108 (HE MATTOAL. 
races. Not only do the interior tribes almost invariably lord it over the 
coast tribes by force of arms, but I have found not only the most beautiful 
legends, but about all there are of any description, at least one or two layers 
of tribes back from the sea, while these fog-sodden ichthyophagi have the 
most revolting and incredible superstitions. 
As above noted, the Mattoal were ever making predatory raids on the 
feeble Viard and Patawat, and after the whites came into the country they 
enlarged their operations to include them also. For this the unfortunate bay 
tribes generally had to bear the blame. With that profound disregard of 
fine-spun distinctions which is characteristic of the sincere but illogical 
pioneers, they sacrificed whatever Indians came in their way with great 
impartiality. Their story, as related by a Viard, is touching in its simple 
pathos: ‘“Mattoal he come steal um, steal hoss, pig, cow, chicken; steal 
heap; run um off. White man get heap mad; he cuss. He say one Hum- 
boldt Bay Injun, ‘You steal um.’ Injun say, ‘No, no; one Mattoal; me 
no do.” White man say, ‘You lie’ Injun he run. White man run after 
him; he shoot um; kill heap Injun.” The Americans forbade the Viard 
and the Mattoal from quarreling; but when the latter wished to see their 
hereditary foes suffer, they had only to make a foray and steal some Ameri- 
‘an horses in the Viard territory, and the thing would speedily be done. 
The Mattoal language differs from that of Humboldt Bay so much that 
the two tribes cannot understand each other until they have conversed 
together some. months. Though I have no specimens of it, I am told by 
the Indians that it is the same as the Wai-lak-ki of Eel River. This being 
the case, the Mattoal would belong to the Athabascan races who made the 
great invasion of Northern California, while the Humboldt Bay tribes would 
seem to be a remnant of the true Californians, still holding their rich low- 
lands against the invaders surrounding them on all sides but the sea. 
Their wigwams, implements, ete., are like those around them every- 
where, and there is nothing of special interest to be noted save the glue 
they manufacture, which is superior to anything made by civilized processes, 
not excepting Spalding’s patent. With it they glue their strips of sinew on 
their bows, which render them quite infrangible by any ordinary reasonable 
strain. Bend the bow with the strength of a Ulysses, yet the sinew cleaves 
