THE PRIZE BASKET 113

top of the hill by means of skids and ropes and the
combined strength of all the men in the village.

On the very peak of the cone-shaped hill the Yetz
Haada had built a square log house with a small tower
on top in which a gleaming brass cannon had been
placed. Below, just far enough down the slope so that
the view from the house would not be cut off, they
had built also a tall stockade of stout cedars, which
completely surrounded the post.

Since the completion of the building and stockade
the white strangers had ridden back and forth from
the ship to the beach in their short clumsy boats, bear-
ing many boxes which had been carried up the wind-
ing trail to the top of the hill. For the past two days
all in the village, except a few slaves, had gathered
on the beach or near the gates of the stockade to watch
the arrival of the many wonderful things brought by
the traders.

Lana watched the last boat discharge its load upon
the beach, and she sighed enviously as all the waiting
ones followed the white men up the hill to the post,
where there was to be a sort of potlatch with gifts for
every one. Truly, it was to be a potlatch such as had
never before been held in the village.

At first the slave girl had been tearful and rebel-
lious when she found she was to be left at home to
watch the fire and the bear meat cooking in the new
iron pot, but the chief’s wife had explained that all
the other slaves had been in the household much