The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-06

ing the body and has three buoys 20 81
When a number OF these bGoys are fas-
tened . = whale, ne Is obliged 70 remain
81 or near the surface Of the water and IL
easily killed with spears and long iances-
Seals and porpoises are killed with similar
formed harp0ons, but much smaller.
Their Fishing Lines and Hooks.
Their fish lines are made Of the stem Of
the gigantic kslp. Nerc0cystis, which IS
common along the northwest coast This
AelP. commencing az SIS root IN a slender
stem about the size OF q pipe stem, or cod
line. rises 20 within a few fathoms OF the
surface Of the water. with but little in
crease Of size. and then gradually enlarges
TIL u terminates IN z hollow knob or bulb,
which always floats on the surface OF the
water. and from this bulb issue long
stresmer-like leaves fifteen or twenty feet
long. The Indians cut Of the long slender
portion Of the stem. then soak II n fresh
running water three or four days, or until
Il turns white. and then smoke IL and
stretch II and rub Il TO a uniform size. then
knot the pieces together, coil them UP and
the fish line IS made. When dry II is brit
tie and readily broken, but an immersion
Ia water q few minutes makes IL piiable.
when II becomes tough and exceedingly
strong. The bulb Of this keip and upper
part OF the stem being hollow. are used for
various purposes. Fish bait is kept in
used az water bottles.
The fshhooks OF the Makahs are made Of
the knots or butt parts OF hemlock limbs
first split into splinters OF the required
length and whitfield to the required shape.
then placed in a kelp stem and roasted IN
hot ashes TIL pliable, then bent into a
form like an OK bow The line is fastened
TO the upper arm, and on the inside OF the
lower arm barb OF bone is firmly at
tsched, and with this rude and simple in
strument they readily secure the halibut
and cod. For smaller fish they use steel
nshhooks purchased OF the white men.
Homes of the Indians.
The houses or lodges Of the Makahs are
built OF cedar boards and planks and are
usually OF large size, eighteen 70 twenty
feet high and forty TO sixty feet square,
with slightly elevated shed-lil1e roofs. These
boards are split from cedar logs with little
wedges Of yew and require skin and pa
thence 10 make them. These houses are
comfortable dwellings. excepting the
smoke. and as they have several families
In each lodge. each family having a sep
arate fire the smoke Of which serves to dry
the fish and blubber. the usual fumes cause
an intense smarting In the eyes Of visitors
who are not accustomed to so much carbon
In the atmosphere. During the past ten
years some OF the better class OF Indians
az Neah village have built houses in white
mems style. bat all the older villages re-
tain the ancient form OF building.
Their Manufactures.
Their manufactures consist OF such i'm
plements as are used in fishing and hunt
lng-harpoons. spears, bows and arrows
and fishho0ks. Bows and arrows are now
rarely used except by the boys for shoot
ing birds. the Hudson Bay Company mus
ket taking its place. and OF late years
rifles and dOuble-barreled shotguns: the
women brand mats very neatly from cedar
bark and weave blankets from dogs hair.
Baskets and Con4cal-shaped Chinese-look-
ing hats for keeping off rain, are made
from spruce roots. cedar twigs and bleach
ed bear grass. They also make OF these
materials, table mats. which are very
handsome and durable. The northern In
dlans. and particularly these Of Queen
Charlotte Islands. Il. c.. are very expert
carvers OF wood and stone, and nlanufac-
ture bracelets, finger rings and ear orna-
ments OF silver and gold. decorated with
carvings of various devices. The tribes
south OF Queen Charlotte group have little
skill I'm these particulars. and only carve
rude faces of men or animals OF their
mythology on their masks and other
articles.
Fond of Music.
The Makahs are fond Of music. and many
OF their songs and chants. when sung in
chorus. are melod!ous and musical. They
readily pick Up tunes from others and can
sing the popular songs OF the day. and
some OF the scholars at the agency school
learned 70 play the piano and organ; in
fact they can learn anything that white
children are taught.
Dress and Ornament.
The primitive dress OF the Makahs at the
time OF establishing the reservation In 1862
was simple and picturesque. During warm
weather 4 blanket was the usual covering
OF boil sexes, the women simply adding a
cotton skirt or netticoat. or a eincture Of
cedar bark spun into A coarse fringe,
reaching from the waist 20 the knee. Some
Of the men tied their hair into a club knot
behind. around which they wore a wreath
Of hcmlock or spruce twigs or fresh
plucked sea weed, giving them a pictur-
esque appearance. During rains or cold
weather the men wore be1rskin cloaks.
with the head part cat off SO that the fore
paws can he brought on each side Of the
neck and fastened the paws. with the
great nails attached hang down upon the
breast ON thc.r heads they place the
can.~al-shance hat painted with various
designs, and IN this costume. with tho a5-
clifton NJ gun or a spear. they make a
formidable appearance. Both sexes have
the cartilage OF The nose pierced. ana in'o
this ie ted A pendant piece If abalone
fre0te wore also worn. but now are bat sell
dom seen. The females ornament them
selves when ia full dress for dancing or
ceremonial purposes. WITH "A Co~anet MACS
~ tHc teutafuu. or tooth shell. called
"baiaua This s fastened around the
head in parallel rows. and - pcarIv white
ness c'r'rastc5 WITH their black hair. is
very orna mental Into thejr cars are fas-
tened strings ot haigua. l0terming.ed with
brass buttons. thswhlss beads of various
cata~s ana pieces - thn rrcon shells Y
tNe 7na.rre RINGS u brass wlre encircle
tha wrists punches 81 heads II various
calars are t.cA around the neck. and
strings ~ beads wound around the ankles
the line ~ tae porting 81 The hair on THE
teo NJ 'Nc heal rs marked wien vermlIlian.
thn eyebrows htacFcnea VITA charcoal. the
face ts creased With decr's las and then
r.ieb~s over Nth vc~miiiion. and thjs ass
the ornamental appearance OF Nakah
hele vhrr m dress parade
Nhe0 ahr.3t their usual work among FISH
ara h1gNher or vScu they a~e or or a
trsa.-- Vevtss 81 tA a had ~ oil ana dried
heaaut. thrI~ dress b. very simple an. very
6trtV 7 have seen many ~ the men WITH
r Coating ~ grease and s7ot covering their
ems - Ao&lss aut che dresses % tho No
uru completely saturated WIN ell and
a.rt Hu, So so'u ss thev 80 through
tae.r WORK up return from q cruise un
Fu-a stralt :ae-c IS general washing
Tbs washing 0-e~c is tha usual Morning
crrsrNNrv- Teev are very f'03 - bathing
N tac su-f. ara ~ no, omit their bath
even n Che colaest weather
IN Indian breakfast.
Break fast Immediately follows tire bath.
aa5 a. az the-r meals are serves alike.
description of cne. a; which rartaok N
$50 wtW give An f5pa - fNn sfuta .A,-,