STILL PRE-EUROPEAN TIMES

attacking from opposite quarters—as the natives generally
show little bravery except in ambuscades or against a
sleeping adversary—they had to give up the pursuit.

Meanwhile ’Kwah’s fellow-villagers in the north had
transported themselves a short distance above the mouth
of the Thaché River on Lake Stuart, when he returned
with his little party of followers, all smeared over the face
with charcoal, as became native “ warriors.” Upon seeing
them back the Indians there assembled seized their bows
and arrows, shooting at random in the direction of the
oncomers, brandishing towards them their spears, daggers
and war-clubs, and gratifying them with quite a noisy
demonstration.

But this was only feigned hostility and the accomplish-
ment of a sort of traditional rité customary on such
occasions. ’Kwah and his men were in their estimation
me, that is, legally impure, for having shed human blood,
and the unfriendly reception was intended as a protest
and a preservative against any bodily ill which might
otherwise have befallen them as a consequence of their
latest deeds.

One of the headmen finally put an end to the tumult,
and invited the whole assemblage to a repast composed
mainly of an immense number of ese/, or land-locked
salmon, a small fish one of which each guest took, and,
in the case of some personal ailment, applied to the
diseased limb or part of the body, the ese being
considered, under the circumstances, as possessed of
particularly great curative properties.

In the eyes of his fellows, young ’Kwah was now a man:
but a man, among the primitive Carriers and not a few
of their descendants, is not supposed to be above the
gambling passion. One of his friends was a youth whose
father bore the significant name of U¢ts7-Wa-eka, which

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