ozed from the body until the heat became
insupportable: when the wretched creature, however, attempted to draw
back, she was thrust forward by her husband's relatives at the point
of their spears, and forced to endure the dreadful torture until
either the body was reduced to ashes, or she herself almost scorched
to death. Her relatives were present merely to preserve her life; when
no longer able to stand they dragged her away; and this intervention
often led to bloody quarrels! The body being burned, the ashes were
collected in a box and given in charge to the widow, who carried them
about with her until the feast was prepared, when they were taken from
her, and deposited in a small hut or placed upon the top of a wooden
pillar neatly carved, as their final resting-place.

During this interval she was in a state of the most wretched slavery;
every child in the village might command her and beat her unmercifully
if they chose, no one interfered. After the feast, however, she
regained her freedom, and along with that the privilege of incurring
the risk of another scorching. Our interference relieved them from the
most cruel part of the ceremony; the temporary state of slavery is
still continued.

CHAPTER XIX.

INDIAN FEAST--ATTEMPT AT DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION--RELIGION--ORDERED TO
PORT ALEXANDRIA--ADVANTAGES OF THE SITUATION--SENT BACK TO FORT ST.
JAMES--SOLITUDE--PUNISHMENT OF INDIAN MURDERER--ITS CONSEQUENCES--HEROIC
ADVENTURE OF INTERPRETER.

Mr. Dease arrived from Fort Vancouver on the 5th of September, and
expressed himself highly gratified with the appearance our "gardens"
presented; an ample stock of salmon had also been laid in, so that we
had nothing to fear from want, which sometimes had been severely felt.
In the beginning of November, our despatches from the east side of the
mountains came to hand, usually a joyful event, but saddened this year
by the intelligence we received, that our excellent superintendent was
about to leave us, having obtained permission to visit the civilized
world for medical advice;--the doctor was only 5,000 miles off!

In the beginning of the winter we were invited to a feast held in
honour of a great chief, who died some years before. The person who
delivered the invitation stalked into the room with an air of vast
consequence, and strewing our heads with down, pronounced the name of
the presiding chief, and withdrew without uttering another syllable.
To me the invitat