508 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

island. Ignorant of their whereabouts, they paddled blindly, succeeded
in out-distancing their enemies, and soon after found themselves at
Victoria of which they had heard. A few schooners were in the harbour
and on the beach they saw a single white man. The latter noticed them
and recognized that they were strangers from the shape and decorations
of their canoe, and the type of boxes they were carrying, each with a hole
in the corner, as is typical of those made by the Bella Bella. The man
mentioned this peculiarity to his wife, who was herself a Bella Bella, and
she came rushing out of the house to welcome those whom she Knew at
once must be her fellow-tribesmen. The weary mariners landed and were
provided with food and water by the white man’s wife.

They rested for several days at Victoria, rejoicing in their safety, then
began to think of returning home. The white husband of the woman who
had befriended them urged the travellers to stay and work for him, prom-
ising that he would later guide them north himself, but when he realized
that they were unwilling, he gave them what assistance he could. None
of them was familiar with the inner route, and they feared to return and
go around the outside of the island owing to the hostile reception they
had had atthesouthernend. So the kindly white man drew a rough map
on the sand, giving them information about the tides, hostile Indians,
good hiding-places, and other lore which he thought would be of value.
Then they set forth and reached the north end of Vancouver Island with-
out being seen. Thenceforth they were among friendly tribes and could
travel openly.

Meanwhile the Bella Bella had despaired of the safety of the long-
absent hunters. The father of the chief had invited neighbouring tribes
to a memorial potlatch in honour of his son when, on the morning of the
day when the rites were to commence, a large canoe was seen approaching
the beach. It contained so much European clothing and utensils that
those on shore could not recognize the occupants until they were close at
hand; but when it was seen that they were the long-lost hunters, they
were welcomed with great rejoicing. The only disappointed man was the
one who had arranged to marry the wife of the absent chief; she had
insisted on waiting for a year before re-marrying, although the wives of
the crew had all taken new partners believing their husbands dead.”

“It is difficult to explain a story such as the above. It seems impossible that
a canoe-load actually reached an island off the coast of California, and yet there
is no place off the Oregon or Washington shore to which it could refer. Probably
the time that elapsed and the directions taken by the canoe have become confused
in the years that have passed since the voyage, though it is highly probable that
it rests on a basis of truth in the adventures of a crew driven from their course by
edverse winds. Naturally enough, the Bella Coola do not claim to be familiar