reshets, had ground-sluiced all the earth way from the roots of the trees and down ome six feet to the gravel. This extended over a region a mile in breadth by five miles in length. Overgrown yellow fir trees had once covered most of that section. Were here no jams below, this would be the hand ogger's paradise; for on the gravel lay many nillion feet of sound fir timber, which could n that case be sawed up in summer and loated to the sea on the winter freshets. Immediately below this place, however, the jams for the first time extended clear across the river; and for the next twenty miles there is a jam across the river nearly every mile.

During the forenoon of the fifth day out I could see evidences of the country being occasionally visited by Indians; and in the afternoon of that day I reached the first Indian house. No one was there. Traveling on thence until sundown, I had just selected a place to camp for the night, on the river bank near the foot of a riffle, when a canoe suddenly came in sight at the head of the riffle.

Two Indians were in it; and as the canoe came shooting over the riffle, right towards my camping place, and they discovered the presence of a white man they seemed considerably disturbed and alarmed, and talked very excitedly together. It afterwards appeared that, a few hours before, they had seen my tracks coming down the river, and were equally mystified and alarmed. They thought that these tracks must have been made by a stick siwash (ghost, or forest demon) or by a tamanamus (magician), or other spiritual power. The shoes indicated. the presence of a Boston (white man); but the place was so far above settlements that both of the siwashes (Indians) concluded that what they saw could not be a genuine flesh and blood Boston, as they had never heard of one being all alone that far up the river. They concluded that what they saw could not have come there by natural

means.

They wished to pass, but dared not do so, while this tamanamus insisted on their coming ashore. Finally they came to the edge of the river, and after hyu wawa (lots of talking) let the ghost into the canoe with them.

These Indians were both old men. One had the St. Vitus's dance so badly that he could not keep still, either sitting or standing. They talked Chinook to the ghost but genuine Indian to each other.

Some years previously I had received the Indian name of S'Be-ow. Now this S'Be-ow was among the best known of the Indian mythical characters. Numberless legends were told about him; but among his most characteristic feats was his ability to take himself to pieces and put himself together again. He could be a bear, a beaver, or a stick of wood; could assume the form of a young or old man, woman, or child, at will; and if killed could readily come to life again in some other form. So, understanding the feelings of these siwashes, I told them in answer to their numberless questions, that my name was "Old S'Be-ow," that he had no single home, but lived everywhere, and was traveling over all the land, and was not hunting gold. I asked them if they knew old S'Be-ow hyas ancutly (a long time ago). They said they did, and seeing their curiosity aroused. I attracted their attention, spit out a set of artificial teeth, held them up so that they could see what had been done, and then said, "Since so many Bostons have come into the country, I have turned Boston too; it has been so long since I was a siwash, that I have forgotten the siwash language, and only remember what I used to do, when I hear the siwashes speaking of such things. But although I look and talk like a Boston, at heart I am just as much a siwash as ever; I am a good friend of yours and have just come from Mount Baker, where in behalf of your people I have made a treaty with the stick siwashes of Mount Baker.

If you

treat me well you will never be troubled with them again, but if not, you will never cease to be troubled by them."

These Indians stand in constant fear of the stick siwashes and other monsters, which they suppose inhabit Mount Baker. They supposed S'Be-ow stood before them; that he had taken his teeth, jaws and all, out of his mouth, and did not doubt his ability to take himself altogether to pieces and put himself together again, or to assume any desired form. Their surprise and terror was intense, until S 'Be-ow said he was their friend (tillicum); when they said in chorus, with the greatest possible energy and enthusiasm, "Mika delate S' Be-ow! Mika delate S'Be-ow! Nesika delate close tillicums copa mika!" ("You are the true S 'Beow! You are the true S'Be-ow! true and strong friends of yours.") had done was to these Indians as conclusive proof of supernatural power as any miracle, recorded in sacred writ, could have been to the awe-stricken multitudes of Galilee or Judea.

We are What I

When I asked them if I should take them to pieces, they were again frightened; begged

me not to do so, assured me of their frie ship, and wished to know how they co help me. As S'Be-ow could change self into any desired form they were not prised to see him change with the times r now appear as a Boston. As I was w to pay them for taking me down the river: settlements, they willingly agreed to do for fifty cents and a few matches,-alle cause it was "Old S 'Be-ow"; had it be any one else they would have wanted s ten or twenty times that sum.

The distance to settlements was ab thirty-five miles. It took all the next day: make the trip. At the end of the journe I tried to explain to them who I was, wher I came from, and what were my real object in traveling over the country. They cout see nothing reasonable in this explanation. It only increased the mystery and mad: them better satisfied than ever that I was the real S'Be-ow; because no real whitt man who was not hunting gold would ever travel alone through the country as I did. Besides, had they not, with their own eyes. seen me do the very things that none besides S'Be-ow would ever do?

Eldridge Morse.

Francis E. Sheldon.

Warren Cheney.

I.

"EXCUSE me, gentlemen, but you cannot ass on horseback." It was the mounted oliceman, on guard by the roadside, pushng forward cap in hand with deprecating ows and shrugs.

"But why not? We can't leave our horses here."

"Ah, gentlemen, it is orden superior." This was said with the true Mexican intonaion, conveying a sense of the arbitrariness of municipal regulations, combined with a sort of helpless awe as at the dispensations of a mysterious and inexorable Providence.

The two horsemen, however, seemed bent on showing that they came of an insubordinate race. "See here," said one of them, "there must be some mistake about this. Here come men on horseback riding out, and they must have ridden in. If they, why not we?"

This was an entirely new and staggering view of the case to the policeman.

"There is truth in what you say, sir. They could not ride out unless they had ridden in."

In spite of this frank admission, however, the officer proposed no way out of the difficulty. American suspicion began to be

aroused.

"He wants a bribe," muttered one of the riders. Then he said, "I suppose it will be all right if we give you a real."

The indignation of the policeman was something beautiful.

"Little do you know the honor of a Mexican officer! It is my duty, gentlemen. Besides, yonder comes my inspector. I cannot take your money. However, I will tell you a thing. You see the old railroad track VOL. X.-38.

running there to the right? Very well; leap your horses over the ditch, follow that track, and you can come into the town from the side."

At the word the Americans rode off, and the watchful upholder of the majesty of the law resumed his post.

Francis Stevenson and his brother Allan had left their offices that afternoon with a grim determination to enjoy themselves. It was Guadalupe day. The throngs of devout Indians and careless sight-seers were pouring out to the famous shrine of Mexico's patron saint. As the brothers galloped along the causeway, there was no mistaking their nationality. They shared so little in the gay abandon of their neighbors as plainly to proclaim themselves sons of the cold North. On all sides was incessant volubility, raillery, laughter. Jests flew from group to group. Expressive, if extravagant, pantomime, gesture, facial contortion, all were employed to heighten the power of language. But the Americans, proudly conscious that their native speech did not need all these accompaniments to give it meaning, con- ́ tented themselves with curt monosyllables and rode on impassively. Their very horses seemed to feel that it would not do, under such inert riders, to be too frisky, and accordingly proceeded at a much steadier pace than is the custom of a Mexican steed.

fellow, evidently of their party, who undoubtedly would have added himself to the burden of the mule had there been two inches of space available for him between ears and tail, and who was now consoling himself for the hardships of his lot as a mere pedestrian by playing softly to himself on a mouth-organ as he ran. Now and then a gayly caparisoned cavalier swept by on his caracoling horse, but the great mass were of the common people.

Obtaining an entrance into the sacred precincts of the town, in the way suggested, the brothers gave themselves up to observation of the scenes of this high day in the calendar of Mexican Catholicism. The village, in many parts, had become a veritable Indian encampment. Entire families that had come thirty leagues to be present on the great feast-day, had set up their domestic establishments in some convenient corner, where a piece of canvas stretched over three crossed poles and a ragged strip of matting on the ground underneath yielded them all the comforts of home. Apparently they were bent on receiving all the benefit that a prolonged stay on the holy soil could give, and on enjoying at the same time the advantages of an unusually good market for the wares prudently brought with them on their pilgrimage. The usual shrill cries and voluble chaffering of a Mexican market were here redoubled and intensified, as was natural when religious fervor was added to business zeal.

piously and tenderly along by two Ind who seemed worn and wearied enough have journeyed many miles on their b errand.

But it was a poor day for sight-see The streets were so suffocatingly packed, bustle and uproar were so great, the cont with filth and vermin so impossible to avil that the horsemen who had encountered mounted guards at the gates of the town their approach, were soon glad to find the selves passing him on their return.

He recognized them immediately. "Yol return, gentlemen. Well, and how goes: with you?" Then, seizing the golden opportunity, he took off his cap, held out h hand with the most cringing air, and si almost whiningly, "Do not forget you friend, gentlemen. A real to drink you health."

"But what about the honor of a Mexican officer and all that?" inquired Francis.

"Ah, if your excellencies but knew my poverty, my small pay, my needy family. Surely you would never miss a medio."

"But your inspector, is he out of sight?"

66

Fortunately he has ridden away." "Well," laughed Francis, as he tossed the man a coin," such a faithful officer, so incorruptible, certainly ought to be rewarded. The sentinel at Pompeii was nothing to you for fidelity to his duty."

The gendarme laughed gayly, waved a parting salute, backed his horse from the road, and relapsed into the gravity becoming a guardian of public order. The brothers struck into a brisk gallop which they maintained up to the very gates of the city. Just as they were passing within the walls they met a beautiful black horse, whose tense muscles played in corded strength under his transparent shiny coat, as he proudly curveted with arched neck and flashing eye. His rider looked worthy to sit such an animal. He was of that Southern type which allows you to speak of a man as beautiful without implying that

fit, stiff with glistening silver braid, shaded face that seemed singularly vivacious and obile, wherever the dark curling beard peritted the features to appear. Long mo>cco-topped riding-boots encased his legs early to the thigh. From that point up to is throat he was dressed in dazzling white, nmaculate save where the wind had blown ack upon him a few flecks of bloody foam rom the mouth of the horse. No one but .. Mexican could wear such a dress without ooking foppish. As it was, however, there seemed no breach of good taste.

He recognized the Americans and greeted hem gayly. "So then you have interest in the customs of our country? Well, they are very singular, these customs." "Yes," said Francis, "We've been out to see the religious ceremonies."

"And how do they appear to you? Very fanatical, I venture to say."

"Well, I respect every man's honest opinion," was the reply, "and I certainly mean no offense to you, but I must say that from my standpoint the whole thing seemed very grossly superstitious."

"But what to do? The people must have something to draw them to the church; and if the apparition of our Lady of Guadalupe can do it, very good."

"Then you don't believe that big yarn?" said Allan bluntly. "But I thought that if you were a Catholic you had to believe it."

"A Catholic? Certainly. But look, my friends, we cannot all have the same saints. We must divide our attentions. And I, I leave Guadalupe to the Indians."

"What saints do you believe in, then ?" demanded Allan, of whom the zeal of religious controversy was fast taking possession.

"Many very respectable ones, I assure it you. One I will tell you of. At her shrine I worship daily. I mean your enchanting cousin, the Señorita Victoria." And with a gay laugh, the rider of the beautiful horse waved an adieu, gave his animal the rein, and was off in a cloud of dust.

TY

The brothers followed him with their eyes until he disappeared, then rode slowly on through the streets of the city. "A strange fellow, that Espinosa," said Francis musingly. "O, he's a thorough Mexican," was Allan's response.

"You speak as if that to call him a Mexican.

made it all clear But that is exactly the difficulty. We do not understand the Mexicans. To be sure we have known Espinosa six months, and have seen a good deal of him in that time; and he has certainly appeared to be a gentleman. Yet, after all is said, he is a Mexican, and Victoria is an American. I sometimes fear she has been too hasty in trusting herself to him."

He

"But if they are truly in love with each other," said Allan, "and fully satisfied with each other, I don't see that mere difference of race ought to count for so much. Espinosa is incontestably a handsome fellow, whom any woman might be proud of, and he's apparently devoted to Victoria. comes of the old Spanish stock, too, and that goes a good way here in Mexico. I should think his position and future were assured. He is considered the most brilliant writer on the Monitor,-the very life of the paper; altogether a rising young man.” "It is n't anything of that sort I mean, Al, but whether the match is really suitable in itself considered. Victoria thinks that her happiness will be secure, I know, but I fear she has been won by his culture, and breeding, and dash, without having really found out what the man is. She forgets, I am afraid, that he is a foreigner, and that surface appearances may not mean in him what they would in one of her own country.'

"Well, I must say, Frank, you take a very unsentimental view of the matter. If love is genuine, that makes everything equal, I hold. Difference of race is n't so great as difference of rank, and love disregards that as you must admit, and disregards it successful y and happily. I've no fear for