﻿I20 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS \'0L. 76 



came here, built a dock and '* surveyed the place." An informant 

 said this took place in the time of his grandfather's grandfather. The 

 Indians were friendly to the Spaniards until they molested the women, 

 when they drove them away. A trace of Spanish influence was found 

 in the statement that the earth revolves once every day, but the Alakah 

 added that " the earth is a flat disk, supported by something under- 

 neath but resting on the surface of the water." One edge was said to 

 be a little lower than the other, so that in revolving it dips below the 

 water, this causing high and low tides. Further evidence of Spanish 

 influence lay in the description of an armor made of narrow wooden 

 slats, worn in war by the early Makah. The next white visitors were 

 " Boston men " concerning whom it was said " they dug large deep 

 holes and buried a great many bottles to prove they discovered 

 Neah Bay." 



Four tribes of Indians are under Neah Bay Agency, the largest 

 number being the ]Makah who comprise 414 persons. They frequently 

 exchange visits with the Indians on Vancouver Island but did not 

 mention the tribes living on Puget Sound. A clear distinction was 

 made between Makah songs and those of the British Columbia 

 Indians ; it was said, however, that many of the Makah songs had 

 " B. C. words." No explanation was given for this usage. The words 

 of the gaming songs were in the " Chinook jargon." Many songs 

 were in a " dream language." 



As an outstanding peculiarity of ]Makah music we note the custom 

 of pounding on planks instead of drums. Timber was easily obtained 

 and the material for a drum head could be obtained only by hunting 

 in the mountains. The planks were " shag," made by splitting a log 

 with a wedge, and the short sticks used for pounding were of the 

 same crude manufacture. The Thunderbird dance was performed 

 on the flat roof of a house and as an accompaniment for that dance 

 a plank was placed on the ground near each side of the house, the 

 company sitting beside these planks, facing the house, and pounding 

 as they sang. A somewhat similar arrangement was used at a social 

 gathering on the beach, attended by the writer (fig. 117). The planks 

 are raised a few inches above the ground, giving space for resonance. 

 Drums appear to have been used l)y individuals. Mrs. Long Tom 

 (fig. 118) declined to sell her drum, saying " it was so much companv 

 for her in the long winter evenings." Certain songs were accomiianied 

 only by handclapping, and certain dances had no songs, being accom- 

 panied only by pounding on the planks. 



