, 1883-07-26

torI, Of PtI % riv.r. VINO Is ter. On a
visit W mgI. our :.s5, camp at the
mouth o. a snail str-alu, SOME i or "A
miles IRON her, anl had q very pleasant
time We visited some small streams to
examine the country, and obtain some
fossils.
Nasset viiiuge is situated on the east
cTU shore Of liasset Inlet, about 2l5
ni. from D.xon's entrance. The shore
takes a bend toward the east, and the
village faces tEy south. This bend Is
too slight to Da shown in the chart of
the Inlet, which is represented as run
ming almost due north and south. The
country : level. and there is much open
pasture land wnicn Is covered with Il
luNuriant growth of grass and wild pea.
aii"rdInS the richest kind OF pasture, as
,he fine condition Of Mr. McKenzie's
cattle proves. The shores OF the Inlet
present the same appearance as the
country back OF Whidby's Island and
Swinomish. There is d dense growth of
spruce, hemIock and cedar, and in the
interior, near the mountains, Is the vel
low cyprus OF Sitka cedar, as it IS called
on Puget Sound. The spruce is verv
large and makes excellent lumber; and
the cedar also grows to a large size.
Masset is the canoe building place of
Queen Charlotte Islands. more canoes
being built here than at any other vii
lage. There are now quite number of
large ones IN the course of building, and
now have good chance TO see the
method ana make sketches OF canoes
just hewn out, and the same canoe after
being properly sketched. After the ca
noe has been mostly hewn out red-hot
stone are placed in 1t, water thrown in
and the canoe covered over with mats
and sails to keep in the heat. L examin.
ed one to-day, the water fairly boiled,
and when the wOoG was softened by the
steam and heat, sticks were inserted, and
the sides gradually pressed open till
about the desired width was obtained.
The canoe is then allowed to remain
over night. The next day new hot stones
and water are put in, and a slow fire is
made on the ground, along the bottom
of the canoe. This toughens the wood
and allows it to be made wider by the
stretching until it is as wide as safety
Will permit, and then when cold is finish
ed off with chises and hand adzes, and
thwarts are inserted and the knot holes
ingenioUsly stopped, and the canoe
Is ready for painting. These ca
noes are sold to the Indians at Fort
Simpson and Skidigate, and other villages
and are famous for their neat appearance.
The houses of the Massett Indians, of
the old construction are massive build |
iugs, about 80 feet square, some made |
longer. In front of each is carved |
column, made of the trunk of cedar
tree, followed out behind to lessen the |
weight. Some of these are 70 feet high. |
On the front side are carved devices in |
dicating the tokens or family crests, |
which are represented by bear, beaver,
frog, eagle, raven, seal, halibu, shark |
and other animals, grouped together in
fantastic manner, to Illustrate some an
cient legend. Every column has its his
tory, and some of the legends are as in
teresting as the tales of the orgies.
The carving on some of these columns
is executed beautifully and the skill of
the carver is such that any white man
would feel proud of such work. It is as
to see the perfection these peo-
pie have attained in the art of carving
not only IN wood but in stone and the
precious metals. 1t is thought that the
present generation are losing the skill or
taste required or are less ambi tious than
fathers were for works of art, preferring |
the routine iabors of the salmon can
neries and ore manufactures to the more |
lasting evidences of their skill. Certain
ly there IS not as much work in toy max
ing as there formerly was, but there are
some skilled artists among them now,
Jne of whom, Charles Edison, jeweller |
and carver, has some splendid specimens
Of work in carved canes, silver bracelets
and other jewelry, for which he asks
splendid prices. But he sells all he can
make These people should be encour-
aged to develop their talents in the arts
which, as a writer who was here one |
hundred years ago says, did not origin
ate on this island" But from the re-
semblance he saw there to the carving III
Mexico, he inferred, and 1 think truly,
that in some former age the ancestors of
this present race were not unacquainted |
with the Aztec and Toltec races of Mex
leo and Central America. The interior
Of their houses presents the same ap-
as Indian houses usually do,
with the exception that they are much |
cleaner. One thing have noticed, and |
that Is the absence Of the gay and fes-
tive flea, which am told Is not found
on this island, where it formerly abound |
ci. The Indians say that when their |
ancestors wore skin dresses they were |
fui! of tleas and ice. bat after they |
gave up The use Of native tobacco the |
Haas dis3gEe4re3 BE that as 1t may, I .
do moi assert that 10 have been the cause. !
bat have nos seen iaa since : have |
been Ae.e. Their place however Is well |
sap2.le, ou still, damp evenings by that /
nocturnal visitor, the musical mosquito, |