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 



