184 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
tlie city of Spokaue, Avliere it turns to tlie northwest and flows into the Columi)ia, ahont 45 or 50 miles 
distant. The total length of the Spokane IJiver i^rohably exceeds 125 miles, as its coiu'se is extremely 
winding. For a considerable part of its course it Hows throngh vast fields of lava, into which it has 
cut a. deep and picturesque channel. The stream is large and in most places quite deep; the bed in 
many i^laoes is strewn with largo granite bowlders or large irregular masses of lava, which render 
seining next to impossible. 
About 6 miles below CcEur d’Alene Lake are Post Falls, which probably do not interfere with the 
free movement of fish. 
In the city of Spokaue, where the river breaks throngh a lava flow, there are several very 
beautiful falls and rapids, which have been modified in various ways in utilizing the water power for 
milling purposes. Those obstructions, natural and artificial, are impassable to fish. Salmon find no 
obstructions in the Lower Spokane ami ascend as far as these falls. Formerly salmon were, said to be 
abundant as far uj) as the falls,* but now they are seldom seen farther up than the mouth of the Little 
Spokane. This stream was examined in and near the city of Spokane by Mr. B. A. Bean in October, 
1892, and by Profs. Evermaun and Jenkins August 19 and 20, 1893. 
The water is clear, cold, and pure. The only contamination is that from the city of Spokaue, and 
that does not seem to bo at all serious as yet. An abundance of fish food, such as insects and their 
larvie, small mollusks, and crawfish, was noticed in this river. 
Cmur d'Alene Lake . — This is one of the largest and mostpicturesque lakes in Idaho. It is very irreg- 
ular in shape, occupying, as it does, a narrow mountain valley together with its lateral ramifications. 
Its greatest length from north to south is probably not less than 22 miles, while its average width is 
less than 3 juiles. The Coeirr d’Alene, St. .loseph, and other mountain streams are tributary to this 
lake, the outlet of which is Spokaue River. Trout are abiuidaut and of excellent quality in the lake, 
but salmon are not kuowu to occur in it. The uumerous falls in the Spokaue River in the city of 
Spokane uudoubtedlj' prevent the ascent of salmon to Coeur d’Alene Lake.t This lake was fished 
August 21 near the outlet, 1^ miles west of Cceur d’Alene. Temperature of water at 4 p. m., 75° ; air, 86°. 
Hangman Creek . — Thfe is an unimportant stream, tributary to the Spokane. It was examined in 
the vicinity of Tekoa, Wash., where it was found to be a small, rather filthy stream, not suitable for 
trout or other food-fishes, but well supplied with minnows and suckers of several species. 
* Regarding the salmon fishing at these falls in 1841, Capt. Wilkes has the following; 
“The number of Indians actually resident about the falls is 150; but during the height of the 
fishing season there are often nearly 1,000, consisting of all the S])okane tribe,. who are generally 
included under the name of the Flatheads. They subsist for the most part on roots, fish, berries, and 
game. At the oireniug of the spring, in March and April, or as soon as the snow disappears, they begin 
to search for a root resembling the cammass, which they call pox-pox. This lasts them till the 
beginning of May, when it gives place to a bitter root, termed spatylou. This is a slender and white 
root, not unlike vermicelli in appearance, and when boiled it dissolves into a white jelly, like arrow- 
root. It has a bitter but not disagreeable flavor, and is remarkable for growing in gravelly soils 
where nothing else will thrive. In June theitzwa, or cammass, comes in season, and is found in greater 
quantities than the others all over the country, particularly in the meadow grounds. This root was 
thought by many of us to have the taste of boiled chestnuts. Before this fails the salmon make their 
appearance, ami during the summer months the Indians enjoy a very plentiful supply of food. While 
the men are employed fishing, the women are busy digging the cammass, which may be termed the 
principal occupation of thetwo sexes. They devote a portion of their time to the collection of berries, 
a work which is principaily the duty of the younger part of the tribes. 
“In September and October the salmon still claim their attention, although they are, after having 
deposited their roes, quite exhausted and about to iieigsh, yet these are dried for their winter consump- 
tion, and unless they had recourse to these much want would ensue, which is always the case if the 
salmon should be scarce.’’ 
tTho Indian legend given in Wilkes' Narrative, vol. iv,p. 449, is interesting, in.that it shows that 
the falls at Spokane have always been regarded bj' the Indians as a barrier to the ascent of salmon to 
Cceur cV Alene Lake ; 
“They have, in common with the other tribes, many traditions comiectod with the rivers and 
remarkable features of their country. In these the prairie wolf bears always a conspicuous part. This 
'wolf was not ah object of worship, but was supposed to be endowed with supernatural powers, and 
to exert them in many ways. On one occasion it is related that the wolf was desirous of having a 
wife, and visited the trilies on the Spokaue for that purpose, demanding a young woman in marriage. 
This request being granted, he promised tuat the salmon should be abundant, and for this purpose he 
raised the rapids, that they might be caught with facility. After he had been gratified in this first 
instance he made the same request of the others, among them of the Sketsui (Coenr d’Alene) tribe, 
who were the only ones to refuse. He thereupon lormed the great falls of the Spokane, which have 
ever since prevented the fish from ascending to their territory.” 
