Lyman's History of old Walla Walla County, Vol. 1 / Embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties

by William Denison Lyman

Let us now turn to those discoverers and writers of Indian myths who are still living. The majority of these are from the nature of the case adaptors and transcribers, rather than original students. But some among them are entitled to the place of genuine investigators. Among these a foremost place must be accorded to Fred A. Saylor of Portland. He was for several years editor of the Oregon Native Son, and for it he wrote a number of stories which he derived directly from the Indians. A student of these stories from boyhood, he has accumulated the largest collection of matter both published and unpublished of anyone in the Northwest. This collection is preserved by him in fourteen large scrap books, and constitutes a treasury of valuable data which it is to be hoped may soon appear in a published form for the delight and profit of many readers. Among the legends of which Mr. Saylor is entitled to be regarded as the discoverer are these: "The Legend of Tahoma"; "Why the Indian Fears Golden Hair," or, "The Origin of Castle Rock;" "Speelyi, or the Origin of Latourelle Falls, and the Pillars of Hercules;" "Thorns on Rosebushes;" "The Noah of the Indians;" "The Strange Story of a Double Shadow;" "The Legend of Snake River Valley;" "A Wappato Account of the Flood;" "The Last Signal Fire of the Multnomah;" "The Legend of the Willamette;" "The Love of an Indian Maid;" "Enumpthla;" "Coyote's Tomb;" "Multnomah." The last named has been presented by students on the campus of the State University and also at the Agricultural College of Oregon.

Of investigators known to the author, none seems more worthy of extended and favorable mention than Dr. G. B. Kuykendall of Pomeroy, Wash. He was for a number of years the physician for the Yakima Reservation at Fort Simcoe. He began his work of collecting in 1875, deriving his knowledge directly from the Indians. His authorities were almost entirely old Indians, for from such only could he secure narrations of unadulterated character. His first published writings were in the "West Shore," of Portland, in 1887. His most mature contribution, which may indeed be considered the best yet given to the public, is found in Vol. II, of the "History of the Pacific Northwest," published by the North Pacific History Co., of Portland, in 1889. This is an admirable piece of work, and students of the subject will find here a treasure of native lore. The following is the list of stories given by Dr. Kuykendall in that work: "Wishpoosh, the Beaver God, and the Origin of the Tribes;" "Speelyi Fights Enumtla;" "Speelyi Outwits the Beaver Women;" "Rock Myths;" "Legend of the Tick;" "Mountain Lake Myths;" "The Origin of Fire;" "Water Nymphs;" "Wawa, the Mosquito God;" "Origin of the Loon;" "Castiltah, the Crayfish;" "Wakapoosh, the Rattle Snake;" "The Tumwater Luminous Stone God;" "The Wooden Fireman of the Cascades;" "Contest Between the Chinooks and Cold Wind Brothers;" "Speelyi's Ascent to Heaven;" "Coyote and Eagle Attempt to Bring the Dead Back from Spirit Land;" "The Isle of the Dead."

Another original investigator and the author of an unique and picturesque book devoted exclusively to Indian myths, is W. S. Phillips of Seattle, well known by his non-de-plume of "El Comancho." The book by Mr. Phillips is "Totem Tales." Mr. Phillips says that he gathered the matter for "Totem Tales" from the Puget Sound Indians and from Haida Indians who had come south. This work was mainly done about twenty-five years ago. He verified much of his matter by comparing with Judge Swan, and by the stories acquired by Doctor Shaw, who was at one time Indian agent at Port Madison, and whose wife was one of the daughters of old Chief Sealth (Seattle). He derived matter for comparison also from Rev. Myron Eells. The chief Indian authority of Mr. Phillips was old Chisiahka (Indian John to the Whites), and it was a big tree on the shore of Lake Union that suggested the idea of the "Talking Pine," which the author wove so picturesquely into the narrative. Mr. Phillips has also published the "Chinook Book," the most extensive study of the jargon language yet made. To the others he has added a most attractive book entitled, "Indian Tales for Little Folks."

Another present day investigator, whose work is especially worthy of mention is Rev. J. Neilson Barry, an enthusiastic and intelligent student of every phase of the history of the Northwest. In Chapter III of Volume I of Gaston's "Centennial History of Oregon," Mr. Barry gives a valuable contribution to Indian legends.

Yet another original student is Miss Kate McBeth of Lapwai, Idaho, who with her sister lived for years among the Nez Perces, performing a most beneficent missionary work for them. In her book, "The Nez Perces Since Lewis and Clark," may be found the Kamiah myth, and a few others derived directly from those Indians. Mention may well be made here also of a Nez Percé Indian named Luke, previously referred to, living at Kamiah, who has a very intelligent knowledge of all kinds of Indian matters. Miss McBeth says that the Nez Perces do not like to discuss generally their "heathen" stories and customs. In connection with the Nez Perces it may be stated that Yellow Wolf of Nespilem is an authority on the myth of the Kamiah Monster.

Still another enthusiastic student of Indian legends is Lucullus V. McWhorter of North Yakima. He is an adopted member of the Yakima tribe, and has been of incalculable benefit to the Indians in instructing them as to their rights, in presenting their cause to the Government, and in making known their needs as well as some of their wrongs to the general public through voice and pen. He has made a specialty in recent years of organizing the Indians and taking them to "Round-Ups" and "Frontier Days." A recent pamphlet by him on the treatment of the Yakimas in connection with their water rights is an "eye-opener," on some phases of Indian service and Indian problems. Mr. McWhorter has gathered a large amount of matter from the Indians, in which is material for three books: "Traditions of the Yakimas;" "Hero Stories of the Yakimas;" "Nez Percé Warriors in the War of 1877." Among the proteges of Mr. McWhorter from whom he tells me much of interest could be derived, are Chief Yellow Wolf of the Joseph Band of Nez Perces, and Mrs. Crystal McLeod, known to her people as Humishuma, or Morning Dove, an Okanogan woman of unusual beauty and intelligence and well instructed in the English language. Her picture appears in this work from photographs taken by Mr. John Langdon of Walla Walla.

Any reference to any phase of Oregon would be incomplete without mention of John Minto, one of the most honored of pioneers, one of the noblest of men, and one of the best examples of those ambitious, industrious, and high minded state builders who gave the Northwest its loftiest ideals. Mr. Minto was a student of the Indians and discovered and gave to the world various Clatsop and Nehalem legends. Hon. E. L. Smith of Hood River, Ore., well known as an official and legislator of both Oregon and Washington, and a man of such character that all who ever knew him have the highest honor for him in every relation of life, has made a lifelong study of the natives and has a great collection of myths both in mind and on paper. He is one of the most sympathetic, tolerant, and appreciative of investigators, one whom the Indians of the Mid-Columbia trust implicitly. He has written little for publication in comparison with what he knows, and it is to be hoped that his stores of material may be brought within reach before long. Worthy of mention as a general student of the geography and language of the Indians is Mr. John Gill of Portland. While he has not made a specialty of myths, he has studied the habits and language with special attention, and his dictionary of the Chinook jargon is one of the most valuable collections of the kind.

It is proper to mention here several who are well versed in native lore, yet who have not given their knowledge of legends or myths to the public in book or magazine form. The most conspicuous, indeed, of this group is no longer living. This was Dr. William C. McKay, a grandson of the McKay of the Astor Fur Company, who lost his life on the Tonquin. The mother of Doctor McKay was a Chinook "princess." He was a man of great ability and acquired a fine education. He lived for years, in Pendleton, Ore., where he died some time ago. In the possession of his children and grandchildren there is undoubtedly valuable material and if it could be reduced to written form it would furnish matter of great interest. Certain others of Indian blood may be properly added here who could give material for interesting narrations. Among these are Henry Sicade and William Wilton, living on the Puyallup Reservation near Tacoma, Samuel McCaw of Yakima, Wash., and Charlie Pitt of the Warm Springs Agency in Oregon.

This summary of Indian stories and their investigators is necessarily incomplete. One of the hopes in including it in this work is that it may lead to added contributions. As we contemplate the beauty and grandeur of Old Oregon, which includes Washington and Idaho and a part of Montana, and the pathos, heroism and nobility of its history, and as we see the pitiful remnant of the Indians, we cannot fail to be touched with the quaint, the pathetic, and the suggestive myths and legends that are passing with them into the twilight. In our proud days of possession and of progress we do well to pause and drop the tear of sympathy and place the chaplet of commemoration upon the resting place of the former lords of the land, and to recognize their contributions to the common stock of human thought.