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Page 51
As already observed, the bodies were formerly burned; the relatives of
the deceased, as well as those of the widow, being present, all armed;
a funeral pile was erected, and the body placed upon it. The widow
then set fire to the pile, and was compelled to stand by it, anointing
her breast with the fat that oozed from the body until the heat became
insupportable: when the wretched creature, however, attempted to draw
back, she was thrust forward by her husband's relatives at the point
of their spears, and forced to endure the dreadful torture until
either the body was reduced to ashes, or she herself almost scorched
to death. Her relatives were present merely to preserve her life; when
no longer able to stand they dragged her away; and this intervention
often led to bloody quarrels! The body being burned, the ashes were
collected in a box and given in charge to the widow, who carried them
about with her until the feast was prepared, when they were taken from
her, and deposited in a small hut or placed upon the top of a wooden
pillar neatly carved, as their final resting-place.
During this interval she was in a state of the most wretched slavery;
every child in the village might command her and beat her unmercifully
if they chose, no one interfered. After the feast, however, she
regained her freedom, and along with that the privilege of incurring
the risk of another scorching. Our interference relieved them from the
most cruel part of the ceremony; the temporary state of slavery is
still continued.
CHAPTER XIX.
INDIAN FEAST--ATTEMPT AT DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION--RELIGION--ORDERED TO
PORT ALEXANDRIA--ADVANTAGES OF THE SITUATION--SENT BACK TO FORT ST.
JAMES--SOLITUDE--PUNISHMENT OF INDIAN MURDERER--ITS CONSEQUENCES--HEROIC
ADVENTURE OF INTERPRETER.
Mr. Dease arrived from Fort Vancouver on the 5th of September, and
expressed himself highly gratified with the appearance our "gardens"
presented; an ample stock of salmon had also been laid in, so that we
had nothing to fear from want, which sometimes had been severely felt.
In the beginning of November, our despatches from the east side of the
mountains came to hand, usually a joyful event, but saddened this year
by the intelligence we received, that our excellent superintendent was
about to leave us, having obtained permission to visit the civilized
world for medical advice;--the doctor was only 5,000 miles off!
In the beginning of the winter we were invited to a feast held in
honour of a great chief, who died some years before. The person who
delivered the invitation stalked into the room with an air of vast
consequence, and strewing our heads with down, pronounced the name of
the presiding chief, and withdrew without uttering another syllable.
To me the invitation was most acceptable: although I had heard much of
Indian feasts, I never was present at any.
Late in the evening we directed our steps towards the "banqueting
house," a large hut temporarily erected for the occasion. We found the
numerous guests assembled and already seated around "the festive
board;" our place had been left vacant for us, Mr. Dease taking his
seat next to the great chief, Quaw, and we, his Meewidiyazees (little
chiefs), in succession. The company were disposed in two rows: the
chiefs and elders being seated next the wall, formed the outer, and
the young men the inner row; an open space of about three feet in
breadth intervening between them. Immense quantities of roasted meat,
bear, beaver, siffleu or marmot, were piled up at intervals, the whole
length of the building; berries mixed up with rancid salmon oil, fish
roe that had been buried underground a twelve-month, in order to give
it an _agreeable_ flavour, were the good things presented at this
feast of gluttony and flow of oil. The berry mixture, and roes were
served in wooden troughs, each having a large wooden spoon attached to
it. The enjoyments of the festival were ushered in with a song, in
which all joined:--
"I approach the village,
Ya ha he ha, ya ha ha ha;
And hear the voices of many people,
Ya ha, &c.
The barking of dogs,
Ya ha, &c.
Salmon is plentiful,
Ya ha, &c.
The berry season is good,
Ya ha, &c.
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