The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-20
SIN And AROUND NEAH BAYS
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49, e-4U4 9 ts4eS may Ee taken care o. ana
lie IN peace. while the younger genera
ion goes on in the ways OF thrift and in
iGsiry. IL this could be done. there might
= some advance. but as il IL the civil
zea red man Of today IS a most ignoole
TeaGare, with none Of the picturesque
ness thal may have been his as an I'M
aught savage, and all Of the vices that
lNitLSiion can bsStow upon him. This
not tor iaek OF faithful work, for no
missionaries ever iabored more arduously
th&a 60 the agents and teachers among
-hSSe people. showing The greatest inter-
est IN. and affection for, their charges
indeed, IL would be hard not to be inter-
ested IN the sixty boys and girls who
form the agency school. for their faces
are brighter. more mobile and animated.
tkan III any similar gathering l have seen.
ana they enter into their work With a
spirit that IS unusual among most Indian
children. who are usually the most undis-
Sulsediy hlase looking specimens OF hui
mainly ii is possible To imagine. As We
passed along the village Ne were beset
10y scores OF dogs of all breeds and half
breeds, dogs large and small. good nat
uFed and otherwise, and Chester. the fine
cooking Indian youth who acted as our
guide, was earnestly entreated TO keep
them away. The Indians consider their
good luck 10 be proportionate to the num-
Der or dogs they own, and there is no
measure for the woe that would befall
the man who killed one, so Neah bay is
q paradise for every mongrel who can get
himself transported rhither. and ne will
not be molested. but allowed 10 die a nat
cral death, even though he may be suffer
ing from distemper. mango. or broken
limbs. as Were some Of the poor creatures
saw.
Close 10 the village. In a wood, lies the
graveyard. and IL was actually "a relief
to turn our steps towards it. after con-
-act with the Embellishments OF live
Indians. The entrance IS marked by A
large "tam-an-a-was" board, decorated
gay colors and symbolic designs. Totem
poles are mounted at intervals around
the enclosure, and strips of gayly colored
tuntins float in the air, suggesting 4
Fourth Of July celebration. Ii is hard 10
imagine anything more Enthusiastically weird
than this resting place OF departed ST.
washes The manner of preparing the
dead for burial is to double the body at
the waist, tying the knees and neck to-
gether with strong rope. so tightly as
20 extinguish life. If life remains. This
is done instantly upon the cessa ton OF
respiration, and woe to the unfortunate
savage who INDUCES in swoons or frances,
His Borrowing kindred will have him out
OF the way before agent or priest can
interfere. and II he is not dead he soon
viii be- Judge Swan, one Of the best
authorities on the customs of the North
west Indians. relates several Instances OF
Indians being buried alive. and of one
case where great consternat ion was
brought upon family by the reappeai-
ance of man who had not been properly
bound and was able TO throw off his grave
clothes. II was thought TO be a fearful
omen. and ever since the utmost care has
been taken to prevent a repetition. of the
offense. 1t is considered most unlueky
TO keep a dead body in the house and so
II 81 inn - vs.
duct the business of burial with the most
amazing dispatch. After the body is
bound 1t is placed in a small box and de-
posted In a shallow grave. which is usu-
ally marked by a small structure. some
times quite elaborate little houses. in
which the body rests on a shelf or frame
above the ground. Then the tomb is COW
ed with all the personal property Of the
deceased. Here was a tiny mound on
which were heaped little shoes. tattered
clothing, and above all, a nursing bo;tlei
Another was loaded with guns. fishing
tackle. blankets. baskets ana the wear
ing apparel of a mighty brave \ wo-
mans grave was covered with broken
dishes. the wreck OF a sewing machine,
tin pans and pals nailed 10 the tomb
while the debris OF a wrecked household
lay scattered about. Every article is
broken or otherwise rendered useless so
that the evil minded may have no temp
tation TO rob the dead.
It was with strangely mingled feelings
that We wendell our way back past the
stream where women and girls were
squatted on tho ground, rubbing out their
Washing past groups OF withered old
hays roo sting large mussels on not
rocks, and guping them down greedy:
past round fat pappooses. some of whom
laughed and crowed like anybody's babies.
and past the old. old people sitting in
boxes in tho sand. gazing out with that
impeuetrabie gaze which is characteristic
OF the race. upon the blue reaches Of
water Toe south ~ynd. which brings the
rain. known as KwaTJseedie and the
story Of his spite against Neah bay is en-
bodied in the following legend,
"One day the cuitus tuean people the
small mischlevons mouse The useless
skate. the stupid founder and the ter
r,hlc cuttlefsh. set cf - pay Kwartseedia
a visit They Travelled many DAYS toward
The land OF beautiful flowers and yellow
apples and al last they came 20 his house.
which WAS covered with flo vers and
vines and warm With the warmth of the
sunshine. within lay Kwartseedie the
gentle. fast asleep. and the vines fiuttered
softly above him, stirred By his breath,
which was sweet like The breath Of f0w-
ers. The nssschevous people made a plan
70 surprise him when re should awake
so the cutie crept under the bed while
The skate and the founder lay nat on The
floor ana the mouse ran up beside him and
bit his nose
"Kwartseed.e woke in a rage and sprang
oat OF bed, bat ne stepped on the slippery
founder and received a singing stab
from The skate. while the Cuttie threw
ia cincing arms about his legs and
would not Jet him move. Then Kwart-
see6le grew more angry and began 10
blow and blow. so that our people here
felt ne force or hiss fury and Neah hay
p as tossed into white foam and the ships
were shattered AM broken.
"At last. with great exertion. he be-
CT me very warm, 50 that great drops
stood on MS face ami fell on the floor ia
showers of rain. which finally drove his
torrneutors away. bat y 50 long be-
fore re was pac,aeG that the Neah bay
country became covered with thick. vet
n1osses, and The gray clouds hung over
s. continually. Every Httie while ne re-
members the insatt shown hiu and 'aen
81 sends his angry rain upon Us again.
So Chester related 70 ia ths story az
We s.roac1 down ras beach 70 our boat.
glad ~ see fDcmeatary lull IN the wrath
- kwsrts~eiis end h3ekiBg ia the
beauty Of rarely heastlfel summer az
teruron WAlch fingers long ln this ccGn-
t~v and gives the r1ost IS onIerfut tvfi-
Wrht ere $50 that car ae seen in the world
oace again Ga hoard. q, was pleasant -
kaow that eleau berthe dainty dishes
ard careful! service swaiteI Us. a asa
scsa and hot warer and fresh towels saw
lshEv seemed blessing. an5 we sient
eala6iy ala rlE7t ~ anchor. the low
dla~zson q tHe defiant Par5ac luiMnw Us
WIFI IS steady unaer-ores. more than
thankful s0r a ttfa }n She confines % civ
rgzatio1. IN tAe usoFnIrE. wita tae clear
spuris@ tlE-s va tying tna lauts-sp~ ws
steamed av8v sewu the straits sflf Nah
a.a4a SEAS