A Summer’s Journey and a Winter's Campaign. 21

baptized, was reading his Bible by the fire-light. One of the »

evil ones interrupted him again and again. He stood in his
lieht, rudely questioned, abused, and finally assaulted him.
‘Why read that book? Your fathers did not, nor do we.
Would you be wiser than all?’ When the book was struck
from the reader’s hand he nimbly recovered it and meekly
walked away from the jeering circle round the cheerful fire.

“he whole clan live in the same large and undivided house.
In old times such herding together was a defence, but now
that imperial law is gaining respect, order is being established,
so that it will be safe to break up the old-time clan into
families, and each family live apart from the rest in small
cottages. This will be a great upward step, and the beginning
of a higher morality. Now we are ina transition state. Not
ten minutes ago a wild-looking fellow came to complain of
his sister’s thieving. ‘I would have killed her,’ he said to
me, ‘ but now you are our chief, and have brought laws from
the great Shigitumna,’ i.e., Queen.

‘“T must summon J before you again, the man now on
his way to hold services at the lower villages. I had called a
council to discuss the whisky drinking at the mines. J ’g
turn to speak came. He proposed strong measures. An
Indian J will call A dissented. J became impatient.

“<Did force make you good? if not, how can you expect
to force any man to be good?’ asked A

“ J__’s temper got beyond his control, and, dashing his
New Testament on the table, he walked away full of anger.
This exhibition damaged our council. A remarked,
after the silence of surprise was passed, ‘ He is a good man ;
IT am sorry I provoked him.’

“T said, ‘If he is good he will return and show his con-
trition.’

“After some hours of bitter grief he returned with a
parcel under his arm. He found me alone. ‘ What do you
want?’ I somewhat coldly said.

“<T want to see A—— here before you.’

«C6 Why? ’

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