or THE ODAHWAH INDIANS. 117 



J 



seem, was snapped and sunk for the purpose of affording greater con- 

 veniences to modern navigation and enterprize. 



I think this was the principal road by which man and other creatures 

 were brought into this continent, I do not of course mean that there 

 were no other ways and means by which emigration into this country 

 might have been effected ; I have no doubt that America was visited 

 from time to time long before this, by hunters and adventurers from 

 the Asiatic coast. 



It would appear then, according to the opinion which I have taken 

 the liberty to offer, that mj ancestors entered America on the north- 

 western point, commonly kno-mi at the present day as "Russian 

 America." 



The reader will now be pleased to bear in mind, that the few simple 

 statements which I am about to lay before him, are not taken from 

 information obtained by reading, but entirely from what I have learn- 

 ed casually from the Indians themselves in my younger days, when, I 

 regret to say, I was in no way particularly anxious to obtain informa- 

 tion. Neither had I the least idea of what use could be made 'of the 

 old "Ahsokah nayahk," or legends. In the following narrative I 

 shall confine myself to the traditions of my own people, viz. : the 

 Odahwah Indians. It would appear, that in the earliest times to 

 which it is possible to reach by tradition, this vast territory was inhab- 

 ited by a race of men, said to be descended from one common stock, 

 who were divided into tribes, each being independent and ruling over 

 its own particular district. Living by the chase and on the spontaneous 

 productions of the soil : we may nevertheless suppose, from their men- 

 tioning wooden hoes and corn cakes, that they also cultivated the soil 

 to some extent. To give an idea how numerous the tribes were I shall 

 name here a few, viz. : The Wahbahnahkiang, Nodoweg, Odush- 

 kwahguhmig, Assigahnayak, Obahnongoog, Omissahgig, Ojahwahnoog, 

 Omahmeeg, Odahgahmeeg, Odahwahg, Ojibwag, Mushkodenshug, 

 Omahnomineeg, "Winibigoog, Osahgeeg, Podawahdahmeeg, Kigah- 

 boog, Nahdowassiwahg, Nabahgindibag, Oshushug, Kahshkahsh- 

 kiang, Ahkewawigiwashmalig, Mahkahdaonahsahdahyang, Tchiboy- 

 ahnu.g, and others, which I think it would require an extra sheet to 

 enumerate. Each of these tribes had to maintain a small sovereignty 

 of its own and for its own use. The members of the neighbouring 

 tribes had no right to go beyond the limits of their respective districts 

 on their hunting excursions, and encroach upon that belonging to 

 others. Any hunter that was caught trespassing upon the rights of 

 other tribes, or taking beaver in the rivers running through their lands. 



