The Country of the Chilcats 



chief. He wanted to know what Professor Davidson 

 had been trying to do a year or two ago on a moun- 

 tain-top back of the village, with many strange things 

 looking at the sun when it grew dark in the daytime; 

 and we had to try to explain eclipses. He asked us if 

 we could tell him what made the water rise and fall 

 twice a day, and we tried to explain that the sun and 

 moon attracted the sea by showing how a magnet 

 attracted iron. 



Mr. Young, as usual, explained the object of his 

 visit and requested that the people might be called 

 together in the evening to hear his message. Accord- 

 ingly all were told to wash, put on their best clothing, 

 and come at a certain hour. There was an audience 

 of about two hundred and fifty, to whom Mr. Young 

 preached. Toyatte led in prayer, while Kadachan and 

 John joined in the singing of several hymns. At the 

 conclusion of the religious exercises the chief made a 

 short address of thanks, and finished with a request 

 for the message of the other chief. I again tried in 

 vain to avoid a speech by telling the interpreter to 

 explain that I was only traveling to see the country, 

 the glaciers, and mountains and forests, etc., but these 

 subjects, strange to say, seemed to be about as inter- 

 esting as the gospel, and I had to deliver a sort of 

 lecture on the fine foodful country God had given 

 them and the brotherhood of man, along the same 

 general lines I had followed at other villages. Some 

 five similar meetings were held here, two of them in 

 the daytime, and we began to feel quite at home in the 

 big block-house with our hospitable and warlike friends. 



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