50 THE INDIANS OF CAPE FLATTERY. 



METHOD OF WARFARE. The causes of feuds and hostilities between the coast 

 uribes are usually of a trivial nature, generally originating in a theft, either of 

 canoes, slaves, or blankets, or sometimes a dispute about a barter; but as these 

 difficulties, no matter how they originate, are never confined to the principals, but 

 are taken up by friends and relatives on both sides, reprisals are made on any one 

 who may chance to fall in the way. For instance, a Makah visiting a neighboring 

 tribe may perhaps steal something. He will not be pursued and the property 

 taken away, but an opportunity will be embraced at some other time to steal from 

 any Makah who may visit the same tribe. He in return may possibly kill some one, 

 and then the whole tribe is held responsible. Sometimes several years may inter 

 vene between the commission of the first offence and the breaking out of hostilities ; 

 but every offence is remembejred, and if not settled in an amicable manner, is 

 avenged sooner or later. Since I have been among the Makahs, I have known 

 but one war expedition, and a description of that will illustrate their general 

 system of warfare. 



An Indian belonging to the Makah tribe had a difficulty with an Elwha Indian 

 belonging to a band of Clallams, who reside at the mouth of the Elwha River, 

 emptying into the Strait of Fuca, near Port Angeles. The difficulty was about a 

 squaw, and the ill-feeling had lasted for a year or two when the Elwha waylaid the 

 Makah, and shot him. As the murdered man was a chief, the whole tribe were 

 determined to avenge the murder; but first they referred the affair to the agents 

 of the Indian Department, who promised that the murderer should be arrested and 

 hung ; nothing, however, was done about it, and at last the tribe, getting tired of 

 waiting the action of the white men, concluded to settle the affair in their own way. 

 After several meetings had been held, and the matter decided upon, they prepared 

 themselves for war. The plan of approach to the Elwha village was first drawn on 

 the sand, and the method of attack decided on. They then prepared great torches 

 of dried pitch-wood made into fagots, and tied on the ends of poles. These were 

 to set the houses of the Elwhas on fire. Knives were also sharpened, bows and 

 arrows prepared, bullets cast, and guns cleaned. The largest canoes were put in 

 war trim to convey the party, were blackened by burning fagots of cedar splints 

 passed along under the bottom, freshly painted red in the inside, and decorated 

 with branches of spruce limbs tied to the head and stern. There were twelve of 

 these canoes, containing in all about eighty men, dressed with their blankets girt 

 tight about the waist, in such a manner as to leave both arms free. Their faces 

 were painted black, and their hair tied up in a club-knot behind, and bound round 

 with sprigs of evergreen. They assembled on the beach previous to starting, where 

 speeches were made and war dances performed ; they therl embarked precipitately 

 and set off at the full speed of their boats up the Strait for Elwha village. As 

 soon as they had gone, the women and children assembled on the roofs of the 

 lodges and commenced a dismal chant, which they continued for a couple of hours, 

 accompanying their music with beating the roof boards with sticks to mark the time. 

 Each day, during the absence of the men, the women went through this perform 

 ance at sunrise and sunset. On the third day the party returned, bringing with 

 them the heads of two Elwhas they had killed. They came with songs of victory, 



