Across the river from Trafton, a short distance below the bridge, stood the Stolouckquamish Longhouse, 30 paces long acid 6 wide, a door in the middle of the front side. From fireplaces inside pictures were painted on the walls. One part of the roof overlapped the other at the top so smoke could leak out […]
Tsahlbilt, the stronghouse keeper, was a respected man-big, strong and wise. All the Indians between Kee-kee-alos (the delta of the Skagit) Chigos (the highlands of Camano), Quadsak (the lowlands around Stanwood), Splaidid (Warm Beach) and the Upper Stoluckquamislr, knew him. He had good medicine to keep raiders away. At the junction of a slough with
From Skabalko at Arlington to Klatsko (Jim Creek) on the Achalitch (South Fork) was the home of the Achalitchamish (people). They hunted and fished over a lot of good country. The last well known man of this tribe was Stiabalth, son of Stadahahlt. At Klatsko at one time lived a woman who became the great,
On the Suiathl lived a small but strong tribe. Their last chief was Wah-Wihlkd. These poeple were strong and great hunters, traveling much up in the high country, in summer and fall. There they killed goats, bear and deer, cured and prepared Skabiatch (dried venison), picked Soudahk (huckleberries) and El-el-bihk (blueberries), dried them and brought
Up near Big Lake in Skagit county stand the big rocks. They can be seen from the highway. Have you experienced a strange feeling when you passed them? Well this is why. They are the soul thieves Jid-was the largest, Dsa-kokd-suk, the next in size, and a couple of smaller ones. These rocks, malicious and
Shweetlai and Quaguilch Once goat was brown and deer was white. They both had much trouble avoiding their enemies, because brown goat on white snow could be so easily seen, also white deer in dark woods. One day they met and talked over a plan to make it better for both. Both all of a
Along the river there was a camp where lived many birds. They lived on land and in the trees, and eat berries, bugs, and worms. Sometimes they talked about others who did not live as they did, and said things about them. About Kingfisher they said: “He is a careless bird, flying away from home
One time, long ago, the waters in the whulge came up high, and flooded all the country way up into the mountains. First a big black Thunderbird flew over the country and made much noise, then it beget to rain. It rained and rained. The water came up and up, and when it stopped there
Way up on the Skagit live two big mountains. Sometimes mountain Tyees get mad and makes a big fire. Once this happened with Kulshan; he got so mad over something that a big piece fell off and slid way down the mountain. This made a big fire and lots of noise. Kuishan and Shuksan became
After years of training from boyhood up the Indian youth at the age of 18 or 20 went out to seek his guiding spirit or tamanois. He would go into the hills and fast for three or more days, when he would be bodily clean and in the proper state of mind and body for
Old time Indians once found a big lake way back in the mountains. In this lake was a small island. In this island was a big hole. At regular intervals lots of water bubbled out of the hole. This water tasted salt, just like the whulge. Suddenly the water would stop, then the waters of
Stilpakad and Hoh-Te-Kogds Along the rivers and little creeks lives a small bird that jumps up and down all the time. He lives on bugs and little worms in the water. He can dive and swim and seldom goes away from along the water. When he sees other birds on the land and in the
He who gets the spirit of the Thunder may be almost immune to death by knife or spear wounds. Spul-kaedib when young got the tamano1is of Thunder. He had 17 knife wounds and survived them all. Once when down at Skabalko he and his brother got into an argument with some people which ended in
On the Pilchuck lived and worked part of `he year the Canoe-maker. He did not make canoes alone. Handling the big logs took more than one man. But he had a good eye for the best trees and for the shaping of the canoes. When a good tree had been selected, the fillers commenced their
Perhaps you would like to hear who first told the story about the fire war. It was Shla-ahk (the Otter). For a long time the people did not know just how they had gotten the first fire. Many stories were told mostly by S’beau, how he had gotten it for them. But they had a
S’beau (The Fox) and Su-Adu (The Salmon) Spose you like to hear something about fish. Yes, Indian all over this whulge (Sound) country, he know much about fish. Some way this river people all over. S’Beau, hees best friend for Su-adu; he make bargain with salmon this way: He run up rivers and creeks all
So-Obdi (The Great Hunter) and Tu-Shwi-Whi, The Lesser Yes, this man So-obdi, he’s called that name by his mother maybe, when he’s little boy. She like to see him make big hunter. Maybe first he’s just good hunter (Tu-shwi-whi) like other Indian, and then sometime he make big hunt, kill Grizzly (Tep-taable). Then other Indian
Here and there may yet be found traces of old Indian camps. On a little tour of investigation in 1910, the writer looked over three old camp sites. The most interesting and easiest to find was the one at Mrs. Leque’s place a short distance east of Stanwood. This camp must have been used for
First among the big creeks was Toli-Dachub (the Pilchuck). Here was game in abundance. The Staku-Hatchu (beaver marsh or lake) near the mouth, elk, deer and bear from the mouth to the headwaters. Next Klee-ekub, the Deer creek at Oso, the home of Kae-owah, a family of steelhead. Near the mouth of Deer creek was
So-Bahli-Ahli, Ska-Duloas and Qua-Hae-Eths Those of you who have traveled the Arlington-Darrington road, and in clear weather have looked up at the long ridge of Mt. Higgins, have surely seen the long parallel gashes running slantwise from the top of the ridge down to the rockslides. They are best seen from near Fortson. You may
