169 



bordered by mountains, Avluch form the western wall of this basin. No 

 streams of any size foil into it except the Skokomish, which enters at the 

 elbow. The mountain group thus included between the Tsihalis, the coast, 

 the Straits of Fuca, and Hood Canal, ami known as the Olj^iipic Range, 

 wcnild seem to have been once an island forming part of a chain with Van- 

 couver and Queen Charlotte Islands. The Indians occupying this l^asin have 

 all sprung, unless an exception be allowed in the Tsemakum, fi-om the gi-eat 

 Selish root, and are usually mentioned as the Niskwalli nation. They are 

 divided into a vast number of small bands, having little political connection, 

 but gathered Into families, allied by similarity of dialect and by relationship. 

 These, with their constituents, will be hereafter specified. 



From these three principal divisions, an inferior or subdivision might 

 perhaps be separated in the prairie country just mentioned. The facilities 

 for grazing offered by this tract have induced in the occupants equestrian 

 habits, which distinguish them from their neighbors. The number of their 

 horses is, of course, inconsiderable, as compared with the tribes of the great 

 plains, but has been sufficient to create an exception to the otherwise 

 universal aquatic life of the coast region. The bands included are chiefly 

 the Niskwallis proper and the Upper Tsihalis. 



In former times, before the diminution of the tribes and the diversion of 

 trade to the posts, there were numerous ti-ails across the Cascades by which 

 the Indians of the interior obtained access to the western district. Of late, 

 many of these have fallen into disuse, becoming obstructed with timber 

 and underbrush which they have not industry enough to clear out. In 

 fact all their trails through the forest, though originally well selected, have 

 become excessively tortuous, an Indian riding around the fallen trunks of 

 tree after tree sooner than clear out a road which he seldom uses. The 

 old Klikatat trail across the mountains to Vancouver had become impassable, 

 and was cutout by Captain McClellan in 1853. Another led from one of 

 the branches of the Yakama, south of Mt. Rainier, to the Kowlitz River, 

 which in like manner has been almost abandoned, and the northern trails 

 from the "Winatshapam and Tselann Lake to the Sto-luch-wha-mish and 

 Skagit seem to be altogether so. The two most used at present ai-e those by 

 the Nahchess and the main Yakama or Snokwalmii passes, the former of 



