-
"The Men Are Low In Stature, Rather Ugly, And Ill Made; Their Legs Being Small
And Crooked, Their Feet Large, And Their Heads, Like Those Of The Women,
Flattened In A Most Disgusting Manner.
These deformities are in part
concealed by robes made of sea-otter, deer, elk, beaver or fox skins.
They
Also employ in their dress robes of the skin of a cat peculiar
to this country, and of another animal of the same size, which is light
and durable, and sold at a high price by the Indians who bring it from above.
In addition to these are worn blankets, wrappers of red, blue, or spotted
cloth, and some old sailors' clothes, which are very highly prized.
The greater part of the men have guns, with powder and ball.
"The women have in general handsome faces, but are low and disproportioned,
with small feet and large legs, occasioned, probably, by strands of beads,
or various strings, drawn so tight above the ankles as to prevent
the circulation of the blood. Their dress, like that of the Wahkiacums,
consists of a short robe and a tissue of cedar bark. Their hair hangs
loosely down the shoulders and back; and their ears, neck, and wrists
are ornamented with blue beads. Another decoration, which is very
highly prized, consists of figures made by puncturing the arms or legs;
and on the arms of one of the squaws we observed the name of J. Bowman,
executed in the same way. In language, habits, and in almost every
other particular, they resemble the Clatsops, Cathlamahs, and, indeed,
all the people near the mouth of the Columbia, though they appeared
to be inferior to their neighbors in honesty as well as spirit.
No ill treatment or indignity on our part seemed to excite any feeling
except fear; nor, although better provided than their neighbors with arms,
have they enterprise enough either to use them advantageously against
the animals of the forest, or offensively against the tribes near them,
who owe their safety more to the timidity than the forbearance
of the Chinooks. We had heard instances of pilfering while we
were among them, and therefore gave a general order excluding them
from our encampment, so that whenever an Indian wished to visit us,
he began by calling out `No Chinook.' It is not improbable that this
first impression may have left a prejudice against them, since, when we
were among the Clatsops and other tribes at the mouth of the Columbia,
they had less opportunity of stealing, if they were so disposed."
The weeks remaining before the party set out on their return were passed
without notable incident. The journal is chiefly occupied with comments
on the weather, which was variable, and some account of the manners
and customs of the Indian tribes along the Columbia River. At that time,
so few traders had penetrated the wilds of the Lower Columbia that
the Indians were not supplied with firearms to any great extent.
Their main reliance was the bow and arrow.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 137 of 201
Words from 74474 to 74982
of 110166
