were escorted to him, and he was pointed out as the benefactor, they looked over and beyond him, saying that they could not see him, but when this modest, plainly clad little man greeted them, and his personality was made clear, they preserved their countenances in stolid rigor to maintain their own great dignity, never uttering a word, save, the ceremonies of a formal greeting.

Despite their efforts to conceal their thoughts, they betrayed great astonishment; it was evident that they suspected some deception was being practised upon them. Mr. Duncan, evincing great cordiality conducted them to his house, and gave them the customary seats of honor for distinguished guests. They continued to look at him in utter silence for some time, when finally they could restrain themselves no longer they broke out, saying:

"Surely you cannot be the man! Why, we expected to see a great and powerful giant, gifted in magic, with enormous eyes that could look right through us and read our thoughts! No, it is impossible! How could you, tame the wild and ferocious Tsimsheans, who were always waging war, and were feared throughout the whole coast? It is only a few years ago that all this country was a streak of blood, now we see nothing but white eagle's-down (their emblem of peace and amity)! We can hardly believe our own eyes, when we see these fine houses and find the Tsimsheans have become wise like white men! They tell us that you have God's Book,

and that you have taught them to read it; we wish to see it."

On the Bible being placed before them, and on being told that it was by following the teachings of this Book, that the Metlakahtlans had become enlightened, each one touched it reverently with the tip of his finger and said, "Ahm, ahm "-It is good, it is good.

Gifts were exchanged, and bartering went on, and the visitors tarried for several days, during which time, they marvelled at every new wonder of civilization which they beheld. Mr. Duncan, seized every opportunity to impress upon them, the fundamental truths, which had brought about this change. He showed them, that the prosperity, and material benefits, which they witnessed, were but the reward of the adoption of the new life. This lesson was not lost upon them; they returned to their homes resolved to adopt the Christian white man's ways. And thus, came many from afar to view the wonders of civilization, all to return, and proclaim to their people, that, the Christian white man's ways were good.

CHAPTER III.

HALCYON DAYS.

AN era of prosperity now shone upon Mr. Duncan's civilized Indian community, however, in the acquirement of those things essential to human comfort and refinement; the material, was never allowed to crowd the spiritual; the material was only the means to a spiritual end. With these people it was, as it has ever been, in dealing with the infantmind of the savage, necessary to hold up the benefits of civilization as the guerdon of a better life.

No better evidence, of the depth, and integrity, of the conversion of these recently groping savages, could be required, than the attestation of those distinguished dignitaries of the Church who visited them, and observed the practices of their daily life, and after thoroughly testing the candidates, administered the rites of baptism.

This chapter I shall devote to several such citations for a twofold purpose, which will discover itself in the progress of this volume.

The Bishop of Columbia's first visit to Metlakahtla, was during the oolichan fishing season, 1863. He came with the special purpose of baptizing those

whose probation indicated their worthiness to receive that rite. His own narrative vividly pictures the incidents of his arrival:

"The Christian Indian settlement of Metlakahtla lies retired upon a recess of a bay, and is marked by a row of substantial wooden houses. An octagon building is the school, and a flagstaff stands near, upon which ascended the national flag when we hove in sight, and fired the gun to announce our approach. We could soon distinguish a canoe putting off to us, and presently it approached, flying a flag. It was a large canoe, which had a warlike appearance, manned by ten Indians, and in it was seated Mr. Duncan, the missionary of Metlakahtla. There was placed, too, by his side, a murderer, who had last year committed a cold-blooded murder upon an Englishman, and who had given himself up against the coming of the man-of-war."

According to the Bishop of Columbia's account, the man-of-war "Devastation" had in vain directed her guns against the village of this man's tribe, threatening it with annihilation if they did not give him up. The Indians defied the man-of-war, but after its departure the murderer, knowing Mr. Duncan's renown for justice and clemency, surrendered himself at Metlakahtla, saying to Mr. Duncan, "Whatever you tell me to do I will do. If you say I am to go on board the gun-ship when she comes again, I will go."

The Bishop continues: "For six months he had

been there at large, and when our gun sounded he might have escaped; but he said, 'What am I to do?' and the answer was 'You must come with me a prisoner.' He was accordingly handed over to us a prisoner, to be taken to New Westminster to be tried for his life. The scene was touching when his wife and children came to bid him farewell, and she earnestly besought Mr. Duncan, the captain, and myself to say some one word which might give her a ray of hope. Thus we see that what the ship of war with its guns and threats could not do for civilization, for protection of life, for justice, the simple character and influence of one missionary could accomplish for all those importuous objects.

"Among the crew in Mr. Duncan's canoe was one man who had been a noted drunkard and a violent chief, a slaughterer of many human victims in his day-indeed, the head man of the Tsimshean tribes. —who had given up all evil ways, and was now as a little child, a candidate for baptism.

"We were met," he writes, " by the whole village, who stood on the bank in a long line, as fine a set of men, well-dressed, as could anywhere be seen where men live by their daily toil; certainly, no country village in England would turn out so wellclad an assemblage.

"I addressed the assembly, and was interpreted by Mr. Duncan, who made himself, also, an earnest and telling discourse. This change is the result of four and a half years of his faithful and earnest