"Such a great chief must have many warriors--many people. I do not see any. Were those your people that I saw in the canoe?" "Nittinat's people all gone," answered the old man sadly, dropping his chin upon his rush-clad breast. "But we saw a canoe with fourteen warriors in it, besides yourself," Charlie eagerly asserted. "Where are those young men?" "Me great medicine man; make see canoe--make see young men," responded the owner of the place, with a wan yet superior sort of smile. Charlie glanced at us, then asked quite deferentially, "Can you make us see what is not here?" "You have seen," was the brief reply. "Ask him why we are thus favored," whispered Fanny. "This young cloochman (you see I must talk to him in his own tongue, Fanny), wishes to know why you opened our eyes to your great medicine." "White man come to Nittinat's land, white man see Nittinat's power. White man ask questions!"--this last contemptuously, at which Fanny laughed, as asking questions was one of her reserved rights. "You must be an old man, since these waters are named after you," suggested I. "Who was the first white man you remember seeing?" "_Hyas tyee_, Cappen Cook. Big ship--big guns!" answered Nittinat, warming with the recollection. "This is a good lead," remarked Charlie, _sotto voce_; "follow it up, Pierre." "You were a child then? very little?" making a movement with my hand to indicate a child's stature. "Me a chief--many warriors--big chief. Ugh!" said the mummy, with kindling eyes. At this barefaced story, Charlie made a grimace, while he commented in an undertone: "But it is ninety-six years since Captain Cook visited this coast. How the old humbug lies." At this whispered imputation upon his honor, the old chief regarded us scornfully; though how such a parchment countenance could be made to express anything excited my wonder. "Me no lie. Nittinat's heart big. Nittinat's heart good. _Close tum-tum_, ugh!" "White man's eyes are closed--his heart is darkened," said I, adopting what I considered to be a conciliatory style of speech. "My friend cannot understand how you could have known Captain Cook so long ago. All the white men who knew the great white chief have gone to their fathers." "Ugh, all same as Cappen Cook. He no believe my cousin Wiccanish see big Spanish ship 'fore he came." "How did he make him see it at last?" asked Charlie, stretching himself out on the grass, and covering his eyes with his hat, from under the brim of which he shot quizzical glances at Fanny and I. "Wiccanish showed Cook these," replied Nittinat, drawing from beneath his robe a necklace of shells, to which two silver spoons were attached, of a peculiar pattern, and much battered and worn. "Oh, do let me see them," cried Fanny, whose passion for relics was quickly aroused. Charlie, too, was constrained to abandon his lazy attitude for a moment to examine such a curiosity as these quaint old spoons.