Devout Indians 
possessed fire-arms lined the cliffs and fired 
salutes into the air. This was much more like 
business, for we were getting to work. My 
friendly chief was specially devout, the priest 
had the “‘ length of his foot” to a nicety. He 
went to Mass three times a day for the whole of 
that week, and every time he passed our shack 
had his pockets stuffed full of tallow dips which 
had presumably cost him good money. Perhaps 
that is why he sold me the bows and arrows, etc. 
Anyhow the whole native community were ex- 
tremely devout; I have never seen anything 
quite like the sincerity displayed, which made 
quite an impression on me. Money would not 
have made the men false to their faith, for 
to my shame I admit trying to get them to 
start on my trip with me. Had I imagined that 
the proceedings had such a hold on them, I, of 
course, would not have attempted to persuade 
them to violate their principles, but as I ex- 
plained to ‘‘ His Riverince” afterwards, my 
efforts only showed how deeply in earnest they 
were. Whether it was the result of this priest’s 
individuality or of the religion he preached, I am 
unable to say, but the result was extremely good, 
for a better lot of natives I have never come 
across, honest, hard-working, and good fellows, 
and the priest may well be proud of his flock. 
Whilst on the subject of the natives I met, I 
may mention a curious custom that I noticed 
239 
