CONVERSATION WITH MAQUINA--FRUITS--RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES--VISIT TO
UPQUESTA
The king, finding that I was desirous of learning their language, was
much delighted, and took great pleasure in conversing with me. On one of
these occasions he explained to me his reasons for cutting off our ship,
saying that he bore no ill will to my countrymen, but that he had been
several times treated very ill by them. The first injury of which he had
cause to complain, was done him by a Captain Tawnington, who commanded a
schooner which passed a winter at Friendly Cove, where he was well
treated by the inhabitants. This man, taking advantage of Maquina's
absence, who had gone to the Wickinninish to procure a wife, armed
himself and crew, and entered the house, where there were none but
women, whom he threw into the greatest consternation, and, searching the
chests, took away all the skins, of which Maquina had no less than forty
of the best; and that about the same time, four of their chiefs were
barbarously killed by a Captain Martinez, a Spaniard.[106]
That soon after, Captain Hanna, of the _Sea Otter_[107] in consequence
of one of the natives having stolen a chisel from the carpenter, fired
upon their canoes which were alongside, and killed upwards of twenty of
the natives, of whom several were _Tyees_ or chiefs; and that he
himself, being on board the vessel, in order to escape was obliged to
leap from the quarter-deck, and swim for a long way under water.
These injuries had excited in the breast of Maquina an ardent desire of
revenge, the strongest passion of the savage heart, and though many
years had elapsed since their commission, still they were not forgotten,
and the want of a favourable opportunity alone prevented him from sooner
avenging them. Unfortunately for us, the long-wished-for opportunity at
length presented itself in our ship, which Maquina finding not guarded
with the usual vigilance of the North-West traders, and feeling his
desire of revenge rekindled by the insult offered him by Captain Salter,
formed a plan for attacking, and on his return called a council of his
chiefs, and communicated it to them, acquainting them with the manner in
which he had been treated. No less desirous of avenging this affront
offered their king than their former injuries, they readily agreed to
his proposal, which was to go on board without arms as usual, but under
different pretexts, in great numbers, and wait for his signal for the
moment of attacking their unsuspecting victims. The execution of this
scheme, as the reader knows, was unhappily too successful.
And here I cannot but indulge a reflection that has frequently occurred
to me on the manner in which our people behave towards the natives. For,
though they are a thievish race, yet I have no doubt that many of the
melancholy disasters have principally arisen from the imprudent conduct
of some of the captains and crews of the ships employed in this trade,
in exasperating them by insulting, plundering, and even killing them on
slight grounds. This, as nothing is more sacred with a savage than the
principle of revenge, and no people are so impatient under insult,
induces them to wreak their vengeance upon the first vessel or boat's
crew that offers, making the innocent too frequently suffer for the
wrongs of the guilty, as few of them know how to discriminate between
persons of the same general appearance, more especially when speaking
the same language. And to this cause do I believe must principally be
ascribed the sanguinary disposition with which these people are
reproached, as Maquina repeatedly told me that it was not his wish to
hurt a white man, and that he never should have done it, though ever so
much in his power, had they not injured him.
[Illustration: CALLICUM AND MAQUILLA, CHIEFS OF NOOTKA SOUND.]
And were the commanders of our ships to treat the savages with rather
more civility than they sometimes do, I am inclined to think they would
find their account in it; not that I should recommend to them a
confidence in the good faith and friendly professions of these people,
so as in any degree to remit their vigilance, but, on the contrary, to
be strictly on their guard, and suffer but a very few of them to come on
board the ship, and admit not many of their canoes alongside at a time;
a precaution that would have been the means of preventing some of the
unfortunate events that have occurred, and if attended to, may in future
preserve many a valuable life. Such a regulation, too, from what I know
of their disposition and wants, would produce no serious difficulty in
trading with the savages, and they would soon become perfectly
reconciled to it.
Among the provisions which the Indians procure at Tashees, I must not
omit mentioning a fruit that is very important, as forming a great
article of their food. This is what is called by them the _Yama_,[108] a
species of berry that grows in bunches like currants, upon a bush from
two to three feet high, with a large, round, and smooth leaf. This berry
is black, and about the size of a pistol shot, but of rather an oblong
shape, and open at the top like the blue whortleberry. The taste is
sweet, but a little acrid, and when first gathered, if eaten in any
great quantity, especially without oil, is apt to produce colics. To
procure it, large companies of women go out on the mountains,
accompanied by armed men to protect them against wild beasts, where they
frequently remain for several days, kindling a fire at night, and
sheltering themselves under sheds constructed of boughs. At these
parties they collect great quantities. I have known Maquina's queen and
her women return loaded, bringing with them upwards of twelve bushels.
In order to preserve it, it is pressed in the bunches between two
planks, and dried and put away in baskets for use. It is always eaten
with oil.
Of berries of various kinds, such as strawberries, raspberries,
blackberries, etc., there are great quantities in the country, of which
the natives are very fond, gathering them in their seasons, and eating
them with oil, but the yama is the only one that they preserve.
Fish is, however, their great article of food, as almost all the others,
excepting the yama, may be considered as accidental. They nevertheless
are far from disrelishing meat, for instance, venison and bear's flesh.
With regard to the latter, they have a most singular custom, which is,
that any one who eats of it is obliged to abstain from eating any kind
of fresh fish whatever for the term of two months, as they have a
superstitious belief that, should any of their people, after tasting
bear's flesh, eat of fresh salmon, cod, etc., the fish, though at ever
so great a distance off, would come to the knowledge of it, and be so
much offended thereat as not to allow themselves to be taken by any of
the inhabitants. This I had an opportunity of observing while at
Tashees, a bear having been killed early in December, of which not more
than ten of the natives would eat, being prevented by the prohibition
annexed to it, which also was the reason of my comrade and myself not
tasting it, on being told by Maquina the consequences.
As there is something quite curious in their management of this animal,
when they have killed one, I shall give a description of it. After well
cleansing the bear from the dirt and blood with which it is generally
covered when killed, it is brought in and seated opposite the king in an
upright posture, with a chief's bonnet, wrought in figures, on its head,
and its fur powdered over with the white down. A tray of provision is
then set before it, and it is invited by words and gestures to eat. This
mock ceremony over, the reason of which I could never learn, the animal
is taken and skinned, and the flesh and entrails boiled up into a soup,
no part but the paunch being rejected.[109]
This dressing the bear, as they call it, is an occasion of great
rejoicing throughout the village, all the inhabitants being invited to a
great feast at the king's house, though but few of them, in consequence
of the penalty, will venture to eat of the flesh, but generally content
themselves with their favourite dish of herring spawn and water. The
feast on this occasion was closed by a dance from Sat-sat-sok-sis, in
the manner I have already described, in the course of which he
repeatedly shifted his mask for another of a different form.
A few days after, a second bear was taken, like the former, by means of
a trap. This I had the curiosity to go and see at the place where it was
caught, which was in the following manner:--On the edge of a small
stream of water in the mountains which the salmon ascend, and near the
spot where the bear is accustomed to watch for them, which is known by
its track, a trap or box about the height of a man's head is built of
posts and planks with a flat top, on which are laid a number of large
stones or rocks. The top and sides are then carefully covered with turf,
so as to resemble a little mound, and wholly to exclude the light, a
narrow entrance of the height of the building only being left, just
sufficient to admit the head and shoulders of the beast. On the inside,
to a large plank that covers the top is suspended by a strong cord a
salmon, the plank being left loose, so that a forcible pull will bring
it down. On coming to its usual haunt, the bear enters the trap, and, in
endeavouring to pull away the fish, brings down the whole covering with
its load of stones upon its head, and is almost always crushed to death
on the spot, or so wounded as to be unable to escape.[110]
They are always careful to examine these traps every day, in order, if a
bear be caught, to bring it immediately, for it is not a little singular
that these people will eat no kind of meat that is in the least tainted,
or not perfectly fresh, while, on the contrary, it is hardly possible
for fish to be in too putrid a state for them, and I have frequently
known them, when a whale has been driven ashore, bring pieces of it home
with them in a state of offensiveness insupportable to anything but a
crow, and devour it with high relish, considering it as preferable to
that which is fresh.
On the morning of the 13th of December, commenced what to us appeared a
most singular farce. Apparently without any previous notice, Maquina
discharged a pistol close to his son's ear, who immediately fell down as
if killed, upon which all the women of the house set up a most
lamentable cry, tearing handfuls of hair from their heads, and
exclaiming that the prince was dead. At the same time a great number of
the inhabitants rushed into the house, armed with their daggers,
muskets, etc., inquiring the cause of their outcry. These were
immediately followed by two others dressed in wolf-skins, with masks
over their faces representing the head of that animal; the latter came
in on their hands and feet in the manner of a beast, and, taking up the
prince, carried him off upon their backs, retiring in the same manner
they entered. We saw nothing more of the ceremony, as Maquina came to
us, and, giving us a quantity of dried provision, ordered us to quit the
house, and not return to the village before the expiration of seven
days, for that if we appeared within that period, he should kill us.
At any other season of the year such an order would by us have been
considered as an indulgence, in enabling us to pass our time in whatever
way we wished; and even now, furnished as we were with sufficient
provision for that term, it was not very unpleasant to us, more
particularly Thompson, who was always desirous to keep as much as
possible out of the society and sight of the natives, whom he detested.
Taking with us our provisions, a bundle of clothes, and our axes, we
obeyed the directions of Maquina, and withdrew into the woods, where we
built ourselves a cabin to shelter us, with the branches of trees, and,
keeping up a good fire, secured ourselves pretty well from the cold.
Here we passed the prescribed period of our exile, with more content
than much of the time while with them, employing the day in reading and
praying for our release, or in rambling around and exploring the
country, the soil of which we found to be very good, and the face of it,
beautifully diversified with hills and valleys, refreshed with the
finest streams of water, and at night enjoyed comfortable repose upon a
bed of soft leaves, with our garments spread over us to protect us from
the cold.
At the end of seven days we returned, and found several of the people of
Ai-tiz-zart with their king or chief at Tashees, who had been invited by
Maquina to attend the close of this performance, which I now learned was
a celebration, held by them annually, in honour of their god, whom they
call _Quahootze_,[111] to return him their thanks for his past, and
implore his future favours. It terminated on the 21st, the day after our
return, with a most extraordinary exhibition. Three men, each of whom
had two bayonets run through his sides, between the ribs, apparently
regardless of the pain, traversed the room, backwards and forwards,
singing war-songs, and exulting in this display of firmness.
On the arrival of the 25th, we could not but call to mind that this,
being Christmas, was in our country a day of the greatest festivity,
when our fellow-countrymen, assembled in their churches, were
celebrating the goodness of God and the praises of the Saviour. What a
reverse did our situation offer!--captives in a savage land, and slaves
to a set of ignorant beings, unacquainted with religion or humanity,
hardly were we permitted to offer up our devotions by ourselves in the
woods, while we felt even grateful for this privilege. Thither, with the
king's permission, we withdrew, and, after reading the service appointed
for the day, sung the hymn of the Nativity, fervently praying that
Heaven in its goodness would permit us to celebrate the next festival of
this kind in some Christian land.
On our return, in order to conform as much as was in our power to the
custom of our country, we were desirous of having a better supper than
usual. With this view, we bought from one of the natives some dried
clams and oil, and a root called _Kletsup_,[112] which we cooked by
steaming, and found it very palatable. This root consists of many
fibres, of about six inches long, and of the size of a crow quill. It is
sweet, of an agreeable taste, not unlike the _Quawnoose_, and it is
eaten with oil. The plant that produces it I have never seen.
On the 31st all the tribe quitted Tashees for Cooptee, whither they go
to pass the remainder of the winter, and complete their fishing, taking
off everything with them in the same manner as at Nootka. We arrived in
a few hours at Cooptee, which is about fifteen miles, and immediately
set about covering the houses, which was soon completed.
This place, which is their great herring and sprat fishery, stands just
within the mouth of the river, on the same side with Tashees, in a very
narrow valley at the foot of a high mountain. Though nearly as secure
as Tashees from the winter storms, it is by no means so pleasantly
situated, though to us it was a much more agreeable residence, as it
brought us nearer Nootka, where we were impatient to return, in hopes of
finding some vessel there, or hearing of the arrival of one near.
The first snow that fell this season was the day after our arrival, on
New Year's Day; a day that, like Christmas, brought with it painful
recollections, but at the same time led us to indulge the hope of a more
fortunate year than the last.
Early on the morning of the 7th of January, Maquina took me with him in
his canoe on a visit to Upquesta, chief of the Ai-tiz-zarts, who had
invited him to attend an exhibition at his village, similar to the one
with which he had been entertained at Tashees. This place is between
twenty and thirty miles distant up the Sound, and stands on the banks of
a small river about the size of that of Cooptee, just within its
entrance, in a valley of much greater extent than that of Tashees; it
consists of fourteen or fifteen houses, built and disposed in the manner
of those at Nootka. The tribe, which is considered as tributary to
Maquina, amounts to about three hundred warriors, and the inhabitants,
both men and women, are among the best-looking of any people on the
coast.
On our arrival we were received at the shore by the inhabitants, a few
of whom were armed with muskets, which they fired, with loud shouts and
exclamations of _Wocash, wocash!_
We were welcomed by the chief's messenger, or master of ceremonies,
dressed in his best garments, with his hair powdered with white down,
and holding in his hand the cheetolth, the badge of his office. This man
preceded us to the chief's house, where he introduced and pointed out to
us our respective seats. On entering, the visitors took off their hats,
which they always wear on similar occasions, and Maquina his outer
robes, of which he has several on whenever he pays a visit, and seated
himself near the chief.
As I was dressed in European clothes, I became quite an object of
curiosity to these people, very few of whom had ever seen a white man.
They crowded around me in numbers, taking hold of my clothes, examining
my face, hands, and feet, and even opening my mouth to see if I had a
tongue, for, notwithstanding I had by this time become well acquainted
with their language, I preserved the strictest silence, Maquina on our
first landing having enjoined me not to speak until he should direct.
Having undergone this examination for some time, Maquina at length made
a sign to me to speak to them. On hearing me address them in their own
language, they were greatly astonished and delighted, and told Maquina
that they now perceived that I was a man like themselves, except that I
was white, and looked like a seal, alluding to my blue jacket and
trousers, which they wanted to persuade me to take off, as they did not
like their appearance. Maquina in the meantime gave an account to the
chief of the scheme he had formed for surprising our ship, and the
manner in which he and his people had carried it into execution, with
such particular and horrid details of that transaction as chilled the
blood in my veins. Trays of boiled herring spawn and train-oil were
soon after brought in and placed before us, neither the chief or any of
his people eating at the same time, it being contrary to the ideas of
hospitality entertained by these nations, to eat any part of the food
that is provided for strangers, always waiting until their visitors have
finished, before they have their own brought in.
The following day closed their festival with an exhibition of a similar
kind to that which had been given at Tashees, but still more cruel; the
different tribes appearing on these occasions to endeavour to surpass
each other in their proofs of fortitude and endurance of pain. In the
morning, twenty men entered the chief's house, with each an arrow run
through the flesh of his sides and either arm, with a cord fastened to
the end, which, as the performers advanced, singing and boasting, was
forcibly drawn back by a person having hold of it. After this
performance was closed, we returned to Cooptee, which we reached at
midnight, our men keeping time with their songs to the stroke of their
paddles.
The natives now began to take the herring and sprat in immense
quantities, with some salmon, and there was nothing but feasting from
morning till night.
The following is the method they employ to take the herring. A stick of
about seven feet long, two inches broad, and half an inch thick, is
formed from some hard wood, one side of which is set with sharp teeth,
made from whalebone, at about half an inch apart. Provided with this
instrument, the fisherman seats himself in the prow of a canoe, which is
paddled by another, and whenever he comes to a shoal of herrings, which
cover the water in great quantities, he strikes it with both hands upon
them, and at the same moment, turning it up, brings it over the side of
the canoe, into which he lets those that are taken drop. It is
astonishing to see how many are caught by those who are dexterous at
this kind of fishing, as they seldom fail, when the shoals are numerous,
of taking as many as ten or twelve at a stroke, and in a very short time
will fill a canoe with them. Sprats are likewise caught in a similar
manner.
FOOTNOTES:
[106] This was probably Don Estevan Martinez, who, on the 6th of May
1789, arrived in the corvette _Princesa_, to take possession of the
country for his sovereign. He it was who landed materials and artillery,
and began to erect a fort on a small island at the entrance to Friendly
Cove. He seems to have been a most high-handed kind of Don, for he
seized the British vessels _Iphigenia_, _North-West America_,
_Argonaut_, and _Princess Royal_, then trading under the Portuguese
flag, and acted in so arbitrary a manner to the officers and crew, that
it was easy to believe he was not over scrupulous in his dealings with
the Indians. It was during his stay in Nootka Sound that Callicum, a
relation of Maquina's, and next to him in rank, was barbarously murdered
by an officer on board one of the Spanish ships, and his father refused
permission to dive for the body until he had handed over a number of
skins to the white savage.
[107] Captain James Hanna was the second European to enter Nootka Sound
after Captain Cook had left it. The _Sea Otter_, a vessel under 70 tons,
was fitted out in China, and reached Nootka in August 1785; when
Maquina, presuming upon the inferior size of the craft and the small
number of the crew, made a desperate attack upon her. This was repulsed
by the courage of the ship's company, after which business proceeded on
such friendly terms that he procured five hundred and eighty-five
sea-otter skins in five weeks, which were sold in Canton for 20,600
dollars. It was Hanna who discovered Fitzhugh Sound, Lance Island, Sea
Otter Harbour, and other now well-known spots on the North-West coast of
America. The incident related by Maquina is not to be found in the
records of the expedition which have descended to us. He made another
voyage in 1786, solely for commercial purposes.
[108] _Gaultheria Shallon_ (see p. 137).
[109] These observances are well worth noting in connection with the
others which attach to the bear among nearly all savage races.
[110] These traps are still in common use.
[111] _Quawteaht_, the supreme being of all the tribes speaking the
"Aht" language.
[112] This seems the bracken fern root, which is eaten. But the name
usually applied to it is _Sheetla_.