THE CHINOOK INDIANS. 25 



ever, escaped into the woods, and next morning reached the Fort, 

 imploring protection ; she was accordingly secreted for several days 

 until her own relations took her home to Chinook Point. In the 

 meantime a woman was found murdered in the woods and the act 

 was universally attributed to Gasenov or one of his emissaries. 



I may here mention a painful occurence which took place on 

 Thompson's River, in New Caledonia, in further illustration of this 

 peculiar superstition. A Chief dying, his widow considered a sacri- 

 fice as indispensable, but having selected a victim of rather too much 

 importance, she was unable for some time to accomplish her object j 

 at length the nephew of the chief, no longer able to bear the contin- 

 ual taunts of cowardice which she unceasingly heaped upon him, 

 seized his gun and started for the Company's Fort on the river, 

 about twenty miles distant. On arriving, he was courteously receiv- 

 ed by Mr. Black, the gentleman in charge of the Fort, who express- 

 ed great regret at the death of his old friend the chief. After pre- 

 senting the Indian with something to eat, and giving him some 

 tobacco, Mr. Black turned to leave the room, and while opening the 

 door was shot from behind by his treacherous guest and immediately 

 expired. The murderer succeeded in escaping from the Fort, but the 

 tribe, who were warmly attached to Mr. Black, took his revenge 

 upon themselves and hunted him down. This was done more to 

 evince their high esteem for Mr. Black than from any sense of impro- 

 priety in the customary sacrifice. 



I never heard any traditions amongst the Chinooks as to their 

 former origin, although such traditions are common among the In- 

 dian tribes on the east side of the Rocky mountains. They do not 

 believe in any future state of punishment, although in this world they 

 suppose themselves exposed to the malicious designs of the Skocoom 

 or evil genius, to whom they attribute all their misfortunes and ill 

 luck. The good spirit is called the Hias Soch-a-U Ti-yah, that 

 is the Great High Chief from whom they obtain all that is good in 

 this life, and to whose happy and peaceful hunting grounds they 

 believe they shall all eventually go, to reside for ever in comfort and 

 abundance. 



The medicine men of the tribe are supposed to possess a mys- 

 terious influence with these two spirits, either for good or evil, and of 

 course possess great power in the tribe. These medicine men form a 

 secret society, the initiation into which is accompanied with great 

 ceremony and much expense. I witnessed, whilst amongst them, the 

 initiation of a canditate, which was as follows : — The canditate has to 



