"Wednesday Evening was occupied by the usual week-day service, and Thursday and Friday evenings were devoted to the exhibition in the school-room, first to the women and then to the men, of a large magic lantern, with oxygen light, and also a microscope, showing living insects and sea-water animalcules, as well as various slides.
"The above is but an imperfect sketch of the efforts made by Mr.
Duncan for the welfare and happiness of his village,"
IX.
OUTLYING STATIONS—I. KINCOLITH.
A glance at the map will show that both Metlakahtla and Fort Simpson are situated on a peninsula which juts forth from the coast between the estuaries of two rivers, the Skeena to the south, and the Nass to the North. The mouth of the Nass River is one of the great fishing resorts of the Indians. From long distances the tribes of both the mainland and the adjacent islands flock thither every year in March and April, the season when the oolikan, a small fish about the size of a smelt, is caught.
As many as five thousand Indians gather together on these occasions, and encamp for miles along both banks of the river. Having put up their temporary bark huts, they dig pits to store the fish in, and then quietly await their arrival. Meanwhile, hardly a sign of life is to be seen on land or water. The towering mountains, that rise almost from the banks, are covered deep with snow, and the river is fast bound in ice to the depth of six or eight feet. Slowly the ice begins to break higher up, and the tides, rising and falling, bear away immense quantities. At length a few seagulls appear in the western sky, and the cry echoes from camp to camp that the fish are at hand.
Immense shoals of oolikan come in from the Pacific, followed by larger fish such as the halibut, the cod, the porpoise, and the finned-back -whale. Over the fish hover the sea-birds—"an immense cloud of innumerable gulls," wrote Bishop Hills after a visit to the place, "so many and so thick that as they moved to and fro, up and down, the sight resembled a heavy fall of snow." Over the gulls, again, soar the eagles watching for their prey. The Indians go forth to meet the fish with the cry, "You fish, you fish! you are all chiefs; you are, you are all chiefs." The nets haul in bushels at a time, and hundreds of tons are collected. "The Indians dry some in the sun, and press a much larger quantity for the sake of the oil or grease, which has a considerable market value as being superior to cod-liver oil, and which they use as butter with their dried salmon. The season is most important to the Indians; the supply lasts them till the season for salmon, which is later, and which supplies their staple food, their bread." "What a beautiful provision for this people," writes one of the Missionaries, "just at that season of the year when their winter stock has run out! God can indeed furnish a table in the wilderness."
It was in the spring of 1860, that Mr. Duncan first visited the Nass River. He received a most encouraging welcome from the Nishkah Indians —one of the Tsimshean tribes—dwelling on its banks. The account is a particularly interesting one:—
"April 19th, 1860.—About 4 p.m. we arrived in sight of the three lower villages of the Nishkah Indians, and these, with two upper villages, constitute the proper inhabitants of the river. On approaching the principal village we were met by a man who had been sent to invite us to the chief's house. Numbers of Indians stood on the bank. When we stopped, several rushed into the water: some seized my luggage, and one took me on his back. In a few minutes we were safely housed. Smiling faces and kind words greeted me on every side. My friend Kahdoonahah, the chief who had invited me to his house, was dancing for joy at my arrival. He had put his house in order, made up a large fire in the centre, placed two big iron kettles on it, and had invited a number of his friends to come and feast with me. About thirty of us, all males, sat round the fire. Boiled fresh salmon was first served out. All the guests were furnished with large horn or wooden spoons: I preferred to use my own. My plate was first filled with choice bits, and afterwards large wooden dishesful were carried round, and one placed before every two persons. This done, boiled rice, mixed with molasses, was served us. Fresh spoons and dishes were used. While the dishes were being filled, each person had a large spoonful handed him to be going on with. After the feast I had considerable conversation, and concluded by requesting that all the chiefs and chief men of the three tribes should meet me on the morrow, when I would endeavour to give them the good news from God's book. Kahdoonahah, suggested that there might be some difficulty to get all the chiefs to assemble, unless something was provided for them to eat He therefore promised to send out and invite them all to his house, and give them a feast for the occasion.
"It was now evening, and the guests went home. Kahdoonahah then brought in an old man to sing to me. The old man very solemnly sat down before me, fixed his eyes upon the ground, and began beating time by striking his foot with his hand. He was assisted by Kahdoonahah, who not only sang, but kept up a thumping noise with a large stick. A few boys also clapped their hands in proper time. After they had sung two or three songs I told them we would have a change. I drew my few boys around me. One of them immediately warned the chief and his company that we were going to sing songs to God, which were the same as prayers, and therefore they must be very reverent. We sang several little hymns, some of which I translated. The party soon increased, and sat very attentively.