to endure the dreadful torture until either the body was reduced to ashes, or she herself almost scorched to death.  Her relatives were present merely to preserve her life; when no longer able to stand they dragged her away; and this intervention often led to bloody quarrels!  The body being burned, the ashes were collected in a box and given in charge to the widow, who carried them about with her until the feast was prepared, when they were taken from her, and deposited in a small hut or placed upon the top of a wooden pillar neatly carved, as their final resting-place.

During this interval she was in a state of the most wretched slavery; every child in the village might command her and beat her unmercifully if they chose, no one interfered.  After the feast, however, she regained her freedom, and along with that the privilege of incurring the risk of another scorching.  Our interference relieved them from the most cruel part of the ceremony; the temporary state of slavery is still continued.

CHAPTER XIX.

INDIAN FEAST—­ATTEMPT AT DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION—­RELIGION—­ORDERED TO PORT ALEXANDRIA—­ADVANTAGES OF THE SITUATION—­SENT BACK TO FORT ST. JAMES—­SOLITUDE—­PUNISHMENT OF INDIAN MURDERER—­ITS CONSEQUENCES—­HEROIC ADVENTURE OF INTERPRETER.

Mr. Dease arrived from Fort Vancouver on the 5th of September, and expressed himself highly gratified with the appearance our “gardens” presented; an ample stock of salmon had also been laid in, so that we had nothing to fear from want, which sometimes had been severely felt.  In the beginning of November, our despatches from the east side of the mountains came to hand, usually a joyful event, but saddened this year by the intelligence we received, that our excellent superintendent was about to leave us, having obtained permission to visit the civilized world for medical advice;—­the doctor was only 5,000 miles off!

In the beginning of the winter we were invited to a feast held in honour of a great chief, who died some years before.  The person who delivered the invitation stalked into the room with an air of vast consequence, and strewing our heads with down, pronounced the name of the presiding chief, and withdrew without uttering another syllable.  To me the invitation was most acceptable:  although I had heard much of Indian feasts, I never was present at any.

Late in the evening we directed our steps towards the “banqueting house,” a large hut temporarily erected for the occasion.  We found the numerous guests assembled and already seated around “the festive board;” our place had been left vacant for us, Mr. Dease taking his seat next to the great chief, Quaw, and we, his Meewidiyazees (little chiefs), in succession.  The company were disposed in two rows:  the chiefs and elders being seated next the wall, formed the outer, and the young men the inner row; an open space of about three feet in breadth