THE INDIANS OF CAPE FLATTERY. 55 



who, with his brother Obiee, claimed all the shore to the Hoko River, a distance 

 of about fight miles. Deeaht died without issue, and his brother Obiee or Odice 

 succeeded to his property, and his descendants still claim this right of seigniorage. 

 The same custom prevails not only in all the villages of this tribe, but with every 

 tribe on the coast; arid as it is the custom, and agreed to by all, there is no dispute 

 relative to any property acquired by jetsam. This right is not insisted on at pre 

 sent, except when a whale is cast ashore, or in case of wrecked property. Drift 

 lumber, particularly mill logs, are so frequently brought down the straits, and cast 

 ashore about the Cape, that any one who finds them has only to cut a notch in 

 them with his axe, and his right is respected. The chief who receives any 

 wrecked property invariably pays the finder something, or makes him a present of 

 some kind. The chiefs also claimed the right to make prisoners of all who were 

 . cast ashore by shipwreck, whether Indians or white men ; and, unless they could 

 ransom themselves, they were detained as slaves. Hence we can readily account 

 for, the avidity with which they possessed themselves of the persons and property 

 of shipwrecked mariners who have from time to time been cast upon their 

 shores. They looked upon everything thrown up by the waves as theirs, and it is 

 but very recently that they have been led to respect the rights of white men, 

 and to account to their agent for any wrecked materials coming into their posses 

 sion. They still demand payment for anything they save, and, on the principle 

 of salvage, such demands are just ; but these claims are now arbitrated by the 

 agent, instead of being left to the savages, as has always been the case heretofore. 

 HISTORY, TRADITIONS, ETC. The history of this tribe, as far as their knowledge 

 extends, is a confused mass of fables, legends, myths, and allegories. Nothing that 

 they can state prior to the existence of a few generations back is clear or wholly to 

 be relied upon. There are a few prominent events that have been remembered as 

 having occurred ; but the detail is confused, and it is very rare that two Indians 

 tell the same story alike, unless it may be some wild and improbable legend, like the 

 fairy tales related in nurseries, which are remembered in after life. A notable in 

 stance of this unreliability is in their version of the account of the Spanish settlement 

 attempted at Neeah Bay by Lieut. Quimper, in 1792, by order of the commandant of 

 the Spanish forces at Nootka. All they really know about it, is that they have been 

 told by their fathers that the Spaniards were here, and they can point out the locality 

 where yet may be found pieces of tile used by the Spaniards in building. But 

 although that occurrence was only seventy-three years ago, there is but one man living 

 in the tribe who remembers the circumstances, and he is in his dotage. Almost every 

 Indian I have questioned upon the subject gives a different version of the detail. 

 Now, as they cannot relate correctly matters given in our history, and of a com 

 paratively recent date, but little dependence can be placed upon the tales of 

 their origin, which are interesting only for their fabulous and superstitious nature. 

 In the matter of the Spaniards, I have been told by one that they built a brick 

 house with a shingle roof, and surrounded it with palisades. Another stated 

 that the house was of wood, with a brick chimney; another that they built no 

 house at all, but simply landed some bricks and other materials ; and, before they 



