CHAPTER XIII. 



Matricide, a deed of horror. — The Bride's departure. — A novel punishmeut. 

 — Snow-BIinduess. — Companionship. — Refraction. — Games. — Tlie 

 Cripple. — Amusements of children. — Cutting out. — Caymgliche the 

 grateful. — The ungrateful Stranger. — Summary. 



A CUSTOM exists with this people which must shock 

 the least delicate sensibilities of civilisation, so utterly 

 repugnant is it to all laws human or divine. Tidings 

 were one morning brought to the ship that one of the 

 elder women of Woorel had died on the previous 

 night. Enquiring into the circumstances of her 

 decease, we were informed with the most perfect 

 indifference of manner, that she had been " Wah-let- 

 tah " (stabbed) by her son. We could not at first 

 conceive this horrible statement to be true, but unmis- 

 takeable signs put it beyond a doubt, nor did our 

 remarks on the frightful natm-e of the act elicit the 

 slightest token of reciprocal feeling. Why should, 

 not the old woman die ? aged and feeble, weary of life, 

 and a burden to herself and others, she no longer 

 desired to cumber the earth, and claimed of him who 



