Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-01-18

bank Of the Chilkat, 20 miles from its
mouth, where the swift current con-
centrated in single channel forms
strong eddy that permits the landing
of canoes at any stage of the river.
Of the five tOtemic families that
fOi n the Chilkat-kwan, four are resi-
dent here. OF these the KOn-nuh-ta-di,
the sole representative of the Raven
party, Is the one with which this paper
deals. Their legendary history, so i'm
aginary and interesting, is closely as
sOciated with the wanderings and an
tics Of "Yehlh," the Raven creator,
while the earliest family traditions are
centered about the south and west
coasts of the Prince of Wales and con-
tiguous islands, where ut an early pc
riod they must have lived.
The Whale House.
When l first visited Klukwan In
1885, the large old communal houses
Of the Kon-nuh-ta-di were still stand
ing, the principal one Of which, that
Of the hereditary chief, "Yough-hit"
(Whale house), was in the last stages
Of decay and uninhabitable, although
the Interior fittings were intact and 1t
was still used upon festival occasions.
1t was unquestionably the most widely
known and elaborately ornamented
house, not only at Chilkat, but in Alas
ka. 1t occupied the site of much ')lder
houses, and, 1t Is claimed, much larger
ones. 1t is said to have been built by
Kate-tsu about, or prior to, 1885, and
stood in the middle of the village. 1t
represented the best type Of Tlingit
architecture, broad low type Of
Tlingit architecture, broad low
structure Of heavy hewn spruce tim.
bers, with noticeably high corner posts,
that gave 1t degree of character
wholly wanting In the larger houses
Of the Vancouver island people. 1t
faced the river, with frontage Of 40
feet 10 inches and depth of SO feet
approximately the proportions Of
Tlingit houses, large and small. Each
Of these old houses formed solid
structure, the frame and planking sup
porting each other without the use of
spikes. The doorway, which was the
only opening in thee walls, was ap-
preached by two steps, more than
three feet above the ground.
The interior formed an excavation
four feet nine inches below the ground
level, with two receding steplike plat
forms. The lower square floor space, 26
feet by 26 feet 8 inches, constituted the
general living and working room COM
mon to all, except that portion in the
rear and opposite the entrance, which
was reserved for the use of the house
Chief his immediate family, and most
distinguished guests. This was the
place of honor in all Tlingit houses
upon all occasions, ceremonial or 9th
erwise. The flooring, of heavy, split,
smoothed planks Of varying widths ex-
tended around central graveled fire.
place six feet by six feet and half,
where all Of the cooking was done over
Il wood fire that also heated the house
in winter. In front of and little to
the right of the fire space was small
cellarlike apartment entered by small
trapdoor in the floor barely large
enough to admit person. This was
used as steam bath, by heating
powders in the fire, dropping them on
the floor below with split wood tongs,
and pouring water upon them to gen.
crate vapor, whereupon the bather en-
tered and the opening was covered
over.
The first platform, extending around
the main floor at an elevation of two
and three-fourths feet, served both
as a step, and as lounging place in
the daytime. The upper and broader
platform, rising two feet above that
below, was at the ground level, and
was floored with heavy planks. This
platform constituted the sleeping place
of the inmates.
New House Never Completed.
In 1899, this house and "Yehlh-hit,"
or Raven house, adjoining were torn
down and preparations for the erec-
tion Of new buildings were got under
way, and in the winter Of 1901, after
the walls were up and the roof on,
great potlatch was given by the Kon-
nuh-ta-di, to the three Wolf families
of the opposite phratry in the tribe,
and the Ka-gwan-tan of Stka, in
which over $4,000 in property, food
and money were distributed. The head
chief of the family, master of the
Whale house, "Yehlh-gu ou," or Ra-
ven's slave, welcomed his guests upon
landing, wearing the Raven hat.
The new house, although modern In
form and of two stories, took the old
name, and 1t stands today windOwless
and doorless, the interior grown up
in weeds, a monument of the last great
potlatch of the Chilkat, as the chief
died soon afterward and his successor
has neither the means to FISH K FOR
the desire to live In it, and the elabo-
rate carvings have never been placed.