, 1875-06-26
LlHIE Irng ,i,>At.

ance ~ ac.1I lHr-r fr1rfIa beat.
ancy .it'le eaff -a- really ... faI
fine ruu arrlss tho GulfufGeur.
-ia with ihir- of interest 1er.
cite attention. w cyp~cte,l a.
exciting treat At Seymour uarrsw.
where tha water b. sail % ru.i
through the caiArart ci-ruel o.
the rate of Q or 10 knots: bat the
Narrows were A. quiet anil It'll o.
that we had sailed for miles over.
Our next stopping place VA.
Alert Bay, here was village Of
Nimpkish Indians, AMI the fr.t
signs Of life We had seen. The
Judge went ashore to visit the
trader, and also 10 hunt up curl
osities, which j. a part of his mis-
sion; lie succeeded in purchasing
a large canoe, said to be the larg-
est on the coast, 81 feet long and
! 3 feet beam, which is to be for
warded TO the Centennial Exhibi.
tion at Phiiadelphis, and will fur
nish to the expected multitude a
sample Of the handiwork Of Pacific
Coast Indians, and also a speci-
men Of the size Of timber grown
here; the canoe being cut out Of
solid log. The trader came
aboard to see us and brought a
number Of smaller curiosities,
among them some sheets of copper
with designs and carvings on
them said to be considered of
great value among the Indians.
He told us that a tribe north of
him had found the paddle box of
a side-wheel steamer, and inquired
ii any steamer had been wrecked
recently, or within three months
! past on the southern coast. We
knew of none and could only con-
clude that it might have belonged
to the Mohongo, lost in a great
gale several weeks since. We an
chored one night in Safety Cove
and another at Carter's Bay, pass
ing the Bella Bella tribe Of fndi.
ans on our way. After leaving
Carter's we were delighted with
the sight of numerous cataracts
and mountain torrents rushing
down their lofty sides from the
very topmost summit; you could
see them coming down sometimes
IN almost a straight course, like a
silver ribbon amidst the dark green
foliage, at Others following a SER
pentine course among the rocks
and trees; occasionally bounding
in terrific leap from an over.
hanging crag for hundreds of feet
in mid-air, -being- driven blythe
fall into filmy spfay-and gath
ering again, rushing, gushing,
dashing-and splsshing till finally
they poured into the quiet waters
beneath.
On Monday, the 14th, we arrived
at Fort Simpson and remained
there for about 30 hours. The
Agent of the Hudson Bay Com
pany there did all be could to rem
der our stay pleasant and to for
ward the plans Of our friend, the
Commissioner of the Interior De-
partment. While here there oc-
Cured among the Indians the
Tsim-se.ans, a wedding, a feast,
and a funeral, besides several i'm
pronrptu canoe races. The we'd
ding was performed in regular or
lthodox style by the Wesleyan
missionary there and was duly at
landed by q delegation ofour mess.
The feast was reported to be a
grand and delicious affair; the
largest lodge in the village was
brought into requisition and
crowded with guests and visitors.
Stuffed goose was their principal
dish, and Like holy oil it flowed
lovingly down the Judges throat.
The funeral, as all funerals are.
was sad affair, and was rendered
more dismal by the hideous howls
and moans of the surviving friends;
all the dogs, and they were very
numerous, felt called upon to ioin
in the chorus. 1t was sad but very
laughable to the unsympathizing
stranger. l discovered one of our
most sedate shipmates indulging
his eachinatory powers to their
fullest extent during one of their
moaning spells.
Our amateur photographer here tried
his skill, and much to his own surprise
succeeded in taking some very fair neg
atives OF the curious pillars and carved
posts these Indians erect in front of
their lodges. Altogether our stay at
Fort Simpson was one long to be re-
memberedby those connected with this
expedition.
We stopped over night at Tongas.
where are the buildings erected bv tbe
Government for barracks for troops. and
which was occupied as a military sta
ton alter the country was acquired
from Russia. The whole thing q said
to have cost half million and at ane-
ton brought 500. The white popula-
ton consists OF one-Custom House
officer. We were befogged the next
evening and had to anchor in forty
tathoms Of water along shore. The
sailors had their fishlines over as soon
as the anchor struck the bottom. and
soon all the tackle the ship could mus
ter was brought into requisition, for we
had struck halibut bank, and in about |
thirty minutes a dozen fine ones, and
a quantity of regular down-east cod |
Ilsh were tapping on deck. 1t was finn.
We could have tsken nnar,- -. -. -. |