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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1879)
September, 1879. THE WEST SHORE. 563 TOT INDIAN'S OK 1IRITIS11 COLUMBIA. by ranmci u. wRu-.nr. The native tribes of British Colum bia may be divided into two classes, viz: the Coast, or Fish-eating Indians, and those of the interior. The former, or Coast tribes, inhabitants of Van couver Island, will form the subject of this sketch. Commencing at Victoria, on the ex treme south of the island, we Qnd the remains of the Songish tribe, and about forty miles up the east coast, we come to the headquarters of the Cowichans. N'anaimo, still furthei north, has n con siderable tribe of the same name. The natives from this tribe to Queen Char lotte Sound, do not appear to belong to the Fish-eaters. Turning our attention to the west ward, we find the Nitinah (or Barclay), Clay-oh-uot,aud Nootka Indians, from whom the three sounds take their names. These tribes are again divided into many smaller classes, which it will be unnecessary to mention. Of all the above, the most debased are probably the Songish. Close contact with civ ilization appears to act almost invariably to the detriment of the savage. This is evident to the most superficial ob server. The Cowichans are a much liner race, but the Nanaimo tribes, although once equal, if not MIJMriof to their neighbors, have become debased since the settling down of their country by the whites. The natives of the west coast an- con sidcrcd somewhat superior to those on the cast. The fish caught by the Coast tritcs are salmon, halibut, cod, her rings, smelt, eulachon, clams, etc., while their animal food consists of deer, lica vcr, licar, badger, sea-otter, etc. They also eat various roots, and oils extracted from the whale, seal, porpoise, Ml . The sea-encumber, (the " Bechc-dc-Mcr" of more southern latitudes) the lichen found on pine trees, and the va rious Iterriea which grow so abundantly all over the island, are great staple of rmmL A regards physiognomy, a differ ence may 1st noticed in every small tribe or subdivision of one. Instance are not seldom met with of a strong Caucasian resemblance, while facet ol the Spanish ami even Chinese type, are t times noticed. The general size of these natives is rather undei the aver nge, and neither among the men or women is a handsome face, as a gcnci .il rule, to be found. What the appear ance In former times w.i-, when they roamed in their native wilds, undis turbed by the white man and clad in their home-made robes, it is difficult to say, but certainly when we meet them to-day habited in the extremely un clean trade-blanket, we have some dilli CUtty In recognizing the " noble s.n age" is depicted in the HttwUk Ittd AuiniAaJiti of l.nugfclluw. A mn slant use of the paddle gives the Coast tribes great strength in (heir lingers, but their cramped-up position in the canoe renders their Icl's small ami weak. The settler fresh from Europe, with perhaps rather romantic ideas about the red man, will lie sadly disappointed when he encounters the reality on this coast. Instead of the proud stride in his walk, he sees the awkward shullle and crouching gait, and for the gen erositv of which he has mid so mm h, he meets with greediness ami lazy cun ning, combined with consummate craft, the sole aim of the poor native appeal ing to be how best to while away his existence with the least possible exel- lion tu himself. This, it will of cuius, lie remembered, only applies to the ( '..asl 1 1 ibes; indeed the tribes of tin interior, and those of the more uoithern latitudes, would seem very dillerent in many respects. As rcgaids theii sub jectiou to government, they are .pint, fiieudlv, and law-abiding, md this KM several reasons. In the fust plate they hae always been well tie.tle.l by the British gov , i nnu iit, all agreements with them have DOM kept to the letter, and ttktj know full well (huj the same law csit to lie apealed to with certainty of re tires, bv the red man as well a bj tin- while. This righteous observance .1 treaties, and linn but impartial ad iniin-t lalion f justice, ha, e brought their own reward, a the sclllcr may traverse the length and breadth of a wild country alioul the ( Kngland and France together, and (provided only he lets the Indian ami hit Im long ingt alone) lc will travel safely as in his uatic land. It thoultl not be forgotten, also, lhat the manly, upright comluct of the ser vants of the Hudson' Bay Company throughout lliitish America in eailv tlavs, has done much to remlei the King (ieuige niau" respected as well .is farad. Hut while the Indian, uc- cording to a mysterious, apparently in- variable ilecree, is giudiiull) tlisappeai tng hcl'mc the munh of ci ilial tun, inn. Il is being dune tu BOUtl him to the vv bite man's ' Bttttl I. -in. I " above. The Bngllth Church, the Roman Catholic, as well as I'iesb tctiuns and Methishsts, bme established missions, anil in seveial inslaii.es with i; teal sue ccta. Sell .Icitv iug men ate ti..vv tpeml ln their lives in the endcuvut to te.i. b lite liealben those truths wlti.it the so highly value t hansel v. i'u the 1. II. . live mind it is a unions thought, that the time it surely up- proaching when the nninti.. name ..1 some settlement, some quaint)) ..ttvc.l clligy or crest on a deseited Indian iamb, 01 sunn- other relic of the ab- iiigiues, sliull be all that it left tu i. mind men of the once pOWOfful Coast titl.es of British Culiiinbiu. Idaho Besitlet he 1 numerous mountain ran ge, lduho has many lei tile valleys and intensive grazing districts. The Utah and Northern has already brouchl mix notoriety tnc lamuus vallcyi 01 Eastern Idaho, ami the biaiuh roatls soon to be built through the Boiai . uiiiilry and eventually OH out tO the North Ptdflt . nasi, vv ill In ui lit. gieal sIim l and agrii iilturul regions, as well a the neb mineral baits, within easy both municatiofl pi i. ontakh world. Ida- Itu's Intuit- lit vei ajpp aie.l so blight as ti in. miii. Ui.ii mineral belts, forests of pine, vast stot k range ami line agti .nit in. il ill-Hi. Is are nowhere more num. inn-, th. in in llu lemtoiy, ami It. nil lite 111. sent tune on her nopululiun ami wealth will rapidly iiuicusr. She has all the resource necetsaiy to make u Mipulou and prtirrotis stale. No western t.nintry tutlay i4 a mom pioiinsing oiilluok than blaho. Ox the mail leading tu Vamoiivn the follow iug "Noli." is Mtlrd very tuiisimiiuiuly : ' If any man's M wn man . uu nt men gets in these tiers ote, hit or Iter tale will lie cut utT, as the ease may be. I am s Christian ami iey mi lates, but darn a man or wo man who lets their criler rim lur, ay I." Tllll i ue thing alxsut babies, ihey never change. We have girls of the ieriol, men of I lie woild, but the baby i the tame self nsvcssril, (carle, laughing, voracious little heathen in all age snd in all countries.