Pacific Coast and Islands 181 



steersman was an old fur-seal hunter, inured to 

 the dangers of the ocean, my bowman a young 

 hunter, the son-in-law of the former, and a skilful 

 canoe sailor, whilst the remainder were lads of some 

 eighteen years, well trained in the use of the 

 paddle, but unaccustomed to the open ocean.&quot; 



In this way, and after an adventurous voyage Ha ida House 

 &quot;the first messenger of the Cross&quot; responded to l 

 the appeal of the sick Haida Chief. &quot;We landed 

 in front of the large lodge of the chief Weah, 

 who was the head of the bear clan at Massett. 

 This numbered amongst its members the majority 

 of the Massett tribe. The entrance to this lodge 

 was a small oval doorway cut through the base of 

 a large totem pole, which compelled those enter 

 ing to bend in order to pass through it. On 

 entering we found ourselves on a tier or gallery of 

 some five or six feet in width, which formed the 

 uppermost of several similar platforms rising 

 one above the other from the ground floor below, 

 and running all round the house. A stairway 

 led down from this upper platform to the base 

 ment or floor. This was the plan on which all 

 the Haida houses were built, the object being 

 defence in case of attack. The small oval door 

 way cut through the base of the totem prevented 

 a surprise or rush of an enemy, whilst when 

 bullets were flying and crashing through the 

 walls from without, those within remained in 

 safety in the excavated space on the ground 

 floor, in the centre of which was the fire-place.&quot; 



The missionary s first address, and the reply to 



