432 INDIAN TRIBES OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 



under a chief named Se-at-tle, belonging to the Suquamish tribe, but residing principally with 

 another, the D Wamish. This last is the one called, on the charts of Puget sound, the Nowa- 

 mish; and it should be mentioned that a very considerable difference in the spelling of almost all 

 these names exists, arising from the fact that several letters of their alphabet are convertible ; as 

 D and N, B and M, Q and G. For instance, the band in question arc indifferently termed 

 N Wamish and D Wamish; another clan of the same trio, the Samamish, are also called Sababish; 



and the name Suquamish is frequently changed into . The D Wamish are the best 



known of this connexion, from their neighborhood to the rising town, named after their chief 

 Se-at-tle, and the whole generally bear their name, though they are by no means the most nu 

 merous. Their proper seat is the outlet of a large lake emptying into the D Wamish river, and 

 not on the main branch. At that place, they, and some others, have small patches of potato 

 ground, amounting altogether to perhaps thirty acres; where, it is stated, they raised during the 

 last year about 3,000 bushels, or an average of one hundred bushels to the acre. Of these they 

 sold a part, reserving the rest for their own consumption. Each head of a family plants his own, 

 the quantity being regulated by the number of his women. Their potatoes are very fine, though 

 they have used the same seed on the same ground for a succession of years. 



The jealousies existing among all thesepetty bands, and their fear of one another, is everywhere 

 noticeable in their establishing themselves near the whites. Whenever a settler s house is erected, 

 a nest of Indian rookeries is pretty sure to follow if permitted ; and in case of temporary absence, 

 they always beg storage for their valuables. The compliment is seldom returned, though it is 

 often considered advantageous to have them in the neighborhood as spies upon others. Some 

 amusing traits of character occasionally develop themselves among Indians, of which an instance 

 happened with these. A saw-mill was erected during the last autumn, upon the outlet of the 

 lake, at a place where they are in the habit of taking salmon. The fishery was much improved 

 by the dam, but what afforded the greatest satisfaction to them was its situation upon their prop 

 erty, and the superior importance thereby derived to themselves. They soon began to understand 

 the machinery, and took every visitor through the building to explain its working, and boast of it, 

 as if it had been of their own construction. 



The southern end of Whidby s island, and the country on and near the mouth of the Sinaho- 

 mish river, belong to the Sinahomish tribe. These number, including the bands connected with 

 them, a little over 300. Their chief is S Hoot-soot, an old man who resides chiefly at Skagit 

 head. Above them, and upon the main branch of the river, is another band, not under the same 

 rule, the Snoqualmoos, amounting to about 200 souls. Their chief, Pat-ka-nam, has rather an evil 

 celebrity among the whites, and two of his brothers have been hung for their misdeeds. This 

 band are especially connected with the Yakimas, or, as they are called on the Sound, Klikatats. 



It requires notice in this place, that besides the tribes, or bands, inhabiting the shores and the 

 lower part of the rivers, there are on the headwaters of the latter, along the whole course of the 

 Cascade mountains, another range of tribes, generally independent of the former, who rarely 

 descend from their recesses, but are intermediate in their habits between the coast and mountain 

 tribes; except the Taitinapam, however, they all belong to the general family upon whose borders 

 they live. Those in the neighborhood of the passes own a few horses, which subsist in the small 

 prairies skirting the base of the mountains. 



The tribes living upon the eastern shore possess also territory upon the islands, and their usual 

 custom is to resort to them at the end of the salmon season that is, about the middle of Novem 

 ber. It is there that they find the greatest supply of shell-fish, which form a large part of their 

 winter stock, and which they dry both for their own use and for sale to those of the interior. The 

 summer and fall they spend on the main, where they get fish and put in their potatoes. 



Below the Sinahomish come the Stoluchquamish, (river people) or, as their name is usually 

 corrupted, Steilaquamish, whose country is on a stream bearing their name; and still north of 

 them the Kikialtis. No opportunity has afforded itself for accurate inquiry into the numbers of 



