“Many, many moons ago, long before the Pale Faces invaded the land which the Indians called Al-ay-ek-sa (Alaska, “Big Country”), the Great Spirit caused the waters to rise and blot out all the land, even to the tops of the highest mountains.” So runs an ancient Indian legend. “At that time there was a mighty roaring like the pounding of the waves upon a rocky shore, and suddenly death and destruction were upon the people. Some of the terror-stricken natives fled to the mountains, but the water o

When Cowoh heard that her eldest son was drowned, she was full of trouble and said, “Koshu, son of Chief Yee-khoo, from the village of Tee-hi-ton has looked with evil eyes upon the wife of Koot-da-nah while he has been absent and has visited her every night.” Then Too-ke-tni-ka said, “I shall kill this man. Do not tell anyone I am here. I shall hide in the forest and tomorrow I shall come limping into the village as if my leg were broken. I shall lie down beside the fire. Tell everyone I am suff

He raised the little bone club and slew Chief Yee-khoo and [ 13 ] one after another all of his men except one who made his escape and aroused the people of Tee-hi-ton. They rushed across the creek and fell upon Left-Handed and his brothers and sisters with such fury that they were almost overpowered. “Unheeded the salmon might leap in the stream while the Red Men played the Gamble Stick Game” Then Left-Handed remembered the little box “tsow” which his grandfather, the Almighty One, had given the

“We came in sight of the deserted village of Kasaan” [ 16 ] “See how the totem poles in front of Chief Skowel’s lodge rise high above all the others! That tells how big a chief he was. In his lodge was danced the great peace dance which ended the long war between the Hydahs and the Tsimpseans. “Farther back than my grandfather’s father can remember the Hydahs and the Tsimpseans had made war upon each other. They made raids at night and the maidens and young braves taken prisoners were treated as

“The Thlingets made a big camp at Ketch-kah. They built three great log forts. One was where Chief Johnson’s lodge now stands. [ 19 ] “The Thlingets built a fort where Chief Johnson’s lodge now stands” [ 20 ] “The Thlingets called the Tsimpseans Klah-neets (sand fleas) because they would pop up and shoot at them, then disappear in the sand and underbrush, or would steal into their camp and carry off their young men and maidens and make slaves of them. They came noiselessly and were gone, leaving

“For many years they lived in peace and prospered. “But the Red Man forgets not. The Tongass Indians were grateful to their white brothers. They listened when Chief Sewrard visited them and told them of the great white chief who loved the Red Man. “ ‘We are thankful,’ they said. ‘Our hearts salute him. No longer need we fear lest we be made slaves and buried beneath the totem poles of our enemies.’ “One day Chief Ebbetts summoned his sub-chief Tsa-kad and said, ‘I am weary. Soon I shall sleep th

[ 27 ] Map of Southeastern Alaska...