Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-03-30
LAND OF HE TINNEES.
CIVILIZED INDIANS OF THE FAR
NORTHWEST.
They Subscribe Ior Paper Printed
I'm Their OwnLanguage and Have
Postal Systm:

| = DoTuereu Dy U0explOFeu
territory" and hnmed in by mighty
mountains, dwellsa race of red men
who daily grow Iore numerous, who
have made themslves proficient in
many of the artsof peace, and who,
as they become knwn in their customs
and conditions, mst excite the Won
der and attentio of the civilized
world. The peoLe are known to the
few travellers VIII. have found their
way among them is the Tinnees, and
they have their irirequent communi
cation with Civilization chiefly
through the Huson Bay Company
posts at Fort Geoge and Fort Fraser.
Their morals are nore strictly guarded
than are those of ny white Nation of
to-day; they estem cleanliness both
of person and Surroundings as they
do courage; andthey have a saying
that "to desert riend is worse than
to slay him."
| The last white vsitors to the home
| of the Tinnees wee the men compos
ing the Government survey party sent
north last summe under A. l.. Pou
drier, which has recently returned.
| The appended ntes of the chief of
the expedition gre some interesting
facts concerning tie Tinnees and the
land they live in.
"The immense ountry north of the
fifty-fourth paralel generally de-
scribed as the 'lale region, is hardly
| known to the resent generation.
Years ago, durinethe gold excitement
| i'll Omineca, grat deal of trade and
travel was taken hat way, and nearly
all the old pioners are familiar with
the wonderful scoery of the section
''Since the god boom the only in
habitants of thi extensive country
have been Indials and few Hudson
Bay Company employees. The natives
are known as the Tinnees. this name
including the wlole race, some of the
representatives of which inhabit the
country east of he Rocky Mountains,
others peopling ihe lake region proper
and still others living as far to the
south as the Cbilcotin River. The
race is divided INTO many families:
First, the Chilcotins, living on the
plain of that name; then the Car
riers,' or 'porteuts, around Fort
Fraser, and, againyt the Siccanies and
the Nahanies, occupying the country
north and east of tie Nechaco River.
'In language the Tinnees have no
relationship with the other tribes of
the North, but, curiously, Indians liv
ing as far south as California (the
Navaioes, for eIample), or i'll Okla
homa, the Chilcdees, speak a tongue
very similar to tlat of the Tinnees
"Of late year! young and ener-
getic missionary, Father Morrice, of
Stuart Lake, has been giving his time
and talents to the upbuilding of a
Tinnees Nation which shall compare
not unfavorably in many ways with
that of the whites. The mother
tongue of the Tianees, which is ex
ceedingly rich i'll expression, has been
through his efforts reduced to sys
TEN of phonetic writing, the chsrac-
ters being remarkable for the simple
ity and from th fact that they rest
rather than wary the eye of the
reader. The written language is so
simple and SO SYSTEMATIC that n child
to read or write it to perfection. Not
one of the tribe, from child of six
to the old men and women of three
score and ten, is unable to-day to
either read or write.
''The phoneti, Tinnees is employed
by the Indians in their correspond
ence-for they have risen to the Dig
nifty of postal system of their own
in the marking Of signs for the guild
apce of travellers and explorers, and in
the hundred and one other ways fa
miliar to civiliz.d Nations.
''To further develop the theory and
render its success more complete
Father Morrice, with the aid of the In-
dians, had special types cast from his
own designs, bought a printing press
and three years ago printed and pub
ished several elementary works on the
language and history of the Nation.
For the past two years he has been is
suing monthly newspaper, to which
every Indian in The vast district is a
willing subscriber. 1t is called the
News. It's first page is devoted ex-
w loSdi buSi "o huhe-
ing and trapping and all else which
may practically interest the commun-
Ds in which it eirculates. Another
portion is devoted to religious sub
jects, and the remainder of its sixteen
pages of space treats of the world in
general, great deal of attention be-
ing paid to science, the customs and
manners of foreign countries, useful
inventions, etc.
"There is, says Mr. Poudrier, ''no
other part of the province where the
Indians are so highly civilized, SO
truthful and so honest-rare qualities
indeed for an Indian race. One great
advantage traceable to the publication
of the News is the development of
taste for and a knowledge of agricul-
ture. The hunting and trapping are
nearing an end in the lake region, and
the natives see that the resource which
they must in future look to is farming
The new generation is fast becoming
a community of scientific tillers of the
soil. Were all the Indians of America
in so advanced state they would at
no time be cause of anxiety the
Government would never be called
upon to supply their wants, and the
white brother could learn not little
from them that he does not now
know"