The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-11-27
REDS IN REALITY.


potlatch, which took place on Squaxon
Island about ten miles from the head of
Budd's Inlet, last week. General Mil
roy, Indian Agent on the Squaxon Res
ervation, having perhaps. as all Agents
have, pride in the noble wards of the
Government under his care, resolved that
His Excellency Governor Newell, should
have chance 10 see these in their true
glory and accordingly arranged for an
excursion from Olympia to Squaxon Is
land by the steamer Zephyr on Saturday
the 9Th inst, and invited the Governor
and his daughters to accompany the
party. The ruthless reporter aforesaid
was of course one of the number and we
subjoin some of the facts concerning the
Indians as they appear in every day life.
FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS.
No allusion to the habits and customs Of
aboriginal life would be complete with
out some reference to either Cooper or
Longfellow, but to quote from either
author anything which would apply to
the miserable remnant of degenerate
race, without making that undigEifed
summersault indicated in the sub
heading, would be simply impossible.
We reproduce from the "Song of Hia-
watha" the few lines which may be made,
in the most charitable spirit, to serve our
purpose:
"I3y the shining Big -Sea-Water,
Stood the wigwam OF Nakoms.
Daughter of the Moon, Nakomis.
Dark behind it rose the forest,
Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,
Rose the frs with cones upon them
Bright before 1t beat the water.
Beat the clear and sunny water,
Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.
The wigwam, the pine-trees and the
Big -Sea-Water, were all spread out be-
fore us in delightful panorama, but we
could not discover in the motley group
of human beings and quadrupeds which
assembled at our approach any semblance
OF the beautiful Nakemis, or the hly-like
form of Winona. If even the old ar.
row-maker was there he did not show
himself. The first object of interest Wis.
tied was the
''PoTLATcH HOUSE"
A large lodge or wigwam, about forty
feet wide and probably 150 feet in
length. It consists of rude but mas,
siye framework of trees, the sides cov-
cred with shakes, the roof being sup.
ported by slender saplings without any
intermediate support of collar beam or
truss. A portion of the roof, along the
combing, has been left open to allow the
egress of smoke, but it very inadequately
served the purpose, for the eyes of yisi-
tors continually ached from the preva-
lence Of the dense yapor which arose
from score or more of fires, on which
was stewing, in pots and kettles of all
shapes and sizes, the noon-day meal.
4 q Ir.df m al lot
form about four feet wide, running its
whole length, sat or reclined the women
and children, in all the grotesque, not to
say picturesque, attitudes imaginable.
Here comely squaw, clad in the faded
cast-oH garments OF some one of her
aristocratic white sisters, sat knitting or
sewing; there an ancient dame, clad in
rags and filth, patiently watching and
stirring the boiling caldrons of peas and
wheat, the sole course of the meal soon
to follow. Near the entrance sat a
pleasant-faced klotchman making
bread. Her manner was peculiar.
The -four was first moistened and stirred
in a pitcher. and then poured into pan,
when it was kneeded just enough to give
it the shape of fiat loaves, which were
placed in a fry-pan and inclined to the
blazing fire. The loaves appeared after
baking still fiat and decidedly soggy. In
another part of the wigwam he saw
loaves which would have been admitted
for competition at our Territorial Fair,
but upon inquiry we ascertained they
we're baked in the oven of that innovation
upon savage custom, cook stove, and
probably this was the one thing needful
to have made all their pastry as inviting.
There were possibly $50 women and chill
dren
LoUNaING ON THE PLATFORMS,
Which served the purpose likewise of
beds at night. Under them and on the
girders overhead, were stored -four, pota-
toes and fruit; freshly slaughtered car
cass of beef being an extra tid-bit laid
away for the crowning ceremonies when
the Potlatch began. Salmon were like
wise a conspicuous article of diet-not
the dainty, delicate favored fish of COM
merce, but the blotch skinned, lean dog
salmon-and many of these fish, impaled
on sticks, slowly roasted before the fires.
THE BRAVES AT DINNER.
The pots were taken from the fires,
where their contents had been simmer
ing all day long, and ranged in line
the entire length of the lodge. This
brought them about five feet apart
Strips of mating were then stretched on
either side, upon which, after much
clamor and continuous shouting by one
who apparently filled the place of master
of ceremonies, finally knelt two long
lines OF dusky sayages, prepared for gas
tronomic battle. Immense spoons, or
ladies, made from wood or horn, were
then distributed, accompanied by small
cedar sticks, the use of which was a
mystery soon solved Each Siwash i'm
mediately applied himself to the bust
ness of the moment. Dipping full Ia
die of the steaming soup or stew (of peas
and wheat from the nearest pot, he
placed the smaller end of the vessel be-
tween his teeth and by the aid of the
stick, showed the food into his mouth,
just as Cinnamon eat rice from
q saucer with the nse of chop-sticks.
The capacity of the savage stomach, as
demonstrated by this feast, was some
hing wonderful. We have long known
that it revolts at scarcely any kind of
food, but never before had our eyes be-
held the feat of slowing away the largest
possible quantity within given space, in
so short period of timei 1t was won
derful No device could have been Sc
lected better calculated for the. rapid
ABSORPTION of semi-liquid food, than
these same capacious ladies, which, ele-
vated at an angle of forty-fve degrees,
presented straight shute down cavern
ous throats, without the aid OF chop
sticks, but when these are brought into
there was no halt in the pass
age and the samp disappeared with all
the precision of hashed meat through d
sausage stuffer. A few of the native wo-
men knelt with the men, but they were
content to sit by silent witnesses
of the extraordinary performances of
heir delighted lords.
ToMANAwUs DANCE.
By special request of General Milroy,
,he great tomanawus dance was executed.
It appeared to be more Of devotional,
han mirthful, character. The braves
orin ring, in the center of which is
placed the tcmanawus man of the tribe.
They all then strike up q monotonous
,hant imploring the Great Spirit to be- |
TOW all manner of temporal and spirit
lal blessings. 1t is accompanied by a |
stopping, swaying motion of the body,
emphasized by beats of the drum. The !
oldest men, leaning on slaves for sup
BORT engage in this ceremony Some of /