5'2                NITTINAHT INLET.              [CHAV
CHAPTER V.
THE INTERIOR OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.
Nittinaht Inlet-" Whyack" -The Indians-Aht tribes - The breakn' :
- Port San Juan -Indian yarn - Sooke - Basin and liver - Discover of gold - Gold on Queen Charlotte's Island - Nanaimo - Coal-seam at Comox - Ascent of Puntledge River - Wreck of canoe - Interior late
-Barclay Sound - Game list - Camp-marks. VERY early the next morning we made a start, a light favourable breeze had risen, and, hoisting a blanket sil,' we skimmed away gaily before it.     Even now we were
not absolutely certain that we had reached the wished-for Nittinaht Inlet, but appearances were in favour of that view. We passed several Indian villages with, however, no signs of life about them, and towards evening found the Inlet narrowing.  The tide swept through it in many an eddy and'whirlpool, and we could hear the noise of breakers outside, a convincing proof that we had almost reached the coast.  A few minutes of specially hard paddling took us out of the current into a quiet bay behind the Nittinaht village of " Whyack," where a troop of wild-looking savages watched our approach with evident surprise.
" Mokoola," the chief, was absent, and a part of his tribe with him; but those remaining in the village treated us well, and pointed out a flat place behind it for our camp. We were soon engaged in bartering for halibut, &c., and they crowded round to see how we cooked it, and perhaps toi watch an opportunity for pilfering.   Their blankets giv