, 1877-09-07

ing the afternoon Of the 14th.
l received note from Rev. Mr..
stating that the Indians
wished me to be present at a wedding
feast that afternoon, and in company
with Cd Lieut.. Kilgore of the VOL
colt, we went to Mr.. Crosby's house,
to await the messenger from the In
dians to announce they we're ready.
In II few minutes he came, and in
company with Mr.. and Mrs. Crosby
and Lieut.. Kilgore, went to the
lodge which was an immence build
ing of beams and plank, about 100
feet square. Tables were set for
two hundred people who were pres.
ent. The young ones and very old
people had been first served with a
feast of rice and molasses, fried hall.
but, oil and such luxuries. Then
the house had been cleaned, and ia
bles set with clean white table
cloths on each, and knives, forks,
plates, cups, saucers, and all appli-
snces requisite for civilized table
use. We were conducted to a re-
served table in the centre, on which
were several vases of wild flowers,
tastfully arranged.
After a blessing had been asked,
and hymn sung, the company sat
down to eat. We were served with
roast goose, roast ducks, potatoes,
birds, rice, bread, cake, coffee and
tea, all we'll cooked and very clean.
A number of young Indians with
white jackets and aprons acted as
walters, and everything was as regu-
lar and orderly as in restaurant.
After we had finished eating, a
hymn was sung by the whole com.
pany, and then we were called upon
to make speeches, and here | will
mention an incident showing that In
dams are possessed of the virtue Of
although it is generally
denied that they have such feelings.
A woman rose and requested ermis-
sion to speak. She said that her
heart told her that now was the right
time, in the presence of her people
for her to say what she had wished
to. She then stated that / had
saved her life and she felt very CRATE
full to me. The incident ID as fol.
lows:
On the Goth day Of September,
1868, party of Tsimsean Indians
of IS persons, bound from
Puget Sound to Victoria, were over
saken by dense fog, and camped
for tine night on Dungeness spit near
The light, house. About two o'clock
n the morning they were attacked
oy a party of Clallam Indians, and
the whole party were massacred ex-
,ept this woman who was dresdfully
wounded and thrown into the water
for dead. She recovered enough,
however, to crawl out OH the beach,
where she was cast by the receding
side, and at daylight was found by
he light keeper and placed in the
family of Canadian half-bre who
mad Tsimsean wife. notified Gen.
McKinny, the then Superintendent
Of Indian Affairs, and by his instruc-
lion l attended to the case, and when
The woman was fit to be removed, l
took her to Victoria and sent her to
Fort Simpson, ON the Hudson's Bay
Company's Steamer Otter, and with
ler quantity of goods and coin fur.
nished by Gen. Mckinney, sufficient
10 satisfy the friends of the murdered
party, and prevent their commencing
4 war Of retaliation. The chief trad
or Of the fort (Mr. Morrison,) in
formed me that this woman frequent.
" spoke of my kindness, and now she
took this public way OF testifying to
her gratitude.
The interpreter was native woman
who spoke excellent English. After
the woman had done talking, the in
terpreter said that she also wished to
speak to her people, that her own
mother and her uncle had been killed
in that Massacre, and she had heard
how | had taken care of the dead
bodies. and she felt gratifed and
wished to thank me before the peo.
pie there assembled. Rev. Mr.. Cros.
by then made few remarks and at
his suggestion the whole assembly
arose aud saluted me with express.
sion of thanks.
An old chief then made a speech
in which he said that / had showed
myself friend OF the Tsimsesn, and
they never would forget my kindness
to one of their people.
After this there many speeches