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KLATSASSAN.

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As for the others, two of them, Pierre and Tapeet, had
been baptized previously: they also seemed quite penitent.
Georges, who was not condemned to death, said he would
wait.

One alone remained unchristened. It was Chesuss, who
proved to be quite as hardened as his conduct would
have led one to expect. When asked if he was sorry for
his infernal treatment of poor Brewster's remains, he
laughed like a fiend, and said he didn’t care. He said he
wasn’t in the least afraid of God, and again laughed in a
way to make one’s flesh creep. I told him his conduct
was like a son of the devil; his heart was a stone. But
the Good Spirit could make it soft; and would yet, before
his time came to die.

After this, the instruction of the prisoners went on
for a time with little interruption, until one day, when
the gaoler sent me a message to say that I need not call
any more: the prisoners didn’t wish to see me again.
Encouraging, was it not? after staying there so long on
purpose to teach them, getting up as muchas I could of
a language that could never be of any use to me again;
and above all, after the success that seemed to have been
vouchsafed me! Had they not the very day before said
they hoped I would come every day and be with them
to the last ? On consideration, I thought I discovered the
cause of their disaffection.

In the course of our last interview, I had dwelt on the
Parable of the Publican and Pharisee, who went up to
the Temple to pray, and told them that the Great Father
had made known to us that He looks with favour on
the humble and poor in spirit, but with displeasure on
the self-conceited and proud. I taught them all to repeat
the words, ‘‘God be merciful to mea sinner.” Those I

said who are for ever glorifying themselves, and saying, |

“T ama very fine Indian, I don’t steal, I don’t drink |

fire-water, I don’t lie, I don’t carry away my neighbour's
wife,’ such I said are persons with whom the Great
Father is not pleased, He likes to see men humble. A
doctrine this, little palatable to them, I suspect. Self.
righteousness is the bosom sin of the Indian (indeed,
perhaps, of most of us!) and I have little doubt that it
was my remarks on that Divine but ungenial teaching
that stirred the devil in them, and roused them for a
moment to rebellion against the truth.

Only for a moment, however; mercifully I gave them
a day to recover themselves, and on my next visit they
received me with great cordiality. They gave as their
reason for refusing me admittance that I was no true
priest, because I did not wear a crucifix: but I told them
what I believed to be the true reason of their momentary
opposition, and endeavoured to reconcile them to the
Divine law of humility and lowliness of mind. It
seemed they had all agreed to exclude me, though now
on my return they all seemed glad enough to see me.
Klatsassan, when reproached for his unfaithfulness, said
his heart was bad at my last coming, although, for the
moment he had joined the rest. He now declared that
nothing should turn him against me any more. The
others, he declared, might call themselves Frenchman
Catholics if they chose (the Roman Catholic priests
who had visited the country had been French Canadians,
hence the name), but as for him, he was my son, and
a King George Catholic, and he was resolved to cast in
his lot with me and my religion. I said his words were
good. My heart had been water when they had refused

305
to receive me, but now it was strong again. It would
be sad for them if they had no priest to cheer them.
They had a dark trail to follow, but as the minister of
Jesus Christ, I should accompany them a long way down
it, and show them the light from heaven on it. And
this would make their hearts strong. They said, “ Very
good, chief; you stay with us, and make our hearts
strong.” “God alone can do that,” I replied, “but He
certainly will do it, if you listen humbly to what I have
to teach. Be strong and He will strengthen your hearts.”
It was, indeed, little to be wondered at that such
moments of darkness and misgiving should come over
them, and that they should at times feel inclined to rebel
against the truth. That the new-risen sun in their
heavens should always shine unobscured by “ earth-born
clouds” was hardly to be expected. Poor fellows, how
I pitied them! Immured in that dull prison-cell—
with so many in so small a place—(for in a new town
like Quesnelmouth, the government had to use what
kind of prison it could get, and was necessarily com-
pelled to think more of the security of its prisoners than
of their comfort), the air foul and heavy, for the weather
at this time was wet: living, too, without exercise; men
who, all their life long, had been free as the air, or the
birds that fly in it, now lying manacled and bound; know-
ing, too, that each day brought nearer the inevitable
hour, when they should be cut off by a sudden and
violent stroke from the land of the living and die a death
whose horrors were increased by their ignorance of its
nature. In such circumstances, it was not strange that
there were times with them when hope seemed to die,

the Saviour seemed away, and the Enemy of Souls re- |

asserted his power, and filled them with misery and
despair.

I took occasion to explain to them about-the crucifix,
and showed them that it was by no means necessary
to wear one; the important thing, I said, was to believe
in Jesus Christ, 7. e. to have a good heart to Him, and to
think of Him as dying on the Cross for us. I sought
then to prepare them to receive the Holy Communion,
and to ensure their having those conditions of the Church
which are required of those who come to the Lord’s
Supper.

XII.
THE LAST NIGHT.
Axnout this time, October 24th, there came despatches
from the Government with the death-warrant of the
prisoners. The executive, it appeared, thought not of
mercy; all five were to be hanged; and in two or three
days. Fearful doom! Just, no doubt, perfectly just.
But—all five! Could they not be contented with one or
two of the number? At all events, might not young
Pierre have been spared ?—Pierre, a handsome lad
of eighteen, who had a wife and child at home. Pierre,
who, in what he had done, had only acted in obedience
to the chief, whom he believed himself bound by all laws,
human and divine, to obey. But no! Justice must take
its course. Ignorance in the eyes of the law is no excuse.
Terror must be struck into all the Indian tribes. All
five must die. On the eve of their execution, I once
more questioned them as to their state of heart. Know-
ing that, above all things, it is necessary that the sinner
be penitent, before he dare appear before God, I again
sounded them with regard to this. Again, Klatsassan

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VOL. IX. N. 8.—wNO. LIII.

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