The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-12-02


One of the most beautiful of all the
legends told by Mr.. Smith is that con-
nected with Memaloose Island, the In
dian burying ground near the middle Of
the Columbis's stream Just west Of
Lyle. Since time immemorial the In
dians have placed their dead on the
island. The bones of thousands of war
riors, men and women have bleached
and decayed in the sands there. For
merly the Indians visited the island
frequently. The legend, which follows,
explains. why the Red Men have ceased
to 60 to. Memaloose except to deposit
the bodies Of relatives whose souls have
passed on to the Happy Hunting
Grounds.
In ancient days the Indians were ac-
customed to assemble in large numbers
at Wishram. village just opposite
The Dalles, on the Washington side Of
the Columbia. At one of the gather
ings came handsome young chief, as
perfectly formed as Apollo, and a
maiden, the daughter of a chief, whose
beauty was known throughout the
land. The girl was wooed by the hand
some young man, and the two were
wed.
This young man and woman made a
prolonged honeymoon, travelling through
the country and visiting the peoples
Of many regions. But their happiness
was finally smitten by the death of the
husband, whose body was borne away
in state to Memaloose. The grief of
the young widow knew no bounds. One
night she dreamed that the spirit of
her husband came to her and urged
that she come to visi him at the island.
The girl complied with the wishes of
her husband and visited the island. As
the sun went down behind the Cascade
range a wonderful metsmorphosis vas
worked at Mems.oose. The graves save
mp their dead. Sounds of music filled
the air, and the spirits of the dead,
with the form of mortals again taken
on, danced and made merry. Dressed
in a gelorious raiment, the husband
came to her and the two spnt the
night together in happiness. They
finally repaired to his cosah, vhsFs on
the next mornings on bsing awakened
by the sunshine, she found q skslston
arm around her body.
Returning to her home sAs tsld her
story. A great council of all the wise
men was called. After much delibsra-
tion it was decided that since the
maiden had belonged to the man durina
life, she must still be his even though
he was dead, and she v8 eonnasded
to return to the island to live with him.
The dead we're permitted to ssturn
from the sravss at night, and during
the hoars of darknsn all - a. though
sems great feast veFs knins paytiei-
.patsd in on the islaaas, buA the FERNS
gradually lost themselves - daylight
approached, and durins tbs days Msm-
alosae presented only sishts Of ksFror.
Whita bones glintsd in the sunlight
and the stencil of dscayins assh 6lbed
the nostrils.
Finally the girl save bisth to q child.
Tha Indian maiden desirsd that her
mother come see her grandson, aad q
messenger was sent to carry her the
.alMi tidings. The mother came, but
she was enjoined not to look upon ths
litth one fer at least 10 days a4ess kss
ssrival; she was told that " she aaA g
her srandson would de. But With ths
sassrnsA of grandmsther she
thought it would do no haym If sbs
would lift up his little blaakst and
take single look. However, no sooner
had her eyes fallen on the little form
than 1t sickenad and straiG htavsy died.
This death of the infant was taken
BY the Indians as a sign TO point to
tksm that they had erred in allowing
the girl to visit the island, and it Vas
ruled by great council that thereafter
none should visit Msmalooss except TO
deposit the bodies of the dead.
Memaloose until this day 10 the bury.
ing ground for the Indisns Of Ths
Dalles region. Because Of the treas
ure of beads and elks' tseth buried
with the dead it was formerly visited
by numerous .curio seekers, who de-
spoiled the graves, sacred to the Red
Men. The government hss nov. pro-
hibited the visits of white men for
this purpose.
Passengers on river steanbosts are
attracted by a single white shaft resr-
ing itself from rock base on the isl
and. This is monument erected to
Victor Treavitt, the only white man
buried on Memaloose.o Victor Trsavitt
was a great friend of THE lndisns Of
the mid Columbia district. His body
was placed among those. of his friends
at his own request.