We next ransacked their old house, a large one, still in good repair, which stood a few rods distant. Fourteen copper towes of various sizes, formerly valued at from fifty to five hundred dollars each, leaned against the broad front. The carved pole is so tall that, when erected, Nin-Ging-Wash received his present name, which signifies "the long stick." The house was filled with articles of Indian manufacture, curiously carved cooking and eating utensils, fishing implements, boxes, mats, etc. The chiefs property, real and personal, is worth several thousand dollars. It is reported that he took his young wife to Victoria, and refurnished his establishment from her earnings. She apparently has her own way in everything now, the old chief being quite satisfied to get his rations of muckamuck and tobacco without troubling himself as to how it is provided.
CHIEF SKIDEGATE
Was found, with about twenty of his people, catching and drying salmon at the mouth of a small stream flowing into Copper Bay, fifteen miles south of the village. He is a cousin of Nin-Ging-Wash, younger in appearance, though nearly as old. They quarrelled bitterly over their rank for a long time, Nin-Ging-Wash, by means of his more liberal potlatches finally prevailing, but not until two of their adherants had been killed. Skidegate handed me a package of papers, chiefly letters of recommendation from ship masters, missionaries and others. It was evident that he was ignorant of their contents. One said the chief had been "buming" around their vessel for some time demanding $100 for alleged claims upon certain coal lands, which the captain thought had better be allowed, as he was a powerful chieftain. Another was a fatherly letter from missionary Duncan. Skidegate it seemed, had attempted to shoot a young Indian for some personal offence who fled to Duncan for protection. The letter warned the chief never to be guilty of such an act again, assuring him that if the Indian had injured him, he should be proceded against according to law. But Skidegate has now kept out of difficulty for several years, and like a good many white people, who sin as long as they are able to, before they reform, he has joined the church, and is trying to be a good Indian before he dies.
DOCTOR MODEETS.
My visit to the chief medicine man south of Massett was accidental. While making a trip of several days alone with my canoe, I sought shelter from a severe storm on a little islet in Skidegate Inlet, where I passed a sleepless night in the rain and wind. It was only a short distance to the Indian village of Gold Harbor, where, the following day, I landed and spread out my blankets to dry on the beach. Among the Indians squatting in front of their houses, I noticed one whose hair was tied up in a knot on the back of his head, the size of a large hornets' nest, of which it reminded me. Approaching nearer, his face was seen to be marked with small pox, a piece was missing from his nose, and altogether he presented a more remarkable than attractive appearance. I found him, however, quite talkative, and soon engaged him in conversation to the extent which my limited knowledge of the Chinook would permit.
He told me that he was a medicine Tyhee, and inviting me into his house, showed me the curious medicine dance, dresses, wands, rattles, charms etc., worn and used by him when practising the healing heart. The charms were carved out of bone, and represented whales, bears, ravens, land otters, eagles, thunderbirds, etc., and various other animals and fish, each accredited with special virtues for the cure of certain diseases. Selecting several which I desired to purchase, I placed in his hand the pieces of silver I was willing to pay for them. He counted the money, and then the charms over and over again, dwelling at length upon the wonderful curative powers of the latter, but finally accepting my offer with the addition of a small potlatch. The occupation of the medicine man is now nearly gone, only a few old people having any faith in their practice. Modeets is the only doctor I have seen on the island who has kept the vow taken when entering upon the profession never to cut or comb his hair. His wife observing that it was an object of interest to me, unloosened the great bang, when the thick tangled ringlets spread over the old man's shoulders and reached down below his waist. To further gratify my curiosity, the chief put on a portion of his fantastic regalia, and executed a medicine dance. The doctor then dressed me in his wildest and most barbaric costume, when by special request I imitated his performance, in a manner which "brought down the house."
A GAMBLING SCENE.
The Indians are among the most desperate of gamblers.
They not infrequently play themselves out of everything they possess, leaving the game nearly, or quite, naked.
Chief Edensaw told me of an Indian who, having lost his money, canoe, blankets, and all his clothing, gambling at the sea otter hunters' camp on the west coast, then plunged naked into the forest, and succeeded in reaching a village on Virago Sound, the only one, so far as known, who ever crossed that portion of the island. A game of this character was in progress at Gold Harbor. There were no police to interfere or missionaries to discourage, and the players sat down in two rows, facing each other, on the beach, with boards in front. No cards or gambling sticks were used, only the tooth of a whale. This was taken by the challenging party and passed rapidly from one hand to the other, his movements being accompanied by loud singing, the beating of sticks on the boards, violent gesticulations and contortions, in which all joined, the betting being simply in which hand the tooth remained at the close of the manipulations. I reached this interesting scene just as an Indian was taking off his shoes to wager on the game, which he soon threw on to a pile of clothing in the centre of the group, containing coats, vests, pantaloons, suspenders, shirts, etc. A big, one-eyed fellow was fast stripping the party when I left, and if his luck continued, would soon have reduced the Gold Harbor natives to their original state.