Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-12-19

ly destroying everything belonging
TO tho defunct. Their religion, like
that OF all the Indians of the North
Pacific, is of pantheistic tendency
They are not idolators, making no
image to worship, reverencing no
creature, but they adore the ideal OF
nature, and the great spirit OF the
wind, or the sea, or the sky holds
sway over the Indian, ard influences
and determines his health and his
destiny. This is the general faith,
modified and restricted to some par.
ticular ideas in different tribes For
instance, the Indians OF Barclay
Sound, the adjoining inlet to Nootka,
speak much ot the great Too tooch,
the mighty bird. the swoop of whose
wing makes the thunder, and whose
tongue is the torked lightning. They
are often much under the influence
OF medicine men, who are supposed
to be in alliance with some invisible
power All their faith tends to su
perstition and fear, and no happy
though Int cnlightens them IN sickness
and death. Hunting and fishing,
with berries and roots OF the marsh
or forest, supply them with livell-
hood. Their houses are OF the poor
est description, flat roofed and with
out chmneys, and consequently al
hitting the rain and retaining the
smoke; but in correction with these
signs of degraded social condition
we find to attract our attention some
beautiful specimens OF skiliuI handi-
craft, carein'ly hung up in their hous
es. The carved aud o,namented bow
made from the mountain ycw and
thonged with the gut Of the walrus,
and the great sturgeon hook Whitfield
from the pine knot barbea with bone
and bound with the tough bark oi
the cherry, while almost reaching
from end to end of the poor building
is the thin shaft of the salmon spear
(thc greatest possible abundance OF
fish is to be found, which forms the
principle article of diet of the coast
Indian torn the most necessary ar
ticles OF furniture OF an Indian house
hold. Outside, drawn up on the
beach, we see the sea-going canoe,
cut from single log OF cypress, com
monty called cedar in these regions,
AMI in symmetry and beauty Of torn
unrivaled. 1t is generally credited
that the American clipper build is
copied from one of these North Pa
cific canoes
TRIBAL RELATtoSs-GoyERN
The Indians of Noo,ka and Bare
lay Sounds and the Alberni Canal
consist at several small tribes, who
speak nearly the same language, and
are upon terms OF friendly inter
course, but each tribe has its sepa,
rate cIlie!, village. hunting territory
and fishing grounds, which no other
can invade without danger of hostili
ty, or at any rate, some sort OF
reprisal. They freely inter-marry,
het still every little community main
tain their spirit CT nationality and the
love OF their own poor homes, and
the admiration of their own name
and people is as firmly rooted with
them as the spirit of patriotism
among free and Christian nations
Their internal government is hardly
worthy OF the name. What there Is
OF IL is carried on by chiefs, some
hereditary and some usurping. Those
who rise unfairly TO power owe their
advancement to the practice prevail
ing among all Indians of the North
Pacific of giving large presents TO
their tribes, which is called a pot.
latch" Thus they steal the hearts of
the people, while the hereditary
chiefs, unwilling or unable to give.
holds out the shadow of power, and
is in danger OF finding himself alto
gether supp!anted. The chietdom
WAS probably OF more Importance in
the stirring times OF war before
the overpowering presence of the
white man broke down the Indians
respect for his own institutions.
LANGUAGE
The language, with considerable
changes, can be traced through tit-
teen TO twenty tribes northward
along the island, on the outer coast,
and southwark. A few OF It's lead
ing WORDS and much OF its structure
are found as far as the mouth of the
Columbia. Some of it's undoubted
characteristics are great irregnlartv,
absence Of grammar, properly so
called, frequent authorizations, and
facility OF adaptation. This las, tea.
ture is illustrated by the readiness
with which Indians give names TO
the various new objects which come
under their notice For instance,
their name for paddle boat signifies
.water.w Wheel and screw steamer
is styled the continual kicker from
the idea at first entertained that the
was effected by action
StIIlItdl 10 ttiS Stt pNS VI SH ltitilCi
Many OF their p oper names are sis
niticant, and probably all were so
when first given. BY them white
man is called "beard oman" Among
the sixteen or more tribes speaking
this language, and extending along
a coast.line of about 200 miles, sew
cral Of the tribal names can be traced
to their original meaning. Among
others may be metioned Moouchat,
from mouch, deer; Noochahlaht,
from noochee, mountain; Opecch-
isaht, from opechis. term applied
TO site on high bank or cliff; and
and 80 on with nearly all tho tribes
on this island. IT is clear the Ian
guage is full Of roots, which, al
though not always, arc frequently
by tho Indians, and usel
according to their meaning in the