The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-12-07
RECOLECTIONS OF MID
COLUMBIA INDIANS
"a paper by Capt. II. c. Coe)

kGflQGE uCdf tCu. OtuCitl W
or beast was not tolerated. | do not
think that the Indian is constitutional.
ly lazy. When there was nothing of
importance on hand. he would do an
unlimited amount of sleeping, and the
hours spent in daylight sIumber in no
way affected the quality or quantity
spent during the silent watches of the
night. He is a sOciable being and
loves company, spending the greater
part of his time either visiting or be-
ing visited. His ever ready cayuse
was saddled. and chanting weird
song. he ambled along to a swap yarns,
gamble or have game OF shinny. The
Indian was great gambler either
with horse racing or with bones.
This game. one of their own inven-
tion, was remarkable for its simplicity
A number of men, usually not less
than eight or ten on side, were
seated opposite each other on the
ground. In front of each side was
placed a couple of loose boards on
which they beat with short sticks, ac-
companied by singing. A man from
each side was chosen as operator and
took seats in the middle facing each
other. Two pieces of bone were pro-
vided each, the bone being about an
inch and a half long and half an inch
in diameter. The bone was smoothed
and dressed at the ends. One had a
grove cut in the middle around which
black thread was wrapped. Choice was
made and the winner started the game.
All bets had been previously made
Anything ard everything of personal
nature was bet. One on one side would
take off his blanket and challenge
someone facing him. The challenged
would promptly accept, pulling off his
blanket and tying the two together
throw them to the general heap at one
side. Another would pull of his
breeches. accepting challenge from
the opposite side, tie the legs together
and throw the articles on the pile, and
so on until all bets were made.
Then the music started on the side
that held the bones. The man with the
bones took one in each hand, put them
behind him, keeping time to the song
with his body and hands. hands some
times behind him, sometimes in front
of him, passing the black bone from
one hand to the other until he thought
he had his opponent puzzled and then
with sign or peculiar note the song
ceased, and holding bis cinced hands
up in front of him his opponent would
attempt to guess the hand holding the
black bone. II correct the bones were
passed over to him. | neglected to
mention that about two dozen sticks of
about six inches each in length were
used in place of chips, a stated number
being forfeited with eacn failure to
guess the location of the black bone.
This is kept up until one side or the
other wins all of the sticks.
Skinny was played with ball made
of maple gnarl and hockey sticks. The
side driving the ball beyond set
boundary on the opposite side won. AT
least IL players were required on a
side. In early days here a band of
young men from the Klickitats would
come over, usually on Sunday, to play
Hood River. They always took their
losses good naturedly, and when some
unfortunate lost both blanket and
breeches he was jeered numerically.
The women were always busy, even
when entertaining company. Their fin
gers kept time with their tongues. They
were expert at basket weaving, mocca-
sin making and headwork. The basket
was water tight and the larger ones
were frequently used to boil roots in,
hot stones being dropped into them.
Some of their moccasins, with highly
colored beads in various patterns in
them, were gorgeous. They we're
faithful in their work in field and orch
ards. never had to urge or hurry
them. In fact the shoe was on the
other foot, when. as was starting
home, some old woman with a load Of
fruit or potatoes would call out, "Hun-
nah. Henly, hiak, clouwak, mika" (Oh
hurry up Henry, you are awful Slow.
Some of the men we're experts in
making bows and arrows and covering
them with sinew. Some of the obsid-
ian bow and arrow points were of the
most delicate workmanship. The bow
strings were of twisted sinew as per-
feet as though made with machinery.
From childhood down through the
years of manhood to old age | have
known them intimately and have loved
them, loved them for their simple man
hood and womanhood. loved them for
their wealth of humanity. As | turn
in sickening horror from the lurid
headlines of my morning paper, telling
of the bloodstained shambles of the
battle fields of the most Christianzed,
educated nations of the earth, whose
lives and energies to the utter limit
are employed in devising and inventing
engines and diabolical contrivances to
destroy their fellow man, my thoughts
turn backward to the days of long ago,
to scenes OF peace and simple happi-
ness. away from strife and struggles
of modern civilization, to where indeed
the simple life must be lived and let
live, to the simple, untutored God.
blessed children of nature, far beyond
the echoing scream of the locomotive
whistle or the latest invention of sci
ence. For all these are we happier
than they?
Lo, the poor Indian with untutored
mind, is richer than we--richer in the
joy of living richer, in that he in
peace can lie down and die without
fear of an avenging god or eternal
punishment. His god opens the pearly
gates wide to all and says Come. T"
The Happy Hunting Ground, with the
dun deer roaming in the evergreen
glades. is waiting. His bow and culver
of arrows is in his hand. Just ahead
is the Great Divide. 1t is soon crossed.
All is we'll.