DESCRIPTION OF NOOTKA SOUND--MANNER OF BUILDING
HOUSES--FURNITURE--DRESSES
The village of Nootka is situated in between 49 and 50 deg. N. lat.,[63]
at the bottom of Friendly Cove, on the west or north-west side. It
consists of about twenty houses or huts, on a small hill, which rises
with a gentle ascent from the shore. Friendly Cove, which affords good
and secure anchorage for ships close in with the shore, is a small
harbour of not more than a quarter or half a mile in length, and about
half a mile or three-quarters broad, formed by the line of coast on the
east and a long point or headland, which extends as much as three
leagues into the Sound, in nearly a westerly direction.[64] This, as
well as I can judge from what I have seen of it, is in general from one
to two miles in breadth, and mostly a rocky and unproductive soil, with
but few trees. The eastern and western shores of this harbour are steep
and in many parts rocky, the trees growing quite to the water's edge,
but the bottom to the north and north-west is a fine sandy beach of half
a mile or more in extent.
From the village to the north and north-east extends a plain, the soil
of which is very excellent, and with proper cultivation may be made to
produce almost any of our European vegetables; this is but little more
than half a mile in breadth, and is terminated by the seacoast, which in
this place is lined with rocks and reefs, and cannot be approached by
ships. The coast in the neighbourhood of Nootka is in general low, and
but little broken into hills and valleys. The soil is good, well covered
with fine forests of pine, spruce, beech, and other trees, and abounds
with streams of the finest water, the general appearance being the same
for many miles around.
The village is situated on the ground occupied by the Spaniards, when
they kept a garrison here; the foundations of the church and the
governor's house are yet visible, and a few European plants are still to
be found, which continue to be self-propagated, such as onions, peas,
and turnips, but the two last are quite small, particularly the turnips,
which afforded us nothing but the tops for eating. Their former village
stood on the same spot, but the Spaniards, finding it a commodious
situation, demolished the houses, and forced the inhabitants to retire
five or six miles into the country.[65] With great sorrow, as Maquina
told me, did they find themselves compelled to quit their ancient place
of residence, but with equal joy did they repossess themselves of it
when the Spanish garrison was expelled by the English.
[Illustration: HABITATIONS IN NOOTKA SOUND.]
The houses, as I have observed, are above twenty in number, built nearly
in a line. These are of different sizes, according to the rank or
quality of the _Tyee_, or chief, who lives in them, each having one, of
which he is considered as the lord. They vary not much in width, being
usually from thirty-six to forty feet wide, but are of very different
lengths, that of the king, which is much the longest, being about one
hundred and fifty feet, while the smallest, which contain only two
families, do not exceed forty feet in length; the house of the king is
also distinguished from the others by being higher.
Their method of building is as follows: they erect in the ground two
very large posts, at such a distance apart as is intended for the length
of the house. On these, which are of equal height, and hollowed out at
the upper end, they lay a large spar for the ridge-pole of the building,
or, if the length of the house requires it, two or more, supporting
their ends by similar upright posts; these spars are sometimes of an
almost incredible size, having myself measured one in Maquina's house,
which I found to be one hundred feet long and eight feet four inches in
circumference. At equal distances from these two posts, two others are
placed on each side, to form the width of the building; these are rather
shorter than the first, and on them are laid in like manner spars, but
of a smaller size, having the upper part hewed flat, with a narrow ridge
on the outer side to support the ends of the planks.
The roof is formed of pine planks with a broad feather edge, so as to
lap well over each other, which are laid lengthwise from the ridge-pole
in the centre, to the beams at the sides, after which the top is covered
with planks of eight feet broad, which form a kind of coving projecting
so far over the ends of the planks that form the roof, as completely to
exclude the rain. On these they lay large stones to prevent their being
displaced by the wind. The ends of the planks are not secured to the
beams on which they are laid by any fastening, so that in a high storm I
have often known all the men obliged to turn out and go upon the roof to
prevent them from being blown off, carrying large stones and pieces of
rock with them to secure the boards, always stripping themselves naked
on these occasions, whatever may be the severity of the weather, to
prevent their garments from being wet and muddied, as these storms are
almost always accompanied with heavy rains. The sides of their houses
are much more open and exposed to the weather; this proceeds from their
not being so easily made close as the roof, being built with planks of
about ten feet long and four or five wide, which they place between
stancheons or small posts of the height of the roof; of these there are
four to each range of boards, two at each end, and so near each other as
to leave space enough for admitting a plank. The planks or boards which
they make use of for building their houses, and for other uses, they
procure of different lengths as occasion requires, by splitting them out
with hard wooden wedges from pine logs, and afterwards dubbing them down
with their chisels, with much patience, to the thickness wanted,
rendering them quite smooth.
There is but one entrance; this is placed usually at the end, though
sometimes in the middle, as was that of Maquina's. Through the middle of
the building, from one end to the other, runs a passage of about eight
or nine feet broad, on each side of which the several families that
occupy it live, each having its particular fireplace, but without any
kind of wall or separation to mark their respective limits; the chief
having his apartment at the upper end, and the next in rank opposite on
the other side. They have no other floor than the ground; the fireplace
or hearth consists of a number of stones loosely put together, but they
are wholly without a chimney, nor is there any opening left in the roof,
but whenever a fire is made, the plank immediately over it is thrust
aside, by means of a pole, to give vent to the smoke.
The height of the houses in general, from the ground to the centre of
the roof, does not exceed ten feet, that of Maquina's was not far from
fourteen; the spar forming the ridge-pole of the latter was painted in
red and black circles alternately, by way of ornament, and the large
posts that supported it had their tops curiously wrought or carved, so
as to represent human heads of a monstrous size, which were painted in
their manner. These were not, however, considered as objects of
adoration, but merely as ornaments.[66]
The furniture of these people is very simple, and consists only of
boxes, in which they put their clothes, furs, and such things as they
hold most valuable; tubs for keeping their provisions of spawn and
blubber in; trays from which they eat; baskets for their dried fish and
other purposes, and bags made of bark matting, of which they also make
their beds, spreading a piece of it upon the ground when they lie down,
and using no other bed covering than their garments. The boxes are of
pine, with a top that shuts over, and instead of nails or pegs, are
fastened with flexible twigs; they are extremely smooth and high
polished, and sometimes ornamented with rows of very small white shells.
The tubs are of a square form, secured in the like manner, and of
various sizes, some being extremely large, having seen them that were
six feet long by four broad and five deep. The trays are hollowed out
with their chisels from a solid block of wood, and the baskets and mats
are made from the bark of trees.
From bark they likewise make the cloth for their garments, in the
following manner:--A quantity of this bark is taken and put into fresh
water, where it is kept for a fortnight, to give it time to completely
soften; it is then taken out and beaten upon a plank, with an instrument
made of bone, or some very hard wood, having grooves or hollows on one
side of it, care being taken to keep the mass constantly moistened with
water, in order to separate, with more ease, the hard and woody from the
soft and fibrous parts, which, when completed, they parcel out into
skeins, like thread. These they lay in the air to bleach, and afterwards
dye them black or red, as suits their fancies, their natural colour
being a pale yellow. In order to form the cloth, the women, by whom the
whole of this process is performed, take a certain number of these
skeins and twist them together, by rolling them with their hands upon
their knees into hard rolls, which are afterwards connected by means of
a strong thread, made for the purpose.
[Illustration: INTERIOR OF A HABITATION IN NOOTKA SOUND.]
Their dress usually consists of but a single garment, which is a loose
cloak or mantle (called _kutsack_) in one piece, reaching nearly to the
feet. This is tied loosely over the right or left shoulder, so as to
leave the arms at full liberty.
Those of the common people are painted red with ochre the better to keep
out the rain, but the chiefs wear them of their native colour, which is
a pale yellow, ornamenting them with borders of the sea-otter skin, a
kind of grey cloth made of the hair of some animal[67] which they
procure from the tribes to the south, or their own cloth wrought or
painted with various figures in red or black, representing men's heads,
the sun and moon, fish and animals, which are frequently executed with
much skill. They have also a girdle of the same kind for securing this
mantle or _kutsack_ around them, which is in general still more highly
ornamented, and serves them to wear their daggers and knives in. In
winter, however, they sometimes make use of an additional garment, which
is a kind of hood, with a hole in it for the purpose of admitting the
head, and falls over the breast and back, as low as the shoulders; this
is bordered both at top and bottom with fur, and is never worn except
when they go out.
The garments of the women vary not essentially from those of the men,
the mantle having holes in it for the purpose of admitting the arms, and
being tied close under the chin instead of over the shoulder. The chiefs
have also mantles of the sea-otter skin, but these are only put on upon
extraordinary occasions; and one that is made from the skin of a certain
large animal, which is brought from the south by the Wickanninish[68]
and Kla-iz-zarts.[69] This they prepare by dressing it in warm water,
scraping off the hair and what flesh adheres to it carefully with sharp
mussel-shells, and spreading it out in the sun to dry on a wooden frame,
so as to preserve the shape. When dressed in this manner it becomes
perfectly white, and as pliable as the best deer's leather, but almost
as thick again. They then paint it in different figures with such paints
as they usually employ in decorating their persons; these figures mostly
represent human heads, canoes employed in catching whales, etc.
This skin is called metamelth, and is probably got from an animal of
the moose kind; it is highly prized by these people, is their great war
dress, and only worn when they wish to make the best possible display of
themselves. Strips or bands of it, painted as above, are also sometimes
used by them for girdles or the bordering of their cloaks, and also for
bracelets and ankle ornaments by some of the inferior class.
On their heads, when they go out upon any excursion, particularly
whaling or fishing, they wear a kind of cap or bonnet in form not unlike
a large sugar loaf with the top cut off. This is made of the same
materials with their cloth,[70] but is in general of a closer texture,
and by way of tassel has a long strip of the skin of the metamelth[71]
attached to it, covered with rows of small white shells or beads. Those
worn by the common people are painted entirely red, the chiefs having
theirs of different colours. The one worn by the king, and which serves
to designate him from all the others, is longer and broader at the
bottom; the top, instead of being flat, having upon it an ornament in
the figure of a small urn. It is also of a much finer texture than the
others, and plaited or wrought in black and white stripes, with the
representation in front of a canoe in pursuit of a whale, with the
harpooner standing in the prow prepared to strike. This bonnet is called
_Seeya-poks_.
Their mode of living is very simple--their food consisting almost
wholly of fish, or fish spawn fresh or dried, the blubber of the whale,
seal, or sea-cow, mussels, clams, and berries of various kinds; all of
which are eaten with a profusion of train-oil for sauce, not excepting
even the most delicate fruit, as strawberries and raspberries.
With so little variety in their food, no great secret can be expected in
their cookery. Of this, indeed, they may be said to know but two
methods, viz. by boiling and steaming, and even the latter is not very
frequently practised by them. Their mode of boiling is as follows:--Into
one of their tubs they pour water sufficient to cook the quantity of
provision wanted. A number of heated stones are then put in to make it
boil, when the salmon or other fish are put in without any other
preparation than sometimes cutting off the heads, tails, and fins, the
boiling in the meantime being kept up by the application of the hot
stones, after which it is left to cook until the whole is nearly reduced
to one mass. It is then taken out and distributed in the trays. In a
similar manner they cook their blubber and spawn, smoked or dried fish,
and, in fine, almost everything they eat, nothing going down with them
like broth.
When they cook their fish by steam, which are usually the heads, tails,
and fins of the salmon, cod, and halibut, a large fire is kindled, upon
which they place a bed of stones, which, when the wood is burnt down,
becomes perfectly heated. Layers of green leaves or pine boughs are then
placed upon the stones, and the fish, clams, etc., being laid upon
them, water is poured over them, and the whole closely covered with mats
to keep in the steam. This is much the best mode of cooking, and clams
and mussels done in this manner are really excellent.[72] These, as I
have said, may be considered as their only kinds of cookery; though I
have, in a very few instances, known them dress the roe or spawn of the
salmon and the herring, when first taken, in a different manner; this
was by roasting them, the former being supported between two split
pieces of pine, and the other having a sharp stick run through it, with
one end fixed in the ground; sprats are also roasted by them in this
way, a number being spitted upon one stick; and this kind of food, with
a little salt, would be found no contemptible eating even to an
European.
At their meals they seat themselves upon the ground, with their feet
curled up under them, around their trays, which are generally about
three feet long by one broad, and from six to eight inches deep. In
eating they make use of nothing but their fingers, except for the soup
or oil, which they lade out with clam-shells.
Around one of these trays from four to six persons will seat themselves,
constantly dipping in their fingers or clam-shells one after the other.
The king and chiefs alone have separate trays, from which no one is
permitted to eat with them except the queen, or principal wife of the
chief; and whenever the king or one of the chiefs wishes to distinguish
any of his people with a special mark of favour on these occasions, he
calls him and gives him some of the choice bits from his tray. The
slaves eat at the same time, and of the same provisions, faring in this
respect as well as their masters, being seated with the family, and only
feeding from separate trays.
Whenever a feast is given by the king or any of the chiefs, there is a
person who acts as a master of ceremonies, and whose business it is to
receive the guests as they enter the house, and point out to them their
respective seats, which is regulated with great punctiliousness as
regards rank; the king occupying the highest or the seat of honour, his
son or brother sitting next him, and so on with the chiefs according to
their quality; the private persons belonging to the same family being
always placed together, to prevent any confusion. The women are seldom
invited to their feasts, and only at those times when a general
invitation is given to the village.[73]
As, whenever they cook, they always calculate to have an abundance for
all the guests, a profusion in this respect being considered as the
highest luxury, much more is usually set before them than they can eat.
That which is left in the king's tray, he sends to his house for his
family by one of his slaves, as do the chiefs theirs; while those who
eat from the same tray, and who generally belong to the same family,
take it home as common stock, or each one receives his portion, which is
distributed on the spot. This custom appeared very singular to my
companion and myself, and it was a most awkward thing for us, at first,
to have to lug home with us, in our hands or arms, the blubber of fish
that we received at these times, but we soon became reconciled to it,
and were very glad of an opportunity to do it.
[Illustration: NOOTKA SOUND INDIANS.]
FOOTNOTES:
[63] The exact position of the village is lat. 49° 35' 31" N.; long.
126° 37' 32" W.
[64] According to the Admiralty Sailing Directions, the Cove is about
two cables in extent, and sheltered from the sea by a small rocky
high-water island on its east side. It affords anchorage in the middle
for only one vessel of moderate size, though several small vessels might
find shelter. When Vancouver visited it in 1792, no less than eight
ships were in it, most of them small, and secured to the shore by
hawsers.
[65] This means farther up the Sound; for there are villages in the
interior of Vancouver Island. The Admiralty Sailing Directions declare
that not a trace of the Spanish settlement now exists. This is scarcely
correct, for an indistinct ridge shows the site of houses, and here and
there a few bricks half hidden in the ground may be detected. I have
seen a cannon ball and a Mexican dollar found there. Many of the Nootka
Indians have large moustaches and whiskers, which may possibly be due to
their Spanish blood, and others were decidedly Chinese-looking, a fact
which may be traced to the presence of Meares's Chinese carpenters in
1778-79. Some of them can, or could, thirty years ago, by tradition,
count ten in Spanish; and there is a legend in the Sound to the effect
that the white men had begun to cultivate the ground, and to erect a
stockade and fort; when one day a ship came with papers for the head
man, who was observed to cry, and all the foreigners became sad. The
next day they began moving their goods to the ship. But, as Mr. Sproat
suggests, this might have reference to Meares's settlement.
[66] This is a good description of the house of Maquina's grandson, as I
saw it fifty-eight years after Jewitt's time.
[67] Dog's hair. A tribe on Fraser River used to keep flocks of these
curs, which they periodically clipped like sheep.
[68] Probably the Klayoquahts (see p. 77).
[69] Klahosahts.
[70] The outside is made of cedar bark, the inside of white-hair bark.
[71] I have more than once discussed the identity of this animal with
Indian traders. None of them recognised it, nor, indeed, were acquainted
with the animal by the name Jewitt applies to it. It is, however, not
unlikely the North-Western marmot (_Arctomys pruinosus_), specimens of
which are now and then--though, it must be admitted, rarely--seen in
Vancouver Island; but it is more common farther south. The Alberni
Indians (Seshahts and Opechesahts) used to talk of a beast called
_Sit-si-tehl_, which we took to be the marmot, and Mr. Sproat saw one; I
was not so fortunate.
[72] In the opinion of the judicious Jewitt, every one who has eaten
food--especially salmon and shell-fish--cooked after this fashion will
coincide. _Experto crede._
[73] Or to one or more of the neighbouring tribes, such feasts being
known as _Wawkoahs_.