Canoes make their appearance, in each of which,
were two Young men. They all returned to the Vessel, but still approached
us with the same Caution as had been observed by the Old Man. One of
them had on a Dirty & ragged Otter Skin, which he Offered for Sale, & for
which I liberally paid him; thinking this the readiest way, to tempt others
to Visit us for the like purpose.”

Page 103: More locals visit, but Strange concludes they have few furs to justify his making any further trading voyages except with one single vessel. On the next page, he infers that there are sometimes more Native people in the Prince William Sound area, but they are now hard to find.

Pages 104-105: Strange interjects to think back to Nootka Sound:

“From Our daily intercourse with the People of Nootka, we had
acquired so much of their language, before we left the Sound, as to be
enabled to Comprehend almost every thing they said to us, & likewise
to make Ourselves understood by them.
I was particular in my inquiries why they quitted their present
habitations, and where they went to. In answer to these questions, I
was told, they was going far, far off; and that the Sun would sleep five
times before they arrived there. That having now got plenty of fish,
they were going to hunt and kill Bears, Deer and Sea Otters.”

On page 105, Strange is surprised to encounter a competitor, the ship Sea Otter, out of India like Strange’s expedition; in this case from Bengal, with a Captain Tipping. Tipping arrived via Japan and the “Onalaska” (Aleutian) Islands of Alaska. Next day (p. 107), more Native people show up and trade with Strange; Tipping accordingly sails off for Cook Inlet.

Page 112: Strange’s expedition has had extremely little contact with the Alutiiq people, therefore learning very little about their culture; he echoes his disclaimers above about having little to add to what Cook has already written in published accounts. They visit one village, quite briefly, and after this they are on their way home.

This is the end of Strange’s visit to the Pacific Northwest Coast.

ikta mayka chaku-kəmtəks?
What have you learned?