292 Journal of Trai^el and Natural History 



author. It is satisfactory to think that the aristocracy are not 

 addicted to evil courses. " It is only among the idle, poor, and 

 low born youth, and the last-named" {i.e., the rank and file) " that 

 the worst Indians are found ; as a rule, well-bom natives, and 

 especially the heads of families, are quiet and well-behaved." 

 They are rather vindictive, and some ugly stories are told of their 

 cold-blooded cruelty to prisoners taken in war. Their notions of 

 meum and tuum are somewhat loose, as in most savage tribes, 

 but it is right to say that they are honest among themselves — 

 "honour among thieves" is a redeeming virtue. To their children 

 they are very affectionate, never chastising them ; and though 

 generally friendly to strangers, yet are habitually suspicious, and 

 are continually thinking "how can I turn this person to my own 

 account, and how can I defend myself from his designs against me?" 

 Want of foresight, absence of faith and ingratitude, are among the 

 most cardinal sins which they are accused of as a nation. There 

 are several interesting sections on their fishing and hunting, pre- 

 senting some new details of the zoology of the north-west coast ; 

 and the chapter devoted to an account of their sorcerers is par- 

 ticularly worthy of the study of those interested in the wide-spread 

 belief in charlatans, and the similarity of superstitions in all ages 

 and among all races. The traditions and mythology of the people 

 are very extensive, and it is to be hoped will soon be undertaken at 

 greater length than the few pages the author devotes to it. Extra- 

 ordinary occurrences soon drop into tradition. Already the 

 blowing-up of the " Tonquin," so graphically described in Washing- 

 ton Irving's " Astoria," has got to be looked upon as a wonderful 

 manifestation of their great spirit Qiiahtcaht. The author does 

 not think that events can be handed down for more than two or 

 three generations. On the other hand, the natives still remember 

 Cook, and they talk of the loves and mishaps of Jewitt, armourer 

 of the " Boston," who was captive amongst them, and wrote an 

 account of his captivity. Though they remember the old Spanish 

 settlement at Nootka, yet they have no recollection of Meares 

 building and launching the " North- West" schooner. Vancouver's 

 name is pronounced (juite distinctly. The writer of this review 

 remembers an old Indian who used to describe with great gusto 

 Vancouver's boatswain giving three dozen to his men of a morning ; 

 and to tliose who are aware of the martinet character of the great ex- 

 plorer the reminiscence is quite characteristic ! No more plaintive 

 account can be given of the cession of Nootka by the Spanish 



