ion was most acceptable: although I had heard much of
Indian feasts, I never was present at any.

Late in the evening we directed our steps towards the "banqueting
house," a large hut temporarily erected for the occasion. We found the
numerous guests assembled and already seated around "the festive
board;" our place had been left vacant for us, Mr. Dease taking his
seat next to the great chief, Quaw, and we, his Meewidiyazees (little
chiefs), in succession. The company were disposed in two rows: the
chiefs and elders being seated next the wall, formed the outer, and
the young men the inner row; an open space of about three feet in
breadth intervening between them. Immense quantities of roasted meat,
bear, beaver, siffleu or marmot, were piled up at intervals, the whole
length of the building; berries mixed up with rancid salmon oil, fish
roe that had been buried underground a twelve-month, in order to give
it an _agreeable_ flavour, were the good things presented at this
feast of gluttony and flow of oil. The berry mixture, and roes were
served in wooden troughs, each having a large wooden spoon attached to
it. The enjoyments of the festival were ushered in with a song, in
which all joined:--

"I approach the village,
Ya ha he ha, ya ha ha ha;
And hear the voices of many people,
Ya ha, &c.
The barking of dogs,
Ya ha, &c.
Salmon is plentiful,
Ya ha, &c.
The berry season is good,
Ya ha, &c.

After the song commenced the demolition of the mountains of meat,
which was but slowly effected, notwithstanding the unremitting and
strenuous exertions of the guests. The greatest order, however, was
maintained; the relatives of the deceased acted as stewards, each of
them seizing a roasted beaver, or something else, squatted himself in
front of one of the guests, and presenting the meat, which he held
with both his hands (males and females officiating), desired him to
help himself. If the guest appeared backward in the attack, he was
pressed, in the politest terms, to eat. "Now, I pray you, tear away
with a good will;"--"I am glad to see you eat so strongly;"--"Come
now, stuff yourself with this fine piece of fat bear." And stuff
himself he must, or pay a forfeit, to avoid a catastrophe. But having
paid thus, and acknowledged himself fairly overcome by his host's
politeness, he is spared any further exertio