Page:The Columbia river , or, Scenes and adventures during a residence of six years on the western side of the Rocky Mountains among various tribes of Indians hitherto unknown (Volume 1).djvu/301

 also perfect hypocrites. Each tribe accuses the other of "envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness." Even the natives of the same village, while they feign an outward appearance of friendship, indulge in a certain propensity called back-biting; in this respect differing but little from the inhabitants of more civilised countries, among whom the prevalence of such ill-natured practices has, by certain envious and satirical coffee-drinkers, been unjustly attributed to the scandalising influence of tea.

Their bravery is rather doubtful; but what they want in courage they make up in effrontery. Fear alone prevents them from making any open or violent attempt at robbery; and their offences under this head, in legal parlance, may more strictly be styled petty larcenies. I have seen a fellow stopped on suspicion of stealing an axe. He denied the charge with the most barefaced impudence; and when the stolen article was pulled from under his robe, instead of expressing any regret, he burst out laughing, and alleged he was only joking. One of the men gave him a few kicks, which he endured with great sang-*froid; and on joining his companions, they received him with smiling countenances, and bantered him on the failure of his attempt. They