I can pass and have passed many times and have the training to know which can, and those that are not allowed, and the powerful in riches have to stop and take the upper trail, such as Pec-wan Colonel and Captain Sur-e-goine Jim and others whose wealth and influence that the white man thought would allow him to any part or place. I am one that knows that the birth is the one great event that gave to my people more honor, more power and more of everything in this life than all the riches in the whole world could buy. My people do not talk and tell of this for many reasons, they do not tell the white man thinking that they might wish to disobey the rule or right to stop them, and of all the white men that have married the Indian women, we do not think that a single one of them ever told their husband of this for the reason that they themselves did not have the birth to pass over this part of the trail, and was therefore ashamed to let their men know that such was the case, and the white men thinking nothing of it stopped and did not notice that such was the case, it is kept from the mixed bloods where their fathers raised them in the same way, not even their own mothers telling them, ashamed for her children to know of her birth, and the mixed bloods that are raised among the Indians know that their birth does not admit them, so keep in their right place and are also ashamed to say anything about it, and so it has been kept until I told my husband, we being duly and truly married in the high marriage of my law and married in his law, my husband being a Free and Accepted Mason, how it was and for him to look and see for himself, but to stay back and that we would take the upper trail and go with the rich, the warrior and the throng that could not go the lower trail, where my father (A Talth) and sisters could and did go, yet they were poor and other that could go, there being few that could go while many went the way we did. This I never could have and which was very easy to see when once told and shown. Now after the Talth and them that have the birth, have done their dancing at this Hel-le-gay-ow, the girl and man slip out and go on up the hill through the timber into the other trail for a short distance and there clean off another place, make a small fire and place on it the incense to burn and the girl sits down in front when the dancers come following up and as they come into the trail.
Now all the rich, the proud of all but their birth, comes in behind, and as they come up to the next dance place and form into line to dance, all can look on and see, soon this is done, and the same is done in two more places until the whole of them finally arrive at a large prairie that they call Bloxer, meaning wide in shape, as they come to the opening they cross a small branch and turn to a flat between two small branches or creeks that contain about two acres, at the foot of the raise from the flat is a large spring of cold, clear water flowing, here they halt for the final wind-up. They have been at this all day and the girl and the man (May-wa-lep) have the fires burning the incense, in the evening they dance, each one dances their turn, using here the white deer-skins and all of the finest of their regalia and valuables, after the dance is over they have their supper and retire, tired out. Early the next morning all is astir and they dance the five dances in the forenoon and eat dinner in the after part of the day. The last and final dance is to come when this is finished late in the night, about nine o’clock, then all take their meal, when many of them depart and the great White Deer-Skin Dance is closed for two years at least, or maybe more, and all go home. Now when we speak of the dance being closed for two years or more, we mean by this of the old and ancient laws, by which it was conducted, for it has already been carried through in a spurious or farcical way by them that are of low birth, not having a single one that was a Talth to take the lead and carry it through in proper form, but the white man sees it and does not know the difference.
Those of high birth come to the remaining Talth to ask a few questions while the Talth answers them in a smooth tone of voice, which is their gift and lets it pass on in quiet, knowing that it is forever done. The Talth that now live make only one last request of the living, that is, that when they come to give up this life, that before they are laid away, when being prepared for burial, that the emblem or mark of the Talth be placed on them. This is four black stripes placed on the breast eight inches in length, one half inch wide and one inch apart, and on each arm between the shoulders and elbow, there is to be three stripes four inches long, same width and one inch apart, which are the marks or emblem of the Talth.
When they are prepared for the last resting place, the grave, and these emblems or marks are never put on any of them unless they have been put through the secrets of the Lodge, and carry in their breast that true name of Wah-pec-wah-mow, (God) there are only two of these left, one is myself and the other my father. This chapter now closes and we take up the greatest of all, the Lodge dance, (Wah-neck-way-la-gaw) called by the whites by many different names.
CHAPTER XI.
THE LODGE DANCE.
THE white man calls this dance the jump dance and this has caused the Indians to call it thus when they speak of it in the white mans tongue, but we call in our language Wah-neck-wel-la-gaw, and which has no meaning as to a dance. This dance is held at the Pec-wan village, and it is about one mile up the river from where the “White Deer-Skin Dance” is held. This festival is held one year after the White Deer Skin Dance, or is held alternately. This is the most sacred festival that we have, and like the fish dam, we start preparations for the festival some two months ahead and all differences and disputes are settled before this starts. If there are any who can not or will not settle, they must not come to see or take part in the festival, and by this the reader can see that this once powerful and numerous tribe of Indians, by making these complete settlements among all of their people once a year, one year for the Fish Dam and the next year the Lodge Dance. And could be managed by the High Priests and be well governed without the aid of a chief, as they never had a chief. The Pec-wan village was in olden times a very large and wealthy village. This is where the lodge of the lower Klamaths is situated, and this lodge and the house where all the tools of the Talth are kept, is the only one now at this writing left of the whole tribe. In the times when the white man first came there was one of these lodges at Big Lagoon, which we call Ah-ca-tah, and one at the mouth of Redwood Creek which we call Orick, one at the mouth of Klamath River which we call Reck-woy, and one at Pec-wan. Four of these lodges belonging to the lower division of the Klamath River, and the upper rivers had a number of lodges, but there is not one of them left. There are no Indians left to tell of them, or how and what they were used for, so making it at are time only one that is left, and only two of the Talth are left to tell of the use and meaning of the grand good that come from them to the proud people. When all is ready the three Talth start very early in the morning and select the timbers for putting up a complete new frame of the lodge, not leaving a single piece of the wood-work of the old lodge, but replacing it with new. Upon their return from selecting the timbers the Talth then go into the house, where the tools are kept and take them out. Those that are used for getting post and the frame with all the sidings, they put these in a very nicely knit sack which is made of good and lasting material and kept for this purpose, then they take it on the outside of the house and leave it there for the night. Now the Talth return to their homes and family, always bathing themselves, for they are as near perfect in their cleanliness as it is given human being to be. They go into their homes with smiles for their wives and children, and all others that they may come in touch with. These Talth are very firm in their manners, very witty in jokes, but slow to speak in matters of decision. After supper they retire to their sweat-house to sleep. There they first take a smoke and then go to sleep. Now the ones that are the workers have already been selected for getting out the material to put up the wood part of the lodge, and the whole of the work must be done in one day. Every piece is made to fit in its place, where it is gotten out in the woods, so that when it is brought in, which is done the same day, all fits into its place. The whole structure is set up without the use of tools; no noise and no words are spoken, only by the three Talth, and by them only in a low voice.
Those that work to get out these timbers must all be of good birth, not necessarily of the highest birth, but of good birth of the wealthy and well-to-do class. Some of the ones of the highest births are not considered to be of the right minds, with good behavior to be made a Talth. No one of the low births or slaves are allowed to take part in the making of the old lodge, Talth-ur-girk. We have degrees in this lodge work, some are allowed to go in and learn a small part of it and are never given any more, while other are allowed to learn a greater part, and they are never given the true name of God.