East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-04-22
OLDEST INDIAN TRIBE IN NORTHWEST

Fred E. Prouty writes the following
interesting sketch concerning the old
est tribe of Indians in the northwest
for the Westerner of Seattle. Mr.
Prouty says:
In the list of Indian tribes of Puget
sound none are entitled to more no
tice than the Lummi tribe of Belling-
ham. AS far as known, this tribe is
one Of the Oldest If not the Oldest in
the Pacific northwest, and if the ira
ditions that are transmitted by the old
members Of the tribe are correct, was
at one time the most powerful on Pu-
get sound.
Now the scene has changed. The
tribe that once numbered thousands
of dusky Indian men, women and
children, has dwindled to a mere
handful, and but few full-blood Lum-
mis- remain.
Lummi indian reservation is locat-
Cd about four miles northwest Of
Bellingham. The reservation contains
about II 900 acres of the best land in
the west. About 1900 acres have been
patented by the Indians. while 9400
acres are occupied by descendants Of
the old tyees Of the tribe.
Many Queer Legends.
Lurking about this typical Indian
settlement are legends, quaint, poetl-
cal and inspiring. Local historians
attest that at least 200 years ago the
Lummis numbered several thousand.
However. as powerful as they were in
numbers, yet they lacked the warlike
spirit that characterized the average
savage Indian tribes of that age and
they we're easy prey to the blood
thirsty tribes Of the north, better
known as the King George Indians.
The King George Indians were the
sworn enemies Of. the Lummis. Many
battles were fought around the shores
Of Bellngham bay. and the Lummis
were generally losers.
An old, decrepit Lummi who has
passed the century mark by at least
10 years. a resident Of the ancestral
home Of his father, and a fairly relia-
bic historian, recited a beautiful idyll
TO which he ascribes the cause for the
eternal vendetta sworn against the
Lummls by the northern Indians, in
the following manner:
Long time ago there was nice girl, !
daughter Of the chief Of the Indians |
way up north. She was very nice and |
had big power, for she see things that |
nobody else see, and tell Indians |
where 20 go and catch many fish. She |
had nice wand made Of elks' teeth |
She go out in little canoe and shake |
wand and say: Heap lot fish come, |
and they come. Then Indian men get |
In canoes and 90 out and get all fish |
white people want. Some day she go |
out little way in canoe and say: |
Come whale and big one, sometime
two come to shore and water no deep |
and Indian kill him easy
zone day Lummi chief say 10 his |
men, Go get that girl. She got big |
stick and she say to fish come to Lum-
mi mem SO many indian men go in |
canoes and paddle up to north Indian |
camp. Long time they wait to steal |
girl One day all her Indian folks
gone to have big pow WOW on beach |
where many clans live. Nice Indian |
girl no go. Lummi men go in dark |
one night and tie girl mouth and put |
her IN canoe. BY and by north In
dian folks come back and say: |
Where girly?' Old Indian woman |
who saw Lummi men steal her tell
where she go. Soon many Indians |
come down and fight Lummis. Many |
killed and Lummis run away. All the
time then there was big fight. But
Indian girl no good to Lummis, for !
she no tell plenty fish or whale to