The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-20


ers turnbiing upon the shore in a IuElu.
OF shud9erlng foam, is a sheltered ncoh
that 20 passing steamships looks Wild AM
eerie enough TO be invested with ever.
charm OF romantic tradition and 1ascina1
ing legend. IL Is invariably sighted o
travellers who enter the Sound. and as Il
lies remote from the course OF ali regu.el
vessels the stranger saZes with deep in
terest at the Wild little spot, where ne Is
Informed the fail OF moisture IS create
than ct any other point in the Initec
States, and fixes the name, ''Neah Bay,
indelibly upon his memory.
II may easily be inferred that not often
is the visitor 20 its lonely shore blessed
with clear weather for his exploration.
for while rainy days are common during
more than half the year over the entire
Puget sound region. in this particular
locality may be truly said, ut never
rains-it pours,' and il never does any
thing else. As usual thing the tourist
who would go ashore at Neah Bay musl
be an intrepid and daGntless slghtseer.
He must not care for the weeping skies
and raging winds and surxing seas. He
must be unGismayed IL the small row
boat, which Is the only craft in which Ii
can approach the shore. is borne triumph
antly aloft on a mammoth breaker and
perhaps dashed sidelong upon the beach.
while his tarpaulin suit Gor such q suit
he needs) is drenched from head 10 foot
with a shower OF the briny. He must
take al these things as SO much NOR
experience. and press onward, sure that
in this remote corner of the Northwest
ne Will ind enough that is unusual and
in teresting 10 captiVate him for weeks.
But for once the skies that arch above
Neah bay were cloudless and blue the
winds lay hushei In the ocean caves and
the sea only murmured like CirowsY
child. when the United States revenue
cutter Grant dropped anchor there one
lovely afternoon. Wa-ad-dah Island rose
maiestically out OF the water AT the right
and 70 the left lay the houses and grounds
of the Makah Indian reservation, which
occupies about $500 acres OF the main
land, reaching out around Cape F'iattery.
Lower the dlngey." was the order
promptly obeyed by The stafwart sailors
and very soon their long. strong strokes
were driving the boat rapidly towards
the shore. There were on that trip two
indomitable women, who had firmly re-
solved 10 lose no opportunity for explor-
lhs and investigating these Wills. and TO
be put down by no stormy wind that
blows, and so when the dingey was waited
on the smooth. sandy beach "a gently as
roseleaf drifts down a smoothly towing
river, ;hey may have felt some slight
qualms of disappointment. after being so
thoroughly nerved up to face nature in
her Widest moods. 1t was like being pre-
pared for blow and receiving Il caress.
But caresses are pleasant. after all. and
so these female Capt. Kids were obliged
10 admit that their visit was much more
profitable of results than If half their
energy had been spent in battling with
the elements.
Nothing more secluded and restful can
be imagined than this sheltered cove as
it appeared on that beautiful afternoon
The wide BEACH OF hard. white sand
stretched out, warm and inviting, in the
glow OF the sun that shone like midsum-
mer. The white buildings of the agency
and school were above on a picturesque
bluff that in its rugged front was for
tress impregnable and grand. The little
Indian village lay half a mile away in
all the enchantment that distance lends
and two or three sparkling streams ran
saily down over pebbly bottoms .heiI
banks oVerhung with Wild rose salmon
berry and elder bushes.
With all this outdoor charm. Il was
hard to turn towards any human habi-
tation, yet the interest but increased as
the flight of narrow steps leading to the
agents white cottage was climbed and
the view broadened out before our eager
eyes. \ velvety lawn stretches out be-
fore the house and runs down 10 the
frowning rocks that jut out into the sea.
The sight is worthy OF an artists brush
with the splendor of the sunset glory
flooding land and sea, and the broad ex-
panse OF the mighty ocean in the blue
distance. The Makah pronounced Ma
kaw) Indians. who occupy this reserva-
ton, are about 100 in number. and make
their living by sealing and fishing. No
agricultural land Is here found except
in small patches. and the natives have
not the slightest inclination 20 raise
even a few vegeta bles. subsstiug entirely
on nsh and game On this occasion the
NsagsH .E-~t...
dition. which is their principal industry.
they Owning about fifteen schooners ard
being expert in the manner Of catching
these valuable animals
The women Were at home and in COM
pany with Mrs Powell. the agents Wife
We visited the village and entered many
al the dwellings and large rancheries, as
the most commodious are called. These
are. l believe. peculiar 10 the Indians OF
this reservation, and the significance of
the word is understood when one enters
the rouga-boarded building with door
that swings shat in the primitive manner
OF cid-tlme farm gate~. by a weight sus-
pended from a rope. and stands bewil-
dered q the most darkly, srnokilv pie
turesque and odoresque apartment il
was ever my good fortune 70 enter one
room, Its top and sides thick and black
wlth the SCOT and CRIME OF years uas
hung from one end 10 the other with the
most molly array OF Indian household
necessities. GrinuinE totem poles carved
ia grote~que shape, peered knowingly out
os The darkness one article tnat ap-
pearcd IN great Qrofus!On. puzzled our
party. uGti We were told thar Il wos me
bladder OF the whale. ~ which the Indians
kept their whale o3l. great dellcacy with
them Great slices Of dried FISH festoooea
tie E2f-ers. and every variety % tackle
skin, blanket and horn hung from vari-
Gus portions II the wall An s0artt;ra -,