2 THE HAIDAH INDIANS OF 



The whole length of the group from North Point to Cape St. James, its southern 

 extremity, is about one hundred and sixty miles. The islands of the group are 

 separated by three channels. Parry Passage, at the north, separates North Island 

 from Graham s, Skidegate Channel separates Graham s and Moresby s Islands, and 

 Stewart Channel separates Moresby s and Prevost Islands. 



These Islands are inhabited by a tribe of Indians called Haida or Hydah, who 

 in manners and customs seem somewhat different from the neighboring tribes of 

 the mainland, and those of Vancouver s Island. The name is spelled Hyder, 

 Haida, or Haidah. I have adopted the latter style as it is more expressive of the 

 true pronunciation of the natives. 



In general appearance the Haidahs resemble the natives of the northeastern 

 coast of Asia, who have a marked resemblance to the Tartar hordes and who seem 

 to have extended along the Siberian coast, the Aleutian Islands, and down the 

 American shores as far south as Queen Charlotte s Islands, where this peculiar 

 type of the Indian race ceases, and is succeeded immediately by the Selish or 

 flat-head branch of the North American Indians, who have been classed by Morgan 

 as the Ganowanian family or Bow and Arrow people. 1 apply the term SeUsh in 

 this paper to the tribes of Washington Territory and British Columbia south of 

 the 51 parallel of north latitude. 



The distinctive features of these two classes of Indians are apparent to the most 

 casual observer. The Haidah, Chimsean, and other tribes north of Vancouver s 

 Island, who are termed by the residents of Puget Sound &quot;Northern Indians,&quot; 

 are, as a general rule, of larger stature, better proportion, and lighter complexion 

 than the Selish. 



Although there are numerous instances of well-developed individuals among the 

 Vancouver Island tribes, and of small-sized individuals among the Northern, yet 

 the general appearance of the Northern Indians, both men and women, is much 

 larger and finer. This difference is particularly marked in the females. Those of 

 the Haidah and other northern tribes are tall and athletic, while the Selish women 

 are shorter and more given to corpulency. 



The Haidah Indians, living on an island separated from the mainland by a wide 

 and stormy strait, are necessarily obliged to resort to canoes as a means of travel, 

 and are exceedingly expert in their construction and management. 



Some of their canoes are very large and capable of carrying one hundred persons 

 with all their equipments for a long voyage. But those generally used will carry 

 from twenty to thirty persons ; and in these conveyances they make voyages of 

 several hundred miles to Victoria on Vancouver s Island, and from thence to the 

 various towns on Puget Sound. 



These canoes are made from single logs of cedar, which attains an immense size 

 on Queen Charlotte s Islands. Although not so graceful in model as the canoes of 

 the west coast of Vancouver s Island and Washington Territory, which are 

 commonly called Chenook canoes, yet they are most excellent sea boats, and capable 

 of being navigated with perfect safety through the storms and turbulent waters of 

 the northwest coast. 



