76 THE INDIANS or CAPE FLATTERY. 



public part of these performances are rather in the nature of amusements akin to 

 our theatrical pantomimes than of religious observances, though they are religiously 

 observed. 



The Makahs, like all other Indians, are exceedingly superstitious, believing 

 in dreams, in revelations, necromancy, and in the povs^er of individuals over the 

 elements. An instance of the latter fell under my ovs^n observation. Early in 

 April, 1864, there was a continuance of stormy weather which prevented them 

 from going after whales or fishing. At length an Indian, who came from the 

 Hosett village at Flattery Rocks informed me that his people had found out that 

 Keyattie, an old man living with them, had caused the bad weather. A woman 

 and a boy had found him at his incantations and reported him to the tribe ; where- 

 upon the whole village went to Keyattie's lodge, and told him that if he did not 

 immediately stop and make fair weather, they would hang him. He promised to 

 do so, and they gave him two days to calm the wind and sea. The Indian added 

 with great gravity that now we should have fair weather. I told him that it was 

 foolish talk. He said no, that the Indians in former times were capable of making 

 it rain or blow at pleasure, and cited a recent case of a Kwilleyute Indian, who 

 only a few summers previous had made bad weather during the halibut season. 

 The Kwilleyutes hung him, and immediately the weather became fair. In the 

 present instance we did have fair weather in two days after, and the Indians were 

 confirmed in the belief that old Keyattie had caused the storm that prevented their 

 going out in canoes, and that the fear of death had forced him to allay it. Through 

 dreams they think they can foretell events and predict the sickness or death of 

 their friends. Some are supposed to be more gifted in this respect than others, and 

 many a marvellous tale has been related to me by these dreamers ; but in every 

 instance the events had already taken place which they pretended to have pre- 

 dicted. Their necromancy consists in the performance of the doctors, which will 

 be alluded to more at length under the heading of " medicine." 



It will be seen that though the Makahs are heathens in the fullest sense, they 

 are not idolaters or worshippers of images, but that their secret addresses are to 

 the sun as the representative of the Great Spirit. They seem, on the other hand, 

 perfectly indifferent to teaching. They will not believe that the white man's God 

 is the same as their Great Chief, nor give any attention to the truths of Christianity. 

 If the children could be removed from their parents and the influences of the tribe, 

 and placed in a civilized community, they might be led to embrace our religion as 

 well as customs ; but any efforts of a missionary on the spot, opposed as they would 

 be by prejudice, superstition, and indifi'erence, would be futile. The most that 

 can be hoped for, at present, is to keep them at peace, and gradually teach them 

 such simple matters as they can be made to take an interest in, and will tend to 

 ameliorate their condition. 



Magic and " Medicine." — The Makahs have, as usual, certain persons, both male 

 and female, who are supposed to be skilled in the art of healing. The male prac- 

 titioners alone, however, go through an ordeal or tamanawas to constitute them 

 "doctors." An ancient ceremony called Ka-haip was formerly always observed to 

 endow them with supernatural powers, but it is seldom used of late years, and there 



