North-West Continent of America. 241 



times they pressed their extended fingers, with all their 

 strength on his stomach ; they also put their fore fingers 

 doubled into his mouth, and spouted water from their own 

 with great violence into his face. To support these opera- 

 tions, the wretched sufferer was held up in a sitting pos- 

 ture ; and when they were concluded, he was laid down, 

 and covered with a new robe made of the skins of the 

 lynx. I had observed that his belly and breast were co- 

 vered with scars, and I understood that they were caused 

 by a custom prevalent among them, of applying pieces of 

 lighted touch wood to their flesh, in order to relieve pain 

 or demonstrate their courage. He was now placed on a 

 broad plank, and carried by six men into the woods, where 

 I was invited to accompany them. I could not conjec- 

 ture what would be the end of this ceremony, particularly 

 as I saw one man carry fire, another an axe, and a third 

 dry wood. I was, indeed, disposed to suspect that, as it 

 was their custom to burn the dead, they intended to re-* 

 lieve the poor man from his pain, and perform the last sad 

 duty of surviving affection* When they had advanced a 

 short distance into the wood, they laid him upon a clear 

 spot, and kindled a fire against his back, when the physi- 

 cian began to scarify the ulcer with a very blunt instru- 

 ment, the cruel pain of which operation the patient bore 

 with incredible resolution. The scene afflicted me and I 

 left it. 



On my return to our lodge, I observed before the door 

 of the chief's residence, four heaps of salmon, each of 

 which consisted of between three and four hundred fish. 

 Sixteen women were employed in cleaning and preparing 

 them. They first separate the head from the body, the 

 former of which they boil; they then cut the latter down 

 the back on each side of the bone, leaving one third of the 

 fish adhering to it, and afterwards take out the guts. The 

 bone is roasted for immediate use, and the other parts 

 are dressed in the same manner, but with more attention, 

 for future povision. While they are before the fire, 

 troughs are placed under them to receive the oil. The 

 roes are also carefully preserved, and form a favourite ar- 

 ticle of their food. 



After I had observed these culinary preparations, I paid 

 a visit to the chief, who presented me with a roasted sal- 

 mon; he then opened one of his chests, and took out of 

 it a garment of blue cloth, decorated with brass buttons : 



2 g 



