The west shore., June 01, 1886, Page 198, Image 28

108
THE WEST SHORE.
by fire. The Indians of the upper Pacific count are
groat carvers in wood and stone, and every house and
grave boars specimens of tlioir skilL The red cedar of
that region is the material in most common use. The
carvings represent figures which nrn typical of their tra
dition and mythology, certain ones of which form the
crest or coat of arms of tho family. Totem sticks, tall
cedar polos, carved from top to bottom with a great
number of blended figures, may bo seen standing before
the house of every head of a family, and at every chief's
grave, as shown in the engraving. The most prominent
figures represents are the boar, whale, eagle, raven and
hunter. A curious custom is that depicted at tho bot
tom of tho page. On the loading horse is strapod tho
body of the dead Indian, well secured to mIob to main
tain it iu an upright position. Following behind rides
tho squaw who was tho defunct brave's abject slave, but
who now drives him rapidly before her with shouts and
frequent application of a brush whip to the back of the
Cayuse ujk.ii which ho rides, and thus is he lorno to
bis last resting place. The custom of placing in or
UMn tho graves of tho dead thoso things which were
nearest and dearest during his lifts is the most universal
of any observed by savago trilies in all quarters of the
glolie. The warrior's weaK)iis of chase and war are
buried with him. In soino tribes his favorite horso is
led out and slain at his grave, and in tho case of a great
chief often his favorite wife meets the same fate, so that
in the happy hunting grounds the dead chief may have
bis woajions, war horse and slavo to attend him. In
cases of cremation these articles are laid upon the fu
neral pyre, with the exception of horse and squaw, the
former not being used by cremating trilies, who live on
the coast, and the latter being fortunately not exacted
to follow her lord and master so quickly. In tho same
way tho luiiiiiituro canoe and valueless belongings of the
child, the charms and sacred trinkets of the medicine
man, and the trophies of the hunter are elevated on the
aula (Miles, consumed by the same firo or dejxisitod iu
the same grave with their owner.
NOTES OF THE NORTHWEST.
A ksti.kan of exprionee thus gives his opinion of
the Granite creek mines, in tho Himilkamoen region U
G: We k now that Granite creek is good, liy next
winter the lxt of it will be worked out Tho depth of
giound on Granite is from one to eight feet, and in somo
places deeper. The lost part of the mining seasou is
from August first to December. Tho high water in May,
June and July interferes with successful work. There
are five or six more creeks that contain gold, but it is
not known how they will pan out; can not tail until sum
mer. It is a good country to prosit in, although I do
not know of any very rich claims in the camp. There
are no hill or gulch claims of iniortance yet found
The diggings apear to bo in the creek. I think the
population is about fifteen hundred. My opinion is
that Uie mines are overrated, but 1 am satisfied with tho
prospect From the number of persons here I think
wages will not be above 13.00 per day without board. I
would not advise men to come unless they have money
to prospect with.
The product of the mines of Montana for the year
1885, as estimated by the superintendent of the U. S.
assay office iu Helena, is $26,097,fi(i0.71, of which three
fifths were gold and silver and two-fifths copper and lead.
The probable yield of the current year is estimated at
upwards of &)0,000,000.00. Increasing railroad facili
ties are leading to the development of new mines, and
the outlook indicates that for years to come Montana
will bo the lending mineral producer in the United
States.
Skvkual parties that have entered the Cnlispel val
ley, north of Lake Pend d'Oreille, this spring, to pros
pect the valley and surrounding mountains for the min
eral deposits which rumor has locatod there, have been
induced to leuvo by the hostile attitude of the Indians of
that rogion. Many of these Indians do not belong to
the CaliBpol trilo, but are renegades and refuges from
various places, Bnd do not relish the idea of having their
place of refuge intruded upon.
The Woisor Water Company is constructing a ditch
thirteen miles long from the river to traverse the flat
west of Weisor City. It carries three thousand inches
of water, and can be enlargod when necessary to a ca
pacity of twenty thousand inches. All the land covered
by this caual not now Bottled upon will soon be located,
as the irrigation facilities thus supplied render it highly
valuable. Weiser will soon become one of the most fer
tile valleys on the Pacific Coast
The annual shoot of the Northwest Sportsmen's As
sociation will take place in this city on June 4th and 5th.
A nuuibor of prizes are offered, the leoding one being a
magnificent badge, valuod at two hundred dollars, which
will le an individual championship badge. The mem
bership of the association is large, and as there are many
first-class trap shooters among them, a series of close
and interesting contests may be exicctod.
Skveiul dredging machines are being set np in the
Caw d' Alone mines, for working the deep placers where
there is too much water for ordinary working. The ma
chines will scoop up the dirt from the bottom, raise it
to the surface and dump it into the flume. Great re
sult are expectad from this method, as an enormous
quantity of dirt can be handled by such a machine
daily.
Tub well-known stationery firms of J. B. Ferguson
A Co. and T. II Pearson & Co., have been consolidated
and incorporated as the British Columbia Stationery and
Priuting Company, Limited. The business is under the
management of Mr. Ferguson. The company is ei-t.di-lishod
at Victoria, New Westminster and Vauoouver.