THE INDIANS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. 631 



eneray. He was as strong as two thunder-birds when he went into 

 the battle." 



An ancient law demands that four songs be sung before the meal 

 can be served and the debate can be opened. The young man dished 

 out the meal, and while all were eating one of the chiefs rose, wrapped 

 his blanket around him so as to leave one arm free, and began bis 

 speech. Of course, I did not understand him, but I saw from his ex- 

 pressive gestures that he spoke of me. After his long speech was fin- 

 ished, an interpreter was sent to me and translated the contents of the 

 speech into Chinook. 



I have to remark here that the Canadian Government tries to sup- 

 press the feasts of the natives, and that the Indian agent had occasion- 

 ally threatened this tribe to send a man-of-war if they would not stop 

 their feasts. As I was unknown to any of them, and even my friend 

 had made my acquaintance only very recently, I was suspected to have 

 come there in order to report to the Government, and to send a man- 

 of-war. Therefore the chief spoke thus : 



" We want to know whether you have come to stop our dances and 

 feasts, as the missionaries and agents who live among our neighbors 

 try to do. We do not want to have anybody here who will interfere 

 with our customs. The agent has told us that he would send a man- 

 of-war if we should continue to do as our grandfathers and great- 

 grandfathers have done. But we do not mind his words. Is this the 

 w'hite man's land ? The agent says this is the Queen's land ; but no ! 

 it is mine. Where was the Queen when God sent down Qanikila?* 

 AYhere was the Queen when Qanikila gave this land to my great- 

 grandfather and told him, ' This will be thine ' ? My father owned this 

 land and was a mighty chief ; now it is mine. And when your man- 

 of-war comes, let him destroy our houses. Do you see those woods ? 

 Do you see those trees ? We shall cut them down and build new 

 houses, and live as our fathers did. We will dance when our laws 

 command us to dance, we w411 feast when our hearts desire to feast. 

 Do we ask the white man, ' Do as the Indian does ' ? No, we do not. 

 Why, then, will you ask us, ' Do as the white man does ' ? It is a strict 

 law that bids us to dance. It is a strict law that bids us to distribute 

 our property among our friends and neighbors. It is a good law. Let 

 the white man observe his law ; we shall observe ours. . And now, if 

 you are come to forbid us to dance, begone ; if not, you will be 

 welcome to us." 



I was expected to answer this speech, and did so through the inter- 

 preter. I assured them of my friendly intentions, and said that I would 

 not send a man-of-war — well I might promise that ! — that I had no in- 

 tention to interfere with their ways and customs ; and, in order to 

 show that I was their friend, I invited the whole tribe to a feast on 

 the next night. 



* Qanikila is the son of the dcitj in the traditions of this people. 



