mss142-vasilevShishmarev-i6-002

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the western part of St. Lawrence Island from a high steep
southwestern cape that gradually slopes northward to a small
harbor at the northwest cape, which is also steep but of
moderate height. Here and there along the shore were settle-
ments from which savages came to us in ten/baidars, numbering
about 80 persons, including about ten women.

"The islanders, nearing our sloop, halted, and did not
approach very closely to the side until they received our
invitation. To begin a conversation and to gather informa-
tion, I invited several onto the sloop and presented them
with tobacco. In the boats they were so busy trading that
they did not think of anything but tavaka (tobacco), which
they asked for in exchange for every article, shouting at the top
of their lungs, probably praising their merchandise. At first
they bartered with us walrus tusks and walrus teeth, various
knickknacks from walrus bone, and birds--murres, puffins,
and sea doves [dovekies?]. We got in exchange so many birds that they
sufficed the crew the whole day for food instead of salt beef.
Then they traded us their weapons--and all this for tobacco,
though they took our other things, too, but with reluctance.

"The inhabitants, generally, are of medium height, with
black closely cropped hair, with a small crown left all round
the head. Their faces are not very flat and their cheekbones
not very pronounced. Their noses are short, but also not very
flat, and their eyes are small and oblong. The women are
shorter and have a more delicate color. The men do not paint