for a polisher.  I have seen some of these chisels that were eight or ten inches long, and three or four inches broad, but, in general, they were smaller.  The knives are of various sizes; some very large; and their blades are crooked, somewhat like our pruning-knife, but the edge is on the back or convex part.  Most of them that we saw were about the breadth and thickness of an iron-hoop, and their singular form marks that they are not of European make.  Probably they are imitations of their own original instruments, used for the same purposes.  They sharpen these iron tools upon a coarse slate whetstone, and likewise keep the whole instrument constantly bright.

Iron, which they call seekemaile, (which name they also give to tin and all white metals,) being familiar to these people, it was very natural for us to speculate about the mode of its being conveyed to them.  Upon our arrival in the Sound, they immediately discovered a knowledge of traffic, and an inclination for it; and we were convinced afterward, that they had not received this knowledge from a cursory interview with any strangers, but, from their method, it seemed to be an established practice, of which they were fond, and in which they were also well skilled.  With whom they carry on this traffic, may, perhaps, admit of some doubt.  For though we found amongst them things doubtless of European manufacture, or at least derived, from some civilized nation, such as iron and brass, it by no means appears that they receive them immediately from these nations.  For we never observed the least sign of their having seen ships like ours before, nor of their having traded with such people.  Many circumstances serve to prove this almost beyond a doubt.  They were earnest in their enquiries, by signs, on our arrival, if we meant to settle amongst them, and if we came as friends; signifying, at the same time, that they gave the wood and water freely, from friendship.  This not only proves, that they considered the place as entirely their property, without fearing any superiority; but the enquiry would have been an unnatural one, on a supposition that any ships had been here before; had trafficked, and supplied themselves with wood and water; and had then departed; for, in that case, they might reasonably expect we would do the same.  They, indeed, expressed no marks of surprise at seeing our ships.  But this, as I observed before, may be imputed to their natural indolence of temper, and want of curiosity.  Nor were they even startled at the report of a musquet; till one day, upon their endeavouring to make us sensible, that their arrows and spears could not penetrate the hide-dresses, one of our gentlemen shot a musquet-ball through one of them, folded six times.  At this they were so much staggered, that they plainly discovered their ignorance of the effect of fire-arms.  This was very often confirmed afterward, when we used them at their village and other places to shoot birds, the manner of which plainly confounded them; and our explanations of the use of shot and ball were received with the most significant marks of their having no previous ideas on this matter.