Skip to content

Chapter I: Preface

Text size

The excuse for this book is that it is the first attempt to depict the life or ethnology of the maze of Indian tribes on Puget Sound, and it is believed, will be found not wholly uninteresting. It has been the aim to attain as nearly the facts in every instance as possible which in any way lead to a proper understanding of the natives of the country as they were found by the first whites to arrive. Mika mam-ook mika tum-tum de-late wa-wa. Ko-pet mika ip-soot halo mika tum-tum ko-pa o-coke. De-late wa-wa mika tum-tum, nan-ich Sahg-a-lie Tyee; my heart speaks truthful and I hide nothing I know concerning the things of which I speak. My talk is truthful as God sees me.

From the old pioneer and the more intelligent native have all the material facts been drawn, and as these opportunities will not endure for many years longer it is the belief and hope that this work will find an enduring place in the home and public libraries.

For material aid in the compilation of the historical and pictorial matter of this work the author is indebted to Samuel F. Coombs, one of the few pioneers who has a genuine interest in the preservation of the life and habits and traditions of the aboriginees; H. A. Smith, of Smith’s cove; Rev. Myron Eels for valuable information and assistance, touching the Skokomish Indians; Edward Morse, son of Eldridge Morse, than whom, probably none have a truer insight into the mysteries of early Indian life on the Sound; E. H. Brown, and to W. S. Phillips, F. Leather and Raphael Coombs, artists.

SEATTLE, December 14, 1895.

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I

A bit of history 1

CHAPTER II

Fifty-four forty or fight 4

CHAPTER III

Pioneers of the forties 6

CHAPTER IV

Siwash characteristics 10

CHAPTER V

The Flathead group 13

CHAPTER VI

The Chinook la lang 15

CHAPTER VII

Traditions of Vancouver’s appearance 17

CHAPTER VIII

The Old-Man-House tribe 19

CHAPTER IX

The Twana or Skokomish tribe 33

CHAPTER X

Do-Ka-Batl, a great spirit 46

CHAPTER XI

Their game of sing-gamble 51

CHAPTER XII

Twana Thunderbird 53

CHAPTER XIII

Superstition their religion 57

CHAPTER XIV

Their daily existence 62

CHAPTER XV

Legend of the first frog 69

CHAPTER XVI

Another man in the moon 71

CHAPTER XVII

S’Beow and his grandmother 72

CHAPTER XVIII

The demon Skana 74

CHAPTER XIX

The fall of Snoqualm 75

CHAPTER XX

Legend of the Stick-pan 77

CHAPTER XXI

The magic blanket 79

CHAPTER XXII

Legend of Flathead origin 81

CHAPTER XXIII

Legend of the first flood 82

CHAPTER XXIV

Origin of the sun and moon 83

CHAPTER XXV

Skobia the skunk 84

CHAPTER XXVI

The extinct Shilshoh tribe 86

CHAPTER XXVII

Quinaiults and Quillayutes 90

CHAPTER XXVIII

Tradition of a great Indian battle 99

CHAPTER XXIX

Sealth and allied tribes 102

CHAPTER XXX

The Makah tribe 115

CHAPTER XXXI

Footprints of unknown travelers 122

CHAPTER XXXII

Some neighborly tribes 124

CHAPTER XXXIII

Totemism and superstitions 132

CHAPTER XXXIV

Mythology and native history 139

CHAPTER XXXV

Yalth and the butterfly 142

CHAPTER XXXVI

Potlatch and Devil dance 145

CHAPTER XXXVII

The T’Klinkits and Aleuts 148

CHAPTER XXXVIII

The Indian and the south wind 156

CHAPTER XXXIX

Pleasure and profit in the marsh 159

CHAPTER XL

Indians in the hop fields 162

CHAPTER XLI

Legend of the crucifixion 166

Comments

Log in to leave a comment.