Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-11-02
scRHEs ANOHG THE NACXAHs.
An INDIAN WAR PARTY.

Flattery Indians 60 forth on hostile
expedition against a neighboring tribe.
and their return with the results Of
their operations. 1t WIS to attack the
Elwha Indians, near Dungeness, to
avenge the murder of "Swell." one of
the Mackah chiefs. who was killed last
March. The party started from Neeah
Bay. where l was then residing, and
although had seen them making ar
RAN gernents for several days previous,
vet doubted their intentions of going,
as | had seen similar demon STATIONS
during the past summer which had all
ended in talk. On the 18th of Septem-
Der, however, they got ready and came
down to Baadah village at the entrance
of the bay. where they stopped. and
most of them came on shore. There
were twelve canoes, containing between
80 or 80 men, all painted black, with
their hair tied up in a club knot on the
top of their heads, and bound around
with fir twigs. Their canoes also had a
bunch of fir boughs tied to the stem
and stern. There were about 70 guns
among the men, and those who had
none were armed with bows and ar
rows, spears, knives, and other weap-
ons. Each canoe contained number
of:orches made of ftaggots Of pitch-wood
split fine and tied to poles four or five
feet long. These were intended to set
fire to the houses of the Elwhas, as it
was part of the plan to destroy the
village, as we'll as to kill as many as
they could and take as many prisoners
as might fall in their way. l did not
thing it very probable they would see
any one, as had just learned that all
the Indians above had gone up to the
reservation at the head of Hood Ca
nal to receive their annuity goods.
Mr.. Webster, the newly appoiutc'!
Indian a gent, who had arrived on til.
steamer .Sicrru N,ru,ia few days be-
fore, advised them not to go, but us he
had no troops or other force by which
to deter them, he could use no threats,
and it was of little use to try and stop
them. Still portion were inclined to
remain. but were afraid to do SO on ac-
count of the determination Of the 9th.
crs, so away they went whooping. Yell
ing, firing off guns, aud singing war
songs.
! stood Oh the top of the rocks ut
Webster's point and saw them pass,
and certainly they made fine appear
ancc. Nearly every man had his blan-
ket so arranged about him as to leave
both arms at liberty. A girdlc about
the waist confined the blanket, which
was gathered up in such manner rs
to form sort of frock, leaving the legs
bare below the knee. Some few wore
shirts, but the majority had nothing on
but a blanket, arranged as / have des-
cribed. Their green head dresses,
black faces and brown arms, their
flashing paddles and beautiful canoes,
urged to their utmost speed, presented
a scene to me ut once novel and inter-
csting. On they went with shouts aud
yells, and l watched them until pro.
jecting point hid them from view. My
attention was then attracted to the vii
lage from whence came great clamor.
This was caused by the women and
children. who, seated on the tops of
their houses. were beating the roofs
with sticks and uttering the most pierre
ing shrieks ever heard. Ii the sounds
were iateaded for songs. they came up
to my idea of melody in the same pro.
portion rs the dulcet notes Of fish -hawl<s
aud bluc.jay
Every day at sunrise and snmse: did
they perform these savage mathis and
vespers until the return If the war
party, who came back on the third day.
A was awakened just before sunrise by
All unusual noise, and on lcoking out l
saw the canoes abDut two miles distant
coming back. As they approached.
the Indians commenced firing y0lleys
Of musketrv, accompanied by songs snd
shouts. the old fSh-hawks and little
blue;jays on the lodges doing their ut
most to increase the din.
The canoes landed on the beach on
posite the monument Of ..Swell," the
murdered chief, and forming into . line
came up the beach in single file with
old C"wbetsi. their great war chief st
their head. A short distance behind
him came . savage holding with both
hands bloody head that had been sew
cred from the body Of m unfortunate
Elwha. Two or three Indians followed
this and the" another grim trophy, held
in the same manner % the frst. The
whole party then danced and howleG IN
their hearts content. when placing the
two hesds on the sand. Tie formed q