North-West Continent of Amerket. 263 



Iliad a wood to pass in my way thither, which was inter- 

 sected by various paths, and I took one that led to the 

 back instead of the front of the house ; and as the whole 

 had been very much altered since I was here before, X con- 

 cluded that I had lost my way. But I continued to pro- 

 ceed, and soon met with the chief's wife, who informed 

 me, that he was at the next house. On my going round 

 it, I perceived that they had thrown open the gable ends, 

 and added two wings, nearly as long as the body, both of 

 which were hung round with salmon as close as they could 

 be placed. As I could discover none of the men, I sat 

 down upon a large stone near some women, who were sup- 

 ping on salmon roes and berries. They invited me to 

 partake of their fare, and I was about to accept of their in- 

 vitation, when Mr. Mackay joined me, as both himself 

 and all my party were alarmed at my being alone. Nor 

 was his alarm lessened by an old man whom he met in the 

 wood, and who made use of signs to persuade him to re* 

 turn. As he came without his gun, I gave him one of my 

 pistols. When I saw the women continue their employ- 

 ment without paying the least attention to us, I could not 

 imagine that any hostile design was preparing against us. 

 Though the non-appearance of the men awakened some de- 

 gree of suspicion that I should not be received with the 

 same welcome as on my former visit. At length the chief 

 appeared, and his son, who had been our guide, following 

 him : displeasure was painted in the old man's countenance, 

 and he held in his hand a bead tobacco pouch which be- 

 longed to Mr. Mackay, and the young chief had purloined 

 from him. When he had approached within three or four 

 yards of me, he threw it at me with great indignation, and 

 walked away. I followed him, however, until he had pas- 

 sed his son, whom I took by the hand, but he did not make 

 any very cordial return to my salutation : at the same time 

 he made signs for me to discharge my pistol, and give him 

 my hanger, which Mr. Mackay had brought me, but I did 

 not pay the least attention to either of his demands. 



We now joined the chief, who explained to me that he 

 was in a state of deep distress for the loss of his son, and 

 made me understand that he had cut offhis hair and black- 

 ened his face on the melancholy oecason. He also repre- 

 sented the alarm which he had suffered respecting his son 

 who had accompanied us ; as he apprehended we had kil- 

 led him, or had ajl of us perished together. When he 



