The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-10

Unmistakab1e Proofs Of 4 Higher
Degree Of Civilization Among
the Hydahs.
The earliest voyagers. who in their daring
exploits first reached the Alaska archipel-
ago, were astonished when visiting Queen
Charlotte island at seeing solid structures
built OF heavy hewn logs and hewn pianks
neatly mertised. Some Of these werc
houses with high roofs supported
by heavy rafters, and covered with a sort
OF shingle. In front of many OF these
houses there were standing great carved
columns covered from top to bottom with
fanciful figures, The interior Of the houses
were unusually clean. Tho plank floors
were covered with sort Of mating made
Of rush which grows on the Polynesian
islands. Hydah baskets. AZ well AZ many
other implements, canoes and 80 on are
very unlike those made by the neighboring
tribes of the Alaskan coast.
Another proof the Hydahs give of their
advancement over the other natives Is their
carving Of stone, The celebrated black
slate carvings Of the Queen Charlotte Is
lands have q world wide reputation for
beauty, symmetry and unique designs.
Many Of the latter closely resemble fea-
lures IN the old Egyptian sculptures; others
again those Of Central America. The Shell
don Jackson museum IN Sitka contains
beautiful and complete collection Of these
slate carvings. and many scientists who
have visited the museum and admired the
collection .express1 = strong belief that the
makers Of these slate carvings were immi-
grants Into Alaska from another section
OF the globe.
While 1t Il generally believed that all the
native coast people Of Alaska came from
Asia, yet there II doubt as to the Hydahs.
who may have come from Central Amer
lea. The old Hydahs we're fierce and
warlike people and in the olden time many
q battle was fought by them with other
tribes, especially the Chilkats who are also
known for the warlike spirit prevailing
among them. Very few instances are
known In which the Hydahs have been hos
tile to the white man, and in such cases
unfairness Of the early traders was gener-
ally the cause Of the disturbances.
The effect of civilized nations taking
possession of this Coast was to advance
these rude people far above their neigh
bors IN the earliest days. An incident which
occurred long ago was related to me by a
reliable person, who had been present
many q time at Hydah feast. On such
occasions historical events, as we'll as 9th
er stories, arc told by the older people to
the young. The grandfather Of the late
great Hydah chief named Skowall, who
died of old age, was once visited by the
commander of an English warship. and the
chief returned the visit on board Of the
vessel, which lay at anchor at Cassa-an
bay, now called Cassan, or Carter, bay.
Prince Of Wales island. When the chief,
In one Of his great war canoes, decorated
with brilliant colors and curious figures,
arrived alongside the man-of-war,- he was
received with all the honor due to his
rank. The old chief wore a magnificent
fur suit and long mantle Of the valuable
sea-otter. The captain ordered q chair to
be brought up on deck for the old man.
The chief Immediately seized the, chair
and handed 1t over the ships side into his
boat, thinking It was . present the cap
tain had given him. The commander took
the act In good humor and did not demand
that the chair be given back. When the
old chief returned to the shore he sent to
the English commander some valuable
furs as a token Of his gratitude. Astonish-
ed at this magnificent gift the captain
sent to the chief in return two guns. with
q quantity OF ammunition, and those two
guns are to be found in the village at the
present day. VA
1t is not my intention to divert the read
er with Stories and we shall resume the
history Of the totem pole.
The Family Totem.
Exactly like the old Romans, the ma
rich. the middle class and slaves. The
last were never allowed to erect totem
poles in front of their houses. but that
privilege was reserved for only the higher
classes. When native took unto himself
q wife, the rite was solemnized with much
ceremony. The following account is given
of the old-style marriage: The relatives
and friends of the groom would all meet
In his house and debate whether the couple
should marry or not, the groom being
present but having nothing to say. The
relatives and friends having agreed to the
proposed marriage, all would march In
body with the bridegroom in front OF the
girls house. After entering the brides
father and her relatives and friends, who
had previously been notified and had al
ready assembled for the OCCASION would
invite the young mans party to take seats
The bride dared not be present, the Gus
tom being for her to go to bed. This was
done to Illustrate her bashfulness. which
was looked upon as virtue. The groom's
father If he was alive, otherwise the old
est uncle, would rise and make speech
In favor Of the young man who intended
to marry. This was answered by the girls
father also in favor of his daughter. The
girl was then called and asked to go to
her intended, which she would do, and sit
down by his side The brides father would
then give presents to the young couple,
CONSISTING Oh d slave, IL lac Oucp VI LuI
robes and other trinkets, and the same
was done by the groom's parents.
The binding words that made the couple
man and wife were spoken by the brides
father, as follows; Now rise, young. wo-
man. and go to your husband"-in Hydah,
"Gadie, claling, acknowledgements the
couple would retire to their home. and the
marriage was complete.
Now, the totems Of married couple are,
OF course, different. For example, we will
say, the woman has the totem of the ra-
ven, while the man has that Of the eagle.
Should the family decide to erect a totem
pole in front OF their home, which is al
ways an expensive luxury, illustrating the
wealth and rank Of the family. the cary
ing on this post would be as follows:
The uppermost figure, the totem Of the
wife, the raven.
The second that Of the man, the image
of an eagle.