THE INTERIOR OF OREGON. 465 



some of them, and after the probation, they deem themselves capable 

 of enduring both heat and cold, of sustaining fatigue, of outrunning 

 horses, pursuing game, and overcoming their enemies. If this is 

 neglected to be performed annually, they believe that the system be- 

 becomes easily fatigued, and Wawish is again their master. 



This treatment generally begins at the age of eighteen, and is only 

 discontinued when they have a large family, or have passed the most 

 active age by reaching that of forty years ; some, however, from a 

 feeling of pride, are said to continue it much beyond this period. 



The officers at Wallawalla mentioned, that some of the Indians had 

 remarkable powers of undergoing fatigue, and instanced the case of 

 one who performed the journey from Dr. Whitman's mission-house to 

 the forks of the Clearwater, a distance of one hundred miles, between 

 morning and sunset. This man is in the habit of performing this 

 treatment on himself annually. 



The Indians around Lapwai subsist for the most part upon fish, 

 roots, and berries : the latter they make into cakes; moss is also eaten 

 by them. Half of these Indians usually make a trip to the buffalo 

 country for three months, by which means they are supplied with the 

 flesh of that animal. 



The school at the station has in winter about five hundred scholars, 

 but in the summer not one-tenth of that number attend. Our gentle- 

 men heard some of the pupils read. Only two are converts to Chris- 

 tianity, the principal chief and another ; eight or ten, however, are 

 reported as showing signs of piety. 



The men are industrious, for Indians. The mission have a saw-mill 

 at this place, capable of sawing three thousand feet per day. 



The usual games of the Indians, which have been already described, 

 are played here. The wages for the performance of any task are paid 

 for in clothing, blankets, horses, &c. 



Their salmon-fishing is conducted with much industry, and lasts from 

 daylight until ten o'clock at night. Supper is their principal meal. 



The scalps of enemies are taken in war, and the war-dance is always 

 performed. 



Girls are offered as wives to the young men by the parents: the 

 ties of marriage are very loose, and wives are put away at pleasure. 

 This privilege is also allowed to the women, which places the two 

 sexes much more on a par than among the tribes west of the moun- 

 tains. 



The medicine men and women are much in repute here. Before 

 any sorcery or divination is performed, they retire to the mountains 

 for several days, where they fast, and where they pretend to have an 



vol. iv. 59 



