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

subject than Mr. Y. M. l. Bitoux. who
has spent many years among the natives
ar Southeastern Alaska. Through him the
Post Inteiligencer has obtained the results
Of close and careful Investigation, and Is
enabled to give to the public Information
tending to solve the carved riddles Of the
northlsnd, In submitting the article bear
ing upon HIS yearS OF labor and thought,
MI. Bitoux states that he has made dis
cover.es never before appearing in print
ana he expresses the hope that his efforts
win contribute to the general knowledge
Of archaeology and anthropology. He
points out that tho present generation OF
native Aiaskans II being rapidly civilized
through the educational and Christianis-
ing influence Of missions. notably those OF
the Presbyterian church; nevertheless the
natives Of southeastern Alaska feel that
pride ana veneration which lives In the
breast Of every true man and woman. no
matter what their race or nation, being
proud Of their ancestors and observing
customs that keep the blood unmixed and
puro. Their adoption Of rude symbols by
way Of distinction h similar to the GUS
toms Of other races IN remote days Al
together, the hbors Of Mr.. Bitoux form
t1s most remarkable and complete expo
sftisn Of INDIAN heraidry vet written. HIS
article y as follows:
The Thfinkets.
Il - Z mistake to think that ali the ma
dives living along the coast OF Southeast
en- -Alaslka. from Vancouver Island, Brit
ish Columbia, IN the south, to Kadiak Is
land. Alaska, in tho north. are one and
the same people divided into several
tribes, ana these again into . number OF
famiHes. While the last serves very we'll
~ 4 general distinction and outline. II
must be borne in mind that the language
spoken BY people centrally located on
this long stretch Of coast land. viz, the
Queen Charlotte. B. c., and Prince Of
wales islahds, ALASKA, il a. much differ
ent from that which the rest Of the people
referred to speak ~ English II from
French or German. The people have
references to a. speaking pure and separ-
ate language are called Hydad. in their
own tongue How-o-atts, the three syliables
combined being spoken quickly Whether
or not the ancestors OF the Hydahs were
natives born on the above mentioned is
lands win probably forever remain mys-
terry, az the tradition Of their coming ID
only told in legend. Before falling this
story will have to mention this fact, that
ths Hydahs have tradition that great
delugs once visited the earth, and that
man and beast persisted In the Hood a.
the water rose hig-.e and higher. nearly
covering the tops re the highest noun
tains. ana the peopIc who had survived IN
their canoes ancft s0a them BY using large
~
tafns. The present Hydahs Of Prince of
Wales island say that the stones which
they used can still be seen lying on the top
az the highest mountain, which Is located
in the center Of the island. As the water
reached the highest level every soul per-
ished with the exception of one living
being the raven. When the water had re-
treafed Into its natural position as before,
{ the surviving raven flew to the beach,
where he sat down on rock, and while
there he heard above the laundering noise
or the waves OF the sea, caused by dashing
against the rocks the cries of babies Pres
emily the raven saw Q huge shell thrown
+ upon the sandy beach near by and LETT
high and dry by the retreating wave. The
raven succeeded In opening the shell, and
out OF It came large number OF small
people. Thanking the raven for their de-
liverance they promised to care for him as
long an they lived.
Hydahs, and the raven has been taken
4 by them for their principal totem, being
tattooed on the persons of their chiefs and
their descendants. and serving as dis
tinguishing mark.
The HydahA the Inventors Of the
Totcms - Their Purpose and
Meaning.
On tho Queen Charlotte group and the
islands north Of Prince of Wales island
the totem poles gradually disappear, save
that a few remained in remote localities
the owners of them generally claiming
relationship with the Hydahs. There are
three different kinds of totem poles; one
kind Is usually erected in front of houses
showing different animal figures repre-
genting the totem Of family and their
relations, and Ia called the family totem;
-. I<Ht - ~ ~k
means forever standing" Another to-
tenn pole is called the dead totem, in Hy-
dab sat-langh, a post in which the ashes
Of tho dead are gathered. The third and
last class of totem poles was erected by
the Hydahs to commemorate any remark
able event that had taken place. This
latter class of totem poles Is found along
the coast from Vancouver island to
Yakutat, and of them we shall speak
later on. giving our attention to the first
two.
The Family Totem.
Z The Hydahs were divided into two main
= tribes who had for their chief totem the
Eagle, Houed and the Raven, Jegatil.
These two tribes. each headed by power
full chief, ekla-ka dab. or king were again
divided into many families each, again
having for their distinguishing mark or
totem as we call it, a bird, fish or animal,
and besides this each individual had first
and second name. Children would always
inherit their surname from their mother,
and were not called by their fathers name,
while calling was given them. Totems
were tattooed on different parts OF the
body, usually the arms or legs, feet or
breast. 1t was done to children at the ages
between five and twelve years and the
ceremony was always enlivened by feast.
] may mention here that whenever a feast
was given by Hydahs TO friends and rela-
tives and edibles and other things were
distributed the recipient was always called
by his surname. When girl arrived at
mn rr La ne lle a1A md che had we shall