The Indians were allowed to cultivate their fields in peace. Elijah
purchased for them a few agricultural implements. The catching, curing,
and smoking of salmon became an important branch of trade. They waxed
prosperous and rich; they lost their nomadic habits--a centralized
settlement bearing the external signs of an Indian village took the
place of their old temporary encampments, but the huts were internally
an improvement on the old wigwams. The dried fish were banished from the
tent-poles to long sheds especially constructed for that purpose. The
sweat-house was no longer utilized for worldly purposes. The wise and
mighty Elijah did not attempt to reform their religion, but to preserve
it in its integrity.

That these improvements and changes were due to the influence of one man
was undoubtedly true, but that he was necessarily a superior man did
not follow. Elijah's success was due partly to the fact that he had been
enabled to impress certain negative virtues, which were part of his own
nature, upon a community equally constituted to receive them. Each was
strengthened by the recognition in each other of the unexpected value of
those qualities; each acquired a confidence begotten of their success.
"He-hides-his-face," as Elijah Martin was known to the tribe after the
episode of the released captives, was really not so much of an autocrat
as many constitutional rulers.

*****

Two years of tranquil prosperity passed. Elijah Martin, foundling,
outcast, without civilized ties or relationship of any kind, forgotten
by his countrymen, and lifted into alien power, wealth, security, and
respect, became--homesick!