BOAS] INTRODUCTION 137 
been invariably imbricated. None of the tribes in western Washing- 
ton are known to have made the plain baskets, as did the Salish in the 
eastern part of the State. Apparently, as each tribe learned to coil, 
it learned to imbricate also. 
A Spuzzum man confirmed this last statement. In speaking of 
former times he said that he had seen baskets made by several tribes 
east and west of the Cascades in Washington. Some were approxi- 
mately of the same shape as the burden baskets of the Thompson 
and of medium size. Baskets of this shape were common among 
all people living near the mountains as far south as the Nisqualli, 
and were owned by the Nootsak, Skagit, and Snohomish. The 
informant did not know where these were made, except that the 
Nootsak produced some. He had heard that they learned the art 
from the Thompson, but he could not be sure of this. He described 
some Wenatchi specimens as being more like Klickitat, high in 
proportion to their width and without much flare. On all the coiled 
baskets he noted there was beading and imbrication quite like that 
employed by the Thompson. 
According to the Cowlitz and the Nisqualli, the Klickitat, when 
they came into their country, found the other tribes of the region 
well versed in basket making. They say that the Klickitat formerly 
resembled the Yakima in that they did not make baskets but were 
obliged to pay high prices for those which they purchased. Only 
when they learned the art from the Cowlitz and Nisqualli were 
they able to manufacture plenty for their own use. 
The work of the Klickitat is reported to have always been coarser 
and poorer than that of the surrounding tribes. The Nootsak 
say that long ago a few women of their tribe made baskets. They 
think the Thompson or Skagit taught them about the beginning of 
the nineteenth century. Among the Nisqualli and other tribes of 
that group coiling was the only technique known, but the Twana 
produced soft twined baskets in almost as great numbers as the 
“hard” coiled ware. 
All the coiled ware of the region was constructed of cedar roots. 
Those made of spruce roots were known and used by some tribes 
but they were everywhere considered to be inferior, and, since cedar 
was abundant, it was generally chosen. 
Information regarding the shapes of the baskets, the material 
employed in imbrication, the designs and design names, is very in- 
complete for this area. 
The ordinary burden basket seems to have resembled that of the 
Thompson except that it was slightly rounder and less flaring. 
Oblong receptacles with rounded corners were used for storage, while 
perfectly cylindrical shapes served as kettles. The present high, 
narrow, conical form constructed by the Klickitat is reported to be 
modern. 
