,

made for packing as the birds for flying? The pastor
of Carriers and Babines did not share that opinion,
and never let an opportunity pass without showing it.
He did at first meet opposition, mostly underhand and
passive, but at times quite open and explicit. One
of the interested parties, a strong and able-bodied man,
did not shrink from giving him in this connection what
he thought a good lesson in logic.

“You should be consequent with yourself,"’ he
remarked. ‘Did you not tell us many times that in
a family it is the father who is the master? Now, if he
is the master, why should he work? Can one be at the
same time boss and workman?”’

Then, in a knowing way:

“Tt suffices to look at a woman’s build to realize
that He-who-sits-on-the-Sky made her to carry burd-
ens; is it not clear that her great breadth between the
hips is intended to receive loads?”

The native philosopher believed it, and chuckled
over what he deemed his triumph. But as he could not
persuade his spiritual guide of the cogency of his
reasoning, and as the latter meant to be obeyed, he
would occasionally sally out himself after the women
he considered overloaded, and reproach them for the
little regard they evidenced for his protestations.
The poor creatures would, of course, concur in his
opinion, but often whispered if nobody was within
hearing distance:

“Tf I don’t do it, he will beat me.”’

No use asking who He was. A squaw will never
say: “My husband”’; it is against good manners."

By dint of endless remonstrances, firmness allied
to kindness, the missionary finally gained his point,
or at least greatly improved the fate of women in this

IN THE NORTH 59

10 She will say instead: that one, or so and so’s father.