The Indians of Vancouver Island 289 



first sighted this inlet, they named " Albemi." The savages dropped 

 off, or came in to work for the whites, and by-and-bye acquired 

 the dubious accompUshments of chewing tobacco, and flavouring 

 their antient language with the oaths of British commerce. For 

 four years did Mr Sproat, the founder of this place, at different 

 intervals, live and labour in his capacity of magistrate and mer- 

 chant, a hundred miles from any of his race, save his fellow- 

 adventurers, roaming through the forest with the Indian hunter, 

 or travelling circuit in their canoes, making peace between 

 rival tribes or tall backwoodsmen, whose valuation of Indian 

 life was of the rudest. For more than 200 miles of coast not 

 a white man lived. In every quiet inlet and bay smoked the 

 villages of savage tribes, nearly always at war with each other, 

 and knowing nothing of the mysteries and civilization of the 

 whites, who had thus unceremoniously taken up their quarters 

 among them. They were only a small section of the Indians 

 of the colony, but perhaps the largest, though least known (if the 

 term can be allowed, where all are unknown, or worse, erroneously 

 so) ; and speaking as they did one language with varying dialects, 

 our author called them the Aht nation from the terminal syllable of 

 their tribal name, and commenced the studies which are given in 

 this little volume. The Ahts are a rather squat nation, addicted to 

 painting, and adopting a canoe life more than that of a hunter — flat- 

 tening the foreheads of their men and women, but withal a bold 

 race (so far as boldness in their murderous night attacks goes), skil- 

 ful in building and navigating cedar (Thuja gigantea) canoes, and 

 patiently whittling out the broad boards which their long collier- 

 looking villages are built of They number about 1700 men, 

 fit to bear arms, and are divided into twenty small tribes, scarcely 

 two of which are friendly to each other. The race is fast decreasing, 

 but they seem at one time to have been a powerful people, extend- 

 ing from Port San Juan on De Fucas Straits, to Woody Point, on the 

 western shores of the island. They run swiftly, as Mr Sproat 

 well knows, when he had, in the rough life of a north-western 

 Justice, to pursue a thieving fugitive through the dense forests 

 which everywhere cover their country, except when lakes and 

 rushing rivers intersect the valleys. Their skill in paddling and 

 managing their light canoes has always been a subject of eulogium 

 since the days of Cook, Meares, or Vancouver. Their land abounds 

 in game ; salmon in incredible numbers, and deer sometimes so 

 plentiful that you can buy them from the natives for 6d. a-head, 



