FIRST MEETING WITH NATIVES. 243 



natives coming around the point in three dug-out canoes and 

 pulling with double paddles. We immediately manned our 

 boat and went out to meet them, but they appeared shy and 

 stood to the southward. We lay on our oars and held up 

 some pemmican, and finally a handsome youth of about 

 eighteen approached cautiously and took a piece. Then he 

 called his two companions and they also came to us. We 

 then induced them to go ashore with us to the old landing., 

 where we built a fire and commenced preparing tea. One of 

 the natives gave us a goose and a fish, all they had at the 

 time. Their boats were very neat and well fitted with 

 nets. 



I noticed that one of the strangers had a gray coat with a 

 velvet collar, and when I pointed to it inquiringly he said 

 ' Bulun.' Then I pointed to his knife, or bohaktah, as In- 

 called it, and he also said 'Bulun.' From this I imagined 

 that Bulun was the name of the place where they had ob- 

 lained them. We had a very joyous time drinking tea and 

 eating goose, for we felt that we were safe. The natives 

 showed us all their hunting gear, and we showed them the 

 compass, the watch, and our rifles, much to their delight. 



After eating they crossed themselves, shook hands, and 

 said ' PasJu'e bah.' They also showed us their crosses, which 

 they kissed ; and I was very glad to have in my possession a 

 certain talisman which had been sent to me by a Catholic 

 friend at San Francisco, with the message that it had been 

 blessed by the priest and I would be sure to be safe if I wore 

 it. I did not have much faith in this, however, but I showed 

 it to the natives, and they kissed it devoutly. 



It was the only article in the possession of the party, in- 

 deed, that indicated to the natives that we were Christians. 

 You can imagine our feelings at meeting these people, for 

 they were the first strangers whom we had seen for more 

 than two years ; and I never before felt so thankful to mis- 

 sionaries as I did on that day at finding that we were among 

 Christian natives. 



We indicated to the three natives that we wanted to sleep. 



