RECEPTION AT FORT RUPERT. 161 



faces and bodies painted in most fantastic pat- 

 terns, with red and white. Keeping steadily 

 along with us, they continually relieved their 

 feelings by giving utterance to the most wild 

 and fiendish yells that ever came from human 

 throats. 



As we neared the landing, I could see the chief 

 trader of the Hudson's Bay Company, conspicu- 

 ously white amidst a group of redskins, waiting 

 to receive us. The boat grated on the shingle 

 some distance from the beach, white with spray. 

 ' Surely you don't expect me to go ashore like 

 a seal? ' I appealingly enquired of the captain. 

 Before he had time to reply, four powerful 

 savages, up to their waists in water, fisted me out 

 of the boat ; and two taking my heels, and two 

 my shoulders, they bore me safely to the shore. 



Having handed my letters of introduction from 

 his Excellency the Governor to the chief trader, 

 I was presented to the chiefs as a Hyas tyee 

 (great chief), one of ' King George's ' men. So we 

 shook hands, and I attempted to move towards 

 the fort; it was not to be done. To use the 

 mildest term, I was ' mobbed ; ' old savages and 

 young savages, old squaws and young squaws, 

 even to boy and girl savage, rushed and scrambled 

 to shake hands with me. Had I been a ' pump' 



VOL. I. M 



