THE INDIANS OF CAPE FLATTERY. 53 



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In the government of the tribe at present, all matters of importance are submitted * 

 to a council, which is held whenever any one gives a feast, or during the time of 

 the ceremonials of the tamanawas. The old men on these occasions generally do 

 all the talking, although women are permitted to speak on matters where they are 

 concerned. I have known of but two or three instances where they have inflicted 

 punishment, and on those occasions their mode was a pretty rough one. The first 

 case was that of a man who was noted for his quarrelsome disposition ; always in 

 trouble, and always finding fault. Having become offended with his squaw, he 

 turned her off and took another, a practice which is very common, both men and 

 women leaving their partners on the most trivial occasions. Some time afterward 

 the squaw got another husband, at which the first one was very indignant ; and 

 after much wordy warfare finally stabbed the new husband in the back. This was 

 considered a gross outrage by the rest of the tribe ; not the stabbing, but doing 

 it without sufficient cause. The head men deliberated, and at last gathering 

 together a band of friends, they proceeded to the village where the culprit resided, 

 and after first securing him, they pulled out his hair and scarified the top of his 

 head. The women finished the scene by pouring salt water on him, and rubbing 

 his head with sand. One of the performers in this strange mode of punishment 

 told me that the man felt very much ashamed, and would probably hereafter be 

 more civil in his speech, and try and improve his fractious temper, a result very 

 likely to be attained, as they promised upon a repetition of any more acts of vio 

 lence to treat him to another and a severer dose. I have observed that he has 

 been remarkably quiet in his deportment ever since. The other instances were for 

 offences committed during the tamanawas ceremonies, and the punishment consisted 

 in having sharp skewers of bone thrust through the fleshy part of the arms between 

 the elbows and shoulders. After they had thus remained a short time, they were 

 pulled out, and stuck in the bark head band, where they were obliged to be worn 

 during the remainder of the ceremonies. In some instances they close the mouth 

 by thrusting these skewers through the lips. This punishment is inflicted on those 

 who laugh at or ridicule the ceremonials. In cases of theft, adultery, or murder, 

 an opportunity is always offered to compromise the affair by restitution of the stolen 

 property ; and by the payment of a certain amount of blankets, guns, or canoes for 

 the other offences ; the amount of such payment being decided by the friends 

 of the plaintiff in the case. If no such compromise is made, the aggrieved 

 party will take his revenge either on the person who has committed the offence, or 

 on any of his relatives ; this revenge will be satisfied by breaking up a valuable 

 canoe, taking forcible possession of any blankets or guns that may be had ; or, if 

 the offence consists in murder, by shooting or stabbing the offender or his nearest 

 relative. 



With the exceptions I have already noticed, there have been no instances, during 

 my residence, of the tribe, or a number of them, being concerned in the punishment 

 of offenders. All other cases that have come under my observation have been 

 settled bv individuals after their own fashion. In one instance a sort of bloodless 



9 



duel was fought between two men, one of whom had stolen the other one s squaw. 

 They were both slaves, and had the will to kill each other with knives, but the 



