297 
is their most practical Deity. The Supreme Being of the 
Yuroks is called Gard, who created all things and gave them 
their language. The name of the Supreme Being of the 
Wintuns signifies the Great Spirit of the West, and the 
Maidus and Palligawonaps describe him as the old man, the 
Creator. But most of the California tribes evidently had but 
little idea of a Supreme Being, except so far as he dwelt in 
the Coyote. He it was who created man, animals, everything, 
and, according to some, even the world,—not exactly the 
Coyote, but the great active principle residing in the 
Coyote.* 
The Clatsops, Cathlamets, Chénooks, and Wahkiakums 
around the mouth of the Columbia River believe in an omni- 
potent, benevolent Spirit, the Creator of all things. Usually 
he inhabits the sun, but occasionally wings his way through 
the ethereal regions, and sees all that is doimg on the earth, 
and thunders, lightnings, and tempests are ways in which he 
exhibits his displeasure. 
The Twanas or Skokomish Indians of Puget Sound believe 
in a Great Being, not the Saghalie Tyee, or Wis Sowulus or 
Chief above, of whom they have learned of the whites, but 
one whose name is Dé-ki-batl, the Changer, because long ago 
he changed many of the ancient race of beings into deer, 
beaver, birds, stones, and the like. The Clallams had a 
similar belief, though they thought that the sun was God, and 
their children were told to be afraid to do wrong because the 
sun would see them and be angry, 
The Makahs,t Nez Percés, and Flatheads likewise believe 
in a Great Spirit, the Blackfeet that they were created by 
him, and the Rocky Mountain Indians invoke his aid.§ 
The Haidahs believe the Great Solar Spirit to be the 
Creator and Supreme Ruler, but some worship nothing. The 
Nootkas have a tradition of a Great Supernatural Teacher and 
Benefactor, who came to them from Puget Sound long ago ; 
the Ahts believe the sun and moon, as man and wife, to be 
Supreme ; the Okanagans have a good Spirit, called Skyappe, 
to whom they sometimes pray; the Thlinkeets have no Deity, 
but believe the raven to be the Creator; and the Aleuts 
recognised a Creator God, who made the world, but do not 
worship him. || 
* §, Powers in Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, vol. iii. pp. 24, 35, 64, 
161, 182, 214, 241, 287, 394. 
+ Dunn, On Oregon Territory, p. 90. 
~ Swan’s Makah Indians of Cape Flattery, p. 61. 
§ Dunn, On Oregon Territory, pp. 212, 213, 219. 
|| Bancroft’s Native Races of the Pacific States, vol. iii, p. 141, &e. 
