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J /I 1 ' ^> >^nri)ii:s ^'^ ^^K LIFE. >P' 4t COL / f>i^rp f v'f #: «•* *„ '•'^■-SouiMi' U A\p KK \A , \ 4 '<-) :% ■ : ^t ■* •• ■■■' ■■\-^. -. ^■- '■■ ^f VUl^^P" » ■» 5|.T,,. SCENES AND STUDIES N> OF SAVAGE LIFE. BT GILBERT MALCOLM SPROAT. APTEIl A UAftU DAY'S TOIL HRR «» . ""' ""* "" SLKKP UPON iiDSHRS Avn .. CA8KTTK. AND WI«T„ To VOIT. -5o«|:earaiiee of the Natives in Infaney and Vouth — Uapid Decay of Manly Strength— The Faces of the Ahts expressive of Settled Character 2 1 (IIAI'TKK V. I'lUSLlT 1)1 A I'lOmVK. Strength of the Natives Fingers — Speed in Uunning — Skill in Paddling— KscnjK; of a Fu^jitive 32 CIIAITKK VI. Mouses of the Ahts— Justom of Changing Quarters — Mode of Shift- ing an Kneampment — No Appreciation of Natural Scenery — Description of Dwellings and Furniture .'57 CllAl'TKK VII. A JrSTRK OF TUK I'lACi; ON ClKC'lIT. A Mutinous Crew — My Canoe stolen — Ix;ft upon an Island — George the I'irate — Stormy Sea — Sensation.s from Freezing — Samaritan Woodmen 44 CUAPTKR VIII. D o M K s T I c Mann e us. Winter the time for Feasts — Domestic Manners ; Fondness for Jokes iiiul Gossip — Rarity of Serious Quarrels ; Ignorance of Fisticuffs — Unwillingness to labour — Appetite, Meals, Food and Drinks, Cooking ; Gathering Gammass Roots ; Cutting down Cralnapplc Trees in Despair— Hospitality to Friendly Uncxjtcetcd Visitors — Observance of Formalities in Social Intercourse .")<) ('(K\'r/':xTs vii C'lIAPTEU IX. PAGE Frasts ami Feastinj; — Description of a great Whale Feast — After- (1 inner Orator)' : Skill in Pulilic Spcakinj; — Seta-Kanini "on his l/0};s'' — Vocal IVciiliarities — Indian's reply to (Jovernor Kennedy — Sinking : Uliml Minstrel from Klah-oh-(iiialit ; Translation of one of his Songs — Anmscments of Adults and Children — DaiiccH and I'lays ; Descrii)tion of five differen; Dances 59 ClIArTKK X. An AxTKMrT at an Inqiest. Depredations of the Indians — An Indian shot with Peas — Entli.*ject of such Distribution — Degrees of Tribal Ranks — Position of Hereditary Chiefs ; of Minor Chiefs ; War Chiefs, and Military Officers — Rank bestowed on Women 1 1 1 CHAPTER XV. Intellectual CArAciTv and Langua(;e. Intellectual Capacities— Mode of Numeration— Division of Time — Language ; its Imperfect Structure ; Formation of New Words — Remarks on some Peculiarities of the Language — Nitinaht Varia- tions — Cook's List of Words — Little Change in the Language since Cook's Time — The Aht Language probably Allied to the Real Chinook— Tribal Names li'j CHAPTER XVI. A Great Deer Hunt. The Waw-win — a great Deer Hunt 144 CHAPTER XVII. Moral DisrosiTioxs. The Savage Character — Vindictivoncss — C«)l(lbl()0(lcdnoss — Attack on the Elkwhahts— Murder of a Girl — Iluuum Siicrifii'c — Custom of the Min-okcy-uk — Notions about Stealing — AiVcction for ChiKlren — Habitual Suspicion — Want of Foresight — Al)scnco of Faith — Ingratitude— Sincerity of the Indian's Declarations 1.50 CHAPTER XVIII. Sorcerers. Some Account of the Sorcerers or " Medicine-men " 167 CHAPTER XIX. Traditions. An Account of a Few of the Primitive Traditions of the People 178 COXTEXTs. ij. CHAPTER XX. USACJES IN WaRFAKE. I 'sages in Warfarc-ncscription by an Eyewitness of an Indian Attack '*'" on a Villa},'e-Adniiral Denman's Brush with the Ahousahts 18« CHAPTER XXI, Religious Practices. riie J{i;li;,'ious Practices of the Ahts ' 303 * CHAPTER XXII. Usages in Fishing. The Aht mode <.f Fishing, with descriptions of several Fisli-thc Salmon— Herrings— Halibut— Whale— Cod 2ir) CHAPTER XXni. Usages in Hunting. The Aht mode of Hunting ; with Descriptions of Several Animals- thc 1 anther- Wolf-Bcar-Wapiti or Elk-Blacktailed Deer- Indian Dogs— Marten -Mink— Racoon— Beaver a.'JI CHAPTER XXIV. Diseases. Diseases- Medicines and Medical Practice 251 CHAPTER XXV. Usages in Burial. ranges in Bnrial-Appoarnnce of the Aht Burying Grounds-Burial ot i\ Chief :i5S CHAPTER XXVI. MlSCKLLANEOl S. Miscellaneous-Cming Names to Pcrsqns-Description of a Feast where a N«u«e was Given- (ndiaus have some Standard of Com-ct i^mv.U -Aht Names for Different Wind.s-Few Memorials „f an Ol.ler r.me-R.,ek Carving ,m the side of Sproat's Lake-Imperfeetncss of Indian 1 raditions-Pipcs-SeciXit Fraternity among the Tribes on the Coast . ^ t, ^.^ 2G4 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXVII. Effects upon Savages of Intercourse with Civilized Men. PAGB EflTects of Intcrconrse between Civilized and Uncivilized Races — ^Real Meaning of Colonization as regards Aborigines — Want of Definite- ness in the English Colonial Policy — Moral and Physical Agencies Concerned in Disappearance of Native Races — Decay of Tribes in their Isolated State — Evidence from my own Experience and Obsen'ations — Inconsiderateness of Untravelled Writers — Abori- gines, as a rule, not Harshly Treated by English Colonists — ^What are the Diseases and Vices of Civilization ? — Course of Opera- tion of the Destructive Agencies following Intercourse with the Whites 272 CHAPTER XXVHI. Concluding Chapter. Can Nothing be Done to Save the Native People ? — My View of the Case — the Home Government Primarily Responsible — Practical Suggestion as to the Means of Improving Isolated Tribes — liesults of Missionary Work hitherto 287 Vocabulary op the Aiit Language, with a List op the Numerals 295 Appendix 311 I I v I Men. PAGE -Real finite- encies rribes ;e and Vbori- What >pera- h the 272 if the ctical K58 — 287 THE ... 295 .. 311 PREFACE. I did not intend, originally, to publish these observations, and have made no attempt, now, at literary ornament in producing them. Any value found in these pages will consist, I think, in their freshness and minuteness of detail, as well as in the more special consideration of social feelings, moral and intellectual characteristics and religious notions — matters which travellers among savages, ordinarily, have not full opportunity to do justice to. My private and oflficial business on the west coast of Vancouver Island gave me an advantageous position for studying the natives themselves, and also the effect upon them of intercourse with civilized intruders. I lived among the people and had a long acquaintanceship with them ; I did not merely pass through the country. The informa- tion which I give concerning their language, manners, customs, and ways of life, is not from memory, but from memoranda, written with a pencil on the spot — in the hut, in the canoe, or in the deep forest ; and afterwards verified xu VnEFACK. or amended by my o\\Ta further researches, or from the observations of my friends. Among these, I am especially indebted to the late George Reid, of Alberni, and to the well-known traveller and naturalist, Mr. Robert Brown, F.R.G.S., whose knowledge of the North-West American Indians is extensive and accurate. During this singular episode in my early career, I was for five years a colonial magistrate, and also a proprietor of the settlement at Alberni in Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island — the only civilized settlement on the west coast. The condition of the native tribes on that coast has, hitherto, been quite unknown. I have stated in the two concluding chapters the opinions which I have formed from my observation and experience of these savages. Some, perhaps, will read these chapters, who have not time to read the whole book. Mr. F. Whymper bus kindly given nio the sketch fur the frontispiece. G. M. S. Lomluu, Januiry I, 18G8. II r from the 1 csi^ccially ni, and to fr. Robert forth-West SCENES AND STUDIES career, I id also a tinalit (or • Island — ast. The hitherto, ptcrs the ition and ^vill read lie whole vetch for OF SAVAGE LIFE. CIIAPTEll I. OCCrPATlOX OF DJSriUCT. ■ « Occiii.atinn of Alherui— Interview with tlic Nuti ves- Threatened Hostilitios — rn.-ress <.f the Settlement— Cook, Meares, and Jcwitt's Accounts of several of these Judian Tribes. He took great content, exceeding ihlUjIit, in that his iw/ayr.— Bn I pr'ythve now, lead the way without am/ more lal/wnj.—i^uxKsv RTOX. 'i;ake. -•o*- ^^Ix August, 18G0, 'l entered Nitinaht, or Barclay Sound, on the outside, or western, coa;-t of Vancouver Island, with the tv irmed vessels, Woodpecker and Mcfi Mer- riUes, manned by about fifty men, who accompanied mo for the purpose of taking possession of the district now called Alberni, a name taken from the Spanish navigator who first discovered the inlet at the head of the Sound. Reaching the entKtnce of this inlet, we sailed for twenty miles up to the end of it— as up a natural canal— OCt'CPA TION OF DISTHICT. tliree-quartors of a mile wide and very Jeep, bordered by rocky mountains, which rose high on both sides almost perpendicularly from the water. The view, as we advanced up this inlet from the sea, was shut in behind and before us, making the prospect like that from a mountain lake. At the end of this singular canal, the rocky sides of which appear to have been smoothed by a continued action of moving ice upon their surface, and which itself gives an idea of having been the furrow of a mighty glacier moving , sal on. et aTd^r'r.' ^'""^■"■'•^'"•""^ the graeeful branches and w """"'' " "■"«■<')- be-ybushes in the Ids 1 '' '""''' ''"''' "' *« '"w '-' - » g-eat iir ' ::r r^"--' '» '-'^ -po". '« "otlnug in Vancouve llr^"^-. ^^"'"'".^ '"ere »t™>^ger than the aged f re^^ ' """ ""■^-■^""S '» „ species, AlU. 7>„;,„, ^ I, f "^-"-"''y «« of one Viewed eonnnerciaii; tt ~; ;"'' ^»™'' '''e eonntry. ■i-lity, these forests ^^t ^ 'V '' "' «-'-•■"' "iffieuity of getting the .',o".:™'"^' "'''"^ '» the «"'-f«ce to a saw-n>ilJ or ,daee of I' ''""'' " "™'' " ""^Sei -customed elsewhere to rees o rr' ^'"^ '™™"er, Ple-i"g varieties of vcrdurnd fr^f " ^""■"'' ""'^ " here amidst old, gi^anti ,>''"'''' "'"'^ '""^^'f h-ches to a eons,,; i'.Jf;'!"*^" P"- «itiu.„t with .lark-green hristlin 1 1,;':* J T *'^ ^"■™""'' -'" The tops of these great rl f "'!' '""•"i^ -« '■■h«nges. •"•nglea as to scatter fees are in ■'nu. >( not to exclude, the Here and there in the forest niany places so densely are rays of the open spaces where PIXEFORESTS. iiglits in these 3 district more there, near the . The soil is ^cumulation of [s form a great 3rop out every- )twithstancling w'th of shrubs not last long. ^ou'-wishimllh h, a crowd) — !S of the low to look upon, robably there resting to a jlj all of one [he country, of first-rate ing to the |er a rugged le traveller, th, and io da himself s without ound, and r changes, so densely ys of the ces where the trees burnt by a fire — caused perhaps by the careless Indians — lie blackened on the ground, or where they appear lying white and withered, as if destroyed by some blast or circle of wind that left the surrounding trees uninjured : • '* Blasted pines, Wrecks of a single winter, barkless, branchless." — Manfued. And many an old tree meets the eye, fit object of a con- templative and melancholy regard, which, after its long growth and towering position in the forest, has reached the period of its decline, and can no longer oppose the ravages of the insects that prey on its naked trunk. Those aged trees are constantly falling one across another, and their great thickness and length make them, when pros- trate, formidable obstructions in walking through the woods. On my leaping upon a fallen decayed tree, the bark has given way, and I have sunk to the thigh in a red mould. Judging from the fact that many clumps of young trees grow in the forest, it would appear that the seeds, on being shaken out of the cones by the wind, either are blown from the parent trees here and there in heaps, steered by their membranous sail, or that they cover the whole surface, and spring up numerously only where the conditions of growth are favourable. These young trees stand so closely together that they have a hard struggle to grow beyond a certain height; and I should think fifty trees die for every one that lives to throw out its green top under the heavens. There is occasionally a good deal of snow in the Alit district — much more than falls in the neighbourhood of Victoria ; but, as a rule, it does not lie long on the lower ground near the water, and it is seldom seen on the moun- 2 18 I'OCALITIES. !o,. ! t'u-VoUarm,, which means " the Zth 1 "■"'""'• correspondB with our January tL > "" ''"°"'" coast, as in alj parts of V„„ "'* '"' "'« ^'est ™ost healthful an/deligh w ;' r ^ """^^"'^^ «'« fatten there, and fee] sttn! ",'' ""'''• '^^^ P-P'e Wsto than when exnlfnt th T"" ' ""■^■- "- carrying with „e n.y fooT "nrT " """" "^^^ '"«'"<"• to I'alt, generally beneath a n, ^ '"""" "'"'''' ^ "^'"'"''^'l T «,,Mi "tjueaiii a spreaclinrr cedar Pacheenah and Nespod twentv i ^^ ™ "''' ''«'«-«c° "a«on (see Appendh) nrb! T *"'" "^ "'^ ^" -on, capable oVbearii2'^''%7 "S*^"- about UOO ^00 men; seven othe/trires' I, >"''""''^ ""»''<^^« l^undrcd; the remaining f^tn ^7 '""" ^^^ ™" '- Bixtydowntoas few as five tl ™'^'" "umbers from tl.e last-named tribes being ablr?'' """"'''" "' ^""^ o*' Few of these natives have rilfv T"'^-"'^ S'""'" ^-^■ '«««». in fact, as alreadT tl , "'• """ *'-■' -"- to Americans as well as to S ""'"""'"-^'^ ""toown f- quite out of the oTdil^^tr:-, ^'^ ^"* *^*™' '« reached conveniently „T, "' "•''^^"^'■^' "-'l can Victoria. These tribes of S KU. "'"''"' " ^"'-' »' ----^"persts:i:t:ars;r TR IB A L CIIA RA CTERIS TICS. Id ' the sun is the Indians, Host snow," on the west rticularly in ogether the Most people never was ht district, I chanced he district, reader. It tion at the 0, between f the Alit out 1,700 numbers and two bers from n each of )wn men. heir con- anknown district and can essel at erated ; nation es, and ley evi- u. .5^ dently have had an ancient connection, if not a common origin. It may bo noticed that, though living only a few miles apart, the tribes practise different ails, and have, apparently, distinct tribal characteristics. One tribe is skilful in shaping canoes ; another in painting boards for ornamental work, or making ornaments for the person, or instruments for hunting and lishing. Individuals, as a rule, keep to the arts for which their tribe has some repute, and do not care to acquire those arts in which other tribes excel. There seems to be among all the tribes in the island a sort of recognized tribal monopoly in certain articles produced, or that have been long manufactured in their own district. For instance, a tribe that does not grow potatoes, or make a particular kind of mat, will go a long way, year after year, to barter for those articles, which, if they liked, they themselves could easily pro- duce or manufacture. The different Aht tribes vary in physiognomy somewhat — faces of the Chinese and the Spanish t}i)es may be seen ; they vary also in intelligence, in love of war, in fondness for many wives, in decorum of speech and manner, in several social usages, in taste for music and oratory, in habits of slave-dealing and gambling, and in their thievish propensities. No superior position in the political scale of the triljes is assigned by their traditions to any one tribe ; but the Toquahts in Nitinaht, or Barclay Sound, are generally considered by their neighbours to have been the tribe from which the others sprung. Quawteaht, a great per- sonage in the mythology of these barbarians, who, while on earth, lived at the Toquaht river, is said to have given the first part of the names to the tribes ; for instance, 2—2 20 LOCALITIES. i i {■ Toqu to the Toquahts, Ohy to the Ohyahts, Nitin to the Nitinahts, Klah-oh-Qu to the Klah-oh-Quahts, and so on. The natives added the termination Aht in honour of their instructor or progenitor, Quawteaht. Subdivisions of tribes occasionally take place by the secession of restless, influ- ential individuals, who, with their families and friends, endeavour to start new tribes under their own chief ship. In this way — if a natural increase of numbers is possible in a savage state of life — we may suppose that the tribes now existing along the coast branched off formerly from a few parent stems; a supposition which accords with one of the legends of the people. These first families, leaving the parent tribes, and settling at good fishing-places, would forget their kindred in a few generations, and treat them in all respects as members of separate tribes. But against the supposition of such secession having occurred frequently in modern days, there is the improbability of the number of these natives having increased ; and the fact (which will be proved farther on) that the Aht language has not changed materially within the last century, as would most likely have been the case if subdivisions and formations of new tribes had been common. ( 21 ) CHAPTER IV. PHYSICAL APPEARAXCE. Physical Anparance of the Natives— Their Stature, Strength, Weight, Corn- jilcxioii— Their Teeth, Hair, Dress, Ornaments— Abbe Domenech's Book — Fish-catinp Indians not weak in the Legs— Bathing common ; Skill of the Alits in Diving— Vapour- Bath unknown— Water colder than in England— Traces of old Spanish Settlement— Painting Faces — Custom of Moulding the Head— Appearance of the Natives in Infancy and Youth— Kajiid Decay of Manly Strength— The Faces of the Ahts exj)ressive of Settled Character. . . . And yet more pleased have, from your VipSy Gathered this fair report of them who dwell In that retirement. — Woruswoutii. -•o*- The next part of my subject, which I hope will not he uninteresting to the reader, is the physical appearance and characteristics of these people. As their only article of dress is a blanket, and I was constantly among them, I can speak with some confidence as to their physique. The external features of all the natives along this coast are much alike, but one acquainted with them can generally distinguish the tribes to which individuals belong. I have noticed that the slaves have a meaner appearance than the nee men, and that those few small tribes who dwell inland — .-, -T,_J tivJ rilYSK 'A L A ri'IJA HA Xi 'E. h i aloiij; lakes find rivers, and who live on a mixed diet of lisli and flesh, have a finer stature and hearin<( than the lish-eaters on the coast. Of all the trihes in Vancouver Island the Klah-oh-quahts, who live in Klah-oh-quaht Sound, prohahly are, as a tri])e, physically the finest.* Individuals may he found in all the trihes who reach a hei'^ht of live feet eleven inches, and a weifjjht of a hundred and ei«,dity pounds, without much flesh on their hodies. The extreme average height of the men of the Aht nation ascertained hy comparison of a numher, is ahout five feet six inches, and of the w^men ahout five feet and a quarter of an inch — a stature which equals that of the New Zcalanders.f Many of the men have well-shaped forms and liiuhs. None are coi*pulent, and very few are deformed from their hirth. I have, however, seen several who had heen horn crippled ; one, with withered crooked legs, stift* at the knees, was an excellent canoe - man. The men, as a rule, are hetter-looking than the women. The latter are not enticing, even when young, though one meets with some good-looking women, hut these in a few years, after reaching woman- hood, lose their comeliness. They are short-limbed, and have an awkward habit of turning their toes in * " Klnh-oh-qualit," in the native tongue, means " anothci* people," but tliis tribe is now in every respect the same as the others. f The following ridiculous account of the Ahts isconti'.injd in the latest hook in wliich they are mentioned : Abbo Domeuech's Residence in the Great Deserts of North America. "The men (the Nootkahs) are below the middle height, with thick- set limbs, broad faces, low foreheads, and rough, copperj', and tanned skins. Their moral deformities are as great as tlicir physical ones. Their dialect is exceedingly difficult, and the harshness of their pronunciation incredible." The abbe evidently knows nothing about the people. POWERS ()!■• EXDl'liAXrp; OF XATri'A'S. 23 ixod diet of iig than the Vancouver ih-oli-qiijiht lie finest.* lio reach a ' a hundred eir bodies. Aht nation ut live feet 1 a quarter the New pod forms ' few are ver, seen ^A'ithered lit canoe- than when ■looking woman - ■hmbed, toes in -ople," but the latest >ice in the ni'e below cads, and as great and the tly knows :ing en too much when wulkin;^^ The men generally have woll- Hct, strong frames, and, if they had pluck and skill, could probably bold their own in a grapple with English- men of the same stature. They want heart, however, for a close struggle, and S(;ldom come up after the first knock- down. The best place to strike them with the list is on the throat, or on the breast, so as to take away their wind ; a blow on the head does them very little harm. The powers of endurance possessed by the natives are great in any work to which they are accustomed, such as paddling, or rowing, or walking in the woods. I have had men with me from sunrise to sunset whilst exploring new districts where the walking tried one's powers to the utmost, and they scarcely seemed to feel tb.o exertion.* The natives can bear the want of food for a long time without becoming exhausted. Their complexion is a dull brown, just about, perhaps, what the English complexion would be if the people were in a savage instead of a civilized condition — the differ- ence being explained by the habits of life of the Ahts, by their frequent exposure, and by the effect of their food of l)lubl)er, oil, and lish. The Queen Charlotte Islanders and other natives to the north are fairer in complexion than the Vancouverians, though living under the same conditions * It is an eiTor to suppose that these fish-eatiiig Indians become weak in the legs from constantly sitting or stooping in canoes ; mean-looking, tliin-loggcd Ahts ran travel lor great distances in the woods without tiring. There is a fair proportion of well-limbed men among them. No liner men than the Queen Charlotte Islanders, a canoe-using people, can be found on the American continent ; they will stand up and light Englishmen with their fists, though the Aht fails on this point. The notion of the Coast Indians being deficient in muscular power in tiieir legs, probably arose from their legs being always seen uncovered, which is a severe ordeal for any people. If the men wf)rc blankets, how many presentable legs would tliere be in an ordiuary crowd of Englishmen ? Iff' I, ,11 !i ij i! M i;i i J, ^j 24 PHYSIC A L APPEA UANCE. in a climate not much colder. Their young women's Bkins are as clear and white as those of Englishwomen. But it is different among the Ahts. Cook and Meares probably mentioned exceptional cases in stating that the natives of Nootkah had the fair complexions of the North of Europe. The prevailing colour of the people in Van- couver Island is unmistakeably, as here described, a sort of dull brown. During summer they are much in the open air, lightly clad, and in winter pass most of their time sitting round fires in a smoky atmosphere. All the natives swim well, but not so fast nor so lightly as Europeans; they labour more in the water. As divers they cannot be beaten; a friend of mine saw Maquilla, a noted warrior and fisherman of the Nitinahts, dive from the stern of a boat, in five fathoms of water, and bring up a pup seal in each hand from the bottom. On ajiproaching the boat, one of the seals got away, but Maquilla, throwing the other into the boat, again dived and captured the seal before it could reach the bottom. Till beyond middle age many of the natives bathe every day in the sea, and in winter they rub their bodies with oil after coming out of the water.* The vapour-bath is not known on this coast. Mothers roll their young children in the snow to make them hardy. I should not call the Aht Indians a dirty people in their persons : they wash often, the fresh air circulates round their bodies, and they have not the disagreeable oniony smell about them which is common among the more closely attired poorer classes • it * Throughout the year, though the climate on tlie whole Is milder tiinn the English climate, the water in the sea round Vancouver Island is colder than on any part of the shores of Great Britain. TRACES OF OLD SPANISH SETTLEMENT. 25 in many countries. After their day's work, tlie women arrange their dress and hair, and wash themselves in fresh water.* The men's dress is a blanket ; the women's a strip of cloth, or shift, and blanket. The old costume of the natives was the same as at present, but the material was different ; for instance, a single robe of bearskin, or of four red catskins sewn together, was worn instead of a blanket. They use no covering for the head or feet except on canoe journeys, when hats and capes made of bark or grass ara worn. There is no difference between summer and winter dresses, nor anything peculiar, on ordinary occasions, in the dress of the chiefs. The men's beards and whiskers are deficient, probably from the old alleged custom, now seldom practised, of extirpating the hairs with small shells. This custom, continued from one generation to another, would perhaps at last produce a race distinguishable as these natives are by a thin and straggling growth of beard and whiskers. Several of the Nootkah Sound natives (Moouchahts) have lai'ge mous- taches and whiskers, and on that account are supposed to have Spanish or foreign blood in them. A few names and a cast of features reminding one of, Spain, cross one here and there on this coast. I have heard an Indian from Nootkah count ten in Spanish. Few traces of the settlement at Nootkah remain, except an indistinct ridge showing the site of houses, and here and there a few bricks half hidden in the ground ; but the older natives * It is a characteristic of these natives, tlmt men sometimes saunter along, hoUling each other's lianil in a friendly way : a habit never to be observed in civilized life, except amongst boys, or sailors hen intoxicated. 26 m Y^lCAL APPEARANCE. •\ fl I: I ii I 'i " Komotimes speak of the Spaniards. They say that tLe foreigners (who must have been Meares' men or the Spanish) had begun to cultivate the ground and to erect u stockade and fort, when one day a ship came with papers for the head man, who was obseiTed to cry, and all the white men became sad. The next day they began moving their goods to the vessel. The hair of the natives is never shaven from the head. It is black or dark brown, without gloss, coarse and lank, but not scanty, worn long, and either tied in a bunch or knot at the crown without an attempt at ornament, or allowed to hang loosel}' from under a handkerchief or wreath of grass, or of feathered birdskin, encircling the head. A favourite place of concealment for a knife carried as a weapon is among the hair behind the ear. The practice of tying the hair behind the head in the Chinese fashion is said to be peculiar to tlu natives on the outside coast of the Island. Slaves wear their hair short. Now and then, but rarely, a light-haired native is seen. There is one woman in the Opechisaht tribe at Alberni who had curly, or rather wavy, brown hair. Few grey-haired men can be noticed in any tribe. I once saw a middle-aged native with red hair, and he seemed a pure Indian, but it is diflicult to sav whether he was so or not. The women arc careful of their hair, and have little Doxes in which they keep combs and looking-glasses. There is a small white -flowered plant, of about three feet in height, the bruised roots of which are put on their hair by the Indians to make it grow. One frequently sees the women combing their hair and afterwards disposing ii on each side into plaits, which taper to a point, and are there ■I PUXISIIMENT OF NATIVES. ' that tLe n or the I to erect th papers 3 all the 1 moving ;he head, nd lank, )unch or nent, or chief or [ing the a knife the ear. in the ives on 3ir hair ative is be at Few ice saw a pure so or e little lassos. le feet r hair Js the ii- on • there ■I ri ornamented with beads ; or it hangs loosely and is kept down l)y leaden weights affixed to the end. When at work the women tie up their hair so as not to be incon- venienced. Unlike the men, they are fond of toys and ornaments for tliemselves and children, and are seldom seen without rings, anklets, and bracelets of beads or brass. Their blankets are often tastefully ornamented with l)eads. To cut off the hair of an Indian is an eftective punishment for minor offences, as he is thereby exposed to the derision of his own people. The face of the Ahts is rather broad and flat ; the mouth and lips of both men and women are large, though to tiiiF* there are exceptions, v!?'.] the cheekbones are broad but not high. The skull i; iciirly shaped, the eyes small and long, deep set, in colour a lustreless inexpressive black or very dark hazel, none being blue, grey, nor brown. Some of the Chinese workmen brought to Nootkah eighty years ago by Meares, have no doubt left descendants among the Ahts. Oi;e occasionally sees an Indian with eyes distinctly Chinese. The nose, of all the features of the human face rarest for beauty, in some instances is remarkably well-shaped. A brilliant ring or piece of cocldeshell, or a bit of brass, shaped \m- a horse-shoe, often adorns this feature. Simil •• , ivaients are worn in the ear by both sexes. The teetii ».. regular, but stumpy, and are delicient in enamel at the points, as some think from the nati-'es' eating so much dried salmon \vith which sanii has intermixed in the process of drying. No such practice as tatooing exists among these natives. At grnat feasts the faces of the women are painted red witl.! v.!-iiulion or berry-juice, and the men's faces are ( i I If I i \ I) .', ! 28 PHYSICAL APrEARANCE. blackened with burnt wood. About the age of twenty-five the w'omen cease to use paint, and for the remainder of their lives wear feathers in their hair for full dress. Some oi' the young men streak their faces with ^ed, but grown-up men seldom now use paint, unless on particular occasions. Hair cut short and a blackened face are signs of grief; at a time of rejoicing the face is also of that colour, except a space round the eyes ; but in war every portion of the visage is blackened, and the eyes glare through. The leader of a war expedition is distinguished by a streaked visage from his black- faced followers. The curious custom oP ^ moulding the heads of infants into a different shape from il. 'jural form does not now extensively prevail among the Ahts, though almost every child's head receives a slight pressure, owing to the mode of resting in the cradle. The traveller leaves on this side of Cape Sc(^tt a people with fine, broad — though perhaps slightly flattened — foreheads, and heads well set on, and soon finds himself on the north side of the Cape, among the Quoquoulth nation, a people with disfigured heads, who speak a language different from that of the Ahts, though, of course, having many words in common, near the tribal boundaries. In other parts of the Island, also, as well as among the Quoquoulth natives, the practice of moulding tlie head is followed, but it is principally among the latter people that heads have been seen of the real sugar-loaf shape. I have never seen an Aht head so much distorted as the chief's head shown at page 317, vol. ii., in Wilson's rrt'-Htstoric Man. In Barclay (Nitinaht) Sound, where the Aht tribes have intermarried with the Flatheads, on the American shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, CUSTOM OF MOULDING THE HEAD. 2!> many of the natives are proud of such children as have their foreheads flattened, but they do not regard this dis- figurement as a sign of freedom, nor of high birth — as travellers have reported of the natives at the mouth of the Columbia river. The Ahts imagine that it improves the appearance, and also gives better health and gi-eater strength to the infant. I could not satisfactorily discover whether the brain is injured by this change in the form of the skull. The natives say that no harm is done, but I have observed — from whatever cause the superiority arises — that several of the tribes of the Aht nation, the Klah-oh- qualits, for instance, who do not greatly flatten their heads, are superior to other tribes, not Ahts, known to me which flatten their heads excessively. This superiority, however, may be in the race : the Klah-oh-quahts, for instance — which, from their name, are probably a foreign tribe now assimilated to the other Aht tribes — may have originally possessed a superior organization to any others. It is extremely difficult to compare the intellectual faculties of any two tribes of suspicious, reserved, and weak-minded savages, without a particular acquaintance with both tribes, and a knowledge of their language and subjects of thought, their politics and management of individual and tribal aftairs; but I may say tliat the general opinion which I have formed with respect to these natives is that the flattening of the skull in infancy cannot decisively be said to injure the intellect. The process by which the deformity is effected is similar to that described by Irving as usual with the Coast Indians near the Columbia river. The infant is laid, soon afterbirth, on a small wooden cradle higher at the head tnan the foot. A padding Is placed on the forehead, -•30 PHY SIC A L A PPEARA NCE. iii: and is pressed down with cordb, which pass through holes on each side of the trough or cradle ; these being tightened gradually the required pressure is obtained, and after a time the front of the skull is flattened. The covering or padding is filled with sand, or sometimes a maple mould is made to fit the forehead. It is said that the process is not painful, but some of the children, whom I saw undergoing the com- pression, seemed to breathe slowly, and their faces were pale. The origin of this singular custom cannot with certainty be ascertained. It may have been adopted to celebrate some particular event, or in honour of a great warrior whose head was naturally of that form. It is a fashion; that is all that can be said about it. During infancy the native children are big-headed and ugly, and are subject to eruptive diseases, but in a few years they become interesting and sprightly in appearance and man- ners. They are plump and fresh-looking, with smooth skin,^ of a rich brown colour. About the age of puberty — which in both sexes is early — the visage of the men assumes the composure, and displays the cold serious traits of the savage. The eye, particularly, has a hard 5'urtive expression that was not there in childhood.* After having reached a vigorous age, no other important stage takes place till their manhood fails, when the Al natives become thin and wrinkled in a short time. Thev do not seem to have any intermediate stage in their existence corresponding with the attractive time in an Englishman's ♦ The face of the Indian, while it conceals present thoughts, seems to me to be a much more open book than the face of the white man in expressing settled character. It shows the very normal types of the vices plainly ])rinted in the features, most especially those of anger, cunning, and pride. »> RAPID DECAY OF MANLY HTRENGTII. U life between fuU manhood and the first steps that lead downwards into age. They are either vigorous or weak, young-looking or old-looking. I have known many Indians who have become quite old in appearance within the five years since I first saw them. iM: b i.l : (.1 'I I I m I i CHAPTER V. PURSUIT OF A FUGITIVE. Strength of the Natives' Fingers — Speed in Running— Skill in Taddling- Escapc of a Fugitive. -•^^ You have not seen such a thiriq as it is ; / can hardly forbear hurling things at him. TAViiLFTii Night. -*o*- The Upper Canadians and the men of the Northern and Western States of the United States are the finest-looking men I have anywhere seen, with the exception, perhaps, of the Queen Charlotte Islanders, on the North-west of British Columbia. I thought so on seeing them in their homes in Canada and America, and my estimate was confirmed by the appearance of the British Columbian population and the inhabitants of my own settlement, who chiefly were of these nationalities. Finer men cannot be seen, in face and figure, than among the miners and woodmen, say, at a race-meeting in Beacon Hill Park, near Victoria, Vancouver IslaUvl, any summer afternoon. I had on an average about 270 men at Alberni — perhaps three-fourths of these Canadians and Americans — stalwart, handsome fellows, accustomed to work with their hands. One day. STnEXGTII OF THE XATiri'JS' FJXtJKIiS. 3a when the vessels were disclmrgiiif? cargo into the ware- house, we amused ourselves by trying who could carry round the room, on two fingers, the governor of a steam- engine — a mass of metal like a 10-inch shell — and not one of r.s could carry it half the distance. A middle-sized Indian, who was present, carried it round the warehouse apparently with ease. The constant use of the paddle may 1)8 supposed to make the fingers of the Indians strong ; but would the use of the axe from childhood not also strengthen the fingers of the woodmen ? Why should the fingers of a comparatively small Indian be stronger than the fingers of a powerful American woodman ? The gene- rally prevalent opinion, as regards the hand of the Indians, was that it exceeded the while man's La.ad in power. On a certain occasion, a disturbance having arisen, I armed my men, warning them earnestly not to strike or fire till the last extremity. Every one answered that if the Indians came to close quarters and grasped their clothes, they could not disengage the Indians' hold without drawing l)lood. The blanket worn by the Indians is a convenient garment in a close struggle. One of my men who had watched an Indian potato- stealer for weeks, gripped him at last one night by slipping round a tree upon him as he was filling his bag ; but the savage got ofi; by pulling out the ])one skewer that fastened his blanket at the neck, and by running naked across the potato-beds into the thick wood. If an Indian is unarmed, one can hold him only by seizing his hair ; if he has a weapon about his person, he should not be seized at all, but should be knocked down. The Indians, as already stated, often carry a knife concealed behind the ear in their long hair. u>, fli n il i ' !' •■<■ : I 84 i'CIi.Si'IT OF A FLVITirE. The Alit Indian runs well, but does not equal the Englishman in running. In pursuing a native in the open, he should always be turned from the forest, as, when once there, nothing but a hound can follow him. In November, 1864, on a day so dreary and snowy that we could not work, word reached the settlement that a noto- riously bad Indian, who, we were well aware, had committed several murders, and was under sentence of imprisonment, but who had escaped from the constable in 1862, was visiting his married daughter at a temporary Indian hut on the bank of the Klistachnit River, about a mile from Alberni. Taking with me John Eyloc, a New Brunswick shipwright, a quick runner and a first-rate oarsman and paddler, with five other trusty men, all unarmed, and putting my six-barrelled Adams' revolver in my own belt, I went up the river in a boat, and landed on the bank a few hundred yards below the hut, towards which we walked. Before the inmates discovered our approach, we had sur- rounded the hut. Cautiously entering the doorway, I looked into the apartment, and saw no one but the son-in- law of the fugitive and two women sitting by the lire, who sprang to their feet on observing me. A noise outside attracted my attention, and, on going out, I found that the savage we wanted to capture had sprung unobserved from an opening at a corner of the hut, and was making for the wood at full speed over the snow. Eyloc was in pursuit, and having gained on him quickly, notwith- standing the disadvantage of shoes (which get clogged in the snow), the Indian abandoned his hitention of reaching the wood, and turned towards a near point on the river. We ran to intercept him, but he reached the SKILL JN PADDLIXG. 35 on of int on }d the bank, and, throwing oft' his blanket, plunged into the stream. The excitement in our party was now so great that one of my men ran towards me, seized my arm, and almost ordered me to shoot, or he would escape. The fugitive had risen to the surface, and was swimming towards a canoe that was quite out of our reach, tied to a drift tree in the river. I covered him several times with my pistol, in the excitement of the moment ; but had no intention of firing, especially as two of my own men had got into a small canoe some way down the stream, and were paddling up stream towards the coveted canoe. The Indian reached it, however, first. He looked to see if the canoe contained a paddle, then eagerly grasped the welcome instrument. His pursuers, by this time, were perhaps twenty yards from him, and were labouring with powerful, but unequal and unskilful strokes against the rapid current. We on the bank were not more than thirty yards distant. The river was about 250 yards wide. It was beautiful to see how boldly the Indian, now seated in a canoe, shot athwart his pursuers, and how skilfully he forced his light skiff" both up and across the stream, while our men lost ground greatly in attempting to slant their canoe and follow him. There were more than fifty yards between the two canoes when the Indian reacliod the wooded bank opposite, and plunged into the forest. We, of course, then lost him. I believe he never again came near the settlement. As our party retraced their steps to the boat, cold, weary, and disappointed, I could see that my not having fired at this fellow was not approved by my companions. During the whole time of the pursuit, the two women, — one of them, as above named, the fugitive's 3—2 hi 86 ESiJAPE OF A FUGITIVE. (laughter, — Fiquatted near me and scolded bitterly. ** You a chief! " repeated they. " low pretend to he a chief; and try to steal our papa ! You a chief ! You are a common man. So-and-so" (naming one of the foremen) ** is a high chief. You are no chief at all." They are adepts in scolding ; and it was done, in this case, so vigorously that I could not laugh at them. Next day the same women were quite friendly and chatty when they saw me at the settlement. Their papa, they said, was now far beyond my reach. I remember many instances of Indians having escaped from us through their skill in swimming, and paddling, and travelling through the woods. The management by a single Indian of a canoe in crossing a rapid stream cannot be surpassed. At the same time, I may observe that I have seen a trained crew of white men beat a crew of Indians in a long canoe race on the sea. The civilized man seems to have more bottom in him, when the exertion is intense and prolonged. ^Y 111 ' ]( I, ( 37 > CHAPTER VI. HOUSES. Houses of the Ahts— Custom of Changing Quarters — Mode of Shifting an Encampment — No Appreciation of Natural Scenery — Descrijition of Dwellings and Furniture, -•o»- Carrying his own home still, still is at home. — Donne. A fish : he smells like a fish ; a very ancient andfishlike snirll. SUAKiil'EARE. ■«>•- The framework or fixed portion of the bouses in an Indian villaj^'e here belongs to individuals, generally to subordinate chiefs, or to men of some station in the tribe. The name of the owner of the framework of any division of the house is given to the division formed by such framework for the use of a family, when the whole encamjiment is planked in for occupation. The planking is a joint contribution from the inmates. It is customary for the natives to shift their encampments several times during the year, so as to be near good fishing and root and fruit grounds. They cannot, however, be strictly con- sidered as migi-atory tribes, as they always move to the same places, according to the season, and these different encampments are not far apart. The framework of the Ed "' ■5;.g-j^ g' Jtt^ 'g ^i- t.. ' Ti- -'r' '.f3^"u ' .j f i^iwwK r ufw :{S HOUSES— REMOV A L. i! building is never removed, so that planking the sides and roofs is the only work on re-occupation. Planks required for repairing the houses are made during winter. Follow- ing the salmon as they swim up the rivers and inlets, the natives place their summer encampments at some distance from the seaboard, towards rvhich they return for the winter season about the end of October, with a stock of dried salmon — their principal food at all times. By this arrange- ment, being near the seashore, they can get shell-fish, if their stock of salmon runs short, and "an also catch the first fish that approach the shore in the early spring. Every tribe, however, does not thus regularly follow the salmon ; some of the tribes devote a season to whale- fishing, or to the capture of the dog-fish, and supply themselves with salmon bv barter with other tribes. If the natives did not thus often move their quarters, their health would suffer from the putrid fish end other nasti- nesses that surround their camps, which the elements and the birds cle. i* away during the time of non-occupation. They remove in the following manner from an encamp- ment : — Two large canoes are placed about p.:x feet apart, and connected by planks — the sides and roofs of the houses — laid transversely upon each other, so as to form a wide deck the whole length of the canoe, space enough for one man being reserved at the bow and stern. On this deck are baskets full of preparations of salmon-roe, dried salmon, and other fish, together with wooden boxes con- taining blankets and household articles. The women and children sit in a small p pace purposely left for them. I have seen the goods piled on these rafts as high as four- teen feet from the water. Each canoe is managed by two SITE OF AX EXCAMP.VEXT. 8» men, who, with the women and children, often raise u cheery song as they float down the stream with all their .j2;oods and chattels. The p. jcipal men send slaves or others to prepare their quf vters, and among the common people it is understood beforehand who shall live together at the nev^ encampment. A willing, handy poor man some- times is invited to live for the winter with a richer familv, for whom he works for a small remuneration. The houses of the natives at their winter camping-grounds are large and strongly constructed. I have seen a row of houses stretching along the bank of a stream for the third of a mile, with a varying breadth, inside the buildings, of from twenty-five to forty feet, and a height of from ten to twelve. Cedar {Thuja giaantca) is the wood used in making the houses. Far from presenting a mean appearance, some of the permanent winter encampments on this coast suggest to us \vhat the wooden halls of the old Northern nations in Europe may have been like. They are far superior, as human dwellings, to the hovels in Connanght, or the mud cabins in the west of Sutherland. The village sites are generally well chosen, and, though not selected for i -^y other reason than nearness to firewood and water, and safety against a surprise, are often beautiful, occu- pying picturcsqu'^jly the ma''e * ground at the bend of a river, or a spot noMv some pleasant brook, where fantastic masses of rook, or the dense mixed forests, keep off the wind.f At such places, occupied for centuries year after ♦ This " made " ground consists of mud or earth, partly deposited from the river itself, and partly washed from tlic bunk of the stream. This Avashing takes place especially at luiy bend or tuni in the river. t It is not my belief that these savages scleet pretty spots for their village sites, or that they have any appreciation of natural scenery. The notion that J:J :-; ( ■I 40 HOUSES. \ ' mi< i 1 li ft \ear, shell - mounds have been formed, like the Danish *' kitchen refuse heaps," and from some of these in Van- couver Island, on their being dug through, the materials for information respecting a past time may yet be got. A row of round posts, a foot thick, and from ten to twelve f 3et high, placed twenty feet apart and slightly hollowed out at the top, is driven firmly into the ground to form the framework of the lodge. These posts are connected by strong cross-pieces, over which, lengthwise, the roof-tree is placed — a stick sometimes of twenty inches diameter and eighty or ninety feet long, hewn neatly round by the mussel-adze, and often to be seen blackened by the smoke of several generations. Some of the inside main-posts often have great faces carved on them.* Heavy timbers cap the side-posts, and across from these to the roof-tree smaller cross-poles are laid, which support the roof. The they find a charm in contemplating the beauties of nature while resting hour after hour on the grass near their houses, seems to me to have no foundation. It is easy to imagine, from an Indian's attitude, that he is watching tranquilly the floating clouds, or the light waves on the surface of the water, or that his car enjoys the pleasant murmuring of the leaves ; bui'. the chances arc, I imagine, that the savage either gazes with a dull oye on vatancy, or is half asleep. His rude, coarse organization cannot receive the impressions of which more civilized, elevated natures arc susceptible. If his fancy roves, the images before the mind of the savage will be gross and common, and very different from the beautiful conceptions which a refined intelligence would form. The woods, to him, merely shelter beasts ; an angrv' spirit makes a ripi)]e on the water ; and every shadow of a cloud causes alarm. The immediate necessities of his liTe, vague fears of the future, an unavenged wrong, or some torturing suspicions, till the mind of the savage, and unfit him even for the sensuous enjoyment of fine scenery and climate. * These are not idols, but rude artistic eftorts undertaken without any view to symbolize the notions which the natives have of Quawtcaht as a higher being. I could not find that the Ahts possessed any symbols or images that could be projicrly called idols, as objects of religious or super- stitious veneration. cox ST RUCTION OF BUILDINGS. 41 roof is formed of broad cedar boards, sometimes seen of five feet in width by two inches thick, overlaid so as to turn off water. The roof is not quite flat, but has a slight pitch from the back part. The sides of the house are made of the same material as the roof — the boards over- lapping and being tied together with twigs between slender upright posts fixed into the ground. The building is now complete, except that the inmates have no place for the reception of goods. To get this, a sort of duplicate inside building is made by driving into the ground, close to the exterior upright posts, smaller posts shorter by about two feet. Small trees are tied to these shorter inside posts, one end of each tree being fastened to an inside post on one side of the house, abou^; two feet below the top of ihis inside post, and the other end tied in a similar manner to the opposite short post on the other side of the house. At right angles to these small trees, slender poles are laid, on which the natives stow all sorts of things — onions, frrn- roots, mats, packages of roe, dried fish, guns, and hunting and fishing instruments. There is no ceiling, md, with the exception of these poles, the interior is open to ihe roof. For about a foot deep inside of the building the earth is hollowed out, and on the outside a strong stockade of split cedar is sometimes erected, about six feet from the walls. At the Ohyaht village, in Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound, I have seen a loopholed stockade of this kind, erected so as to face almost the only beach in the neighbourhood on which an enemy could land. The Nitinahts also have a fortified village. The houses of the Ahts are without windows, and the entrances are small, and usually at a corner of some division of the building. The chimney i if 4-1 IXTTERIOR AREA XGEMEXTS. consists of a shifting board in the roof. There is access from division to division of the house. The inside is divided for family occupation into large squares, partitioned for four feet in height ; in the middle of each square is the tire burning on a ring of stones ; and round the sides of these squares are wooden couches, raised nine inches from the ground,* and covered with six or eight soft mats for bedding. A more comfortable bed to rest upon I do not know, and the wooden pillow, nicely fitting the head of the sleeper, and covered with mats, is a good contrivance. Boxes are piled between the couches, and alsc in the corners of these rooms or divisions. The floor is un- covered. There are no prescribed seats in these divisions for the different members of the family. All the houses are so much alike, and the habits of the natives differ so little, that in a night attack the stealthy enemy can enter, and in the dark know where to strike the sleepers. A strong fish-like smell, and rather m^ro pungent smoke than is agreeable, salute the nose and eyes of the careless traveller who enters the Aht dwellings. The outside, however, is the worst, for the whole refuse of the camp is thrown there ; and, not being offensive to the organs of the natives, is never removed. A pinch of snulf and a toothful of good brandy are very grateful to one who picks his way among the putrid fish and castawii\ mollusks that cover the ground. The principal occupant lives at the extreme end, on the left of the building as you walk * It is worthy of remark that in several villages on the nortli-easi: of Vancouver Island, and in nearly all on the coast of British Columbin, the Indian houses are divided into small rooms. I have not seen a house so divided on the west coast of the island. It probably is an imitation of white men's houses. PLACES OF OCCUPANTS. 4:i up from the main door; the next in rank at the nearer end, on the left as one enters ; the intermediate spaces being occupied by the common people. The half bulk- heads between the different families are removed on great occasions, and the whole building kept clear.* * The Indians saw our carpenters at work constantly, and were present at the building of perhaps a hundred wooden houses — both log-houses and frame-houses — yet, though furnished with sawn wood and the necessary tools and appliances, they built their new houses exactly like their old ones, never altering nor iniproving thcni. I I . 44 CHAPTER VII. A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE OX CIRC LIT A Mutinous Crew — My Canoe stolen — ^Left upon an Island — George the Pirate — Stormy Sea — Sensations from Freezing — Samaritan Wood- men. -*o*- Nature, whilst fears her bosom chill, Suspends her powers, and life stands still. — Ciiuuchill. -*o*- The comfort of even such a house as the Indians have is never so much felt, as when one has no house at all to sleep in. I remember one night when the poorest hut w ould have delighted me. During the afternoon a request had reached me that I would visit officially, as a magistrate, an English ship which had put into Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound with a discontented crew. I went to the ship in a canoe manned by six Indians, and found her at an anchorage about forty - five miles from our settlement. After spending a night and the greater part of the next day on board, I succeeded in inducing the crew to lift the anchor and set the sails. They made some petty complaints, but the truth was they had a weak captain, and did not wish to proceed with the vessel. My canoe was alongside, the ship was beginning ISLAND SOLITI 'DE. 4r> to move slowly through the water, and I was signing some jjapers for the captain, when a sudden hailstorm struck the vessel, and obscured the whole deck for several minutes. When the squall passed I prepared to depart, but on looking over the side found that my canoe was gone. The boatswain of the ship also was missing ; he hii.d sprung into the canoe during the squall, and had satisfied the Indians by some story of my going to sea in the vessel, that it would be according to my wishes if they proceeded with him alone — at all events the canoe was nowher- to be Here was a pretty situation — several miles from the seen. mainland, night approaching, the ship increasing her speed every minute, and the sea becoming rough. I need not relate at length how the ship managed to land me with- out again casting anchor. Suffice it to say, that after several hours I was landed, in the ship's gig, on a small wooded island near the entrance of Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound ; the boat returned to the ship, and she stood away and disap- peared in the evening gloom. I had a pocketful of biscuits with me, but no blankets, as I expected to find an Indian encampment on the other side of the island. This chance failed me, however ; for after scrambling across the island to the village, I found it empty — the Indians had moved to other fishing quarters. The night was falling, and there- was nothing for it but to light a fire, and sit down beside it to chew a biscuit, and to wish the boatswain some well- deserved punishment. He was, no doubt, by this time far on his way, in my fine canoe, to some decent place of shelter. The want of a blanket I felt most ; one does not like, on a January evening, to lie down at the foot even of a suitable tree without a covering of some sort. I sat by 40 UAILIKG A iJANOE. \m the fire till about midnight, and then made a bed of young lir-branches, and drawing several branches over me, fell asleep, with my feet towards the fire. The cold awoke me early in the morning, and I got up and moved about the island, and seated myself finally on an elevated rock, from which I could see numerous other small islands, and a considerable part of the open water of the Sound. I took a breakfast of biscuits here, and looked out anxiously for some Indian canoe. I at last saw one crossing the Sound, a long way oif, and waved a handkerchief to attract atten- tion. The Indians made no sign, but changed their course slightly in my direction. I kept on waving till I was certain they saw me, and then sat down to wait their pleasure. It was a wretched small canoe, with a man and woman in it. They did not come on steadily within hail- ing distance, but stopped now and then and talked, and then paddled a little way farther. Coming near at last, I shouted, " Are you Seshahts ? " to which they replied by a great hoarse laugh, after the manner of the Indians. ** Seshahts?" I again shouted intenogatively, and they answered, "No, Ohyahts." " Very well," said I, "come and take me to the Ohyaht village." The answer to this was another gufiaw, and an objection that the canoe was too small. All this time they were endeavouring to find the real reason of one white man being there without a ])oat, and at the same time they were mancouvring for a hard bargain. I agreed to give them all they asked, and finally was taken by them to the village of the Ohyahts — three or four miles distant. My first inquiry was for George the Pirate, a noted Ohyaht murderer and scoundrel, but a very good paddler. A C. :ur VOYAGE. 47 IS — On coming forward, lie at once recognized me, and I began to be treated with distinction, which, in view of the inevitable bargain for a canoe, I was rather sorry for, as chiefs in this part are expected to pay like chiefs for every- thing they have. Kleeshin, the head chief of the Ohyahts, was sent for, and he invited me into his house, and spread a clean mat on a box for me to sit upon. After many ques- tions and ansAvers, we came to business. I wanted a large fanoe, with six Indians, to take me quickly to Alberni. Such a canoe, I ascertained, could not be got — there were no large canoes at the village ; so it was finally agreed that Kleeshin and scoundrel George should take me in George's small canoe, at the hire of three blue blankets. They insisted on this agreement being written on paper, to which, though unable to read it, they attached great importance. We started about nine o'clock, and kept close to the shore, as the Indians generally do. About eleven the wind rose, and snow began to fall. We passed a point on which 51 dog was howling piteously. Kleeshin said this dog had been abandoned by the Indians. Entering the long canal ilescribed in the first chapter, the work became very stiff, as the sea was rough and the wind blew against the canoe ; but the two paddlers worked hour after hour with regularity and vigour, and without speaking a word. I was told after- wards that we were in great danger during the wtiole of this time, and that nothing saved us but the extraordinary skill of Kleeshin and George with the paddles. The sea was rougher than they had expected, and there was no landing-place, and to go back was as bad as to go on. I was sitting with my back to the stern of the cai;ce where 48 SXOWl'W UP IX A CANOE. m Kleeshin was, but saw every movement of George the bow jjaddler ; and not being aware of any danger, I watched his action with admiration. His manner showed no ex- citement ; hour after hour his shoulder and arm worked like part of a steam-engine, and when an angry curling wave came close to the gunwale, he cut the top of it lengthwise with his paddle, and not a drop came on board. The snow all this time continued to fall ; I was sitting on the bottom of the canoe, without any power of changing my position, and the flakes gathered round my feet and legs in spite of all my endeavours to free myself from their soft embrace. It was a long time before I felt any alarm ; but when the line of foam on the steep rocks showed the impossibility of landing anywhere, and I remembered we were only half-way on our journey, a sort of dread crept over me. Using my hands as a scoop, I shovelled the snow out of the canoe : still, hour after hour passed, and the snow never ceased to fall. I spoke to the Indian in front, but he did not reply, nor make any sign that he heard me speaking. Mile after mile was thus slowly passed, and I recollect fancying that I felt the cold less, and that I should be warmer if the snow quite covered my legs. When, in changing his paddle for another lying in the canoe, George accidentally struck my leg, I remember it seemed odd to me that I should see and not feel some- thing striking my leg. After that it was all like a dream ; I seemed to be resting on a soft couch, in a great hall lighted by numerous lamps shedding a pleasant light, and beautiful people were tending me, and there were strains of music in the air. The fact was the cold was becoming too much for me. Then the scene changed to a HECOVERY FROM FREEZIXa. 49 rough hut, lighted imperfectly by a huge fire of logs under a large chimney in the middle of the hut, at some distance from which fire I was propped up by two strong woodmen, who were rubbing my legs. The pleasant words, " I guess, Jim, he's thawing," recalled me to earth from the land of dreams, and I began to estimate the whole position exactly, though I could as yet not utter a word, but only laugh in recognition of my attendants* kindness. Having had a warm dry shirt and drawers put on, I tumljled into a bunk, under a heap of blankets, and awoke next morning quite myself again. We were a long way from the settle- ment ; but, fortunately for me, several of the men engaged in rafting timber happened to have occupied an old hut for the night ; and the Indians, seeing the light and becoming aware of my condition, had steered for the place, and had succeeded in landing safely, though with damage to tlieir canoe. I had no very kindly feelings towards the boatswain who was the cause of this mischance. 9! I- ■ ■ ■ i ( 50 ) CHAPTER VIII. DOMESTIC MANNERS. Winter the time for Feasts — Domestic Manners ; Fondness for Jokes and Gossiji — Rarity of Serious Quan-els ; Ignorance of Fisticuffs — Un- willingness to labour — Appetite, Meals, Food and Drinks, Cooking ; Gathering Gammass Roots ; Cutting down Crali-apple Trees in Despair — Hospitality to Friendly Unexpected Visitors — Observance of Formalities in Social Invercoursc. Come ; our stomachs Will make tvhat \s homely, savoury; weariness Can snore upon thejiint, — Shakspeaue. -»c*- .1 I In fine seasons, the Alits, following the salmon up the inlets and streams, have been known not to return to their winter quarters till the end of November. A month sooner, however, is about the usual time. Mirth then prevails, as the whole tribe is gathered like a family round a fireside. There is a general holiday and time of feasting, called Klooh-quahn-nah, which ends about the middle of January, soon after which time the natives begin to look for fish that approach the inlets on the coast in the spring. The winter season is the time when, if one knew the Aht language thoroughly, and had the stomach and nose to live actually /mifJXE.s.s or QrAituHrjjxa. 51 boner, [ils, as •eside. called luary, Ih that inter jguage [tually amongst them, thoir ^vays coul..l bo best learnt. The natives delight in gossip and scandal, and the strangest rumours circulate freely through every camp. What talks there will l)e in the smoky houses about the past fishing season, the conduct of other tribes, the doings of the white men ! These natives are not at all times so grave as out of doors they appear to us. When relieved from the presence of strangers, they have much easy and social conversation among themselves. Kound their own fires they sing and chat, and the older men, lying and bragging after thf manner of story-tellers, recount their feats in war or the chase to a listening group. Jokes pass freely, and the laugh is long, if not loud. According to our notions, the conversation is frequently coarse and indecent. A common fireside amusement is to tease the women till they become angry, which always produces great merriment. The men ?'arely quarrel except with their tongues, and a blow is seldom given. If struck in anger it must be paid for next day with a present, unless the striker chooses to leave the dispute between himself and his opponent open. The respect entertained for the head of the family is, however, generally speaking, sufficient to pre- serve order within the family circle. Quarrelling is also rare among the children. The use of the doubled fist as a means of oflence is quite unknown among these people, and seemed at first very much to surprise them. I have never witnessed a fight between two sober natives ; when drunk, they seek close quarters and pull each other's hair. When there is no dancing, their evenings are passed round the fire, and, as the stories slacken, they retire one by one to their couches. They sleep in the same blankets 4—2 m DOMES TW MJ XXER V. s . f I' I «?■■ ' which they use during the rlay. To judge by their snoring, the natives FDem to sleep rather heavily than otherwise. They rise from their beds at an early hour in the morniiig. The women go to bed first, and are up first in the morning to prepare breakfast. In their own work, among them- selves, I should not call these Alits a very lazy people, though they have no regular occupation, and though, froiii the toiling Englishman's point of view, they are the reverse of industrious.* They have a good deal to do in making house utensils, nets, canoes, paddlo <, weapons, and imple- ments. The high chiefs, of course, are mere gentlemen at large. I have seen Indians hard at work on caroes in the woods at five o'clock on an autumn morning, l long way from their houses (aee canoe-making, page 85). Their appetite is capricious and not easily appeased ; but when necessary, they have great power of ahstjiuiing from fooil. When at work, only two small meals are taken — in tlie morning and evening ; but, when not at work, cookinj^ continues all day, and as many as six or eight meals are * When I first cmployeri Indians at Alberni, the price of their hiboiir ■was two blankets and rations of bisenits and niohisses for a month's work for each man, -f he worked the whole tin./. The In'Mans became very tired after labom-lug for ten days or a fortnight, and many forfeited the wages already earned, rather than c.dure longer the misery of refrular labour. It was i.-^trnctive, yet almost painful to witness the struggle between the strong aciiuisi'ivo ir..stincts of the savage, and the real nientiil and physical difficulty and jiain caused by the stated regularity of the hours for work and for meals. Some of the Indians became fair work- men, and their labour was worth half-a-dollar a day and rations, or about one-third the value of ;!Ti ordinary white Inbourei-'s work ; but, on the whole , I found that the Indians \\erc unpn n.'aido workmen. They lake better saihirs than labourers j a T.sclahl lam .slu>o from the onpositc side of tlie straits of Fuca, v.hom we named Qiiartcrniaster Jack, often took the wheel of the serew-st'.amer Thames in inland waters, on the way to Alberni. He could sec ir the dark like a racoon. i FOOD. m eaten. The priuilpal food of the natives, as before alluded to, is fish — salmon, whale, halibut, seal, herring, anchovy, and shel.-ilsh of various kinds. Their commonest article of food at all times is dried salmon; whale-blubber, prepara- tions of salmon roe, 'ind the heads of smaller fish are esteemed delicacies. They are particularly fond of picking bones. Twenty years ago, when few trading vessels vrsited the coast, the Ahts probably were restricted to a diet of fish, wild berries, and roots ; but they now use also for food, flour, potatoes, rice, and molasses. This change of food, from what I saw of its efiect on two tribes with whom t lived, has proved to be very injurious to their health. The dogfish is occasionally eaten, but is generally caught for the sake of its oil, to barter with the whites. Fur- seals and sea-otters are diligenUy pursued for their furs, bat few good furs arc got without going much farther north tluiu any part of Vancouver Island. Only a few individuals in any tribe follow the chase ; but there are always some hunters who pursue the bear, beaver, mink, marten and racoon for their skins. Geese, ducks, and deer are also used 'is food, ]>ut are not so well liked as fish, and are seldom kept in stock. The marrow of animals is esteemed a great delicacy by all the natives. They seem to bo very improvident, or rather, perhaps, fae unable to calculate their probable wants; and it hapjtcns sometimes that they are in straits for want of food, when the fish do not appear until late i i the spring. Becoming weak and thin, they biacken their faces to hide +^'.eir altered looks. What we call the refuse of birds and fish, particularly the head, is esteemed by the natives. AYhen the canoes return to shore from fishing, the men fill the baskets with the fish, p T 54 COOKER Y. t lit V.i : 1«i i (S I and place them on the women's shoulders. The Litter, assisted by the slaves, immediately cut off the heads, open, and wash the fish, press out the water, and afterwards hang them up to dry in the smoke without salt. The roe is made into cakes or rolls, which are hung up Jind smoked. The commonest way of cooking fish or flesh is by spitting it on cedar sticks placed near the fire. Whale-blubber and pieces of seal are prepared for food by being boiled in a wooden dish, into which hot stones are thrown to heat the water. A kind of gravy soup is also made from pieces of fish. Another mode of cooking is to cover the fire with stones, on which water is sprinkled and the fish placed, mats saturated with fresh water being thrown over all. In this way as many as fifty salmon are cooked at once, and no better mode could be desired. When used immediately as food, the head, backbone, ribs, and tail are separated from the rest of the body, the heads and tails are strung together and dried, and the backbone, which has a large portion of the fish adhering to it, is generally eaten first. As a corrective of the injurious eftects of a continued fish and animal diet, various plants are used by the natives as food. The kammass, — a species of lily common in the north and norlh-v^est of America, so called originally, it is supposed, by the early French fur-trading voyageurs, but known to the Ahts as gammass, — comes into flower about the middle or end of April, and remains in flower till June, when it is in a condition to be gathered. Before that time its root is watery and unpalatable. The gathering of the gammass is the most picturesque of all Indian employments. One could hardly wish in his honeymoon, or in any like happy time, for a pleasanter • IHE GAM MASS LILY. O.) dwelling than the little hush camps which the natives form in the gammass districts. It is pleasant to lie on the fern in these cosy ahodes, and smoke, and read one of those old hooks of travel too wonderful by half to he produced in these days. This useful plant is found also in Oregon, and the root is there roasted until black, and is preserved in cakes. In Vancouver Island it is roasted and preserved whole in bags for winter use. The gammass has an agreeable sweetish taste, and, from the great quantity of starchy matter which it contains, is justly esteemed one of the most wholesome of the Indian edibles. It grows only in small quantities on the west coast, and is taken thither as an article of traffic from the south of the island, particularly from the neighbourhood of Victoria, where there are excellent gammass districts. One of the bitterest regrets of the natives is that the encroachment of the whites is rapidly depriving them of their crops of this useful and almost necessary plant. They have never attempted to increase the production of gammass by any kind of cultivation. The roots of the common fern or bracken are much used as a regular meal. They are simply washed and boiled, or beaten with a stone, till they become soft, and are then roasted. All the different kinds of berries are a favourite food, either fresh plucked from the bush, or when pressed into cakes for use in winter. The gathering of berries in the woods by parties of natives, during the lovely summer and autumn days, is a pleasant and favourite occu- pation of the women and children. I'he tender shoots of several species of rubus are eaten as a delicacy or relish (luring the summer, as the shoots of the sweet-briar are f^f^mk 5ft CRAB-APPLES PRIZED. 1 I 'I il:l hi n I I eaten in Scotland. Canoes may be seen quite laden with ilieae shoots. Hazel-nuts and sal-al berries are used in autumn. Many species of seaweed are collected for food, and one species is pressed into cakes for winter use. The (loj;-tooth violet, wild onions, and the roots or young shoots of several other plants that grow on the coast, form the food of the Indians at diflferent times of the year. (Jrab-apples are wrapped in leaves and preserved in bags for the winter. The method of cooking them, when fresh plucked, is by simply boiling the apples ; but, when they have lost their acidity, they are cooked by being placed in •A hole dug in the ground, over which green leaves are [)laeed, and a fire kindled above all. The natives are as careful of their crab-apples as we are of our orchards ; and it is a sure sign of their losing heart before intruding whites when, in the neighbourb'^od of settlements, they sullenly cut down their crab-apple trees, in order to gather Uie fruit for the last time without trouble, as the tree lies upon the ground. The Indian, As fades his swarthy race, with anguisli sees The white man's cottage rise beneath the trees. — Leydkjc. Water is the only drink of the natives. Tliey dislike salt ; at least I have observed they will not boil potatoes in salt-water, even under the pressure of hunger. At meals a circle is formed ; the natives sit hke Turks, and eiit slowly and without much conversation, until the pipe has been ])assed round, after which they begin to talk. Travellers are generally well received, but members of another tribe are not expected to take their guns or pikes inside the house with them — an act which, according to M. Hue, is contrary also to Tartar etiquette. A stranger, on entering SOCIAL ETIQUETTE. hi 'A house, seats himself, and no word is spoken for several minutes. Food is then placed before him without his having to ask for it, and the host is displeased if the stranger does not partake of it. He also feels hurt if by any omission, the guest has to ask for refreshment. A small mat, specially kept for strangers, is spread as a seat, and at the end of the meal, a wooden box of water and some soft bark strips are offered for washing the mouth and hands. Next follows a pipe, if tobacco is plentiful, and then the host asks a string of questions at once : where the guest is from ? where going to ? on what busi- ness ? and the news from his tribe ? In reply to which, the guest makes a sort of speech, answering all the ques- tions. Another family now expresses a wish to entertain him, and, though occasionally a traveller has to eat six or eight times in a night, such invitations cannot be declined without offence. In the morning, the guest receives another meal, and departs without any charge being made for his entertainment. On the arrival of a number of strange canoes on a friendly but unexpected visit, they are brought stern foremost to the shore, and the natives cease paddling and wait without speaking. Had they been expected, the canoes would have approached bow foremost, and the people on shore would have run down and helped to pull their bows on to the beach ; but in the case of unexpected visitors, the inmates of the village simply come out of their houses and squat down, looking at the visitors. By- and-by, one, and then another, is asked to go up to the houses ; but no person goes without a special invitation, and sometimes it is an hour or more before all the visitors find accommodation. il 58 DOMESTIC MANNERS. his the his nd lie res him a present. The foHowing is a free transhition of out.' of his improvisations : — ** The Ohyahts are a jijreat people " with strong hearts, and all the trihes fear them ; they " make good canoes and kill whales. I am an old man ** who has seen many snows, but every snow I hear more '* about the Ohyahts ; they have a great chief who lias " taken many heads, and has many slaves ; his grand- " father was strong and took many heads. The Ohyahts *' are lucky and will catch plenty of salmon ; I have come " far and am old, and will need blankets in winter." The venerable beggar will sing thus foi* an hour, praising dift'erent people and their forefathers, if at every stoppage he receives a present; and should there be any backward- ness in giving on the part of the audience, he will ask for ji gift in a most unbard-like manner. The men have few out-door amusements except swim- ming, or trying strength by hooking little fingers, which is always conducted with good humour.* Hunting and fishing may be called more occupations than amusements. The war-dance is now and then practised out of doors, but is little like the dance one's imagination would picture, consisting merely of a number of men with blackened faces running to and fro, now and then jumping on one leg, yelling and firing their guns. The native children are sprightly enough and amuse themselves in various ways ; climbing poles, shooting with bows and arrows, and darting miniature spears at shapes of birds and fish made of grass; * From some cause, perhaps the constant use of the paddle, their fingers are very strong ; as already stated, I have seen middle-sized natives carry heavy weights with their fingers which stalwart woodmen could scarcely lift. For this reason an angry Indian should not be allowed to catch the clothes of an opponent ; he should be knocked down. 5 B»P1 PA N TO MIMIC DA XCES. I I or alone hi a smnll r»anoe, upsettin^i" by a quick movement the tiny vessel, soon to right it, and empty the canoe of water before the bo] a very great house ; a very great house." Upon a move- ment of the leader, who with voice and arm never failed to direct all the performances of the company, they changed fi those ''XOOK" DANCES. yj their words (while they kept the same tune, certainly the most pleasant one of the entertainment,) to " It is a very warm fire; a very warm fire; a very warm fire;" and finally ended by praising the household furniture : " These are very nice things ; very nice things ; very nice things." On the whole, this dance-song was much the most pleasin- of those which we witnessed. There was something dra- matic in the way in which these rudely-painted and half- naked creatures attempted to represent, in dance and song, the idea of an animated conversation. CHAPTER XI. AX ATTEMPT AT AN INQCE^iT. ])cprcilati()ns of the Indians — An Indian shot with Peas — English Staff Surgeon — Soft-hearted Yorkshireniun — Absurd Verdicts of the Jury. -♦o^ {After tlteifd almost pord out their eyes) Did veri/ learnedli/ decide The business on the horse's side. — IIcDiimAS. I WAS roused from my bed one dark rainy ni^ijlit at Alberni, by a messenger from our farm up the Klistachnit River, bringing word that the man in charge of the farm had shot an Indian. The faiin Avas about two miles (lt!«tant, and being on the opposite side of the river, could only be reached by water. Not knowing very well what it might be necessary to do, I asked Mr. Johnston, a gentle- man in our service, to take a few men and go to the farm and see what had happened. This party had some diffi- culty, owing to the darkness, in getting their boat past the drift-trees at the entrance of the rapid stream, but in an hour or two they reached the farm. Two men were employed there — an American and a Yorkshireman — who both were sitting, in the kitchen, looluug at the fire, when A SHOT IN THE DARK. 73 ) Mr. Johnston entered the hous foreman, the American It appc areil that i\w had for several ni^^'hts past been watchinj^' a field of potatoes Avhich the Indians ^vcrc plun- derin«,^ They came in numbers up a long creek, and half filled their canoes in a few hours, and before morning were many mile- distant. The foreman, two nights previously, had caught one of these Indians, a fellow who seemed a ringleader, but he had escaped by slipping off his blanket and running naked into the forest. The same Indian had again returned with his plundering gang. On the evening in (piestion the foreman went out to watch the field, and took with him his gun, loaded with five hard peas, thinking that, if he could not catch an Indian, he would frighten them by shooting the peas amongst them. As usual, the depredators were in the field filling their bags, and as soon as they became aware of the foj-eman's presence, they ran with them to their canoes. He could not overtake them, but having fired his gun with as good an aim as he could take in the dark at the supposed ringleader, he was horror-struck to see the Indian fall flat upon the ground. Rushing back to the house with his discharged gun, the fore- man cried to his companion, the Yorkshireman,on entering, "Jack, I've shot an Indian." These particulars being learnt, Mr. -lohnston and two others took a lantern and visited the field, where, after looking about for some timis they found the Indian lying dead. He had fallen over his potato-bag, and his hands were clutching the soil. The body was dragged to the river ; but the nu'U forming Mr. Johnston's party objected to take it on ])()ard the boat, and proposed tying a string round the ankle, ;ind towing the body astern. Finally, however, a small abandoned 74 AN ATTEMPT AT AN INQUEST. w\ Sft iv: I •canoo was founil, and the Lody was placed in this and towed Ijoliiud the boat to the settlement, where it was put into a room full of old casks until the morning. After breakfast next day I proceeded to examine into this alluir. The peculiarity of the case was that everybody in the district was in my own employment. I took the word of the American that he would a^ipear when wanted, knowing this to be a better security for his appearance, than locking him up in a room from which he might have escaped. The feeling among the settlers as to the death of this Indian was that nothing was required to be done. Several men came to me and said, " You are not going to trouble Henry about this — are you, sir?" I could only answer that we must do what the law required us to do. It was easy to summon a jury, but where could we get a doctor to make a post-mortem examination of the Indian's ))ody ? The difficulty was solved by a workman advancing from a gang employed in carrying wood, and asldng to speak with me. He was a careworn, middle-aged man, dressed in common clothes. We went into the room that served as an office or court-room, and on entering into conversation, this man told me that he had been a staff surgeon in the British army, and that he had his diploma and certificates of service in his chest. He brought me these, and thoy proved the truth of his statement — so, of course, I gljidly accepted his services. The next step was to get a jury. I selected twelve of the most respectable and intelligent workmen, and opened the court : this jury coni=dsted of Canadians Americans, and Englishmen. We inspected the body, and did everything in proper form. The doctor proved that death was caused by wounds in the cl A X EX A MIX A TlOX T5 do. ne of as .Ic e and he produced a pea, which he had found in the loft lun^'. The Yurkshircman, who lived in the farm-house with the American, a fine young fellow ahove six feet in height, was next examined. He stood in the middle of the room with his cap in his hand ; the jurymen standing half-a- dozen on each side of the room. I asked the Yorkshire- man to tell the jury what happened that night. He said his "chum" had gone out of the farm-house, and had come hack in about an hour. He took his gun out, and had brought it back. The witness had heard a gun-shot. He knew no more. I asked this witness what his com- panion said when he returned to the house ? At this question he blushed, and then grew pale, and twirled his cap round, and said nothing. I repeated the question, and told the Yorkshireman to take time, and not to shrink from telling the truth. He seemed embarrassed, and did not reply. Noticing he was ill at ease, I left him alone for a little, and then again asked him the question in a mild tone. His agitation increased, the cap fell from his hands, he staggered, and finally fainted where he stood. Some of the jurymen caught him in their arms, and carried him outside. I have never seen a strong man faint from mental agitation before or since this occasion ; it is pro- bably a very unusual occurrence. The witness must have had a large heart, and he believed that his evidence as to the words of his companion, *' Jack, I've shot an Indian," might be fatal words. The examination continued^ and, after several other witnesses had given testimony, I stated the case to the jury, and sent them into another room for their finding. There was, it appeared, a long debate : for nearly half an hour passed before they returned to ^15 itir 7(i VFJiDWr OF THE jrUY. my room. One after another enterotl, and when they had ranged themselves again on the side of the room, I inquired what their finding was. The answer was, *' We find the Hiwash was worried l)y a dog." "A what?" I exclaimed. ''Worried by a dog, sir," said another jury- man, fearing that the foreman had not spoken clearly. Assuming, with great difficulty, an expression of proper magisterial gravity, I pointed out to the jury the incom- patibility of this finding with the evidence, and went again over the points of the case, calling particular attention to the medical testimony, and the production by the doctor of the pea found in the body of the Indian ; after which I, a second time, dismissed the jury to their room, and begged them to come back with something, at all events, reason- ably connected with the facts of the case. A longer time than before elapsed. The jury, on this occasion, left their room, and walked about the settlement, and I saw knots of men conversing eagerly. There was some hope now, I thought, of a creditable verdict. When the jurymen at length sidled into my room for the second time, I drew a paper towards me to record a finding which I expected would suitably end this unpleasoiit inquest. " Now, men, what do you say ?" Their decisive answer was, " We say he was killed by falling over a cliff." I shuffled my papers together, and told them they might go to their work ; I would return a verdict for the jury myself. The farm, I may mention, for a mile every way from where the dead body was found, was as level as a table. I could not but think it strange the jury did not decide upon an open or evasive finding, instead of those extraordinarily absurd ones. The fact was the men were determined to shut il^ .(.V Auni:sr Axi, .,x EsrAnn. „ tl.e:.- eyes a.,I they sl.ut them s,. dose tl.at thev became ;; ■"• ""f . Not . ,,,t „f „ joU„ „,, i„ t,,,i, ,„ ™«^ 'oat to Victoria in eli.i-.e of a constable, but l,o esca„e,I <.-om eustoclv. He was a.i excellent fellow, an,!! «-e ha 1,0 intention of l AHXfS AND CAXOES. r made by the young hunters. The natives seldom shoot at game flying or running. As in other parts of the world, the bow was the weapon formerly used before the musket was known, or could be got. The native bow, like the canoe and paddle, is beautifully formed. It is generally made of yew or crab-apple wood, and is three and a half feet long, with about two inches at each end turned sharply backwards from the string. The string is a piece of dried seal-gut, deer-sinew, or twisted bark. The arrows are about thirty inches long, and are made of pine or cedar, tipped with six inches of serrated bone, or with two unbarbed bone or iron prongs. I have never seen an Aht arrow with a barbed head. Two such arrows weigh as much as the bow. The bow is held horizontally, and the string is pulled to the right side. It is said that a good native bowman can kill a small animal at fifty yards, but I have not seen any good archery among these tribes. Since muskets were introduced, the bowmen probably have been out of practice. I can understand that the native bow was formerly a formidable weapon. Canoes are made on this coast principally of cedar, and are well shaped, and managed with great skill by men, women, and children. They are moved by a single sail or by paddles, or in ascending shallow rapid streams, by long poles. I have seen an Indian boy with a single pole make good way with a small laden canoe against a stream that ran at the rate of six miles an hour. Canoes are of all sizes, but of a uniform general shape, from the war- canoe of forty feet long to the small dug-out in which children of four years old amuse themselves. Outriggers are not used, but the natives sometimes tie bladders or MAXAGEMEXT OF CAXOES. 88 I have Since been bow r, and men, sail [s, by pole iream Ire of war- Ihich [gers or seal -skin buoys to the sides of a canoe to prevent it from upsetting in heavy weather. The sail — of which it is supposed, but rather vaguely, that they got the idea from Meares some eighty years ago — * is a square mat tied at the top to a small stick or yard crossing a mast placed close to the bow. It is only useful in running before the wind in smooth water. The management of a canoe by natives in a heavy sea is dexterous ; they seem to accommodate themselves readily to every motion of their conveyance, and if an angry breaker threatens to roll over the canoe, they weaken its effect quickly by a horizontal cut with their paddles through the upper part of the breaker when it is within a foot of the gunwale {sec page 48). Their mode of landing on a beach through a surf shows skill and coolness. Approaching warily, the steersman of the canoe decides when to dash for the shore; sometimes quickly countermanding the movement, by strenuous exertion the canoe is paddled back. Twenty minutes may thus pass while another chance is awaited. At length the time comes ; the men give a strong stroke and rise to their feet as the canoe darts over the tirst roller ; now there is no returning : the second roller is just passed when the bow- paddler leaps out and pulls the canoe through the broken water ; but it is a question of moments : yet few accidents happen. The paddles used by the Ahts are from four to five feet long, and are made of crab-apjile or yew. Two kinds are used ; the blade of one is shaped like a leaf, and the other tapers to a sharp point. The sharp-pointed * Would it be fanciful to connect tlicir first notion of a canoe sail with their observation of the membranous fun of the pine-seed, which they often see floating through the air, in the forest, after falling from the cones ? 6— a SI MOrtp: OF I' A I >h LI NO. w i( paddle is suituble for steerin<]f, as it is easily turned under water. It was formerly used as a weapon in canoe-fighting for putting out the eye — a disfigurement which many of the old Aht natives show. In taking a seat in a canoe, the paddler drops on his knees at the bottom, then turns his toes in, and sits down as it were on his heels. The paddle is grasped both in the middle and at the handle. To give a stroke and propel the canoe forward, the hand grasping the middle of the paddle draws the blade of the paddle backwards through the water, and the hand grasp- ing the handle pushes the handle-end forward, and thus aids the other hand in making each stroke of the paddle . a sort of double-action movement. As a relief, the paddler occasiouully shifts to the handle the hand grasping the middle of the paddle, and vice versa. Such a position looks awkward, but two natives can easily paddle a middle-sized canoe forty miles on a summer day. The Strait of Juan de Fuca is about fifteen miles wide, and trading canoes often cross during the summer season to the Araericaii shore.* The Indians paddle best with a little wind ahead ; when it is quite calm, they often stop to talk or look at objects in the water. It is useless to hurry them : they do quite as they please, and will sulk if you are too hard upon them. In a small canoe, when manned by two paddlers, * I rend with surjirisc the doubtful opinions of ethnoh)gical writers as t.) whether suvjifjes couhl cross in canoes from the Asiatic to the American shore. The Aht natives, and ]mrticnhirly the bolder Northern Indians, could do so in such canoes as they now have without any difficulty. It is not easy to determine what motive couhl induce savages to undertalvo sucli a voyage, or to mijrratc at all over the sea. The hope of reaching a better country would not be likely to enter the mind of a savage. He would not move unless forced to move. {See Paper by G. M. Sproat in the Trans- actions of the Ethnological Societi/, 1866.) jyjA'A'/.'.y OF LASnl'ls. H5 'd under •fighting many of 1 canoe, jn turns s. The handle, le hand 3 of the grasp- id thus paddle . paddler ing the n looks e- sized r Juan canoes lericaii ihead ; ok at ey do upon dlers, liters us icrican idians, It is lo such I better |ld not Trans- one sits in the stern and the other in the how. 'I'lit- middle is the seat of honour for persons of distinction. An Indian sitting in the stern can propel and steer u canoe with a single paddle. In crowded war-canoes the natives sit two abreast. No regular time is kept in the stroke of the paddles unless on gi*and occasions, when the canoes are formed in order, and all the paddles enter the water at once and are worked with regularity. The most skilt'til canoe-makers among the tribes are the Nitinahts and the Klah-oh-quahts. They make canoes for sale to other tribes. Many of these canoes are of the most accurate workmanship and perfect design — so much so that I h:ivc heard persons fond of such speculations say that the Indians must have accpiired the art of making lliest; beautiful vessels in some earlier civilized existence. IJiit it is easy to see now, among the canoes owned by any tribe, nearly all the degrees of progress in skilful work- manship, from the rough tree to the well-formed canoe. Vancouver Island and the immediately opposite coast of the mainland of British Columbia have always supplied the numercus tribes to the northward with canoes. The native artificers in these localities have in the cedar (Thuja fiiffantca) a wood which does not flourish so exten- sively to the north, and which is very suitable for their purpose, as it is of large growth, durable, and easily worked. Savages progress so slowly in the arts, that the absence of such a wood as cedar, and the necessity of fashioning canoes with imperfect implements from a hard wood like oak, as the ancient people of Scotland did, might make a difference of many centuries in reaching a stated degree of skill in their construction. HH MODE OF MAKING CANOES. ill iil Tho time for making canoes in the rough is during the cold weather in winter, and they are finished when the days lengthen and become warmer. Few natives are with- out canoes of some sort, which have been made by them- selves, or been worked for, or obtained by barter. The condition of tho canoe, like an Englishman's equipage, generally shows tho circumstances of the possessor. Select- ing a good tree not far from the water, the Indian cuts it down laboriously with an axe, makes it of the required length, then splitting the trunk with wedges into two pieces, he chooses the best piece for his intended canoe. If it is winter, the bark is stripped and the block of wood is dragged to the encampment ; but in summer it is hollowed out, though not finished, in the forest. English or American tools can now be easily procured by the natives. The axe used formerly in felling tho largest tree, — which they did >vithout the use of fire — was made of elkhorn, and was shaped like a chisel. The natives held it as we use a chisel, and struck the handle with a stone, net unlike a dumb-bell, and weighing about two pounds. This chisel- shaped axe, as well as large wooden wedges, was also used in hollowing the canoe. The other instruments used in canoe-making were the gimlet and hand-adze, both of which indeed are still generally used. The hand-adze is a large mussel-shell strapped firmly to a wooden handle. The natural shape of the shell quite fits it for use as a tool. In working with the hand-adze, the back of the workman's hand is turned downward, and the blow struck lightly towards the holder, whose thumb is pressed into a space cut to receive it. The surface of the canoe, marked by the regular chipping of the hand-adze, is prettier than i MODE OF MAKIXh' CAXOES. if it were smooth. The gimlet, made of bird's bone, and having a wooden handle, is not used like oiirs : the sluitt is placed between the workman's open hands brought close together, and moved briskly backwards and forwards as on hearing good news ; in which manner, by the revolu- tion of the gimlet, a hole is quickly bored. Thus, also, did the natives formerly produce fire, by rubbing two dry cedar sticks in the same way. A few slits, opening on one side, were made in a dry flat stick, and on the end of the rubbing stick being inserted into one of these, and twirled round quickly between the palms, a round hole was made, at the bottom of which ignition took place among the wood dust. When the wood was in bad order for lighting, two or three natives were sometimes employed successively in the work, before fire was obtained. The making of a canoe takes less time than has been supposed. With the assistance of another native in felling and splitting the tree, a good work- man can roughly finish a canoe of fifteen or twenty feet long in about three weeks. Fire is not much used here in the hollowing of canoes, but the outside is always scorched to prevent sun-rents and damage from insects. After the sides are of the required thinness, the rough trunk is filled with fresh water, which is heated by hot stones being thrown into it, and the canoe, thus softened by the heat, is, by means of cross-pieces of wood, made into a shape which, on cooling, it retains. The fashioning is done entirely by the eye, and is surprisingly exact. In nine cases out of ten, a line drawn from the middle of the extremities will leave, as nearly as possible, the same width all along on each side of the line. To keep the canoe in shape, light cross- pieces fastened to the inside of the gunwales are placed 88 110 f SEHOLD i'TKSSILS. w I nVuwi four ftct apart, and there remain. Ihe gunwale in turned outwards u little to throw oft' the water. The how and stern pieces are made separately, and are always of one form, though the body of the canoe varies a little in shape according to the capabilities of the tree and the fancy or skill of the maker. Red is the favourite colour for the inside of a canoe, and is made by a mixture of resin, oil, !>nd urine ; the outside is as black as oil and burnt wood will make it ; the bow and stern generally bear some device in red. The natural colour of the wood is, however, often allowed to remain. The baling-dish of the canoes is always of one shape — the shape of the gablo-roof of a cottage — and is well suited to its purpose. Of all the household articles, the prettiest is the common basket, which is of different sizes, and is used by the women in carrying salmon or berries — being supported on their backs by a thong passing across their foreheads. The dishes used are wooden, either hollowed from a block, or having the sides fastened together with wooden pegs ; cedar and alder are ccmimonly used in making them. Some of these dishes are very neatly formed. Water is brought from the stream in square wooden boxes, by the younger women and children. Similarly shaped are their Avooden pots, which, of course, ■re not placed on the fire ; the practice is, to throw hot stones into them till the water boils. For keeping fish- hooks, gun-flints, and other small ner.essaries, a cedar-bark case is used, which fits into another similar case, like the common cigar-cases sold in England. Three kinds of mats are used, one made of rushes for bedding, one of w^hite-pine bark for bed-clothing and such purposes, and one of cedar- bark for use in canoes. To get the black colour considered ^'1#■*^ HATS AXn CAl'S. 8» oriiameiitnl in a portion of the mat, the strips ol* hark are Hteqied in n mixture of charcoal, oil, anil water. The inside of the curious hats worn hy the natives in canoe voyaj^es is made of white-pine hark and the outside is made of cedar-hark, tlic hat heing shaped so as to shade the lu'ad and throw the rain off the shoulders. The uppt r part of the hody is, on these occasions, protected hy a cai)e made of white-pine hark, which is soft, hut not close in texture, and which looks pretty when clean, and ed{^ed with marten fur. A stronj^f fine thread is made of th' ^!lrk, of which the Aht natives, who all are expert with the needle, make constant use. Their needle is a slender U\\\i sluuj)ened at one end. It is unnecessary to give any iurth:r account of their ;»ir .perty in personal chattels, which, us may \)v supposed, are all of the simplest description. I may mention that the stock of salmon collected lt)r consump- tion in winter is not quite regarded as common property, hut is an article which a native, in case of need, will give freely to another. If a (quantity, the product of one man's fishing, is stored in his particular division of a house, he will not ohjcct to another industrious Indian using it for food, should he he destitute. The Indians give food uii{.iudgingly to one another ; they have generally plenty and can he free with it. In connection with the descriptions of property owned hy the Ahts, I must not omit to refer to the slaves. No institution is more specifically defined among the Ahts than that of slavery. It has prohahly existed in these trihes for a long time, as many of the slavrs have a characteristic mean appearance, and the word " slave " is used commonly as a term of reproach. If a man acts meanly or is niggardly in his distrihutions of property (see 90 INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY. chapter on Tribal Banks), it is said that he has a " slave's heart." Next to a " heart of water," which means a coward, the ** heart of a slave" is the most opprobrious epithet. It is the fashion for slaves to wear short hair. Formerly almost every well-bom native owned a slave, and some of the chiefs had five or six. A slave was considered a useful and honourable possession, and if sold or lost, was replaced immediately by another. Women and children, as well as men, were enslaved. Slave-women are at the present day bought and sold on this coast like sheep. A slave never sat at meat with his owner; he waited upon the family and their guests, and took his own meals afterwards. His duty was to split salmon, pluck berries, carry wood and water, and to do all that he was told to do, without remonstrance or remuneration. There were means, though what they were I do not know, by which a person recently enslaved might regain his freedom ; but this was a rare occurrence, and I could not discover any instance of a person becoming free who had been born in slaveiy and was basely descended. Stories, however, are told of great chiefs in former times, such as Tsosiatin of the Kowitchans, who occasionally freed a number of slaves in order to show their magnanimity. I believe that a well-born native, captured in war and reduced to slavery, could be bought back by his friends for a largo price ; and if he remained a captive until death, and left an orphan born of his own wife, the child, in some cases, on growing up, would, on account of his better descent and unfortunate condition, so far become free that he could not be sold out of the tribe. On this subject, however, I found it difl&cult to get accurate information. Like other native institutions, slavery has INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY. 91 on so be. ate been shaken by the approach of civilization, and sometimes what the traveller now might mistake for old customs are, in reality, but the mere portions or remnants of them. The natives take great pride in honourable birth, as distinguished from the base mixed extraction from slaves.* One instance, however, is known to me of a chief ha. ing pro- moted a slave to be one of his inferior wives.! The slave is at the absolute disposal of his master in all things ; he is a bond- servant who may be transferred without his own con- sent from one proprietor to another. A master sometimes directs a slave, on pain of death, to kill an enemy, and the slave dares not again appear in the presence of his master without the head of the person. The behest of the Sheikh Al Jebel is not more faithfully obeyed. The case, in this instance, is one in which — native evidence being excluded by the working of the British criminal law as administered in Vancouver Island — the slave would be put to death, while the chief, who cares nothing for a slave's life, would probably go free, and boast of his successful crime. So complete is the power over slaves, and the indifference to human life among the Ahts, that an owner might bring half a dozen slaves out of his house and kill them publicly in a row without any notice being taken of the atrocity. Hut the slave, as a rule, is not harshly treated ; he is clothed and has plenty to eat, and is seldom beaten except for desertion, when a severe flogging is administered. A runaway slave, if belonging to a chief, is occasionally * The Vancouver Indinns dislike and liuve a contempt for Chinamen and negroes. They regard them as inferior peojdc to themselves. f The fathers of the offspring of fomalo slaves are not known, as the slaveholders hire out the women to infamy. U2 SLAVE-TRADING. I returned, through courtesy, by the chief of another friendly tribe ; but more frequently he is seized and immediately conveyed along the coast for sale, the captors being un- willing to risk the hostility of his owner by detaining him. As it is the practice of powerful tribes to prevent the canoes of smaller tribes from passing their villages in search of customers, the price of a slave increases at each stage, as he is conveyed along the coast to the best market. Men formerly were preferred to women, but since the island has been colonized women have brought higher prices, owing to the encouragement given to prostitution among a young unmarried colonial population. A young woman worth, say, thirty blankets on the west coast towards the north end of the island, will, at Victoria, be worth fifty or sixty blankets, or about thirty pounds. I know of several instances of slave - dealing between the west coast and Victoria within the last two years. The coast of British Columbia, and the islands towards the north are, however, the chief sources of this odious and shameful traffic with Victoria. On the west coast of Vancouver Island there is not much slave-trade with Victoria ; it is directed chiefly from that quarter to the American side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where the Cape Flattery Indians are great promoters and supporters of this hateful commerce. Being com- paratively rich and numerous, they induce the larger Vancouverian tribes to attack the small neighbouring tribes on their own shores, and capture persons fit for thf slave-market. Some of the smaller tribes at the north of the Island are practically regarded as slave-breeding tribes, and are attacked i^eriodically by stronger tribes, who make prisoners, and sell them as slaves. ( 03 ) CHAPTER XII. CONIUTKLX OF W(tMEX. Condition of the Aht Women— ITnnmrricd and Married —their Betrothal- Marriage— Divorce— Widuwliood— Polygamy— Polyandry. AUcffiatirc and fust f vail./ Which 1 do owe unto all womankind. — J»penckr. -•o*- The condition of the Aht women is not one of unseemly inferiority ; the men have theii- due share of the lahours necessary for suhsistence. The women do all the work of the camps, prepare fur-skins, collect roots and berries, take charpre of the fish on the canoes reaching the shore, manage the cooking, and prepare food for winter. They also make mats, straw-hats and capes, wreaths and orna- mental niceties of grass or ccdar-lil)re. I have met women in the woods in autumn, at four o'clock in the morning, staggering under a great burden of cedar-bark. 'J'hey are seldom invited to feasts, and do not share in public ceremonies, except as assistants. On reaching puberty, young women, on a given occasion, are placed in the sort of gallery already described as in ever}' house, ^Pi^WP ^^mm Ti 94 CONDITION OF WOMEN. If and are there surrounded completely with mats, so that neither the sun nor any fire can be seen. In this cage they remain for several days. Water is given to them, but no food. The longer a girl remains in this retirement the greater honour is it to the parents; but she is dis- graced for life if it is known that she has seen fire or the sun during this initiatory ordeal. Feasts are given at this time as part of the ceremony, by her parents or by other near friends.* The average age at which native women marry is about sixteen. They sufier little during pregnancy or at childbirth, but seldom bear children after the age of about twenty-five. As a rule they have few children, and, I think, more boys than girls. Their female relations act as midwives. There is no separate place for lying-in. The child, on being born, is rolled up v^ a mat among feathers, instances are known of women having been at work twelve hours after their confinement. They suckle one child till another comes. I have seen a boy of four following his mother for her milk. The women are good and kind mothers, and the crime of infanticide after birth is unknown ; but, in order to spite their hus- bands after a quarrel, they frequently take means to procure abortion. I could find no evidence among the Ahts for the past prevalence or present existence of the custom of the couvadc, by which, among some savages, when a child is born, the father, not the mother, goes to bed and is treated as a patient. 13efore meeting with white men, it is supposed that the Al women were * This reminds one of the Mexican superstition at the rekindling of the sacred fire, according to which women were confined to their houses with covered faces, lest, if they saw the fire, they should be changed into beasts. PRIVILEGES OF WOMEN. S)') 10 generally faithful to their husbands, who, according to the accounts of former travellers, valued them so much as sometimes to show jealousy on their account — a feeling not found often in savage bosoms, but which implies a certain degree of affection. The Ahts, indeed, within recent times, were distinguished by the respect which they showed towards their women, and especially towards their wives. A girl who was known to have lost her virtue, lost v.ith it one of her chances of a favourable marriage ; and a chief, or man of high rank in an Aht tribe, would have put his daughter to death for such a lapse. He would not, for any consideration, have pro- stituted his wife, but his female slaves were readily devoted to such infamy. The reverse, as far as the wife is con- cerned, is the case farther north among the tribes on the coast of British Columbia : the temporary present of a wife is one of the greatest honours that can be shown there to a guest. Generally speaking, waves are not harshl} treated among the Ahts. They have the important privi- lege, with the consent of their own friends, of at any time leaving their husbands, who thus have to treat them well if they wish them to remain. An active female slave, however, is more valued than any wife who does not bring riches or powerful connections, for the slave cannot leuvc the master's service. Wives may be divorced at tlic will of their husbands, and a discarded wife is not viewed with dis- favour. A singular mode of punishing an unfaithful wife came under my notice. The frail fair one was taken to the beach, and her husband, kneeling upon her, surrounded ])y wailing friends, fired a succession of blank musket charges close to her head. The woman was much frightened, ■p mm 96 r HI VI LEGES OF WOMEN. ( t :U: and afterwards sat by harself weeping for several days. On separating from his wife, a husband has to give up the fishing or hunting grounds acquired with her at marriage. The property reverts to the woman's sole use, and is a dowry for her next matrimonial experiment. In the case of a marriage between persons of different tribes, and their separation while the children are young, the children go always with the mother to her own tribe. Separations and new connections are ordinary occurrences. The baskets and mats made by a wife for sale belong to herself, and she has also a certain small share of all the property acquired by her husband. He cannot interfere with her portion, which is a sort of pin-money used by the wife in the purchase of personal requirements. Additionally, as the traders well know, a wife has an important say in the disposal of articles. She and her husband talk together, and argue as to what shall be asked for oil or furs. The one may want blankets, and the other cotton. Privileges such as these prevent the women from being treated otherwise than with consideration. Early betrothals are common, and in the betrothal of chiefs' children the parents on both sides deposit a number of blankets to ensure good faith. Betrothals are so much respected that llic wounded pride of a disappointed suitor or his tribe will not be satisfied by the mere return of the pledge. It is pretty well known at the betrothal what the price at marriage will be ; but a chief can raise the price up to ten blankets above the original agreed number, if his daughter is pronounced by a majority of her own tribe to have greatly improved. Strange to say, this hap- pens less frequently than might be expected. Prices for fOL'llTSUlP AXD BETnOTlIAL. Vt marriage, when the price lias uot been fixed at the time of betrothal, are sometimes offered formally, year after year, by the betrothed man ; and the reception of the third offer is considered to show truly whether the betrothal is likely to be respected. It is an understood custom that if the third offer is rejected, the original betrothal is cancelled, and the pledge forfeited by the woman's friends. This leads always to bitterness of feeling, and is only done when some more distinguished native chief, or rich white man, seeks the woman in marriage. There is, however, a way of cancelling a betrothal by mutual agreement; and as a symbol of such termination, if the parties are well-born, each tribe sends a canoe laden with blankets, and manned with a full crew, who paddle to a distance from land, and, singing all the while a song, throw the blankets one by one upon the waves. For several days before a young girl's marriage the old women are busily engaged with her in a variety of ceremonies. The young men, under the like circumstances, to show their pluck, scratch their faces till blood comes.* Wives, as has been before stated, are obtained by purchase, and the price is regulated by the rank and wealth of both parties. There is no particular mode of courtship; the matter has generally to be arranged with the parents. No English father, in his library, raising his spectacles to survey a diffident youth who longs to be his son-in-law, is sterner in the matter of ** settlements " than a family man among the Ahts. I was offered a young. * A fond practice in courtship among the comraon peopte (not among the chiefs) is for the woman to search the man's head, and give him to eat the fattest and least nimble of the poi)ulatioa which she is able to secure. 7 <■ h: I I 08 POLYGAMY\ M! pretty, well-born woman for one hundred blankets ; but a wife can be bought sometimes for an old axe or half-a- dozen mink-skins. Though a wife is always purchased, it is a point of honour that the purchase-money given for a woman of rank — not for a common woman — shall, some- time or other, be returned by her friends or her tribe in a present of equal value. A man occasionally stciils a wife from the women of his own tribe ; but it is much like eloping in England, for both parties understand each other : and, after all, it is a purchase, as the friends of the woman must be pacified with presents. Though the different tribes of the Aht nation are frequently at war with one another, women are not captured from other tribes for marriage, but only to be kept as slaves. The idea of slavery connected with capture is so common, that a free- born Aht would hesitate to marry a woman taken in war, whatever her rank had been in her own tribe. Polygamy is permitted in all classes, but, owing to its inconveniences, is not generally practised. There is no rule by which any wife obtains precedence over the others ; the oldest wife, if she has children, seems to have most authority in the house. It is not uncommon, on the death of a poor native, for a friend to take the widow for one of his own wives, and to adopt the children. These children are kept much in the position of slaves, and, in the course of time, the younger ones are regarded as slaves, but they cannot be sold out of their tribe. Unless widows have property cf their own, their position is hard. The eldest son takes all that property of his father not given away to the deceased's friends, during his last illness, nor buried with him. i I'OLYANDRY— INTERMARRIAGE. iiy to its is no sr the IS to imon, le the lldren. [laves, led as Unless Ihard. not last i I could find no traces of tlio existence of polyandry among the Alits. The people have a strong idea of blood- relationship ; so strong that it may be described as the principal constituent in the structure of their simple society. The gr-^ups of relatives round the different heads of families are very noticeable in a tribe, and any injury to a member of such a group is resented by the family and all the family's friends. The feeling of relationship is not confined merely to their offspring, nor is it of temporary duration, as in the case of animals, but it extends to all kinsmen — to the son and grandson, and, also, collaterally to marriage connections. Whether kin- ship is now, or ever was, considered by the Ahts to be stronger when derived through males than females, I do not know ; the fact of its great influence at present among these primitive tribes on this coast is undoubted. Intermarriage with other tribes is sought by the higher classes to strengthen the foreign connections of their own tribe, and, I think also, with some idea of preventing degeneracy of race. Before the house of the head chief of the Khah-oh-quahts there is a large stone which a man must lift and can-y, in the presence of the people, before he may woo the chief's daughter. The poorer orders are unable to do othenvise than marry among their own people. By the old custom of the Aht tribes, no marriage was per- mitted within the degree of second-cousin. The marriage of a patrician is an important affair. He loses caste unless he marries a woman of corresponding rank, in his own or another tribe. Affection or attachment has little to do with the marriage ; the idea is to preserve the family from a mixture of common blood. The marriage of a head chief 7-2 T 100 WIl'ES or r/l/L'FS. ill. \k T must be with the deseendiint in the first line of imother ciiiof of similar rank, nnd no head chief is permitted to take a tirst wife for himself, or to agree to a marriage for his children by such first wife, without the consent of his tribe. Few of the head chiefs have more than one wife. Should a head chief wish for more wives than one, it is not necessary that he take other than his first wife from women of his own rank ; but the children of his extra wives have not the father's rank. The purchase of wives is made in public, and great ceremony is observed when a chief's wife is purchased. Grave tribal discussions as to the purchase-money, the suitableness of rank, and all the benefits likely to follow, accompany any such proposal of marriage. Most of the tribes have heralds or criers, who announce important events, and their office, like the har- pooner's, is obtained by inheritance.* On this official giving pu])lic notice that distinguished visitors are at hand, every person in a native encampment comes out, and squats down, covered with a blanket to the chin. Further proceedings are awaited in silence. If it is a marriage visit, thirty or forty canoes sometimes escort the suitor to the shore. No word is spoken on either side for ten minutes. At last, on the question being asked, where the visitors are from, and what is wanted — a form that is gone through, though the object of the visit is perfectly well kno\vn — a speaker rises in one of the canoes, and addresses the natives on shore in a loud voice. Talk of a voice, it would fill St. Paul's ! He gives the * The Bishop of Cilumhia and Commander liclby of the Grappler will remember the Seshnht herald who interpreted tlieir speeches io the tribos assembled at Albenii in 1860. « , i .1/ J nniAa e cEiiEMosiEs. 101 )f tli( voice tho rcr will tribi's name, titles, and history of the expectant husband, and states the number and influence of his friends and connec- tions in his own and among other tribes ; the object beinj,' to show that the honour of murrsing so great a person should suffice without much purchase-money. At the end of the speech a canoe is paddled to the beach, and a bundle of blankets is thrown on land. Contemptuous laughter follows from the friends of the woman, and the suitor is told to go away, as he places too small a value upon the intended bride. Then some orator on shore in turn gets up, and praises the woman ; and thus, with speeches and additional gifts, many hours are occupied, until finally the woman is brought down to the shore, stripped to her shift, and delivered to her lover. His first wedding present is the necessary covering of a blanket. After the marriage, a feast is spread which lasts for several days. Instead of throwing the profl'ered blankets on shore in a bundle, the natives sometimes land from their canoes, and, standing a few paces apart, hold up the red, white, blue, and green blankets in a long pretty line before the eyes of the woman's tribe. But this is not the ordinary r 2tice of the Ahts : in the few cases in which it has been done among them, the custom of some other tribes has been imitated. When the man's rank is much higher than the woman's, the latter is sometimes brought to the man's tribe to he married ; and Raleigh's courtesy is then out- done, for blankets are laid, not only over the puddli-s, but all the way, for her to walk upon, from the canoe to the house. There are several minor ceremonies in marriage, which, however, are hardly worth mentioning, as they vary greatly, and no one can explain their meaning. loa MARRIAGE CEREMONIES A wooden head-piece, fringed with human hair, and having a long snout, is worn by the bridegroom on his head. At great marriages, such as I have just alluded to, this ugly covering is simply thrown upon the beach ; but on common occasions, when merely the friends of the " young people '* and not the whole tribe are present, the bridegroom, deco- rated with feathers and accompanied by a friend, walks into the woman's house, and throws the head-piece upon the floor, returning afterwards to his canoe. When the feasting, the speeches, and marriage mummeries are over, I have been told that the women's friends light two torches in her late house, and after a time extinguish them in water that is spilt for this purpose on the ground. ! ( l<':t ) CHAPTER XIII. KscAph: I'/ioM 7/1/': nxji'Mirs. lic^pcct for liaiik — Visit to the To(iiuihts — Daugcrous Kucaini)iiiciit- Iiidiun.s circuiuvuutcd. h In vain thy Kate uiniits ilti/ comin*, Kate siH)n willbt a wuvfti' woiiian. — Uluns. The high consideration in which rank or actual authority is held by these savages is extraordinary. After deciding whether a stranger is a friend or enemy, the first question, in the mind of a native, is as to his rank, — whether he is a chief or a common man. If several travellers are together, the natives are not satisfied till they know who is the leader, and who is next in command. At Alberni, where more than two hundred men were engaged in various employments, the Indians in the neighbourhood knew particularly the position of every person in the settlement. In their own villages, the common men point out the chiefs to a visitor, and show the diflerences of rank by holding up one forefinger for the highest chief, and placing the otL^r forefinger against it, at points gradually lower and 1 vver, for the inferior chiefs. I once 104 VISIT TO THE TOQUAHTS. I!:>1 visited, with a companion, — leaving three of my party in a boat at the entrance of the Toquaht river — the ancient and somewhat rascally tribe of Toquahts, now reduced by war to comparatively a small number,* whose village is in a dreary, remote part of Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound. As our canoe rounded a corner of the shallow river, and came suddenly upon their village, a loud yell was raised by a group of natives, w'ho sat on a bank making cedar-traps for salmon ; and the shout was repeated by the inmates of the houses, who rushed out of doors. There is a strange wildness in the half-human, half-beast cry which these savages raise on being thus surprised, and it made the blood go back to our hearts ; however, as we much wanted a fish for our supper, we hauled up the canoe, and walked towards the group. There was no fish to be got ; so we lighted our cigars and entered into con- versation. The natives ceased work, and formed a half circle round a middle-aged, important-looking savage, who was pointed out to us as the chief, and who sat looking unconcernedly before him, while all the others surveyed us with curious eyes. We did not speak much, and I daresay ten minutes passed before any of the natives opened their mouths. The evening was approaching ; it was a 'Aild remote place : the dense, motionless pines were everywhere around, and no sound broke the stillness but the murmur- ing of the shallow stream, as it flowed past the village. I began to have a feeling of apprehension as to these crouchinff Toquahts, wrapped all round in bearskins to * In the list of the tribes, given in the Appendix, the real Toquahts Hjjpear ns tew ; but many fugitives from other tribes join tliem. A JOKE. 105 party age. liese to the cliiu, above which their savage, furtive eyes looked out upon us.* At last, a grey-haired man commenced a song in praise of the chief, to whom he pointed often while singing, and who, with his hands crossed before him, carried himself, all the wiiile, as a man of rank. Our visit seemed to have been turned into an occasion of glorifying this chief of twelve men — the remnant of a large tribe distinguished formerly in war and for savage arts. The time for speeches, and explanations, and presents was arriving ; but being hungiy, and having to trust to our guns or hooks for providing our supper, and having to select our camping ground for the night, we lost patience and retired to our canoe. The Toquahts, no doubt, thought us unmannerly visitors, and, in fact, aroused us next morning, on discovering our encampment, in a way which made us glad to get out of their neighbourhood. I will relate how this occurred. After leaving the village, on our way down the river, we met several fierce- looking savages in canoes, one of whom, as he passed, griniied at us and presented a large horse-pistol. This was meant probably as a joke on his part, and, as a joke in return, I showed him the muzzles of our two six-barrel revolvers. He grinned still more, and asked where we were going. " Very far," I answered, and we pushed away from him, and by-and-by joined the remainder of * The Intlinns rnroly kill a well-known white mnn, as they know that ho would be iiKjuired for ; hut tlicy think no more of cutting off a common man's head than 'f killing; a salmon. Yon may, perhaps, travel safely alone, from one tribe to ant)ther, all round the island ; but it is a matter of chance : your head may he cut off at any time. The Indians are the creatures nf imjiulse ; you never know what they will do ; they are Hkc grown children subject to ferocious demoniacal possession. ,1 106 3 1 ENCAMPING FOE THE NIGHT. i! our party, whom we had left in the boat. We were now five in number ; we had the prospect only of biscuit and . coffee for our supper, as no fish had been got. It was with great difficulty we found a camping place along the shore. Not trusting the Toquahts, we wanted to go a long way from them. There were few streams of water in this part of Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound ; one place was too stony, another too wet ; so it was almost dark before we found a place for our tent. One very suitable place was reached as we coasted along*, where there was a nice stream and the remains of an Indian camp, but the smell of the decayed fish was so ofiensive we could not stay there. Taking with us a slender hewn pole from the standing framework of the temporarily abandoned huts, we proceeded farther, and at last encamped — just beyond a point — on a narrow stony beach, fifteen yards wide from the forest to the water, and perhaps two hundred yards long. H.iving pitched the tent with the pole above mentioned, we boiled i ome cofiee, drew up the boat, and lay down to sleep. In using the pole for this purpose, we cut off about a foot of its length. The night was dark, and we let the fire burn, without fearing that the smoke would be seen. I remember we all looked uneasy ; though, as often happens on such occasions, we Inughed and talked a good deal about the very objects of our suspicions, namely the Indians we had just left. At length we fell asleep, I waking occasionally during the night when startled by the scream of the ov.i (known to ornithologists as the *' great owl ") from some neighbouring high tree. Having awoke about five o'clock, I lay still, and occasionally lifted up a corner of the tent to observe the SCRROUXDED BY INDIANS. 107 moniing. On doing so once, I thought I saw the form of an Indian through the mist moving about between the wood and the water. I do not know whether it was an Indian or not, but the appearance rather startled me, for tliere were no Indians but Toquahts in the neighbour- hood, and, as ah-eady stated, we rather wished to avoid them. Waking my companions, we thought it prudent (|nietly to pack everything within the tent, without appear- ing outside ; then first one and next another went out of the tent, and, with apparent unconcern, made the usual arrangements for breaking up the camp. Breakfast wo thought we would take later in the day ; our present object was to remove quickly from the spot. Our supposi- tion that Indians were near was soon confirmed, for, in a short time, about a dozen Toquaht Indians appeared coming towards us along the beach, sauntering with their usual undecided step, and their blankets tightly folded round them. A large canoe with a crew of twenty Indians was also seen through the mist coming round the point, near which, as above stated, we had placed our camp. The canoe stopped near the shore, and we saw that the crew wore their war-puint. The Indians on shore had no war-paint ; they saluted us, and came near and began talking. One commenced a song, and accompanied it by imitating the action of paddling. We continued our preparations for embarking, when all at once, for the first time, we ronicni- ))ered that our heavy boat was fast aground. I shall not forget my sensations at that mc mcnt ; I was certain that the savages meant mischief, and we seemed to be fairly trapped. IBadly as all this looked, I was glad it was day- light. The bhore party of the Indians had now mixed i los PRETEXT FOR QUARREL. with us, and laughed and chatted ; we working quietly, but on our guard. I asked why the Indians in the canoe wore war-paint, while those on shore did not, and was answered that the canoe was going to surprise a party of You-clul-ahts who had a fishing station somewhere near. As we moved about packing our things and collecting sticks for a make- believe fire, one of our party, a quick-witted woodman from the State of Maine, whispered, '' Manoeuvre to make them launch the boat for us." I was about replying, when a wild angry shout from one of the Indians on shore arrested the conversation ; it was followed by a louder howl from the canoe. The song of the paddler ceased ; angry exclamations and shouts filled the air, and the savages literally danced with passion. It appeared that, in search of a cause of quarrel, one of them had stumbled on the tent -pole we had cut, which they said belonged to the Tcquaht tribe. ** Toquaht house," " Toquaht stick," " steal stick," ''steal stick," " you come here to steal stick," were among the cries the maddened Indians uttered. We were now familiar with the danger, and had reckoned our chances ; we were getting into that dogged state of feeling very noticeable in the English race during a time of danger ; and which would be expressed by saying, " Come now, if you mean business, set to work ; we have had enough of this." The excitement of the Indians drew them all together, so that we had them before us, and they seemed at a loss how to proceed. The canoe came near the shore, and landed half its crew, who joined the shore party. Still we stood ready, but without drawing our pistols. When a party of the Indians tried to slip along the shore with the evident intention of getting behind us, we IXDIA XS L IJl C CM I 'EX TED. !(>'.» Rve moved back one by one, till their movement was neutra- lized. Their excitement continued, but they hesitated to attack. At length I shouted to them, *' Where is your chief, I want to talk to him : we did not know the stick was yours ; we will pay for it." A score of voices answered '*' The chief is up the river." ** Well, go and bring him," said I. " No," they replied, "you go to the chief." A thought having struck me, I said, we would go to the chief ; our hearts were good to the Toquahts : they must get into their canoe, however, and show us the way, as the channel of the river when reached was intricate. The Indians talked this over among themselves for a short, time, and seemed pleased with the proposition. Finally, they got into their canoe, and remained close to the shore, leaving half a dozen common men to help us to launch our boat, which still was aground. Stowing everything in ii . we placed the oars handy, shipped the rudder ; and went to work to shove the boat off, not with a *' Yo-heave-oh ! " but with the Indian " Tchoo, Tchoo, Tchoo." It was odd to see how the frantic excitement of the Indians had now subsided, and how willingly they seemed to comply with our wishes. They, no doubt, thought they had us nicely in a trap of our own contriving, forgetting quite that once up the Toquaht river was enough for any one. No sooner, with a great ** Tchoo, Tchoo," aid the keel of our bout cease to grate on the bottom, than each man sprang on ])oard to his place, shipped his oar, and pulled vigorously in an opposite direction from the Toquaht river and from the expectant Indian canoe. The Indians in the canoe said nothing, but rose to their feet and sat down again ; those who had helped to launch cur boat stood in the water •* 110 ESCAPE FROM THE TOQUAIITS. stupefied. I watched them for a long time through a field glass, and they were still about the same place. A stern chase after a boat with five men in it, each armed with a six-barrelled rifled revolver, was not to their mind. These Indians had expected to find our encampment during the night, but coming unexpectedly upon our paTty in the morning, and finding us moving, they were disconcerted. This trip was the last trip 1 made to the Toquaht river ; their tribe was the most mischievous I saw on the west coast of Vancouver Island. ( xll ) CHAPTER XIV. TRIBAL RANKS. Use made of an Accumulation of Personal Chattels — Custom of Distributing Property — Object of such Distril)Ution — Degrees of Tribal Hanks — Position of Hereditary Chiefs ; of Minor Chiefs ; War Chiefs, and Military Officers — Rank bestowed on Women. Let it not then seem strange to you, That here one strange thing more yuu see. — Mace. The principal use made by the Ahts of an accumulation of personal chattels is to distribute them periodically among invited guests, each of whom is expected to return the compliment by equivalent presents on like occasions. The following particulars refer to the distribution of property by individuals to others of their own tribe : Blankets are usually given to men ; beads, trinkets, and paint for the face, to women. Not more than two blankets are usually given to any person at one time. Sometimes a new musket is divided, and the stock, lock, and barrel given to three different persons. The destruc- tion of certain kinds of property serves tlie same pur- pose as its distribution. Canoes, for instance, are rarely 112 DISTUUHriOX OF PUOIKRTY i I )' pfivcn away. The practice is to make a hole in them, and allow them to sink. The distributor shows by this act his total indiftcrence to his property ; he gives it away, he destroys it ; his heart is very strong. Yet the same man, who has rid himself of almost his whole property, will haggle the next minute about the price of a trinket. Slaves are rarely given away at a distribution. This singular custom of distribution, which jirevails among the coast tril)es here, is thought by some to have been necessary, owing to the thievish habits of the people which prevented any individual from retaining what he had collected ; but, whatever may have been its origin, the continuance of the custom probably is secured by the gratification which the practice affords to two strong propensities in human nature — pride of rank, and love of display. A lavish distribution of property among the Alits shows what the natives call the ** strong heart " of the distributor.*' The practice is not so highly appreciated no^v as it was a generation since ; still, the gaining of property with a view to its distribution is a ruling motive for the actions of the Ahts, and without bearing this in mind no one can understand their character, nor appreciate the difficulties in the way of reclaiming them. The collection of property for the purpose of distribution is the constant aim of many of the natives who, to the common observer, seem listless and idle. The Indian who stands by your side in a tattered blanket, may have twenty new blankets and yards of calico in his box at home. Whatever he acquires beyond imme- diate necessaries goes to increase this stock, until his high * This term expresses what is frecjuently meant by our word *' manliness." ^kW . ^wm" "KAwr** POSITION OF THE HEAD CHIEF. lia day comes in the winter season, when he spreads his feast and distributes gifts among the guests, according to their rank. To inchide all present at such a feast, a single blanket is sometimes torn into twenty pieces; and it is said, but this I can hardly believe, that the exact quantity or value given to each guest is accurately remembered. It is customary to throw the article briskly into the face of the receiver, to show that it goes from a willing heart. The giver does not now consider that ho has parted with his property : he regards it as well invested, for the present recipients of his largess will strive to return to him at their own feasts more than he has bestowed. The person who gives away the most property receives the greatest praise, and in time acquires, almost as a matter of course, but by the voice of the tribe, the highest rank obtainable by such means. This rank is not of the highest class. It is only for life, and is different from the ancient here- ditary tribal rank. With each step in rank there is usually a change of name; and thus, bearing different names, the industrious or acquisitive native may rise from one honour to another, till finally he reaches a high position. The head chief in an Aht tribe occupies apparently a position of which the type is patriarchal. His authority is rather nominal than positive. He generally calls the old men together to consider weighty matters, but neither he nor they can do anything without the consent of the people. At these public councils, where the tribal inte- rests are debated with much shrewdness, the principal persons are seated according to their rank, and much 8 • J I 'j 114 TRIBAL OFFICERS. respect is shown throughout to the ancient ceremonies. There is no formal way of taking a vote ; the will of the trihe is expressed hy acclamation. The chief has no officers, except his slaves, who could enforce obedience in his own tribe ; bat there are proper tribal officers through whom he communicates all resolutions of his own people to other tribes. He cannot give in marriage, nor betroth his children, contrary to the tribal custom or will. He never joins an embassy, nor leads an expedition in war. Though frequently receiving presents from his tribesmen, the chief is not often wealthy, as he has to entertain visitors and make large distributions to his own people. There is at this day one instance, which possibly is the remnant of an old general custom among the Ahts, of all the members of a tribe paying tribute to their chiefs. The instance to which I allude is that of the Klah-oh-quahts, some of whom pay annually to their chief certain contribu- tions, consisting of blankets, skins, oil, and other articles. On public occasions, or in intertribal communications, the hereditary chief is an important person, whose official dignity is maintained by strict etiquette. But his actual influence in the tribe is frequently exceeded by that of some vigorous underchief. It is not uncommon for tlici principal chief, under his people's displeasure, to abandon his property, and abdicate his position in favour of the next heir. On retiring into private life he is little noticed. When a chief is childless, his next of kin, male, com- monly succeeds to the chiefship, but occasionally a more distant kinsman is preferred by the tribe, if his property is large and his character approved of. As with the DEOREES OF TiAXK. 115 lonies. of the I as no nee in arougb people betroth I. He in war. tesmen, itertain people. f is the 3, of all B. The rquahts, jntribu- articles. ons, the official , actual that of for thti abandon • of the noticed, e, com- a more )roperty ith the Irish septs in old times, and with most Eastern people, much reverence is shown, by the Ahts to the true reigning family, though individuals belonging to it are occasionally set aside in the line of succession. Minor tribal rank, of what may be called the first degree, is hereditary, but children only can inherit it, and in default of children, the dignity ceases. Unless accompanied with wealth, inherited rank in a tribe is a poor possession. The native grandee without blankets is like an English peer without land. The value of his distributions of property among the people is expected to befit his rank, and he gets no commendation for what would bring praise and honour to a plebeian. Whatever may have been the origin or purpose of these dignities, it is evident that the par- ticular rank and position of every person in an Aht tribe are well understood. Some are called high chiefs, others half chiefs or small chiefs ; and any insult, wrong, or injury oifered to a chief by another tribe, is resented by his own tribe according to the rank of the sufferer. But his " blue blood " avails not in a dispute with one of his own people ; he must fight his battle like a common man. ' » * : - In marriage, however, or at burials, feasts and public ceremonies, and in a council of the tribe, the privileges of a man of rank are strictly regarded. The sons of high chiefs often have a following of eight or ten free-born youngsters, who, unremunerated, follow them about, and receive their commands. In the actual conduct of war, civil rank fails to secure for the possessor an important position. The war chiefs and the under officers in war 8- TT :i 116 DEQREES OF RANK. : ' are, as a general rule, chosen for their special fitness for military command, and not at all on account of their rank. Success in war, is a broad stepping-stone in an ambitious career. So far as I can learn, there are among the Ahts the following degrees or classes of rank. It must be understood that I speak of what is already almost of the past. So great has been the disturbing force of contact with the colonists, that rank has lost much of its value, and as rega Is some of their ancient customs, they are now but little regarded by the natives. First, then, as to ranks ; there is the head chief's rank, which is hereditary in the male line, and to which, owing to the respect gene- rally entertained for the true lineage (if not in all cases for the immediate heir), it is almost useless for any low-born native directly to aspire. Next are the various degrees of rank which probably have been held by inheritance from generation to generation. Degrees of rank arc sometimes acquired, by the consent of the tribe, for great services or special acts of valour, but these are not altogether of so high a character as the former. The way the natives have of fixing the intended degree of rank is by saying that it is the will of the tribe, that so-and-so shall be equal to so-and-so, or next uaJer him. The haii^ooner, in the tribes that live on the seaboard, possesses high hereditary rank. Inferior tc« ti'.ese are the various degrees of rank, obtained by the consent of the tribe, consequent upon large distributions of property. This practice of distribution, it may be observed, is not confined to any particular class ; all ranks find it useful in supporting their influence. All the ranlis above mentioned appear to be CONFERRED RANK 117 hereditary. There arc two additional descriptions of rank, both endinj? with the possessor's hfo ; one, which, in our own country, we should call a courtesy title or rank, is enjoyed, as a matter of course, by well-born youths ; the other it is the privilege of the hereditary chief and the principal chiefs to confer. This last-named rank is generally conferred during the festive period following the return of a tribe to winter quarters. I did not know that the chiefs had this power, or that rank could bo possessed except with the expressed consent of the people, till I learnt that the right was exercised by the chief or chiefs independently, at this season, in a tribe near which I lived. This rank can be bestowed on men or women, adults or children ; and its bestowal is preceded, if not actually obtained, generally by presents to the chiefs. Those seeking such rank signify their wish to the chief, who, on ascertaining the number of aspirants, directs them, at stated times, to assemble at his house, where they dance, sing, and go through various exercises, day after day — sometimes for weeks — before they receive the honour. The women, on these occasions, dress in their best ; they are ornamented with beads and brass rings, and pretty shells are attached to their noses and plaited among their hair. This is the only description of rank which the women can acquire, by any tribal usage, but they partially inherit their parent's rank, to the extent, at least, of a regard being paid to it at their marriage. In an Aht tribe of two hundred men, perhaps fifty possess various degrees of acquired or inherited rank ; there may be about as many slaves ; the remainder are independent members, less rich as a body than the men of rank, but who live — »^~ , i I i . COMPOUND WORDS. l->7 IS have iifficult termi- it these id even in the self, its lomer's y, these r is well for the m much t use of )abilitie8 iratively vith any lue of a )f roots, s which, sidered om the lly con- it is a that it ,ge, and cd and levelop- vanced iunding words may be given. We find the root yats or yets, which expresses the idea of movement of the feet or legs : yetsook, is *' to walk ; " yeUpannich, *' to walk and see ; " yetsh'dl, is **to kick;" and yetsch-yetsah (their only way of expressing either a frequentative or plural being by reduplication), is ** to kick frequently." Yetneh-yct- soklch, undoubtedly from the same root, is a *' screw steamer." AVhen the natives first saw one of these vessels, noticing the disturbance of the water astern, they attri- buted the propulsion to some action analogous to the stroke of the legs of a swimmer, and so the name of "continual kicker" was at once invented and universally received. This is an Indian s explanation, without sugges- tion or assistance. I may add that, in compound words, several consonants or syllables of the component parts are often run into one. This being the case, it is not unlikely that the tsok in the above word gives (as in many other instances) the idea of water {chu-nk). Another example of a new name, adopted within my own know- ledge, may be mentioned, which shows that parts of difierent Aht words, expressing difierent ideas, are some- times brought together and combined into one word. Yahk means *' long," and is probably connected with the yet more radical yeh, yah, which I have noticed seems in some words to give the idea of distance. Apnxim is *' hair upon the face," hynmiwhcl is " the mouth ;" and there are other words of a similar sound showing the uxim and uxliel to have a particular reference to the face. These roots are formed into yahkpckuksd, " a beard." From this word, and ko-us, " a man," a combination of six syllables, the two-syllabled word yakpus is derived. 128 HOOTS IN COMPOUND WORDS. Yakpus is a proper name, meaning " beard-man," and was applied by its Indian inventor or suggestor to my dear friend, the late George Eeid, of Alberni. Klahchoochin, **a stranger," or literally, "the newly- come," is derived from hiah, a root signifying "present time," and choolncah, " come." This last word is con- nected with the Chinook word chaJw. The radical klah is found also in the word klahooyc, " now ; " kkih-kuksik, " the present generation ; " and probably in klah-oh, "another," with its derivatives, klah-oh-quill, "the day after to-morrow," and klak-oh-quill-ooye, " the day before yesterday." The quill in the two latter words is found also in atlah-quill, "eight," and tsow-irauk-quill, "nine," and probably means "beyond," or "in addition;" and the ooyc of the last word is a word of time, used by itself to express " soon " or " presently," and found in words implying both the present and the past, as klah-ooye, ahm-ooye, klah-oli-qmll-ooyc . Even to one possessing only an imperfect knowledge of the language, the con- tinual presence of significant roots in conipound words is evident. The peculiarity may be noticed in instances where the meaning of the root is entirely unknown (that is, unknown to any Indians I conversed with) ; thus, while chaputs is the word now used for canoe, the syllable kleet is found to occur in many words connected with a canoe. The similarity of the following words — kleeteha, " the steersman;" klcetehaik, "a rudder;" klcetshitl, "to steer;" klcetsuppem, "a sail;" kleetsmah, " stuff to sit on in a canoe ; " and even klootsinnim, " the board which the paddler kneels upon," can hardly be accidental. Next to these prominent features of the Aht Ian- TEILMI NATIONS OF WORDS. 1-^9 ind was ny dear 3 newly- ' present . is con- 1 klali is k-huksik, khih-oh, 'tlie day [ay before is found , *'nine," 311 ; " and I by itself in words klah-ooye, )ossessing the con- words is instances iwn (that lUS, while able kleet a canoe. \ivtl, iuflf to sit ,rd which 11. it lan- *' the " to r^niaji^e, which may be further verified by consulting the vocabulary, — to which I must generally refer the reader, as it is not my intention to comment on the lan- guage at length, — some of the most usual termina- tions of words deserve notice. Ah or mah is, in verbs, the termination of the first person both in the singular and plural ; hiik or ai)t», of the second ; and mah, win, or somotimes uthna, of the third iierson. These terminations, however, are not so bound to the verb but that sometimes they are transferred to an accompaming adverb, the exact manner of expression being apparently a good deal deter- mined by phonetic considerations, subject to rule. From icik, " not," and ktimotoj), *' to understand," we get either ii'ikah-knmotop, or irimmiitomah, both equally meaning, ** I do not understand ; '* but the latter word has lost two prominent consonants in the process of composition. In contradistinction to the terminations mah and utlma, which are applicable to the third person, the ultimate win, also applicable to the third person, has specially the curious meaning, in some instances, that the speaker has not seen that which he speaks of, and in other instances, that the object is not in sight at the time of his speaking. This reference to a past and a present may indicate a growth of the language towards the formation of tenses, but the form has reference at present to space and locality, rather fjiui to time, though the idea of time is often necessarily included in the expression. What I mean to observe is that perhaps ultimately the savage may use this termination " win " to express one of the two times (past or present), and adopt some other termination to express the other time. The " w " and the " n " sounds frequently are found in compound 9 9QB oqqgp l.'JO EXPRESSIONS OF NUMBER AND TIME. words, the one implying a negative, and the other the idea of sight. It might, however, be considered fanciful to look for the derivation of the syllable ivin in these, even although 2vaw-win, " to hunt by shouts from unseen hunters " (the game hearing only, and not seeing, their pursuers) ; and tupicin, to gird or girdle the waist (and so to conceal the nakedness), might seem to point in the same direction. The first syllable in waw-icin is obviously the same as in watv-wah or zvaiv-waw, "to speak" or ''shout." The expression of number is more definite in the Aht language than that of time. Reduplication of a significant syllable is used to describe number in objects and fre- quency in action. The words ivaiv-wimo and tseka tseka are both used of sustained speech ; icaw means simp' " to utter a shout," or " to say." I find the single woiu tsechkah in a vocabulaiy of eighty years ago, though I have not myself heard it without the reduplication. Of three words in the Aht language, meaning " to work," two, oo-ooshtuk and pe-pe-sail, have the doubled syllable, implying, no doubt, repeated action. ' Yetseh-yetsah and yetsch-yetsokleh have been already mentioned. Maht-mahn means "all the houses " or " the entire population," mahtc or mahs being the word for a single " house " or " settle- ment." The significance of the following terminals must be considered as only implying a general rule, more or less liable to exception. Instruments end in ik — as hukkaik, "a knife;" hissik, "a. saw;" kleetchaik, "a rudder." Colours end in w^'or ook, as ey-yoh-qiik, " green ; kistokkuk, " blue ; " klay-hook, " purple ; " kleesook, " white ; " toop- kook, " black" {hissit, " r.ed," is an exception). TERMINATIONS. idi her tlie fanciful ise, even unseen ag, their ,t (and 80 it in the obviously jpeak" or n the Aht significant 8 and fre- Ueka tseka sans simp' single woi^ though I cation. Of to work," [ed syllable, .yetsah and Ition," mahte I" or " settle- Iminals must more or less as hukkaik, a rudder." In ; kistokkukf rhite ; " too2>- Trees and grasses end in 2)t, as kowwhlpt, see-whlpt, ootsmupt, klakkupt, klakkamupt, and many others. Genera end in oop and toop, as ecsh-toop, "house- hold things ; " smh-toop, " beasts of the forest ; " tcl- hoop, ** fishes of the sea." The word kleetstoop means *' blankets," in contradistinction to the special name given to each blanket according to its colour. Verbs often end in alutl, shell, and ch'itl. This termi- nation is, on the whole, well-marked, though exceptions are very numerous. It would, in fact, be more correct to say that these endings, when occurring, are generally found in verbs, than to call them verbal terminations. They probably imply action or movement. Thus, apart from verbs, we meet with these ultimates in klecshitl, (from kleesook, ** white,") ** the growing light of morning which comes before sunrise; " in toopshitl, {toop-kooh, "black,") *' the increasing darkness of sunset and immediately after; " and in moolshitl, *' the flood, or flowing tide." The most common termination in the language is Ih. It is difficult to assign any uniform meaning to this termi- nation. I have sometimes thought that it expresses the application of the meaning of a general word to a word of a more particular import. Thus ey-yoh-qnilh, the usual term of the Ahts for a green blanket, means *' a green one." The general term for blanket, as named above, is kleetstoop ; as this word has no apparent connection with ey-yoh-qiiilh, and as the Ahts use now almost exclusively blankets for dress, we must suppose that in saying "a green one," they are referring to their usual and almost only covering. The word for a black blanket is toopkulh ; for white, kleeselh ; for red, klayhidh ; {klayhook is purple^ i:}'> THE XITIXAHT DIALECT. Hi t I I. 1 hissoolh is bloody.) Attalh or uttalh is an Ahi word for black, evidently formed from att})h or uttjjh, night. Terminations in iij) seem to convey the meaning of loss, curtailment, injury, as chd-tay-up, '' to cut off with a knife;" hddsap, *' to hurt, to wound;" hif-yusatijup, "to lessen cr diminish ; " haickmhup, " sickness of the eyes ; " aaJi-sup *' to break a cord or string; " quoy-up " to break a stick." The Nit'naht Dialect. Among the various tribes living round Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound, that called the Nitinahts is the largest tribe of all those both round the Sound and on the coast. The Nitinahts live on the seaboard close to the Sound, and it is woi-thy of remark that they have more words and changes of verbal form peculiar to themselves than any other of the Aht tribes. Their speech diifcrs more from that of the other tribes in Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound than . I'om the speech of the tribes immediately ..orth of the Sound, though the latter are farther removed from them. This probably arises from the ci: 2umstance of the seaboard tribes of the Ahts having more intercourse with the tribes of other nations of Indians speaking different languages than the Aht tribes have who live inside the large Sounds. The Nitinaht tribe, known specially by that name, is nearer to the Indians on the other side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca ; and, additionally, as being a powerful tribe, represses, to a certain degree, the foreign intercourse of other seaboaid trioes, and, therefore, naturally has most mixture of language, as the Nitinahts most visit and are visited by foreigners. Also, both Nitinahts and all other THE XIT/NAJfT DIALECT. i.s;} n-tl for dnfif of ff with ^(itijlip, of tlie up " to alit (or largest lO coast. Souiicl, )rds and lan any ro from nd than of the n them. (Miboard e tribes ^iguages rounds, lame, is >trait of 111 tribe, |)n.i'se of IS most Imd are 111 other sf^aboard tribes have more foreign intercourse than the tribes livinf]f insiuu the Sounds, their position hindering these latter fron' ^'isiting other nations, and strangers, on their part, being afraid to venture into the Sounds or inland. In common with several of the seaboard Aht triljes to the north, the Nitinahts have hoonch {moouch) for " deer;" and I have also heard Nitinahts use ^iin) for *' eiglit " and "nine." On the other hand, the tribes inside Nitinaht (or Ijarclay) Sound use (ihioo^ih and athihqnUl and tii;)ir-iraiiJ:-qHill respectively for the same, that is, for "deer," "eight" and " nine." The Nitinaht diidect, however, is understood by all tlio tribes, though now and then one notices tliat, in conversation with Indians of other tribes of their own nation, the Nitinahts have to repeat their words with some altera! 'on of ex})ression in order to make themselves under- stood. Much of the difference of their dialect from that of others of the Aht tribes consists in the fact that, in ahnost every instance, tlie ;// and n of the other tril)es are changed by the Nitinahts into h and d; this, with the frequent abbreviation or expansion of v,-ords in comj)osi- tion, oft( n leads to singular alterations. Thus, for the common Aht wovda hJuwaj/kHoJi, "father," and oomajik^oli, " mother," the Nitinahts have respectis 'y dnoiir and abalu: ; for quequcnlro, " ahaad," they ha j kook'ifloo.i'iicJi ; •/or vixDUih, "country" or "territory," (Usi^ilxtch ; i\)r mamook " to work," huholk. Two of tlie Nitinaht numerals I may remnrk, chaijuJquiUi, "six," and klah-irlm, "ten," are entirelv different from those of the other tribes : tl;e rest are substantially the same. 134 THE NOOTKAH DIALECT. CooK'fct List of Nootkah Words. Any one duly appreciating the difficulty of collecting the words of an unknown language without an interpreter will admire the industry of Mr. Anderson, surgeon of Cook's ship, the Resolution, who, in the short space of less than a month, obtained in the neighbourhood of Nootkah some 280 native words. The tribes who live in that neighbourhood, I may state, are the Moouchaht, Ayhutti- saht, Noochahlaht, and these form part of the Aht nation — a fact hitherto unknown. On examining Mr. Anderson's list, I recognize, inclusive of the first ten numerals, 133 words which are substantially the same as words now spoken by the tribes in Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound. The distance along the coast between Nootkah and Nitinaht is about 90 miles. When from the remaining 147 words in Mr. Anderson's list are deducted those words in which the Nootkah Indians at present diifer from the Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound tribes, and those words in which they may agree, but with which agreement I am unacquainted, it is probable that very little change will be found to have taken place in the Aht language since Cook's visit eighty years ago ; perhaps not a greater change than might be observed in the language — say of the south of Scotland, within the last hundred years. It is singular that an unwritten language should have been preserved with so little alteration among tribes so widely scattered, and who have so often opposed each other with deadly hatred.* * The laii}j;ungti of the Indiana in the interior of Anicricft— commonly called the Indians of the Plain — is constantly changing, owing to their roving htvbits and intermixture with other tribes. In the case of some of MB. ANDERSON'S VOCABULARY. 186 The curious pronunciation remarked upon by Mr. Anderson as only approximately represented by lozth may have ^ 3en somewhat altered and simplified by lapse of time, or it may be a peculiarity not shared by those of the Aht tribes best known to me. The words spelt by him according to that pronunciation are now pronounced in diflferent instances as thl, Ith, or Ih, or arc at least nearly represented by such a combination of letters; 'iot very diiferent, after all, from Mr. Anderson's pronunciation, only I cannot distinguish the sound of s or z. I quite recognize what Mr. Anderson means when he says, "It is formed by clashing the tongue partly against the roof of the mouth with considerable force, and may be compared to a very coarse or harsh method of lisping." I do not, however, recognize an actual lisp, which would, of course, imply the presence of a sibilant. In Mr. Anderson's vocabulary I find, without any very careful examination, u few words either erroneously set down by him, o' wliich have since changed their meaning. The error (il any) in one or two cases may easily be explained. I here give a few words, as set down by Mr. Anderson, and also their |»resent pronunciation and meaning : — Mn. Andersox's Words. Nootkah. OpuhzM, " the sun." Onaiszfhly " the moon." Tsechkah, " a general sons;." Present Words. Nitinaht (or IJarchiv) Sound. Iloop-palh, " the moon." Nas, " the sun." Tseka, " to speak, say, or sing." these trihes, the vocabulary of a missionary is of little use to his successor after the lapse of a dozen years. The Coast Indians, on the other hand, remain for generations — perhaps for centuries— on one spot, and their language, consequently, is less suscejitible of alteration, rotwithstanding the effect of the coast intercourse hefore alluded to. f( 136 J//?. ANDERSON'S VOCABULARY. Mr. Andejisox's Wouds, Nootkah. Ilawechth, or Hawaltli, " friendship, friend." Eineetl, " goat, deer." Okumha, " the wind." TchoOf " throw it down," Jakops, " !i man." Nahei, Naheis, " fi-icndship." Ta-eetcha, " full, satisfied with eat- in2." Presknt Words. Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound. How-wilh, " chief." Ahtoosh, or. Moouch, " deer." Ennitl, " dog." Wikseh, " wind." Tchoo, " '"ncites to any sort of ac- tion." Chekoop, " a husband." Ki)-us, " a man." Nahay, Nahais, " give or to give." Teech, " well ; not sick." Tcechah, " 1 am well." The present meaning of tnsh-shc is " a door-way," the same word being applied to any gangway, and also to a track or road in the woods. Mooshmsem is " a door or lid." For kluo or klao-ajjpi, a word of likely occurrence in barter with Indians, Mr. Anderson has "keep it," or "I'll not have it," having, I daresay, assigned that meaning to the word from the evident diss'.'-dfuction expressed by the person using it. The real meaning of Mao is " another," or "somc'vhing else;" and klao-appi means "substitute something else." The expression, therefore, does not convey so much a refusal of the article offered in barter as a request that something else more acceptable should be produced. Klao, or klah-oh, is a word which enters frequently into the speech of the Ahts, and always with the signification of " another" or "some more." Ah-ah- tomah-klah-oh Oliver is a literal rendering of " Oliver asks for more." OhkidUk, or ohqulnnik, set down by Mr. Anderson as the general term for " box," is now used only to describe a box with double sides, the inner ones sliding out. The innik or nllik gives the idea of duality ; klah-hix is the common term for " a box ; " AFFINITY OF INDIAN LANGUAGES. l;j: ound. r.' art of ac- to gwe. the same a track or id." For tarter witli L not have 3 the word the person .other," or I' suhstitute does not |i m harter thle should Liich enters dways VN'itti of " OUver ft down l>y .x," is now the inner |the i«lea of '< a hox;" !:■ ih-haijtsoh for one having a lid fitting over the sides. The word allec, or alia, which Mr. Anderson translates "friend," or "hark ye," is the same as the present Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound anni, and the Chinook annah, the transit: -^n from n to I, easy in all languages, being particularly so in the Aht language, in which a sound often lies halfway between two kindred consonants. The exact meaning of annl is " look." It is connected with the reply generally made to it, ainil-mah, "I see ;" with chch-iii'.h, "I do not know," or, more literally, "I do not see," or "have not seen;" and also, no doubt, with the Chinook nanich, "to see;" and many other words in which the same root may be traced. The word kawccht, applied by j\Ir. Anderson to the wild rasi)berry, is now used by the Alits for a very common and well-known berry- bush, to which the colonists give the name of " the salmon- berry." Though not the wild raspberry, it is of the same order of plants, and not unlike it in appearance, and when in flower might easily be mistaken for the wild raspberry. Affinity of the Indian Languages on the North- We ST Coast. An adequate acquaintance with the Indian languages spoken in Vancouver Island, and on the north-west coast of the continent, would throw a trustworthy and most inte- resting light on the early history of the diflerent nations of Indians ; at least on so much of their early history us consisted in their migrations. On this point, however, I will confine my ol)servatious to the people on the outside coast of the island, with whom I happen to be acquainted. A cursory notice is sufficient to prove to the traveller the ^^ I! ii 138 LANGUAGE OF THE AHT TRIBES. close similarity of the languages of all the Aht tribes, and, therefore, the relationship of the people ; and he is surprised, on going along the coast towards the north of the island, where no great physical obstruction prevents com- munication between the diflferent tribes, to find a boundary, as it were, beyond which the speech of the Aht people (phonetically, at least,) is so much changed, that even numerals and other radical forms have no appearance of similarity. I hesitate to affirm that the several languages in Vancouver Island are absolutely distinct, for I have not closely studied the whole of them. The contrast I speak of, in reference to the Aht language, appears about Cape Scott, at the northern end of Vancouver Island, where this lan- guage meets the language of the Quoquoulth (the Indians of the north and north-east of the island) ; and the contrast appears again towards the south end of the island at some point between Pacheenah and Victoria, where the Aht language comes into abrupt contact with the Kowitchan, or dialects of the Kowitchan. But though these points, north and south, are the limits of the districts in which the Aht language proper in Vancouver Island is spoken, the same language probably crosses the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and is traceable, with gradual and increasing alterations, through all the tribes along the ocean-coast, from about Cape Flattery to the mouth of the Columbia River. There is a decided resemblance between the Aht language and many words of the Chinook jargon, which is a portion of the language of the now almost extinct Chinook tribes at the mouth of the Columbia River, supplemented by words of other tribal dialects on the north-west coast; also by French, English, Hawaian, and. L. CHINOOK AND AHT WORDS. 13H perhaps (but of these I am doubtful), Spanish words. The real Chinook was the first coast language of the nort'h- Avest coast languages that was learned by settlers and traders on the banks near the mouth of the Columbia River ; and a portion of it was afterwards incorporated into a barbarous jargon, to facilitate communication with other natives.* I know about 100 words of the Chinook jargon, and probably 500 of the Aht language, and among these, without research, I can recall the follow! g parallels : — Chinook. Aht. Mowitch, " a deer " Moouch, " a deer " Stjah, " far away " Sl-t/ah, " far away." kloosh, " i^ood. " Kloothl, " good." ^, , .. I Chu-uk, "water." Chuk, " water ^ y,^^,,^^^ ,. ^ ^j^^^,, Kumtax, " to understand " Kumotop, " to understand." j^ i NaneUiah, " to see." Namch, " to see ' -j Yetspannich, " to walk out and sec." Hyas, " preat " Eher, " groat." Hy-ya, " a great many " Ei-yeh, " a great many." Hyenimah, " a great many," * Hy-yu, " ten, i. e., the highest number one can count on the fingers." Chako, " to come " Chookwah, " come." Klootchmati, " a woman" Klootsmah, " a married woman." Klootcfimoop, " a sist'^r." Wayk, "no, not" Wi/{,wiklyt,wi/mh,wayhomah,"ao, iiot.'^ Wah-wah, " to speak " Wah, " to speak." KeehiUy "■ hjw, deep down " Keelupdh, " submerged." Many other words suggest themselves, not showing such an evident similarity, but still conclusive to one knowing something of the Aht language. The similar ity to the Chinook is contained often in some comj)osite word, * This is the real oingin of the Chinook jargon, in reference to which one writer after another copies the conventional nonsense that the Hudson Bay Company " invented " it. Such an achievement as the invention of a laaguagy is beyond the capabilities of even a chief factor. -■r^ . « _j,.t, i ^_ i -». 1 1.. 140 Cf 11X00 K AND AHT WORDS. ! where the resemblance has been almost entirely lost in the exprension of the more simple idea. Thus — to take a partial instance from one of the parallels just adduced — the word nanctsah retains, indeed, the radical nan found in the Chinook nanich, but has a different termination. The Chinook termination, however, has remained in the Aht composite word i/ctHpannichy a word which means '* to go out and look about," and is applied to any one strolling about without any apparent object. In like manner, the Chinook roots chiik, tsnk, enter continually into Aht comi^osite words, and convey a reference to water ; tcik and wayk, in com- position, imply a negative; and nan and an, similarly, imply sight ; and kloothl implies good — thus showing a much more intimate connection between the Chinook and Aht tongues than the mere similarity of a few words, not in a composite form, would suggest. It may be objected that the Aht Indians, a few of whom know something of the Chinook jurgon, may have introduced some of the words among their own words ; but, with any knowledge of the languages, it seems impossible to hold this opinion. The Ahts know perhaps fewer of the Chinook words than any other Indians in the island, and yet the other Van- couver Indian languages do not, so far as I know, exhibit the same similarity to the Chinook. The Ahts have absolutely no other word for water than clm-uk, and it is not likely that they would have adopted the Chinook word, and entirely lost their own term for such a common necessary. The various tribes of the Aht nation difter a little, but a very little, in their language ; each tribe having some few words quite peculiar to itself. One of these diflferences affords fair evidence of the reality of the relation between SlMILARlfY np CHINOOK AND AIIT TONGUES. lAl the idge sary. but a the Aht and the Chinook ; the difference to which I alhide is the variation in the term for deer amonpf different Aht tribes. Those Aht tribes which have, in modern times, seen most of the white man, and, therefore, heard most of Chinook, inhabit Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound. The name which the tribes in that locaHty have for a deer is ahtoosh, but other Aht tribes more to the north, who have heard less of Chinook than the others — tribes such as the Ahousaht or Moouehaht — call a deer moouch, which has a very close likeness to the Chinook mowitch. This similarity of an important word in the two tongues existing among those Alit tribes ignorant of Chinook, and which happens not to be found in the language of the tribes who know Chinook, is one proof of an old connection of the Aht and Chinook languages. I have said that, in Cook's list of words, made eighty years ago, a general resemblance of the two languages is found; and I may here add that an intelligent Indian on the west coast of the island has remarked to me upon the similarity of the Aht and the Chinook, without any sug- gestion from me ; also, that the conclusion thus indepen- dently formed is confirmed by those traders who are most familiar with the dialects spoken along the coast. Being altogether unacquainted with the neighbouring languages on the nearest American territory, I do not know whether the Aht form of language has kept merely to the ocean coast, or has in any instance penetrated into the interior of the country. I should expect to find that it adhered to the coast ; but, no doubt, the course of the language might be altered and directed inland by such a feature as a gi'eat river, or a range of mountains. The distance, following the ocean coast, from Cape Scott in Vancouver Island to I '•''■^■•"'■P! ■M* hi .11 142 TRIBAL NAMES. the Columbia River, which, so far as I know, is the range of the Aht language, is about 400 miles. I have not attempted to trace the language outside of these limits, and I can form no opinion whether the Aht people spread originally from the Columbia River, along the coast towards the north, or whether they spread south from the west coast of Vancouver Island, Tribal Names. The Indians relate that Quawteaht gave names to most or all of the things on land, and in the sky, and sea ; and that he, also, is the author of their tribal names. The terminal of all the tribal names, namely, aht, is the termi- nal o( Quawteaht's own name. This story of the Indians is a myth ; the tribal names probably were adopted to describe the principal features of some locality, or in honour of a great chief. It is possible that the affix aht, which terminates the tribal names, is identical with maid, mahte, or mahs, which are words respectively meaning ''house." The word mahte is not only applied to the material build- ing, but also to the settlement or population. Maht-maha (the reduplication being their only way of forming a plural) means "the whole population," or ** all the settlements." The word Ishhmikquaht, " next door," or ** next house," is an instance of aht in composition, giving to the com- posite word the meaning of " house," as Ish'inn'ik means ** with," " close to," ** next to." Quisaht, abbreviated compound of qidspah and mahte, signifies " the further settlements " — quispah meaning *' further," or "on the other side," and mahte meaning " house," as above stated. The natives do not apply the tribal name, with its TRIBAL NAMES. 143 wliicli mahte, ouse." build- t-mahfi lural) ents." ouse," com- means viated urtlier n the stated, th its terminal aht, to the district owned by the tribe, but only to the village and people. The Seshaht territory is called Sesh ; that of Ohyaht, Ohy ; that of Pachcenaht, Pacheen. It is not unreasonable to suppose that all the names of the tribes were significant when first applied ; and, in spite of the legend of Quawteaht, we may be inclined to believe that each new settlement, as it was formed, received its name from some particular feature of the locality, or some notable occurrence connected with the new establishment. When we find in the language noochee, "mountain;" moouch, "deer;" klah-oh, "another;" koquahoivsah, " a seal ; " it seems reasonable to recognise in the tribal appellations of Noochahlaht, Moouchaht, Klah-oh-quaht, Ahousaht, names which will bear the simple translations, " mountain-house," " deer-house," " another house," " seal-house." Several other tribal names of the Ahts seem to be significant, though not quite so obviously as the above. The Indian's mode of forming a name is often difficult to trace, as a long word is sometimes represented in composition by only a single syllable, or even a single letter. I ( 141 I CHAPTER XVI. A GREAT DEER HUNT. The Waw-win — a prrcnt Deer Hunt. —o*- liare work ! all filled with terror and delight. — Cowley. ■*o«- .-ti ( It is not of much use going out to shoot deer on the west coast without the assistance of an Indian. One may walk alone, day after day, over the rough wooded mountains without raising a deer, while an Indian on the same ground will get several shots. After trying all the usual ways of shooting deer — hy stalking them on the hills, by lying in ambush, and by pushing them out of covert, I arranged for a great deer hunt at Alberni in February, 1864.* Nearly * " Elienfiigaces, Postumc, Postume, Lahuntnr anni!" Alas! do not our fleeting years too quickly end ! Which of my welcome friends, Andersou, Ker, Coinicll, Gaskell — men of the right kidney, each one — does not rememher the glorious days spent in the chase at Alberni, and the hearth piled with well-dried logs that greeted our return? " But ye whom social pleasur j charms, Whose hearts the tide of kindness warms, Who hold your being on the terms, * Each aid the t/thers,' Come to my bowl, come to mv u'-ms, My friends, my brothers ! " I .l .. l4i« i »nfl «.il " ->.-. INDIAN HUNTERS. 145 e west yr walk iitains ound ays of fi' ing in anged Nearly a whole tribe of Indians took part in this iraii'-win, as they call it ; as far as I could juvl^o, there were about ninety men in the forest, and half of them were armed with guns. This grand battue is called by the natives waw-win, from the word tvaw, which means to speak or shout. The practice is for a number of Indians to spread over a district and drive the deer with shouts through the forest towards some lake or arm of the sea, on the banks of which they are killed, and canoes are kept in readiness to capture or drive back those that are bold enough to attempt escape by swimming. The deer I speak of is the black-tailed deer ; I have never known the wapiti to be captured in a n-air- w'ui. The wapiti is not found in such numbers as the black-tailed deer, nor does the wapiti often come near the coast, where only a ivaw-ivln can take place, near sivme large village. There had been heavy falls of snow, and the Indians were certain that many deer had come down from tli(> higher mountains, and would be found on the side of a great, rugged, wooded hill, which rose steep from thi-. Alberni inlet. A swollen torrent, rising from a source inland, flowed across the back of this hill, and, at the southern extremity of the hill, this torrent fell into the Alberni inlet. The hill itself occupied about two miles ol" frontage on the inlet. Thus the reader will perceive that there was but one side, the north one, left open for the inland escape of the deer — in fact like the base of a triangle. On this base, if I may so call it, at certain intervals, men were placed to hem in the deer, and then advance and drive them forward into the corner or apex of the triangle, where the torrent fell into the Alberni inlet. When driven 10 140 PREPARATIONS FOR THE JIUXT. '( I I 1 1! 1 1 t' ,( V i 11: tv, ( III P into this spot the deer were to be shot. This base was probably about a mile in length. The sloping face of the hill measured about a thousand feet ; its surface was brokv^n by ravines and hollows, by precip.^es and huge masses of rock, all of which were hidden by the forest, and to be seen only as one came upon them in walking. These irregularities of the sr rface favoured the growth of many clumps of young fir trees, and among these the deer found shelter. It was common to ha^e a waw-ic'm hunt on thh hill, when deer were wanted for son^e great intertribal feast. The Indians spent the evening before uhe day appointed for the hunt in dancing and singing, and in various cere- monies intended to secure good luck on the morrow. We, on o'lr part, cleaned our rifles, and got to bed soon. About two o'clock in the morning, the Indians assembled on the hill, and occupied the base line above described. They took no dogs with them. I crossed the inlet in a canoe, with three other gentlemen, and reached the ground about two hours later. TLe Indian-^ did not appear to be under the command r^ any one, nor did they advance in any order, but straggled forward, beating the bush-'S and pushing through the clumps of young treas, shouting loudly all the time. It was very cold and very fatiguing worji, as we laboured over fallen trees and occasionally .sank deep into ilie snow. I often - ished I had left my rifle at home, for it was ii>avy to carry, and we saw few deer, and could not fire, owing to the danger of hitting tlie men. I had landed on the north part cf the hill, at one end of the base line spoken of, and I had intended to procceiT from man to man of the Indians as they advanced, that I might notice their proceedings. This plan would have brouglit i> I f,\, x was the was [luge and 'liese nany 'ound 1 t]-:s feast. nn'^ed cere- We, About on the They canoe, about under a any and Louting iguing ionally ny rifle or, and icn. I of the 1. from niigbt )rougbt s BEATING THE BUSH. Ui me to some point of the torrent at the back of the hill, but I soon found that the Indians advanced too quickly to allow me to carry it out. If I had persevered in my attempt to do so, I should have been left behind, and have been quite out of the way of witnessing the result when the deer were hemmed in at the south of the hill, where they were to be shot down. As we went on, the Indians collected into twos and threes and fours, which was a sign that the line was being shortened, and the hunters were pushed one against another. The excitement was now great among all the Indians that I saw ; they laughed, and yelled, and redoubled their exertions to start the deer, and we occasionally heard muskets cracking along the line. The effect of all this manceuvring now began to be seen ; a herd of twenty or thirty deer came bounding over the snow towards us, and, being greeted with terrific yells, turned and fled. I had never been quite able to keep up Wioh the Indians, few white men could ; and now as the noise and excitement and the musketry increased, I decided on not advancing much farthir towards the angle we were approaching, lest the fate of ^ William Rufus should overtake me. The surface of the side of the hill was so broken, and the trees were so numerous and large, that one coul< see only a small bit of ground anywhere. The deer seemed now so desperate as to have lost their timidity ; many broke through the line of their enemies and escaped. I'rom the top of a mass of rock on which I was glad to rest, I saw beneath me a bare patch of the hill-side ; beyond that the forest again, and farther down still a low gravelly point without trees, which formed the angle at the meeting . 10—2 Mi 'I i-i; ' I: ' I,rl l I -. t 1 % !' 1 "■w. Jl^ 148 RESULTS OF THE CHASE. A few canoes were floating of the torrent with the inlet, about as if waiting for something. The shouting and yelling, and a confused noise of voices and of feet trampling the branches of prostrate trees, were now heard on every side. Deer leapt wildly across the bare patch and dis- appeared in the wood beyond, followed by Indians excited as only uncivilized men can be ; then first one deer, then a few, then more deer trotted out on the gravelly point, and looked about in all directions, and smelt the water. There was soon a large herd on the point, and, in a few minutes, the pursuers began advancing a little along the point and firing. The shooting was very bad, and the deer trotted about for many minutes without losing more than a few of their number. I loaded and fired my rifle as fast as I could ; but, being a long way oflf, probably did little damage. My friends having now come to me, we descended and joined the Indians, in order to bring the morning's work to as speedy a termination as possible. It was extraordinary to notice the carelessness of the Indians ; after all their exertions to bring the deer to this place, they allowed nearly one-third of them to escape. A few deer took to the water, but the canoes pursued them, and they were turned back to the shore by blows of the paddles on their heads. The total number killed during this ivaw-w'm was fifty-three, that is to say, sixteen during the chase and thirty-seven on the point of land. We sat down for a time after the hunt was over, and the Indians had a long talk among themselves to decide how the deer were to be divided. The man whose hunting ground the hill was considered to be — though not a chief — received the largest share of any. The Indians do not much relish deer-meat, Dirisioy OF THE SPOIL. 14a and, on this occasion, seemed to value the skins more than any o her part of the animal, except for the chance they had of so hng the venison to some of the ships at Alberni We left them discussing the proceedings and the results of the hunt, and went home to our breakfast. '\ I ( 150 ) CHAPTER XVII. MORAL DISPOSITIONS. The Savage Character — Vindictiveness — Coldbloodedness — Attack on the Elkwhahts — Murder of a Girl — Human Sacrifice — Custom of the Min-okey-ak — Notions about Stealing — Affection for Children — Habitual Suspicion — Want of Foresight — Absence of Faith — Ingrati- tude — Sincerity of the Indian's Declarations. I0» Judge from their own mean hearts, and foully wrong mankind. — Soutiiey. I : It is very difficult, for a civilized man, to form in bis mind a correct estimate of the moral condition of a savage. In one part of liis character the savage resembles the lowest members of a civilized community — such as the outcasts in large cities ; but another part of his character, inherited through a long succession of moral degradation, unchecked by any surrounding counteracting influences, is unlike anything that can be witnessed even in the most brutalized individual in a civilized community. There is a resem- blance, in many respects closer than one likes to admit, between the promptings and habits of uncivilized man and those of the wild beasts which he hunts. The Aht savage seems to the traveller, on a first ol)servaticn, very like an 'i i k on the of the lildren — -Ingrati- )UTHEY. mind re. In lowest lutcasts herited Ihecked unlike Ltalized Irescm- [ admit, m and I savage [ike an FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 151 animal with a superior instinct and the gift of rude speech. Regarding him in that light, or, at least, not quite as a fellow-man, I have been pleased with his conversation, par- ticularly with his account — given in the easy but striking manner characteristic of narrators who are free from drudgery and live much out of doors * — of the ingenious ways in which he captures fish, wild animals, and birds ; and it has been only on turning the tiilk towards other topics — such as the history and destiny of his race in this world, or after death, and on remembering, in connection with these thoughts, that the untutored Indian was a fellow-being — that I have fully realized his actual be- nighted condition. The first natural impulse of any civilized observer, who judges by recognized standards for appreciating a social and moral condition, is to turn with aversion from a people so degraded as the natives on this coast ; but, in my own case, I found that this feeling gradually changed to one of interest and curiosity, after seeing them in their own villages, where all their ways and doings had, at least, the recommendation of being thorough and of being novel. It then appeared that, together with the rude vices of a man always cut off from every external influence of an improving kind, the savage had some qualities that were of a nature to be commended : he was sincere in his friendship, kind to his wife and children, and devotedly loyal to his own tribe. His hos- pitality and faithfulness to any trust reposed in him were * No persons equal in power and manner of graphic oral narration, those gentlemen in the Hudson Bay Company's service who have passed the greater part of their lives in the Indian country, remote from all civilized intercourse. i;. 1 1 V I. ^\i i' ji 152 PROMINENT CHAR A CTEIilSTICS. noticeable virtues. I also found, on visiting his bouse, that he had much more of what was playful and kindly in his nature towards his relatives and friends, than one would expect him to have. And, of course, the more inti- mately the savage became known to me, the more clearly man, in man's natural condition and proportions, stood forth, exhibiting a character which owed its peculiarity specially to excess or defect in regard to the moral qualities — qualities which he shared with the rest of the human race. These excesses and defects come up before one's mind, in de- scribing his character, far more readily than any good qualities which the Indian possesses. His virtues do not reaol} our standard, and his vices exceed our stan- dard ; so, in reflecting on his character, we naturally think first of his vices, not of his virtues. The prominent characteristics which I have observed in the Ahts are a want of observation, a great deficiency of foresight, extreme fickleness in their passions and purposes, habitual suspi- cion, and a love of power and display. Added to which may be noticed their ingratitude and I'evengeful disposi- tions, their readiness for war, and revolting indifference to human sufteriug. A murder, if not perpetrated on one of his own tribe, or on a particular friend, is no more to an Indian than the killing of a dog, and he seems alto- gether steeled against human misery, when found among ordinary acquaintances or strangers. The most terrible sufterings, the most pitiable conditions, elicit not the slightest show of sympathy, and do not interrupt the current of his occupations or his jests for a moment. REVENGEFUL SPIRIT. 153 ViNDICTIVENESS. The Aht natives are very revengeful, and appear to cherish rancour for a length of time, sometimes for more than one generation. Disputes between individuals lead to impla- cable family feuds. Though it is usual to accept large pre- sents as expiation for murder, yet, practically, this expiation is not complete, and blood alone effectually atones for blood. An accepted present never quite cancels the obligation to punish in the breast of the offended person or tribe. Many years after the offence, and, generally, when disappointed in some blood-thirsty expedition, these savages will call to mind an old injury, and make it the pretext for a mur- derous attack on an unsuspecting tribe. An illustration of this is afforded by an occurrence in the Straits of Fuca a few years ago. The Nitinahts, on the Vancouver Island shore, had mustered for an expedition to attack another island tribe near Victoria, but were deterred by the arrival of several ships of war at Esquimalt. These were English ships of war, which, after the unsuccessful attack on Petro- paulovski, went to Vancouver Island to refit. Unwilling to go back without heads for trophies, the Nitinahts deter- mined to attack the Elkwhahts, on the south side of the Straits — a tribe against which they bore a grudge for some old injury, but with which people the Nitinahts had, since the injury, been for years on friendly terms. After night- fall, the attackers paddled across the Straits, and drew their canoes over the rocks, into the forest near the Elk- whalit village. It was the fishing season, and a quiet morning in summer, l^efore the sun rose, the P^lkwhahts were out in their canoes fishing, at some distance from ir ''. \ I "^ i } I* i> I.; *1 |l i I 154 PR OMINENT CHA RA GTER IS TICS. the shore. All at once the eager enemy rushed from the forest, dragging their canoes, and, embarking in them, they intercepted the terrified, unarmed fishermen before they could reach the land. The women and children ran out of the houses and shrieked, but there was no battle. In a few minutes the headless bodies of the Elkwhahts were lying in their canoes, which floated here and there, and the victors were paddling across the Straits, singing a death- song. Coldbloodedness. I was told by a trustworthy eye-witness of another bloody act, committed at Klah-oh-quaht Sound by a native who is well known to me. My informant, while trading on the coast, stayed to sleep at the village. While at supper, he heard the death-song ; and, on going out of the house, found the natives assembling to meet canoes on their return from a warlike expedition. It was clear moonlight, so that everything could be seen. The men landed and danced on the beach, many holding high in one hand a musket, and in the other, several human heads. A few captives were dragged ; the hair towards the village. Amongst these were two children, a boy and girl, of about twelve years of age, who had been captured by the Indian alluded to. This savage had been at San Francisco, and could speak a word or two of English. Anybody on the west coast of Vancouver Island knows " trader George " (the Indian in question), the rich merchant of Klah-oh-quaht. Approaching my informant in a state of great excitement, he repeated, " me strong," " me brave," " me very strong heart," and suddenly drew i HUM A N SA ORIFICE. 155 Lis long knife, and so quickly severed the girl's head that the blood spouted upwards, and the body seemed to steady itself for a moment before it fell. The demon danced with the head in his hand, and pushed on the boy before him. This infernal crime was committed merely to show to the white man that the native warrior had a ** strong heart."* I may mention another atrocity which occurred within a few yards of my house. As a magistrate, I had to take official cognizance of this act. In December, 1864, the Seshaht Indians, then occupying their village close to Alberni, put one of their women to a violent death. The day before they commenced a celebration of a peculiar character, which was to last several days, and the murder of the woman formed, no doubt, a part of this celebration. The woman was stabbed to death by an old man in whose house she lived, and who probably owned her as a slave, and offered her for a victim. The body was then 'aid out without a covering by the water-side, about a hundred and fifty yards from the houses. There appeared to be no inclination to bury the body, and it was only after the chief had been strongly remonstrated with that the poor victim's remains were removed, after two days' exposure. I observed that even after this removal, certain furious rites took place over the very spot where the body had been exposed. The chief feature of the celebration, apart from the murder, was a pretended attack upon the Indian settlement by wolves, which were represented by Indians, while the rest * It may be said that in killing this girl, the Klah-oh-quaht only exer- cised his right as a victor, according to Aht ideas. This, however, is little more than saying that the rest of his tribe were as infernal as himself. mmmmmmmmm ■^ 150 ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE AIITS. 'rt" .!■ t / :! il of the population, painted, armed, and with furious shouts, defended their houses from attack. The horrid practice of sacrificing a victim is not annual, but only occurs either once in three years, or else (which is more probable) at uncertain intervals ; always, however, when it does happen, the sacrifice takes place during the Klooh-quahn-nah season, which lasts from about the middle of November to the middle of January. The Klooh-quahn-nah or Klooh- quel-lah is a great festival observed annually by all the Aht tribes, after their return from their fishing-grounds to the winter encampment. It is generally a time of mirth and feasting, during which tribal rank is conferred, and homage done to the chief, in a multi' ide of observances which have now lost their meaning, and cannot be explained by the natives themselves. I was not aware until this murder was committed under our eyes, that human sacrifices formed any part of the Klooh-quahn-nah celebration. I should think it likely that old worn-out slaves are generally the victims. The Seshaht Indians at Alberni represent the practice as most ancient, and the fact that the other tribes of the Aht nation (about twenty in number) observe it, favours this supposition. Their legends somewhat differ as to this practice, some saying that it was instituted by the Creator of the world ; others that it arose from the sons of a chief of former times having really been seized by wolves.* To some )i * These Indians imitate animals and birds extremely well, such as wolves or crows. At this Klooh-quahn-nah celebration they had their hair tied out from their heads, so as to represent a wolf's head and snout, and the blanket was arranged to show a tail. The motion of the wolf in running was closely imitated. More extraordinary still was their acting as crows ; they had a large wooden bill, and blankets arranged so like Avings that, in S. I XO ( IX A li Y II I TE S. 15< ich as r hair nd the nning rows ; at, in extent it is a secret institution, the young chiltlrcn not being acquainted with it until formally initiated. Many of them during the horrid rite are much alarmed ; the exhibition of ferocity, the firing of guns and shouting, being calculated, and probably intended, to excite their fears. Part of a day is given up to an instruction of those children who are to be initiated, and it is impressed upon them that the Klooh-quahn-nah must always be kept up, or evil will happen to the tribe. The tendency, no doubt, and probably the intention of this human sacrifice, and the whole celebration, is to destroy the natural human feeling against murder, and to form in the people generally, and especially in the rising generation, hardened and fierce hearts. They themselves say that their " hearts are bad," as long as it goes on. In the attendant ceremonies, their children are taught to look, without any sign of feeling, upon savage preparations for war, strange dances performed in hideous masks, and accompanied by unearthly noises, and occasionally, at least, upon the cruel destruction of human life. Although I have no direct evidence of the fact, I believe that part of the course of those to be initiated would be to view, howl over, and perhaps handle, or even stick their knives into the dead body of the victim, without showing any sign of pity or of horror. A strange belief, of which I could get no explanation, nor learn its origin, existed lately among these people connected with an instrument called min-okey-ak, made of a stone or other hard substance, fastened to the end of the dusk, the Indians really seemed like large crows hopping about, particu- larly when, after the manner of these birds, they went into the shallow water, and shook their wings and " dabbed " with their long bills. I i:)8 HORRIBLE SUPERSTITIOX. •J I' .,1 1 '■I \ Sl^ a long string. This instrument was supposed to be thrown from nn unseen hand, and the person struck by it sickened and died. No one was allowed to live who knew how to make the min-okey-ak. The last person possessing this knowledge among the Ohyahts — the tribe from which I derived this information — was a young man of a family of eight men, and it was resolved at a meeting of the chiefs, that the whole family should be extirpated. On an ap- pointed day, four of the doomed men were asked, one after another, by different individuals to go fishing or hunting, and each was killed by his companion unawares. The other four, on the same day, were invited to a feast, and murderers sat beside them with concealed knives, who, at a given signal, stabbed them to the heart. The women were sold into slavery, and the house and property of the family were destroyed. Since this tragedy, no one among the Ohyahts has known how to make the min-okey-ak. But enough of these terrible and repulsive scenes ! They are atrocities of which it is painful to read, but which, nevertheless, should be placed before the reader, in order to show to him what savages really are, and how blessed are the influences of Christianity and civilization. I turn from these harrowing details to a more general account of various characteristics of the people, which were observed by me during a somewhat lengthened intercourse with them. And, first, as to their notions on the subject of stealing. Stealing. Stealing is not sanctioned by public opinion among the Ahts, but they all have a tendency to sympathise with xo rioNs A no ur s tea l ixa. 169 mg some forms of theft, in which dexterity is reciuired. Chiefs and heads of largo families veiy seldom commit theft ; they know the value of a good name, and prefer inciting their poor men to the unlawful act. A chief who himself steals is a very had chief indeed. Larceny of a fellow-trihesman's property is rarely heard of, and the aggravation of taking it from the house or person is almost unknown. When the thief and loser are of the same tribe, the loser either retaliates, or, by feeing the caief, induces him to use his offices in recovering the property. In cases of theft from another tribe, the chief of the tribe to which the offending native belongs, on receiving a remonstrance, either compels him to make restitution, or himself pays the value for the honour of his people. On the other hand, anything left under an Indian's charge, in reliance on his good faith, is perfectly safe ; he takes a pride in returning every separate article that was given to him. I must not, however, be understood to say that thieving from other tribes is unusual among the Ahts ; on the contrary, it is a common vice where the property of other tribes, or w^hite men, is concerned. But it would be unfair to regard thieving among these savages as culpable, in the same degree, as among ourselves. They cannot understand the considerations on which we desire to protect among ourselves the rights of property. Nor have they any knowledge of a moral or social law for- bidding the act. Thieving, that is, intertribal thieving, has been commonly practised among the tribes for many generations. In addition to which, we should consider how strong the temptation to steal must have become when articles of civilized manufactare-rcurious tools of I IGO AFFECTION FOR CHHAmEN. u \' iron, saving tlio wearied arm many months of laljour — were fiiftt introduced to their rsight, and left about care- lessly before them. I think that discriminating laws should be made. It is unjust, and therefore, in the long run, Uf.ole'jrf, to punish the Aht savages according to our law for some offence which they do not regard as an offence, and which, at all events, is committed under conditions not con- templated by the framcrs of the law. The efficacy of human punishments lies, in a great degree, in the public opinion concerning them ; and certainly the savages on this coast think tiiat our imprisonments and hangings are nothing but the arbitrary and harsh exercises of supericn* power. Men wdiom they think innocent are hanged, and those whom they consider guilty often escape. si n Affection for Childken. I have been pleased often to notice the afiecticn of the Indian fp^hors for their children, and how proud they are in remarking any skill in their childish amusements. Undoubtedly th( y have, in general, strong love for their relations, most of all for their children. Thev never beat them, and I have known many instances of fathers taking home fo;' their children little dainties which it required an exerc^ise of self-denial to nbstain from. Should they suffer the loss of those they lovo, the women howl and lament ; the men nurse their sorroAv, and show, by altered demeanour, and even loss of flesh and health, their inward atflicdon. A-i the same time, this love is not connected with thought fulness and cui-e for the sick, who, as is described in a chapter of this book, if not neglected, are often treated wJtli utter disregard to their comfort. S USPICl O us NA TURE. IC.l ler Ihe lir. In. a Habitual Suspicion. Like other wild men, the hand of the Aht Indian has heen against every man — so far as he has felt it consistent with his own safety ; and, as a natural consequence, his eye is ever on the watch against the hostility of others. His thought, when he comes in contact with any but the few who are within the circle of his bosom friends, is, '* How can I turn this person to my own account, and how can I defend myself from his design against me ? " For, to his credit (as far as it goes), it must be allowed, that he does not for a moment believe that he is sacrificing a confiding or honest person, but sets down all appearance of unguardedness either to folly or simulation. The Indian is educated by his necessities, by his fears, and by his experience of human nature within the range of his own observation. His countenance apparently of studied self- command, his watchful concealed glances, his suspicions developed upon every occasion, show a character lying, a^ it were, in ambush. The power of self-command possessed by savages seems to me to have been over-estimated. It is great up to a certain point, both over the countenance and over the emotions ; but in reality it is aiuch inferior to that of civilized men, though a first acquaintance with the stern manner of savages would load one to believe the contrary. When their composure is once broken through by the assault of feeling, all their self- possession is gone, and they become the sudden slaves of fear, anger, or the like. Their nerve, under ordi- nary, and perhaps even under extraordinary, circum- stances, is naturally strong ; but, when once it gives 11 1(52 MORAL DEFICIEXrfES. wi I- ni I i ■ 5'" M way, they have no ade(juate counteracting moral power to sustain them. Want op Foresight. I may mention, also, deficiency of foresight as a leading and evident component of the moral habit of the Aht savages — a deficiency which weakens their virtues, and partially palliates many of their vices. The possess^^ of a civilized education and an enlightened conscience does not act without hearing in mind, in a general way, the probable consequence of his deeds, both to himself and other^ ; in the main, his actions, Avhether good or evil, are deliberate and wilful. But, with the exception of following certain inherited habits necessary for very existence, the Indian does not appear to exercise to any adequate extent his power of reflecting on and acting for the future ; impending dangers, and near and sensible advantages, of course exercise their influence ; but the advantage of acting strenuously for a result which he con- siders uncertain, is altogether unrecognised. Even his cunning calculations and attempts at decepti(m, most clever and complete in themselves, are simple and short- sighted, and remind one almost as much of the instincts of the animal, as of the exercise of human powers. In this want of inclination and ability to prepare for and mould the circumstances of the future, we find, perhaps, not so much a characteristic of the people on this coast, as a leading cause of the long-continued uncivilized con- dition of barbarous nations generally. MORAL DEFICIENCIES. %m and rliaps, Icoast, con- Absence of Faith. Another great impediment to these natives advancing as a people, by ameans very conducive to their progress, — that is, by their becoming tillers of the soil, — exists in their impatience of delay or any long expectation. If they could only learn the lesson of trustfulness and hope taught to the farmer by seed-time and harvest, the improvement of their moral condition would have begun, probably on a good foundation. The almost entire absence of faith and hope is, indeed, among these natives a striking and painful defect. They will work hard as long as the goal of their eflforts is almost, or quite, within sight and as long as they have no sort of hesitation as to the adequacy of their strength or skill. They have no faith in any kind of help but their own, and none of the hope which often enaljlcs civilized men to contend to the last against circumstances, and sometimes to pull through against all likelihood. In sickness and approaching death, the savage always becomes melancholy. The prospect of Chay-her, the land of departed spirits, has no comfort or relief for the Aht savage then ; the only good thing he has ever felt sure of is the life which he is about to part with, and consequently his only desire is, to meet with some one who will restore him to health. Ingratitude. Ingratitude is a vice which is commonly attril)uted to these Indians by those who know them well. It is unpleasant to have to deny, even to a savage fellow-crrature, the possession of such a virtue as gratitude, which is shared 11— « I i^ ^ '^1 ¥■■■ ;r '' ' * 'fc li ii f ij I'' i t 104 RESERVE OF SAVAGES. hy many of the inferior animals ; but it must be stated that those persons best acquainted with the character of the Aht Indians agree in no respect more completely than in complaining of their ingratitude. I have 'concurrent testi- mony on this point from Indian agents and traders who spoke their language tolerably well, and who have been a good deal among them. Their belief is, that you may feed a hungry Indian, tend him when sick, or save his life, and he will afterwards ridicule or rob you, as if you had never been kind to him. The sensibilities of the natives, they say, are so rude that what, according to our notions, is kindness, does not seem to the savages to demand any acknowledgment on their part. To this strong general testimony I will not offer a decided opposition ; but I think that, generally, civilised men are apt to expect too much from a savage, and, being disappointed, are ready to deny the good which, perhaps, really exists in his nature. As I have said several times in this book, it is a most difficult matter, even for observant and thoughtful men, to understand the character of a savage, or to gain so much of his confidence as to induce him to lay aside his habitual reserve. A particular feature of the character of the Aht Indian is the manner in which lie gives or withholds the expression of his affections. Oreat weight is attached to a declaration of friendship, and still more, perhaps, to that of sorrow for another's misfor- tune or death. Among civilised people, announcements of friendship or sympathy are accepted as matters of form, and people look for signs of reality in sometliing beyond these ordinary expressions. But in the Indian's declara- tion of personal feeling, every syllable is weighty ; you are XA rrVE GHA TITi'DE. ig:> )rm, roiid tira- !iro not supnosecl for a moment to doubt his word, nor lie to be capable of falsifying. Such earnest expressions, it is true, may not uniformly be followed by constancy, but, at the time they are made, they are generally sincere ; the Indian, in such a declaration, lays aside his usual pride and caution, and this sacrifice is the pledge of his sincerity. The Ahts have, it is true, no word for gi'atitude, but a defect in language doci not absolutely imply defect in heart ; and the Indian who, in return for a benefit received, says, with glistening eyes, that "his heart is good" towards his benefactor, expresses his gratitude quite as well perhaps as the Englishman who says, " Thank you." The measure of the Indian's gratitude, I think, should be taken by more accurate means — by a study of the imme- diate working of his heart, so far as one can reach it, and from observation of his conduct after gratitude has been expressed. Two points of character throw light upon the subject. The Indian's Hiispiclon prevents a ready gratitude, as he is prone to see, in apparent kindness extended to him, some under-current of selfish motive. His rc.^crrc prevents a frequent expression of gratitude — such expression being kept for great occasions. Again, his mind, occupied much with the ])resent, and what is immediately useful to him, makes him judge another, and treat him according to his own interpretation of that other's behaviour, without much consideration either of past kindness or past hostility, Further, the Indian is not, in general, very grateful for assistance which, in his view, costs tlie giver nothing — however useful or necessary the assistance afl'orded. A person may keep an Indian from starving all the winter through, yet, when summer comes, very likely he will not l^. 160 IDEAS OF OBLIGATION. walk a yard for his preserver without payment. The savage does not, in this instance, recog*)ise any ohligation ; but thinks that a person who had so much more than he could himself consume might well, and without any claim for after services, part with some of it for the advantage of another in want. This view, considered from an abstract point, is true ; still the recipient of kindness, either savage or civilised, ought to entertain feelings — strong feelings of gratitude towards the benefactor who has thus acted out right principles. The savage's judgment is right — his feeling is deficient. In justice it must be said that the Indian would often similarly succour any one in need of his help, and not look for any ulterior benefit. His gratitude shines best — and in this he shows his discern- ment — when he thinks that behind the kindly act he can discern a really friendly heart. He is accustomed, among his own people, to gifts made for purposes of guile, and also to presents made merely' to show the greatness and richness of the giver; but, I imagine, when the Aht ceases to suspect such motives — when he does not detect pride, craft, or carelessness — he is grateful, and probably grateful in proportion to the trouble taken to serve him. ( 167 ) CHAPTER XVIII. SORCERERS. Some account of the Sorcerers or " Medicine-men." -*^^ Goto! You are a subtile nation, you physicians. — Ben Jonson. There is a class of persons among the Ahts who pretend to possess extraordinary powers, and who, without having any tribal rank, are extremely influential. I have not been quite able, in my own mind, to assign a position to these sorcerers, nor to determine exactly the connection of their practices with the religion of the people. I think these sorcerers may, in many respects, be called devil-priests; tiiat is to say, their influence is supposed to be with those spirits which the natives believe to be evil ratht r than with those which they believe to be good. The general practice of the people is to address the good deities direct, without the agency of the sorcerers ; for instance;, standing alone in the forest, they pray to the moon for abundance of food or for health, or security, but when the powers of evil — the ■ r- 168 AHT SORCEREIiS. ^ ;i :| II avenging deities, who are supposed to bring misfortune, sickness, and famine — have to be propitiated, the natives always seek the intervention of the sorcerers. I do not say that they never employ the sorcerers in addressing the good deities, but only that the influence of these impostors is believed to be more efficient with the evil spirits. This employment of agents to deal with evil spirits is found amongst savage men generally. Of course the savage, as every human being, is now by nature an alien to God, and the peculiar circumstances surrounding his daily life lead to the development of this innate feeling of alienation. He discerns faintly the phenomena which produce good eflfects, but sees and feels with terrible distinctness the ravages of cruelty, suffering and death ; and being unable to conceive that Quawteaht, the beneficent spirit, permits such evils to afflict mankind, the savage turns with instinctive terror to propitiate the demons by which he believes these miseries are inflicted. The sorcerers among the Ahts, in their pretensions and practices, seem to me to have a greater general resemblance to the inferior Lamas in Tartary than to any other class of which I have read. The Mongolian belief in the transmigration of souls, in the cause of sickness, in tho power of the Lamas to expel the visiting demon Tchuttjour (query, the Aht Chaii-hcr,) by incantations and yelling ; the duplicity and imposture of the Lamas, and their horrible ceremonies, might indeed be almost trans- ferred without alteration from M. Hue's narrative to these pages. The common doctor of the Ahts is culUut i h)shtuk-}fUy the ** worker," and the sorcerer Kau-hnitsmcOi-hdht \\\& '* influencer of souls." The " worker " and the ubl THE ^'IXFLUEXCER OF SOrLS." 169 women act as doctors in ordinary cases, but the " inflnencer of souls " is required in times of great bodily or mental trouble, and in fact, on every unusual occasion, whether individual or tribal. The sorcerer professes and undertakes to bring back truant soub into bodies that have been bereft of them ; also to effect interchanges of souls, to interpret dreams, to explain prophecies, to cast out demons, and to restore the body to health. The sorcerer seldom gains tribal rank, but appears to be content with his actual power, and with the fees which he extorts from his dupes. There is not, so far as I could ascertain, among these sorcerers, as there is said to be among those of some other savages, any peculiar sorcerers' dialect, or set of terms unknown to the rest of the people, in which they can converse together on the subject of their professed art, nor are their supposed personal gifts dependent on fiimily descent. Practically they vary their ceremonies and treat- ment to suit their own purposes ; but there must be some prescribed rules of action in which the young sorcerers are instructed. The sorcerers are obliged, for their own sake, to do extraordinary things, or they would soon be looked upon as ordinary persons. For some reason they have less power among the Ahts than among the tribes farther north on the coast of British Columbia ; in several tribes known to me there is no Kdu-koutsmdh-hah, (influencer of souls), but only a common OoHhtuk-yu (worker). I have seen the sorcerers at work a hundred times, but they use so many charms, which appear to mo ridiculous, — they sing, howl, and gesticulate in so extra- vagant a iiiuniier, and surround their office with such d^'end lujd mystery, — tliai 1 am quite unable to describe 11 r ' \ 1 , II 170 PRACTICES OF SORCERERS. their performances. The ceremonies of the sorcerers formed the only phase of savage life — marked as it is by repulsive features — which I could not bring my mind by any effort to study ; the whole thing was so foolish, meaningless, and pretentious. It is undoubtedly a fact, however, that many of these sorcerers themselves thoroughly believe in their own supernatural powers, and are able, in their preparations and practices, to endure excessive fatigue, want of food, and intense prolonged mental excite- ment. Their practices among the tribes most under their influence comprise almost everything which subtle wicked- ness can devise for the purpose of terrifying and controlling the ignorant. The whole gamut of the most frightful noises which the human voice, the collision of hard sub- stances, and the beating of bearskin drums can produce, is run up and down by them with ease. The howling of the Aht sorcerers is perfectly demoniacal ; no wild beast could utter sounds so calculated to strike sudden terror into the heart. While in perfect security, I have shuddered at the yells of these savage men. One of their practices is to absent themselves from the encampment of the tribe, for a time, to fast in the forest, and suddenly to appear, naked and almost fleshless, with lacerated bodies, and foam on their lips, uttering cries and sounding rattles and drums. Their heads are, on such occasions, covered with frightful masks. The natives rise from their occupations on seeing the sorcerers approach, and run from their presence to seek the shelter of the houses, where they cower in silence. Outside, the demons howl, and leap through the village ; then, on a sudden, all of them make a rush and close together, like wolves over a prey ; DECEPTIONS PRACTISED. 171 [m Ire id sometimes it is a dead human beinjiif, or a living dog, which is torn asunder by their hands and carried off in their teeth. Excepting, perhaps, the human sacrifice at the Klooh- quahn-nah season (see pages 155 to 157), which homd custom is supported hy these impostors, the devilry just described is one of the worst practices of the sorcerers. They have milder methods, however, of keeping up their influence and filling their boxes ; and having described one of their worst ways, I will mention another of a less objectionable nature. As all the people are credulous, they are easily deceived by any shrewd fellow who desires, by some exercise of his wits, to obtain increased wealth and higher consideration. A clever practitioner, just before the herring, salmon, or berry season, will get it spread about that he has dreamt there will be great quantities of berries or fish at some particular places, the knowledge of which he keeps secret. By various ceremonies, such as abstaining from ordinary food, washing himself unusually well, and walking in lonely places at night, he will manage to persuade the ignorant and weak-minded members of his tribe that he is doing a great work, that he is inducing the berries to grow and the fish to come to be caught. This he will make the ground for levying a species of tax; and the curious part of it is, that, whether the berries and fish are plentiful or not, this " Artful Dodger " gets, not only higher scii;(! consideration, but douceurs of berries and fish throi'ghoi h the season. I have known him get two- thirds of a coDoe-load of the fish that were first caught in the season. Any account of the Aht sorceries would be incomplete i I 1 »o IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I U^ »23. |2.5 lu I2ii 12.2 t^m ^ : < 6" - •. 7 ^^. '^y c? / Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WfTT M/*»N ^V»IIT WIBSTIR.N.t I4SS0 (7U) S73-4503 \ iV SJ \\ 4^^ ^y V^ 1 ^ \ A r 172 WISE WOMEN" AND OHOSTSEEliS. which did not mention the old women, with their coarse Bkins, blear eyes, and shambling gait. . . . Dire faces, figures dire Sbarp-elbowcd and Ican-anklcd too. They are generally employed in the care of the sick, but also practise the arts of sorcery, in unimportant cases, with considerable success. Prophecy is their particular depart- ment. They foretel wars, deaths, good seasons, and other events bearing on the interests of individuals and of the tribe, who, for the information, give them presents. The appari- tion of ghosts is especially an occasion on which the services of the sorcerers, the old women, and all the friends of the ghost-seer are in great request. Owing to the quantity of indigestible food eaten by the natives, they often dream that they are visited by ghosts. After a supper of blubber, followed by one of the long talks about departed friends, which take place round +he fire, some nervous and timid person may fancy, in the night time, that he sees a ghost. A child v,'ll dream that his deceased parent is standing at one end of the house. Waking with a scream, the dreamer starts from his couch, and rends his blanket. Friends hurry round, rake up the fire, and the old women begin to sing. The dreamer snatches feathers from his pillow, and eats them, and covers his head with them. His nearest relative approaches with a knife, and scores the ghost-seer's arms and legs till the blood comes, which is received into a dish, and sprinkled on his face, and on the part of the house where the spirit seemed to be. This scoring the limbs reminded me of the ancient Viking practice of marking warriors, on the bed of sickness, with the point of u spear. After the operation, the wounds TRAN8MI0RAT10N OF SOTLS. 173 are dressed with blackberry leaves. It the vision con- tinues, the friends throw articles belonging to the dreamer on the fire, and cry "more ! more!" till all his property (including clothes, mats, and even his boxes,) is heaped upon the fire. The greatest excitement prevails, and young girls are often sick and exhausted for many days after such an unfortunate dream. There are, I think, several beliefs, held formerly by the Ahts, originating how or when I shall not conjecture, that would materially contribute to assist the sorcerers in retaining power — particularly their belief in the trans- migration of souls, and in the reality of dreams. I will mention first their ideas concerning the transmigration of souls. Like other rude Indians, these people have no intel- lectual conception of the soul, other than as a being of human shape and human mode of acting. They imagine that the soul, like the inhabitant of a house, may wander forth from the body and return at pleasure. It may pass from one man into another, and also enter into the body of a brute. Stories are told of men who, going into the mountains to seek their '* medicine," — which means choosing a guardian spirit, on attaining manhood, — have associated with wolves, like the Arcadian mentioned in Pliny's legend ; and, after a time, body and soul have changed into the likeness of these beasts.'' If the soul has I • What is called the " medicine " of the natives, is bomethinp which they seek after arriving at manhood, and which is only to he >?ot hy hard trial of i)rivation or exposure. The Indian, takint; with him neither food nor water, and only a single !)lanket to cover his hody, ascends to the summit of a high hill not far from the encampment, and there remains for several days. lie keeps a fire burning to show to the jieoplc that he is actually at the jducc. The longer he endures the more cfllcacious ■Hi wmmm 174 APPARITIONS OF THE DEAD. migrated, and entered any other form or body, and the soul of this other form or body does not in turn migrate to the one which has been bereft, this latter first becomes weak, and then sickens, and finally dies if the soul is not brought back. A similar notion {See chapter on " Eeligion ") prevails respecting a soul's visit to Chay-hcr, or the inferior world after death. The natives often imagine that a bad spirit, which loves to vex and torment, takes the place of the truant soul during its absence. What anguish must be endured by these wretched creatures when possessed by this idea ! I may add that the souls of dead friends are believed to reappear in human shape, or in the form of some beast or bird ; and they are generally supposed to presage evil, and are regarded with fea*. Sometimes, however, it is thought they visit the earth with good intentions; and it is the practice of many families, on retiring to rest, to place a meal of dried fish and potatoes beside the embers of the fire, for the refreshment of such ghostly visitors. These notions about the soul, it will be obvious " medicine " is he supposed to obtain. As might be supposed of a people wliosc life and thoughts are bound almost within the limits of their bodily jierccptions, this medicine generally comes through a dream in the form of an animal, as a wolf or eagle, when the sufferer's body and mind are enfeebled and disordered by hunger and exposure. Occasionally the medicine-seeker loses his reason, and wanders about and dies, and he is then believed to have gone in further search, and his return to the village is looked for month after month. The animal, thus supernaturally revealed to the natives as his " medicine," is sup|>osed, throughout his life, to be connected with him as only an untrained imagination could conceive or explain, and finally, as is believed by some of the natives, to receive into its body the Indian after his departure from the earth. A multitude of stories concerning the adventures of men who have gone forth to seek their "medicine" are told by the natives. BELIEF IN DREAMS AND OMENS. 175 to the reader, would open to the sorcerers a ready path to power, after the people's belief in their supernatural influ- ence was established. The other belief I mentioned, as aiding the sorcerers, the belief, namely, in the reality of dreams, is strongly held by the natives. The soul, as already said, is sup- posed to have the power of leaving the body during sleep, and of conversing with distant people, and visiting regions and places in remote parts of the world, and in the land of spirits. Dreams are regarded by the people, as the explanations of the movements of their vagrant souls; also as premonitions from the dead, and, in some sense, as intimations from an unknown greater power. An unlucky dream will stop a sale, a treaty, a fishing, hunting, or war expedition. Dreams are both good and bad, but oftener forebode evil than good. Almost equal to dreams in importance is the influence of omens. An eagle flying near the houses, the appearance of many seals, a watery moon, the presence of a white man, are the fancied causes of innumerable events ; in fact, hardly a day passes in a native house without some fear being caused by dreams or omens. All the people live in con- stant apprehension of danger from the unseen world. No natural exhalation in the skv, No common wind, no 'customed event. But superstition, from its natural cause, Construes awry, aud calls them iirodijjies, Signs, fatol presages, and tongues of heaven Plainly denouncing vengeance. I ll ( 176 ) CHAPTER XIX. TRADITIONS. An Account of ^ Few of the Primitive Traditions of the People. «e« By sundry recollections of such fall From hiyh to low, ascent from low to high, — WoRDSWORTll. -•o*- It is extraordinary how many stories the Aht natives have to tell about every curious rock, hill, valley, and lake in their district. One must have been a lon^ time amongst them, and quite possess their confidence, before they will speak to him freely on such matters ; but, when assured of the listener's character and friendly disposition, there is no end to the stories which an old Indian will relate. An account of the innumerable original traditions and legends current among the Aht people would be very interesting and useful ; but the matter is sufficient for a large book, and I shall, therefore, content myself with recording a few selected traditions, which, I am sure, have not been in any way derived from the teaching of priests or travellers.* ♦ There is n common story, I may here mention, of an ascent by a rope to a region al)ove the earth ; and a host of other stories which I hardly like to leave unreconleil, for such savage myths are, in many respects, interesting M9E THE DEITY TOOTOOCII. .4 I B. ni. have ike in longst will red Oi ere is 'y An gends jsting book, a few [n any a rope Idly like ^resting IIow they first came to this Coast. — One of their storioH is that they came in old times from the west, in numerous canoes, and, being caught near the shore by a storm, they fastened their canoes to the long kelp. The gale increased, and in the morning the canoes were scattered, a few sur- vivors being able to land at different points on the coast, from whom the present separate tribes are descended. This tradition partly agrees with the story also told of two Indians having come from an unknown country {see chapter on ** Religion "), on whose approach the various creatures fled, and left behind numerous Indians who had been contained in their bodies. In plain words, both stories mean that a few Indians originally came to the coast, and afterwards increased in number. Of the great Bird or Dcitf/ Tootooch. — Tootooch is a mighty supernatural bird dwelling aloft and far away. The flap of his wings makes the thunder (Tootah), and his tongue is the forked lightning. He is the survivor of four great birds which once dwelt in the land of tlio Howchuklisahts in the Alberni Canal, three of which were killed by Quawteaht, These mighty creatures fed upon whales. Quawteaht one day, desiring to destroy them, entered into a great whale, and gradually approached tht^ Howchuklis shore, spouting to attract attention. One of the birds swooped down upon him and caught him with to the student of early history, and prohably would illustrate the nicmal l^eculiarities of a people more satisfactorily than the general description of any traveller. It is to be hoped that some account of the primitive mythology of all the Indians in Vancouver Island will be i)ublishc(l before it is muc'i larthcr jntcrniixcd and distorted. The Rev. A. C. Garrett, of Victoria, Vancouver Island, and the active and observant traveller, Dr. Robert Brown, lately commanding the Vancouver Island Government Exploring Expedition, possess extensive information ou this subjccL 12 178 SOURCE OF FIRE. his talons, when Quawteaht dashed down to the bottom of the water, dragging with him his adversary, who was quickly drowned. Another Tootooch, and another, came to the attack, only to be served in the same way; and the last remaining one spread his wings and fled to the distant height, where he has ever since remained. According to Quassoon's tradition, related in this chapter, Quawteaht and Tootah— if the same as Tootooch — had once been better friends. The natives, I may remark, get confused about the gender of many of their divinities. So far as I know, the Indians neither worship Tootooch, nor believe that he has any gi'eat influence over their afl*airs. I have some- times thought that Tootooch was the malevolent spirit whose power they fear, as is described in Chapter xxi., but I have not been able to satisfy myself on this point. The Chinooks and other tribes at the mouth of the Columbia river call their evil spirit " Ecutoch," which word somewhat resembles Tootooch. How Fire was obtained. — Quawteaht made the eaith, and also all the animals, but had not given them fire, which burned only in the dwelling of the cuttle-fish (Telhoop), who could live both on land and in the sea. All the beasts of the forest went in a body in search of the necessary element, (for in those days the beasts required fire, having the Indians in their bodies,) which was finally discovered and stolen from the house of Telhoop by the deer (Moouch), who carried it away, as the natives curiously describe it, both by words and signs, in the joint of his hind leg. The narrators vary slightly in this legend; some asserting that the fire was stolen from the cuttle-fish, ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS. i;u om of 3 was came id the listant ling to iht and better [ about : know, tbat he J some- t spirit Lxi., but t. The olumbia mewhat eaith, lem fire, [ttle-fish the sea. li of the required |s finally by the luriously I'o of his some Ltle-fish, others that it was taken from Quawteaht. All agree that it was not bestowed a a gift, but was surreptitiously obtained. Of the Origin of the Indians. — The following account of the origin of the people was given to me by Quassoon, of the Opechisahts, a famous hunter, but rather a stupid man on general subjects. The first Indian who ever lived was of short stature, with very strong hairy arms and legs, and was named Quawteaht. Where ho came from was never known, but he was the forefather of all the natives here. Before his time fishes, birds, and beasts existed in the world (this is a most common Indian notion). Quaw- teaht killed himself — why the narrator could not say — but he lay covered with vermin, when a beneficent spirit, Tootah (their word for thunder), in shape a bird, came and put the vermin into a box, and Quawteaht revived and looked about, but saw no one, as the bird had flown away. Bye and bye, the bird returned, and Quawteaht married her, and had a son, who was the forefather of all the Indians. How the Head of the Alherni Canal came first to be Settled h(f the Ahts. — A very long time ago the Ahts lived only on the coast, and never entered the singular inlet known as the Alberni Canal already described. At length, three adventurous spirits determined to explore the close and unknown waters. They started up in their canoe, and the first strange phenomenon which struck them was that, as they advanced, the mountains closed in upon them, shutting off all possibility of return. They went up the unknown inlet without • meeting with any appearance of habitation ; but they noticed fragments of salmon floating upon the tide, which seemed to imply that people lived at 12—2 180 M ion ATI ON OF rut: a jits. ■ some place further up. When they turned the point which hrought them close to the head of the inlet, a novel prospect hurat upon their view. They heheld a most admirahle dwellinj^, better, say present narrators, than any Englishman's house that was ever built. They touched the shore, and entered the house. It was plentifully supplied — venison, elk meat, salmon, berries, oysters, and clams (the last two they noticed particularly) were there in abundance. But what astonished them most was that the inhabitants consisted entirely of women. Two of the men stayed in the house that night; the other sk^pt out- side, under the trees. In the morning, he was horrified to find that his two companions had l)een killed, and their bodies cast out of the house. Making the best of his way back, the mountains opened for his return, and he again found himself among his own tribe. He told his story ; and now many were eager to go to this land of plenty, and desirous also to be revenged on the murderers of their friends. Tbey put boards across several canoea (a usual practice when they have to carry much with them), and went up in a large body. As they turned the final pro- montory, all eyes were strained in the direction of the beautiful house which had been described to them. Instead of the house, they saw nothing. There was no house, — not a log nor a board to show that a house had ever stood there. There were no women, no inhabitants of any sort, and the sea there produced neither oysters nor clams. Evidently these weird women had taken their houses on their backs, and had flown off" to the mountains, taking the oysters and clams with them ; and the proof of the whole story is that, from that day to this, neither HEAD OF THE ALBEIiXl CANAL. 181 again oysters nor clams are to be found in the head waters of the Alberni canal. This, in fact, arises from a fresh-water stream entering the inlet at this place, and making the water unsuitahlo for those shell-tish. This story, there is little doubt, is founded on fact. The exaggerations are just such as might be expected. The mountains closing in upon the canoe, and opening again for its return, is the narration of men accustomed to the open coast, and not to narrow, land-locked waters. The beauty of the house at the head of the canal is a traveller's wonder, resting upon the evidence of only one pair of eyes, and, therefore, exaggerated with impunity. In describing the abundant supplies seen in the house, and in enumerating them, the surviving Indian would not be jiarticular, but would name, probably, every article of food which himself and tribe were accustomed to find upon the coast. Among these, he would mention oysters and clams. It is probable that, when the three Indians arrived, the men were out hunting and fishing, and that the house presented the appearance of being occupied by women only. The husbands, on their return, put to death the two men found in the house ; and then the whole tribe placed the boards of their house across their canoes, put their women and children and moveables upon these, and went up the river to one of the lakes, or to some other place of security. So readily, by Indian lips, may the marvellous be produced. Conccrn'nig the Loou. — The commonest of all the Aht stories about animals and birds is the story which accounts for the cry of the loon. Two Indians, a long time ago, went out to fish for halibut in diiTerent canoes, and one was IM THE CRY OF THE LOOX. successful, l)ut the other did not catch a fish. The fortunate fisherman hiughed at the other, who got angry, and said to himself, ** I am stronger, and will take his fish, and make him ashamed." Then he thought that his successful com- panion had many friends, and that, if he harmed him, they would retaliate. While in this mind, his eye caught the small wooden cluh with which the halibut is killed before being dragged into the canoe, and with this instru- ment, while his companion was pulling up a fish, he knocked him on the head. He then took his fish, and was going away, when he thought that, to prevent the deed being known, he would cut out his companion's tongue, so that he should not be able to speak. This heing done, he returned alone to the village, and his wife took the fish. On being asked by the other man's friends where the missing man was, he said, it was some time since he had seen him ; but when he last saw him, he had no fish : the weather, however, being fine, he would, no doubt, be home by-and-bye. While thus speaking, the other canoe arrived, and the man's friends went to ask how many fish had been caught, to which the mutilated fisherman could only reply by making a noise like the cry which the loon now utters. The great spirit, Quawteaht, was so angry at all this, that he changed the injured Indian into a loon, and the other into a crow ; and the loon's plaintive cry now is the voice of the fisherman trying to make himself understood. How strangely this savage story often came back to my mind in crossing the wild, silent lakes, where the stillness was unbroken but for the melancholy note of the loon ! This story is frequently told, and with unusually little ^mffi^ ;/5Aa^ni'' KliB AXD FLOW OF THE SKA. \^'i variation, by the natives along the whole coast ; hut they cannot explain why Loth the assailant and his victim wero punished. Of a ffreat Khh and Flow of the Sea. — Generations ago, the Seshahts, who live now during part of the year in Nitinaht Sound anr the remainder of the year at Alberni, wero unacquainted with the head of the Alberni Canal. They had two houses on Nitinaht Sound, and used to migrate from one to the other. At that time a most curious phenomenon of nuturo occurred. The tide ebbed away from thv chores of the Sound and left it dry, and the sea itself retreated a long distance. This continued for four da}?, ami the Seshahts madr light of the occurrence. There was one, however, Wispohahp, who, with his two brothers, did not do so. After a mature consideration of the circumstance, he thought it likely that this ebb would be succeeded by a flood-tide of corresponding height and power. Accordingly, he and his brothers spent three days in the forest collecting material for a rope of cedar inner bark, which, when made, was so huge as to fill four boxes. There was a rock near the Seshaht village, from the base of which sprang a group of bushes, of a sort well known for its toughness. Round these bushes Wispohahp fastened one end of his rope, attaching the other to his canoe. In his canoe were placed all his moveables, his wife, his two brothers, and their wives ; and thus prepared they waited for the result. After four days the tide began to flow, and crept slowly up to about half-way between the point of its furthest ebb and the Seshaht houses. At this point, its pace was suddenly quickened, and it rushed up at fearful speed. The 1«4 A a RE AT FLOOD. -J k 1^ Seshahts ran to their canoes. Some Legged to be attached to Wispohahp's rope ; but to this he would not consent, lest it should be broken. Others would have given him several of their women ; but he would not receive them. They were all soon caught by the rising water ; and while Wispohahp rode safely at anchor, the Seshahts, unable to resist its force, were drifted in their canoes to distant parts. Finally, the water covered the whole country, except Quossakt, a high mountain near the Toquahts, and Mount Arrowsmith (Cush-cu-chuhl). The Toquahts, another tribe living near the Seshahts, got into a Jurgo canoe (Eher Kleetsoolh), and paddled to the summit of (Quossakt, where they landed. At the end of four days, the flood-tide began to abate. As it did so, Wispohahp hauled in his rope, and as the waters descended to their usual level, found himself afloat near the site of the former Seshaht dwelling. He built himself a small house, having two chambers, with a passage in the middle. One 01 the chambers ho occupied himself, while the other was used by his brothers. Some time after a Klah-oh-quaht canoe, manned by three Indians, approached the shore where tho house was situated. One of the three had with him in the canoe a quantity of the medicine which they use for making fisher- men successful in the capture of the whale. They brought their canoe close to the land, and when asked what they wanted, said, that they had come to see Wispohahp's house. Wispohahp, after some consideration, invited them to land, and, as the Indian manner is when friend- ship is intended, helped to pull up their canoes, and uflcred them sleeping accommodation. One of the Klah- OniaiN OF A TlilliE. ly. chief „f thet ' ; T""'P ''™""^^'' "• '»"''« '">» taiei 01 tlieir «mal] housebold. This wao fin„li„ n.y yu-i^enuel, the present chief of tliP Sp«l,ui.f i , live IS owiug to this oircumstiinco. !l !i ( 1^0 ) I CHAPTER XX. USAGES IN WARFARE. Usages in Warfare — Description by an Eyewitness of an Indian Attack on a Village — Admiral Denman's Brush with the Ahousahts. -♦o^ Man, onhf, mars kind nature's plan, And turns the fierce pursuit on man. — SiK W. Scott. Like a fiend in a cloud With howling woe ; After night I do croud. And with night will go. — W. Blake. Though the members of an Alit tribe live together in much social harmony, there are many wars between separate Aht tribes along the coast. The motive for a war is oftener a spirit of revenge than a wish to obtain additional property or laud. As previously observed, a trifling cause, such as an unavenged or an imagined aflfront — offered, it may have been, in the time of a preceding generation — is considered a sufli- cient pretext for an attack on another unsuspecting tribe. Arrangements for war are made secretly, and a declaration or notice of the intention to attack is not given. No indi- vidual, nor body of persons in a tribe can engage the tribe T" TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. 18? in war ; the matter is debated and settled in a full meeting of all the members of the tribe. The question never is whether the proposed war is just or unjust, but whether there is sufficient force, and what are the chances of success. If victory is likely to be doubtful without assistance, another tribe is invited or compelled to join the attacking force. The appointed war-chief of the tribe, who is always chosen by the people, and retains his office until displaced in popular favour by a more vigorous aspirant, assumes com- mand of the party, as a matter of course, in virtue of his office. The subordinate military positions in an expedi- tion are generally assigned by the people to chieftains of acknowledged bravery and skill in war. Attacks are made during the night. Notwithstanding their propensity to warfare, the Ahts are not remarkable for bravery. They seldom meet openly a foe equal in strength, and a slight repulse daunts them. If prisoners are taken, they are either put to death immediately, or kept as slaves. I never heard of an instance of captives being tortured by the Ahts. They do not take the scalp of an enemy, but cut off his head, by three dexterous movements of the knife, from the back of the neck, and the warrior who has taken most heads is most praised and feared. The natives do not eat human flesh, and deny that the horrid practice existed among their forefathers. The presence of so many animals, and the abundance of easily caught fish on the coast, fit for human food, incline me to disbelieve that the people ever were cannibals. I think it probable that the old navi- gators too hastily inferred the existence of cannil)alism, from the dried human hands that were offered to them for sale at Nootkah. These may have been trophies, or charms, I f 188 MODE OF WARFARE. preserved by the natives under some superstitious feeling. The Indian interpreter and trader, J. Long, who published a book on the North American Indians, in 1791, records, as a custom of the Mattaug-wessawauks — a tribe on the eastern side of the continent — that, if one of the people was killed by accident, they kept a dried and salted hand or foot, as a charm to avert calamities. I have also read somewhere that, in our own country, during the reign of Charles II., and down to a later time, the hands of criminals who had been executed at Newgate were thought to be of great efficacy in the cure of diseases and the pre- vention of misfortunes. I shall probably best convey an idea of the native mode of warfare to the reader, by describing an expe- dition of the Klah-oh-quahts against the Ky-yoh-quahts, a large tribe living on the coast, about eighty miles north from Klah-oh-quahi Sound.* A bad feeling had existed for some time past between the two tribes, which had been fostered by the chief warrior of the Klah-oh- quahts — a restless, ambitious man, who was always on the look-out foi a cause of quarrel. The tribe debated the question of peace or war for several months, and at last agreed to attack the Ky-yoh-quahts, provided that Shewish, the chief of the Moouchahts, which tribe lived between the expected belligerents, would join the expedition, with his warriors. An envoy was sent to Shewish, in a light canoe, to invite his co-operaticn, and, before leaving on his mission, the diplomatist was instructed to use various arguments that were likely to be efl'ective. After five days * In Commander Mnync's book on Vancouver Island, there is a brief erroneous account of this war. A WAR EXPEDITIOX. IH'J Ic{ had passed, tlio messenger returned, with the intelligence that the Moouchahts would join the Klah-oh-(iuahts in exterminating the Ky-yoh-quahts ; or, at least, in reducing them to the position of a trihutary trihe. There was imme- diately greut excitement in the Klah-oh-quaht village. Not an hour was lost in commcaicing preparations ; the war canoes were launched and cleaned, and their hottoms scorched with hlazing faggots of cedar to smooth them ; knives were sharpened ; long-pointed paddles, pikes, and muskets were collected ; lighting men and captains of canoes chosen, who, during the night, washed themselves, rubbed their bodies, and went through ceremonies, which, they supposed, would shield them from fatigue and wounds. In the forenoon of the next day, twenty-two large canoes took their departure from Klah-oh-quaht, with from ten to fifteen men in each, under the command-in-chief of Seta- kanim, the great advocate for the war. Part of the crews were natives of small neighbouring tribes dependent on the Klah-oh-quahts. The women on the beach, before the canoes left, sang a spirited song, and urged the men to be bold, and support the honour of the tribe. After proceeding for twenty miles through an inner water, the canoes followed ihe sea- board for about the same distance, and reached the village of the Hishquayahts — a t ibutary tribe of the Klah-oh-quahts ;hich had to furnish six canoes, manned. The fatigued warriors slept in their canoes that night, and Seta-kanim ordered the Hishquayahts to be ready in the morning with their contingent. Leaving Hishquay at dawn, on a fine morning in June, the whole force, increased now to twenty-eight canoes, arrived, during the afternoon, at Friendly Cove, Nootkah Sound, near the principal 190 JOINING THEIR ALLIES. I village of their allies, the Moouchahts. Before approach- ing the village, the canoes were formed into three divisions, eight of the largest canoes in the middle and ten in each wing division, in which order they pro- ceeded slowly towards the shore. As they raised their war-song, and stopped now and then to beat time with paddles on the gunwales of the canoes, a change could be noticed in the appearance of the warriors. The savage blood in them was up ; their fingers worked convulsively on the paddles, and their eyes glared ferociously from blackened faces besmeared with perspiration; altogether they were two hundred murderous-looking villains. When within fifty yards of the shore, all the canoes, which had been going at the rate of six knots at least, came to a dead stop, not one of them a foot ahead of another. The Moouchahts by this time had come out of their houses, and the two parties, according to the native custom, looked at each other in silence for a considerable time. At last Seta-kanim rose in his canoe to address the people on shore. He was a tall muscular savage, with a broad face blackened with charred wood, and his hair was tied in a knot on the top of his head so that the ends stood straight up ; a scarlet blanket was his only dress, belted lightly round his loins, and so thrown over one shoulder as to leave uncovered his right arm, with which he flourished an old dirk. Such a voice as he had ! One could almost hear what he said at the distonce of a mile. The speech or harangue lasted forty minutes, and seemed rather a violent address. Strange to say, Seta-kanim spoke to the Moouchahts, his allies, not in terms of civility, but imperiously as if he were bullying them. Very likely he MAPPIXG ON THE SAXD. 191 ventured to do so from the notion that, as they had gone too far now to withdraw from their engagement, he, as the leader of the Klah-oh-quahts, might safely assume a tone befitting the greatest man in the joint exjiedition. Only a short reply was made by Shewish to the visitor's speech, and then all the Klah-oh-quahts landed, and, having drawn their canoes above high-water mark, went to the chief's house, where they found piles of herring spawn and dried salmon collected for a repast. Their hunger being satisfied, speaking began ; and one chief after another expressed opinions as to the best mode of attacking the Ky-yoh- quahts. Finally, on the motion of Seta-kanim, the meeting adjourned to a smooth untrodden sandbeach in the neigh- bourhood. Here Quartsoppy, a Klah-oh-quaht, whose wife was a Ky-yoh-quaht woman, was directed to describe on the sand the Island of Ocktees, on which the village of the Ky-yoh-quahts was placed. He immediately set to work and drew an outline of the island, then showed the coves, beaches, tracks ; next the village with the diff'erent houses, divisions, and sub-divisions — referring now and then for confinnation to other natives who also knew the locality. Small raised piles of sand represented houses, one of which was Nancie's, the chief of the Ky-yoh-quahts, another belonged to Moochinnick, a noted warrior ; others to chiefs of inferior repute. Quartsoppy, referring to his draw- ing, also showed, or otherwise informed his audience of the usual number of men in each division of the camp, their arms and supposed ammunition, the characteristics of the prin- cipal men, as their youth, age, courage, activity, or strength. All this time the warriors of the two tribes and the Hishquayaht tributaries stood round the delineator in mmmm^mmmmm 11):> PLAN OF ATTACK. a large circle, and qestions were asked and eager con- versation held. After several speeches had been made, a general plan of attack proposed by Seta-kanim was adopted : fifteen Klah-oh-qnaht canoes were to form the centre ; the Moouchats, with fourteen canoes and one hundred and fifty men, to attack from the right ; and seven Klah-oh- quaht canoes, with the Hishquayaht auxiliaries, to compose the left attack — the whole force to approach secretly, and to land and advance at one time, and a man from each canoe to be detached to set fire to the enemy's houses with matches and prepared gumsticks. This general plan being adopted, the two tribes, Klah-oh-quahts and Moou- chahts, separated for the purpose of arranging the details of their respective duties ; for instance, Seta-kanim for his people assigned to subordinate chiefs their positions in the attack, according to his own knowledge of their capabilities and according to Quartsoppy's information as to whom they might meet. Notwithstanding his influence, how- ever, a violent dispute arose between two of his best men as to who should attack the lodge of the famous chief Moochinnick, and the rivals would have come to blows but for the interposition of several old men. Towards nightfall, when every preparation was completed, both parties of the natives returned from the sandbeach to the village, and ate another meal, after which criers went round to notify that the starting hour would be at early dawn. The weather continued fine, and before sunrise on the appointed day, the Klah-oh-quahts started in their canoes in the same order in which they had entered the bay, working their paddles to the beating of a drum and the shouting of a war song. Their allies, the Moouchahts, ASSAULT ON A VILLAGE. \\\\ d under the command of their war-chief, Nisshenel, a man of gigantic stature, followed at a distance of two hundred j'ards, in two divisions, each of seven canoes. Crossing Nootkah Sound, the expedition came out on the seahoard, after three hours' paddling ; and now precautions were taken to prevent discovery of their approach. Orders were issued that the canoes should form a single line, and keep within paddle's-length of the rocks. During the fore- noon the small village of another Aht trihe, the Ayhuttisahts, was reached, and the warriors landed and re-blackened their faces. The coming night was the night of the attack. Having proceeded all day cautiously in a single line, winding close round the rocks like a great sea-seii^ent, the canoes succeeded, just after nightfall, in reaching undiscovered, a deep cove within two miles of the Island of Ocktees, where the Ky-yoh-quaht village was. The men now rested on their paddles until midnight without speaking a word. There was no moon, and though the stars were bright, the haze on the water and the deej) shadow of the forest favoured their approach. The hour at last came ; the canoes, urged forward by long stealthy strokes, hurried on their fearful errand, and the line of the Ky-yoh-quaht village, extending in a curve round the head of an indentation, was soon seen. Four hundred well-armed savages, under their own leaders, and with a concerted plan of attack, sprang on the beach, and rushed towards the village. Fortunately, a minute sooner, as afterwards appeared, two stray Ky-yoh- quahts, coming, from the north, had reached the landing- place, and were carrying their blankets and paddles towards the houses, when the hostile canoes emerged from the fog 13 / 1J)4 THE ASSAILAXTS JiKPLLSh'/K \f and swept rapidly towards the shore. ** Wcena ! weeiia ! strauf^ers ! danger ! danger ! " resounded through the air before the canoes touched the beach, and the cry was answered instinctively by a hundred half-waked sleepers, * Weena ! weena ! Klah-oh-quaht ! Moouchaht ! Weena ! " and already the crack of muskets and the noiso of running and shuflling within the houses were heard. The torches and the blaze from several houses that had been set on fire now lighted up the front. The Ky-yoh-quahts had retreated into the house of their chief, which they had l)arricaded with boxes and loose planks, and they kept up a quick but not destructive lire on the assailants. Seta- kanim, with the two bearers of his muskets and the party under his immediate command, was well forward in the centre. The canoemen on the left were inside the Ky-yoh- quaht houses, and were killing the inmates, and had set several houses on fire ; stragglers, shouting and gesticu- lating, but evidently not relishing the fight, were between the advanced parties and the shore, and a large body of Moouchahts was collected near their canoes on the beach, as if they had fallen back immediately after the first rush. The attack was a failure ; that could be seen at a glance. Still, for ten or fifteen minutes the fight continued, both where the Klah-oh-quahts tried to enter the chief's house in the front, and also inside the houses which the canoe- men on the left had attacked. By-and-by the fires became duller, and what went on could not be so well seen. Batches of excited savages came towards the canoes, and shouted and fired their muskets into the air ; finally, Seta-kanim, who had fought in the front, out of cover the wliole time, finding himself left with about a dozen men, retired UKSI'LTS OF FAlLClit: iu:» sullenly to the shore. The enemy did not follow, and th/:/>. v.n burned. Admiral Deiiman's oliject in visitinj,' Klah-oh- qiiaht Sound with H.M.S. Sutlej, was to demand delivery of the murderers ; and, on arriving? at the Sound, he found that H.M.S. DnuiHtdtion had preceded him, according to orders. The following extracts from the official despatch describe the further steps that were tiiken to punish the Ahousahts for refusing to deliver the chief Cap-chah: — ** Finding Matilda Creek and Bawden 13ay deserted hy the natives, I proceeded up the North Arm to a village called Sik-tok-kis, on the right bank, and sent Mr. Ilankin with the Indian interpreter Friday, alias Thomas Robert, on shore in a canoe to endeavour to open communication with the natives, and to demand that the twelve principals in the murder and piracy of the KiwijhJui' should ])e given up. • " No natives would answer them, though they were heard talking in the bush ; but after some time one Indian came down to speak with Mr. Hankin, who, desiring Friday to keep him in conversation, ran to the beach, and calling up four of the covering boat's crew, seized him and brought him on board. ** The man seized acknowledged to having been on board the Kingjixhcr at the time of the murder, and has afforded much valuable information. I enclose a copy of his deposition. " At the same time I had sent the Devastation to Herbert Arm, where all communication was refused, and a large body of Indians in their fighting paint fired upon the boat and ship. In conformity with my orders Commander Pike confined hiu self to self-defence, and returned to report proceedings. lUH DEFIANCE OF THE NATIVES. \\ ' "From the information obtained from the captured Indian, I found that three of the actual murderers were at Moo-vah-kah in Herbert Arm, who had fired on the Devas- iai'wn ; that Cap-chah, the chief of the tribe, and the murderer of the captain, resided at Trout River, in Cypress ]3«y, or in Bedwell Arm, both of which belonged to him. That Sik-tok-kis was the residence of Ayah-kahchitl, and that others, parties to the crime, were to be found at Obstruction Inlet, and at two villages at the head of Shelter Arm. " On the 3rd, I proceeded up Herbert Arm to Moo-yah- kah, and sent the Devastation to Sik-tok-kis, Obstruction Inlet, and Shelter Arm, with orders to destroy the canoes, houses, &c., but not to fire on the natives unless resistance were offered. Commander Pike was not able to find the village in Destruction Inlet, but he destroyed Sik-tok-kis and those in Shelter Arm, and found in each of them letters, accounts, and other property belonging to the Kimifishcr. " I sent Friday into Moo-yah-kah under the ship's guns. A number of Indians came down and held a palaver with him on the beach ; he told them that I promised not to fire on them if they delivered up to me all the men con- cerned in the affair of the Khifffishcr, three of whom I Ivuew were there. Friday, on his return, brought a message from the Indians saying, that if I wanted the men I might Qome and lake them, if I destroyed the village they would soon build it up again, and that if I attempted to touch the canoes tbcy would f hoot every man who came near the shore. "I then ordered a heavy fire to be opened on Hkj W i DESTRUCTION OF NATIVE VILLAGES. lUt) village, and on the surrounding bush, to clear it, and sent in the gigs to complete the destruction of the village under cover of the ship's guns, and those of the heavy boats. ** Notwithstanding these precautions, several musket shots were fired at the boats, but were instantly silenced by the boats' guns, Avliich replied to them with admirable precision. ** Having brought away twelve canoes, I returned to Matilda Creek, where the crime had been perpetrated, and the Kiufifishcr sunk, and next day I ordered the remains of the village, which had been abandoned and dismantled, to be fired. *' The Devastation had, on the 5th, been ordered to destroy the villages of Cap-chah, in Cypress Bay and Bedwell Arm, and to bring away his canoes ; the boats were fired on, and Cap-chah himself was seen at the head of his men in Cypress Bay, dressed in one of the blue jackets which had formed a part of the KuKjfisJwr'H crirgo. '* Finding that all these measures had failed to bring the Ahousahts to terms, I was obliged to strike a yet more severe blow, directed against Cap-chah himself in such a manner as to impress the Indians more deeply with the idea of our power, and with the impossibility of escaping punishment due for such atrocities against unofl'eiiding white traders. '' On the morning of the 7lh October, forty seamen, and thirty marines, Avith one Ahousaht and six Klah-oh-quaht Indians, to act as guides, were landed at AVhite Pine Cove in Herbert Arm, under the command of Lieutenant Stewart, 200 DEFEAT OF THE NATIVES. I k the senior lieutenant of this ship. Lieutenant Stewart was ordered to march across the trail to Trout River (about three miles), and to endeavour to seize Cap-chah and any of his people. " The Ahousahts were completely taken by surprise, and they must have been all captured in the temporary huts which they had constructed in the bush, had not the alarm been given by the barking of a dog when our party was within a few yards of them. The Indians had barely time to rush into the thick cover, from whence they opened a heavy fire upon our men, which was returned with such effect, that in a few moments they took flight, leaving ten men dead. Cap-chah himself, who did not fight, was wounded in two places as he ran away. " The success of this affair is due to the excellent conduct of Lieutenant Stewart, and the officers and sea- men and marines under his command, while the defeat of the AhouL^ahts by an attack after their own fashion, has produced profound alaxm and astonishment. " Cap-chah is in hiding, and his people, having abandoned all idea of resistance, look upon him as respon- sible for all the calamities which have befallen them. He has effected his escape to Moo-yah-yah, and I am now on my way o Herbert Am with a party of his own people aboard to promulgate the terms which I have demanded to obtain the person of Cap-chah and others actually concerned in the murder. *' In consiuoration of the severe punishment which has been inflicted on the Ahousahts, I have now limited my demand to the delivery up to me of Cap-chah and the six persons who took part in the murder, although the cargo r IT BOAST OF THE AIlOCSAHTS. 20l 4 and eflfects of the Kingfisher we have found in eve?7 place destroyed, prove how veiy extensively the tribe at large was implicated in the piracy. "It is with great pleasure that I inform you that the service, in which sixty-nine canoes have been destroyed, and about fifteen men killed, has been performed without the slightest injury on our side. " I hope soon to return to Erquimalt with some of the murderers on board, and I have promised that no further measures shall be adopted against the Ahousahts for one month from this time ; but if the six murderers are not given up by tnat time, I shall be obliged to order forcible measures to be resumed." Having had several Ahousahts in my employment subsequently to this attack by the ships, I learnt from them that the destruction of their canoes was felt as a misfortune, but the loss, as they described it, of half a war-canoe of men, was thought to be of no consequence whatever. The want of canoes prevented them from obtaining and laying in a store of their usual food for the winter, and the tribe consequently dispersed and lived among other friendly tribes, until the fishing season com- menced in the spring. During the winter they were busy preparing new canoes, and it was expected that they would be pretty well supplied with them before the autumn of 1865. For some reason the ships of war did not return at the end of the month's grace allowed by Admiral Denman for the delivery of Cap-chah, nor at any later time ; consequently the Ahousahts now believe that they gained a victory over the ships, and, in consideration of such a triumph, all the trouble of making new canoes has 202 '^"-■^'^^ ^-onoys ojr ^an,,^^^y,. tion dra,™ b^tl,e stives between tW '"f "' *''""«- «l"ps on the one hand and ,1 ''^^^^°f «'« Q"een's on the other,_believin: « ' ""^ f* King George tribe -parate tribe by th?nf.i '""" '" *'" ^"'"^ »» >- » told these particulars to n>e '"^""J ,^'"'"*'" ""•-»»"'» person, and the affair had been r,L 1, r" "" """fent ( 203 ) on ; b or inc- Bll's ribe ►e a ints ent my >me ety CHAPTER XXI. It E L la 10 U ;S P R A C T 1 C E 6' The Religious Practices of the Aht?. Bather with the licchahites tee will lice in tents of conjecture. I'l.I.I.Klt. No subject connected with the people could possess a laore. general interest than that of their religion, hut it is one as to which a traveller might easily form erroneous opinions, owing to the practical difficulty, even to one skilled in the language, of ascertaining the true nature of their super- stitions. This short chapter is the result of more than four years' inquiry, made unremittingly under favourahlo circumstances. There is a constant temptation — from which the unbiassed observer cannot be quite free — to fill up in one's mind, without proper material, the gap between what is known of the religion of the natives for certain, and the larger less-known portion which can only be guessed at ; and I frequently found that, under this temptation, I was led on to form, in my own mind, a con- nected whole, designed to coincide with some ingenious theory which I wished might be true. 204 RELIGION OF SAW AGE.)!. Generally speaking, it is necessary, I think, to view with suspicion any very regular account given by travellers of the religion of savages ; their real religious notions cannot be separated from the vague and unformed, as well as bestial and grotesque mythology with which they are intermixed. The faint, struggling efforts of our natures in so early, or so little advanced a stage of moral and intellec- tual cultivation, can produce only a medley of opinions and beliefs — not to be dignified by the epithet religious — which sue held loosely by the people themselves, and are neither very easily discovered nor explained. In a higher stage, accurate systematizing, in a more or less acceptable and reasonable form, of the undefined notions which frequently accompany and form a part of human appreciation respect- ing objects supposed to be more than human, is the work, not of barbarous, but of intellectual and civilised minds. Religious system, in its highest character and plan, has, in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, been embodied in these divine revelations to mankind. I refer to the three eras of the savage — the civilised, the heathen, and the savage. In speaking of the religion of the Ahts, I use the word simply for want of any other ; what I refer to is among them rather a certain form of worship or propitia- tion of deities according to old usages, and not, of course, a system of religion in our sense of the word, containing a body of moral and spiritual truths. No attempt is made by any class of priests, nor by the older men, to teach religion to the people, — there are no doctrines of religion in which they could instruct the people. If the sorcerers are considered to constitute a priestly class, all that they J RELIOIOUS NOTIONS OF THE AHTS. Wb do in the way of teaching is to introduce to a knowledge of ceremonies and usages the youths who are destined to he their successors. I can say thus much of the religion of the Aht Indians, that it clearly is an influential power among them, and extensively governs their affiiirs. The people are extremely unwilling to speak of what is mysterious, or akin to the spiritual in their ideas ; not, it appears, from a sense of the sacredness of the ideas, hut from a notion that e\i\ will result from any free communication on such suhjects with foreigners. A Even after long acquaintance, it is only now and then, when *' i' the vein," that the sullen, suspicious natures of these people will relax, and permit them to open a corner of their minds to a foreigner who possesses their con- fidence.* They generally hegin by saying that no white * / was two years amony the Ahts, with mt/ mind constantli/ directed towards the subject of their religious beliefs, before I could discover that they possessed any ideas as to an overruling power or a future state (f existence. The trailers on the coast, and other persons well acquainted ■with the pcoi)le, told me that they had no such ideas, and this opinion was confirmed by conversation with many of the less intelligent savages ; hut at last I succeeded in getting a satisfactory clue to such information as this chapter contains. Is it not possible that many otherwise observant travellers have too hastily assumed, after living a few months among savages, that they had no religion ? It is no easy attainment to know tlic language of savages conversationally ; and to get their confidence — particu- larly the confidence of the intelligent Indians — is a still more difficult task. A traveller must have lived for years amony savaycs, really as one of them- selves, before his opinion as to their mental and spiritual condition is (f any value at all. The fondness of the Ahts for mystification, and the number of " sells " which they practise on a j-ainstaking inquirer going about with note-book in hand, are unexpected and extraordinary on the ])art of savages whom we regard as so mean in intelligence. They will give a wrong meaning intentionally to a word, and afterwards, if you use it, will laugh at you, and enjoy the joke greatly among themselves. 'iun WORSHIP Ob' S(JN AND MOOX. man is able to understand the mysteries of which they will speak. "You know nothing about such things; only old Indians can appreciate them," is a common remark. And in nine cases out of ten, so many lies and mis-statements are mixed up Avith the account, either directly for the purpose of mystifying the inquirer, or owing to the unenlightened confusion of the savage in thinking upon religious subjects, that little reliance can be placed upon it. Also, the opinions expressed by some of the natives arc found, on examination, to differ on so many points from those of others, that it is hardly possible to ascer- tain the prevailing opinions of any tribe. Still, speaking of the tribes of the Ahts together, as a nation, I have satis- fied myself as to one or two facts in connection with their religion. They undoubtedly worship the sun and the moon, particularly the full moon {hoojj-palh), and the sun (nas), while ascending to the zenith. Like the Teutons, they regard the moon as the husband, and the sun as the wife ; hence their prayers are more generally addressed to the moon, as being the superior deity. The moon is the highest of all the objects of their worship ; and they describe the moon — I quote the words of my Indian informant — *' as looking down upon the earth in answer to prayer, and as seeing everybody." The great Quawteaht himself, who made everything, and who first taught the people to address the moon and the sun in times of need, is, in their estimation, an inferior divinity to both these luminaries. Prayer is common among the Aht natives — among men, women, and children. There is a word in their lan- guage, queel-queel-ha, meaning " to pray," also klah-quay, PR A VERS. 1207 |o " to beseech ; " these words are more urgent words than na-nash "to beg, or a k for," or than ah-ah-toh, which means simply "to ask." I could not find that they have any, as it were, recognized chief worshipper, or any class of priests, except the sorcerers, but I have noticed that the prayers of old men are thought to be specially effi- cacious. For different wants the Ahts have different modes of prayer. When working at the settlement at Alberni, in gangs by moonlight, individuals have been observed to look up to the moon, blow a breath, and utter quickly the word Tcechf teechf — their word for '* health " or " life." This opinion of the moon's power over human affairs is wide-spread. I remember that wo boys at school in Scotland used to turn over the money in our pockets for luck on the appearance of a new moon. 2\'ech ! teech ! " life ! life ! " this is the great wish of these people's hearts — even such a miserable life as their life seems to a civilized observer. So true is it that The weariest and most loathed Avorldly life That age, ache, penury, and imprisonment Can lay on nature, is a paradise To what we fear of death. " Tcech ! tccch!" is their common and almost constant prayer. On one occasion the tribe of Seshahts, at Alberni, being dissatisfied with a friend of mine — the late Mr. George Keid, from Fraserburgh, Scotland, who was also one of the best friends the natives ever had * — resolved to ♦ George Rcid was originally a working cooper in my service, but was promoted to the position of superintendent of Indian affairs at Alberni. lie died in Victoria in October, 1865, at the early age of thirty-nine. I esteem it a privilege, and valuable lesson, to have known one who was so remarkable, intellectually and morally, who was so modest, manly,and good— .#■ ••-•••'''W 208 MODES OF PRAYINO. kill him ; but their design was betrayed to us by a friendly native, who, on disclosing his danger to the intended victim, urged him to pray to the new moon for life, and he would be secure. The usual manner of praying is for the suppliant to retire alone into the woods, if possible, near to a running stream, and having rubbed his face with a prickly bush, he lays aside his blanket, stands erect naked, with ex- tended arms, and looks towards the moon. Set words and gestures are used, according to the thing desired ; for instance, in praying for salmon, the native rubs the backs of his hands, looks upwards, and uttor: the words " Many salmon, many salmon ; " if he wishes for deer, he carefully rubs both eyes ; or if it is geese, he rubs the back of his shoulder, uttering always, in a sing-song way, the accus- tomed formula. Bears are prayed for only during the last moon, before the snow appears ; and it is usual for the suppliant, in praying for bears, to rub his sides and legs vigorously with both hands, and to wear round his head a piece of red blanket, adorned with feathers. All these practices in prayer no doubt have a meaning ; for instance, in every respect so fine a patteni of what a man ought to be. Many hundreds, now scattered here and there, of all nations, who also knew him, and were his friends, would repeat my words without envy or grudging, and would acknowledge, that among all of us at the settlement, Reid's character was the type which showed to the savages the high ci\ilization our countrymen had reached in comparison with themselves. The savages saw amongst us a man, not of the church, not set apart, but a man Inird at work all day like other labourers ; and this man, having authority over them, was in all things just and sternly consistent ; was patient of their talk ; seldom answered without a smiie. Yet they could not flatter nor outwit him. They could understand an ordinary white man's impatience, selfishness, and partiality ; but this Christian life was a mystery to thcra. riendly tended fe, and iant to unninji r bush, ith ex- rds and Bd; for e backs "Many jarefully k of his e accus- the last for the nd legs head a 1 these istancc, fiunclretls, land were Ind would tcter was untrymcn pongst us day like lill tilings jinswered ley could Irtiality ; QUAWTEAUT. 20U in reference to the above-named practices, we may see that a steady hand is needed in throwing the salmon spear, and clear eyesight in finding deer in the forest. So far as I know, the Aht Indians do not possess the knowledge of one supreme and beneficent Being ; but there are indications, as before said, in some of their legends and usages of a belief in a superior Being, not acknowledged distinctly as good or bad, which presides over their destinies. This great Being is known to oil the Aht tribes by the name of Quawteaht, and if there is any clear conception of him in the minds of the people, I should say that he is generally regarded as a good divinity. There is a large body of floating tradition among them as to Quawteaht, which appears, however, to be very confusedly hold, and is certainly very differently related by different Indians. Quawteaht is not a local or tribal deity, but is known in every village. Perhaps Mie most prevailing notion is that ho is the chief of an extensive and beautiful country, situated somewhere in the sky, though not directly over the earth, in which everything is found that the savage mind can conceive as ministering to man's sensual comfort and satisfaction. Everything there is bcjiutiful and abun- dant. There a continual calm prevails, and the canoes float lightly on the sleeping waters ; frost does not bind the rivers, and the snow never spreads its white blanket over the ground. In this pleasant country, where there is continual sunshine, and warmth, and gladness, it is believed that the high chiefs, and those natives who have been slain in battle on the earth, find their repose ; the chiefs living in a large house as the guests of Quawteaht, and the slain in battle living by themselves in another 14 ',>10 AIIT LEG EX D OF QUAWTEAIIT. house. No Indians of a common dej^ee go to the land of Quavvteaht ; like Odin, he drives away the pauper and the bondsman from the doors of Valhalla. My first idea was that the Aht legend of QuawtcaLt might have reference to some superior chief or white man among themselves, who had in former times been a bene- factor, and who had left the memory of his genius and goodness behind him. I row feel comparatively sure that they look upon Quavvteaht as an entirely supernatural being, although, of course, their idea of him is a material one. He is undoubtedly represented as the general framer — I do not say Creator — of all things, though some special things are excepted. He made the earth and water, the trees and rocks, and all the animals. Some say that Quawteaht made the sun and moon, but the majority of the Indians believe that he had nothing to do with their formation, and that they are deities superior to himself, though more distant and less active. He gave names to everything, among the rest to all the Indian houses which then existed, although inhabited only by birds and animals. Quawteaht went away before the apparent change of the birds and beasts into Indians, which took place in the following manner : — The birds and beasts of old had the spirits of the Indians dwelling in them, invl occupied the various coast villages, as the Ahts do at present. One day a canoe manned by two Indians from an unknown country, approached the shore. As they coasted along, at each house at which they landed, the deer, bear, elk, and other brute inhabitants, fled to the mountains, and the geese and other birds flew to the woods and rivers. But in this land of ml the iwtcalit te man I bene- ius and ire that •natural iiaterial I framer 3 special iter, the say that ^jority of th their |himself, lames to is which inimals. of the in the of the IS coast canoe Country, |at each other geese in this EVIL srrniT of the aiits. ni flight, the Indians, who had hitherto been contained in the bodies of the various creatures, were left behind ; and from that time tliey took possession of the deserted dwell- ings, and assumed the condition in which we now see them. I may remark that (^uawteaht, in the widely s))read and apparently primitive Aht tradition of the Loon, {scr Traditions), is represented as knowing — as a matter of course, yet evidently only as an all-seeing divinity could know — the particulars of the dispute between the two fisher- men ; and it is further stated in the tradition that Quawteaht inflicted punishment upon the offender. This shows that Quawteaht occasionally becomes displeased ; but whether they consider this divinity, when in an angry mood, as their evil spirit, or whether their evil spirit is an entirely separate being, I do not know ; it may perhaps be Tootooch, {see Chapter XIX.). Certain it is that the Aht people believe in a malevolent power of some sort, which frightens the salmon and deer, sends dreadful storms, overturns canoes, and brings sickness and death. I could never get any clear notion as to who this destruc- tive being was. Sometimes the Indians relate that this being is Quawteaht enraged ; at other times Tootooch ; then Chay-her, wiiich latter, as will be seen farther on, is a personification of death, and the name also of the inferior of the two worlds after death. Neither Quaw- teaht nor the evil spirit, whether Quawteaht or not, is acknowledged by the natives, so far as I could discover, in any private and, so to speak, bodily form of worship, such as is offered to the sun and moon. Each deity, however, is supposed to have minor spirits connected in some way with itself, which the people 14—2 GOOD AND EVIL DEITIES. frequently symbolise and represent under the form of diflferent creatures ; and those of a benign character are believed to have the power, if not of shielding, at least of making things lucky for, the individual who trusts in them. The evil spirits, on the other hr.nd, are regarded with fear, especially if they have been the subjects of a dream ; and a very large part, indeed, of the superstitious practice of the Ahts consists in eftbrts to deprecate the wrath of these avenging deities. This propitiation or devil-worship is carried on by the assistance of a class of devil-priests or sorcerers, commonly called ** medicine men." and is accompanied by many foolish ceremonies, by atrocities and revolting festivals. Some account of the medicine men has been given in a previous chapter. I do not think that the belief in tbs3 existence of these two opposing powers, the good and the evil god, is in any way derived by the people on this coast from the teaching of missionaries : it is probably the old belief which has been everywhere observed to be a characteristic of heathenism. Perhaps the com- monest notion among the Ahts is that, in a former state — as illustrated by the legend of Quawteaht just mentioned — they existed in the form of birds, animals, or fishes. This opinion respecting transmigration, or transformation, mixed up with much that is ludicrous and grotesque, probably would have been the chief characteristic of the religious system that would have arisen among the natives in the course of time, had they advanced intellectually without any contact with Christianity. Some of them believe that, after death, they will again pass into the bodies of the animals which they occupied in a former state ; but others have a better notion, that their souls 4 \^'^r. CHA YIIER. 2ia )rm of ter are least of 1 them, id with dream ; practice rath of ft'orship -priests and is brocities me men ink that powers, I by the es : it is )bserved iie corn- ier state intioned fishes, ■mation, [otesque, of the natives ectualiy if them Into the former r souls will go to the land of Quawteaht or to Chay-lier, which latter is the land of departed spirits for all c.vcept the chiefs and the slain in battle — a place described as situated deep down under the earth. Few of the religious beliefs of the Ahts are connected with heaven and the sky : their thoughts of the regions above are confined to Quawteaht's land, and to the fact that the spirit Tootooch {nee " Tradi- tions") dwells somewhere up there, and to the poetical idea that sickness comes from thence, and may be seen by the sharpsighted floating in the air. My-yalhi is the Aht word for this principle or personification of sickness. Chay-her is described as a country much like the earth, with inferior houses, no salmon, and very small deer. The blankets are small and thin, and therefore when the dead are buried the friends often burn blankets with them, for by destroying the blankets in this upper world, they send them also with the departed soul to the world below. Chay-her, as just said, is generally regarded as the place to which all the common people and slaves (unless slain in battle) go after death ; and there they remain, as there is no passage thence to the martial and aristocratic elysium of Quawteaht's land. Chay-her is sometimes personified as an old man with a long grey beard, and a figure of flesh without bones, and is believed to wander at nights seeking men's souls which he steals away, and unless the doctors can recover them the losers will die. In wishing death to anyone, the natives blow and say, " Chay-her, come quick." A corresponding belief is that, when a person is dangerously sick, his soul {KoutH-inah) leaves his body and goes down into the country of Chay-her, but does not enter a house. If it enters a house, that ■ n by the le hook ; ith traps, streams, ichovy or ook was a maj^le fish are several iger, and water,! Ir to rip |ers go far in boxes IS. pf cod, a sea and SALMONS PEJUS. M -w -L them. The net is not used at all by the Ahts in taking salmon. Their most picturesque mode of capture is spearing by torchlight from canoes, oft' the mouths of streams where the salmon linger in the cool, brackish v.n.ter, before going up the river. Dark nights are pre- ferred for this mode of fishing. Two natives go in a canoe, one steering, and the other standing with his spear in the bow, where a fir-torch flares. I have seen the lights of thirty canoes at one place moving on the water, and have known a canoe to bring in forty good salmon for a night's spearing. Such success, however, is unusual, and is only obtained at particular times under favourable conditions. Before leaving the shore to spear salmon, it is a common practice for a native to enter thj water, and to rub his face hard, in the hope that this will induce more fish to come — quite as sensible an act as that of the English fisherman, who spits on his anchor ; and with the same idea, at the com- mencement of the season, men and women go into the water on a moonlight night, and lie quietly on the surface, floating here and there, without speaking a word, now and then crossing one another's arms and spreading the backs of their hands towards the moon. {See Chapter on " Religion.") The salmon-spears are made of pine, and are rounded and smoothed by being rubbed on watered stones, and are afterwards straightened by warmth in the ashes of the fires. The spear, with two heads and two finger-places in the handle, is about fifteen feet long, and is used in the deeper water off" the mouths of rivers, when the two heads double the chances of hitting a fish at one stroke. The single -headed spear is used in the shallow water in rivers. The spear-head is made of elk-bone, Z'i'4 SALMON-TRAPS. glazed with resin, and becomes detached from the spear on the fish being struck, but remains fastened to the line. The fisherman lays the spear down in the canoe, and hauls in the fish with the line. If the salmon is very large and troublesome, a few small bladders are tied to the line as near to the fish as possible, and he is left to weary himself by the eifort of dragging these under the water. In the rivers and mountain streams, in which the water generally is shallow and flows rapidly, the natives place stones across the channel, and with the single-headed spear strike the fish as they pass. It is a pretty sight indeed to see an Indian, with his blue blanket flung care- lessly round him, standing on these stones in a vigilant, graceful attitude, poising his long spear. Another mode of salmon river-fishing is by the trap which is used in all the streams on the coast. On each side of the trap, in some instances extending as far as the bank, a wall, or fence of stones or small stakes, slants down the stream, so as to lead the fish, in swimming up, towards the spot where the trap is placed. This consists of three or four long circular baskets, of uniform diameter, made of cedar splinters tied neatly together, a space of about two inches being left between each splinter. The up-stream end of the baskets is closed, and the down-stream end is left open. The length of the baskets is from ten to twenty feet, and their diameter from three to five feet. They are placed length- wise down the stream, and small stakes stop the passage between each basket, without leaving even the pig-length passage which Monkbarns would have looked for, as by Scottish statute allotted. Inside each basket is a rather shorter basket of the same material and make, except that, ■\ i: i-^ IfE/iRfXas. !2'M Q spear on the line. moe, and n is very ied to the ' to weary he water, ihe water ves place le-headed tty sight ing care- vigilant, mode of n all the in some fence of so as to lere the circular rs tied ng left baskets The d their cngth- assage length as l)y rather that, while the down-stream end of both baskets is the full size of the cylinder, the inner basket, which in shape is like a long candle-extinguisher, decreases till its open up-stream end is just of the size through which a salmon can pass. The down-stream ends of both inner and outer baskets being lashed together, form the entrance to the trap. The fish enters the inside basket in swimming up the stream, and on getting out of the small up-stream end oi' it, finds himself imprisoned between the two cylinders. These salmon traps are very neatly constructed, and catch a great many fish. Herrings. Herrings are numerous on the coast, but they have not so good a flavour as the British herring. The finest I ever got were caught in December in a bay near the head of a long inlet. Their appearance in that place at the end of the year was, however, unusual. Herrings are caught in the beginning of March close to the seashore in great numbers, and they enter the inlets, creeks, and bays, in the two following months for the purpose of spawning. As far as the Indians know, the herrings have only one spawning ground, and they never spawn, as the Indians describe it, *' when snow is on the ground." They avoid places where the water runs fast. The spawning ground is generally the rough, stony bottom of a bay which becomes shallow towards the shore. At the Seshaht islands in Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound, immense v|;.antitics of spawn are deposited by the herrings every year. I have seen many acres of herring-spawn at this place. The natives put cedar branches or stalks of long grass into the 2U IIKIilUXd FISHERY I 1 / water, and press them to the bottom with stones — each person havin«^ his own piece of jjjronnd —and when the herrinj^'s have deposited their spawn, the pieces of grass or the branches are lifted, and the egg-bed is found firmly adhering to them. It is dried in the sun and kept as a delicacy to be eaten with whale oil. After spawning the herrings stay near the place for about a month, and then return to the deep sea. The fry grow quickly, — the natives say at the rate of an inch in a month, — and in the first summer of their existence depart for the sea, on the way to which many of tliem are eaten by the salmon. The fry return full-grown next spring. The herring is not a difficult fish to catch ; many are caught by the Indians in a net similar in appearance to the '* scum net " used in the north-east of Scotland. This net is made of nettles, which grow here to the height of eight or ten feet. The outside of the stalks is stripped off, and the inner porti n is afterwards steeped in fresh water for four or five ( during cold weather — p material thus being formed which makes a light strong net that will last for twenty years. Another mode of fishing herrings is with the fish-rake — a flat-sided pole ten feet long, armed for two feet from one end with sharp bones a few inches long and not far apart. This instrument is moved quickly through a herring shoal with a wavy motion, and the fish are transfixed and deposited in the canoe. For a considerable time after the first appearance of herrings for the season, the rake can only be used on dark nights, when every now and then the water near the canoe is lighted up as the fish approach the surface. At spawning time, being less alert, they can be caught with the rake in the daytime. 11 A Lin IT I'iSlUXi. 'i'iTt lies — each when the 3 of grass iiul firmly 1 kept as spftwning lonth, and ckly, — the mcl in the ea, on the non. The ng is not le Indians let " used of nettles, feet. The ler porti "i • five < ned which ;nty years, ish-rake — from one far apart, ring shoal ixed and time after the rake now and the fish less alert, Halihut. The next lisli I will mention is the halibut — a very common lish on the coast. The mode of fishing for halibut is by '* long-lining." For some reason or other, the natives will not use u steel hook in fishing for halibut. Their own halibut-hook is curiously shaped, and is made of a stringy tough part of the Douglas pine or the yew, which is steamed until it is flexible, when it receives its proper shape. The hook is of bone and has no barb. The sides of the hook must be kept tightly bound together until the time of using. The lines are made of seaweed except for six or eight feet from the hook, where they are of twisted twigs or deer sinew. To make seaweed into a line it is soaked in a fresh stream, and the water being afterwards sqii'Czed out with the hands, the line is rubbed with an oily cloth and afterwards dried in the sun. Clams or small fishes are used for bait in fishing halibut. The fishing season is during March, April, May, and June. Thousands of halibut, some of them weighing more than two hundred pounds, are caught by the natives, and are exchanged for potatoes, gammass, rush mats, and other articles. The best fishing- grounds are about twelve miles off the land, but the halibut is also caught near the shore. The fishing tribes on both sides of the Straits of Fuca would drive away any other tribes which had not been accustomed to fish on the halibut banks. The mode of fishing is to trail the line slowly after the canoe, the hook being sunk in deep water. Hundreds of canoes, with two or three men in each, start at midnight for the fishing-ground, so as to arrive there' ^ 15 Eli 226 ^1 THE V'HALE. in the morninjy. After half a da^^'s work, if the sea is moderate, the canoes are quite laden and the fishermen return. If the sea should rise during their progress to the shore, rather than throw any of the fish overboard, the natives tie large inflated sealskins to both sides of the 'janoe to increase its buoyancy. The hairy side of these skins is turned inside and the skinny side outside, and variou"' rude devices are painted on the outside, such as the sinking of a canoe, or the capture of a great fish. To get so large a fish as a halibut into a canoe at sea is rather a difiicult matter. Accidents, however, rarely happen, and the fish seldom gets away after being hooked. By using bladders attached to the line, and spearing the halibut when he appears on the surface, the largest fish is finally towed alongside the canoe, where he is killed by being struck on the head with a club. Whale. A whale chase is an afiair of some moment. The kind of whale commonly seen on the coast was described to me by an old whaling skipper as a ** finner," in which there is not much oil. The season for fishing whples commences about the end of May or in June. Many whales are killed every season by the Nitinahts who live principally on the seaboard near B£;Tclay or Nitinaht Sound. This tribe has a custom, which I have not oliserved elsewhere, of separat- ing during spring and summer into small parties, each under a separate head, but all still continuing under the chicfsliip of the principal chief of the tribe. Months beforehand preparations are made for the whale-fishing, which is considered almost a sacred season. tgi»jM. i :iiw i i i in»fi iiii ' iii i iiiiw ntwwwBH^'i- ' ' iL !.j.>JtuuJu.ijaagg;!?.i --:t*Bq» J.^..'- . -JB,.wj WHALE FISHING. '2%'i f the sea is e fishermen >gress to the erboard, the ides of the ide of these utside, and de, such as It fish. To ;ea is rather 3ly happen, ooked. By rearing the largest fish le is killed The kind ibed to me ch there is ommences are killed lUy on the tribe has f separat- ies, each inder the for the i season. I particularly noticed this circumstance from having, in boyhood, heard of the Manx custom, in which all the crews of the herring fleet invoke a blessing before "shooting" their herring-nets. The honour of using the harpoon ii* an Aht tribe is enjoyed but by few — about a dozen in the tribe — who inherit the privilege. Instances, however, are known of the privilege having been acquired by merit. Eight or nine men, selected by the harpooner, form the crew of his canoe. For several moons before the fishing begins these men are compelled to abstain from their usual food : they live away from their wives, wash their bodies morning, noon, and night, and rub their skins with twigs, or a rough stone. If a canoe is damaged or capsized by a whale, or any accident happens during the fishing season, it is assumed that some of the crew have failed in their preparatory offices, and a very strict inquiry is instituted by the chief men of the tribe. Witnesses are examined, and an investi- gp.tion made into the domestic aff'airs and the habits of the accused persons. Should any inculptrtoiy circumstance appear, the delinquent is severely dealt with, and is often deprived of his rank, and placed under a ban for months. When the whales approach the coast, the fishermen are out all day, let the wind blow high or not. The canoes have different cruising-grounds, some little distance apart. The Indian whcing-gear consists of harpoons, lines, inflated sealskins, and wooden or b^ne spears. The harpoon is often made of a piece of the iron hoop of an ale cask, cut with a chisel into the shape of a harpoon blade — two barbs fashioned from the tips of deer-horns being affixed to this blade with gum. Close to the harpoon 16—2 1.(1 228 WHALE FISHING. the line is of deer sinews. To this the main line is attached, which is generally made of cedar twigs laid together as thick as a three-inch rope. Large inflated skins are fastened to this line about twelve feet from the harpoon. The weapon itself is then tied slightly to a yew- handle ten feet long. On getting close, the haiiiooner, from the how of his canoe, throws his hai-poon at the whale with his full force. As soon as the barb enters, the fastening of the wooden handle, being but slight, l)reaks, and it becomes detached from the line. The natives raise a yell, and the whale dives quickly, but the seal-skins impede his movements. Very long lengths of line are kept in the canoes, and sometimes the lines from several canoes are joined. On the re-appearance of the whale on the surface, he is attacked from the nearest canoe ; and thus, finally, forty or fifty large buoys are attached to his body. He struggles violently for a time, and beats and lashes the water in all directions, until, weakened by loss of blood and fatigued by his exertions, he ceases to struggle, and the natives despatch him with their short spears. The whale is then taken in tow by the whole fleet of canoes — the crews yelling, and singing and Iveeping time with their paddles. Sometimes, after being harpooned, the whale escapes, and takes ropes, harpoons, sealskins, and everything with him. Should he die from his wounds, and be found by another tribe at sea, or on the shore within the territorial limits of the finders, the instruments are returned to the losers, with a large piece of the fish as a present. Many disputes arise between tribes on the finding of dead whales near the undefined boundaries of the tribal territories. If the (juarrcl is THE COD. 0-)t| lain line is twigs laid irge inflated eet from the Ltly to a yew- e haiTOoner, i-poon at the barb enters, g but slight, le line. The lickly, but the )ng lengths of the lines from learancc of the ,ni the nearest irge buoys are ntly for a time, irections, until, ,y his exertions, jpatch him with \ on in tow by the j and singing and > ines, after being ; ropes, harpoons, ,uld he die from [be at sea, or on the finders, the ith a large piece ,es arise between iar the undefined [f the (luarrel is serious, all intercourse ceases ; trade is forbidden, and war is threatened. By-and-by, when the loss of trade is felt, negotiation is tried. An envoy is selected who is of high rank in his own tribe, and, if possible, connected with the other tribe by marriage. Ho is usually a quiet man of tiueiii; speech. Wearing white-eagle feathers in his head- dress as a n^ark of peace, he departs in a small canoe. Only one female attendant, generally an old slave, accom- panies him, to assist in paddling, as the natives never risk two men on such occasions. The envoy's return is anxiously awaited. As a genei-al rule, the first proposition is rejected. Objections, references, counter-proposals, fre- quently make three or four embassies necessary before the question can be settled. By that time the blubber must be very rancid. The Cod. The existence of banks of the real bearded cod on the west coast of Vancouver Island is not yet quite established. I have seen, however, codfish at Barclay or Nitinalit Sound which were unmist: ' nbly of that species. There is a productive bank on the wesl coast of Vancouver Island of an excellent fish, called by tho Ahts, Toosli-ko," which is very like the *' Tusk" of the north of Scotland, and almost as good to eat as the true cod. Being a fattii' fish, it becomes slightly yellow during the process of drying ; but in other respects the Vancouver Island '' Toosh-ko," when well prepared, is equal to the best dried Boston cod. It sells in Victoria at from 10 to 12 cents, a pound, lu the deep sea oft' shore, instead of being caught ])y *' long- lining," these fish are enticed to the surface and speared 230 kl. :Ul !| [! f, I I .VOZ,£ OF Fismxo COD. h the natives in » fi;,.„„i„ alive into the water am Z "^' ''^'"^ '» *''™"'" i« rapidiy drawn ba t tolttl 7'"^ "™"' ^''"">-^' infollovingthispreyrap^it tt!'"''^^- '''^ "^""^^-^O'" from the canoe/ 'i Kltd™ te'' '"'r ^P^^'' generally decayed wood, on allnt ! , 'T'' '""^- wmetimes used in smooth wtt "' ''gWness-is "f the herrin, or anl^ bl n •" 'T'^"' ™*-^ end for three or fonr inchls and « • ' "" ""'" "* »"« ^vood, representing an ell™ '"""' "^ ^^''™^ "^te ''own into the water on the end f ' Z"^'"'™-^' *« thrust detached by a jerk <,„;„ " "^ 'P'"' "nd being -a the decoy is picj^ T^tf J/t? ^r^"' ' tie a line '^o ch is thrown 5ral fathoms, "Toosh-ko," i are speared ches lonff — o ightness— is ^sh, instead thin at one 'avier white 's fixed on ' is thrust and being tracts the s speared, This may e seen it ( 231 ) CHAPTER XXm. USAGES IN HUNTING. The Aht mode of Hunting ; with Descriptions of Several Animals-the 1 anther-Wolf-Bear-Wapiti or Elk-Blacktailed Deer-Indian Dogs— Marten— Mink— Racoon-Beaver. And ivhaCs worse, To fight the animals, and to kill them tip. In their assigned and native dwelling place.-SaxKSVExnz. -♦o*- The outside coast of Vancouver Island offers good s^ort to those who take pleasure in hunting wild animals, the pursuit of which involves little danger to the hunter ; but the mere partridge -shooter, who always expects his dinner to be ready for him at an appointed hour, should not try this Far West sporting-ground. Whoever visits this coast at present for the purpose of hunting must possess the spirit and endurance of the sportsman, or his expectations will be disappointed. The traveller who lands from a ship to shoot a few ducks in a bay, or a deer near the shore, has only an imperfect notion of the sport which the country affords." To find what game there is really in the country, he should leave the shore and traverse the interior ) !l! ■2^2 A SPORTSMAN'S BEQUIREMEXTS. at proper seasons, carrying his shooting gear, food, and blankets through intricate woods and over broken gi'ound, where a mile-and-a-half an hour will be good walking ; now and then wearing snow shoes, and sometimes pre- pared for rain ; and at all times satisfied with a native hut or a spreading cedar-tree as shelter for the night. It is advisable to take with one a native hunter, who under- stands the habits and peculiarities of the wild fowl and the animals which are found in the district. And I may remind the untravelled sportsman, who would exchange the anxieties of life for an interval of interest and adven- ture in these pathless woods, that in the Aht district he must live for the time remote from civilized man, among a savage people, whose language he does not know, and who will be quite ready to take advantage of him. This is, indeed, the chief difficulty at present in the way of the sportsman; but by-and-by, when settlements are formed along the coast, wild sports in Vancouver Island will be more generally followed. * The Aht natives, distinctively, as before stated, are a fish-eating people, but one or two good hunters are found in most of the tribes. The hunters of those tribes which * I may mention here that the Indian hunter is certainly inferior to the ex- perienced white man in the best qualities of a sportsman, whatever quickness of sight, or knowledge of the habits of animals he may possess. The i\ht savage has not yet learned how to shoot game, running or flying, and under unexpected circumstances he wants the coolness and judgment of the civi- lized hunter. If deer spring from cover on both sides of him the Indian becomes flurried, fires hastily, and misses his aim ; but the white hunter retains his self-possession, and perhaps knocks a deer down right and left. I have noticed also that the Indian has fired a long shot when it was certain that by waiting he would get a nearer one. He is too excitable, and acts on the first impulse in discharging his gun, particularly when the powder is not his own. \ .S'. PANTHER. 233 food, and 3n gi-ouud, I walking ; times pre- native hut ?bt. It is ho under- fowl and ^iid I may exchange tid adven- istrict he among a and who This is, ^y of the 3 formed will be d, are a e found s which to the ex- luickness The Aht nd under the civi- 3 Indian 5 hunter left. I certain nd acts powder go inland only at certain seasons in pursuit of salmon, and hunt along the stream from which they obtain their tish> are, of course, less informed respecting the habits of the wild animals than the small tribes which, living inland along lakes and rivers, spend more of their time in hunting. I took up my quarters forty miles from the sea-board, near the village of one of these latter tribes, in which were two noted native hunters — QuicheenamandQuassoon — who were familiar with the rough mountains and wild lakes of the interior. They showed me their traps, and explained their modes of hunting the various beasts of chase. They also described several animals which I am >ure never existed but in their lying imaginations. I will relate what they told me, and what I myself saw here and elsewhere upon the coast. On my return now to civilization, it will be curious to notice how far this account agrees with the con- ventional statements in books of natural history.* Panther. The most dangerous wild beast in this part of the island is a species of panther {hy-yu-mcn), which occasionally enters the deer traps of the natives. It is not so numerous as might be expected from the number of elk and deer in the district on which it might prey. The largest panther that has been killed near Alberni measured eight feet from the nose to the end of the tail, and was over thre(3 feet high at the shoulder. The tail was tAvo feet long, Ihe colour of * I may record that I have seen a whistling marmot, and only one, on the West Coasts and in 1863, an Indian brought me a small tortoise from Sproat's Lake, which Dr. IJ. Brown thinks probably was the Actincmi/s Marmoratn of Agassiz. I could not find that the tortoise was regarded as a sacred animal. 234 WOL VES. this formidable animal was a light brown, with a dark- brown streak all the way down the back, and a black tip to the tail. His skin was measured by Captain John Hen- derson, of the steamer Thames, and myself, at Alberni, in 1865. The panther is of a solitary disposition, and is rarely seen by the native hunters. They do not pursue it, but rather endeavour to get out of its way. Hardly any- thing is known by them of this animal's habits, except that it prowls at night, and captures the deer by springing suddenly upon them. On one occasion I saw a young panther shot, which had betaken itself to a tree, and it looked a dangerous beast, lying on the ground wounded, and gnashing its strong teeth. It was of a brownish yellow colour, with dark tips on the hairs, and a lighter line down its back. In the fuU-gi'own animal this line, as has been observed, turns to a dark colour. During the last few years several flocks of sheep have been disturbed by panthers in the neighbourhood of Victoria, but it is not thought that there are many of these animals in any part of the island. Wolves. Wolves (sah-ook or kannatlah) of diflferent colours are numerous along the whole coast, but are seldom shot, as these wild and savage beasts are of little use to the natives, and besides are regarded with superstitious fear. Occasionally, however, a wolf is shot which has approached too near a village on a misty night, and its fat is then melted down for a medicine to be applied outwardly to wounds and bruises. As the animals which foi-m the prey of the wolves abound in the woods — retreating inland in ■: •aUHMM BEAR. 235 ith a dark- black tip to John Hen- Alberni, in on, and is pursue it, fardly any- ita, except ' springing ^ a young ee, and it wounded, brownish a lighter is line, as uring the disturbed it is not any part ours are tn shot, to the >us fear, roached is then rdly to he prey land in summer to the mountains, and in winter coming nearer the shore — the woj^^es do not assemble in large packs under pressure of a common want of food, but hunt in couples, or four or five together. I have often heard their dreadful howls at night. Deer are the favourite prey of the wolves, but they will eat almost anything — putrid fish, or carcases of animals left by hunters in the woods, and when pressed by hunger, even the refuse that lies about the temporarily deserted native encampments. The traps for marten, racoon, and deer, also the bear traps — when Bruin is helpless under the treacherous mass of wood — are harried by the wolves, who devour the captured prey. The dogs of the natives fly, and crouch near their masters, when the wolves' howls are heard ; but an old mastiflf bitch of mine, which I brought from London, came off not very much the worse from several stiff encounters. No instance is known of wolves having attacked the natives. Bear. The common black bear {chimmus) is frequently met with, and makes excellent sport. He sometimes reaches a size of three feet high at the shoulder, and six feet long, not including the tail. The latter end of the autumn, just before the bears go into their winter quarters, is the best season for hunting them. Three or four hunters — one carrying a lance, and the others armed with guns — enter the woods with half-a- dozen dogs, and separate in search of game. When a bear is seen, a whoop is sounded to bring the hunters together. The dogs follow, barking loudly, but cannot always over- take the bear ; he sometimes turns on the dogs, and drives them back. On seeing the men, the bear again runs, and 230 JLUJITS OF THE BBAli. h ^• finally climbs a tree, commonly a cedar, as the branches como low down the trunk, and the foliage affords cover. A bear, however, by grasping the bole of the tree between its paws, can readily climb a full-grovn pine-tree, which has no branches to a considerable height from the ground. His fate, on being discovered, is no longer doubtful, though many shots may have to be fired before he is dislodged. A bear, desperately wounded, will not relinquish his position while he has power to support himself. He hangs sometimes, for a time, by one paw, until at last, Aveak and dizzy, he falls to the ground and is despatched by a lance thrust. Another plan of getting a bear is by marking the end of his track, commonly at a drinking place on a river bank, and by shooting him from a canoe or an ambush on shore. The bear is also shot or speared in his winter hiding-place, which is usually the decayed body, or under the root, of some large tree in a retired part of the forest. Here the female bear brings forth her young, and makes a bed for them at the bottom of her den. The large bears generally have two young ones at a birth, and the small bears only one. Four months is about the time during which the bear remains in retirement ; but the animal does not sleep during the whole winter, for I have seen bears (probably males) walking about in January, when the snow was a foot deep. In the month of February I have seen their tracks towards water. Bear cubs are often seen about the native villages which have been taken from the mother's den at an age when the skin was of no value, and there was consequently no inducement to kill them. The food of the bear consists of grass, leaves, berries, and salmon. He is a great fisher, and will repair at night to 1 . 1. liKAHTRAP. 237 le branches brds cover. ee between tree, which the ground. tful, though dislodged. iiquish his He hangs ., weak and by a lance narking the e on a river ambush on his winter y, or under he forest. makes a arge bears the small me during le animal have seen W'hen the iry I have Dften seen from the alue, and m. The I'ies, and night to '. * the bank of a shallow river or stream, and there patiently sit on his haunches, looking downwards, until a rippling of the water, touched brightly, perhaps, by a ray of the moon, shows an approaching iish ; by a clever scoop of his large paw he lands the fish on the bank, seizes it with his mouth, and retires into the forest. This is not a difficult feat with tired salmon in a shallow stream ; I have thrown them upon the bank with the paddle of a canoe. Another iishing station of the bear is on a tree blown down and lying across a brook ; with his paw near the surface of tlu- shallow water he catches the fish swimming up, as they appear from under the tree. The natives frequently catch wild animals in traps. One description of trap is generally used, and is simple and effective. It is made larger or smaller, as required for bears, deer, beaver, racoon, marten, or mink. Since guns were introduced trapping has been little practised, and few skilful native trappers can now be found. It is still, how- ever, followed, especially by the marten hunters, as gun- shot injures the skin of small animals. Pitfalls are seldom used on the West Coast for the capture of wild animals. The bear-trap succeeds best w4ien snow lies on the ground. A few sticks, two or three stones, and a bit of rope made of cedar-bark, are all the materials necessary in making the trap. A thick piece of timber, or the trunk of a small tree, is heavily weighted with stones for about the length of live feet from one end, and the extremity of this weighted end rests on the ground. The unweighted end of the piece of timber is then raised about eight feet above the ground, and is kept thus suspended by a strong rope of cedar-bark which is attached to it, and also tied to the 238 ELK. If : ' end of a cross-piece, which has been placed immediately above the raised end of the piece of timber. The other end of this cross-piece, which at its middle or centre rests upon a convenient support — perhaps the stump of a tree, or other suitable object — is then depressed to within about two feet of the ground, by a slender rope slightly attached to it. This rope is made to cross the animals' track, and on his touching it, it slips off this depressed end of the cross-piece, and this end of the cross-piece itself imme- diately flies up so much above the level that the other end is depressed, and the whole cross-piece slips off its resting- place, and the whole affair — cross-piece and piece of timber — of course falls to the ground. The latter falls heavily, both on account of its own weight, and also from the weighty pressure of the stones on the other end, and thus the bear is, in fact, crushed by it. Of course, for smaller animals, slighter materials are employed. Placed in the accustomed track of the bear to his feeding or drinking- place — generally at a spot where a stump or upturned root for supporting the cross-bar allows the trap to be set without disturbing the usual appearance of the path — the bear walks against the slender rope, and a heavy log falls on his neck or back, and presses him to the ground.* This stick-trap is also used by the natives in capturing deer (but not elk) when ammunition is scarce. Elk. So far as I know, there are but two kinds of deer in the country — a black- tailed deer (ah-toosh or moouch), and * A small trap, made on this principle, is used for capturing martens by the Indians who inhabit the woody district around Hudson's Bay. i rt THE WAPITI. 230 immediately The other centre rests ip of a tree, rvithin about itly attached 3' track, and end of the tself imme- le other end its resting- 3e of timber ills heavily, o from the d, and thus for smaller -ced in the drinking- lurned root to be set path — the 7 log falls ground.* capturing If deer in Iwc/f), and martens by what is called the American elk {kloh-nym). This name of elk is the name given to the animal by the colonists, but it must not be confounded with the moose of the United States. The deer meant by mo is similar in general appearance to the stag of Europe, and is probably the wapiti, or Cerriis Canadcnm. I may not^, however, that it is stated in some books that the branching horns of this animal are no incumbrance in forcing its way through the woods, and that it lays them flat on its back before plunging among the trees. Neither of these remarks is true of the wapiti of Vancouver Island. The other deer, which I call ** blacktail," may be the Cervus Macrotis or Vmjinianns. The reader may judge for himself by the description. Both these species of deer are numerous, owing to the smallness of the population and the absence of largo car- nivorous wild animals in Vancouver Island. The wapiti deer have not been much seen by the colonists, but they are numerous in the interior of the island. In summer, they frequent the mountains, and in winter, they come down to the lower ground. A man and boy at Pacheen, on the West Coast, killed seven elk in two days, in 1864. The body of the wapiti is round, and as large as that of a good-sized ox, and the height of a full-grown buck is sometimes above five feet at the shoulder. The male elk is the larger. The legs and hoofs are shaped like those of a deer, but seem longer and thinner in pro- portion to the weight of the animal's body. The head is flat on the sides, like the head of a horse, which it some- what resembles, except that the nose of an elk is much shai*per, and the upper lip is somewhat prominent, and liO J f An ITS OF THE ELK. n< I t ■! !'! well adapted for grasping. The tail is quite short, and is kept down in running. The ears are less broad, and less finely shaped, than the deer's, and stand straight up. The hair, in winter, is long and coarse ; hut comes off towards summer, beginning at the flanks. The colour of the head and of the body of the elk is the same, viewed as a whole, namely, a light brown, with a little yellowish tinge at the end of the lower lip and round the eyes, along the back it is of a somewhat fainter colour than the body., and has a sandy-coloured rump and tail. In summer, when the hair is short, the elk becomes of a light red colour, the hinder part, including the tail, then being white. His 'i^^iftest pace is a trot, and he never ^ounds. except in leaping over fallen trees. For a short distance, th^ elk runs, on clear ground, as fast as a dog ; but is soon overtaken, especially if snow lies on the ground. He has tracks of his own through the woods, as he cannot go freely through the forest, o\\ing to his great size and his spreading antlers. The largest pair of elk horns that I h^^ve seen weighed forty-six pounds ; the length, twenty-seven inches ; they measured across between tip and tip, twenty-five inches. The females have no horns. As the elk, in this island, has never been domctiticated, iio one has had an opportunity of observing tl ? progressive growth of the antlers ; but the natives say that the brow antler comes at the fifth year, and an additional point evjry year afterwa'-ds. The horns fall off and are renewed annuallv. Previouslv becoming soft and hairy, they are dropped about March or A])ri], and for two months the rcprodiutive growth is ha/dly per- ceptible ; but aftc" that iiiterval, the horns grow quickly for the remainder of the year. The lower jaw teeth of the i ELK-HUNTING. 'Ul short, and is >acl, and less jht up. The i off towards of the head I as a whole, tinjTje at the the back it /, and has a hen the hair , the hinder His 'i^iftest leaping over ns, on clear 1, especially of his own hrougli the ng antlers. sn weighed |ches ; they vo inches. |island, has ortunity of ; but the jfifth year, The horns becoming or April, !i/dly per- quickly Ith of the deer and elk are the same — eight teeth in the front of the jaw, with gTinders near the throat ; but the upper jaw of the two animals is differently furnished. The deer has no teeth in the upper jaw in front of the grinders, whereas the elk has one large conical tooth on each side of the upper jaw, about two inches back from the point of the nose. Both have facial slits, or supplementary breathing organs, under the eyes. The female elk brings forth in May or June, and generally produces one, but sometimes two young ones at a birth. The flesh of the elk is good to eat, indeed is finer in flavour than that of the black-tailed deer. His food consists of grass, bark, and leaves. He loves to retire into the thick parts of the forest, from which he conies out in the early morning and in the evening for the purpose of feeding. The natives hunt the elk both in summer and winter, and find diem fattest in October and November, at which time they have been feeding long on good pjisture. 80 quick is the native hunter's practised sense of hearing that, in walldng through the woods, he will first discover the near presence of deer by the slight noise they make in feeding. Two or three elk generall} ^^^o together ; but as many as nine females and young, with one king or leader, are occasionally seen. 1 knew an old native hunter— Qui<^heenam, of the Opechisahts — who, with his wlioh; family, was accustomed to go every summer for two months about Jiirty mUes from his village, for tl'.e purpose of shooting elk and deer on a largo vocky mountain. Ther■■ 244 THE MARTEN. r« ii't ' i< « ^ i I t I i The ears are long and flexible, and are of the same colour as the body. The hair of this deer is shorter, closer, and finer than the coarse, spongy hair of the elk. It becomes thin and short in summer, at which time it is of a lighter colour than in winter. When dropped, the young are beautifully marked along the back with round spots, but these soon disappear. In running, the black-tailed deer bounds with every foot from the gi'ound at the same time. The hunter finds it singly, or two or three together, in ravines or thickets, or in the morning and evening browsing in the open forest. As many as forty have been seen in one day. When numerous in the mountains, the black-tailed deer are often caught with dogs, which are able to gain upon them among rocks or in thick wood ; but nearer the shore the natives generally shoot them. Traps are also set in their tracks near drinking places, and sometimes dogs chase the deer into the water and enable the natives to (capture them. In this way I captured two deer from a boat one forenoon at Alberni. They do not swim quickly, and are easily taken. The horns of the black-tailed deer are not large ; the brow antler is wanting, and five points are the most I ever saw on the horns of an old animal. The natives say that the horns " fall with the grass " — about December — and "grow again with the leaves." The young are brought forth about May. The average number at a birth is two ; this number is rarely exceeded. Marten. Of the remaining land-animals hunted by the natives, the marten (Kleekklayhy-yeh) is one of the most valuable, as MARTEN-TRAP. Q45 ) same colour r, closer, and It becomes \ of a lighter e young are id spots, but :s with every I hunter finds s or thickets, in the open I in one day. ck-tailed deer to gain upon arer the shore re also set in metimes dogs lie natives to deer from a swim quickly, ick- tailed deer ud five i)oints n old animal, the grass " — leaves." The irerage number eded. )y the natives, )st valuable, as its fur is prized by white traders. The fur of this active and graceful little animal is in its best condition in winter, but the marten is most easily caught in the autumn and fall, when it approaches the waters in search of salmon. The marten makes its house among stones on the ground, but more commonly inside decayed trees on which the bark is loose. It will climb up between the bark and wood of a decayed tree to its nest many feet from the ground. The marten sleeps during the greater part of the day, and comes out to feed in the early morning, and afterwards runs about for a few hours before returning to rest. The hunter at this time watches to shoot it, but trapping is preferred because the shot injures the skin. The trap is a small stick-trap, exactly like the bear-trap already described. It is baited with a bit of salmon and placed near where the tracks of the marten have been seen, or where a tree has been playfully scraped with its claws, as is its wont on a bright forenoon. As many as forty traps are set at one time by a hunter, and if by the whole number one marten is caught in a week, it is fair sport. There is but one kind of marten on the island. The natives do net Imow that the marten eats anything but salmon or salmon -trout. They do not think that it eats birds or eggs. It does not go into the water, but feeds on dead salmon washed upon the beach, or on portions of fish left by the bears in the woods. The remains of deer killed and abandoned by the natives also furnish it with food. The marten breeds during summer in the stump of a decayed tree, and the female has generally three young ones. The hunter never sees more than two old martens, with their young, together. The only apparent difference [i )■ -!;;?!!^!^^HH«» ( 1 ' I 't i ^l! 24& ri/^ MINK.— THE RACOON. between the female and male is that the male is of a darker colour on the breast. I could not find what the marten was likely to feed on when fish or deer was not obtainable ; perhaps it may be able to get one or the other all the year round, or it may feed on birds. Mink. The mink (chastimit) is a small animal, not unlike the marten in shape, but with a less bushy tail and an inferior fur of a darker colour, and white instead of red under the throat and on the breast ; it is more independent than the marten in the matter of food, being able to dive under water and fish for itself. The natives kill numbers of mink all the year round for the sake of the skins, which they sell to the traders. They are shot, taken with stick- traps, oi caught by dogs. Dogs can catch them on a clear beach, but not in the forest. The mink does not climb trees. Morning or evening is the best time for getting them. This animal lives among the stones on the beach, and keeps near the sea-coast, where it feeds upon clams, oysters, mussels, fish, and also birds. It sleeps during the afternoon and night, and hunts for its prey generally in the early morning. The natives say that the mink also eats salmon-berry leaves, but that the marten does not. As many as five mink are sometimes seen together. Summer is their breeding time, and the female generally has four young at a birth. Racoon. Another common wild animal hunted by the natives is the black-footed racoon {Klapesim), the skin of which is 'ABITS OF THE RACOON. 24' male is of a nd what the deer was not or the other •t unlike the d an inferior d under the ent than the dive under numbers of skins, which 1 with stick- them on a ik does not st time for 3 stones on ■e it feeds It sleeps 3r its prey ay that the ihe marten limes seen the female bir natives is which is also sold to white traders. I have forced a racoon in the day time from under the root of a fallen tree, and killed him with a stone. He is generally found up a cedar tree, which he easily climbs, and he spends the day in sleep on one of its branches, coming down in the night time to feed. The locality he prefers is the neighbourhood of small shallow streams that run into a river. More racoons are found near the sea-shore than away from it. Like the mink, he is fond of mussels and shell fish, or a dead deer, but roots, berries, and leaves, are also favourite articles of food. He will not enter the water, yet the bear himself is not a keener fisher. When twilight comes, the racoon, who has passed the day rolled up in the form of a ball on the thick branch of a cedar tree, descends to the ground, and stations himself upon his haunches, by the side of a stream, in which there may be only a few inches of water. His round eyes, specially adapted for seeing well in the dark, glisten as the tiny fish sport before him, and, suddenly extending at the same time his two fore-feet into the water, he presses the little captive between them and conveys it to his mouth. The racoons seem to be sociable animals, as four or five are sometimes seen together. The female breeds in summer, and has as many as five young ones at a birth. When taken young, the racoon is easily tamed, but it is always of rather a capricious temper. The common native stick-trap, baited with a small fish, and placed near a track of the racoon towards the water, is used by the natives in capturing this animal. They sometimes succeed in shoot- ing him from the bank of a stream in the morning, while fishing, as described. Though proverbially wary, the racoon is more easily captured by the natives than either I I , ' I' I! < H i ^ ! : 248 THE BEAVER. the marten or mink. His gait is heavy and awkward, and when discovered on the ground he rarely escapes. Beaver. The beaver (Attoh) which, in some respects, is the most interesting of all the wild animals hunted by the natives, is the last I shall mention. The skin of the beaver, formerly, was very valuable in trade. What the natives told me of this animal was rather disappointing, after all my boyish respect for the sagacity which it was said to display. They think the beaver is a commonplace animal, which any ordinary hunter can capture. A chief might be proud of the name of Kill-bear, or Kill-elk, or Kill-whale, but Kill-beaver would hardly be valued as an honorary title. I confess that I have seen many beaver-dams both in the streams and lakes of the Aht district, and they never struck me as anything extraordinary. The most noticeable effort on the part of the beavers that I could hear of was, biting through and felling a willow tree seven inches in diameter ; but the stupid creatures could not move the tree when it was down, so all their labour was lost. Perhaps as the winters are mild in Vancouver Island, an inferior instinct suffices on the part of the beaver, compared with the instinct required by the animal in a severer climate. No large community of beavers has been seen by the Indians. Their dams are formed both in lakes and stioams, and are made of trunks and branches of trees, sticks, mud, and stones huddled rudely together. Their oval houses are built of the same materials, and are about six feet in diameter, and five or six feet in height. Four old beavers and six or eight young ones are the most that have been seen in one dwelling. ; HABITS OF THE BEAVIR. 24» The beavers lie in these houses — as the Indians express it — "like boys;" but when the female has young ones she goes into a separate bed, or chamber, I could not ascertain which. There is no storey in a beaver's house for convenience of change in case of floods ; the waste-way is generally sufficient to carry off" any extraordinai-y quantity of water. The beaver breeds at any season when there is no snow on the ground, and has three or four little ones at a time. The houses of the beaver on the banks of lakes are abandoned when the water is very high ; and the beavers go to small streams, which they form into a succession of diminutive lakes. These dams are connected, in case of a flood, by a sufficient watercourse through the middle of the dam, and down the centre of the stream ; and on, or rather in, the dams, the beavers build their houses, and provide themselves with an entrance by means of a hole under water. It is in these houses on small streams that the beavers generally breed. The principal food of the beaver in this district is grass, and the leaf and bark of the willow and alder, and roots at the bottom of the lake. It is not necessary for him to lay in a stock for winter. He sleeps during the day, and comes out at nights to feed ; the only difference in his habits being that he sleeps a little longer in the winter — still, however, appearing at nights for the purpose of feeding. His eyes are small, and he cannot see far, but his nose is very keen. He swims in the water with a part of his head above the surface like a seal. The natives approach to leeward at night, and spear the beaver from a canoe, as he floats eating a branch taken from the shore ; or they shoot him when he is in shallow- water, but not in deep water, as he sinks on receiving the I : i i 250 BE A VER- TRA PPING. shot. They also block up the opening into his house, break through the wall, and shoot or spear him. It would be no use waiting at his house to shoot the beaver as he went out, for the entrance is under water. Trapping is perhaps the favourite mode of capturing the beaver, as it leaves the skin uninjured. The common stick-trap is used without bait, but with the addition of a side or wall made of cedar sticks, which projects into the lake for ten or fifteen feet, so as to lead the animal towards the trap as he approaches the shore. The beaver generally lands at one place, and the trap is set in the track, almost the whole of it being in the water. The deceiving string is placed just about the water line. !( \ 1 liis house, !• It would beaver as lie rrapping is eaver, as it trap is used ^ wall made for ten or trap as he nds at one le whole of Placed just ( iiSl ) CHAPTER XXIV. DISEASES. Diseases — Medicines and Medical Practice. And at their heels, a huge infectious troop Of pale distemperatures and foes to /(/e.— Siiakspeahe. -•o*- The commonest diseases among the Ahts are bilious com- plaints, constipation, dysentery, and consumption, pro- duced, I suppose, by their coarse oily food, irregular meals, and frequent personal exposure. Fevers and acute inflammatory diseases are also common, and these often end fatally, as the natives do not understand the proper modes of treatment. Rheumatism and paralysis are rare maladies. I have been told by traders that syphilis was unknown among them twenty years ago. I think this is a mistake, and that it is probably indigenous, as the natives have herbs which they use in curing this disease. It is now quite common, and is almost invariably followed by consumption. Many of the old people, particularly the women, sufier from ophthalmia. Being totally ignorant of the pathology of diseases, and believing that bodily ailments U: 'r'f ai I t' I ■( I if I I I 0',0 BROKEN LIMBS. are caused, either by the temporary absence of the soul, or by the presence of the spirit of some animal or demon in the sick person, the natives treat every disease nearly in the same manner, and direct their efforts towards the recovery of the soul or the expulsion of the evil spirit. They have no knowledge of anatomy, nor any distinct knowledge of the circulation of the blood. Sprains and contusions are cured by the plentiful application of cold water. In case?* of breakage of the arm or leg, the limb is straightened, and four deep incisions, several inches long, are made lengthwise through the flesh, round the limb, at the place of fracture. Into these cuts the doctor spits, after cliewng leaves. No splints are used except when a leg is broken ; a piece of delicate white pine bark cloth is then tied round the limb, in many folds, and allowed to remain till the bone has become re-united. I have seen several cases of broken legs that had been cured by the natives, but there was always some shortness of the limb afterwards. They possess sufficient skill to set dislocations in a rough way, which probably causes much pain to the patient. In gunshot wounds the ball, when buried, is never removed, but operations with a knife are performed for the extraction of bullets lying near the skin. Amputation and blood-letting have never been resorted to by the natives as a means of cure. Perhaps no people more extensively believe in the assisting of nature, by means of medicines and extraordi- nary operations. These appliances, as might be expected, consist more in jugglery and sorcery than in legitimate allopathies. The natives use many plants in their medi- cines, and some of these may perhaps be worthy of the I MEDICINAL HERBS. 25.) the soul, or ►r demon in early in the he recovery They have lowledge of tusions are . In cases raightened, are made it the place ;er che^ving I broken ; a I round the le bone has jroken legs was always ey possess vay, which n gunshot loved, but traction of )od-letting a means re in the extraordi- expected, egitimate eir medi- hy of the attention of more civilized practitioners. They understand the best season for getting the difterent kinds, so as to preserve their virtues for medicinal purposes. The Oregon gi*ape, a shrub which grows plentifully at some parts of the coast, is a favourite medicine, and an article of barter among the tribes — as I learnt by noticing the native lads in a vessel collecting it, for the purpose of sale, at any village on the coast which the ship might stop at. It is largely used both by the natives and colonists, for the cure of venereal diseases. This grape makes an excellent tonic, and I have been assured that its virtues, in the complaints mentioned, are undoubted. The astringent qualities of the blackberry, and the value of the dogwood root, as strengthening medicines, seem also to have been discovered by the Ahts. A common tonic is a powder made of comb from a wasp's nest, burned and mixed with cold water. Hemlock bark is used as a sticking plaster. There are many other plants known to the native doctors for their curative virtues, and a still greater number of empiric medicaments, which they use as favourite specifics in different diseases. None of the natives possess suffi- cient knowledge to compound medicines, with any appre- ciation of their properties, though the sorcerers pretend to make valuable mixtures. Their most common way of using leaves, roots, or bark medicinally, is to make them into a kind of tea, which is allowed to cool before being taken. No metallic medicines are used. An infusion of the soft young cones of the pines iB taken by women for various purposes, particularly, I think, to keep them from bearing children — an object which is also thought to be secured by a medicine made of tlie scrapings of the inside i HMH I 4 I 1 , i ! t 'li^ \ ii 1 1; ( 1,1 \U \}\\ H ' 1, t iii 254 LOri': MEDICINE. o^ a human skull. There is a small three-leaved plant, with a white llower in Mav, from which a medicine is made that is said to have a sure effect in producing a'i/ortion. The women mash the roots in water, and drink the solution, occasionally, once or twice a day. So far as I know, the natives are not acquainted with many poisons, ^hougll some of them pretend to such a knowledge, in order to frighten others of their tribe. They poison deer with the roots of a climbing species of convolvulus. Of all the medicines used on the coast — and these are beyond enumeration, for the Indians seem to have a medicme for everything — the love medicines are by far the most numer- ous. Every doctor or doctoress has a favourite specific, which io rubbed on the body as a means of attraction, or placed on the garments of those on whom it is intended to operate. Among the medicines is a decoction that will make a man cry, and a well-educated half-breed woman, who disbelieved the superstitions of bcr mother's people, candidly declared to a friend of mine that she had faith in this medicine. The different medicines used by the Ahts are kept secret, and it is most difficult to get any informa- tion from them with respect to their medical practice. If you ask the old women or doctors, they will either not answer, or will intentionally mystify you. They will speak on such a subject only to those for whom they have the higaest respect, L.id who they believe will not take advan- tage of the information to damage the practice of those possessed of the secret. We laugh at such things, but have we nothing of the same kind among ourselves ? Are not English physicians as jealous ? How often are rural druggists asked for love powders ? And do not herbalists r MODE OF THE ATM EXT. •2oo aved plant, Medicine is l)roducing , and drink So far as ly poisons, wledge, in oison deer IS. .Of all Lre beyond edicine for >st numer- e specific, [•action, or 1 intended 1 that will 1 woman, s peoj^le, d faith in the Ahts informa- ctice. If ther not ill speak have the e advan- of those ngs, but s ? Are re rural L>rbalists believe in the virtues of certain herbs as fully and some- times as absurdly as the neglected and untaught Yancou- verian ? In all the tribes, as before mentioned, the old women are the ordinary nurses and doctors, but in serious cases the sorcerers are sent for to expel the evil spirit, which is supposed to have occupied the patient's body. Many observances are connected with the giving of medicines, and greater efficacy seems to be attributed to the mode of administering than to the medicine itself. I saw a case of bowel complaij.it treated in a curious way. Having drank a decoction of yome leaf, root, or bark, the sick person sat naked on his couch, and the doctor, firmly pressing his hands on each side of the body, rubbed ^^ith his thumbs till the patient became pale and sick, accom- panying the work with a low song; then, finally, raising his hands so as to join the fingers above the patient's head, he blew through them, and the sickness, or the evil spirit, was supposed to be blown away. An English trader on the coast told me afterwards that he attributed the preservation of his life on one occasion at Pacheen to this mode of treatment, when the usual remedies for constipation had failed to relieve him. Among the Ohyahts, a few years ago, there was a young woman, deformed and of diminutive stature, who had a high medical reputation. A native presented his leg to her, which she grasped at the knee, and rubbed, as would a Mahern doctor. On its being remarked that she did not cry nor groan, as usual with native praciitioners, the patient explained aside that she was quite skilful in her work, Ijut that if in his case she cried or groaned during the operation of rubbing, her charge would be a blanket, instead of a fathom of small f ill ii'i i 'U li I ; N i I !( . ■4mi^I 25G ABANDONMENT OF AGED PERSONS. ])eacls, and he could not at that time afford a blanket. As long as patients are not hopelessly sick the women setm to treat them kindly, but their sin<]fing and howling must distress a sick person's nerves. Work in tli? house goes on as usual, and no attempt is made to lessen noise. The cracked voices of the old nurses produce a very effective discord ; but, to make matters worse (though they believe they are bettering them), friends occasionally join in a dreary, piteous song, and keep time to it with sticks on the sides of the house. It is characteristic of a savage to want fortitude in bodily sickness ; he never fights against disease, but sinks at once languid and helpless ; and it is amidst bad smells, smoke, laughter, and the crooning of hags, that his stricken body is expected to regain its health. The sorcerers rely partly on the actual means of cure already mentioned, but principally on incantations and the necromantic influence which they are supposed to exert tb'ough the medium of small bits of bones, metals, and feathers contained in their pouches. Their most absurd requirements are superstitiously observed. A patient will travel fifty miles to consult the sorcerer or doctor of a friendly tribe, if he has a good name, and will pay him handsomely if he succeeds in his cure. The practice of abandoning aged persons, or those afliicted with lingering disease, was lately quite common among the Ahts. Before satisfying myself on this point, I had believed that this inhuman custom was confined to those savage tribes which, being forced to wander over extensive districts in pursuit of game for food, and obliged to be at all times ready to fight an enemy, were unable to carry with them, in their rapid marches, persons infirm from .V.S'. NEGLECT OF INVALIDS. 257 aiiket. As len seL-m to ivling must house goes oise. The ry effective liey believe ' join in a 1 sticks on a savage to hts against ; and it is srooning of regain its 1 means of icantations upposed t(^ es, metals, leir most rved. A orcerer or , and will or tliosf common is point, 1 d t(* those extensive 1 to bo at to cari-y rm from i i age or sickness, and children of defective formation. But the practice is common among the tribes on this coast, who are seldom in want of food, and who never move their encampments but for short distances, and the custom, I think, rests simply on the unwillingness of the natives to be troubled with the care of hopeless invalids. It is not much rvorse, as a proof of the insensibility of the human heart, than the manner of treating insane persons was in Scotland, and other civilized countries, before lunatic asylums were estabhshed. The victims among the Indians, as stated above, are not always aged persons ; young and old of both sexes are exposed when afflicted with lingering disease. A father will abandon his child, or a child his father. In bitter weather a sufferer has been known to have been taken to a distance from the encampment, and left unsheltered, with a small quantity of water and dried salmon. No one is permitted to add to the allowance, or to show attention to the miserable invalid ; his own rela- tives pass him by in the woods with perfect indifi'erence. Individuals thus abandoned occasionally recover and return to the village, but more often they perish wretchedly, and the wild beasts devour them. In opposition to this indifl[*erence, an eyewitness told me of the frightful manner in which the parents of a young girl who died showed, on that occa^^ion, their excessive grief. As soon as life had departed they screamed, and frantically seizing the body by the hair, arms, and legs, threw it about the house till they were ijuite fatigued; then, after a time, they placed it on a couch in a sitting posture, to a^^ait burial. 17 i| ; i ( 258 ) f I I • 1 It ¥ j. i ¥■ ^!l CHAPTER XXV. USAGES IN BUlilAL. Usages in Burial — Appearance of the Alit Buryiiig-Grounds- Burial of a Cliief. ii k % -•o*- iff ?^; Let not that ugly skeleton appear ! — DuTr)E>J. The Alit tribes differ somewhat in their modes of burial. They have no stone tombs, and neither burn nor inter their dead. The usual practice is to place deceased men of rank and j'oung girls in rudely constructed boxes, which are fastened upon trees at a height of about twelve feet from the ground. A white blanket is thrown over the box, and four or five blankets, or pieces of calico, are hung upon a neighbouring tree. These blankets are torn in many places — either for the purpose of showing grief, or of spoiling them so that they should not be worth stealing. Another tree is draped witli strips of blue blankets. The coffins of the highest chiefs, and sometimes also those of well-born infants are hoisted to a great height fi*om t)ie ground. A child which has only the name given to it at its birth is buried differently from a child which has received a second UJSTJXCTIOXS OF ILLXK. rounds — 3 of burial. nor inter eased men xes, which e feet from box, and ng upon H any places ■ spoiling Another coffins of well-born ound. A i birth is a second name. The one with two names is put higher up the tree than the others. Old women, and men and boys of no rank in the tribe, are wrapped in worn blankets or mats, and simply left upon the ground. No grave is dug to receive their l^odies ; a little of the earth is removed, and they lie there covered with sticks and stones; occasionally a worn-out canoe is used for a coffin. As among the people in remote parts of our own country at present, the days of mourning among the Ahts often end in a festival. A poor man of rank, wishing to bury his wife or child with the usual cere- monies, has been kno\\n to postpone the funeral for many months, until he obtained the means of giving a feast and distributing property. When a death becomes known in a native village, all the women begin to wail and continue lamenting for several hours. The near relatives of the deceased blacken their faces, and put on mean apparel. Little time is lost in conveying the body to the grave. Every tribe has a l>urial-piace or })laces — generally on an islet or point of land — set apart for this s])ecial purpose, and these are never desecrated even ])y liostile tribes. The (corpse, wrapped in a blanket and placed in a canoe or box, is conveyed to the burial-ground by the deceased person's friends, Avho are accom))anied by many or few canoes, according to his rank or popularity during his lifetime. The whole of the dead man's personal effects that have not been given awav before his death arc; deposited with him — except his best canoes, his house- planks, and fishing and huniing instruments, which, witli any slaves he may have had, are inherited by the eldest son. If his friends are very superstitious they burn tin- dead man's house with all its contents, or tliey reniuvu the 17—2 I 1* f! ! 11! h V i ■ I :>(iO S UPERS TIT 10 U8 C US TOMS. materials, and build the house in another place. These usages in burial among savage tribes may be supposed to spring from sentiment, or some strange imagination ; but, l)eyond the exhibition of a certain natural regret and instinctive respect for the ""^ad, I think we shall err in investing the burial customs of the Aht nation with much significance. The habit of suspending the remains of young girls and men of rank upon trees originated l)robably in the desire of preserving the bodies from wolves and other wild animals ; and for the same reason islands were preferred as burial places.* The natives bury a man's personal effects with him, and burn his house, in the fear that if these were used, the ghost would apj)ear and some ill consequences would follow. Burning the house may have been practised at the first in order to guard against the spread of infectious diseases. I have not found that any articles are deposited in burying places with the notion that they would be useful to the deceased in an after time, with the exception of blankets {Hce " Religion "). Such a belief, however, exists, I have heard, among the tribes farther north on the coast of l^ritish Columbia, and it is possible that the Ahts may have derived the custom from them without any thought of its meaning. An islet used as a native burial-ground has generally a wretched look. The most appropriate idea of a burying ground is associated in my mind with some liill-side far from houses, or among old trees near a rocky shore — the grass being wild and unshorn, not trimmed, nor * A tradition exists in a district of Wutlicilandsliirc in Scotland, that, owing to the ravages of wolves in disinterring l)odics, the i eople were obliged to use the precipitous inland of Ilanda as a safer plate of sepiilture. ■^h.^.^-.. NATIVE BURYING PLACES. •KA ,ce. These lupposed to ation ; but, regret and hall err in with much remains of originated )dies from the same !es.* The and burn the ghost lid follow, it the first s diseases, in burying ful to the P blankets ts, I have coast of Vhts mav Y thought al-ground riate idea ith some a rocky nied, nor tland, thuf, onple were I'imltnrc. the place made into a flower-garden by art. But the too forlori burying places of the natives on this coast ti to please even the eye of one who does not care to see the bright flowers blooming in these sad places of rest. Frag- ments and i)iles of old canoes, boxes, boards, paddles, b^'mkets, and other articles cover the surface. Here and there, rude coloured wooden carvings are placed near the bodies of chiefs. The labour of carving these images, when a sharp shell or a piece of bone was the only instrument available to the carver, must have been great. You may see a wooden figure which stands grimly contem- plating the skull of an enemy placed in his hand ; another, famous as a speaker in his lifetime, is represented with an outstretched arm ; a third grasps a wolf. I once saw canoes daily visiting at twilight, for several weeks, one of these burying places, where they remained till past midnight. The visitors lighted a great fire and fed it with oil, gumsticks, and other combustible materials, and they wailed loudly at intervals during the whole time. The death and burial of the deceased, who in this case was a person of high rank, were thus described to me : — The whole tribe had assembled in the house, and a friend of the sick person, in a loud and grave tone, announced that liis relative was breathing his last. He then recounted his generous acts and deeds of daring, and intimated tliat the dying man wished to bequeath all his personal effects to his tribe. There was a contrast bi'tween the brave history of this chief and the poor creature who lay on a few mats, breathing heavily, his eyes glazed and his features pinched and pallid, from disease and exhaustion. The distribution next began, in which each perHon shared %■ ! i ( ,; If >. 202 TOKENS OF Mornxixa. according to his rank. About an hour after life had departed, messenj:jers went round to the different houses to give notice of the funeral. All the women in the village hegan to wail loudly. The men remained stern, sad, and silent. I'lie corpse, wrapped in a blue blanket, was put into a canoe, which moved slowly from the shore, accom- panied by about ninety canoes. Having reached an islet, a native climbed a large tree, and after various ceremonies, the body — which, in the meantime, had been placed in a box — was hoisted up and secured to a lofty branch. Long speeches were aftcrw.'irds made in praise of the deceased, whose death, it was stated, should be honoured l)y a human sacrifice. A small neighbouring tributai^ tribe was accord- ingly visited by an armed party, which returned in a day or two with several heads. These, it was stated, had not been taken by force, but had been demanded and given as a necessary sacrifice on the occasion of the great warrior's ^v they w frood ■r their he old Hccnis lei-Holf, '■ least notice of her. The men do not indulge in such long drawn-out sorrow ; hut their grief is sharp, as they have strong natural affections. I remember an old Ohyaht's grieving for his eldest son, who was drowned. The mourner's hair was cut close, the body and face blackened, tattered blankets wrapped round him, (sackcloth, indeed, and ashes !) and all the while he piteously wept. There is a heartrending expression in an Indian's grave hard face distorted by grief. Tears did not come often to his relief, and now and then he ceased his wail, and sat still, all his emotion " contracted in one brow of woe." The body of the son had not been found, and the old man, with a few friends, carried to a resting-place in the forest two cedar boards, — a sort of bier, I suppose, — on one of which was a small porpoise, over which the other board was placed, which bore the roughly traced representation of a man. After the funeral, the bereaved father divided all his own property among those present. i \ i S^^< IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I bi|28 |2.5 ■so "^~ NWHi •^ 1^ 12.2 m t I L25 1.4 III 1.6 ^ 6" — ► ^ 'y^ v; ^^. y Kiotographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIE&i ^.^A!% f^RbtT WnSTIR.N.Y. «4SI0 (7I6)I73-4S03 4^ n va^ '4^^ '^A' X 26A AHT NAMES FOR WINDS. I I'l his tribe, and to obtain for him a name and a degree of rank. He then asked the guests to vote this rank— which was of a trifling nature — and to choose a suitable name for his son, which was done after some discussion. I noticed that the name, after being decided upon, was several times repeated by different persons, apparently with the object of settling its proper pronunciation. Correct pronunciation is more esteemed by the natives than might be supposed. That they have some standard of correct speech is evident, from the readiness of the children to ridicule a stranger who mispronounces native words, and also from the care with which a native repeats any word which the traveller seems to be desirous of remembering or noting down. I will here mention the Aht names for the winds. Ah the Aht Indian knows nothing of the compass points, he names the winds in a way that is difficult for a stranger to understand. In different places the wind of the same name wiU not have the same direction. The name is not dependent upon an undeviating direction, but is given for some other cause : for instance, wind might blow at different times in two directions, inland, from the sea or coast ; yet the two winds — as they really would be — would be called by only one name by the natives, as coming from the sea or coast. Of course the same inaccuracy would take place if they fixed upon any other natural object — lake, river, &c., — in relation to which to give a name to any wind. Eiv-uttyh and Eiv-ahtokuk, are native names for the same wind — the former name being given when it blows gently, the latter when it blows strongly. These winds blow straight down the upper part of the Alberni Canal, and though the canal before reaching the sea AIIT XAMES FOR IVIXD.S. •2('.7 degree of k — which name for I noticed ral times object of inciation apposed, evident, stranger the care traveller n. ds. As »ints, he mger to e same B is not J given alow at sea or -would g from would )ject — Etme to names 'hen it These Iberni e sea changes its direction, still a wind blowing straight down this lower part of the canal is called by the natives the same name as the wind blo\dng down the upper end, though the wind is in reality very different. In thus giving the same name to winds from diflferent quarters of the compass, the Ahts seem deficient in that observation of nature which in many respects is so wonderfully developed in savages. If they used the term Ew-uttyh merely to denote a night wind without any reference to direction, they would display no want of savage perception — the latter portion— uttyh — of the word meaning night ; but they use the word so as to confound diversity of direction. This word probably originally meant a night wind, but as the night breeze is gentle, it was afterwards applied to any gentle wind of a certain direction, whether blo^ving by day or night. The geneiic Aht word for \vind is wikm'h. Ewkntis, at Alberni, is the ordinary breeze up the canal, which exhibits its most characteristic phase on a summer after- noon. It is probably the name generally given on the coast, to the landward breeze that sets in from the sea during the daytime in the summer months. Toochce is the wind that brings ships down the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and may, therefore, be considered as ranging from east to south-east. Hiich-lrctlh brings vessels from the north end of the island towards Barclay or Nitinaht Sound, and is, therefore, a north-west wind, as the natives have no other idea of a ship sailing except "before" the wind. Their canoes, from deficiency of keel, will not sail ** upon " a wind. Toksellh is the name given to a strong wind from the sea, which blows straight towards the shore ; it probably ranges d68 NO RECORDS OF A PAST PEOPLE. \\i from south to south-west. Eivksah is the name for a gentle wind from the same direction. This wind is con- sidered hy the natiyes to he distinct from Tokseilh and all other winds. In speaking to a white man, the Ahts would prohahly call the Tokseilh a great Ewkstis. None of these names correspond with our compass points, except accidentally. On describing to the natives the remoteness of the country I had come from, they inquired if the man who blew the winds from his mouth lived there. No glyphics, traces, or records of a past people have been discovered on the coast. The historical value of a native tradition disappears after two generations, under a load of grotesque imaginings. Already the destruction of the " Tonquin" is ascribed to Quawteaht, and supernatural beings are described as having been concerned in it. My own memory among the natives is, I daresay, connected in their minds with a chief spearing salmon in the happy land of Quawteaht. The time of their father's father seems to be about the limit of these people's trustworthy traditions. The imperfectness of their traditions may be judged of by their not having among them any knowledge of so extraordinary an event as the building, launching, and fitting out of a large schooner close to a village in Nootkah Sound, by Captain Meares, about eighty years ago. I see that Hall, in his lively book. Life with the Esquimaux, states that, in his opinion, the traditions of the Innuits are accurately handed down through centuries. If this is the case, these hyperborean savages must be very unimaginative to keep a true record for so long a time, without a written language. The only rock carving ever seen on this coast is on a high rock on the shore of Sproat's lake USE OF TOBACCO. 21MJ behind Alberni. It is rudely done, and apparently not of an old date. There are half-a-dozen figures intended to represent fishes or birds — no one can say which. The natives affirm that Quawteaht made them. In their general character these figures correspond to the rude paintings sometimes seen on wooden boards among the Ahts, or on the seal-skin buoys that are attached to the whale and halibut harpoons and lances. The meaning of these figures is not understood by the people ; and I daresay, if the truth were known, they are nothing but feeble attempts on the part of individual artists, to imitate some visible objects which they had strongly in their minds. The Aht Indians are fond of tobacco, but they have no medicine-pipe, nor do I think they have among them the marked superstitious pipe usages by which most of the North- American Indian tribes are distinguished. They formerly had plain cedar pipes {ko8h-kutH)y devoid of ornament, but there were also to be found in all the tribes the ornamental blue-stone {Tsh'wqmean) pipes, which had been obtained in traffic with the Northern Indians. The present Aht name for tobacco is qtilsh-shah, their word for smoke. Tobacco has been so long known to the" natives that they can hardly explain what material they smoked before they had it ; but they probably, in former times, made use solely of the leaves of the small shrub which is to this day mixed with the tobacco in their pipes, for the purpose of diminishing the intoxicating effect. It is cus- tomary, after meals, to pass the pipe round among the guests. This, however, is merely a compliment, arising from the high price of tobacco ; and I should not wonder a70 THE TSCLAIILLAMS. i^ if, to some extent, the sacred associations connected with the pipe, which generally prevail among the North- Ame- rican Indians, had originally no deeper origin than the scarcity of the smoking material. The Ahts do not smoke through their nostrils, though they are occasionally seen doing so ; and they have not the placidity of the English- man in smoking, hut smoke with short laboured puffs. I may remark here, that Dr. Wilson — {Prehistoric Mati, vol. ii. p. 17) — is wrong in stating that the Clalam Indians inhabit Vancouver Island, and that they have elaborately carved blue claysione pipes of their own manufacture. No such people live in Vancouver Island ; but there is a tribe called the Tsclahllams, on the south side of the Straits of Fuca, which probably is meant. This tribe speaks a kindred language to the Ahts, and is a cedar-using tribe, which probably would only possess carved stone pipes as ailicles of traffic received along the coast from the powerful Tshimpsean tribes inhabiting Queen Charlotte Island, and the shores of British Columbia to the north of Vancouver Island. At the risk of being thought too critical, I may say here that I doubt if the '* Tawatin Indians on Fraser River " (whoever they may be) ever executed as an original work the ivory carving of a whale copied into Dr. Wilson's second volume, at page 22. The outline is too simple and truthful for an Indian work of art ; it is superior to any representation of a whale which I have observed among those tribes most devoted to whale fishing. Indians living near the mouth of Fraser River may possibly enough have seen whales in the Gulf of Georgia, but none of the gentle- men in the Hudson Bay Company's service recollect them SECRET FRATERNITY. 271 as great whale-fishers. The carving, probably, either came to the Indians of Fraser River from some of the whaling tribes on the outside coast, or was copied by the " Tawa- tins " from the " Jonah-picture " of some priest. I should not omit in this account to notice that there is a secret association or fraternity among the Aht natives, composed of persons who are united for some purpose which has not been discovered. Meetings are held at different places about once a year, in a house covered round in the inside with mats. All non-members and women are excluded. As many as seventy natives from various tribes on the Vancouver shore, and also on the American side, have been known to attend one of these meetings. It is not a tribal affair, chiefs affair, nor a medicine man's affair ; these persons may or may not be members of the association, but unless they are members, thoy are not permitted to enter the house, and seem to be quite ignorant of what is going on. A meeting sometimes lasts for five days. The members wash and paint themselves, and wear their best clean blankets, and now and then come out of the house to wash and put on fresh paint. The proceed- ings inside the house are conducted in silence ; there is no singing nor noise during the meeting of this secret asso- ciation. Is this fraternity likely to be in any way connected with freemasonry? Freemasonry has been displayed in quarters least suspected. ■■ ( 2?2 ) CHAPTER XXVII. EFFECTS UPON SAVAGES OF INTERCOURSE WITH CIVILIZED MEN. Effects of Intercourse between Civilized and Uncivilized Races — Real Meaning of Colonisation as regards Aborigines — Want of Definiteness in the English Colonial Policy — Moral and Physical Agencies con- cerned in Disappearance of Native Races — Decay of Tribes in their Isolated State — Evidence from my own Experience and Observation > — Inconsiderateness of Untra veiled Writers — Aborigines, as a rule, not Harshly Treated by English Colonists — What arc the Diseases and Vices of Civilization ? — Course of Operation of the Destructive Agencies following Intercourse with the Whites. V I " They hail heard it said that it was a law oj nature that the coloured races should melt away be/ore the advance of civilization. He would tell them where that law was registered, and who were its agents. It was registered in hell, and its agents were those whom Satan made two/old more the children of hell than himself.** — Dr. Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand, at Manchester, October 7, 1867. In this chapter I will o£fer some remarks — the result, as before mentioned, of long-continued and close observation — on the subject of intercourse between civilized and uncivilized races. The Bishop of New Zealand must use other language than the above, if he desires to influence the opinions of reasonable men on this most difficult E WITH aces — Real 3efii)iteneBs encies con- es in their bservation < a rule, not [seases and )estructive \e coloured hi tell them registered e children inckcster, ;ult, as rvation d and si use uence ii&cult IXTERCOVnSE OF RACES. 87ft subject. One would not expect that, in a colonizing country like England, there would be such differences of opinion among practical statesmen — as Parliamentary debates show — with respect to the real e£fect of colonization upon aborigines. There is, in my mind, little doubt that colonization on a large scale, by English colonists, prac- tically means the displacing and extinction of the savage native population. By the expression "savage native population," I distinguish between the rudest untutored races and aboriginals of finer native races more capable of civilization ; with these latter, or with an improved rem- nant of them, it is not yet shown that English colonists, or their descendants, will not intermix. I hope it may be shown in New Zealand that such intermixture is possible. But, as far as experience has taught us, it is extremely improbable that any large population of English descent will mingle their blood, and grow up side by side, with any race that differs widely from them in character and in civilized culture. In all dominant races, indeed, there is, to a large extent, an aversion to intermixture with other people — whether civilized or uncivilized. For instance, the English colonists have not yet shown any tendency to amalgamate with the descendants of the French in Canada, who live close to them in the same country, and are on almost the same level of civilization, and whose women are most attractive. It is importpnt that correct ideas should prevail as to the effect, in all its bearings, of colonization upon native races, for difference of opinion on this subject leads to various evils in our colonial policy, of which not the least is recrimination between the English and Colonial 18 274 INTERCOURSE WITH CIVILIZED MEN. Governments. The theory of an inevitable extinction of aborigines is regarded by many with repugnance, from the fear that such a theory must involve the harsh and neglectful treatment of the natives. But I do not think there need be any such apprehension ; a clear view of the impending extinction of the inferior people would probably rather stimulate English settlers to acts of justice and humanity towards them. It would also give a much- needed definiteness to the imperial policy as regards native races in the colonies. Several agencies — moral as well as physical — are con- cerned in the disappearance of aborigines before intruding civilized settlers, and these agencies must be properly estimated by the inquirer who seeks to form a right opinion on the subject. The problem he has to solve is a difficult one, which requires facts, and not theories, for its solution, and, unfortunately, w<^ possess few accurately observed facts that bear on the question. These, indeed, will always be hard to obtain, owing to the want of opportunities by travellers, and the difficulty of observing precisely the particulars of change which accompany the continual inter- mixture of two dififerent races — the one civilized, the other not. Perhaps the first question of all, in reference to savages of a low class, will be, whether there are not in them — as races — the elements of natural decay leading to the extinc- tion of the race, which elements, with increased speed and intensity, work out their destructive tendencies, if the people consort habitually with a greatly superior nation ? West of the Rocky Mountains, it is certain that the expe- rience of the Jesuits in California, and of the earliest DECAY OF ABORIGINES. 275 settlers in the American and British territories on the North Pacific, affords proofs of the tendency of the savages to extinction, even before white people went amongst them. It was observed by the first fur-traders who entered different parts of New Caledonia — the present British Columbia — as I have heard from their own lips, or from those well acquainted with these pioneers — that the natives were rapidly decreasing in numbers.* This was before any number of civilized men had visited the country, and also before the introduction into it of ardent spirits, or the diseases produced by a mixture of races. The natives were decaying, and had been decaying, in their isolated state. Similar evidence is furnished by the history — so far as it is known — of the Aht people themselves. In 1778, Captain Cook rated the population of Nootkah village, in Vancouver Island, at 2,000; and Captain Meares, ten years later, confirmed this estimate in the main, and stated that the population of all the villages in the Sound at Nootkah amounted to between 8,000 and 4,000. The aggregate of the latter is now hardly 600 souls, yet the natives have remained in almost a primitive state, only visited occasionally by a ship of war or a trading schooner ; they have had plenty of food and better clothes than they possessed prior to their knowledge of blankets, and their number has not been lessened by any epidemic, nor by the * " Only a fur-trader," is a depreciatory phrase that has been heard iu the colony in connection with gentlemen in the Hudson Bay Company's ser- vice. I most speak of the class as I found them, during a long acquaintance ; cheerful and hospitable, and uncommonly well read and intelligent. Not to mention names, many a happy, Iong-to>be-remembered evening I have spent in their houses, fiv which I can make nc return but this passing acknowledgment 18-a •zu THE WRITER'S EXPERIENCE. m '( •, ( liivision or emigration of any portion of the tribes. The people have not abandoned themselves to the use of intoxicating drinks, though, no doubt, ready enough to do ho; nor have their women — unchaste though they are — ever visited any of the settlements for the purpose of prostitution. These are instances of native races having decayed quickly, though possessing abundant means of food and shelter, living removed from civilized settlements, and left undisturbed to follow their own customs. My own experience on this point may be added, as regards native tribes who decayed in the presence of white men, though well treated, and though ardent spirits were not introduced among them. I refer to the tribes among whom I lived in Nitinaht (or Barclay) Sound. Probably these people would have declined in number had the settle- ment never been formed near them. As already stated, I was the resident head of a large civilized settlement, established on the west coast of Vancouver Island, among Havagcs who had seen only a few passing white men before my arrival. Having founded the settlement, in the fisice of opposition on the part of the Indians, as described at the beginning of this book, I had an opportunity of know- ing them from the first, and of becoming acquainted with their fierce and rude natures. During the whole time that I was among these savages — a period of over five years — no instance of wanton ill-usage by the settlers occurred ; on the contrary, the natives were treated kindly, and their condition was at first improved by the establish- ment of the settlement. Their houses, food, and clothing were better than they bad formerly been. They fished and hunted as had been their wont in the old time. For any rXDJAXS AT ALBERNI. 'i-!7 es. Tbo ) use of gh to do ey are — irposo of s having neans of Jements, dded, aB of white rits were 9 among Probably ie settle- V stated, tlement, among n before the £Etce ribed at know- ;ed with e time ver five settlers kindly, tablish- lothing led and or any work which they did, they were well and regularly paid. The use of intoxicating liquors was forbidden to every one in my employment, and though it was impossible altogether to exclude ardent spirits, yet owing to the remoteness of the place and the peculiar approach to the harbour — as I was legally authorised and even bound to prevent the introduction of spirits — I was able to make the settlement as nearly a temperance settlement as any village of two hundred colonists of English descent could be made, under the best regulations and most favourable coi litions for making the attempt. A clergyman resided m the place, who, though he did not succeed in estr.dishiug school- instruction on a large scale, yet learnt the language of the aborigines, and visited among them for the purpose of administering the simple medicines and comforts which the sick natives required, and were willing to receive. Taken as a whole, the settlement at Alberni probably was one in connection with which the Indians, not being com- pelled to abandon their old ways of life, enjoyed nearly all the advantages of a neighbouring civilization, with a com- parative exemption from the distressing evils which are supposed necessarily to attend it. What was the e£fect on the aborigines of the presence of this settlement ? At first no particular effect was observable ; the natives seemed, if anything, to have benefited by the change in their circumstances. They worked occasionally as labourers, and \vith their wages bought new blankets and planks for their houses. As a rule, the Indians did not abandon the blanket as an article of dress, though some of them took a pride ili wearing, for a short time, the white men's ca8t-o£f clothing. They 278 EFFECT OF WHITE SETTLEMENT. ¥• I \ acquired a taste for flour, rice, potatoes, and other articles of food that ^Lre sold to them at low prices, and thus, on the whole, probably spent the first winter after the arrival of the colonists more comfortably than usual. It was only after a considerable time that symptoms of a change, amongst the Indians living nearest to the white settle- ment, could be noticed. Not having observed the gradual process — my mind being occupied with other matters — I seemed all at once to perceive that a few sharp-witted young natives had become what I can only call oflfensively European, and that the mass of the Indians no longer visited the settlement in their former free independent way, but lived listlessly in the villages, brooding seemingly over heavy thoughts. Their gradual shrinking from association with us, when first observed, caused a little alarm ; but I found, on inquiry, that it did not arise from ill-will. The fact was that the curiosity of the savage had been satisfied ; his mind was confused and his faculties surprised and stunned by the presence of machinery, steam vessels, and the active labour of civilized men ; he distrusted himself, his old habits and traditions, and shrank away despondent and discouraged.* Always suspicious, it now became the business of the Indian's life to scrutinise the actions of the whites, and speculate apprehensively as to their probable intentions. He began soon to disregard his old pursuits, and tribal practices and ceremonies. By and by it was noticed that more than the usual amount of sick- * The same feeling, in a comparatively small degree, — a beaten, cowed feeling, with a sense of some loss of self'respect, — must have been expe- rienced by most men, at some change of their work or condition in liib which has brought them suddenly among men, vastly their superiors in general, and also in special intellectual ability and force of character. CAUSES OF DECAY. 279 )r articles i thus, on he arrival was only be settle- 3 gradual natters — rp-witted Pensively longer spendent Jemingly ig from a little ise from ^age had faculties r, steam ^trusted k away it now ise the f as to ard his By and f sick- », cowed 5n expe- t in life riors in r. ness existed among the Indians, and particularly among the Indians who lived nearest to the white settlement. This increased ill-health was not caused hy spirits, syphilis, or any of the other destructive agencies which are, I think, often erroneously described as the peculiar accompaniments of a high state of civilization. The disquiet produced in the mind of the natives by the presence of the settlers perhaps had something to do with it ; at all events sick- ness increased during the second winter after our arrival, and many of the natives died from dysentery, and from a species of small-pox. Though no trustworthy anterior death-rate can be referred to for the purpose of comparison, I believe that mortality among the natives began to increase soon after the formation of the settlement, and a high death- rate continued during the five years that I was there. I may repeat that this did not result from ill-usage, nor from the excessive use of ardent spirits, nor from debauchery ; but from other causes, among the chief of which, according to my observation, I would name — the eflfect of a change of food, and the despondency and discouragement produced in the minds of the Indians by the presence of a superior race : the latter being the principal cause. Nobody molested them ; they had ample sustenance and shelter for the support of life, yet the people decayed. The steady brightness of civilized life seemed to dim and extinguish the flickering light of savageism, as the rays of the sun put out a common fire. The conclusions to which these observations point, if correct, ought to modify in some degree the opinions of untravelled persons who attribute the decline and extinction of native races in our colonies, to the injustice and cruelty 280 ALLEGED CRUELTY OF COLONISTS. of the intruders, and to the diseases and vices which they carry with them. On these opinions, which appear to be generally entertained, I will comment, but shortly only, as my space is limited. I will take them in the following order : — 1. Injustice and cruelty. 2. Diseases. 3. Vices. As regards the first point, alleged cruelty on the part of colonists, it may, I think, be affirmed, as an historical fact, that very little violence has been used by English settlers generally in superseding weaker races. This will appear to any one who, laying aside prejudice, studies impartially, as I have endeavoured to do, the dreary records, from the earliest time, of actual life upon the frontiers of our different colonies, including those now comprehended within the United States of America. Many instances of harsh treatment by English settlers can no doubt be proved, and such instances occur at the present day ; still, the history of the interco'irse of our countrymen with aborigines, taken altogether, is credit- able to us. Sufficient allowance is not always made for the circumstances in which settlers in savage countries are placed. Their situation is widely different from that of the mercantile emigi'ant or clergyman, who goes to the colony upon a salary. The poor, self-dependent emigrant, after disembarkation, finds himself in a position from which he cannot retire, for he has little money, and a wide sea extends between the new land and his mother- country. The English settler acts in this emergency according to tbo instinct and vigour of his race. Not content — like the lazy savage — to be a fisherman or hunter, he takes a firm hold of some object for his labour THE SETTLERS POSITIOX. 281 that presents itself to his grasp, and is prepared imme- diately to defend his acquisition, and to protect his family, if assailed. When the acquisition, as often happens, is a piece of waste land, unvalued and really unowned by any individual, the intruder generally feels, in defending it, that he is in a dififerent position from that of a mere labourer. His duty and work are peculiar, as he is one of a body of men by whose efforts the surface of a neglected country has to be redeemed. The wrong of intrusion, if it is a wrong, is quickly turned into a right, under these circumstances. But I almost think, as already stated in Chapter II., one may reasonably say that civilized settlers have a right to occupy the land of a savage people on certain conditions, and that, therefore, they are justified in defending their occupation against the original so-called occupiers, now transformed, by the course of events, from patriots into aggressors. Now, as no authority nor law could prevent the peaceful, though determined, progress of these intruding settlers, after having gained a footing, they must, in all cases, be permitted to spread and cover the surface of the country, according to their increase and characteristics. Beads, fields, villages, towns will appear. And the savage — who all the time may have been kindly treated — will disappear. Then, with regard to the second point — the diseases of emigrants, which are said to destroy aborigines — these, no doubt, will be the diseases of the mother-people, changed somewhat in their manifestations and effects by the mixture or contact of different races. To speak plainly, on a matter of great concern — bodily diseases — I doubt if many writers have clear ideas in their minds as to what 283 VICES" OF CIVILIZATION. i< ' ' they mean by diseases which, they say, ** are carried among savages by civilized men." What are these diseases thus carried from England by emigrants — diseases, contagious in their nature, yet harmless in a crowded ship — destructive on shore to the aborigines only? Phthisis, small-pox, syphilis — what? I believe the last-named disease alone is meant ; but, as this disease prevails among savages generally in their primitive con- dition, though in a milder form than among civilized men, the introduction of it, even if it occasionally happens, cannot be charged against the colonists as a race. Syphilis, and several other diseases, assume a peculiarly virulent character when the two races commingle. More than this cannot, I think, in relation to this subject be said of it. Let us now consider the third point, the " vices " of r.n intruding people, which, as alleged, destroy a native race. Here, again, I think, writers err in not stating their meaning with sufficient distinctness. The vague expres- sion, " vices of civilization," so frequently used, must refer (in addition to tiie particular vice which, in its effects of disease, I have, in fact, discussed under head two,) to the English vice of drinking, and its pernicious example ; for no other of our too many vices would be likely to cause the rapid disappearance of aborigines. The use of ardent spirits is not a vice ; it is the excessive use — the abuse of them — that is vicious ; and I doubt if the mere example of drunkenness on the part of colonists, bpd as it is in itself, is greatly injurious to the natives, though, under special circumstances, it might become so. To some extent it may be injurious, as confusing their moral sense I INFLUENCE OF LIQUOR. 283 by the spectacle of a superior man degrading himself ; but practically, the example of drunkenness on the part of the white man is not so decisively the cause of vice on the part of the natives as is often supposed. If every white man in a settlement abstained wholly from intoxicating liquors, still the savage, when once he had tasted spirits, would, as a rule, drink them to excess whenever he could obtain them. What is really objected to, then, under the name of "vices of civilization," is simply the presence of ardent spirits in a colony ; and, stated in these definite words, what is the practical force of the objection? A teetotal colony, rigidly excluding spirits altogether, may or may not be the only means of saving aborigines from the effects of their infatuation for drink ; but the idea is, and will be, Utopian, until the habits of the English race change. The social habits, dress, food, and favourite beverages of emigrants will be the same in the new country as in the old ; and, though the liquors used by the settler prove to be a source of evil to the native, it is only here and there, perhaps, that an individual could be found who would abandon their use — one who would order his whole life with reference to the influence of his acts upon the aborigines. The hard-working emigrants generally could pnt be expected to give up the grateful cordials which they and their forefathers had been accustomed to, because their lot had been cast among a savage people with ungoverned appetites. It is found practically that the habits of the mass of the colonists require that ardent spirits should be offered for sale in all English colonies. These habits are too general and fixed to be altered or much influenced by any legislation. Another fact is established, namely, that, 284 LOSS OF MOTIVES FOR EXERTION. notwithEitandiiig the severest penalties, backed by strong public opinion of the colonists themselves, against furnish- ing Indians with liquor, they obtain as much as they desire, on the simple condition of paying for it. Men are found who will run the risk of conveying spirits to the canoes or houses of the natives. Thus, the question is raised as to the utility of prohibitory laws against the giving, bartering, or selling intoxicating liquors to Indians. Such laws lead to their drinking vile, unwholesome mixtures, without in the least restricting the quantity which they consume. Having stated my views as to the natural work of decay (if I am right) affecting the Indians as races, and as to the destructive agencies consequent upon intercourse with civi- lized men, I will now further remark on the effect thereby produced on the Indians themselves. It is a lamentable spectacle, and I do not wonder that kindly men, who witness the result of such intercourse, are more in the mood for declamation than for observation and argument. The effect is this : — The Indian loses the motives for exertion that he had, and gets no new ones in their place. The harpoon, bow, canoe-chisel, and whatever other simple instruments he may possess, are laid aside, and he no longer seeks praise among his own people for their skilful use. Without inclination or inducement to work, or to ' seek personal distinction,— having given up, and being now averse to his old life, — bewildered and dulled by the new life around him for which he is unfitted, — the unfor- tunate savage becomes more than ever a creature of instinct, and approaches the condition of an animal. He frequently lays aside his blanket and wears coat and trousers, acquires EFFECTS OF DRINK ON THE INDIANS. 285 perhaps a word or two of English, assumes a quickness of speech and gesture which, in him, is unbecoming, and imitates generally the habits and acts of the colonists. The attempt to improve the Indian is most beset with difficulty at this stage of his change from barbarism ; for it is a change not to civilization, but to that abased civili- zation which is, in reality, worse than barbarism itself. He is a vain, idle, ofifensive creature, from whom one turns away with a preference for the thorough savage in his isolated condition. It is during this time of change, immediately after the arrival of intruding settlers, that the aborigines in our colonies are exposed, for the first time, to the temptation of strong drinks. The eflfect upon Indians of an excessive use of the description of ardent spirits which they generally get, is such as no one who has not seen can conceive. The appearance of an Englishman in a state of intoxication gives no idea of the effect of drink upon a savage. It is to him a consuming indulgence, producing madness, rage, and frantic excitement, followed quickly by disease, languor, despair, and death. This lamentable result is hastened by several circumstances. Owing to the operation of prohibitory laws against selling liquors to Indians, the only liquors .vhich they are able to procure are, as above said, of a bad quality; these pernicious mixtures are consumed in excess by men whose minds are crushed and spiritless. Again, the physical constitutions of the drinkers are unused to stimu- lants of any description, and are probably aflfected and weakened, at this time of change^ by an alteration of diet. Further, it has been observed that some unknown circum- i 286 LIABILITY TO DISEASE. stancoB of their habitual contact with a superior people render the bodily system of savages specially subject to disease ; particularly, as it appears, to sexual diseases, when resulting from the cohabitation of civilized men with native women. ( 887 ) CHAPTER XXVni. CONCLUDING CHAPTER. Can Nothing be Done to Save the Native People ?— My View of the Case — The Home Government Primarily Responsible — Practical Sugges- tion as to the Means of Improving Isolated Tribes — Results of Missionary Work hitherto. -»o«- And patience, experience ; and experience, hope. — Romans, Chap. v. The question will now be asked, can nothing be done to prevent or counterbalance the injury to the aboriginal races consequent upon the occupation of their country by English emigrants ? I am afraid that little indeed can be done by goyemments, societies, or individuals, to preserve savages from their seemingly appointed decay, or to improve those tribes which have been most in contact with settlers. It may, however, be possible to benefit isolated bodies of savages by civilized teaching and example, though the improvement may not extend to the prolongation of their national existence. Alas ! that travellers and missionaries have contributed so little solid information towards the solving of this problem. Whether the endeavour is part of the duty of the Crown, or of the Colonial Government, 288 THE HOME GOVERNMENT. or should be left to the spontaneous efforts of benevolent associations, may form a question to some minds. I regard the subject in this way. The Home Government sanctions and encourages the colonization of a new terri- tory. With this sanction, and under the protection of the English flag, a society is formed which, in its first stages, harbours, it must be admitted, an unusual number of eager money-makers, discontented politicians, fugitives from justice, and adventurers of all sorts, needy, unscrupulous, and immoral. This portion of colonial society has an evil influence upon all around it, and, of course, upon the character of any neighbouring Indians. To argue that the Home Government is not in some degree concerned with this, and is not morally bound, either to compel a colonial settlement to some adequate measure of conuteraction, or itself to take the matter in hand, is to say that the parent is neither bound to correct the child, nor can be called upon to repair the mischief arising from his own neglect. I am speaking, of course, of the early stage of a settlement, when it would be possible for the Home Government to interfere effectually on behalf of the aborigines, before the colonists received from the mother country a constitution and inde- pendent power of self-government. In granting constitu- tions to colonies, the Crown should have insisted on provisions as regards the treatment of the natives ; it should have reserved to itself a greater authority than it is now able to exercise, through its colonial governors, in directing the policy of colonial legislatures towards the aborigines. The rule of policy which requires that colonies must work their own way by their own energies, without expecting assistance from the parent country — a rule *' ) THE DUTY OF GOVERNMENT '^m nevolent nds. I ernment 3W terri- m of the t Btages, of eager es from upulous, 18 an evil ipon the ! that the •ned with I colonial action, or e parent led upon I am mt, when interfere colonists ,nd inde- Iconstitu- listed on ives ; it ty than vernors, ards the colonies without a rule open, I think, from a national point of view, to varions objections — is one that cannot, with justice, be strained to comprehend the treatment of the aborigines. The question is not whether colonists shall be assisted to build up their own fortunes, but whether certain conditions of their social state shall, without any mitigation, be allowed to exercise a deadly influence upon their fellow-subjects ; whether they shall not be urged or impelled towards some system of counteraction which shall cancel or compensate for injuries so inflicted upon the native population. Ah already hinted, our best efforts might be futile ; but there would be glory in the trial, and there would be some use in it, too, if it only showed clearly to the public, how far beyond any human capacity are the solemn duties and overwhelming responsibilities of an English statesman. May God raise up men among us for such work, and give them sound minds and the spirit of prayer ! It must further be admitted, as regards Vancouver Island and British Columbia, that, notwithstanding laws for its prevention, a lucrative trade is carried on in. many parts by the sale of spirits to the Indians. The destructive effect of this liquor traffic has been described in the last chapter. It is also the case that, wherever any considerable number of white men are congregated, there seduction, debauchery, and disease become the fate of the native females. Other injuries and discouragements, already alluded to — which, to a certain extent, are unavoid- able — come upon the aborigines, through the occupation of their country by the settlers. Their hunting and fishing places are intruded upon, their social customs disregarded, and their freedom curtailed, by the unwelcome presence, 19 f 890 DISAPPOINTMENT TO BE EXPECTED. and often unmannerly bearing, of those who are stronger than themselves. Admitting the lawfulness of the surplus of over-peopled civilized countries seeking homes, and building homesteads in new and thinly inhabited territory — admitting also their right to acquire property in such territory, in spite of the opposition of savages, who do not adequately occupy the land — it is a reasonable claim — a claim, indeed, of simple justice — that the injury done to the native population, as a whole, should be counter- 1)alanced, not according to the Indians' poor ideas of gifts of food or blankets, but by a wise and paternal action of the Crown, in some practical way, on their behalf. It is unlikely, as already stated, that it would be possible entirely to prevent the evils mentioned. But it is surely incumbent upon those with whom the responsibility primarily rests to strive in every way to mitigate these evils ; in such case, perhaps, though, in spite of these efforts, many Indian communities would be destroyed, others might be bene- fited, and perhaps regenerated. . Much disappointment might be expected as the result of any Governmental action. Still, it is probable that isolated bodies of savages, removed from intercourse with civilization, would to a considerable extent, by their improved condition, repay the care and efforts of the Government. Not being familiar with the existing official machinery of the Colonial Office, and not knowing the actual power of interference on behalf of its uncivilized subjects still remaining to the Crown, I cannot suggest the mode of organising a central authority to direct these efforts ; but for practically carrying out the object, I can say that it would be advisable to choose a position which D. PRAVTIVA L S UQUES TIUXS. 'i\n Btronger B surplus aes, and territory in such 10 do not claim — a done to counter- 3 of gifts action of If. It is L» entirely icumbent rily rests juch case, Indian )e bene- he result )le that irse with Dy their of the g official ving the icivilized suggest ct these it, I can >n which would secure the gradual spread of any good effects which might ensue — say a large native village, at a distance from civilized settlements, and connected by lan^^iiage with a good many neighbouring tribes. Each establishment might consist of about five men, carefully chosen in England, on verified testimonials of their peculiar fitness. They must bo men of courage, energy, temper, and proved morality, and at least two should be acquainted with some trade or occupation, in which they might instruct the Indians — a gardener, for instance, would be a most useful man. The party should be under the command of one as a leader, anng line (the ihead. lilk. . fire. ence any sort inding. -eh'tuck). I, or to set in which), r with, or. Iiole vocabu- ords begin- l these more with Kr »nd it me," dead. eg- basket. eecheik). ar month, the first. \y or by erry. icr. Iress. the eyes. VOCABULARY OF THE AHT LANGUAGE. -.iOl) Kaytmh, small rain. *Kaytshiil, to write. Kayhashiti, to look through or along a thing ; to take a sight. Kayeep, to clean away, to take from one place to another. Kayutl, a long time ago. Keek-quth, submerged. * Keitseh-kaytsah, writing. *Keitselh, paper, letter, book. *Keitset8os, a writing-table. Kannatlah, a wolf (also aahook). Kinnitsmis, a bruise. Kistokkuk, blue. Kittleyn, a crack, a shrink. Kikleenkshiil, to be wrecked, to sink (of a ship). Klah-chonchin, a stranger. Klah-chit-tuhl, to doctor the sick. Klah-hix, a box. Klah-huk-sik, the present genera- tion. Klah-klah-tanym, notch for the fingers at the end of the spear shaft. Klah-klah-iym, a foot (also kleeah- klin), Klah'klah-nakoom, hand. Klah-ohf another, some more. Klah-ooye, now. Klah-haytsoh, a box with lid fitting over the sides. *Klah-klah-pukkah, to hammer a nail. Klah-koh, thank you (also oosh- yuksomayts). Klah-oh-appi, something instead of that (a word used in bartering). * Klah-puhmah, a nail. Klah-quay, to beseech. Klah-oh-quaht, the name of a tribe. Klak-ich-nut, to-day. Klah-ich-tina, young (of few days). Klah-oh-quil, day after to-morrow. Klah-oh-quil-ooye, day before yes- terday. Klakkamxipt, a species of pine tree. KLxkhas, a tree. KUikshitl, spring. Kiuhhupt, grass. Ktihla-lah-kupt-sem, leaf. Klak-she, a parting salutation. Klaihlahenkatoo, the cramp. Klattomupty yew tree. Klayhah-pannich, to go out for n paddle and to see, or to paddle and look about (compare yet- spannicK). Klay-hook, purple. Klayhuk, to paddle, to go by paddling, to go as a steamer. Klayhutshitl, thin. Klayhulk^ Indian matting. Ktayhupper, a small sea fish. Klayohtahunkl, to commit fornica- tion (of a woman). Klayt-klayt-wha, to stride, tu measure by stepping. Klay-uktl, look out ! take care ! Klay-chitl, to shoot with a bow. Klayhmah, large red-headed wood- pecker. Ktaytaawhkf a rat. Kleehua, to laugh. Kleeklaymis, to hunt, to pursue game. Kleekhlayhy-yeh, a marten. Kleeahitl, just before sunrise {kleesook, white). KleeshkUn, a foot. Kleesook, white. Kteetcha, man in the stem of a canoe. Kleetshitl, to steer. Kleetchaik, a rudder. Kleetsuppem, a sail. Kleetsmah, stufi' to sit on in a canoe. Kleehooamia, clouds. T 300 VOCABULARY OF THE AII2 LANGUAGE. *Kleekqtuhin, boots. * Kleeahhluhkaih, trousers. Kleeselh, white blankets. Kleetstoop, blankets {generic). Kketeenek, small cloak or cape. Kleetaimilh, muffled up. Kleetyiky small fish-hook. Kteetseechit, to cover with a hand- kerchief, paper, or other yield- ing substanc?. Kkklemahktlee, a grasshopper. Klennut, a wooden wedge for splitting trees. Kletshitl, to split with a wedge. Klet-kleh-ftan, tortoise. Kliklenaam, a bracelet. Kliklenastim, an anklet. Klik-klik, a hoop. Klilh-mah, firm, firmly knit. Kiimmukkahy to be sleepless. Klimmukihitly or klohksahp, to wake up another. JKlinnika, crooked, having one bend or crook. KUnnik-klinnika, very crooked, having many bends. Kloh'nym, an elk. Kloat-lutl, to forget (also ey-yahk- shitl). Klohseah-how-witl, highest water. Kloochim, mussels. Kloochtsque, mussel shells. Klo-quillsah, name of a mountain. Klookloothlalh, clean (of persons). Kloothlalh, clean (of things). Klohk-pah, warm, hot. Klohpshitly to wash the face. Kloksem, a mast (compare klakkas, a tree, and for the termination, kleetiuppern, a sail). Klooch-hunk, to commit fornication (of a man). Klooch-inkl, just before sunset. Kboch-moop, sister. Kloopiitg, autumn. Klooshah, dry (also klooahook). Klooshistf dry salmon. Kloosmit, a herring. Klootsinnim, board for a paddler to kneel on. Klooshtsoque, thirsty. Kloothlaht, a good workman. Klooth-kloothhik, to adorn. Klootha-oquitl, kind. Klootsmah, married woman. Kloquisutlhl (or mooIquisutUil), a little above low water. *Kly klydskook, bread, flour. Kochtsa, three. Koh-hoo, a black duck. Koh-pilh, to hang, to hang up. Koh-quenapich, the small wood- pecker. Ko-ich-itl, to grow. Ko-mah, the real bearded cod. Kolh, a slave. Kooh, ice. Koquahowsah, a seal. Koo-nah, gold. Kooi-kootah, to beckon with the hand. Kopeik, the forefinger. Kosh-kutSf a pipe. Koquawdtf-athly, proud. Kotowaut, half. Kotsas, the left hand or left side. Koulh, morning, sunrise. Ko-us, a man. Kouts-mahfthe soul; also a shadow, a reflection. Kowik, thievish. Kowilh, to steal. Kowih-tuppa, to open. Kow-wih, the salmon-berry, Kow-weepty salmon-berry bush. *Kow-v}iU, the potato. Kulkah, the little finger. *Kluk-kaik, a key. AQE. ilooahook). r a paddler to )rkinan. lorn. Oman. quisutlhl), a er. Boar. ang up. mall wood' ed cod. VOCABULARY OF THE AHT LAXGUAGE. 301 1 with the left side, a shadow, bush. « give sale or K!uk'8ap, to nnbind, to untie. Klumma, a great wooden figure *Kluppay-uk, scissors. Klyemmi, equivalent to more" (often used in barter). Ko-ishiuy a raven. Kok-koop, a swan. * Kokkumyahklasavm, a pin. Koomits, a skull. * Koquawtselh, a portrait. Kotsik-pooin, Indian pin for blan- kets. *Koquissunna-pyik, corkscrew. Kow-wishimiUi, ninth lunar month, counting November as the first. Kulhin-tupahy strawberries. Kiukeep, a star-fish. Kumatychea, to learn. Knmotop, to understand. Kummetkoo/i, to run. Kusseh, the eyes. Kutcheim, the palate. Kutsquyup (or hy-yus-atyup), to diminish, to make smaller. Ky-yu-men, a panther. Ky-yah-chitl, adrift. Kyen, a crow. Ky-yahtsa, drift, cordage. Lebuxti (or hklimuxti), the heart. Mah, equivalent to" take it," when you wish to hand a person any- thing. Mahkatte, an catal.>le liliaceous root. Mahtsquim, a housefly. Mamakshitl, to fasten the dress or blanket by tying. Mah-mahte, a bird. Mah-pees, a bat. Mahs or mahte, a house, a house- hold, a collection of houses. Maht-mahsy the entire population. Macheelh, houseward, to the house. Macheett, to bite. Mah-mat/ksoh, eldest brother. Mahk, a whale, or porpoise, or large fish caught by the Indians in summer. Mahlh, antlers, horns. Mahptulh, an enemy ; hostile. Mahts-kulch, ugly. Mahquinnik, to buy. Mammathleh, a white man ; any person not an Indian. Mathlook, cold (of the temperature). Maylhi, like, similar. Mayetlhuts, a small boy. Meets in, shade. Mees-sook, to smell (also myshitl), Meet-lah, rain. Afemetuk-mahk, a spider. Milsyeh, a spear shaft. *Mttwha, screw of steamer. *Mookshitl, the hammer of a gun. Moolquisutlhl (or kloquisutlhl), a little above low water. *Mooshu8semayik, a hinge. Mooshusaem, a door, a lid. *Mootsasook, gunpowder. Mooh, four. *Mook-wah, steam, also, or *' yon- wha.'* Moolshitl, flood-tide. Mooshetuppa, to shoot. Moostatte, a bow. Mootsmahuk, a bear skin (probably tlie old word for a bear). Mooxyeh, a stone, a rock. Mowah, to carry. Mowah-ishinnik-sup, to add, to carry to. Muck-koolh, covered with dirt, dirty. :m VOCABULARY' OF THE AHT LANGUAGE. 4 '■ffi i I Much-kulh, dirt. Muchpelsokunhl, bitter. Muk-koolh, blind. Muktoop, string. Mutamis-inkl, to fly u[)ward. Mutshiti, to fly. Mutlah'Sah, to tic or bind together. Mutchim, the common people, as distinguished from men of rank. Mutlshitt, to bind round. *Muthahp, to lock (of a door). *Mutlema-yaoom, the iron hoop of a cask or tub. Mutttyn, string bound round any- thing. Myshitl, to smell (also mees-sook). My-yallii, the principle or personifi- cation of sickness. Na-naah, to beg, to ask for. Nahay (also nahats) give, or to give. Nail- ah, to hear. Nah-ayr-oh, uncle. ^'ah-uktl, to feel. Nah-luch, the stock duck. JVaA-/)ee, light (or moonlight only). Nanetsah, to see. Nas, sun, or day. Nashook, strong. Nashay, or nashetl, or natsoh, or nanetsah, to see. Nach-komuklinkl, to look back. Nay-ye-ee, echo. Nay-aytlik, to illumine. Neetlach, to quarrel, to squabble. Neecheik, a needle (also kah-cheik). Neeputto, thread. Neeuktl, deep laden (of a ship or boat). Neetsah, the nose. Netlah-kahte, a rib. *Nenehktook, peas. Nismah, a country, territory, land. Nitkin, roe of fish. Nisk-shitl, to sneeze. No-hah-shitl, to bury. Noochee, a mountain. Noonook, to sing. Noop, one (also tsow-wauk). Aoop-pooh, six. Noochuk, an egg. Noomaa, twins. Nootimilh, round. Nuoquits, pitch stick, resinous wood. Nooshah, or nooshitl, to make great gifts ; to entertain for the pur- pose of making gifts. Noo-wayhsiih, father. Aj^ yuh-patto, cradle. Ny-yuk-uk, a baby. Nukshitl, to drink. Nuk-amayhamma, I want some water. (The Indian cannot break up this sentence into its com- ponent words or roots, he con- siders it one word.) Oh-kookem, cross piece of the paddle. Oh-puk, calm, describing absence of wind. Oh-hohapem, a cork. Oh-kumha, fine weather (sometimes used for " the sky '' ). OA-oA-Aamti A, seventh lunar month, counting November as the first. * Oh-puxoonlh, a button. Oh-quinnik, a box with double sides. Ohpka, to w! istle. Okahitl, to make water. Oochkamis,c\oxiA&{a\mkleeIu)oamis). Ooquiahstik, equivalent to " let me see," give me time to consider. Ooshoolh, proud, scornful. Ooyalh, to dance (also hooweulh). AGE. wauk). ck, resinous to make great for the i)ur- 8. VOCABULARY OF THE AIIT LANGUAGE. 303 want some cannot break nto its com- K)t8, he con- iece of the ing absence •(sometimes anar month, IS the first. ith double 'ee/iooamis). to " let me consider. 1. ooweulh). Outlohkamilh, sixth lunar month, counting November as the first. Okkufi, what ? Oochkuk, cloud, fog, mist. Ook-you, friend (also oowah'tyn). Oomahhut, a colour. Oomat/ksoh, mother. Oon-nah, bow much ? (Jo-oo-eh, to hunt, to pursue game. Oo-ooshtuk, to work. Oop'Sup, hair. Ooshimitso, to whisper. Ooshyaksomits, an expression of civility, somewhat equivalent to " Thank you." Oosteilh, low down, deej) down, below. Oostepittup, to bring down, to place in a lower position. Ootachitl, to go (also ootsashill). Ootsmupt, a large tree. Ooukthy, to finish. Oowah-tyn, friend. Oowahtsoh, third finger. Oowayup, to begin. Oowayuttah, to precede. Oowhun, at the end. Ooyahkkahs, to relate. Ooyakkamis, news. Ooye, soon, presently, lately. O-uk-ooye, a long time ago. Ootsamo, Ootsequin, Ootaooquetta, Ootsuksemhuk. Words in fre- quent use, but the exact meaning of which I cannot get with cer- tainty. Pah-quin, the skate fish. Pah pay, an ear ; also, the nipple of a gun. Payh-eyk, to praise, to speak well of. Pacheetl, give. * Pah-pahts-ukfl, a loaf. Pat-kook, things, small household pro|ierty. *Pay'ha-yek, a looking-glass. * Pay-pay-huyxm, glass, a window. Pe-pe-sa-ti, to work. Pet-ek-say, the body. Piah-shuft, bad (also ivi/too). Pishaht, bad workman. PiUuk-pihukahl, a stone hammer. Pvoeh, hiilil)ut. Poulteechitl, sleepy. Poh-kleetum, small downy feathers. Pooh-pootsah, a drenin. Potsniia, froth, foam (of the sea, or of a person's mouth). Pow-wel-sheil, to lose, or to be lost. Py-yalh, feathers {eiyalh, wing feathers). Quaht-sook, to walk backwards (yetsook, to walk). * Quas-setsoa, a chair. Quawtlik, come (also Chookwnh ! sometimes both used together). Quawtluk, sea otter. Quisaht, the Indian settlements beyond You-clul-laht. Quaw-te-ik, tired. Quawtlquuchy the elbow. Quawtoquk, devious, winding (of a path or trail). Quayktlah, acid. Queeahta, pointed. Queech-che-is, salutation to a woman. Queel-queel-ha, to pray. Queen-up-shilh, to attract. Quees, snow. Quceskidg, winter. Quequenixo, the arm. Quish-shah, smoke (applied thence to tobacco). Quispah, on the other side. Quit-te-yu, to fit together, to splice. 804 VOCABULARY OF THE AHT LANGUAGE. 'i Quoy-up, to break a stick (ath-aup, to break a rope). Sataope, a description of salmon. Satsope-us, eleventh lunar month, counting November as the first. Sah-ook. a wolf (also kannatlah). Saeemits, a sort of grass or reed. Saain, a humming-bird. Sattoo, fir cone. Sak-sak-api, t« turn over. Seeta, tail of an animal. Seekah, sailing, to sail. Sevmh, we, us. Sewalis, ours. Seyah, I. Seyas, mine (also sei/essah). Sha-a-tyn, head of the salmon- spear. Shaytlook, to change quarters (used of a general move from one fishing or hunting-ground to another). Sheetia, brake-fern root, an article of food. Shoh-shitl, rusted. *Sikkah-ik, a frying-pan. SishummiSy flesh, meat. * Sis-aidskook, rice. Sit-si-tehl, an animal, supposed to be the marmot. Si-yah, far away. Si-yah-yelh-syah, a superlative ex- pression of the same. Soo-a, thou. Soowah, you, ye. Sooaa, thine. Soowaha, yours. Sooquitl, to bring. Sooaah, to swim. Sootcha, five. Soo-widg, the early part of summer ; from tsoowit, salmon. Suah-toop, beast or brute, including all fourfootcd animals. Sinna-mooxyeta, a berry growing on rocks ; probably thus derived — ay{ah), na{tsoh), moox{yeh), yeta (ook). Sloo-ook, roof-boards of a house. *Soo-oolh, a kettle. Such/taha, a cowl. Stimmeta, a squirrel. * Sunday koilh, the church at Ai- bcrni — from " Sunday," and tuk- koilh, " to sit "). Tah-chah, lowest water. * Tah-haytlim, ramrod. Tah-Malidkamilh, eighth lunar month — from November as first month. Tah'hap-e-chauna, by-and-by (also aytl-chauna). Tah-hay-uh, straight. Tah-kokstootl, to tell the truth. Tah-koktl, correct, true, undoubted. Tah-pym, cross stick of the canoe. Tah-tupivin,& spider (also memetuk- mahk). Tuh-mook, a kingfisher. Tahkowin, stone hammer shaped like a dumb bell (also piltuk- pilluksht). Tnhkahitl, to spit. T'thktaque, spittle. Tam-mooh-you, a single knot. Tannah, male infant. Ta-torput-hi, to consider, think over, as in a meeting of the tribe. Tahtache, stomach. Tay-quilh-yik, a chair. Tatti-itskuokquum, the second finger. Tattooa, the stars. Tautneetsin, descendants, posterity. Tayahtaquata, to make a mistake. Tayilh, sick. IGE. VOCABULARY OF THE AIIT LAXGUAGE. MK ate, inclnding als. erry growing ' thus derived ), moox(yeh), of a house. hurch at Al- dav," and tuft- ter. [eighth lunar ember as first y-and-by (also the truth. S undoubted, the canue. ^also memettik- er. mmer shaped (also pilluk- e knot. isider, think g of the tribe. second finger. Dts, posterity. e a mistake. Tay-chitl, to throw (also tayll-taij- yah\ Tay-iah-tishj small hatchet. Tai/toaah, to let fall unintention- ally. Tc/ioo, an exclamation inciting to immediate uction. Tchoo-upitlay, stop, stop working, *Teech, well, convalescent. Tcechilh, alive. Teelhah, bait (for fishing). * Teeinelh-oomah, a towel. * Teena, a file. Teetl-tee-yah, to rub. Telhoop, the cuttle-fish. Telh-toop, fish (the general term). Tennak-mis, mosquitoes. Tennanakshitl, to Y.ur a child. Tepittup, to throw down or bring down {ooatepitup, to bring down). Tiiii-mel-soo, a boll. Tookamis, bark of a tree. Toop-kulh, black blankets. Tvh-muktl, dark. Toh-pelh, the ocean. Tok-poolch, salt. Tohu/i, afraid. Tokseilh, very high wind from the sea. Toksuhquin, an owl. Tuquhamilh, seal-skin. Tow-quos, gills of a fish. Toochee, the east wind. * Too-mees, coal. Toopkoop, black. Toop-shitl, evening. Tooshko, the dark-brown cod. Tootah, thunder. Tsaemupt, oak-wood. Tsaimpts, water-grass. Tsakoomutsj ground soil, earth. Tsa-chu-uk, island (Jsakoomuts and chu-uk, water). Tsapin, a brown-headed diver. Tsa-lsa-lach-tem, the toes. TsamUuth, a wave or billow. TiKmnoolh, bank of a stream or river. Tsaykoomts, the neck. Tmychitlt to throw water. TsetseUuhcnakoom, the fingers. Tgnykents, a small white-markcil duck. Tsay-uh-palli, to wrangle. TseeatUw), to obey. Tseka-tseka, to talk, to talk nuuli. Tseuma, full. Tsayhatte, an arrow. T-sayk-iiii-eii, iron. *Tsaykipk on to nineteen. 20. Tsok-kits. 21. Tsok-kits-ish Tsow-wauk, and so on to twenty-nina. 'JO. Tsok-kits-ish hy-yu. 40. Alley k (i.e. two twenties). 50. Aileyk-ish hy-yu. 60. Kochtseyk. 70. Kochtseyk-ish hy-yu, and so on. 100. Sootcheyk. The same way of counting is continued up to 200. Hy-yu-eyk, ise, to drive derstand. 20—2 mmmmm 808 VOCABULARY OF THE AHT LANGUAGE. List of Aht Tribes on tho Outside Coast of Vanconver Island in 1860, with their Localities and Male Adult Population, the Names being stated in the Order in which the Villages occur going Northward along the Coast. Number. Locality. 1. PachecMht '20 ^ Seaboard, south of Niti- [■ naht Sound, and on the j Nitinaht River. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. LI. 16. I". 18. 19. 20. Nitinaht 400 Ohyaht 176 Howchuklisaht 28 Opechisaht 15 Seshaht 70 You-clul-aht 100 Toquaht 1 1 Klah-oh-quaht 190 Killsmaht 40 Ahousaht 115 Manohsaht 5 Hishquayaht 30 Muchlaht 36 Moouchaht (the so-called Nootkahs) 150 Ayhuttisaht 36 Noochahlaht 26 Ky-yoh-quaht 230 Chaykisaht 32 Klahosaht 14 Barclay, other>vise Niti- naht, Sound. "Elah-oh-quaht Sound. •Nootkah Sound. I North of Nootkah Sound. 1.723 men Names and supposed Ages of Men of one Tribe — the Opechisaht —in 1864. Nauies. A^rcs. 1. ICal-lowe-ish 45 HertJitary chief. 2. Quicheenam 65 Most influential chief. 3. Tee-teech-it A5^ 4. Quassoon 45 I- Important men. 6. Ta-hatchiro 46 J AGE. er Island in tulation, the illages occur ality. uth of Niti- 1, and on the iver. lenvise Niti- d. it Sound. lid. tkah Sound. Opechisaht lief. ial chief. n. VOCABULARY OF THE AHT LANGUAGE. 309 Names. Ages. Son of hereditary chief. Inferior men. 6. Tsin-sick 20 7. Wee-woom-tuck 25 8. Klatsomick 25 9. E-ees-siniap 25 10. Greorgees 25 11. Klay-klay-has 25 12. Too-tooch 30 13. Elash-klookah 45 14. Aytannos 1.5 15. Klap-hytap 60 In this tribe there were nineteen women, ten children (foor boys and six girls), and three slaves (two male, one female). Aht Names of Men and Women, 1860. Men's Names. Women's Names. Ass-cha-ah-mick. A r- wee-ell. Ar-mish-e-nell. Klan-nin-ittle. Kush-e*nishim. Kal-lowe-ish. Ewona. Mannaken. Koo-lal-kut. iCsiias-keh. -• • «cet8. '2': .ss>:on5na. Ewk-zst. Sea-ossum. Seta-kanim. Wick-an-inish. Maquilla. Eleeshin. Quart-soppy. Quisto. Fat !ow. Msh-watts. Estah-skoth-mick. Kleeshin-nell. Wee-woom-tuck-shesh. Elah-miss-a-mah. Eostan. Anah-hammes. Nat-la-nah-his. Hy-you-po-itla. Paonarue-icksa. Jibo. Eqnata. Eah-kuh-hammes. Eloo-yah. Wi tsa-how-a-klim. Soa-wy-you-Eoitla. maBmmsm 310 VOCABULARY OF THE AHT LANGUAGE. Ock-tees. Echachet. Opetset Koabadore. Chay-tann-ob. Chomata. Malset. Omoah. Mackalay. Tenahmah. Sacket-sah. Aht Names of Places. Osmettikus. Sarktees. NeWiTiah-kommes. Nahmint. Mook-a.tee9. Kloo-tus. Keekak, Keekin. Tor-soppel. E-kole. Chce-anno. Aht Names of Berbies. Berries. Generic Name (Huchecmt). 1. Strawberry Knikintapah. 2. Salmon berry Kow-wih. 3. Blackberry (bramble) Kalh-kow-wih. 4. Thimble berry (Rubas Nootkana8).Hoopahlh. 5. Gooseberry Himmik-kahoo. 6. Black currant Hys-shitl. 7. A berry Weelhussem. 8. A berry Hissin (connected with Hissit, " red.") 9. Sal-al berry Yah-mah. 10. Crab-apple Tseetsahahktl. 11. A blackberry growing on rocks...Sinna-mooxyets(il/boxor J^fwxyeA. a " rock ; " yeta or yetsook, •' to walk." dGE. APPENDIX. -•o*- achecmt). with Hissit, V or M)oxyeh. yetiook, "to Note 1. The aborigines of Vancouver Island may be divided generally into three nations — one including the tribes which speak the Quoquoulth, or Fort Rupert language ; another including tlie tribes which speak the Kowitchan, or Thongeith ; and the third those which speak the Aht language. The Komux tribe, wlio live on the east coast of the island, between the Kowitchan and the Quoquoulth tribes, are a distinct people, who are known to have come from British Columbia. The Quoquoulth language prevails on the north and north-east of the island ; the Kowitchan on the east and south ; the Aht language on the west coast of the island, between Pacheen and Nespod (Woody Point). The Kowitchan Q.nd Alit languages, or dialects of them, are also spoken on the southern, or American side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca ; and I believe that the Aht language can be traced through all the tribes on the ocean coast aa far south as the mouth of the ("olumbia River. These three sup- posed aboriginal nations in Vancouver Island — each including many independent neighbouring tribes — are almost as distinct as the nations in Europe. They do not readily understand one an- other's language, and their national customs and institutions are in many respects diflferent. I have selected for description in this book one set of tribes which inhabit the gi-eater pare of the outside coast of Vancouver Island, between Pacheen anc Nespod (Woody Point), and to which I give the name of the Aht tribes, from the circumstance of all the ^ibal names ending in that affix. These tribes have been designated in the island, hitlierto, as tlie " west coast " tribes. They have not been separately described by any former writer ; nor does it appear to have been known that the dillereut tribes of which the Aht nation ,'{12 APPENDIX. n is composed are nationally connected. No mission nor trading post, with the exception of the shoil-lived settlement at Nootkah, in the last century, has ever been established in this part of Vancouver Island. A general name for tliis set of tribes was not easily found. Maht-mahs first suggested itself, as a word used by the Ahts in speaking of the whole population — a word which might be trans- lated " the peoples," or " the settlements ; " but it seemed rather to be a common noun than a proper name. Another word was KUih- oh-quaht, the name of a powerful Aht tribe dwelling in Klah-oh- quaht Sound, by which general appellation some of the natives on the inner side of the island designate those on the west coast. I could not, however, tliink of any more appropriate general name than the Ahts or the Quawteahts, which latter word is mythologically connected with the origin of all the tribes in this nation. I may here remark that I have used in this narrative somewhat different names of places and tribes from tliose adopted by other travellers and by the makers of charts — not in any spirit of oppo- sition, but in the belief that it is of some importance, if only for the sake of record, to determine, while possible, and make use of, the true original native appellations. My corrections are chiefly ortho- graphical — to make the names correspond with the language of the people — and they are not intended to interfere with the estabHshod rule among travellers, by w hich, I believe, the first pubhshed name is considered indisputable, witliout reference to its absolute cor- rectness. jv s Note 2. The Indians regard the English as a large tribe, whose principal village is distant. Their name of King-oeorge men was given to the EngUsh because the first of the English who visited the Alit coast frequently talked of a great chief of that name. For the same reason, another white tribe — the Americans — are called by the Indians Boston-men, oAving to their frequent mention of that great seaport in their own country. The Ahts distinguish an Enghshman from an American as easily as they can point out a Klah-oh-quaht or a Nitinaht among themselves ; and this not by the dress, but, as they described it, by the face, and the way the hair is worn. Owing, I believe, principally to the bad quality of the blankets and other goods offered in trade by American traders, the Americans are to this day regarded by the Ahts as inferior to the British. APPENDIX. 313 ' trading post, Dotkah, in the of Vancouver easily found, the Ahts in 2[ht be ti'ans- led rather to rd was Klah- ;in Klah-oh- e natives on est coast. I eneral name ythologically ve somewhat ied by other irit of oppo- only for the 3 use of, the hiefly ortho- ?uage of the I established ished name )solute cor- principal 18 given to sd the Alit r the same by the that great nglishman i-oh-quaht ss, but, as Owing, and other ns are to Note 3. The natives did not, during five years, invent new names for any of their domesticated animals. Tliey called all of them, except the dog, by one name — tlie Jargon -Cliinook word nwosmoon, which specially means the ox, and is probably connected witli the Walla- walla (in Oregon) word for the buffalo moosmoos-chin. The know- ledge of this word, with a general application of it at first to any large animal, may have come down the Colimibia River from Walla- walla to tlie Chinook district at its mouth, and spread gradually, with the use of the jargon, along the coast to the north, until it reached \^.c west coast of Vancouver Island. I found tliat the dog was known to the Ahts before my arrival, and that they had a name for it ; but they have no knowledge or tradition as to the " woolly Nootkah " dog, which travellers have reported as existing on tliis coast. They call the dog ennitl or annitl, a name which it may not be fanciful to suggest was composed from the Aht word anni, " look," and shitl, an Alit verb terminal, implying " movement" (see the chapter in this book on the " Aht Language "), and was bestowed on the dog on account of its quick sight and rapid movements. The real Cliinook language, distinctly from the Jargon-Chinook, has separate words of its own for animals domesticated by civilized man, e.g. keiitan, horse ; kamux, dog ; piss-piss, cat ; polotax, nog. These words cannot be older than the time of the first travellers or settlers on this portion of the Pacific coast, who brought such animals with them ; but the imitative word moosmoos, in various forms, coming, as it must have come, from the interior of the country, through aboriginal channels to the western shore, may be as old as the first bellowing of the buflfalo heard on the North American continent by man. Having mentioned the Jargon-Cliinook, I may notice a statement made respecting it by Lord Milton and Dr. Cheadle. In a note, page 344, of their pleasant book, The North- West Passage hg Land, they inform the reader that the Chinook- Jargon was invented by the Hudson B£.y Company for use in trading with the Indians. This statement, which I daresay these travellers heard at Victoria, and without examination adopted, is erroneous, as their own good sense might have told them. It would imply that at some solemn " con- vention " of Hudson Bay Company traders and savage chiefs, chosen words were agi'eed upon which, from a stated time, were to be the signs for certain objects and actions, and tliat these words came into general use on the coast, thus exhibiting the philological phenomenon of a language definitely known to have been invented by man. The 314 APPENDIX. truth is, as stated in Chapter XV. of this book, that the Cliinook- Jargon is simply a depravation of the Chinook language— an old lan- guage, which probably is the mother of all the dialects spoken on the coast between the Columbia River and the north of Vancouver Island. This original Chinook language, of which I possess a vocabulary, and which does not, as Dr. Wilson says {Prehistoric Man, vol. ii., p. 429), "baffle all attempts at its mastery," was spoken by the Chinooks and other tribes at the mouth of the Columbia River, and is now almost extinct, owing to the disappearance of the people. It was probably the first native coast language in this quarter tliat was learned by the traders of J. J. Astor, and the North-West Company ; and these, with tlie traders of their successors, the Hudson Bay Company, in trafficking at different points on the coast, would naturally use the native language best known to them — the Chinook — which, it so happened, from the affinity of all the dialects along the coast northwards, would be understood without great diffi- culty by tlie different coast tribes. In the course of time, on the decline of the original Cliinook-speaking tribes, the standard of reference for tlie language would be withdrawn, and dispersion and deterioration would ensue, until finally tlie old language would cease to be spoken, and would be changed and corrupted into the present contemptible lingua Franca. The Newatees, mentioned in many books, are not known on the west coast. Probably the Klah-oh-quahts are meant. Newatee may be a locality in Klah-oh-quaht Sound. The blunders and con- fusion in the statements of the latest writers on the Indians of the north-west coast really alarm any one accustomed to believe the stories of travellers who are supposed to have got their information "on the spot." Error upon error is copied from one book into another. How, indeed, could any one, ignorant of the various languages spoken by the people, merely by sailing, or by knowing somebody who sailed along, say the coast of Galway, in Ireland, be considered to have qualified himself for giving a correct account of all the different inhabitants of the north-west of Europe ? Note 4. Cook's book of Voyages has proved to be the most truthful and sensible book of the sort ever published. The short account he gives of the Alit natives is better than the hearsay statements made about them by subsequent writers, few of whom have ever visited the district. APPENDIX. 315 the Cliiiiook- — an old lan- poken on the ouver Island. I vocabulary, Man, vol. ii., )oken by the a River, and e people. It rter tliat was at Company ; Fludson Bay coast, would » them — the . the dialects it great diffi- bime, on the standard of spersion and would cease > the present lown on the Newatee jrs and con- lians of the believe the information ) book into he various )y knowing reland, be account of Cook does not seem to have known that the west-coast Indians formed a nation, and he probably misnamed the people the " Nootkahs." No Aht Indian of the present day ever heard of such a name tis Nootkah, though most of them recognize tlie other words in Cook's accoimt of their language. The tribes called by Cook the Nootkahs probably were the Muchlahts, Moouchahts, Ayhuttisahts, and Noo- chahlahts, as these tribes have lived for a very long time, according to Indian memory and tradition, at the places Cook visited. The name Nootkah may have originated thus : — The first wliite visitor, on reaching the Sound, probably pointed to the moimtainous shore, and, in addressing the Indians, threw his arm about to indicate tliat he wished to know the name of the whole district ; and the natives, imagining that he referred to the mountains wliich appeared on every side, would answer according to their habit of frequent repe- tition, " Noochee ! Noochee ! " which is the Aht word for mountain. I may remark that this word Nootkah — no word at all — together with an imaginary word, ColmnHan, denoting a supposed original North American race — is absurdly used to denote all the tribes which inhabit the Rocky Mountains and the western coast of North America, from California inclusively to the regions inhabited by the Esquimaux. In tliis great tract there are more tribes, differing totally in language and customs, than in any other portion of the American continent ; and surely a better general name for them could be found than this meaningless and misapplied term Nootkah Columbian. Note 5. The Aht substitute for soap formerly was that with which English sailors, on long voyages, clean their duck trousers. Nay, in troth, I talk but coarsely, But I hold it comfortable for the understanding. Beaumont and Fletcher. id sensible ves of the )out them le district. Note 6. The personal modesty of the Aht women — particularly when they are young — is greater than that of the men, who, it must be said, are often careless in the disposition of tlieir only covering — the blanket. The women wear a shift, or some such thing, under their blanket, and seem anxious, generally, to cover their nakedness. wmmm m 11 in i "^^^1 V I ■ 1 '. i ■M li 316 APPENDIX. Note 7. I HAVE no special knowledge of aboriginal lingual districts outside of Vancouver Island ; but the numerals of the foUowing five lan- guages, of the nortli-west of America, which, it will be seen, include the Kowitchan, show that the languages are closely related : — Kouitchan or Thongeith : South-east and part of east of Van- couver Island. Squawmish : Neighbourhood of the mouth of the Fraser River in British Colimibia. Douglas, Lytton : Names of English towns in British Columbia. I do not know the Indian names of the districts, but the language spoken there resembles the Squawmish, and exhibits instances of change to be discovered in the language, as we advance up the Fraser and its tributary, the Harrison. Shewshtvap : Is spoken in a large tract of in] sad country lying between the Fraser and the Columbia. There may be observed a slight but significant similarity between some of the Aht numerals and those of these five districts. Two branches of the British Columbian Indian languages — the Carrier and the Tshimpsean — seem quite distinct from each other and from the rest. Note 8. From a careful observation of the arts among the Aht natives, I am tolerably certain that no other materials than bone and shell were required by them for making their tools and weapons, up to the time when iron was brought amongst them, say, within the last 150 years. They used bone tools and bone fishing and hunting instruments long after they had a knowledge of iron — as lately, indeed, as a few years ago ; and, at the present time, the mussel-shell adze, used in canoe- making, is preferred to one of any other material, and to the best English and American cliisels. In felling large cedar-trees, and in other work, until the natives got the admirable American wood- man's axe, they found thair bone chisels more useful than any small- handled instrument of stone or iron, as the bone tool had the requisite toughness, bluntness, and penetrating power for working cedar-wood for their purposes. At the same time, it should be stated, the Ahts had a few stone and copper (the latter not smelted or moulded) instruments, when first visited by Cook — and probably earlier ; and ground stone cliisels can be found amongst them at the present day. 'lets outside Qg five lan- leen, include ted:— ast of Van- raser River h Columbia, he language instances of p the Fraser ountry lying rity between ts. iguages — the 1 each other atives, I am d shell were ) to the time 3t 150 years, uments long a few years 3d in canoe- to the best r-trees, and irican wood- 1 any small- he requisite ceclar-wood d, the Ahts r moulded) arlier; and )resent day. APPENDIX 317 But I think that these stone instruments could never have been in general use on the Alit coast, as the Indians never describe their utility, but produce old bone insti'uments for every purpose on being asked what they used before they had iron. I have little doubt thnt most of tliese tools, like the carved stone pipes found among several of the tribes, were obtained in trade, or as curiosities by the Ahts from the Indians inhabiting the coast of the mahiland farther north, who, though perhaps originally, or anciently, a bone-using people, have been forced, by the comparative scarcity of cedar in their district, to make many stone instruments for cutting harder trees. The northern Indians, who are an entirely different people from the ^Vlits, possess, in tlieir district, a soft blue slate, and are now sldlfid workers in stone : they have stone weapons nnd instruments remarkably well shaped and polished ; but, at the same time, these northern Indians are fiercer and more uncivi- lized than even the Vancouver Ahts. What, tlien, is tlio value of the quality of stone implements as a test of civilization? The numerous tribes of the gi'eat Tshimpsean nation are as thoroughly uncivilized as men can be : they are removed, apparently, but little from mere animal existence, tliough their boldness, their stature and bearing prevent them from being gens de pi tie. Nevertlieless, their skill in worldng stone is gi'eater than that shown in the existing specimens of the supposed highest stone age : it is, indeed, remark- able, as any one who has seen shop-windows in Victoria filled with their carvings can testify. 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