The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft Part 14

[134] 'Naturellement silencieux.' _D'Orbigny_, _Voy._, p. 578. 'Sie verrichten auch die Nothdurft und das Ehegeschaft ohne alle Scheu.'

_Neue. Nachr._, p. 150. 'A stupid silence reigns among them.' 'I am persuaded that the simplicity of their character exceeds that of any other people.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, pp. 182, 183. 'Kind-hearted and obliging, submissive and careful; but if roused to anger, they become rash and unthinking, even malevolent, and indifferent to all danger.'

_Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 32. 'To all appearance, they are the most peaceable, inoffensive people, I ever met with. And, as to honesty, they might serve as a pattern to the most civilized nation upon earth.'

_Cook_, vol. ii., p. 509.

[135] 'To hunt was their task; to be drowned, or starved, or exhausted, was their reward.' _Simpson's Jour._, vol. ii., p. 229. 'They are harmless, wretched slaves,' whose race will soon be extinct. _Kotzebue's Voy._, vol. iii., p. 315. The Russian hunters 'used not unfrequently to place the men close together, and try through how many the ball of their rifle-barrelled musket would pa.s.s.' _Sauer_, _Billings' Ex. App._, p.

56. 'Of a thousand men, who formerly lived in this spot, scarcely more than forty remained.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 235. 'La variole, la syphilis, voire meme le cholera depuis quelques annees, en emportent une effrayante quant.i.te.' _Laplace_, _Circ.u.mnav._, vol. ii., p. 51.

[136] _Kaluga_, _Kaljush_, _Koljush_, _Kalusch_, _Kolush_, _Kolosch_, _Kolosh_, _Kolosches_. Marchand calls them Tc.h.i.n.kitane. _Voyage aut. du Monde_, tom. ii., p. 3.

[137] See _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, pp. 15, 16.

[138] _Ugalachmiuti_, _Ugaljachmjuten_, _Ugalyachmutzi_, _Ugalukmutes_, _Ugalenzi_, _Ugalenzen_, _Ugalenzes_.

[139] They 'call themselves G-tinkit, or S-c.h.i.n.kit, or also S-chitcha-chon, that is, inhabitants of Sitki or Sitcha.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., 128.

[140] The orthographic varieties of this word are endless. _Stickeen_, _Stekin_, _Stakhin_, _Stachin_, _Stikin_, _Stachine_, _Stikeen_, _Stikine_, _Stychine_, are among those before me at the moment.

[141] At the end of this chapter, under Tribal Boundaries, the location of these tribes is given definitely.

[142] A Thlinkeet boy, 'when under the whip, continued his derision, without once exhibiting the slightest appearance of suffering.'

_Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 242.

[143] 'Leur corps est rama.s.se, mais a.s.sez bien proportionne.'

_Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 46. 'Very fierce.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 291. 'Limbs straight and well shaped.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 171.

'Stolze gerade Haltung.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 16. 'Active and clever.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 237. 'Bigote a manera de los Chinos.'

_Perez_, _Nav._, MS. p. 14. 'Limbs ill-proportioned.' _Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol. ii., p. 49. 'Tres superieurs en courage et en intelligence.'

_La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. iv., p. 54.

[144] The women 'are pleasing and their carriage modest.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 291. When washed, white and fresh. _Dixon's Voy._, p. 171.

'Dunkle Hautfarbe.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 16. 'Eran de color blanco y habia muchos con ojos azules.' _Perez_, _Nav._, MS. p. 14. As fair as many Europeans. _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 112. 'Muchos de ellos de un blanco regular.' _Bodega y Quadra_, _Nav._, MS. p. 43.

[145] 'Leur chevelure, dure, epaisse, melee, couverte d'ocre, de duvet d'oiseaux et de toutes les ordures que la negligence et le temps y ont acc.u.mulees, contribue encore a rendre leur aspect hideux.' _Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 46. 'A more hideous set of beings, in the form of men and women, I had never before seen.' _Cleveland's Voy._, p. 91. The men painted 'a black circle extending from the forehead to the mouth, and a red chin, which gave the face altogether the appearance of a mask.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 146. Pourraient meme pa.s.ser pour jolies, sans l'horrible habitude qu'elles ont adoptee.' _Laplace_, _Circ.u.mnav._, tom. vi., p. 87. 'That person seems to be reckoned the greatest beau amongst them, whose face is one entire piece of s.m.u.t and grease.'

_Dixon's Voy._, p. 68. 'Ils se font des cicatrices sur les bras et sur la poitrine.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 223. 'Um aus dem Gesichte diese fette Farbenma.s.se abzuwaschen, gebrauchen sie ihren eignen Urin, und dieser verursacht bei ihnen den widerlichen Geruch, der den sich ihm nahenden Fremdling fast zum Erbrechen bringt.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 20.

[146] Meares, _Voyages_, p. x.x.xi., states that at Prince William Sound, 'the men have universally a slit in their under lip, between the projecting part of the lip and the chin, which is cut parallel with their mouths, and has the appearance of another mouth.' Worn only by women. _Dixon's Voy._, p. 172.

[147] 'About three tenths of an inch below the upper part of the under lip.' _Vancouver's Voy._, vol. ii., p. 280. 'In the centre of the under-lip.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 115. 'Fendue au ras des gencives.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 224. 'In the thick part near the mouth.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 187. 'When the first person having this incision was seen by one of the seamen, who called out, that the man had two mouths.' _Cook's Third Voy._, vol. ii., p. 369. 'In their early infancy, a small incision is made in the center of the under lip, and a piece of bra.s.s or copper wire is placed in, and left in the wound.

This corrodes the lacerated parts, and by consuming the flesh gradually increases the orifice, until it is sufficiently large to admit the wooden appendage.' _Vancouver's Voy._, vol. ii., p. 408. 'Les femmes de Tc.h.i.n.kitane ont cru devoir ajouter a leur beaute naturelle, par l'emploi d'un ornement l.a.b.i.al, aussi bizarre qu'incommode.' _Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 48.

[148] 'Simply perforated, and a piece of copper wire introduced.'

_Dixon's Voy._, p. 187. 'Les jeunes filles n'ont qu'une aiguille dans la levre inferieure.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 226. 'On y prepare les pet.i.tes filles aussitot qu'elles sont nees.' _Id._, tom. iv., p. 54.

'At first a thick wire.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 115. When almost marriageable. _Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol. ii., p. 51. 'The children have them bored at about two years of age, when a piece of copper-wire is put through the hole; this they wear till the age of about thirteen or fourteen years, when it is taken out, and the wooden ornament introduced.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 289. 'Said to denote maturity.' _Whymper's Alaska_, p. 100. 'Se percer la levre inferieure des l'enfance.' 'D'agrandir peu a peu cette ouverture au point de pouvoir jeune fille y introduire une coquille, et femme mariee une enorme ta.s.se de bois.' _Laplace_, _Circ.u.mnav._, tom. vi., p. 87. 'Never takes place during their infancy.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 187. 'When the event takes place that implies womanhood.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 243.

'Wenn zum ersten Mal beim Madchen sich Spuren der Mannbarkeit zeigen, wird ihre Unterlippe durchstochen und in diese Oeffnung eine Knochenspitze, gegenwartig doch haufiger ein Silberstift gelegt.'

_Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 21. 'Pues les parecio que solo lo tenian los casados.' _Perez_, _Nav._, MS. p. 15.

[149] 'Concave on both sides.' _Vancouver's Voy._, vol. ii., p. 280. 'So lange sie unverheirathet ist, tragt sie diesen; erhalt sie aber einen Mann, so presst man einen grosseren Schmuck von Holz oder Knochen in die Oeffnung, welcher nach innen, d. h. zur Zahnseite etwas trogformig ausgehohlt ist.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 21. 'Une espece d'ecuelle de bois sans anses qui appuie contre les gencives.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 224. Pieces of sh.e.l.l resembling teeth. _Meares'

Voy._, p. x.x.xi.

[150] 'As large as a large saucer.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 289. 'From one corner of the mouth to the other.' _Vancouver's Voy._, vol. ii., p. 280.

'Frequently increased to three, or even four inches in length, and nearly as wide.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 187. 'A communement un demi-pouce d'epaisseur, deux de diametre, et trois pouces de long.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. iv., p. 54. 'At least seven inches in circ.u.mference.'

_Meares' Voy._, p. x.x.xviii. 'Mit den Jahren wird der Schmuck vergrossert, so da.s.s er bei einem alten Weibe uber 2 Zoll breit angetroffen wird.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 21. From two to five inches long, and from one and a half to three inches broad. Ladies of distinction increase the size. 'I have even seen ladies of very high rank with this ornament, full five inches long and three broad.' Mr Dwolf affirms that he saw 'an old woman, the wife of a chief, whose lip ornament was so large, that by a peculiar motion of her under-lip she could almost conceal her whole face with it.' 'Horrible in its appearance to us Europeans.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 115. 'Es una abertura como de media pulgada debaxo del labio inferior, que representa segunda boca, donde colocan una especie de roldana eliptica de pino, cuyo diametro mayor es de dos pulgadas, quatro lineas, y el menor de una pulgada.' _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, p. 126.

[151] 'Une enorme ta.s.se de bois, destinee a recevoir la salive qui s'en echappe constamment.' _Laplace_, _Circ.u.mnav._, tom. vi., p. 87. 'L'effet de cet ornement est de rabattre, par le poids de sa partie saillante la levre inferieure sur le menton, de developper les charmes d'une grande bouche beante, qui prend la forme de celle d'un four, et de mettre a decouvert une rangee de dents jaunes et sales.' _Marchand_, _Voy._, tom.

ii., p. 49. 'She is obliged to be constantly on the watch, lest it should fall out, which would cover her with confusion.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 244. 'The weight of this trencher or ornament weighs the lip down so as to cover the whole of the chin, leaving all the lower teeth and gum quite naked.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 289. 'L'usage le plus revoltant qui existe peut-etre sur la terre.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom.

ii., p. 226. 'Always in proportion to a person's wealth.' 'Distorts every feature in the lower part of the face.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 68, 172. 'In running the lip flaps up and down so as to knock sometimes against the chin and sometimes against the nose. Upon the continent the kaluga is worn still larger; and the female who can cover her whole face with her under-lip pa.s.ses for the most perfect beauty,' 'The lips of the women held out like a trough, and always filled with saliva stained with tobacco-juice, of which they are immoderately fond, is the most abominably revolting part of the spectacle.' _Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol.

ii., p. 52. 'Dadurch entsteht eine im selbigen Maa.s.se ausgedehnte Lippe, die hochst widerlich aussieht, um so mehr, da sich nun mehr der Mund nicht schliessen kann, sondern unaufhorlich einen braunen Tabaksspeichel von sich gibt.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 21. 'So distorts the face as to take from it almost the resemblance to the human; yet the privilege of wearing this ornament is not extended to the female slaves, who are prisoners taken in war.' _Cleveland's Voy._, p. 91. 'Look as if they had large flat wooden spoons growing in the flesh.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 115. 'The sight is hideous. Our men used jocosely to say, this lower lip would make a good slab to lay their trousers on to be scrubbed.' _Dunn's Oregon_, p. 277. 'On ne connait point d'explication plausible de cette mutilation, qui, chez les Indiens, pa.s.se pour un signe de n.o.blesse.' _Mofras_, _Explor._, tom. ii., p. 336.

[152] 'Die Mannertracht unterscheidet sich in Nichts von der Weiber; sie besteht namlich aus einem bis zu den Knieen gehenden Hemde.'

_Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 18. Some of their blankets 'are so curiously worked on one side with the fur of the sea-otter, that they appear as if lined with it.' 'Some dress themselves in short pantaloons.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 238. 'Las mugeres visten honestamente una especie de tunica interior de piel sobada.' _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, p. cxvii. 'Se vestian las mugeres tunicas de pieles ajustadas al cuerpo con brazaletes de cobre o hierro.' _Perez_, _Nav._, MS. p. 15. 'Usual clothing consists of a little ap.r.o.n.'

_Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol. ii., p. 49. 'Their feet are always bare.'

_Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 114.

[153] 'Usan sombreros de la corteza interior del pino en forma de cono truncado.' _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, p. cxvii. Their wooden masks 'are so thick, that a musket-ball, fired at a moderate distance, can hardly penetrate them.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 150.

[154] Pluck out their beard. _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 112. 'Ils ont de la barbe, moins a la verite que les Europeens, mais a.s.sez cependant pour qu'il soit impossible d'en douter.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 229. 'The women in general are hair-dressers for their husbands.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 290.

[155] 'Der Eingang, ziemlich hoch von der Erde, besteht aus einem kleinen runden Loche.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 25. 'Ils se construisent des maisons de bois ou de terre pour l'hiver.' _Laplace_, _Circ.u.mnav._, vol. vi., p. 87. 'The barabaras of the Sitcan people are of a square form, and s.p.a.cious. The sides are of planks; and the roof resembles that of a Russian house.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 239. 'Habitan estos Indios en chozas o rancherias de tablas muy desabrigadas.' _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, p. cxvi. At Sitka the roof 'rests upon ten or twelve thick posts driven into the ground, and the sides of the house are composed of broad thick planks fastened to the same posts.'

_Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 129. 'Dans l'interieur des terres, des habitations bien construites, s.p.a.cieuses et commodes.' _Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 74. 'Shanties on a large scale.' _Whymper's Alaska_, p. 100. 'Their huts are made of a few boards, which they take away with them when they go to their winter quarters. It is very surprising to see how well they will shape their boards with the shocking tools they employ; some of them being full 10 feet long, 2 feet broad, and not more than an inch thick.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 292.

'High, large, and roomy, built of wood, with the hearth in the middle, and the sides divided into as many compartments as there are families living under the roof.' _Richardson's Jour._, vol. i., p. 410. 'Lebt in Schoppen aus Balken gebaut, wo an den Seiten fur jede Familie besondere Platze abgetheilt sind, in der Mitte aber Feuer fur alle zusammen angemacht wird. So pflegen gemeiniglich 2 bis 6 Familien eine einzige Scheune einzunehmen.' _Baer's Ethn. u. Stat._, p. 97.

[156] 'Vingt-cinq pieds de long sur quinze a vingt pieds de large.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 220. 'Roof in the whole with the bark of trees.' _Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol. ii., p. 53. 'Las casas en que estos habitan en las playas son de poca consideracion y ninguna subsistencia.'

_Bodega y Quadra_, _Nav._, MS. p. 49. 'A few poles stuck in the ground, without order or regularity.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 172. 'Gebaude besteht aus langen, sorgfaltig behauenen Brettern, die kartenhausartig uber einander gestellt, an zahlreichen in die Erde gesteckten Stangen befestigt, recht eigentlich ein holzernes Zelt bilden. Es hat die Form einer langlichen Barake mit zwei Giebeln.' _Kittlitz_, _Reise_, vol. i., pp. 220, 221.

[157] All kinds of fish; 'such as salmon, mussels, and various other sh.e.l.l-fish, sea-otters, seals and porpoises; the blubber of the porpoise, they are remarkably fond of, and indeed the flesh of any animal that comes in their way.' _Portlock's Voy._, p. 290. 'Vom Meere, an dessen Ufern sie sich stets ansiedeln, erhalten sie ihre hauptsachlichste Nahrung; einige Wurzeln, Graser u. Beeren geh.o.r.en nur zu den Leckerbissen des Sommers.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 22.

Cakes made of bark of spruce-fir, mixed with roots, berries, and train-oil. For salt they use sea-water. Never eat whale-fat.

_Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 131. At Sitka, summer food consists of berries, fresh fish, and flesh of amphibious animals. Winter food, of dried salmon, train-oil, and the sp.a.w.n of fish, especially herrings.

_Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 239. 'Sus alimentos se reducen a pescado cocido o asado ya fresco o ya seco, varias hierbas y raizes.' _Bodega y Quadra_, _Nav._, MS. p. 50. They chew 'a plant which appears to be a species of tobacco.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 175. 'Sont couverts de vermine; ils font une cha.s.se a.s.sidue a ces animaux devorans, mais pour les devorer eux-memes.' _Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 52. 'Tagliche Nahrung der Einwohner--sind hauptsachtlich Fische, doch haufig auch Mollusken und Echinodermen.' _Kittlitz_, _Reise_, vol. i., p. 222.

[158] 'Le poisson frais ou fume, les oeufs seches de poisson.'

_Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 62. 'Is sometimes cooked upon red-hot stones, but more commonly eaten raw.' _Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol. ii., p. 53. 'Not so expert in hunting as the Aleutians. Their princ.i.p.al mode is that of shooting the sea animals as they lie asleep.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 242. They boil their victuals in wooden vessels, by constantly putting red-hot stones into the water. _Portlock's Voy._, p. 291. 'Das Kochen geschieht jetzt in eisernen Kesseln, vor der Bekanntschaft mit den Russen aber wurden dazu aus Wurzeln geflochtene Korbe angewandt.'

_Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 23.

[159] To their fis.h.i.+ng lines, bladders are fastened, 'which float upon the surface of the water, so that one person can attend to fourteen or fifteen lines.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 134. 'Ils pechent, comme nous, en barrant les rivieres, ou a la ligne.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 232. 'For taking the sp.a.w.n, they use the branches of the pine-tree, to which it easily adheres, and on which it is afterwards dried. It is then put into baskets, or holes purposely dug in the ground, till wanted.' _Lisiansky's Voy._, p. 239. 'Su comun alimento es el salmon, y es ingenioso el metodo que tienen de pescarle.' _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, p. cxvii. 'Their lines are very strong, being made of the sinews or intestines of animals.' _Dixon's Voy._, p. 174. 'Die Riesenb.u.t.te, die in Sitcha bisweilen ein Gewicht von 10 bis 12 Pud erreicht, wird aus der Tiefe mit grossen holzernen Angeln, die mit Widerhaken aus Eisen oder Knochen versehen sind, herausgezogen. Die Angelschnur besteht aus an einander geknupften Fucusstangeln.'

_Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 32.

[160] 'Bows and arrows were formerly their only weapons; now, besides their muskets, they have daggers, and knives half a yard long.'

_Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol. ii., p. 55. Their weapons were bows, arrows, and spears. _Dixon's Voy._, p. 67. 'Leur lances dont l'ancienne forme n'est pas connue, est a present composee de deux pieces: de la hampe, longue de quinze ou dix-huit pieds, et du fer qui ne le cede en rien a celui de la hallebarde de parade dont etoit arme un Suisse de paroisse.'

_Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 68. Knives, some two feet long, shaped almost like a dagger, with a ridge in the middle. Worn in skin sheaths hung by a thong to the neck under their robe, probably used only as weapons. _Cook's Third Voy._, vol. ii., p. 373. 'Las armas ofensivas que generalmente usan son las flechas, lanzas de seis y ocho varas de largo con lenguetas de fierro.' _Bodega y Quadra_, _Nav._, MS. p. 46. 'The daggers used in battle are made to stab with either end, having three, four or five inches above the hand tapered to a sharp point; but the upper part of those used in the Sound and River is excurvated.'

_Portlock's Voy._, p. 261. 'Princ.i.p.ally bows and arrows.' _Langsdorff's Voy._, pt. ii., p. 131. 'Sus armas se reducen al arco, la flecha y el punal que traen siempre consigo.' _Sutil y Mexicana_, _Viage_, p. cxvii.

'Comme nous examinions tres attentivement tous ces poignards, ils nous firent signe qu'ils n'en faisaient usage que contre les ours et les autres betes des forets.' _La Perouse_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 172. 'Der Dolch ist sehr breit und hat zwei geschliffene Blatter auf jeder Seite des Griffes, das obere jedoch nur ein Viertel von der Lange des unteren.' 'Beide Blatter oder Klingen sind mit ledernen Scheiden versehen.' _Holmberg_, _Ethn. Skiz._, p. 28.

[161] 'A kind of jacket, or coat of mail, made of thin laths, bound together with sinews, which makes it quite flexible, though so close as not to admit an arrow or dart.' _Cook's Third Voy._, vol. ii., p. 372.

'Fur den Krieg besitzen die Kaloschen auch von Holz gearbeitete Schutzwaffen: Brustharnische, Sturmhauben und seltsam geschnitzte Visire, mit grellen Farben bemalte Fratzengesichter darstellen.'

_Kittlitz_, _Reise_, vol. i., p. 216.

[162] 'They never attack their enemies openly.' _Kotzebue's New Voy._, vol. ii., p. 55. 'Les guerriers tues ou faits prisonniers a la guerre, pa.s.sent egalement sous la dent de leurs vainqueurs qui, en devorant une proie aussi distinguee, croient y puiser de nouvelles forces, une nouvelle energie.' _Laplace_, _Circ.u.mnav._, tom. vi., p. 155.

[163] 'Bien hechas de una pieza con su falca sobre las bordas.' _Perez_, _Nav._, MS. p. 17. 'On n'est pas moins etonne de leur stabilite: malgre la legerete et le peu de largeur de la coque, elles n'ont pas besoin d'etre soutenues par des balanciers, et jamais on ne les accouple.'

_Marchand_, _Voy._, tom. ii., p. 72. 'Las regulares canoas de que se sirven son de pino, y no tienen mas capacidad que la que basta para contener una familia, sin embargo que las hay sumamente grandes.'