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liave penetrated to the sea, while, on the hitter, they were stopped by tlie 

 Sahaptin and the Tsinuk. Some branches undoubtedly crossed the Cas- 

 cade Rang-e, at ditferent points, to the Sound, and the country intermediate 

 between that and the Columbia. And the Tilamuk have overstepped that 

 boundary and fixed themselves on the coast of Oregon. The southern limit 

 of the Tahkali is not yet ascertained. Mr. Hale identified the Umkwa as 

 an offshoot. Lieutenant Kautz has lately shown the Tu-tu-ten to be 

 another, and it is possible that some of the California languages may also 

 be assimilated. Dr. Newell states that, since he was first in the Indian 

 country, all the great tribes have been gradually breaking up into bands. 

 Whenever two chiefs attain about an equality of power and influence, jeal- 

 ousies arise, which lead to a separation of the tribe. These are fomented by 

 many causes, the chattering of the women, of course, among others. Before 

 the introduction of firearms, the range of the diffei-ent tribes was more lim- 

 ited than now. They did not travel so far from their own country. This 

 last is less applicable to the coast tribes than to those of the interior. The 

 former are, however, even more split up, and those of the Sound country, 

 perhaps, most of all. The influence possessed even by those claiming to 

 be head-chiefs has become almost nothing; and, in case of any disagree- 

 ment in a band, the dissatisfied party move off to a little distance and take 

 the name of the ground they occupy, or any one desirous of establishing a 

 band on his own account induces a party of his immediate followers to 

 accompany him, and start, as it were, a new colony. It is to this separa- 

 tion, and to the petty hostilities, which often grew out of it, that we must 

 mainly attribute the diversity of dialects prevailing. 



NOTICES OF EARLY TRAVELERS. 



The first notices of the Indians of Oregon and Washington Territories 

 that we have are by Vancouver, whose voyage was performed in 1792. I 

 have quoted them much at length, because they present a view of the con- 

 dition of these tribes before they had been affected by intercourse with the 

 whites, and as suggesting a number of points which require explanation or 

 suggest inquiry. So far as the coast is concerned, his observations are very 



meager ; for that navigator, though seeking the great river of Oregon and 

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