LOG or THE COLUMBIA 295
their dead on the trees, first stowing them in a box 3 or 4 feet long. The Head and Legs are cut off to make good stowage, and little valuables that belong to the deseas'd are bury'd with them. Capt. Gray went to an Indian Village for to look at a Chief, said to be very sick. On his arrivall he was received very cordially, and conducted to the sick man's house, which was full of people. In one Corner lay the Sick Chief, and around him eight strong men, which kept pressing his stomach with their hands, and making a most hideous Bow-wowing, in the poor fellow's ears. Upon the Captain's approach he sup- pos'd the Chief to be nearly dead, and ordered this band of Doctors to desist. 94
December 22. Having made him some gruell to take, the Chief soon came to a little, and order'd two Sea Otter skins as a present. After giving him a Wine toast he order'd him to be left to sleep, and visited a number of Chiefs houses, the masters of which treated him with an attention not very com- mon among savages. (He returned on board.) I made an excursion to this same Village, not long after. As soon as I landed, Men, Women, and Children came down to the beach to receive me, but did not offer to molest the boat. Found the sick Chief much better, and reliev'd him from his pressing and noisy friends. The house was large and commodious, and wou'd hold fifty Indians very comfortably. All round was packages of Fish in Boxes, and decorated with pearl shells. Their furniture consisted chiefly of matts, and wooden boxes, which last serves to boil their fish in, which they easily do by applying red hot stones, till it boils. They neither scale or draw the fish, but as it comes from the water, so it goes into the box, to boil, or on the Coals to broil. There was severall fires about the house but being there being no chimnies, the smoak was too mighty for my eyes. They sleep on boards, rais'd about a foot from the ground, and covered with matts, rolling themselves up with furs. Over the sick man's head there was a board cut out in the shape of a heart, and stuck full of Otter's teeth, with a long spear on each side of him. His young wife did not appear to be affected at the sight of
94 This wu Yethjan, the youngest brother of Wickmnanish. The brief description of the practice of the Shamans agrees with other accounts.
