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/73

 strongly depicted as when the poor wretch looked up, and beheld the frowning countenance of the dreaded Eooranee: the effect was instantaneous; he fell prostrate, as if thunderstruck, and remained perfectly motionless until we lost sight of him. We however did not part with the prince until he had promised that no punishment should be inflicted on the offending islander.

The male branches of the royal family are held in peculiar veneration, more particularly their heads. No individual, with the exception of the domestics specially appointed for that purpose, is permitted to touch that part of their sacred person, or any covering that has ever been on it, upon pain of death. My ignorance of this law was near embroiling me in a serious scrape. A few days after our arrival, while strolling on the outskirts of the village, I observed an individual walking before me dressed in a handsome green frock-coat, well-made pantaloons, and Hessian boots, followed by a native carrying the tail of a white cow, which he used in driving away the flies that annoyed his master. As I was given to understand that I had been introduced to all the white men of respectability on the island, I felt anxious to ascertain who this