This faculty had been inculcated after long and earnest training by his great wife.

Whenever there was no danger, Hoshkanyi proved very outspoken; but as soon as there was the slightest sign of active opposition he became extremely wise, and shrouded his views in a cloud of dignified gravity.
In addition to these qualities Hoshkanyi was the happy owner of an unlimited amount of personal vanity.

His ambition had no definite object, provided some external authority was associated with his person.
After having for a long time fulfilled the rather insignificant office of assistant to the governor of the tribe, his ambition at last became gratified with the announcement that after the governor's demise the Hotshanyi, or chief penitent, and his associates had designated him as the incumbent of the office.

So Hoshkanyi Tihua rose suddenly to the rank of one of the chief dignitaries of his commonwealth.
The choice thus made by the religious heads of the Queres did not satisfy everybody, but everybody was convinced that Those Above had spoken through the mediums to whose care the relations between mankind and the higher powers were specially committed.

Everybody therefore accepted the nomination, and the council confirmed it at once.