Quileute Indians. A Chimakuan tribe, now the only representative of the linguistic stock, whose main seat is at Lapush, at the mouth of Quillaynte river, about 35 miles south of Cape Flattery, west coast of Washington. A small division of the tribe, the Hoh live at the mouth of the river of the same name, 15 miles south of Lapush. Since they have been known to the whites the Quileute have always been few in number, but being of an independent and warlike disposition and occupying an easily defended situation, they have successfully resisted all the attempts of neighboring tribes to dislodge them. Their most active enemies have been the Makah, of Neah bay, and until they came under the control of the United States petty warfare between the two tribes was constant. The Quileute are noted for their skill in pelagic sealing and are the most successful in that pursuit of all the tribes of the coast. They are also daring whalers, but have not attained the proficiency of the Makah. Salmon are caught in considerable numbers and constitute an important article of food. Roots and berries of various kinds are also much used. Although the woods in their vicinity abound with deer, elk, and bear, the Quilteute seem to have hunted them but little and have confined themselves to a seafaring life. There is evidence that a clan system of some sort formerly existed among them, but is now broken down. Their customs as well as their mythology indicate a possible connection with the tribes of Vancouver island. The Quileute, together with the Quinaielt, by treaty at Olympia, July 1, 1855, and Jan. 25, 1856, ceded all their lands to the United States and agreed to remove to a reserve to be provided for them in Washington Territory. The tribe has gradually diminished until now it numbers but slightly more than 200. They are under the jurisdiction of the Neah Bay agency.
Bands of the Quileute Indians
The Quileute Tribe was broken down into bands.
