The Mountaineer 51 



INDIAN LEGENDS OF MT. RAINIER. 



W. D. Lyman. 



Among the most interesting and beautiful of all In- 

 dian stories, perhaps those connected with the great 

 mountain peaks are first. As is fitting, the most strik- 

 ing are those whose scenes are laid in and around Mt. 

 Rainier. 



By reason of the Indian superstitions in regard to 

 the great peaks, the Indians can seldom be prevailed on 

 to ascend their summits. Some people represent that 

 this is simply a part of the general superstition which 

 the red men have for any form of hard work, but I in- 

 cline to the opinion that it is just a straight supersti- 

 tion. On account of this idea the first explorers of the 

 great peaks have found it very diflScult to reach the 

 summit. 



One of these legends, the scene of which is Mt. Rai- 

 nier, may be called the Indian legend of Rip Van Win- 

 kle. According to this there was an old man living 

 near the mountain who was very avaricious and desir- 

 ous of getting much "hiaqua," by which they signify 

 shell money, still common among the Indians of the 

 Sound. This old Indian seems to have been on very in- 

 timate terms with Sahale and kept begging him to sup- 

 ply him with more money by magic. Sahale, however, 

 was aware that this greed for money was liable to make 

 the old Indian a victim of Kakahete, the chief of the 

 demons, and therefore he always refused to grant him 

 any magical power. 



But once Moosmoos, the elk divinity, obtained a 

 tomanowas power over the old man and whispered 

 magic in his ear, telling him that upon the summit of 

 the mountain he might find much hiaqua and become 



