APPENDIX III. 255 



they are divided into three classes, termed respectively Chit-sa, 

 Nate-sa, and Tanges-at-sa — faintly representing the aristocracy, 

 the middle classes, and the poorer orders of civilised nations, 

 the former being the most wealthy and the latter the poorest. 

 In one respect, however, the}^ greatly differ, it being the rule 

 for a man not to marry in his own, but to take a wife from 

 either of the other classes. A Chit-sa gentleman will marry a 

 Tanges-at-sa peasant without the least feeling infra dig. The 

 offspring in every case belong to the class of the mother. This 

 arrangement has had a most beneficial effect in allaying the 

 deadly feuds formerly so frequent among them. I witnessed 

 one this summer, but it was far from being of a disastrous 

 nature. The weapons used were neither the native bow nor 

 imported gun, but the unruly tongue, and even it was used in 

 the least objectionable way. A chief, whose tribe was in dis- 

 grace for a murder committed the summer before, met the 

 chief of the tribe to which the victim belonged, and in the pre- 

 sence of all commenced a brilliant oration in favour of him and 

 his people, while he feelingly deplored his own and his people's 

 inferiority. At once in the most gallant way the offended chief, 

 in a speech equally warm, refused the compliments so freely 

 offered, and returned them all with interest on his antagonist. 

 This lasted for an hour or two, when the offender, by a skillful 

 piece of tactics, confessed himself so thoroughly beaten that he 

 should never be able to open his lips again in the presence of 

 his generous conqueror. Harmony, of course, was the inevitable 

 result. 



The dress of all is pretty much the same. It consists of a 

 tunic or shirt reaching to the knees, and very much orna- 

 mented with beads and Hyaqua shells from the Columbia. 

 The trousers and shoes are attached, and ornamented with 

 beads and shells similar to the tunics. The dress of the women 

 is the same as that of the men, with the exception of the tunic 

 being round instead of pointed in front. 



The beads above mentioned constitute the Indian's wealth. 

 They are strung up in lengths, in yards, and fathoms, and form 

 a regular currency among them ; a fathom being the standard. 



