Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-01-12
THE MODOCS.
WAO and What They Are-Where and
HoH They LiVe-0ur Business
With Them.
The Indians Who are Making Such
Fierce War Upon cur Troops.
Their Industries, Homes, Weapons,
Women and ReligiOn-Original
SpiritualiStS.

section, Of which the Modocs are one
and tae following description of tn,
klamath Indians, now the most pow.
erful Of the coast tribes remaining, may
not be uninteresting. The klamath
river, the longest in the State of Cali.
fornia, empties into the sea in Del NoTte
county, in latitude AZ So north. 1t is s
swift and deep stream, hemmed in be
tween deep gOrges, and bOrdered by ex.
Uensive forests Of red wood, fir and ee.
dar. Game Of all description il
abundant, and in the different seasons
chosen for spawning, the river swarms
with salmon, smelt, and other fish from
the sea. For thirty miles from the
month are only three or four white in
habitants, engaged in trading or min-
ing. Commencing az the sea, where
there is a village Of several hundred in
habitsnts on the left bank Of the stream,
the Indians are located at every bend oi
the river, where sufficient space occurs
10 build their houses. Each OF the vii
Iages has its distinctive name, as So
ioin, Meta. PeckwaD. ETC., and is gov
erned by its own chief, all, however,
acknowledging one central authority, OF
head chief of the tribe. No attempt has
ever been made by the government to
remove these Indians on the neseTva-
JiOns. although military posts have
been established on the river.
Their houses are constructed of planks
hewD from the cedar or fir, are not very
high, and having circular opening for
5ngress near the ground. Within the
hut fire is built on the ground, in the
center, for warmth and cooking, the
smoke escaping through the roof. The
klamaths are mOnOgramists, and dis
play a considerable amount of affection
and care toward their families. The
men are, as a rule, tall and finely
formed, and are expert with the paddle.
spear and bow and arrow, many of
them being besides good rife shots.
Nhe women are not, as q general thing
comely. The heavy burdens imposed
on them in carrying wood, etc, by their
lords, destroy the shape, and the prac-
tice OF tsttOing the chin in vertical black
lines renders them almost re-
uulsive to the =h;te observer. The
principal food Of these Indians
l. salmon and other fish. To take the
former they have resort TO both the
spear and net. A little dam is built in
some eddy, and the fish, running up the
stream, meet the obstacle, and, seeking
q way around il, are impaled by the
watchful observer, perched on his plat
form Of poles above. Sometimes the
different villages join together and con-
struct q weir or dam extending clear
across the river This weir is made of
small cedar or fir saplings, the lower
ends being driven int the river-bed and
the top fastened TO a long string piece
that stretches from bank to bank.
Small openings are left in the dam,
a.. - F1e.I,
into little traps, and are taken out with
the net.
The building of one of those dams is
usually preceded by a rand dance, and
closed with a plentiful feast of salmon.
The largest portion of the catch Is dried
and sm0ked Cor sFinter use. To eat
with the fish they have both acorn and
weed bread. The former il prepared
from the fruit Of the Querciis DeRSif0rd, |
OF chestngt oak. The acOrns are slight /
~ scorched and then pounded up in
stone mOrtaTs. The invariables sound !
that first strikes the ear on coming near !
a rancherio is the mOnOtOnous thump, I
thump, of the pestles in the mortaTs,
welded by the patient squaws. After
the meal is prepared the sqUaws 90
down 10 the river beech and scoop out q
circular hole in the sand-this is filled
with the stuff diluted with water. A fire is
then built around the outside, the mass
gradually thickens until il resembles
cOrn-bread. Ii is then taken out, the |
outside sand brushed of, and either eat |
en- or stored away. The sea-weed is OBJ |
tanned from the beach. tits a glutinOus /
variety Of alg,e, and is prepared by mat I
ting Il together and drying il in the sun. /
1t is then ready for food without further |
preparation. Besides the fish and bread. /
the Klamaths kill great quantities of
both elk and deer, the flesh of which is 4
jerked over a slow fire for winters use. /
They also buy provisions from the |
whites, the money Tor which they OBJ 1
tain - working in the harvest fields, |
saw-mills, ETC., and by ferying passen- /
gers across the river, for which they /
have a license from the Government.
The canoes made by the Klamaths
are superior TO those in use by the other l
coast uibes, although not as handsome 4
in shape a. the Chinook; the larger ones /
are well fitted 10 stand heavy sea, and /
they frequently 90 out with them across
the Klamath Bar and up TO Crescent |
City with cargOes Of fish for sale. Quite /
a large amount of freight was at one /
time sent from Crescent City to the |
from the redwood growing on the banks 1
of the river. A tree is selected free as 4
possible from knots, and a section pa 1
tiently shaped out, the inside being
usually burned. Itwas formerly work /
Of months 10 make a canoe, but with |
the improved tools obtained from the /
whites, a skillful workman viii now
hollow one out in a few days.
fFnst rUs4f -sUFsa rHaaa foF srro rf1Va nd fae /
chase Are usually made by some old In
dian who has acquired skill in stone
and in fashiOning the bows
and arrows. The former are made from
{ be limits of the yew tree, a tough ever
green found sparsely on the river. The
outside is coated with tightly-drawn
sineWs, and the string is made from the
same material. The arrows are Of
cedar, tipped with stone or brass heads,
and having a spiral whirl or feather to
give them a rife motion. They
are very powerful, and an Indian
can send an arrow clear through the
body Of an opponent at any reasonable
distance. Another weapon is curiOUsly-
shaped sword or knife, about thrt e feet
long, fashioned very much like that Of
.he old Greeks. and made from iron or
steel obtained from the whites. In ad-
iiti0n 10 these arms Of native manufac-
rure, the Klamaths are well supplied
with both rifles and revolvers. Where
they obtain these, or who sells them the
is a carefully guarded mys-
terry, but, although it is against the law
10 sell them arms, yet there seems to be
40 statute permitting their disarma-
.nent.
The Klsmaths are quite acquisitive,
and have very good idea Of the value
II money, both, their own currency and
d wOgic," {. o., white. The former con-
lists of the Ali -caonic, or shell, the
ROod-pecker head, and the obsidean
stone, fashioned into knives or orna-
menJs; also, the skin Of the white deer
The two latter have q superstitiOus
value, a. well as an intrinsic one. A
good white deer-skin, with head and
legs intact will fetch from fifty to two
hundred dollars. An Indian possessing
lne Is considered rich. Quite recently,
u. the occasion Of 8 grand dance, by the (
.ich men on the lower river, some ten
lr ffteen Of these skins We're produced,
me Astor Of his tribe having four. This
lance illustrates the superstitious char
,cter Of the tribe and also their value of
money well
II seems thata prophet or great medi-
me man came down from the upper
liver, and told the Klamaths that i'll
zach village would have dance in sue
,ession, the spirits of the dead would
-eturn and the whites would be turned
nt0 stones. IN his character of prophet,
le exacted a levy of half dollar from
.ach Indian permitted to join. After
eng and vigorous prosecution of the
lanees, some of the more knowing ones
lsked f0f a set day on which the spirits
we're to appear. When the day came !
he prophet said that he saw all the {
nirifs i'm the sky, that there