238 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



was compelled to fly in consequence, and put herself under the 

 protection of Dr. McLoughlin, who found means to send her to 

 her people below. Disappointed in this scheme of vengeance, 

 the chief determined to sacrifice all whom he thought had ever 

 wronged his son, or treated him with indignity ; and the first 

 victim whom he selected was a very pretty and accomplished 

 Chinook girl, named Waskema, who was remarkable for the 

 exceeding beauty of her long black hair, Waskema had been 

 solicited by the boy in marriage, but had refused him, and the 

 matter had been long forgotten, until it was revived in the re- 

 collection of the father by the death of his son. Ke-az-a-no 

 despatched two of his slaves to Fort William, (where the girl was 

 at that time engaged in making moccasins for Mr. W. and where 

 I had seen her a short time previously,) who hid themselves 

 in the neighborhood until the poor creature had embarked in her 

 canoe alone to return to her people,- when they suddenly rushed 

 upon her from the forest which skirted the river, and shot two 

 balls through her bosom. The body was then thrown into the 

 water, and the canoe broken to pieces on the beach. 



Tapeo the brother of Waskema delivered to me a letter from 

 Mr. W. detailing these circumstances, and amid an abundance of 

 tears which he shed for the loss of his only and beloved sister, he 

 denounced the heaviest vengeance upon her murderer. These 

 threats, however, I did not regard, as I knew the man would 

 never dare to raise his hand against his chief, but as expression 

 relieves the overcharged heart, I did not check his bursts of grief 

 and indignation- 



A few days after this, Ke-ez-a-no himself stalked into my room. 

 After sitting a short time in silence, he asked if I believed him 

 guilty of the murder of Waskema. I replied that I did, and that 

 if the deed had been committed in my country, he would be 

 hanged. He denied all agency in the matter, and placing one 

 hand upon his bosom, and pointing upwards with the other, called 



