[131] This, in common with other statements of the kind, is more than doubtful. The best account of their religion is by Mr. Sproat, but even he acknowledges that, after two years devoted to the subject, and to the questioning of others who had passed half a lifetime amongst the "Ahts," he could discover very little about their faith which could be pronounced indisputably accurate. Even the Indians themselves are by no means at one on the subject, people without a written creed or sacred books being apt to entertain very contradictory ideas on their theological tenets. I endeavoured to fathom some of their beliefs, and I had ample opportunities; but I confess to the difficulty of getting behind these reserved folk, and I did not meet with sufficient success to make the results worth recording. [132] What Jewitt calls a "conjurer" is more commonly known in these times as a "medicine man," who was, more often than not, a combination nine parts rogue and one part fool. [133] This is entirely different from the views that are entertained by other tribes. The tribes speaking the language which prevails from Port San Juan to Comox are so ashamed of twins, that one of the hapless two is almost invariably killed. I do not remember having ever seen a case. Most of the Indian birth notions are very curious. [134] They are apt to rapidly change from young-looking to old-looking men, without any of that pleasant "Indian summer" so characteristic of people in more civilised communities. But advanced years are not common. In 1864 the oldest man in the little Opechesaht tribe, whose homes are on the Kleecoot River (flowing out of Sproat Lake into the Alberni Inlet), was only sixty, so far as he could make out. [135] Bilious complaints, constipation, dysentery, consumption, fevers and acute inflammatory diseases, and (amongst some tribes, but not amongst the Nootkians), ophthalmia, are common, though rheumatism and paralysis are infrequent. The "diseases of civilisation," it may be added, have been known for many years. [136] This is still true. When sober they indulge in high words, and are fond of teasing the women until they get out of temper; but a blow is rare. Even the children seldom fall out, the necessity of small communities living together for mutual protection compelling the members to establish a _modus vivendi_. However, when drunk--and in spite of the laws against liquor being sold to them, this is by no means uncommon--they are prone to seek close quarters and act like angry termagants. CHAPTER XIV ARRIVAL OF THE BRIG "LYDIA"--STRATAGEM OF THE AUTHOR--ITS SUCCESS It was now past midsummer, and the hopes we had indulged of our release became daily more faint, for though we had heard of no less than seven vessels on the coast, yet none appeared inclined to venture to Nootka.