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Show Lewis and Clm·1~e' s E_xpeditio1t The Calasthortc. of ten houses, and two hundred souls The Quinnechant, consisting of two thousand souls. A pat·ticular detail of the characters, manners, and ha. bits of the tribes, must be left to some future adventurers, who may hav.o more leisure and a better opportunity than we had to accomJ>lish this object. 'fhosc who fit·st Tisit the ground, can only be expected to furnish skctr.bcs rude and impcl'l'cct. 'Vcdncsday, 15. Two hunting parties intended setting out this morning, but they were }>rc,·cnted by incessant raiu1 which confined us all to the fort. The Chinnooks, Clatsops, and most of the adjoining na~ tions dispose of the dead in canoes. For this }mrpose a scaffold is e•·cctcd, by fixing perpendicularly in the grouml four long pieces of split timber·. 'L'hcse arc placed two by two just wide enough apart to ado1it the canoe, and sulll.cicntly long to support its two extremities. The board5 arc connected by a bat· of wood run thr·ough them at tho height of six feet, on wl1ich is lllaced a small canoe containing the body of the deceased, carefully wrapped in a robe or dressed skins, with a paddle, and some articles belonging to the deceased, by his side. Over this eanoe is pla.ccd one of a laroocr size, rever ·ed, with its ,.•unwale resting on the b v crossba1·s, so as to cover the body eompleteJy. One OL' more large mats of rushes ot· flags are then rolled round thecanoes, and the whole secured by cords usually made of the bal'l~ of the white cedar. On these cros~bars al'e hung dil'· ferent articles of clothing, or c ulinal'y utensils. '!'he nwthod practised by the Killnmucks differs somewhat ft·om thL; the body being deposited in an oblong box, of plank. which, with the paddle, and other articles, is 1•laccd in a canoe, resting on the ground. 'Vith the religious opinions of t:hesc people we are but little acquainted, since we understand tbeii' language too imperfectly to converse ou a subject so absh·aei; but it is obvious, fl'om the c.liffcrcnt dt~X osits which they UjJ tlw JJ1issotu-i. 1,la<'c by tlaeil· dcatl, that they believe in a future state of existence.* rrhm·sday, 16. To-day we fini shed CUI'ing our meat, and having uow a plentiful supply of elk, ami salt, and our bou~ cs th·y and coml'ot·tablc, we wait patiently for the moment of J'esmning our journey. rl'hc implements USCfl in hunting, by the Clatsops, Cltinnooks, ancl other ucighbouL·ing nations, arc the gun, bow and nrt·ow, deadfall, J>Hs, snares, and speat·s or gigs. The guns arc generally old American OI' Bt•itish muskets repaired for this trade; and although there are some good pieces among them, they at·c (~unst:mtly out of order, as the Indians have not been su111ciently aecustomed to arms to understaml the management of them. The powder is kept in small japanned tin ·Haske;;, in which the traders sell it; and wl1cn the ball or shot fails, they mal\c use of gt·avel or pieces of metal ft·om theh· pots, without beiug sensible of the iltiury done to their gun·. These arms arc r eserved for huntiilg elk, and the few deer and bears in this ncighbour ·hood; but as they have no rifles, they are not very suct\ essfnl hunters. '!'he most common weapon is the bow aml arrow, with which cYct·y man is provided, even though ho carries a gun, and which is used in every kind of hunting. The bow is extremely neat, aml being very thin and flat, possesses great elasticity. It is made of the heart of the white cedar, about two feet and a half in length, two inches· wide at the centre, whence it tapct·s to the width of Jmlf an inch at the extremities; and the back is covered with the tsinews of elk, fastened on by means of a glue made from • This fact is much too equivocal to warrant nn inference so important. These deposits might have been intended for nothing more than the testimonials of sut·viving affection. Amongst those savages, where the language was better understood, it does not appear, that the Indians intended any thing more by such sa• crific~s than to testify their reverence fol" the dead.-EDITOR. VOL lT. R |