Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-01
PUGET SOUND INDIANS.
now sEAITLE's CUNNING SAVED
THEN FROM DESTRUCTION.

THEM FROM DESTRUCTION
The last man bearing the name OF
Seattle died n few days ago at the
Old Man House, near Port Madi
son. John Seattle was the last Of
old Seatlle's sons, Angelina, the old
chiefs daughter, being now the
only surviving child. II has not
been generally known how Seattle
became a chief. ). F. Coombs says
that while calling on old Seattle at
the Old Man House he learned the
following regarding that old gen.
tleman's early history and why he
had been n chief:
1t seems long before any white
people had settled in Puget Sound
and about the time the Hudson Bay
Company were establishing their
posts in the Northwest, the Indians
living on the Upper white River
and the mountain Indians had
banded together to make n fight on
the Puget Sound tribes, or those
known as the Old Man House tribe.
Word seached them that a force OF
those mountain Indians We're about
to start in canoes from Upper Green
and White rivers in such numbers
and 50 well armed that If they
reached Duwamish, now Elliot Bay,
the Old Man House tribe would be
wiped out. a council Of the old
and wise ones gathered, and Seattle,
then a young man not over %, vol
auteered and devised n plan TO
check the enemy in reaching salt
water. All Of the rude instruments
in the shape of axes were called for.
They left Elliot Bay by canoes and
by trail, Seattle heading the expedi-
ton.
Ashort distance above the mouth
Of Black River, on White River,
the Bluffs came 50 close together
that fir trees chopped down on one
side would reach the bank on the
opposite side. IL was at this point
that Seattle commenced telling
trees. BY dark these trees were
stretched across the river and 60 ar
ranged that n canoe could not 90
under without first upsetting.
Seattle had his men ambushed on
sither side, with their rude imple-
ments Of warfare, mostly bows and
arrows. Seattle did not have to
wait long after dark before the
mountain Indians came padding
down, and before those behind could |
know whPt was the matter in front
some five or six large canoes with |
over 100 warriors were struggling in
the water, and many who reached |
the shore were soon dispatched by
Seattle's Fiatheads. The remaining
canoes that " ere checked before get |
ting under the obstruction were |
turned back, and the plot 10 clean |
out the Puget Sound clam-eaters
was frustrated, and young Seattle |
was declared chief of the Old Man |
House tribe, which then comprised |
all the Indians between Alki Point |
and above Skagit Head on Puget |
Old man Seattle never learned the |
Chinook jargOn. Always when
giving white people information he
had an interpreter. Old Seattle
must have been past ninety at his
death.
MI NoOuluS sals lflal Wncn ne
arrived at Port Madison over thirty
years ago the big logs and posts they
rested on at the Old Man House
were a great wonder to all. The logs
across from one post To
another must have been $50 feet
long, and many Of them three feet
It the hutt and about one aud n half
70 two feet at the smaller end. These
oGs no doubt were placed in position
the aid Of any gear, pur-
base or machinery. Old man Sc
title could not inform US as TO when
hey were first erected. He said
he new cedar posts were replaced I'm
he ground from time TO time as the
Id one became decayed.-SedttIe
rrcss.