swAXToxl HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT -409 



was named from the yellow cedar bark soaked and spun into long 

 strings and called Mn, for which the place was noted. Thus the 

 Tlingit word would he ]a'nqo-an. There is also a difference of 

 opinion about llowkan, since the Haida living in that neighborhood, 

 who pronounce the name ' aoklia'n, affirm that it refers to a stone 

 which used to stand in front of the place, while Katishan derives it 

 from qo'wakan, "deer," the animal being very plentiful in that neigh- 

 borhood. The first explanation is probably correct. It is luicertuin 

 whether Howkan and Kasaan were occupied as towns before the 

 advent of the Haida, but tradition affirms it of Sukkwan and Klin- 

 kwan, the former of which was destroyed bj' the invaders. The 

 people of Kasaan, however, according to Doctor Newcombe, claim to 

 have acquired their town by regular purchase. 



From all the accounts obtained it would seem that the Te'cjoedi 

 constituted a large part of the population of Prince of Wales island 

 and moved to Tongas and Sanya at the time when the Ilaida immigra- 

 tion took place, whether that happened peaceably or otherwise. Part 

 of them are now among the Hutsnuwu people and part at Yakutat. 



The last group in this region, the NexA'di of Sanya, is peculiar as 

 standing outside of the two great phratries. It is characterized prin- 

 cipall}' by the possession of the Eagle crest and Eagle personal names, 

 and possibly it is from this clan that the northern Tlingit have also 

 obtained them. Their name means simply People of Nex, a creek in 

 their country. Along with many other clans, they are supposed to 

 have come from "below Port Simpson," but on the other hand it is 

 possible that their origin is connected with an Athapascan tribe, which 

 formerly occupied the shores of Behm canal just northward and inter- 

 married with the Tlingit to a considerable extent in ancient times. 

 The remnants of these Athapascans are now living at Kincolith among 

 the Nass Indians. 



The presence of a KiksA'di house group at Sanya has been noted, 

 and although composed perhaps of comparatively new settlers at tiiat 

 place, it is said that the fauiily had received its name, People of 

 Kiks, from an island in the vicinity. At any rate it was certainl3' one 

 of the great dans that moved up from the south, and besides having a 

 Sanya branch forms the foremost Raven groups at Wrangell and 

 Sitka. They were the first to settle in the latter place." Their antiq- 

 uity is perhai)s indicated by the fact that two of the pi'incipal mytho- 

 logic heroes of the Tlingit bear KjksA'di names. 



It is said that the wives of some KiksA'di people once quarreled, 

 and all of one side moved out into a house made of bark, from which 

 circumstance thej' came to be called IJark-house people (Tl hit tan). 



^Before coming to Sitka proper they lived in the town of Kustaxe'xda-an, situated in the neigh- 

 borhood. According to Katishan. the iirst fiimilies to settle in Sitka were the KlksA'dl, KAtogwA'dl, 

 and Ges hit tin ( Iron house people) . the last a part o£ the Ka'gwAQtan. 



