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diff --git a/6596.txt b/6596.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ae98ebf --- /dev/null +++ b/6596.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3410 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Official report of the exploration of the +Queen Charlotte Islands for the government of British Columbia, by Newton H. Chittenden + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Official report of the exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the government of British Columbia + +Author: Newton H. Chittenden + +Posting Date: June 5, 2012 [EBook #6596] +Release Date: September, 2004 +First Posted: December 30, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EXPLORATION OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISL *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks, Arno Peters +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. This file +was produced from images generously made available by the +Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. + + + + + + + + + + + +OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE EXPLORATION + +OF THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS + +FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA + +BY + +NEWTON H CHITTENDEN + + + + +_Hon. Wm. Smithe, + + Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, + + of the Province of British Columbia: + + +Sir: + +I have the honor to submit herewith my report of +the exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands, made +under your direction, for the Government of British +Columbia. + + +Very Respectfully, + + Your Obedient Servant, + + Newton H. Chittenden. + +Victoria, B.C., Nov., 1884._ + + + + +Geographical Position and Extent. + +The Queen Charlotte Islands, the extreme north-western lands of +British Columbia, lie in the Pacific Ocean, between fifty-one and +fifty-five degrees of north latitude. They comprise over 150 islands, +and islets, their length being 156 miles, and greatest width fifty-two +miles. Provost, Moresby Graham and North Islands, extending +north-westerly in the order mentioned, twelve, seventy-two, +sixty-seven and five miles respectively, constitute over eighty per +cent, of their entire area. Dixon Entrance on the north, with an +average width of thirty-three miles, separates Graham Island from the +Prince of Wales group of Alaska. Queen Charlotte Sound, from thirty to +eighty miles in width, lies between them and the mainland of the +Province. The nearest land is Stephen's Island, thirty-five miles east +of Rose Spit Point, the extreme north-eastern part of Graham Island, +and also of the whole group. Cape St. James, their most southern +point, is one hundred and fifty miles northwest of Cape Scott, the +northernmost land of Vancouver Island. + + * * * * * + +Discovery and Exploration, + +The Queen Charlotte Islands were first discovered by Juan Perez, a +Spanish navigator, on the 18th of July, 1774, and named by him, Cabo +De St. Margarita, and their highest mountains, Sierra de San +Cristoval. + +La Perouse coasted along their shores in 1786, and first determined +their entire separation from the mainland. In 1787, Captain Dixon +sailed off and on their north-west shores, with his vessel, the Queen +Charlotte, naming the group, also North Island, Cloak Bay, Parry +Passage, Hippa Island, Rennell Sound, Cape St. James, and Ibbitson's +Sound, now known as Houston Stewart Channel. The first white men known +to have landed upon the islands, were a portion of the crew of the +_Iphigenia_, under command of Captain William Douglass, who remained +about a week in Parry Passage in 1788, trading with the natives. The +most extensive explorations made of any portion of the islands, by +those early navigators, whose voyages for purposes of discovery, trade +and adventure, extended into these northern seas, were those of +Captain Etienne Marchand in the French ship _Solide_, who in 1791, +examined the shores bordering on Parry Passage, and also about twenty +miles of the west coast of Graham Island, from near Frederick Island +southward. Since that date, although several parties of prospectors +and others have visited various parts of the islands, no systematic +effort has hitherto been made for the exploration of the entire group. + +Under the direction of the Dominion Government, the waters and shores +of the north and east coast of the islands including those of Massett +Inlet and Sound, Naden Harbor and Skidegate Inlet, have been partially +examined, and mapped with considerable accuracy; but almost the entire +west coast, so far as the number, extent and character of its numerous +indentations are concerned, has hitherto remained a _terra +incognita_. Judge James G. Swan, who, under the direction of the +U. S. Government, visited the islands in 1883, and voyaged in a canoe +from Massett to Skidegate, gave in a lecture before the Provincial +Legislature of British Columbia, the first public confirmation of the +entrances to the inlets and harbors on the west coast of Graham +Island, approximately, as reported by Captain Marchand. + + * * * * * + +General Physical Features + +High steep mountains, dense and almost unbroken forests, islands and +islets in great number and water-ways most wonderful, extend for a +thousand miles along this north-west coast "Only mountains, forests +and water," replied an Indian, of whom I made inquiries concerning +this region. The Queen Charlotte Islands, in common with all those +lying off the north-west coast of the continent, are evidently the +mountain tops of a submerged land, separated from it by a mighty +volcanic upheaval followed by the sinking of the earth's surface, and +the inflowing of the waters of the ocean, forming the most remarkable +labyrinth of inlets, sounds, straits, channels and passages on the +face of the globe. A continuous range of mountains from 600 to 5,000 +feet in height, extends the entire length of the islands nearest their +western coast, reaching their maximum elevations on Moresby Island, +between Darwin Sound, and the head of Cumshewa Inlet. These are +clothed with an evergreen forest of spruce, hemlock and cedar from +near their summits down to the coast, with the exception of the +comparatively small areas, as hereafter specified. The shores of the +islands from Cumshewa Inlet southward to Cape St. James, and from +thence northward around the west and north coast to Massett, are +uniformly rock-bound, containing however, many stretches of fine, +sandy, or gravelly beaches. From Massett to Dead Tree Point, Moresby +Island, a distance by the coast line of about seventy-five miles, a +magnificent broad beach of white sand, extends the greater portion of +the way. The shores of Naden Harbor and Skidegate Inlet and channel +are also generally low and sandy. With the exception of the north and +eastern portion of Graham Island, the base of the mountains reaching +down to the sea, with only occasional narrow benches and gradual +foot-hill slopes. The highest elevations on the immediate coast, from +North Island east and southward to Cumshewa Inlet, Klas-kwun Point, +Tow Hill and Cape Ball of Moresby Island, do not exceed four hundred +feet. From thence to Cape St. James, there are several bold, rocky +bluffs, from three to eight hundred feet in height, but along the west +side of Moresby Island, between Henry Bay and Gold Harbor, the +mountains present, for considerable distances, an almost perpendicular +front of from one to two-thousand five hundred feet in height, and in +many places the mountains bordering the inlets to the northward, are +almost equally high and precipitous. + + * * * * * + +Passages, Inlets and Channels. + +The principal islands of the group, as mentioned, are separated by +narrow water-ways, admitting the passage of the largest ships through +them, with the exception of the narrows of Skidegate Channel and +Inlet, navigable only for small vessels at flood tide. These are Parry +Passage, between North and Graham Islands, a mile-and-a-half in width, +and two miles-and-a-half in length, Skidegate Inlet and Channel +separating Graham from Moresby Island, together thirty-five miles in +length, and from 250 feet to seven miles in width, and Stewart Houston +Channel twelve miles long, with an average breadth of a mile +and-a-half, between Moresby and Provost Island. We also found a short +canoe passage between the latter island and Cape St. James. Besides +these sea channels extending across the group, there are twenty inlets +from three to fifteen miles in depth, generally running in an easterly +and westerly direction, and reaching to the base of the high mountains +described. These numerous inlets, with the bays therein embraced, +leave but a skeleton land of Moresby Island and the south-western +portion of Graham. Massett Inlet, the deepest indentation in the +archipelago, penetrates the latter island for eighteen miles, and then +expands into an open sea nearly twenty miles in length and over six +miles in width. + + * * * * * + +Bays, Harbors and Sounds. + +The waters surrounding these islands embrace numerous bays, harbors +and sounds, of which Cloak Bay, North Island, Virago Sound, Naden and +Massett Harbors of Graham Island, Darwin and Juan Perez Sounds, +Laskeek, Sedgwick, Henry and Robson Bays, Gold Harbor of Moresby +Island, Cartwright and Rennell Sounds, and the excellent harbors +afforded by Kio-Kath-li, Skaloo, Athlow, and Seal Inlets on the west +coast of Graham are the most important. There are no harbors, except +for small boats, between Massett and Skidegate Inlets by the east +coast. + + * * * * * + +Islands. + +Of the great number of islands and islets contained in the archipelago +the largest and most important except those mentioned are, Louise, +Lyell, Barnaby, Tal-un Kwan, Tanoo, Ramsay, Murchison, Kun-ga, Faraday +and Huxley Islands, all lying off the east coast of Moresby; Maud and +South Islands in Skidegate Inlet; Cub, Edward Kwa-kans, Wat-hoo-us and +Multoos of Masset Inlet and Sound; Frederick and Nesto on the west +coast of Graham and Chathl island between the entrance waters of +Skidegate Channel and the canoe passage connecting therewith. Of these +named Lyell and Louise islands, the largest, are about 15 miles in +length and from five to ten miles in width. Barnaby, Talun-Kwan, Tanoo +and Cub islands are each from eight to ten miles long. The others are +much smaller--from two to three miles in length. + +All of the largest except Cub Island are mountainous, and forest +covered down to their shores. Hot Spring island, situated between +Ramsay and Faraday, though small, deserves mention as containing a +spring of very hot water, slightly impregnated with sulphur and salts. + + * * * * * + +Rivers. + +There are hundreds of streams upon the islands, from ten to +twenty-five miles in length, and from fifteen to one hundred and fifty +feet in width. The Ya-koun River, the largest, rises in Ya-koun Lake, +and flowing northward empties into Massett Harbor, twenty-six miles +south of Massett. It affords uninterrupted navigation for canoes about +a mile and-a-half, and beyond to its source, by means of small +dug-outs and numerous portages. The Naden River, rising in Eden Lake, +and discharging into the head of Naden Harbor, is next in size. It is +broader and deeper than the Ya-koun, navigable for canoes between two +and-a-half and three miles, but is only about ten miles in length. The +river Tlell emptying into Queen Charlotte Sound twenty-five miles +north of Skidegate Inlet, is the principal stream discharging on the +outer coast of the island. Canoes can ascend it two or three miles at +high tide. The Ain River, of Massett Harbor, Jalun of the north coast, +Slate Chuck and Dena of Skidegate Inlet, Skidegate Chuck of Moresby +Island, are among the other more important streams. All of these, and +many others of lesser size, flowing into the numerous inlets, are the +resort of salmon in great numbers. Upon the banks of the Ya-koun, +Naden and Ain Rivers, the natives have obtained their choicest +specimens of red cedar for their canoes, carved poles, and house +building. Numerous bear, and marten traps, in the last stages of +decay, were found upon them. They are generally filled with logs to +near their mouth, with rapids and shoals in their upper courses. Their +waters are clear and good, with the exception of those flowing from +the northern and eastern portions of Graham Island. + + * * * * * + +Lakes. + +Soo-o-uns or Clifford Lake, the source of the Ain River, is so far as +known, the largest body of inland water upon the islands, being from +eight to ten miles in length, and from two to three miles in +width. Yakoun, Eden and Awan Lakes, the sources of the rivers bearing +their respective names are next in size. + + * * * * * + +Climate. + +The climate of the islands, being under the influence of the warm +Japan current, is much milder than upon the coast of the mainland +opposite. I found vegetation more advanced at Massett, and all along +the northern and eastern shores of the islands in April, than at Port +Simpson. It is rarely severely cold, and then only a few days at a +time. Snow falls, according to elevation, from one to five feet in +depth, and remains upon the mountain tops until late in summer, and in +a few deep gorges on their northern slopes throughout the year. It not +infrequently reaches down to the coast, but then generally disappears +in a short time. The temperature is equable, the extreme heat of +summer seldom exceeding seventy-five degrees, Fahrenheit. During the +months of April, May and June, the thermometer ranged from forty deg., +at 5 A.M., to about sixty-five deg., in the middle of the day. I kept +no record later than June, having loaned my instrument to a vessel, +whose barometer had become useless. The annual rainfall varies +according to local topography, from forty-five inches to seventy-five +inches, the west coast, especially at the heads of the inlets, +receiving much the largest amount, and the north and eastern portions +of Graham Island the minimum. There were about fifty-five, clear days +in the months of June, July and August of the past season, which I was +informed was about an average one in that respect. Throughout the +winter months the sky is almost continuously overcast, one rain +storm--frequently accompanied, especially on the west coast, by +violent gales--succeeding another, with but few and short intervals of +clear weather. The winds are very changeable, those from the north +being the most prevalent and reliable. + + * * * * * + +Soil. + +A light sandy soil, generally prevails over all the islands, except +those large areas covered by rocky mountains. The best lands lie +mainly at the heads of inlets and mouths of the larger streams. There +are occasional tracts of swampy lands containing a deep soft fibrous +deposit resembling peat. A clayey subsoil was seen in a few places +near Cape Ball on the east coast of Graham island. + + * * * * * + +Agricultural and Grazing Lands. + +There are about fifteen thousand acres of clear land upon the islands +on and near the coast including river tide meadows. The largest tracts +lie on the north and east side of Graham Island as more specifically +located in Progress Report Nos. 1 and 3. The mountains embrace +probably twenty thousand acres of open, timberless lands producing +considerable pasture. The grasses of the coast, with the exception on +some meadows, are generally coarse and thin. Graham Island will +support a few hundred cattle, by cutting all its meadows for winter +feeding. The grazing of the interior is very limited, owing to the +density of the forest growth, its numerous swamps, and almost +impassable deadfalls. + + * * * * * + +Forest Growth. + +The forest growth is very dense, and composed chiefly of spruce, +hemlock, red and yellow cedar. I have measured several spruce trees, +and also red cedars from thirty to thirty-three feet in circumference, +the finest specimens having been found on Skidegate and Massett +Inlets. With the exception of those localities, I have seen no place +upon the islands, where the available quantity of these woods is +sufficient to warrant the erection of mills for their manufacture for +exportation. There are fine specimens of yellow cedar of very +scattering growth, and several bodies of considerable size on the +borders of the interior lakes of Graham and Moresby Islands, as +hereafter more specifically described in Progress Report No. 2. Its +utilization is of doubtful practibility, on account of its distance +from navigable water, and the obstructions of the streams flowing +therein. There is an occasional alder bottom, hemlock is quite common, +bull pine is found in a few localities, and yew, dog-wood and +crab-apple occur upon all the islands. There is a dense undergrowth of +salal, whortle, salmon, raspberry and other bushes, and shrubs. + + * * * * * + +Wild Animals. + +Black bear, land otter, marten, weasel and mice, are so far as known, +the only native animals upon the islands. Deer and rabbit have been +placed upon Graham Island, by Alexander McKenzie Esq., of Massett, and +the latter by Rev. Mr. Robinson upon Bare Island in Skidegate +Inlet. The Indians report having seen a species of Caribou, on the +northwest part of Graham Island. + + * * * * * + +Birds. + +The birds of the Queen Charlotte Islands are, eagles, ravens, crows, +hawks, owls, black-birds, blue-jays, humming birds, wrens, swallows +and bats, of the same kind found in other parts of this region. + + * * * * * + +Resources--Fish, Etc. + +The waters surrounding the Queen Charlotte Islands, abound with the +most valuable varieties of fish found in this region. Hallibut are +caught in unlimited quantities, upon banks near all the Indian +villages; small salmon of excellent quality frequent nearly all the +larger streams in the spring, and a much larger, though inferior kind +in the fall of the year. I have seen fine silver salmon at the mouth +of the Ya-koun River, but it is doubtful whether they, or any other +marketable salmon, frequent these waters in great numbers. Immense +schools of dog-fish feed on the shoals off the north and eastern +shores of the islands, herring of good size and excellent quality +visit Skidegate and other inlets in such great quantities that their +spawn forms an important article of diet with the natives. Flat-fish, +rock-cod, salmon and brook-trout, clams and mussels are plentiful. + + * * * * * + +Black Cod. + +Called by the Hydahs, Skil, and known on other parts of the coast as +Pollock and Coal-fish, are caught off the west coast of the +islands. They have been prized hitherto for their oil, which the +natives have extracted, by boiling them in wooden tanks, with heated +stones. Samples obtained by Hon. James G. Swan in 1883, and by +Messrs. McGregor and Combes during the present season, have been +pronounced so excellent by competent judges, that the establishment of +a fishery for their utilization, would seem to be practicable, +providing that they can be taken in sufficient quantities. Messrs. +McGregor and Combes caught 110 in three hours, about two miles +from shore, opposite Gold Harbor, Moresby Island, fishing from +a canoe manned by three Indians, with two kelp lines, 250 fathoms +in length, with 60 native hooks upon each, baited with halibut. +The fish dressed weight on an average six pounds each, the largest +being thirty-three inches in length. They are easily cured with +salt and keep well. It is believed that a good steam schooner of +about 100 tons register, provided with Colombia River boats of the +largest size, manned by practical cod fishermen, will be best adapted +for catching these fish in marketable quantities. There are good +harbors of easy access, within ten or fifteen miles off the fishing +grounds, all along the west coast. + + * * * * * + +Minerals--Gold, Etc. + +Gold was discovered at the head of Gold, or Mitchell Harbor on the +west coast of Moresby Island in 1852, by an Indian, since known as +Captain Gold, and about $5,000 taken out by the Hudson Bay Company, +when the vein (quartz) pinched out. Parties of prospectors have +examined the locality since, but have not found any further +deposits. Colors of gold have been washed out from the sands on the +east and north shores of Graham Island. + + * * * * * + +Coal. + +Numerous veins of coal have been previously discovered on Moresby and +Graham Islands, the most important of which are the anthracite deposits +situated on the Skidegate Inlet, and described under the head of "The +Cowgits Coal Mine" in progress report No. 4. There are outcroppings of +coal in several other places on and near the shores of this inlet, +viz: on its south side, nearly opposite the Cowgits seams, on Alliford +Bay, and on the north side about half a mile from the Indian village +of Skidegate. These coals are of a bituminous character, but the veins +exposed are only a few inches in thickness. + +Beds of lignite formation lie on the north side of Graham Island +between Tow Hill and Chown Point, on the Yakoun and Mamin rivers of +Massett Inlet, on Lignite Brook and Naden Harbor and on the west coast +near the sea otter hunters' camp of Tledoo. Coal has also been found +at the head of Skaloo Inlet. + +The Indians have brought in specimens of bituminous coal said to have +been obtained upon a stream discharging into Cumshewa Inlet, and they +also report having seen a seam near Ninstints. Messrs Knight, Williams +and Allen, practical coal miners of Nanaimo, prospected the islands +for coal during the past summer, but made no locations. + + * * * * * + +Copper. + +Copper bearing rocks, and veins occur in several localities on the +east coast of Moresby Island, and shafts have been sunk into them at +Copper Bay and opposite Copper Island and abandoned. The examination +of these deposits is briefly mentioned in progress report No. 2. + + * * * * * + +Productions, Cereals and Vegetables. + +Oats are the only cereal which has been successfully grown in the +islands. + +Potatoes, turnips, cabbages, peas, and garden vegetables generally, +with the exception of Indian corn tomatoes and melons are raised. + + * * * * * + +Fruits. + +Crab-apples, red, blue and black whortleberries, Scotch, salal, salmon +and strawberries are very abundant. Cranberries were found on the +north and east side of Graham Island. A few black currants and +gooseberries were also seen. Apple and pear trees grow well, but bear +an inferior fruit which seldom ripens. + + * * * * * + +Inhabitants--Physical Characteristics. + +These islands are inhabited by about 800 Hydah Indians, a very +remarkable race of people. The most common type of the adult unmixed +Hydah is about five feet, seven inches in height, thick-set, +large-boned, with fairly regular broad features, coal-black hair and +eyes, and a bronze complexion. They have generally--both men and +women--finely developed breasts and fore-arms, caused by their almost +daily use of the canoe paddle from infancy. A few have well-formed +legs, though the greater number are defective in this respect, +resulting from much sitting, or rather squatting in their, canoes, in +and around their lodges, with but comparatively little walking. Their +feet are so short, broad and thick through the instep, that shoes are +made by the manufacturer, expressly for them. Some of the young men +wear a moustache, and a scanty beard is occasionally seen upon the +face of the old men, though both generally eradicate such hair as it +grows. Only the women and medicine men permit the hair of the head to +grow long. They walk with a springy light tread and agile step, +though I easily outran a young Indian of Massett, who matched himself +against me. Some of them are very strong in the arms, an Indian of +Skidegate beating me at "tug of war." Many are expert swimmers, +sometimes diving from their canoes into the rough sea, and bringing +out wounded seal which have sunk to the bottom. One of my men +performed such a feat, springing from the top of a great rock, where +the ocean was breaking. They are intelligent and quick to learn from +observation. + +There are, probably, more well formed and featured people among the +Hydas than any other aboriginal race, though there are none which can +be considered handsome; indeed I have never seen an Indian beauty, nor +an adult Indian woman of graceful movement. Black hair and eyes, white +teeth and occasionally a rich olive complexion are their chief +attractions. The Indian ages rapidly and are shorter lived than the +whites. They suffer most from pulmonary and venereal diseases, the +faces of many being scarred by the latter in its worst forms. Small +pox has also destroyed them by the hundreds. + + * * * * * + +Dress--Ornaments. Etc. + +The Hydas have so far adopted the dress of the whites, that with the +exception of blankets--still much worn by both sexes at their homes, +and dancing suits--their original costumes are now seldom seen. The +blanket has been substituted for the sea-otter cloak, trousers and +dresses for the breech cloth, and leather undergarments by woven ones. +The men wear hats, but the women very rarely; a handkerchief or shawl +being their most common head covering. Some of the elderly women, +however, wear large hats of the Chinese pattern, braided by them from +the roots of the spruce tree. The women are very fond of bright, +striking colors; though many exhibit considerable taste by the +selection of dark shades, suited to their complexion. The men are +quite as much inclined to over-dress as the women, when they have the +means. On one of the hottest days of summer, I saw an Indian parading +through the village of Skidegate, dressed in a full suit of black, +including a _heavy beaver Ulster_. Both men and women generally go +with barefeet, except when engaged in some occupation away from home, +which exposes them to injury. + +Nearly all the adults are tattooed upon the arms and legs, many upon +the breasts, and occasionally one upon the face. The designs usually +represent tribal and family crests and totem. The practice is being +gradually discontinued. The face is generally painted for dances, by +the women when mourning, and frequently by both sexes when travelling, +to protect it from the effects of the sun and wind, Vermillion, the +fungus of trees, burnt and ground, common charcoal, deer tallow, and +spruce gum are used for this purpose. Labrets--pieces of wood, bone or +shell, from 1.5 to 2.5 inches in length--are worn by a few old +females, but this hideous, monstrosity is now never found upon the +young women. Many of the middle-aged, however, pierce the centre of +the lower lip and insert a small silver tube, which projects about a +quarter of an inch. Both sexes perforate the septum of the nose for +rings, but I have only seen two worn by the Hydas, and these were +silver. The medicine men, while performing their dances, sometimes +insert a semi-circular bone from eight to ten inches in length. They +are very fond of ornaments, which are used in profusion, especially +upon their dance and ceremonial dresses and robes, and by the females +upon their persons. I saw a woman at Skidegate with sixteen silver +rings upon her hands, and two or three heavy silver bracelets are +quite commonly worn. Feathers, mother-of-pearl buttons, puffin bills, +abalone, dentalum and other shells, silver pieces, and deer toes, are +among their favorite articles of adornment. + + * * * * * + +Manners and Customs. + +The Indian generally, is an ill-mannered brute, who steals into your +presence without warning, handles whatever he sees without permission, +smokes if you allow it, and seldom, especially if a middle-aged or old +woman, leaves you without begging a potlatch. He exhibits very little +deferential respect for his superiors, seldom expresses gratitude for +favors, and more rarely does them without expecting compensation. At +their homes, however, there is much to be commended in their conduct. +There they are generally quiet and peaceable, converse in low tones, +and treat their children with kindness. There is a noticeable +difference in favor of the deportment of those Hydas of Massett and +Skidegate who have come under the influence of missionary training. + + * * * * * + +Domestic Relations. + +The Hydas generally enter the marriage state in early youth, the +females frequently between the ages of fourteen and sixteen. Matches +are often arranged by the parents before the children are old enough +to choose for themselves. In such cases when of suitable age, the +young man and woman begin to live together without other ceremony than +a mutual agreement and understanding between them and their relatives, +and the bestowal of presents and dowry upon the bride. When the +parties make their own selections, which is now oftenest done, and the +young man falls in love, he tells his mother, who goes to the mother +of his sweetheart, (ka-ta-dha,) and makes a declaration of her son's +affection for and desire to marry the girl. If the proposal is +favorably received, the parents and friends of the groom assemble at +an appointed time at the house of the bride's parents, where, all +sitting around the fire, the good qualities of the young man are +praised by his friends to the father of the girl. She is present, +also, and if satisfied after listening to all the gracious words in +favor of her intended, she rises from her place, goes and sits down +beside her lover, and taking his hand in hers the ceremony is +complete. Among those Hydas who profess Christianity, marriage is +solemnized by a ceremony, at which a missionary or Justice of the +Peace officiates, the same as among the whites, and other unions are +not regarded as binding. Polygamy was formerly much practised, +especially by the chiefs, who took young women for their wives as +often as they desired them, but none of the natives, so far as my +obervation extended, now have more than one wife. Married women are +generally well treated, and instead of being mere menial servants as +frequently represented, they oftener carry the purse than the men, and +have an equal voice in the management of family affairs. Indeed, the +only domestic unpleasantness which I witnessed were cases of young +wives vigorously asserting authority over the "old man." The marriage +relation has, however, undergone a radical change since so many +females, from their own earnings, not only bring most of the money +into the household, but frequently support the men in idleness. + + * * * * * + +Slavery. + +Slavery has existed among the Hydas, as with the other native races, +from the earliest times. Until a comparatively recent period they were +always at war with some of the coast tribes, and, being generally +victorious, made many captives, whom they held in bondage, usually +attached to the household of the conquering chief, who became their +absolute owner and master, even to ordering their sacrifice, which has +occurred on many occasions. A slave, (elaidi), was formerly valued at +from one hundred and fifty to two hundred blankets, but now, though +there are still a number upon the island, they are no longer bought +and sold, but enjoy unrestrained freedom. Many prefer to remain with +or near their former masters and render service for food and +protection--especially men--rather than return to their native +villages and endure the disgrace and taunts for having been overcome +in battle. Several white men have been captured and held as slaves by +the Hydas within the last thirty years. + + * * * * * + +Potlatches. + +This custom of distributing property prevails more or less among all +the northwestern tribes. The potlatch is usually preceded by a feast, +also provided by the donor. They are never prompted by a spirit of +unselfish generosity, but are given as a means of acquiring popularity +and influence, for the compensation of labor performed, in +satisfaction for injuries done, and sometimes as a means of +revenge. The greatest potlatches are given by the chiefs, either for +the purpose of obtaining or retaining the chieftaincy. On such +occasions the feasts are sometimes prolonged for days, and hundreds of +blankets distributed. Whenever a great house or carved pole is +erected, there is a feast and potlatch for all who assist in the +work. They are also held on occasions of tattooing, when females +arrive at maturity, and as a part of the funeral ceremony. In most +instances a record is kept of the property dispensed, and an +equivalent, if not already received, is expected at some future +potlatch. + + * * * * * + +Dancing and Masquerading. + +The Hydas are fond of dancing, and display great ingenuity in devising +many grotesque and fanciful costumes for wearing upon such +occasions. Every beast, bird and fish almost of which they have any +knowledge, is represented in some form--the heads of bear, seal and +other animals are worn upon their heads, and also hideous masks, with +moving eyes and lips The costly _na-xin_, or blanket, woven from the +wool of the mountain goat, is thrown over the shoulder; curiously +carved rattles are held in their hands, whistles imitating owls, wild +geese, loons, eagles and other animals, are blown, drums are beaten; +castanets--small hoops upon which numerous puffin beaks are +suspended--shaken, birds' down is scattered until it fills the air and +covers the performers, who, with a swinging, slouchy movement, dance +for an hour at a time, rattling, whistling, singing and grunting. +There are reception dances--_Skaga_ and _Hi-ate_--house-building +dances--_Skadul_, the _Kata-ka-gun_ dance when the house is completed, +and the _Skarut_ dance, preceding a distribution of property--and also +on occasions of tattooing and death. The latter is performed by a +single man, naked with the exception of a breech-cloth, wearing a +hideous mask on his head. He runs at large through the village, and +simulating an infuriated wild beast, seizes dogs, tears them in +pieces, and eats the raw flesh. Nearly all these dances have been +abandoned at Massett and Skidegate, but most of them are still +practiced in those villages not yet reached by the missionaries. + + * * * * * + +Totems and Crests. + +There are five separate totems or crests among these people, +established, apparently, to avoid too close blood relationships. +These are _Koot_, (eagle), _Kooji_, (wolf), _Kit-si-naka_, (crow), and +_Sxa-nu-xa_, (black bear and fin-whale united). The several tribes are +supposed to have been originally about equally divided under these +different totems. Marriage between those of the same totem is +forbidden, and the system is perpetuated by the children adopting the +totem or crest of the mother. + + * * * * * + +Religion. + +The Hydas, with the exception of those who have embraced the Christian +faith, have no forms of religious worship, and I am informed by +Rev. Mr Harrison, missionary at Massett, and probably the best +authority upon the subject, that there is no word in their language +which signifies the praise or adoration of a Supreme Being. They +believe in a Great Spirit, a future life, and in the transmigration of +souls. Their God, (Sha-nung-et-lag-e-das), possesses chiefly the +attributes of power, and is invoked to help them attain their +desires. Their Devil, (Het-gwa-lan-a), corresponds with the devil of +common belief, a demon who in various forms brings upon them evil and +destruction. + + * * * * * + +Morals. + +The moral degradation of these people is so great that they seem to be +nearly destitute of any sense of wrong-doing, while committing the +grossest social sins imaginable. There is every reason to believe that +before they came in contact with the whites, that they were much given +to licentious practices. Many of their legends and traditions are +filled with vulgarities too great for translation. But with the +opportunities afforded after the influx of whites into their country +for obtaining money by the prostitution of their females, this +practice has prevailed until many of the present generation of young +Indian women seem to regard this mode of serving their kindred as +their legitimate end. Almost incredible as it may appear, fathers and +mothers become procurers for their own daughters, brothers for +sisters, and, in some instances, husbands for their wives. Soon after +my arrival at Skidegate, a Hyda young man called at my cabin to see if +I would not take a rather comely Indian girl, about twenty years of +age, who accompanied him, to live with me, and neither seemed in the +slightest degree embarrassed, either in making the proposition or when +it was declined. Immodesty of speech or action in public places, +however, is rare, even among those women who change their _man_ so +often as it suits their caprice or convenience. Both the married and +unmarried have apparently not neglected their opportunities to improve +upon the native stock by the introduction of foreign blood. There are +Russian, English, Canadian, American, Chinese and Negro Hydas; Hydas +with fiery red hair, tow heads, blue eyes, and all complexions from +black to pale white. Many of these homeless half-breeds are farmed out +with relatives, by their mothers, when single, thus leaving them free +to go and come without incumbrance. Barrenness, disease and early +death are the fruits of such promiscuous intercourse, to such an +extent that their utter extinction from these causes is inevitable, +unless they are speedily removed. Their only hope of long surviving +lies in the careful training of the young children by the +missionaries. The habits and associations of the adults are too strong +to be much affected by their labors. + + * * * * * + +Legends and Traditions. + +The mind of the Indian is full of weird strange fancies and +imaginations. Groping in darkness, in almost total ignorance of the +discoveries of science, with nothing to guide or correct him, it is no +wonder that in his blind struggles to solve the great problems which +are more or less a mystery to us all--the origin of man and original +creations--that he has wrought out the incongruous mixture of +ignorance, superstition and vulgar imagination which mainly compose +their legends and traditions. Some of them are doubtless based upon +actual occurrences in the remote ages, which they have interwoven with +their own fancies; others upon the exploits and experiences of their +ancestors; though the greater number are pure fictions, fairy tales +and hobgoblin stories, handed down from generation to generation. It +would require a large volume to contain them all, and years to +translate them with accuracy. I can therefore only give a few examples +from those most frequently narrated, which I had from the lips of +Edensaw, the oldest and ranking Chief of the Hydah nation, and +Goo'd-nai-u-uns, wife of Goo-gul, well known as a gifted relator of +their legends and traditions. Ne-kil-stlas is their great creative +geni, who, by transforming himself into men, women, children, beasts, +birds and fishes, or whatever thing is best suited to accomplish his +designs, performs the most miraculous deeds. Ne-kil-stlas is known +also as Kill-sing-ne-kee-uns, Goya-ta-get-ya, Goy-kilt, Guoy-ne, +kill-gee-sklass, Hoya, and by other names, according to the shape +which he assumes. + + * * * * * + +The Creation of Man. + +When the water which once covered the whole earth subsided, a raven +(Ne-kil-stlas) was the only creature surviving. In his loneliness he +started around the islands, seeking companionship, and when passing +Sand Spit Point heard very faint cries, which he soon discovered +proceeded from a cockle shell lying upon the beach. While examining it +with great wonder, the voices grew louder and loader, until finally +there issued therefrom several male [Footnote: As related by others +only one infant, and a female, was found in the cockle shell, whom, +marrying Ne-kil-etlas, became the great father of the Indian race.] +infant children, which rapidly increasing in stature joined him in a +common search for mates. Upon reaching the lonely island of Ninstints +they found females clinging helplessly to the rocks, whom rescuing and +taking for their wives, peopled the land. + + * * * * * + +Origin of Light--The Sun, Moon and Stars. + +Ne-kil-stlas, soon discovering that light, fresh water, and many other +things which the people most needed were in possession of a powerful +chief called Setlin-ki-jash, and jealously guarded by him, resolved to +obtain them. Now this chief's daughter had a little babe, which, when +they all slept, Ne-kil-stlas killed, and taking the place of the +infant was fondly petted and cared for. When he found where the chief +kept the moon, he began to cry to see it, and continued so to do for a +long time, and until they opened the door into the apartment where the +moon was concealed, which seeing, Ne-kil-stlas instantly became a +raven and seizing it with his bill flew away to the Naas country. Here +the Indians gathered about him and begged to see the moon, of which +they had heard. Ne-kil-stlas agreed to let them see it if they would +give him all the oolachan fish which he desired, to which consenting, +he threw down the moon before them, which they in their wild delight +tossed so high in the air that it broke in pieces, and formed one part +the sun, another the moon, and the small fragments the stars. + + * * * * * + +Carvings. + +The Hydas are distinguished for their superior skill, above that +possessed by any other aboriginal people on the continent, in carving +and mechanical arts and contrivances generally. Besides their great +columns, from 30 to 75 feet in height, covered with figures from top +to bottom, nearly every article used by them is carved to represent +either their totem crests, or some animal, bird or fish familiar to +their sight. House-posts, canoe-heads, stone axes, mauls and mortars, +fish-hooks and floats, seal-killing clubs, boxes of all kinds, cooking +and eating utensils, trays, spoons, ladles, medicine charms, masks, +rattles, whistles, gambling sticks, towes, and other articles, too +numerous to mention, are all carved. Their designs are often +grotesque, many evidently purposely so, and their workmanship commonly +rude compared with that of our best white carvers; yet their skill in +so curiously and accurately shaping some things, considering their few +and inferior tools and semi-savage state, is quite remarkable. +Desiring to possess some small article of Hyda manufacture, I gave a +young Indian jeweler a two-and-a-half dollar gold piece at 9 o'clock +in the morning with instructions to make from it an eagle. Before 1 +o'clock the same day he brought me the bird so well made that not many +jewelers could improve upon it. + + * * * * * + +Food Supplies. + +The Hydas live chiefly upon fish, though of late years they consume +also considerable quantities of other supplies, especially flour, +rice, sugar, coffee, crackers, &c., purchased from the traders. Of +fish, halibut and salmon, dried and smoked, are mainly depended on, +though many other varieties are eaten in their season--herring, +flounder, trout, rock cod, true cod, clams, mussels, &c. Pollock, +called by the Hydas skill, are caught off the west coast, principally +for their oil, which is extracted by boiling them in large wooden +tanks by means of heated stones. Dried herring spawn, salmon roe, sea +and birds' eggs, chitons and octopus are favorite articles of +diet. Berries and crabapples are gathered in large quantities and +eaten both fresh and dried, frequently mixed with oolachan grease, +their choicest condiment, obtained from the Nass Indians. Potatoes, +generally of an inferior size, are raised, chiefly by the old +women. Many wild roots, bulbs and plants are also eaten: the lily, +_epilobium_, _heracleum_, &c. Bear, wild geese, duck, and grouse also +contribute to their food supply, although the present generation of +Hydas are not very successful hunters, seldom penetrating far inland +in search of game. + + * * * * * + +Hyda Villages. + +There are seven inhabited, and fifteen deserted villages upon the +islands, which will be briefly noticed in the order reached in +circumnavigating the archipelago from North Island, proceeding +eastward. They are situated upon the immediate shore, the houses +generally standing in a row facing to the south or east, with from one +to three tall carved poles in front. Kah-oh and Ki-oos-ta, both in +ruins, the former containing six houses and ten poles, and the latter +fifteen houses and eighteen poles, are situated near each other on the +south shore of Parry Passage, on Moresby Island. On the north side of +the Passage, on the south end of North Island, opposite Lucy Island, +lies Tadense, with its six small houses--still occupied by hunters and +fishermen during the summer--and one lonely carved pole. On the rocky, +exposed shore, just east of Klas-kwun Point, stands the three houses +and one carved pole comprising the village known at Yatze. It is now +only the occasional stopping place of parties of Indians en route to +and from the west coast. Its builders formerly occupied deserted Kung, +very pleasantly situated on the west shore, at the entrance to Naden +Harbor. Fifteen houses, all in ruins but two, and twenty poles, are +all that remain visible here, except numerous graves of the dead. +There are three villages near the entrance to Massett Inlet: +Yan--abandoned--with 20 houses and 25 carved poles, on the west side, +and Utte-was--now Massett--and Ka-Yung, situated about a mile below, +on the east. Massett is the principal village of the Hyda nation, now +containing a population of about three hundred and fifty Indians, 40 +occupied houses, 50 carved poles, and the ruins of many ancient +lodges. The Hudson Bay Company have had a Trading Post here since +1855, Mr. Alexander McKenzie having been their agent for the last six +years. He is the extreme north-western resident white man on the soil +of the Dominion of Canada. The Episcopal Church of England established +a mission at Massett in 1877, now under the excellent charge of +Rev. Chas. Harrison and wife. At Ka-Yung we found only the ruins of a +few houses and carved poles; also at the mouth of the Hiellen, where +there was formerly a considerable village. A still larger one is said +to have stood at the base of Rose Spit Point, called by the Indians +Ne-coon, and another between this point and Cape Ball, on the the east +coast of Graham Island, the remains of which may still be seen. + +We have now reached Skidegate, an imposing village, finely situated, +on the north shore of Skidegate Inlet, eight or ten miles from its +eastern entrance. It contains 30 houses and 55 carved poles. A +Methodist Mission, Church, and School building occupies a prominent +site in the back-ground. The village of Gold Harbour is situated upon +Maud Island, three miles further up the inlet. Its people, now +numbering 108, removed from Gold Harbour, on the west coast, a few +years ago. Here are 13 houses and 18 carved poles. Cumahewa, situated +on the north shore of the inlet of that name, contains 60 people, 18 +houses and 25 carved poles, and Skedance, on the opposite, only 12 +Indians, but 25 houses and 30 carved poles. Tanoo, or Laskeek, on +Tanoo Island, is next reached. It is second in population to Massett, +containing 150 natives, 20 houses and 25 carved poles. There is only +one more Hyda village to the southward, Ninstints, with 30 +inhabitants, 20 houses, 25 carved poles, and 20 burial columns, +occupying a rock-bound islet lying off the south-west coast of Moresby +Island, near the western entrance to Houston Stewart Channel. There +are five other villages on the west coast of the islands, all +abandoned, and most of them in ruins. Tasso, on Tasso Harbour, Gold +Harbour, between Gold Harbour and Skidegate Channel, picturesque +Chathl, on Canoe Passage, near its western entrance, Lenna-how, on +Graham Island, opposite Nesto Island, Tiahn on Tiahn Cove, between +Stowe Harbour and Frederick Island, and Susk, on Graham, opposite the +latter. There are, besides these villages named, numerous houses and +temporary lodges, from one to seven in a place, situated at the mouths +of the principal salmon streams, near potato gardens, and convenient +to choice hunting and fishing grounds. + + * * * * * + +PROGRESS REPORT NUMBER ONE, + + +SKIDEGATE, Queen Charlotte Islands, May, 1884. + +_Hon. Wm. Smithe, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works of the +Province of British Columbia:_--SIR--I arrived at Masset on the 18th +of April, and on the following day, pursuant to agreement, commenced +the exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands. I was highly pleased +with the first glimpses of Hyda land, its pleasant sloping shores and +long stretches of splendid beaches being in marked contrast to the +forbidding, rock-bound coast which had extended for hundreds of miles +along our northward course. + +MASSETT INLET + +Is a magnificent body of water, about twenty-seven miles in length, +from one to one-and-a-half miles in width, for eighteen miles, then +widening to over eighteen miles, being sufficiently deep for vessels +drawing twelve feet of water. There is fifteen feet of water on the +bar at low tide, and safe anchorage immediately inside, except during +north-westers, when perfect protection could be secured by running +down the inlet. + +I desired first to make a reconnoisance of the entire island, +penetrate all its rivers, inlets and waterways, that I might thereby +be better able to determine which portion should receive the greater +share of my attention. For this purpose I proceeded to the mouth of +the Ya-koun River, about twenty-six miles south of Massett, and from +thence examined the shores systematically northward along the east +side of Massett Inlet to Massett, thence eastward following the north +shore to Rose Spit, and from thence southward to Skidegate, penetrating +the rivers, inlets and inland as indicated by the red lines on the +accompanying map. A brief description of the topography of this shore +line and of its water courses and bordering country will assist in +locating the lands and other resources hereafter noticed. First in the +order reached is a small stream, not down on the chart, flowing into a +little bay about four miles north of the mouth of the Ya-koun +River. From having found on its bank a cedar twenty-four feet in +circumference, I named it Cedar Creek. It is not to exceed fifteen feet +in width and filled with fallen trees its entire length. + +CANOE PASSAGE, + +Navigable for canoes at high tide, is about eight miles in length, and +from 150 to 200 feet in width. Passing through it at half tide with an +average sized canoe, we were compelled to wade and drag it over a +mile. Flowing into it from the east is a little stream, unnamed, and +not shown on the chart, which, from having seen numerous grouse +thereon and for convenience, I have called Grouse Creek. It is only +about twenty-five feet wide and full of fallen trees. About a mile +above the northern entrance to Canoe Passage we reached a considerably +larger stream, named Nedo Creek. It is about fifty feet wide at its +mouth, but obstructed with log jams almost down to the inlet. Next +comes a small creek, called by my Indian guide Ka-la-pu-tant-la; then, +Watoon Creek, which is about sixty feet in width, but full of dead +fallen trees from near its mouth up. + +This brings us to the largest indentation on the east shore of Massett +Inlet, about one mile and three-quarters in depth inland, not named on +the chart, but called by the Indians Del-kat-lay Inlet. It is situated +about three and a half miles south of Massett. The eastern shores of +Massett Inlet are uniformly low, sandy and forest-covered, though for +several miles south from Watoon Creek, they are from fifteen to fifty +feet in height, with small burnt openings on their summits. Following +eastward along the north shore of the island, + +SKOONAN RIVER + +Is the first stream crossed. It is misnamed on the chart Chown +Brooke. Chown is the name of the point lying just to the westward, +which is more prominent than shown on the chart. This river is about +forty feet wide, but not navigable, owing to log obstructions. An +inlet extends westward from near its mouth about two miles at high +tide. + +TOW HILL, + +A bold, rocky, perpendicular cliff, rising to the height of about 300 +feet immediately on the sea shore, eight miles eastward, is the most +prominent landmark on the north part of the island. It is visible in +fair weather twenty-five miles at sea and guides the navigator +approaching the harbors of the north coast. The Hi-ellen River, larger +than any yet mentioned, except the Ya-koun, flows into the sea just +east of Tow Hill. This is also obstructed from within half mile of its +mouth up by log jams. + +ROSE SPIT, + +The extreme north-eastern land of the island, is more extensive than +indicated by the chart. Mr. Maynard, the photographer, who accompanied +my Indian guide in a canoe around it, while I was engaged in examining +the country inland, says that they were thrown with great force on the +spit by a heavy breaker more than three miles off the extreme point of +land of the peninsula, which split and would doubtless have sunk the +canoe, had we not taken the precaution to strengthen it with ribs +before leaving Massett. The north shore of the island is generally +low, Chown and Yakan Points and Tow Hill being its only elevations +exceeding fifteen or twenty feet. Between them are long stretches of +very fine beaches, sandy, wide and gradually sloping. + +There are no harbors, though canoes and small boats take refuge in +stormy weather at the mouths of the rivers already mentioned. A thick +growth of spruce and cedar generally reaches down to the sea +shore. About seven miles south of Rose Spit Point there is a lagoon +three or four miles in length, which we have named Long Lagoon. The +Hoy-kund-la River, not mentioned on the charts, about two rods in +width, and choked with the usual obstructions, was passed, ten miles +further south. Three brooks, from ten to fifteen feet in width, were +crossed between it and + +TLELL RIVER. + +This stream, about thirty miles north of Skidegate, is the most +important water-course on the island, east of Massett Inlet. It is +from seventy-five to 150 feet in width, and navigable at high tide for +about three miles. South of Tlell River there are several small +brooks, but no rivers as far as Skidegate Inlet. + +There are no harbors on the east coast of Graham Island, and only +canoes and small vessels could find refuge in its small bay +indentations in stormy weather. Shoals extend nearly its whole length, +upon which many rocky reefs are visible at low tide. Mr. McGregor, of +the Skidegate Oil Co., says that their small steamer struck a rock at +least three and a half miles off this coast. Mr. Maynard also reports +that our canoe hit a rock over a mile from shore, when near the mouth +of Tlell River. The general elevation of the eastern is much higher +than that of the northern shore of the island, rising to bold sand +bluffs from 50 to 250 feet in height for the greater portion of the +distance between the Hoy-kund-la and Tlell Rivers. + +Having thus briefly outlined the most prominent physical features of +the section traversed, I will return to the point of departure on +Massett Inlet, and notice its + +AGRICULTURAL, GRAZING AND TIMBER LANDS. + +Of strictly agricultural lands, the quantity found is quite +limited. At the mouth of Cedar Creek there are about twenty acres of +overflowed land which could easily be reclaimed by dyking. Along Canoe +Passage there is a considerably larger tract of tide-land, probably +150 acres, which from two to three feet of levee would protect from +overflow. Proceeding northward there is no open country until +Deleatlay* is reached, where there are about 900 acres of level land, +about one-half of which is subject to overflow at high tides. This +produces an abundant growth of meadow grass. It is situated about two +miles southeast of the village of Massett. Passing over to the north +coast there is a strip of grazing land from fifty to ten rods in +width, narrowing as it is followed eastward, which extends from the +village named, unbroken, for five or six miles along the immediate +seashore. It produces a coarse sea blade bunch grass and affords +considerable grazing. This tract comprises about 1,000 acres, most of +which is of too uneven surface to admit of cultivation with the plow. + +On the inlet extending from Skoonan River westward, there are about +seventy-five acres of tide-lands which could be reclaimed by a short, +inexpensive dyke. Near Yakan Point, to the eastward, there are about +twenty acres of level meadow land, with a small patch adjoining, where +the Indians have raised potatoes. In the meadow I found cranberry +vines, upon which last season's fruit was still hanging. About one +mile south-west of Tow Hill and half a mile from the sea shore, with +timber intervening, there is a marsh containing about 200 acres, which +could probably be drained and converted into good grass land. Here I +also found cranberry vines in a flourishing condition and their +fruit. Three or four miles back from the coast at this point, lies a +tract of several hundred acres of swamp grass land, which by drainage, +would afford considerable pasturage. A narrow strip of grazing land, +from five to fifteen rods in width, extends for about three miles +along the seashore, eastward from near the mouth of the Hi-ellen +River. Five or six miles south-west of Rose Spit peninsula, I found a +hay marsh of probably 150 acres. + +Rose Spit peninsula embraces from 1200 to 1500 acres of rolling +grazing land, portions of which are suited to agriculture. Immediately +to the eastward of Long Lagoon there are about 200 acres of meadow +land, a portion of which is quite low and wet. To the south and +westward lies an irreclaimable swamp, covering from five to seven +thousand acres, filled with dead trees, standing. + +South of the Hoya-kund-la River, and near the seashore, there is about +250 acres of grazing land, interspersed with groves of small +spruce. From the mouth of Tlell River, south and westward, there is a +considerable body of grazing land, estimated at two thousand acres. It +produces, besides the usual coarse sand grasses, a nutritious wild pea +vine. + +THE SOIL + +Is uniformly sandy and of too recent formation to be much enriched by +decomposition. It varies but little in quality, there being no +alluvial deposits, owing to the flat character of the eastern portion +of the island. There is no sub-soil, except in a few localities, sand +and gravel extending down to the rock layers. As far as I penetrated +the interior, the roots of the fallen trees exposed only sand, +sea-washed stones and shells. Clay was observed at one or two points, +for a short distance between Hoya-kund-la and Tlell Rivers, also a +formation resembling peat. + +TIMBER LANDS. + +A forest of spruce, hemlock, cedar and cypress covers probably +nine-tenths of the surface of the island. While in the aggregate, it +embraces large quantities of merchantable timber, a comparatively +small portion is available for lumbering operations. This is due to +the scattering growth of the best trees, and also to their location +upon streams either too small to float logs or blockaded by fallen +trees. I am speaking, of course, only of that section of the island so +far examined. There are very fine specimens of spruce and cedar upon +all the streams mentioned flowing into Massett inlet. Spruce is much +the most common, and is found in bodies of sufficient extent to +warrant its manufacture into lumber on the shores of Canoe Passage, +Grouse, Nedo and Watoon creeks. Some of the trees seen were from five +to seven feet in diameter and of great height. + +The cedar was found chiefly on the banks of the streams and borders of +marshes and swamps. In following up the rivers and creeks, especially +those flowing into Massett Inlet, I almost invariably found Indian +trails, evidently made for getting out canoe logs, and poles for +carving their tribal and family emblems. These trails, upon which +considerable labor had been expended at the crossing of ravines and +marshy places, extended only a short distance, seldom exceeding two +miles, branching off here and there to the base of great cedars from +which they had selected a choice section, and rough-hewn before +dragging out. + +The surface of the timber lands was generally covered from five to ten +feet in depth with fallen trees, in all stages of decay, moss-grown, +and half concealed by a thick growth of salal and salmonberry +bushes. All of the streams which I followed up to their source, led +into almost impassable swamps, through which progress at the rate of a +mile an hour was difficult. Along the north and east shores of Graham +Island, I saw but little timber of sufficient size and in bodies large +enough to warrant the erection of a saw mill. The smallness and +obstruction of the streams and the absence of harbors, renders its +profitable utilization difficult. There is but little of the yellow +cedar or cypress growing in the forest now described. + +Scattering trees were seen at various points, especially along Massett +Inlet, but no valuable tracts of it were found. It grows more upon +the higher lands at the eastern base of the mountains on the western +portion of the island. Besides the forest trees mentioned, there are +occasional small bodies of alder, yew and crabapple trees seen, the +latter bearing considerable fruit. + +Of plants, the strawberry grows everywhere upon the open lands, +producing small fruit of fine quality in moderate abundance. + +HALIBUT AND SALMON + +Abound in the waters traversed. I was surprised to find the Indians +catching the former in Massett Inlet. Nedo and Watoon creeks, Skoonan, +Hi-ellen and Tlell Rivers are all salmon streams, with fishing +stations at their mouths. + +TROUT + +Are also found in all these streams and in the other creeks and brooks +mentioned. Shell fish, clams, round and long, though not abundant on +that part of the coast examined, may be obtained at several points +thereon with but little difficulty. + +GAME + +Of some kinds abounds, especially geese, ducks and grouse. Black bear +are numerous, their fresh tracks being frequently seen. There are no +deer or rabbits, except those which have been brought to the island by +Mr. McKenzie and others, which are reported to be increasing. No +wolves or beasts of prey have ever been seen. There are no snakes, nor +turtles, and very few frogs. Mosquitoes have not been troublesome, but +are more numerous during the summer months. + +THE WATER SUPPLY + +So abundant, owing to the swamps filled with decaying trees, through +which it flows, is generally highly colored, and though perhaps not +unwholesome, is not very palatable. There are, however, exceptional +streams, especially at Skidegate, which, having their sources in the +hills, are clear and pure. There is, of course, no difficulty in +obtaining an abundant supply of rain water, which is much used for +drinking purposes at Massett. + +It not being my purpose to elaborate upon the various resources of the +island in this hasty sketch, but simply to indicate, as requested, the +general results of my examination of that portion thus far traversed, +the foregoing is respectfully submitted. + +Your obedient servant, + +NEWTON H. CHITTENDEN. + + * * * * * + +PROGRESS REPORT NUMBER TWO, + + +SKIDEGATE, Queen Charlotte Islands, June, 1884. + +_Hon. Wm. Smithe, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works of the +Province of British Columbia:_--SIR--On the 5th of May, having secured +the services of two Hyda Indians, one a native of Ninstints, the +extreme southern village of the Hyda nation, familiar with the shores +of the southern portion of Moresby, and also of Provost Island, and +the other of Gold Harbor, well acquainted with the northwestern coast +of Moresby Island, I proceeded from Skidegate by canoe southward, +circumnavigating the islands above mentioned, and also crossing them +from shore to shore at two different points, and penetrating inland +sufficiently far in several other places to determine the general +character of the section of country under examination. Our route was +via Sand Spit Point, Copper Bay, the villages of Cumshewa and +Skedance, Cumshewa Inlet, Louise Island, Selwyn Inlet, Talunkwan +Island, Dana Inlet, Logan Inlet, Tanoo Island, the village of Tanoo or +Laskeek, Bichardson Inlet, Darwin Sound, De La Beche Inlet, Hutton +Inlet, Werner Bay, Huxley Island, Barnaby Island, Scudder Point, +Granite Point, Skincuttle Inlet, Deluge Point, Collison Bay, Carpenter +Bay and Forsyth Point, all on the east side of Moresby Island; thence +across Houston Stewart Channel, around Provost Island, entering +Provost and Luxana Bays and Seal Cove, rounding Cape St. James, and +then along the west coast, northward, via the village of Ninstints, +Henry and Robson Inlets, Grand View Inlet, Tassoo and Gold Harbors, to +the southern or Canoe Passage of Skidegate Channel, through which, +touching at the abandoned village of Cha-atl, we returned to +Skidegate, the round trip of about 325 miles having been made in +twenty-three days. + +GENERAL PHYSICAL FEATURES. + +Steep and often precipitous mountains, ranging in elevation from 800 +to 4000 feet above the sea, rugged and rocky on their western slopes, +densely covered with forests of spruce, hemlock and red cedar, extend +from Skidegate to Cape St. James, and from Queen Charlotte Sound to +the ocean, over all the islands, so far as my observation extended, +except the comparatively small tracts as hereafter described. The +small diameter of the islands south of Skidegate Channel leaves but +little room at any point for an interior beyond the range of the human +eye, when standing upon the summits of the highest mountains, after +having traversed their shores. The latter are uniformly rock-bound, +frequently bluff or precipitous for from 25 to 1500 feet, with +generally very limited borders of level country, the base of the steep +mountains reaching down to the sea, with but narrow foothill slopes. +There are occasional short stretches of fine sandy beaches, especially +on the bays and inlets. The streams flowing from the short water-sheds +are small, but numerous, and without exception filled with fallen +trees from near their mouth up. Their waters are generally rapid, +clear and good. Trout are found in most of them, and a small, very +excellent salmon is caught in considerable numbers in several of the +largest. + +The rivers which I followed to their sources, rise in lakes and small +swampy mountain basins. There are many good harbours for small boats, +and several which afford perfect security at all times for large +vessels on the eastern shores of the islands traversed. Of these, +Copper Bay, Gray Bay, Laskeek Bay, Crescent Inlet, Sedgwick Bay, +Werner Bay, Island Bay, George Bay, Collison Bay, Carpenter Bay, +Provost Bay, Luxana Bay, and Seal Cove are the most important. On the +west shore of the islands, though the harbor advantages are much more +limited in number, they are believed to afford safe anchoring grounds +for sloops and vessels of considerable size during the severest storms +from any quarter. Henry and Bobson Inlets, Tasso and Gold Harbors, +from twenty-five to thirty miles apart, are the largest and best +harbors on this coast. There is, I judge, sufficient water at their +entrances to admit deep-draught vessels. + +Besides these waters, there are several indentations, greater than +shown on the charts, and others not marked thereon, where small boats +may find shelter. Among the latter, Grand View Inlet, so named from +the magnificent scenery surrounding it, situated about eight miles +south of Tasso Harbor, is one of the securest retreats for small boats +I have ever seen. When opposite the entrance, the rocky shore seemed +to offer no landing place unless the storm should suddenly +abate. Unexpectedly my Indian guides turned directly toward land, and +ran through a narrow rock-bound passage into a little basin about +fifty rods square, surrounded by mountains rising very precipitously +from 1500 to 2500 feet in hight, down which were plunging ten +cataracts, where the smallest canoe could lie in safety at all +times. The west shore is much the boldest, presenting for considerable +distances, almost perpendicular-faced mountain walls from 1000 to 1500 +feet in hight. + +THE AGRICULTURAL LANDS + +Embraced in these islands aggregate but a few hundred acres, +principally lying in small tracts at the heads of bays and inlets, +mouths of streams, and on small benches at the base of the +mountains. Most of the richest spots appear to have been cultivated at +some time by the Indians for raising potatoes. The largest bodies of +cleared arable land seen, contained not exceeding twenty acres. There +are several thousand acres of lightly timbered spruce and alder lands, +bordering the bays, inlets and streams, which might be cleared and +brought under profitable cultivation for dairying and the raising of +root crops, should the development of the other resources of the +islands attract a sufficient population to create a home market for +such products. + +The most available and desirable of the lands of this character +noticed, are situated upon Skidegate Inlet, Copper Bay, Alder Creek, +four miles south, Gray Bay, along the central portions of the south +shore of Cumshewa Inlet, Hutton Inlet, Henry and Robson Inlets, and on +the narrows of Skidegate Channel. + +GRAZING LANDS. + +The level grazing country is also of small extent, a tract of about +400 acres situated on Sand Spit Point, south of the entrance to +Skidegate Inlet, being much the largest found. It bears a scattering +growth of coarse beach sand grass. + +On the sides of the mountains, however, and in some places reaching up +to their summit, are several thousand acres suited for stock ranges, +producing a thicker growth of more nutritious grass, of the red-top +variety. + +Of such pasture lands we found about 1,000 acres in crossing from +Hutton Inlet to Robson Inlet, surrounding a beautiful lake about a +mile in length, and about 500 acres in each of the following bays, +viz: Carpenter, Provost, Luxana, Henry and Robson, and also several +hundred acres on the northern slope of the mountains lying south of +Canoe Passage into Skidegate Channel. + +TIMBER LANDS. + +As already stated, a dense forest of spruce, hemlock and cedar covers +nearly the whole surface of the country. + +It contains in the aggregate great quantities of valuable timber, and +many places where small mills could obtain an abundant supply of +spruce, but no location I think, where a large lumber manufacturing +establishment could be profitably operated. The Douglass fir and +yellow cedar or cypress, furnishes the only lumber which can be +profitably exported from the Province. The former is not found on the +Queen Charlotte group of islands, and the latter does not grow in +sufficient quantities south of Skidegate Inlet to furnish saw-logs in +any considerable quantity. The best bodies of timber seen were on the +south shore of Skidegate Inlet on a small stream flowing into Copper +Bay on the north side of Louise Island, bordering a river flowing into +Cumshewa Inlet, about ten miles west of the village of Skedance, on +Hutton Inlet, Carpenter and Henry Bays. + +FISH. + +Nearly all of the choicest varieties of fish found in this region +abound in the waters traversed. There are several halibut banks +besides those located on the charts, where the Indians obtain the most +abundant supplies of these, their principal article of food. + +On the day of our arrival at Ninstints, the Indians returned with a +large number caught upon banks opposite the central portion of the +western shore of Provost Island. There are also banks off Sand Spit +Point and Skedance. During the present spring, the Indians have caught +a considerable number of black cod opposite Skidegate Channel, and +also off the abandoned village of Kisson, on the north-west coast of +Moresby Island. The waters just outside the entrance to Skidegate +Inlet are the greatest known resort of the dog-fish on the coast; the +only place where they are caught continuously from spring until fall +in large numbers. + +The extraction of their oil by the Skidegate Oil Company, to the +amount of 35,000 to 40,000 gallons annually, give a profitable +employment to a large number of Indians during the summer months. + +We found Chief Skidegate and about twenty of his people catching their +spring supply of a very fine small salmon, in the river flowing into +Copper Bay, and met Chief Skedance _en route_ to a river flowing from +the north side of Lyell Island into Cumshewa Inlet, for the same +purpose. There is also a salmon stream emptying into that inlet on the +north side near Conglomerate Point. + +Upon one of the streams discharging into Hutton Inlet (which I named +Portage Creek, from the fact that in former times when the natives +were much more numerous, they sometimes carried their canoes across +the island to Bobson Inlet), there was a stone dam, evidently built +for salmon traps. We also saw where bear had eaten salmon near its +banks. + +Enormous quantities of mussels of great size, some measuring eight and +ten inches in length, covered the shores in many places, and round +clams are also abundant. + +MINERALS. + +I carefully examined the shores and banks of the streams wherever +opportunity offered, but found no minerals except copper, at and in +the vicinity of veins previously discovered on the shore of Copper +Bay, and opposite Copper Island in Skincuttle Inlet. + +GAME, + +Especially geese and duck, were plentiful on the eastern shore. Many +of the bays and inlets were alive with hair seal. So many were seen in +the extreme southern bay indentation of the entire group of islands +that we called it Seal Cove. Several sea otter swam within rifle range +on the west coast, and land otter we chased upon shore and killed. +Birds' eggs, which the natives gather in considerable quantities, we +picked up by the dozens on several of the little islands. + +Notwithstanding the disaffection which exists among the Indians upon +the Nass, respecting their land rights, I have found the Hydas +friendly to my undertaking, inviting me into their houses to sleep, +both at Cumshewa and Ninstints, and presenting my guides with halibut, +eggs, etc. + +There are abundant evidences in abandoned villages, habitations and +burial places, of their formerly having been quite populous, probably +ten times their present numbers. + +No country which I have ever visited affords greater natural resources +of food supply from the sea and forest. + +Respectfully, your obedient servant, + +NEWTON H. CHITTENDEN. + + * * * * * + +PROGRESS REPORT NUMBER THREE, + + +SKIDEGATE, QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS. OCTOBER, 1884. + +_Hon. Wm. Smithe, Commissioner of Lands and Works of the Province of +British Columbia:_ + +SIR:--Having completed the examination of the country bordering on +Skidegate Inlet and Channel, embracing the southern portion of Graham +Island, and the north end of Moresby, I proceeded to explore the west +coast of Graham Island, North Island, the north coast of Graham island +from Cape Knox eastward to Massett Inlet, also Viago Sound, Naden +Harbor and Massett Inlet, penetrating to the heads of all of the +inlets, bays, harbors and sounds, and following up the principal +streams flowing into these waters from three to ten miles; concluding +the circumnavigation of the islands at the mouth of the Yakoun River, +that portion herein described, comprising a shore line of about five +hundred miles. + +GENERAL PHYSICAL FEATURES. + +An intelligent Indian of whom I made inquiries concerning this +country, replied, "there is no land, it is all mountains, forests and +water." This statement is almost literally true so far as open lands +are concerned, along the coast we are now describing, with the +exception of the mountain pasturage as hereafter more specifically +mentioned. + +Mountains rising very precipitously from one to four thousand feet +above the sea, generally thickly covered with the prevailing woods of +the island, extend from Skidegate Channel northward for about +forty-five miles, the country gradually sloping all along the north +portion of Graham Island from fifteen to twenty miles from the coast +south-ward The summits of this mountain range are generally from five +to eight miles from the sea shore, the long western arms of Skidegate +and Massett Inlets reaching to its eastern base. The immediate coast +is uniformly rock-bound, with many sharp, jagged points extending far +out to sea, with out-lying reefs white with breakers in +stormy-weather. Most of the many + +INLETS, SOUNDS, BAYS, POINTS, ISLANDS, RIVERS AND CREEKS between +Skidegate Channel and Cape Knox, having been hitherto unknown, except +to a few of the natives, they will lie briefly described in the order +reached in advancing northward. + +Indian names have been retained so far as known, but when these are of +difficult pronunciation, or unknown, English names have been added; a +star indicating such cases. First comes + +GOODEL BAY--About three and one-half miles south of Buck Point, the +extreme south-western land of Graham Island. It is about two miles in +depth, with a beach of the finest sand on the island at its head. A +small island surrounded with kelp lying about one hundred rods from +shore, protects a good canoe landing in stormy weather. Here were I +found racks for drying halibut, which are caught in abundance off this +part of the coast. A fine clear stream about twenty feet in width +entered the bay near by. Between three and four miles from shore and +about the same distance south of + +BUCK POINT, lies an island, called by the natives Guigats, a mile or +more in length, which is probably the land marked on the Admiralty +Chart as Buck Point, though shown thereon to be separated from Graham +Island. + +KE-OW INLET, the entrance to which is concealed by a high rocky point, +until nearly opposite, extends in a north-westerly direction about +four miles, with an average width of a mile-and-a-half. It is +surrounded by high, steep mountains, down which several cataracts +were plunging. A clear stream about twenty-five feet in width, with +rocky rapids at its mouth discharges into the inlet at its head, +Rounding + +TSET-LA-KOON POINT--About four miles north-west of the entrance to +the last named inlet--one of the most difficult for small boats to +pass on the West Coast, (except by a canoe passage in very calm +weather.) we next enter + +CARTWRIGHT SOUND--This fine body of water, about two miles in width, +extends five or six miles in an easterly direction, reaching to near +the base of steep mountains from 1500 to 2500 feet in height. Its +shores are generally rocky, though there is a sandy beach at its head, +where we found a good landing and camping place at the mouth of +Zuboff* river. This stream is from fifty to seventy-five feet in +width, and navigable for canoes not exceeding one hundred rods, before +meeting log obstructions. Large schools of dog salmon were rushing in +and out at the time of our arrival, hundreds jumping their full length +out of the water. Though much inferior to most other varieties of +salmon, they are dried and a smoked in large quantities by the +Indians. + +An arm extends south-ward for about a mile from the south side of this +Inlet, near its head to the base of high and very precipitous +mountains, which from having four islets at its entrance, I have named +Islet Inlet. There is also an island in the main inlet near the north +shore about three miles from its entrance. Advancing and passing +Kin-da-koon and Hunter Points, the latter a high, bold promontory +bring us to + +RENNELL SOUND, the largest indentation on the west coast of the +island, extending about ten miles from its north point entrance in a +south-easterly direction, and being from five to three miles in width. + +It contains five islands, Edward Island,* the largest, centrally +situated, about a mile and a-half in length with a good beach, camping +place with a hut on its southern side,--and a group of four islands +near its head; the largest of which I have called Cypress Island,* +from having seen considerable yellow cedar growing thereon. There are +five streams flowing into the sound, three in it south-easterly and +two on its north-easterly side, from fifteen to thirty feet in width, +none of them navigable. The only snow seen on Graham Island in +September, lay in a deep canyon on the northern slope of the high +mountains which surround it head. + +There is an Indian hunters' lodge, chiefly made from yellow cedar +plank, at the month of a small stream on a little bay on its +south-eastern side. + +TATTOO INLET, about two miles and three-quarters in length, with a +uniform breadth of a mile, surrounded by steep, high mountains, runs +in a north-easterly direction from near the north shore entrance of +Rennell Sound. It receives two fine salmon streams at its head, from +forty to fifty feet in width, navigable for canoes about fifty rods +from their mouth. An extensive land slide has bared the mountain on +its southeastern side. There is a little, low, rocky island, about a +mile from the entrance, upon which numerous hair seal were basking at +the time of our visit. Both shores at the entrance are bold and rocky. + +SEAL INLET*--So called from having seen hundreds of hair seal upon +Seal Island, near its entrance, is next reached. It is about four +miles in length, running north-east, then north and again north-east, +with an average breadth of a mile and-a-half. There are two streams +flowing into it, one about forty feet in width at its head, and a +smaller one on its southern side. Besides the island mentioned, there +is a small one situated close to the north shore of the inlet--with +only a canoe passage between--about a mile from the entrance, and a +group of three islets opposite a high, perpendicular granite bluff +near its head. This inlet is called by the Indians Kung-wa. Four or +five miles further, with mountains rising almost perpendicularly a +thousand feet on the right, around Na-wa-dun Point and we enter + +T'KIEW BAY, about two miles in depth, with a fine stretch of sandy +beach at its head. Two or three miles beyond the next point--called by +the Indians Skwa-ka-tance--lies + +NESTO or HIPPA ISLAND, a mile and a half or more in length, thickly +wooded, mountainous, with rocky shores, except on its eastern side +where there are short stretches of sandy beaches with back-lying +benches, formerly occupied by Indian lodges. There is a small island +situated close to Nesto on its north-western side, with a canoe +passage between them. + +Nesto Island lies across the entrance to a fine inlet and good harbor +known among the Indians as + +SKALOO INLET--It is about three and-a-half miles in depth, running a +little north-east, with regular shores, having an average breadth of +about three-quarters of a mile. A small stream empties into it at its +head. Proceeding north-westerly past the old Indian village of +Len-na-how and around Skoot-koon Point, four or five miles brings us +to + +ATHLOW INLET, a splendid harbor and very interesting body of water, +between four and five miles in length, and from one to two miles in +width, surrounded by high, precipitous mountains, embracing three of +the most conspicuous peaks on the west coast; one to the north-west, +quite green from its summit down a thousand feet, which I have named +Green Mountain; another lying to the east, Castle Mountain* and one +south-east, Bald Mountain.* + +An island, about a mile in length, lies across the entrance in a +north-westerly direction, which so thoroughly protects the inner +waters of the inlet from westerly storms, that I have called it +Protection Island.* There is a canoe passage between it and a point of +rocks projecting from the southern shore of the inlet, and a small +island close to its south-west side. Three streams flow into the +inlet--one at its head, called Athlow river, and two on its south +side, the largest, from forty to fifty feet in width, rising in Sook +Lake. Between Athlow Inlet and Skoon-unagi Point, a distance of ten or +twelve miles, there are four indentations, the largest being + +BLUFF BAY, opening to the southward, at the northern entrance to +Athlow Inlet, with a small island opposite. + +Passing the point last mentioned, we are soon in the waters of + +KIO-KATH-LI INLET, which, with the exception of Rennell Sound, is the +largest indentation on the west shore of Graham Island, being over +five miles in length and three miles in width; containing five islands +and receiving three streams, from fifty to one hundred feet in width, +the largest being navigable for canoes about a half a mile from its +mouth. Its south-eastern shores are very irregular. Mount Richard,* +the highest elevation in the north part of the island, lies to the +eastward. + +Between Kio-Kathli Inlet and Frederick Island, a distance of about +twelve miles, there are four, bays from one to two miles in depth, +with sandy beaches at their head, over which flow small streams--the +first reached called by the Indians + +STOWE HARBOR, being the only one affording protection for large +vessels against westerly storms. The old abandoned village of Tiahn is +situated facing the south, with a sandy beach fronting on the second +indention north of Stowe Harbor. + +The immediate coast from Kio-kath-li Inlet north-ward to Cape Knox, is +less precipitous than further south, but more dangerous to navigators +by reason of its many out-lying reefs and rocks and the absence of +harbors. + +CAVE BAY,* the first south of Frederick Island, so-named from a deep +cave in a high, rocky bluff near its northern entrance, is the most +extensive of those last mentioned, about two miles in depth, with a +fine sandy beach on the east side. Three streams flow into the same, +from fifteen to twenty-five feet in width. + +There are three rocky islets near its southern entrance, inside of +Point Patience,* which I have called the Sea Lion* Islets, these +_mammal_ having been seen upon them by the native sea-otter +hunters. There is a good canoe landing in pleasant weather on the +shore opposite, but in stormy weather it breaks all around the bay. We +barely escaped losing everything in effecting a landing at the most +quiet place we could find. + +FREDERICK ISLAND, from a mile-and-a-half to a mile-and-three-quarters +in length, extending in a north-westerly direction, is situated about +a mile north of Point Edward,* instead of south of it, as shown on the +Admiralty Chart. It is thickly wooded, from fifty to three hundred +feet in height, with rocky shores, except on its southern side, where +we found a sheltered cove, with a sandy beach accessible in stormy +weather. The site of the deserted village of Susk is seen on the south +side of a small bay to the south-east of Frederick Island. There are +five bays between Frederick Island and Cape Knox--a distance of +eighteen or twenty miles--all of them exposed to westerly winds, +excepting in small coves which afford safe canoe landings and +harbors. Of these latter + +TLEDOO, a summer resort of the Massett sea-otter hunters, where there +are three cabins, is one of the best and most frequented. There are +four rocky islets lying from half a mile to a mile off shore between +Frederick Island and the cove, a distance of about four miles. There +are two small streams within three miles south of Tledoo, and one +within a quarter of a mile north, the first of the former being called +"Boulder Creek,"* the second, "Islet,"* and the latter, "Otter +Creek."* About two and a-half miles north east of Tledoo, around two +rocky points lies + +KLI-KA-KOON, a camping place on the south shore of a small bay, near +the mouth of Hana-koot Creek. There is a sandy beach at the head of +this bay, and another small stream flowing in on its northern side. + +Around the next point and we enter See-al-tzing or Ezra Bay, about two +miles in depth, having a sandy beach at its head and a small stream +flowing into it. There are five rocky islets lying off shore, between +the northern entrance to this bay and Saka-koon Point, at the southern +entrance to + +LEPAS BAY, the most extensive of the five mentioned, and the last +before reaching Cape Knox. It is about three and one-half miles in +depth and nearly as wide. There is a small island and cove on its +north-eastern side, and beach of white sand at its head. + +CAPE KNOX, the extreme north-western land of Graham Island, extends +boldly out to sea about four miles in a south-westerly direction from +the head of Lepas Bay. There are four off-lying rocks, the farthest +out being over three miles from the cape, upon which the sea is almost +always breaking. + +Reaching Cape Knox, to the north-ward five or six miles may be seen +the north-west point of + +NORTH ISLAND--It is from five to six miles in length, with an average +breadth of three and a-half miles, covered with spruce down to its +irregular, rocky shores, its greatest elevation above the sea not +exceeding four hundred feet. + +There are four bays from one to two miles in depth on its eastern and +north-eastern side, with beaches at their heads, which we named in the +order reached in circumnavigating the island from Tadense +eastward:--Clara,* Henry,* Edith and Albert Bays.* There is a small +cabin on the shore of Edith Bay, with a garden patch adjoining. They +are all exposed to easterly winds. + +CLOAK BAY, on its south-western side, is much the largest indentation, +but is open to westerly storms. The small cove on the south side of +the island, near the Indian village of Tadense, is believed to afford +the safest anchorage. + +PARRY PASSAGE, about a mile and a-half in width, separates North from +Graham Island, reefs, and Lucy Island narrowing the ship channel very +rapid--except at flood tide--to less then 2000 feet. The deserted +Indian villages of Ki-oos-ta and Kah-oh are situated near each other +on the south shore of the passage. + +It is about twenty miles from North Island to the entrance of Virago +Sound. The coast and back-lying country for ten or fifteen miles, is +low and thickly wooded; the shores being generally rocky with sharp +points and many outlying rocks, surrounded with kelp, though there are +occasional short beaches of gravel and sand. There are several exposed +bays but no harbors, except for small boats, after leaving + +BRUIN BAY, opening into the south-eastern entrance to Parry +Passage. Here vessels sometimes anchor, though exposed to strong +eddies. Rounding the next point we reach + +PILLAR BAY, so-named from an isolated column of conglomerate rock, +about a hundred feet in height, standing near its eastern side. It is +three or four miles in width, and a mile and a-half in depth, but open +to north-east winds. The + +JALUN RIVER, the largest stream between North Island and Virago Sound, +discharges into a small bay about four miles further eastward. It is +from forty to fifty feet in width at its mouth, and navigable for +canoes, not exceeding half a mile on account of rapids. Here were two +huts, and a wooden boiler made from a hollowed log, for extracting +dogfish oil with heated stones, this being a favorite camping place +for the native fishermen and hunters. + +KLAS-KWUN POINT--Seven or eight miles to the eastward from the mouth +of Jalun River, there is a bold point rising a short distance back +from the shore to two or three hundred feet, known as Klas-kwun Point, +on the east side of which lies + +YAT-ZA VILLAGE--It has the most rocky and difficult landing of any +Indian village on the island, the sites of which are almost invariably +on perfect little harbors. Passing Cape Naden, we now enter the waters +of + +VIRAGO SOUND--It is about eight miles in width and five in depth, and +opening into Naden Sound through narrows less than half a mile in +width, between Points George and Mary. The shores are low and thickly +wooded, with spruce of small growth. Two small islets lie near its +west side entrance. Virago Sound is exposed to all winds north of +south-east and south-west, but safe anchorage may be found at all +times in + +NADEN HARBOR on the west side opposite the abandoned village of +Kung. Naden Harbor is about five miles in length, north and south and +two miles in width. Its shores are low, and generally sandy, except in +its southern and north-western sides. There are nine streams flowing +into it, with extensive tide flats at their mouths--which will be +noticed in the order reached in following the right hand shore: + +First, a small creek about half a mile east of the village of Kung, +into which the high tide flows for half a mile or more. + +The second empties into the harbor, about two miles southward of of +the highest land bordering it, called Bain Point. + +The third, a mile-and-a-half further westward, both small and +unnavigable, and the fourth known as, + +STANLEY OR TE-KA RIVER, into its most south-western bay. We were able +to push our canoe up this stream, the second largest on the north +shore of the island, about one-third of a mile, when log obstructions +were found. About two miles in a south-easterly direction and we +entered + +NADEN RIVER, the second in size on the Queen Charlotte Islands, about +a hundred and fifty feet in width at its mouth, up which we ascended +between two and three miles to falls, with our canoe, at high tide, +and advanced about six miles beyond on foot to the borders of Eden +Lake, in which it rises, passing several rapids, from six to ten feet +in height--and numerous log jambs. There are the ruins of five huts on +the left bank of the river at its mouth. About a mile and-a-half +north-eastward from Naden River, a small creek discharges into the +harbor, and two miles beyond. + +LIGNITE BROOK, with a small island opposite, at high tide. About two +miles north of the latter, we crossed a small creek flowing into the +deepest indentation of the harbor, which, being largely bare at low +tide, we have named Tide Bay. From Cape Edensau, the eastern entrance +to Virago Sound to + +MASSETT INLET, a distance of about twelve miles, the shores are low +and rocky; the back-lying country flat and thickly wooded with spruce +and hemlock. There are four small islands near shore, the largest at +the entrance to the inlet being known as Strice Island. Proceeding +down its west shore about nineteen miles, to Massett Harbor or Sound +we found four small streams, none of them navigable, except a few rods +at high tide, named respectively:--Kowing, Kulin, Kitzhaun and +Kuk. They have their source in swamps and small lakes, the back-lying +country being low and thickly wooded. There are two islands in the +inlet, the first called Massett, about three-quarters of a mile in +length, situated near the west shore, about five miles from the +entrance, and another fifteen miles down, about six miles long, called +by the Indians Cub Island, with a canoe passage from the inlet, on its +east side to Massett Harbor, as mentioned in Report No. 1. + +MASSETT HARBOR or Sound, is a splendid body of inland water, about +eighteen miles in length from east to west, and from five to seven +miles in width, with upwards of two hundred miles of shore line, +having seven arms from three to ten miles in length, containing over +forty islands and islets, and receiving the waters of twenty-five +rivers, creeks and small streams. Following the order of our movement +along its western shore, parsing one small creek with an Indian lodge +at its mouth, about seven miles from Ship Island, we reach the mouth +of + +AIN RIVER, opposite Kwa-kans Island and a group of islets. We ascended +this stream about ten miles, five on foot and thence by canoe through +two small lakes to its source in Soo-u-uns Lake. This fine body of +water is about eight miles long and three miles wide, surrounded by a +thick forest of spruce, red and yellow cedar. Mountains rise gradually +from its western and north-western sides to the height of from eight +to fifteen hundred feet. The river, from fifty to seventy-five feet in +width, is navigable for canoes, about a mile from its mouth, and also +between the small lakes mentioned, by means of several +portages--log-jambs, shoals and rapids. There are seven Indian lodges +at its mouth, this stream being a great resort for salmon. + +It is about twelve miles from the mouth of the Ain River to the end of +the north-western arm of the sound, which having no name on the chart, +I have called + +NEWTON INLET. It is about six miles in length, and two miles wide, +with an island at its entrance, known as Mut-oos, and several +islets. _En route_ we found two small streams, to the largest of which +my attention was first attracted by the noise of rapids at its +mouth. This is called by the Indians, Ta-tzun-in. Ascending it by +wading, with considerable difficulty, its bed was seen to be chiefly +limestone rock. There are two rivers flowing into Newton Inlet from +fifty to seventy-five feet in width, navigable for canoes at high tide +about half a mile, when shoal rapids are reached. + +Steep mountains from 1,500 to 3,000 feet in height, separate this +inlet from the waters of the Pacific. Five or six miles to the +south-eastward begins + +TI-IN-OWE INLET, which extends south-westerly between four and five +miles, having an average breadth of two miles. Two streams flow in at +its head, up the largest of which we ascended about one-third of a +mile at high tide, when a log jamb was found. There are three inlets +between Tin-in-owe and the entrance to Tsoo-skatli Inlet, about ten +miles to the south-eastward, and many islands and islets, the largest +of which is called Wat-hoo-us Island. Into the first of these inlets +flows the Awun River, rising in Awun Lake, about one hundred feet wide +at its month, and which we were able to ascend with our canoe about +one mile, when rapids were reached. Advancing several miles beyond on +foot, the river was found choked with frequent log jambs. There is an +Indian cabin and small garden plat cultivated for potatoes, at its +mouth. Proceeding eastward, we next enter a small bay into which +descends, over a precipitous ledge of rocks, a river, the outlet of a +small lake hidden from view by a narrow belt of timber; then follows a +deeper indentation about a mile in length and half a mile in width to +near its head, where an island narrows it for a short distance to less +than a hundred feet. Having seen here the largest number of jelly +fish found on the islands, I have named it Zoos Inlet.* + +RAPIDS INLET,* or Lake, a small basin about half a mile in depth, +which at low tide, discharges its waters with a loud noise down a +steep rock-bound passage, not exceeding twenty feet in width, lies +between Zoos Inlet and the point at its south-eastern entrance, which +I have named Combe's Point. Five or six miles further bring us to + +TSOO-KAT-LI INLET, which extends for about ten miles in a +south-westerly direction, varying from three and a-half to two miles +in width, containing over twenty-five islands, one of the largest, of +which situated at the entrance, I have named Entrance Island.* + +Four streams flow into this inlet at and near its head, the largest of +which, Tat-lim-in, we ascended about one-eighth of of a mile to +rapids, with the canoe, and three miles further on foot, finding a +succession of rapids, shoals and log-jambs. Ma-min River, about sixty +feet wide and filled with logs to near its mouth, empties into the +south-eastern part of the inlet. About six miles east of Entrance +Island, we reach the mouth of the + +YA-KOUN RIVER, the largest stream on the Queen Charlotte Islands. It +rises in Ya-koun Lake, seven days' travel distant by canoe, over +scores of portages. It is about one hundred feet wide at its mouth, +and navigable for small boats without obstructions, a mile and-a-half, +beyond which, by means of two very small canoes and several portages, +we ascended about five miles. + +AGRICULTURAL LANDS--The resources of the west coast, Virago Sound and +Massett Inlet country, so far as known at present, are fish, furs and +timber. Its agricultural lands, chiefly those portions of deltas and +meadows at the mouths of streams not subject to overflow, embrace in +the aggregate, only a few hundred acres, the largest tracts on the +west coast, lying at the head of Kio-kath-li, Tattoo and Athlow +Inlets, not exceeding twenty acres. + +There are about one hundred acres of tide meadows on Virago Sound, +forty acres at the mouth of Nadeu River, twenty acres along the coast, +at and near the entrance to Lignite Brook, ten acres between Naden and +Stanly Rivers and the balance at the mouths of the other streams +before mentioned. That portion of Massett Inlet herein described, +contains about 250 acres of tide meadow lands, the largest tracts from +five to twenty acres each, lying at the heads of Newton, Tin-in-owe +and Tsoo-Skatli Inlets, and mouths of the Mamin and Ya-koun +Rivers. The latter stream has an extensive delta of tide land, fifty +or sixty acres of which could be reclaimed by dyking. + +The bottom lands of the west coast, which might be brought under +cultivation by expensive clearing, are limited to comparatively small +tracts at the heads of inlets, their sides being generally precipitous +and rocky. Portions of the low lands along the north coast of the +island, on Virago Sound and Massett Inlet, being comparatively lightly +timbered, might be reclaimed, for agricultural purposes. The + +GRAZING LANDS of the west coast, with the exception of small tracts of +a few acres on the shore, lie on the sides and tops of the mountains, +located in estimated quantities, as follows: 300 acres on the north +side of Ke-ow Inlet; 500 acres near the head of Seal Inlet; 200 acres +on Skaloo Inlet; 3000 acres on Athlow Inlet--principally on its +southern side--and a few hundred acres on the summits of the mountains +to the northward. + +TIMBER LANDS. There is no merchantable timber, on the west coast of +Graham Island, excepting spruce, which is found in moderate quantities +at the head of Rennell and Cartwright Sounds, and the inlets to the +southward. We examined with considerable care those localities where +yellow cedar had been reported, crossing on foot from Athlow to Skaloo +Inlet, finding small bodies of scrubby growth on the shores of each, +also on Tattoo Inlet, but much the largest quantity on Cypress Island, +Kio-kathli Inlet. + +The timber on the north shore of Graham Island, including Virago +Sound, is generally light. From three to eight miles up the Naden +River, however, we found considerable bodies of good spruce and red +cedar. Its utilization would be attended with great expense, owing to +the exceeding roughness of the country and the log jambs, shoals and +rapids of the river. Massett Inlet and Harbor contains a much larger +quantity of available spruce and red cedar, the best tracts of which +were found on the east side of the inlet opposite Cub Island, along +the banks of the Ain, Awun, Ma-min and Yakoun Rivers, and on the +inlets previously described. The largest quantity of yellow cedar seen +was on Soos-u-uns Lake, which is believed to be too small to warrant +the expenditure necessary to obtain it. + +FISH. Hallibut, herring, salmon, salmon trout, and dog fish are caught +in unlimited quantities in the waters described, also black cod or +skill, all along the west coast of the islands. + +MINERALS.--No minerals except coal are known to exist in the country +herein described, of which no veins hitherto undiscovered have been +found. + +FUR-BEARING ANIMALS, especially bear, land otter and martin are very +numerous. Since the abandonment of the west coast by the Indians for +permanent residence, being but little trapped and hunted, they have +increased rapidly. We found large numbers of old bear and martin traps +along the streams and on the coast in the neighborhood of their old +villages. Fur seal are killed in considerable numbers, and a few sea +otter, from fifteen to twenty each season. + +WATER FOWL.--Wild geese were very numerous in Massett Inlet, Naden +Harbor, and the southern inlets of the west coast. Comparatively few +ducks, however, were seen. + +WATER.--Nearly all the streams from Athlow River, northward, and also +those of North Island, Virago Sound and Massett Inlet to the head of +its South-western arms are of a dark reddish color. + +THE CLIMATE of the west coast is exceedingly variable--stormy, squally +weather prevailing during the greater portion of the year, the +rainfall ranging from sixty to seventy inches. The Virago Sound and +Massett Inlet country lying to the east of of the mountains possesses +a much more equable and desirable climate, the annual rainfall seldom +exceeding forty-five inches, except at the heads of the inlets. + +Very Respectfully + +Your obedient servant, + +NEWTON H. CHITTENDEN. + + * * * * * + +PROGRESS REPORT NUMBER FOUR. + + +SKIDEGATE, Queen Charlotte Islands, October, 1884. + +_Hon. Wm. Smithe, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works of the +Province of British Columbia:_--SIR--After returning to Skidegate from +the exploration of the islands of the Queen Charlotte group lying to +the southward, I devoted about one month to the examination of +Skidegate Inlet, Skidegate Channel, the Canoe Passage from the latter +to the west coast, and to the country bordering these waters, +embracing the southern portion of Graham and the north end of Moresby +islands. For this purpose, I traversed their entire shores, and +penetrated from three to eight miles inland at various points, +following up the principal streams flowing into these waters, and +visiting also the Cowgits coal mine, the Slate Chuck quarry, the +Indian villages, fishing camps, and other places of interest. + +SKIDEGATE INLET, + +Considering its resources of fish and timber, its coal deposits, the +establishment thereon of the only manufacturing industry carried on by +white men upon the islands, and two of the principal native villages, +it is at present the most important body of water embraced within the +Queen Charlotte Archipelago. The Inlet proper, from the entrance +between Sand Spit and Dead Tree Points, to its junction with the +waters of Skidegate Channel, leading through to the west coast, is +twenty-five miles in depth, and from two or three hundred feet in the +narrows to seven miles in width at the expansions of Bear Skin and +South Bays. Its shores are generally low and frequently sandy, and the +back-lying country densely timbered and sloping gradually, except on +its north-western side, where the mountains rise quite precipitous +from 1,500 to over 4,000 feet above the sea. More than twenty small +rivers and creeks flow into the inlet, several of which abound with a +small but excellent variety of salmon. Of these streams, Klick-a-doon, +(Slate Chuck), between Bear Skin Bay and Anchor Cove on the north, and +Dena, emptying into South Bay, and those discharging into Long Arm are +the largest and most important. + +There are from one to four Indian houses at the mouths of the salmon +streams, for their temporary lodgment during the fishing season. + +Over thirty islands and islets are embraced within the waters of the +inlet. Maud Island, the home of the Gold Harbour tribe, is the +largest, being between three and four miles in length, and from one to +two miles in width. It is centrally situated, thickly wooded, except +where destroyed by fire on its southern side, with an average +elevation of about three hundred feet. Lina and South Islands, the +next in size in the order mentioned, are from one and a half to two +miles in length. There is only a canoe passage between the former and +Graham Island. Leading Island, lying between Maud and Moresby, is the +landmark by which navigators are guided safely over the bar in clear +weather. Bare Island, owned by the Skidegate Oil Company, not so +destitute of vegetation as its name suggests, is of interest as having +been once a fortified stronghold of the Skidegate tribe, now living on +the north shore, opposite, and as now containing a flourishing colony +of rabbits. + +AGRICULTURAL AND GRAZING LANDS. + +There are upwards of two hundred acres of tide meadows at the mouths +of the streams mentioned, the largest and best tract, containing from +twenty to thirty-five acres, lying along the Dena, on Moresby +Island. There are also several hundred acres of alder bottoms, with a +comparatively light growth of spruce interspersed, available for +cultivation. The density of the timber prevents the growth of +nutritious grasses, except in very limited quantities upon the +immediate shores. + +TIMBER. + +There is a considerable quantity of accessible spruce and red cedar of +merchantable size growing near the shores of the inlet, and much +larger bodies on the banks of the streams, and in the valleys a few +miles back. It would be expensive to obtain the latter by reason of +log obstructions, except where the fall is sufficient for the +construction of chutes. On Slate Chuck I saw spruce trees over thirty +feet in circumference, and red cedars nearly as large. Occasional +groves of alder used exclusively for fuel by the Skidegate Oil +Company, are found on the shores. + +COAL. + +Several out-croppings of coal have been hitherto discovered on the +inlet, including the only anthracite, so far as known, on the Pacific +Coast. The vein is situated on the east side of Seymour Mountain, +about a mile and a half from the shore at Anchor Cove. Upwards of a +hundred thousand dollars were expended in its development by the Queen +Charlotte Coal Mining Company, chiefly in the construction of a +railway and other shipping facilities. Several tunnels were bored, the +longest to a depth of 450 feet, reaching a vein of good anthracite +coal from three to six feet in thickness, from which a vessel load was +sold in San Francisco at a good price. But the vein soon becoming +faulty, and the owners dissatisfied with the outcome from their +investment, the mine was abandoned in 1872, and before the +explorations made were sufficiently thorough to determine with much +certainty the character and extent of the deposit. + +THE SKIDEGATE OIL COMPANY'S + +Works, buildings and wharf are situated on Sterling Bay, between Image +and McGregor Points, ten miles from the entrance to the Inlet. They +manufacture from 35,000 to 40,000 gallons of refined oil annually, +representing over 500,000 dogfish, giving employment to hundreds of +the natives during the summer months. This important industry is +capable of indefinite expansion, and great credit is due to the +enterprise and energy of Messrs. Sterling & Co, for its establishment +and successful management. + +THE SLATE CHUCK QUARRY, + +From which the natives of the islands obtain the material for their +stone carvings, is situated on the east side of the mountain of that +name, on the west bank of Klickadoo River, about three miles and +one-half from its mouth. The deposit is evidently an extensive one, +the exposures covering several acres. No united effort has been made +to develop it, the Indians quarrying it individually and carrying it +out on their backs--over a rough trail--as required. + +SKIDEGATE CHANNEL, + +From three miles in width at its west coast entrance to two and three +hundred feet where it meets the waters of Skidegate Inlet, flowing in +from the east, is of sufficient depth on the rapids to admit of the +passage at flood tide of vessels drawing seven or eight feet of +water. Canoes pass through at all stages of water, but encounter very +strong currents in the narrows, near the divide--not less than five +miles an hour--when the tides are running out. Its shores are +comparatively low, not infrequently sandy, except for several miles +from the entrance, where the mountains are higher and more rocky and +precipitous. The bordering country is clothed with a dense forest of +spruce, hemlock and cedar. + +SWAN INLET, + +The entrance to which was first shown on Judge Swan's map of his +reconnoisance along these shores in 1883, opens into the channel three +and a half miles from the west coast entrance. It is between three +and four miles in length, with two arms, one, the longest, extending +in a north-westerly direction, and the other in a northerly, uniting +about a mile and a quarter from the channel. High, steep mountains, +thickly timbered--except on the west side, where there are two or +three hundred acres of grassy openings--surround it. Three streams +of clear water flow in at the heads of the arms mentioned, and a small +island lies near their junction. There are three cabins in a +sheltered cove on the east shore about a mile from the entrance--a +rendezvous for the native seal-hunters and fishermen. Leading from +Skidegate Channel to the Pacific ocean, between Moresby and Cha-thl +islands, is eight miles in length, and from two to three hundred feet +to two miles in width. Passing through it at half-tide our canoe +grounded in several places. It was formerly much traversed by the +natives inhabiting the abandoned village of Cha-thl, on its north +shore, near the west coast entrance, and also by the Gold Harbour +people before their removal to Maud Island. There are several hundred +acres of grazing lands on the sides and tops of the mountains lying to +the southward. + +Very respectfully, your obedient servant, + +NEWTON H. CHITTENDEN. + + * * * * * + +CORRESPONDENCE. + +NO. II. + + +Mountains clothed with dense forests of cedar, spruce and hemlock +cover most of the surface of the country we are about to +enter. Numerous wonderful inlets, sounds and channels divide it into +an archipelago of many islands, of which Graham, Moresby, Provost, +North Louise, Lyell and Barnaby comprise the greater portion of their +area. Although so far north, being directly under the influence of the +warm Japan current, which sweeps along these shores, the climate is +mild, winters rarely severe, snowfall generally light, except on the +mountains, and rainfall ranging from forty to seventy inches, +according to local topography, the western slopes of the mountains +receiving much the largest amount. Their most valuable known resources +are fish, lumber, fur seal, sea otter and coal. Veins of gold and +copper have also been found, but not sufficiently developed to +indicate their extent and value. + +They are inhabited exclusively by the Hyda Indians, now numbering +about 800 souls, who live in the villages of Massett and Skidegate, on +Graham Island; Gold Harbor, on Maud Island, in Skidegate Inlet; +Cumshewa, on Moresby Island; Skedance, on Lyell Island: Tanoo, or +Laskeek, on Tanoo Island, and at Ninstints, on a little island +opposite the west coast entrance to Houston Stewart Channel. Their +origin, in the absence of any written record or historical +inscriptions, is an interesting subject for speculation. Their +features, tattooing, carvings and legends, indicate that they are +castaways from eastern Asia, who, first reaching the islands of +Southern Alaska, soon took and held exclusive possession of the Queen +Charlotte group. Their physical and intellectual superiority over the +other North Coast Indians, and also marked contrasts in the structure +of their language, denote a different origin. They are of good size, +with exceptionally well developed chests and arms, high foreheads and +lighter complexion than any other North American Indians. + +Massett, the principal and probably oldest village of the Hyda Nation, +is pleasantly situated on the north shore of Graham Island, at the +entrance to Massett Inlet, Fifty houses, great and small, built of +cedar logs and planks, with a forest of carved poles in front, extend +along the fine beach. The house of Chief Weeah is fifty-five feet +square, containing timbers of immense size, and planks three feet and +one-half in width and eighteen inches thick. The village now has a +population of about 350, the remnants of a once numerous people, the +houses in ruins here having accommodated several times that +number. Massett is the shipyard of the Hydas, the best canoe makers on +the continent, who supply them to the other coast tribes. Here may be +seen in all stages of construction these canoes which, when completed, +are such perfect models for service and of beauty. This is the abode +of the aristocracy of Hyda land--of Head Chief Edensaw, and of Weeah, +Stilta, Kinaskilas, Kiltslouia, Spencer and Cootay, minor chieftains, +who have but little now remaining except their titles, of which they +are very proud. Most of the other villages named were offshoots from +the parent colony caused by family and tribal feuds and +quarrels. Chief Edensaw and most of his people were away at North +Island and other points hunting fur seal, their most profitable +pursuit. Those remaining appeared quite friendly, and disposed to look +with favor upon my undertaking. + +I had no difficulty in obtaining the desired Indian guide, and at once +proceeded with the work of examining the islands. Down Massett Inlet +we paddled and sailed for thirty miles, through great flocks of wild +geese and ducks, several of which were soon added to our provision +supply. What a splendid body of inland water, from one-eight of a mile +to twenty miles in width, deep enough for large vessels, abounding in +choice fish and game, its shores covered, with dense forests, where +bear, land otter, and marten are numerous, altogether a veritable +Indian paradise! For several days we coursed slowly along the eastern +side, entering all of the indentations, and following up the streams +flowing into it. My guide, a master of canoe navigation, and well +acquainted with all of the waters of that portion of the islands, was +of so little service upon land, both from ignorance of its topography, +and inexperience of foot expeditions, that I made my interior +excursions alone. Indian trails were almost invariably found, +extending from one to three miles along the water courses, terminating +at or near bodies of the finest red cedar, which they had cut for +canoes and poles, for carving and building purposes. Upon some of +these trails considerable labor had been expended in bridging over +ravines, corduroying marshy places, and cutting through the trunks of +great fallen trees. Only a few of them showed much use of late years, +being obstructed by logs and overgrown with bushes. But, poor as were +these native roads, I was always very glad to find them, and +correspondingly sorry when I could follow them no longer, for beyond +progress was exceedingly difficult; fallen trees from one to eight +feet in diameter, in all stages of decay, thickly overgrown with moss, +lying one above another, not unfrequently to the height of ten or +fifteen feet, covered nearly the whole surface of the country. Several +times I struck bear paths, so well worn that at first I thought that +they had been trodden by human feet, but sooner or later they led me +into thickets through which I could only go on all fours. I found a +bear trap so constructed that, when sprung, an immense log would crush +bruin to the earth; marten traps, where the animal was enticed by a +tempting bait into a noose, which held it fast; and salmon traps, so +made by means of wing dams, with lattice work and boxes in the centre +of the stream, that no ascending fish could escape being +caught. Grouse were very numerous, and so tame from being seldom +hunted, that they would sit upon the branches of the trees almost +within reach. They were excellent eating, quite fat and tender. + +Returning to Massett I then prepared for a more extended trip, the +circumnavigation of the entire group of islands, for the purpose of a +preliminary survey of the coast country, to enable me to determine +which portion should receive the greatest share of my attention. The +canoe which I had used on the comparatively smooth waters of the inlet +was old, badly shattered and unseaworthy. I, therefore decided to +purchase a new one, and began to canvass through the village, +examining those which appeared most suitable for the service +required. Though I did this at first without seeing their owners, they +soon ascertained the object of my visit, and before I had concluded a +bargain every man, woman and speaking child in the village became +interested in what to them seemed an important transaction. In matters +of trade the Hydas are no exception to the Indian race generally, +hesitating to set a price, for fear you might pay more if you should +be asked; raising upon their figures if you accept an offer too +readily; or backing down altogether, even after delivery, and +demanding the article back again. Their extreme cautiousness in +dealing with the whites is doubtless due in a great measure to having +been so outrageously cheated by many of the early traders. At length, +after several refusals on my part to accede to their excessive +demands, and consultations of the owner with his people, my offer of +$31 for a canoe, thirty feet long, was accepted, which was a larger +price than they had at first asked. After strengthening it by putting +in cedar ribs, I resumed my travels, accompanied by Mr. Maynard, the +well known, enterprising and plucky artist of Victoria, and Thomas, +who, besides being so excellent in the management of the canoe, knew +the coast very thoroughly as far south as Skidegate, about 100 miles +distant. + +We proceeded slowly, only advancing on an average about ten miles a +day, traversing the entire shore on foot, following up the various +rivers and creeks, and examining the extent of open country found. It +comprises in the aggregate, between Massett and Skidegate, about +10,000 acres, better adapted for grazing than agricultural purposes, +the largest tracts lying on Delcatley Inlet, near Massett, and on the +Tlell River, about thirty miles north of Skidegate. The soil is +uniformly sandy and of too recent formation to be much enriched by +decomposition or alluvial deposits. A coarse broad-bladed grass +growing in bunches prevails near the sea shore; a taller variety, of +quite thick and luxuriant growth, on the meadows, while a species of +red top was found on the higher lands. Strawberries, already in +blossom, thickly covered the shore in many places. Cranberry vines +were also found on two of the meadows. The immediate shores are +generally low, thickly wooded with spruce, cedar and hemlock, with +occasional marsh and meadow openings. The streams are small, and with +one exception filled with fallen trees from their mouth up. The Tlell +River, the largest, we were able to ascend several miles before +meeting any obstructions. Although their waters were red from flowing +through cedar swamps, several contain trout and a very choice variety +of small salmon. Between Massett and Skidegate there are no harbors, +only small bays, where vessels might find shelter during off-shore +winds. From Massett Inlet eastward to Rose Spit, the extreme +northeastern point of Graham Island, and from thence southward for +nearly forty miles, a magnificent, broad, sandy, gradually sloping +beach extends the greater portion of the way, being only broken for +short distances by rivers, creeks and rocky headlands. + +We became unexpectedly well acquainted with the first thirty miles of +this splendid beach. Maynard and the Indian were to go around Rose +Spit with the canoe and join me upon my return from an excursion +inland. They failing to meet me within the expected time, and a storm +having arisen, I began to fear that they had been driven back before +it, but hoped to find them at the camp of the previous night. Pulling +off the heavy boots in which I had been walking all day, I almost ran +the ten miles, only to find the fishermen's hut we had occupied +dismally dark and silent. Another ten miles was made in all haste, and +still no signs of the party. Here, being very thirsty, I felt my way +in the darkness to a spring, from which we had previously obtained +good fresh water. Dipping my cup, I swallowed a hearty draught of +salt water, which had flowed in with the last tide. Although this was +not a very refreshing or stimulating beverage on an empty stomach for +such exertions, I returned to the smooth beach, followed it eight +miles further to Massett, aroused the sleeping settlement, procured a +canoe, four Indians and provisions, sailed down the coast fifteen +miles, then walked twelve miles, when we met Maynard out searching for +me. They had rounded the point in safety, though a heavy sea shattered +the canoe, and would doubtless have swamped it had not the Indian, +with great coolness and presence of mind, placed his back, with arms +akimbo, to the inrolling breaker, drenching himself, but preventing +the canoe from filling. In the thick fog their movements had escaped +my observation. They had built bonfires to attract my attention, +carried food and chocolate where I would be most likely to find it, +and searched the peninsula over and over for me, in the same state of +alarm in which I was hunting in another direction for them. In the +course of our travels thus far we had found, in addition to several +abandoned fishing huts and houses with carved poles in front, what +appeared to be the remains of an earth and stone work fortification. +It occupied an elevated situation about a mile from the sea shore, +and consisted of an excavation about 100 feet square, surrounded +by an embankment of earth and stones, which could hardly have been +made except by human hands. + +Near the close of the thirteenth day we reached the Indian village of +Skidegate, comprising thirty houses and 100 people. It is situated +near the entrance to the inlet of that name, one of the most important +bodies of water embraced within the Queen Charlotte group. At high +tide it is navigable through connecting waters for small vessels +entirely across the island, here about thirty miles, varying from one +to five miles in width. Its shores are generally gradually sloping, +with long stretches of sandy beach, bordered by a thick forest which, +covering the mountains, rising from 800 to 3,500 feet, within from +five to ten miles, bounds the horizon on every hand. Here are +convenient halibut banks, salmon and trout streams. Codfish, +flounders, crabs, clams and mussels, and dog fish in such great +numbers that 5,000 have recently been caught with hooks by four men +within twenty-four hours for the Skidegate Oil Company. The natives +have extracted their oil for many years by throwing heated stones into +hollowed logs, filled with dog fish livers. But the oil obtained by +this rude process was so frequently burnt and filled with dirt that it +became very unpopular and could only be sold at a low price. The +company above mentioned, by the introduction of the most approved +retorts, have succeeded in extracting an article so pure and clear +that it meets with a ready sale at a good price, and is regarded as +one of the best oils in use, especially for all lubricating +purposes. The company manufacture about 40,000 gallons annually, +giving employment to the Indians from all parts of the island during +the summer months. They are now assembling at Skidegate, which they +make their headquarters during the dog fishing season. The shore is +covered with canvas, Indian men, women and children, dried halibut, +herring spawn, fishing tackle, bedding and camp equippage, presenting +a scene of great interest. + +Remaining here over night several voices were heard singing familiar +hymns in a house close at hand. Going to the entrance I found a prayer +meeting in progress, and, being invited in, remained to its +close. Knowing that they had received only very limited missionary +instruction, and none whatever for several months, I was considerably +surprised that of their own motion, and without any white leader, they +should hold such a well-conducted religious service. The songs were +well rendered in English, the praying and speaking being in their +native language. + +I refitted at Skidegate, hiring a stronger canoe and two Hydah +Indians, known as Sam and Tom, who, together, were well acquainted +with the principal waters to be traversed. Proceeding southward, +steep and often precipitous mountains, ranging in elevation from 800 +to 4,000 feet above the sea, rugged and rocky on their western slopes, +densely covered with forests of spruce, hemlock and cedar, extended +from Skidegate to Cape St. James, and from Queen Charlotte Sound to +the Pacific Ocean, over all the islands, so far as any observations +extend, except a few thousand acres of grazing lands. Small tracts of +arable meadows and garden patches are cultivated by the natives. The +narrowness of the island south of Skidegate leaves but little room for +an interior, beyond the range of the eye, when standing upon the +summits of the highest mountains, after having traversed their +shores. The latter are uniformly rock bound, frequently bluffy or +precipitous, from 20 to 1,500 feet in height, with generally very +limited borders of level country, the base of the steep mountains +reaching down to the sea, with but narrow foothill slopes. The streams +flowing from the short watersheds are small but numerous, and without +exception, filled with fallen trees from their source to their +mouth. Their waters are generally rapid, clear and good. Trout are +plentiful in most of them, and a small, very excellent salmon is +caught in considerable numbers in several of the largest. We found +Chief Skidegate and several of his people securing their spring supply +by means of traps, from a creek flowing into Copper Bay, and Chief +Skedance _en route_ for the same purpose to a small stream emptying +into Cumshewa Inlet from Louise Island. + +The rivers, which I followed to their source, rise in lakes and small +swampy mountain basins. There are several harbors, where large vessels +may find perfect shelter during the severest storms. Although the +timber area is so great, there are but few localities where saw mills +could be profitably operated. The forest embraces no Douglass fir, but +little available yellow cedar or cypress, and only comparatively small +bodies of merchantable spruce, which are accessible without the +construction of expensive roads. Between Skidegate and Cape St. James +there are more than thirty islands and islets, and bays, inlets, +harbors, sounds and channels in great numbers. Day after day and week +after week we paddled, rowed and sailed along these wonderful shores, +visiting the Indian villages of Cumshewa, Skedance, Laskeek, or Tanoo, +and Ninstints, all occupied, and several others now abandoned. We also +crossed Moresby Island from the east to the west coast at two +different points, where the Indians assured me that there were trails +over which canoes had sometimes been carried. We found no signs of a +trail, except for a short distance, but, on the contrary, a country so +difficult to traverse, on account of swamps and fallen timber, that +the transportation of canoes through it would be a most laborious +undertaking. + +All of the villages named are beautifully situated, facing the south +from cozy sheltered nooks, with splendid beaches, and abundant +supplies of food conveniently near. Besides the halibut bank marked on +the chart, there is one near all of the villages mentioned, and +inexhaustible quantities of clams and mussels along the neighboring +shores. This is certainly one of the most favored regions in the world +for the abode of the Indian. From the number and size of their houses +now occupied, and ruins, from fifty to seventy in each village, their +burial Ghans and houses filled with the dead, these islands most have +contained at least ten times their present population. Smallpox and +the corruption of their women have been the principal causes of their +destruction. The Hyda women, being good looking compared with those +of the other coast tribes, have for twenty years been the special prey +of the coarse libertines of a large floating population, until virtue +is almost unknown among them. Nothing can save the race from speedy +extinction except the most careful Christian training of their few +healthy children. There are no missionaries in any of these villages, +nor have they been visited by white men, except at long intervals. +They treated me, however, with great kindness, inviting me to sleep in +their houses, both at Laskeek and Ninstints, and presenting my guides +with dried and fresh halibut, dried sea weed, fish spawn, and the eggs +of sea fowl. + +Many of the natives, especially the women, were painted; a few of the +oldest wore rings on their ankles, and all had their noses pierced for +them. My guides painted at Ninstints both black and red, and urged me +to do so, saying that it would not only improve my appearance, but +prevent the skin from blistering. The preservation of their complexion +I find to be the principal reason for painting by the women. They are +the fairest on the Coast, and evidently conscious of it. One young +woman, exceptionally good looking, ran to a brook upon our approach, +and quickly washed off the unsightly pitch, deer tallow and charcoal, +that she might appear in all her native charms. + +Until we rounded Cape St. James, the extreme southern portion of the +islands, we encountered but little disagreeably rough sea. Opposite +Barnaby Island, however, we were struck by a heavy squall, which swept +our canoe over the surface of the water for more than 200 feet, and to +within about twenty feet of a precipitous rocky shore, upon which the +waves were dashing furiously, before we could recover the use of the +oars. But, from the cape northwest, it was a continuous battle amidst +storms from all quarters, encountering strong adverse winds and much +of what the Indians called _hyas solleks chuck_ (very rough sea). I +could then understand why, before leaving, they had inquired so +carefully of Mr. McGregor, who recommended them, if I had a _skookum +tumtum_ (a stout heart), and of me personally whether I was subject to +sea sickness. We were four days rounding one point, making three +unsuccessful attempts, the Indians turning back, but not until our +canoe had been nearly swamped by heavy breakers. The skill of the +natives in handling the canoe is something wonderful. When once at +sea, I left its entire management to their judgment. On one occasion, +when off a rocky point, we were struck by a heavy sea with alarming +force. To advance was seen to be impossible, and to turn back was +almost equally perilous. It was no time for indecision, for another +great breaker was rolling toward us. With a single signal word from +the helmsman, with perfect coolness, a few powerful strokes at just +the right time reversed our little bark, and we were soon in safe +water again. + +For considerable distances on the west coast rocky precipitous +mountains face the sea, in places not less than 1,500 feet in height, +almost perpendicular, rising over 4,000 feet within a few miles +back. When running the guantlet of the storms along these forbidding +shores we looked into the mouths of several dark caverns of unknown +depth. Twice Indian Tom raised his paddle, placed four small wads of +tobacco thereon, and, with a supplicating motion of his right hand +toward these caverns, made an offering to the spirits which are +supposed to inhabit them, praying that we might have a safe +voyage. Here we found what I believe to be the grandest scenery of the +Queen Charlotte Islands. We had been pulling for six hours against +head winds, squalls and rough seas along this rocky, high walled +shore, which seemed to offer no place where a landing would be +possible, when suddenly the canoe turned toward land, ran through a +narrow rock bound passage into a little basin about fifty rods square, +surrounded by mountains rising precipitously from 1500 to 2500 feet, +down which ten cataracts were plunging. Grand View Inlet, or whatever +it may be called, is situated about eight miles south of Tasso +Harbor. As we were leaving it two land otters were seen swimming near +the shore. Giving chase, one of them ran out upon the land, where, +after an exciting hunt with dogs, it was killed. One evening, as we +were camping in a rocky cove, Indian Sam suddenly seized his gun, ran +down to the shore, and mounted a great rock where seal had been +seen. Presently he fired, and then stripping off his shirt, dove +headlong into the sea. He soon rose to the surface grasping a great +seal, with which he swam to the shore. Although they had eaten a +hearty supper, they sat up until midnight gorging themselves with its +excessively fat meat. They had one continual feast from the beginning +to the end of the expedition, devouring, besides the supplies taken +with us, seal, wild geese, duck, octopus, clams, halibut, mussels, sea +eggs, bird's eggs, fish spawn, salmon, etc., in great quantities. On +the thirty-third day after leaving Massett, I returned to Skidegate +through the Canoe Passage and Skidegate Channel, where I again +refitted for the west coast of Graham Island and the Virago Sound +country, next to be traversed. + +NEWTON H. CHITTENDEN. + + * * * * * + +CORRESPONDENCE, + +NO. III. + + +A forced detention at Skidegate for the recovery of a disabled hand, +afforded an unexpected opportunity of becoming acquainted with Indian +life in their village lodges and fishing camps, which I will more +fully describe in another letter. The waters of Skidegate Inlet, +during the months of June and July, were alive with canoe-loads of +men, women and children, plying between the dog-fishing grounds, their +villages and the works of the Skidegate Oil Company. The latter are +situated on Sterling Bay, a beautiful little harbor on the north shore +of the Inlet, about three miles from Skidegate. Here, as previously +stated, were assembled at times a numerous fleet of canoes and +hundreds of natives from all parts of the island, with their +klootchmen, papooses and dogs. The latter gave us a series of +concerts which will never be forgotten. Their number may be inferred +from my having seen eleven dogs disembark from a medium-sized canoe, +following one Indian, who alone arrived with it. The leaders of this +remarkable band were ten dogs which belonged to a family of Hydah +aristocracy, whose habitation was on the shore of a cosy cove about +one mile distant, hidden from view by a rocky, wooded point. Three or +four times during the twenty-four hours, they rounded the point, sat +down on the shore, raised their noses heaven-ward at an angle of about +forty-five degrees, when, with half-closed eyes, and the expression of +a spirit medium when about to deliver an inspirational lecture, they +abandoned themselves to paroxysms of howling and yelping. + +To their first outburst, came a prompt and deafening response from +every dog in the encampment, which continued with increasing vigor, +until their united chorus quite baffles description. I have heard +Chinese bands, Calliopes, the braying of jackasses, the love songs of +Tom cats, operatic screechers, brass band and violin murderers, broken +down hand organs and accordeons, Red River carts during the dry +season, the maniacal howling of the bulls and bears of Broad Street, +and many other noises of like character, but none of them are at all +comparable to the voicings of these Hydah dogs, when thoroughly warmed +up to their best efforts by a few hours' practice. + +A VISIT WITH CHIEF NIN-GING-WASH. + +Nin-Ging-Wash, the ranking chief of Skidegate, is about 65 years old, +thick-set, broad-faced, with a grave expression, and quiet reserved +manner. He was introduced to me as the richest Indian on the island, +as having the best houses, finest canoes and youngest wife. A few +years ago he gave away his second wife--growing old--and sued for the +daughter of Seotsgi, the leading chieftain of the West Coast. Presently +she made her appearance, a sprightly young woman about 26, and we +all started in their canoe for their home at Skidegate, where I had +been invited. _En route_ while passing a pipe from the chief to his +wife, my oar caught in the water, giving the canoe a sudden lurch +which would have been quite alarming to most feminine nerves, but +not to the Princess for she laughed so heartily over the mishap, +that I saw a smile spread over the big face of the old chief. An +hour brought us to the broad sandy beach of Skidegate, opposite the +chiefs present residence, a plain comfortable frame house in the +centre of the village. Two large splendid canoes were carefully housed +in front. A small orchard in which a few half-grown apples were seen, +next engaged the attention. The chief's wife carried the keys to the +house and to the piles of trunks and boxes it contained. Their +furniture embraced good modern beds, tables, dressing cases, mirrors, +chairs, stove, lamps and other articles too numerous to mention. They +opened trunk after trunk and box after box and showed me a very +interesting collection of Indian wear; four masquerade head dresses +reaching down to the waist covered with ermine skins valued at $30 +each; several complete dancing suits including a beautiful one made by +the princess; Indian blankets, woven by hand from the wool of the +mountain sheep, masks, rattles, etc., and also a good supply of common +blankets and other stores which they exhibited with evident pride. + +We next ransacked their old house, a large one, still in good repair, +which stood a few rods distant. Fourteen copper towes of various +sizes, formerly valued at from fifty to five hundred dollars each, +leaned against the broad front. The carved pole is so tall that, when +erected, Nin-Ging-Wash received his present name, which signifies "the +long stick." The house was filled with articles of Indian +manufacture, curiously carved cooking and eating utensils, fishing +implements, boxes, mats, etc. The chiefs property, real and personal, +is worth several thousand dollars. It is reported that he took his +young wife to Victoria, and refurnished his establishment from her +earnings. She apparently has her own way in everything now, the old +chief being quite satisfied to get his rations of muckamuck and +tobacco without troubling himself as to how it is provided. + +CHIEF SKIDEGATE + +Was found, with about twenty of his people, catching and drying salmon +at the mouth of a small stream flowing into Copper Bay, fifteen miles +south of the village. He is a cousin of Nin-Ging-Wash, younger in +appearance, though nearly as old. They quarrelled bitterly over their +rank for a long time, Nin-Ging-Wash, by means of his more liberal +potlatches finally prevailing, but not until two of their adherants +had been killed. Skidegate handed me a package of papers, chiefly +letters of recommendation from ship masters, missionaries and +others. It was evident that he was ignorant of their contents. One +said the chief had been "buming" around their vessel for some time +demanding $100 for alleged claims upon certain coal lands, which the +captain thought had better be allowed, as he was a powerful +chieftain. Another was a fatherly letter from missionary +Duncan. Skidegate it seemed, had attempted to shoot a young Indian for +some personal offence who fled to Duncan for protection. The letter +warned the chief never to be guilty of such an act again, assuring him +that if the Indian had injured him, he should be proceded against +according to law. But Skidegate has now kept out of difficulty for +several years, and like a good many white people, who sin as long as +they are able to, before they reform, he has joined the church, and is +trying to be a good Indian before he dies. + +DOCTOR MODEETS. + +My visit to the chief medicine man south of Massett was accidental. +While making a trip of several days alone with my canoe, I sought +shelter from a severe storm on a little islet in Skidegate Inlet, +where I passed a sleepless night in the rain and wind. It was only a +short distance to the Indian village of Gold Harbor, where, the +following day, I landed and spread out my blankets to dry on the +beach. Among the Indians squatting in front of their houses, I noticed +one whose hair was tied up in a knot on the back of his head, the size +of a large hornets' nest, of which it reminded me. Approaching nearer, +his face was seen to be marked with small pox, a piece was missing +from his nose, and altogether he presented a more remarkable than +attractive appearance. I found him, however, quite talkative, and soon +engaged him in conversation to the extent which my limited knowledge +of the Chinook would permit. + +He told me that he was a medicine Tyhee, and inviting me into his +house, showed me the curious medicine dance, dresses, wands, rattles, +charms etc., worn and used by him when practising the healing +heart. The charms were carved out of bone, and represented whales, +bears, ravens, land otters, eagles, thunderbirds, etc., and various +other animals and fish, each accredited with special virtues for the +cure of certain diseases. Selecting several which I desired to +purchase, I placed in his hand the pieces of silver I was willing to +pay for them. He counted the money, and then the charms over and over +again, dwelling at length upon the wonderful curative powers of the +latter, but finally accepting my offer with the addition of a small +potlatch. The occupation of the medicine man is now nearly gone, only +a few old people having any faith in their practice. Modeets is the +only doctor I have seen on the island who has kept the vow taken when +entering upon the profession never to cut or comb his hair. His wife +observing that it was an object of interest to me, unloosened the +great bang, when the thick tangled ringlets spread over the old man's +shoulders and reached down below his waist. To further gratify my +curiosity, the chief put on a portion of his fantastic regalia, and +executed a medicine dance. The doctor then dressed me in his wildest +and most barbaric costume, when _by special request_ I imitated his +performance, in a manner which "brought down the house." + +A GAMBLING SCENE. + +The Indians are among the most desperate of gamblers. + +They not infrequently play themselves out of everything they possess, +leaving the game nearly, or quite, naked. + +Chief Edensaw told me of an Indian who, having lost his money, canoe, +blankets, and all his clothing, gambling at the sea otter hunters' +camp on the west coast, then plunged naked into the forest, and +succeeded in reaching a village on Virago Sound, the only one, so far +as known, who ever crossed that portion of the island. A game of this +character was in progress at Gold Harbor. There were no police to +interfere or missionaries to discourage, and the players sat down in +two rows, facing each other, on the beach, with boards in front. No +cards or gambling sticks were used, only the tooth of a whale. This +was taken by the challenging party and passed rapidly from one hand to +the other, his movements being accompanied by loud singing, the +beating of sticks on the boards, violent gesticulations and +contortions, in which all joined, the betting being simply in which +hand the tooth remained at the close of the manipulations. I reached +this interesting scene just as an Indian was taking off his shoes to +wager on the game, which he soon threw on to a pile of clothing in the +centre of the group, containing coats, vests, pantaloons, suspenders, +shirts, etc. A big, one-eyed fellow was fast stripping the party when +I left, and if his luck continued, would soon have reduced the Gold +Harbor natives to their original state. + +A REMARKABLE VISITATION OF CRABS. + +I have seen a good many crabs in other waters, but never one-hundredth +part as many as suddenly appeared on the shore of Sterling Bay, in the +latter days of July. The lowest estimate by any one who saw them, was +tens of thousands. The bottom in places was so thickly covered that +nothing but crabs were visible, and Messrs. McGregor and Smith +reported having found them two or three feet in depth. They were not +the coarse, overgrown, worthless sea crab, but a good eating variety, +which, for some unknown cause had come there in such great numbers, +for the purpose casting their shells. They remained about ten days, +when they left in a body, leaving a winrow of their old shells on the +beach. Mr. Alexader McKenzie reports a similar visitation at Massett, +the first known during his six years' residence on the island. + +RETURN TO MASSETT--VISIT FROM CHIEF EDENSAW. + +Through the kindness of Capt. Meyer, and Purser Williams, of the +steamer "Princess Louise," my whole outfit, men, canoe and supplies, +were taken to Massett, at which point I resumed the examination of +Massett Inlet, which being concluded, we explored in succession Virago +Sound, Naden Harbor, and all the bays, inlets and harbors of the west +coast of Graham Island, and the streams flowing into these waters. I +had just taken possession of the quarters kindly assigned me by +Mr. Alexander McKenzie of the Hudson Bay Company, when we received a +visit from Edensaw, oldest and ranking chief of the Hydah nation, who +has erected the largest number of carved poles, given the greatest +feasts, and made the most frequent and liberal potlatches. Though +about seventy-five years of age, he is still quite vigorous, and being +well dressed in a suit of broad cloth, would easily pass for a much +younger man. He is the last of a race of powerful chiefs, his +ancestors having been bold and aggressive warriors, making many +captive slaves from the other coast tribes. He is also a distinguised +brave, but never fought with his own people, and has always been +friendly to the whites. On one occasion he risked his own life to +release the captain and crew of a small vessel, the "Susan Sturgess," +which had been made captive by the Indians of Massett. He has +succeeded one after another of the chiefs of various parts of the +group by virtue of the erection of carved poles to their memory, +bountiful feasts and generous potlatches to their people, until he is +now recognized as their greatest chief. + +UP THE YAKOUN RIVER. + +Early in August we had reached the mouth of the Yakoun river, the +largest stream on the island. Hundreds of salmon and salmon trout were +jumping out their full length, as we paddled along under the shadows +of the tall spruce which cover its banks. Advancing about a mile, we +camped with a party of Massett Indians, who sold us splendid silver +salmon for twenty-five cents, and potatoes at the rate of eight +dollars a bushel. The following day, accompanied by a single Massett +Indian, I ascended the river for several miles, by means of two very +small canoes, making several portages around log jambs over rapids and +shallow places. About three miles up, two old Indians and two naked +boys, tending a salmon trap, were roasting splendid salmon trout, +which they shared with us. They were living exclusively upon fish, +which they ate without salt, generally cooked upon a stick inclined +over the fire. For about 200 miles we coursed along the shores of +Massett Inlet, whose long south-western arms reach the base of steep, +high mountains, the western sides of which, from ten to fifteen miles +distant are washed by the waters of the Pacific. Chief Edensaw told me +that in former times the Indians to the south with whom the Hydahs +were at war, sometimes crossed over these mountains from the end of +Kio-kath-li Inlet on the west coast, and taking their people by +surprise, carried away captive their fairest young women. + +RUNNING RAPIDS IN A ROTTEN CANOE. + +Among our trips inland, was one of about ten miles up the Ain River to +Coos-Yoouns lake its Sourse. This is a fine body of water, about eight +miles in length, surrounded by a thick forest of spruce, red and +yellow cedar. The river from fifty to seventy-five feet in width is a +succession of rapids--log-jambs and shoals almost its entire +length. Following a trail about half way to the borders of a little +lake through which it flows, we found a canoe, very small, old, rotten +and shattered. The water poured in through a long crack in one end, +nearly as fast as we could bail it out. But by battening with our +provision sack, we managed to keep it afloat until we had accomplished +the round trip to the lake first mentioned, by making several portages +over log jambs, shoals and rapids. Returning, I decided to run one of +the latter, and just as my men got out to lighten the canoe over a +rocky place, pushed out into the middle of the stream. + +Down my little bark swept, toward a narrow passage between two rocks, +around which the water was whirling and foaming. I had under-estimated +the strength of the current, and in spite of my best efforts with one +serviceable hand, the canoe dashed on to one of the rocks, balanced a +moment on its centre, whirled once around, and then shot down stream, +quivering like a frightened animal, into safe water again. + +VIRAGO SOUND, NADEN HARBOR AND RIVER. + +Fifteen miles west of Masset the ocean indents the land for about +thirteen miles from eight miles to one-eighth of a mile in width +forming what is known as Virago Sound and Naden Harbor, the latter +being the most accessible and safest anchoring ground for vessels on +the north shore of the island. Into this harbor flows the Naden River, +the second largest stream of the Queen Charlotte group. From Massett +Inlet touching at the abandoned village of Yan situated at its +entrance, we proceeded to those waters and advanced ten miles up the +Naden River three miles by canoe and thence on foot through a thick +forest of spruce and cedar with a dense undergrowth of intertwined +salal, salmon, whortleberry and other bushes. Bear tracks and traps +were numerous, but no game was started except grouse, which were very +tame and plentiful. Night overtook us several miles from camp, wet to +the skin and without blankets! But further progress in the darkness +being impossible, we built a roaring fire at the base of a great +spruce tree, and lay down until daylight. The following night +occupying one of the three habitable houses in the old village of +Kung, situated at the entrance of the harbor, we found Chinese +pottery, and in the burying ground the largest carved figures of men +we had seen, about seven feet in height. + +_Around North Island into Cloak and all its other bays, visiting the +deserted villages of Kioosta Yakh and Henslung._ + +Thirty-five miles further, stopping _en route_ to examine the old +village of Yatz and the Yalan River, brought us to the extreme +northern land of the Queen Charlotte Islands, North Island. Here +Capt. Marchand lay with his ships trading with the natives nearly one +hundred years ago. The Hydahs were then at least ten times their +present numbers, swarming in the waters and on the shores around the +villages of Kioosta, Yakh and Tadense, where now only carved poles, +houses in ruins, and numerous graves attest their former +greatness. Two Indian dogs were the sole occupants of the fishing and +hunting village of Tadense, at the time of our arrival. They had been +left behind by sea otter hunters, with an abundant supply of whale +blubber--but were so lonesome that they followed us for a long +distance along the shore, evidently for the purpose of being taken +into our canoe. + +A beautiful clear, still day, favored the circumnavigation of North +island, and the careful examination of its coast line. A thick forest +of spruce of small growth covers its entire area, down to its rocky +shores, which are generally low, though rising to bold perpendicular +bluffs from 50 to 200 feet in height at North Point and around Cloak +Bay, the highest elevation on the island not exceeding 400 feet above +the sea. There are four small bays on its north-eastern side, from one +to two miles in depth, open to easterly winds, with fine sandy beaches +at their heads where the remains of former habitations were +visible. Cloak Bay, a much larger indentation on the south-western +shore, is exposed to westerly storms. The safest anchorage these +waters afford is found in a little cove on the south shore of the +island between Cloak Bay and the village of Henslung. + +Parry Passage, which separates North Island from Graham is about a +mile and a half in width, though the ship channel--very rapid except +at flood tide--is narrowed by reefs, and Lucy Island, to less than two +thousand feet. Camping at the deserted village of Yakh, near Kioosta, +we found large beds of strawberry vines of most luxuriant growth, and +carvings of male figures complete. + +THE WEST COAST. + +Rounding Cape Knox for nineteen days, thirteen of which were stormy, +we fought our way along about 275 miles of shoreline, traversing to +their head every inlet, harbor, sound, port and bay, fourteen in all, +from three to ten miles in depth, nearly all hitherto unknown, except +to a few of the oldest Indians. + +A rocky, ragged uninviting shore, from which project far out to sea +many rocky points with outlying reefs, white with breakers, except +during the calmest weather; precipitous mountains from one to four +thousand feet in height, clothed with forests of spruce and cedar down +to the sea; beautiful land-locked harbors, with short stretches of +fine sandy beach at their heads; long winding inlets, down whose +mountain walled sides roaring cataracts are plunging; numerous small +streams in which salmon and salmon trout were seen by the hundreds; +scores of islands, islets and cozy coves, where seal and wild geese +abound, describes the general physical features of the west coast of +Graham Island. + +A SUBMERGED FOREST. + +Tledoo is the name of a summer rendezvous of the sea-otter hunters of +Massett, situated about fifteen miles south of Cape Knox. We had +landed at Klik-a-doo, a short distance above, the only place visible +where the sea appeared not to be breaking, and in examining the coast +on foot several miles southward, discovered the tall pole which marks +the site of the three cabins of Tledoo. At first view, the sea seemed +to be breaking along the entire front, but a more careful examination +disclosed a narrow entrance between the rocks through which we were +able to enter a perfectly sheltered little canoe harbor with a fine +sandy beach at the landing place. + +A strong south-east wind caused a very low tide the following day, +laying bare a sandstone flat about an eighth of a mile from the beach, +upon which black objects were visible. I had already found on the +shore opposite at high tide, large pieces of lignite coal and +petrified wood. Putting on my long boots, I soon discovered the base +trunks of hundreds of forest trees from one to six feet in length +extending as far out to sea as I could wade--some lying down and +formed into lignite coal, but the greater number standing and +petrified as hard as rock. The rocks along the north coast for +hundreds of miles, show unmistakable evidence of violent volcanic +action, and though the ocean has receded within the memory of Indians +now living, these islands are probably the mountain tops of a +submerged land, separated from the main body of the continent by the +sinking of the earth's surface. + +AN INTERESTING RIDE. + +September with its gales had arrived, the last of the sea-otter +hunters, except Captain John and family, we had met beyond North +Island, leaving the coast for the winter; our rations were getting +short, everything induced me to push forward as rapidly as possible, +and after lying for several hours on Frederick Island waiting for the +sea to run down, I decided to advance. When we had rounded the first +point and were fairly into the midst of the great rollers--"turn +back! turn back!" exclaimed one of my men, which refusing to do he +added; "My God! See the distance we must go." We had already on two +or three occasions encountered sufficiently rough seas to give me +great confidence in the seaworthiness of my canoe, which, though I had +ribbed and decked fore and aft, every Indian who saw it thought unfit +for the expedition, being, they said, too small, weak and cranky. I +wished they could have seen her ride the great seas which come rolling +in like mountains, before we reached land again. Ben Melin, a sailor +of thirteen years experience on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, says +he never saw so small a boat out-live such a sea. "We will all be +drowned," said Bill, a young Hydah Indian, at the same time stripping +off his clothing as I turned the prow of our little ship towards the +shore. And yet we had not taken aboard two buckets full of water, +which swept over the covered prow and would have swamped us, but for +the decking. But everywhere along the shore we were nearing, and which +had been described to me by Chief Edensaw as affording a good camping +place, the sea was breaking with a loud roar. Surveying it carefully +we discovered a narrow opening between two great rocks, where the +interval between the breakers was thought to be sufficiently long to +enable us by skillful management to pass through it. I had steered +thus far with my left hand--my right hand being entirely useless--by +strapping the paddle to the side of the canoe near the stern, and +after directing my men to assist me with their oars upon a given +signal, decided to go through. First, with the assistance of Bill +removing my heavy boots and rubber coat, just after a great sea had +broken "Pull both oars, heavy, right oars, now both oars, with all +your might!" were the orders as we rode through in splendid style, on +the crest of a great wave; but when we supposed we were beyond their +reach, a heavy cross breaker rolling in unobserved, struck the canoe +broad-sides and dashed it violently against a sharp rock. Bill being +nearest the prow, and almost naked, was the first to jump overboard, +myself following, and both placing ourselves between the canoe and the +rock, clinging to the former, saved it from destruction by the two +succeeding breakers, which swept us so near land, that by great effort +we were able to lighten the canoe by throwing things ashore and then +haul her on the rocks. A split about three feet in length, above water +line, was the only injury it sustained. + +_Camping in a Cave, we are driven out double quick at midnight by a +very high tide._ + +We had sought refuge from a storm in a little rock-bound cove on the +south shore of an inlet called by the Indians Athlow, where we built a +fire and spread our blankets in a big cave washed out by the sea. As +night approached the more prudent suggested that the storm might cause +a high tide to rise over us while sleeping; though the opinion +prevailed that only the full moon tides in conjunction with severe +northwesters ever reached so high, and why take the trouble to pitch a +tent, when our ready made house of stone afforded us so much better +protection from the rain and wind. And so while we lay unconscious +the storm increased, the tide rose higher and higher, until at +midnight the sound of the waves dashing against the mouth of the cave +awakened me. Arousing my men, who were still sleeping soundly, with +all possible despatch, nearly cracking our skulls against the sides of +the cave in the darkness, by clambering over the rocks at the base of +a high precipice between the breakers we succeeded in removing all our +supplies and camp equippage to a place of safety. + +A HYDAH MOTHER'S REJOICING OVER THE RETURN OF HER SON, SUPPOSED TO BE +LOST. + +A hard pull up the swift rapids which extend for about two miles +across the divide where tides of Skidegate Channel meet those of +Skidegate Inlet, brought us into the waters of the latter, in which we +soon passed several parties of Indians camping at, and _en route_ to +salmon streams for their winter supply of dog salmon. Bill having +heard that his mother was with one of these parties, asked permission +to land and see her. When the old woman saw her son approaching, she +ran down the beach to meet him, and falling on her knees, uttered a +wild strain of joyful exclamations over his safe return. + +NEWTON H. CHITTENDEN. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Official report of the exploration of +the Queen Charlotte Islands for the government of British Columbia, by Newton H. Chittenden + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EXPLORATION OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISL *** + +***** This file should be named 6596.txt or 6596.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/5/9/6596/ + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks, Arno Peters +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. 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