An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, containing a history of the state of Idaho from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and biographical mention of many pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day, Part 25

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1014

USA > Idaho > An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, containing a history of the state of Idaho from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and biographical mention of many pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day > Part 25

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Cayuses were nearly related to the Nez Perces. Their country lying contiguous, and being of much the same character, with no diffi- cult natural barrier between them, the tribes had intermarried to a considerable extent. Still the character of the Cayuses was not as noble and truthful as was that of their relatives. They were more treacherous and warlike, and less sus- ceptible to improvement. It was among these people, on the northern margin of their terri- tory, that Dr. Marcus Whitman established his missionary station in 1836, and, after he had given them eleven years of the most devoted instructions in the arts of peace and in the prin- ciples of Christianity, it was they who barbar- ously murdered him and his devoted and culti- vated wife in a moment of savage frenzy. In all the wars with the whites occurring in eastern Oregon the Cayuses were deeply and criminally involved. Lacking in intelligence and nobleness of the Nez Perces, they also lacked their real bravery. Still they were cunning, crafty, full of alertness and energy, and by no means a foe to be despised.

The Skizoomish Indians were named by the early French voyageurs Coeur d'Alenes (awl- hearts), indicating that their spirits were small and hard, as shown by their shrewdness in trade. In 1820 there were two thousand of these In- dians, but by the year 1890 there were only two hundred and fifty, although they have ever been subject to hostilities on the part of the United States.

The native wild tribes of Idaho are now of chiefly historic interest. The existing remnants are confined to reservations, and are rapidly learning the arts of peace and civilization.

The Indians inhabiting the most northern por- tions of Idaho were the Kootenais, who dwelt in British Columbia and the extreme northern por- tion of Idaho; the Pend d'Oreilles, who dwelt

136

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

about the lake of the same name, and for from fifty to seventy-five miles above and below the lake on Clarke's Fork; and the Coeur d'Alenes, who dwelt on Coeur d'Alene lake and its tribu- taries. The Pend d'Oreilles and Coeur d'Alenes belonged to the Salish family, which dwelt south of the Shushwaps, between the forty-ninth and forty-seventh parallels, and on the Columbia and its tributaries. The remnants of these last-named Indians now in Idaho are on the Coeur d'Alene reservation. They number at present less than three hundred, all converted to the Roman Cath- olic religion. Most of them have farms in sever - alty, own houses, cattle, sheep, wagons, mowers, reapers, and all necessary and improved agricul- tural implements, raise large crops of wheat, oats, potatoes, hay, etc .; they own droves of hogs, and are to-day probably as prosperous and peace- ful a tribe as can be found west of the Rocky mountains. This tribe are self-supporting and have never been at war with the white men. They have schools under the direction of the Roman Catholic nuns, and many of their young people are acquiring a fair knowledge of the Eng- lish language.

The Sahaptin family, like the Salislı just de- scribed, belongs to the inland tribes of the Co- lumbia group. They inhabited the region be- tween the Cascade and Bitter Root mountains, and the forty-fifth and forty-seventh parallels. Of its nations, the Nez Perces or Sahaptins proper dwelt on the Clearwater and its branches, and on the Snake about the forks. Ross, in his work entitled "Fur Hunters," says they derive their name from the custom of boring their noses to receive a white shell, like the fluke of an anchor. Most writers follow Ross in taking for granted that these Indians were so named from some habit of piercing their noses, though there is no tradition of anything of the sort. According to others it is a word tortured from nez pres, mean- ing flat nose, which was given them by the old French Canadian trappers in early days.

Mr. H. H. Bancroft, to whose work on the Native Races of the Pacific Coast we are in- debted for many of the items in the following pages, states that in bodily strength the Sahaptin Indians are inferior to the whites, but superior, as might be expected from their habits, to the more indolent fish-eaters on the Pacific. The

Nez Perces and Cayuses are considered the best specimens, while in the north the Kootenais seem to be superior to the other Shushwap nations. The Salish are assigned by Wilkes and Hale an intermediate place in physical attributes between the coast and mountain tribes, being in stature and proportion superior to the Chinooks, but in- ferior to the Nez Perces. Inland a higher order of face is observed than on the coast. The cheek- bones are still high, the forehead is rather low, the face long, the eyes black, rarely oblique, the nose prominent, and frequently aquiline, the lips thin, the teeth white and regular, but generally much worn. The general expression of the fea- tures is stern, often melancholy, but not as a rule harsh or repulsive. Dignified, fine-looking men, and handsome young women, have been re- marked in nearly all the tribes, but here again the Sahaptins bear off the palm. The complexion is of decidedly coppery hue. The hair is gen- erally coarse and worn long. The beard is very thin, and its growth is carefully prevented by plucking. Methods adopted by other tribes to create deformities of the head are comparatively unknown among the Nez Perces, who are gener- ally better clad than some of their neighboring tribes. They build houses of straw and mats in the form of the roof of a house. Lewis and Clarke's narrative refers to one of these as one hundred and fifty feet long and about fifteen wide, closed at the ends and having a number of doors on each side.

War and hunting were their chief occupation, but they were and are not infrequently compelled to resort to roots, and berries, and mosses. The favorite roots are the camas, couse, and bitter root, and the natives to obtain these make regu- lar migrations as for game or fish. The women are generally much more kindly treated among the Nez Perces and Pend d'Oreilles than among the generality of aboriginal tribes.

In their personal habits, as well as the care of their lodges, the Nez Perces and Kootenais are mentioned as neat and cleanly. De Smet, how- ever, represents the Pend d'Oreille women as untidy, even for savages. "The inland families," says Bancroft, "cannot be called a warlike race." They seldom resort to arms, yet when fighting becomes necessary, the Caynses, Nez Perces, Flatheads, and Kootenais are notably brave war-

137

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

riors for defense or vengeance against a foreign foe. The two former waged both defensive and aggressive warfare against the Snakes of the south, while the latter joined their arms against their common foes, the Blackfeet. Departure on a warlike expedition is preceded by ceremonies, including councils of the wise, great, and old, smoking the pipe, harangues by the chiefs, dances, and a general review or display of eques- trian feats and maneuvers of battle. After battle they smoke the customary pipe of peace with the enemy, and renew their protestations of eternal friendship. In the matter of marriage, the standard of a wife's qualifications is her ca- pacity for work.

The Nez Perces have more and better stock than other nations. Individuals often own large bands of horses. The Kootenais are the most northern tribe who are accustomed to the horse. It is supposed that these animals were introduced among the northern tribes by Shoshones fron the south, the last named being connected with the Comanches, who obtained horses from the Spaniards during the sixteenth century. The rights of property are duly respected, but it is said that among the Salish nations on the death of the father his relatives would not scruple in the least to seize the most valuable property, regard- less of the rights of the children who are too young to take care of themselves. With the Pend d'Oreilles, when reduced to severe straits, it was not uncommon to bury the very old and very young alive, because, they said, "these can- not take care of themselves, and they had better die." On approaching his majority, the young Pend d'Oreille would be sent to a high mountain where he would have to remain until he dreamed of some animal, bird, or fish, which was to be thereafter his medicine. A claw, tooth, or feather of such animal was thereafter to be worn as his charm. The howling of certain beasts, especially of the medicine wolf, was supposed to forebode evil. Among the Nez Perces it was the custom to overcome the spirit of fatigue, or mawish as it was called, by a certain ceremony which was sup- posed to confer great powers of endurance. This ceremony was repeated yearly from the age of eighteen to forty, and the performance would last three to seven days. It consisted of thrust- ing willow sticks down the throat into the

stomach, a succession of hot and cold baths, and fasting.

Medicine-men are supposed to acquire won- derful powers by retiring to the mountains and conferring with the medicine-wolf, after whichı they become invulnerable, and bullets fired at them flatten on their breast. They have a super- stitious fear of having their portraits taken. Steam baths or sweat-houses are used for the purpose of purification in their religious rites. These sweat-houses usually consist of a hole in the ground from three to eight feet deep, and about fifteen feet in diameter, with a small hole for entrance, which is closed up after the bather enters. A fire is built in this retreat by means of which stones are heated. In this oven-like receptacle, heated to a suffocating temperature, the naked native wallows in the steam and mud, singing, yelling, and praying, and at last rushes out dripping with perspiration, and plunges into the nearest stream.

The good qualities of the Kootenais and Nez Perces have been commended by all having ac- quaintance with them. "Honest, just, and often charitable; ordinarily cold and reserved, but on occasions social and almost gay; quick-tempered and almost revengeful under what they consider injustice, but readily appeased by kind treatment; cruel only to captive enemies, stoical in the en- durance of torture; devotedly attached to home and family-these natives probably come as near as it is permitted to flesh and blood savages to the noble red man of the forest sometimes met in romance."

The Nez Perces now on the reservation in Nez Perces county at Fort Lapwai belong to the treaty Indians as opposed to the non-treaty Nez Perces who, under Joseph, were banished to In- dian territory. The Nez Perces now in Idaho have ever been stanch friends of the whites; they are brave, but industrious and peaceable. With the exception of the agricultural implements is- sued to them by the government, they can be justly termed self-supporting. Their means of support are agriculture and stock-raising. Each year witnesses decided advancements. The children are said to be advancing nearly as rapid- ly in their school-room studies as average white children, and show a remarkable aptitude in all kinds of farm and garden work.

138

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

The Lemhi Indians are composed of Sho- shones, Bannocks, and Sheep-eaters. The Sho- shone or Snake Indians are fairly honest, peace- able and intelligent. The Bannocks possess more of the sly cunning and innate restlessness of dis- position than would appear to be good for them or agreeable to their nearest neighbors. The Sheep-eaters are naturally quieter and less de- monstrative than either, and therefore seem more inclined to take life easy. The Shoshone ele- ment largely predominates.

The Shoshone family is generally included in the California group of native tribes. Their ter- ritory formerly spread over southeastern Oregon and southern Idaho, extending into Utah, Ari- zona, and eastern Idaho. They are divided into several tribes, of which the Bannocks were orig- inally one. The word "Shoshone" means "Snake Indian," though Ross is authority for the asser- tion that it means "inland."

The Snakes are better dressed than the tribes farther south, and make some pretensions to ornamentation. Their clothing is generally made of the skins of larger game, ornamented with beads, shells, fringes, feathers, and pieces of bril- liant-colored cloth. Their dwellings are also superior to those of the Utahs, though consist- ing chiefly of skins thrown over long poles lean- ing against each other in the form of a circle. A hole is left in the top for a chimney. Another one in the bottom, about three feet high, is used as a door, and closed by placing a skin against it. The poorer Shoshones live on pine-nuts, roots, berries, insects, rats, mice, and rabbits. Those liv- ing in Idaho, however, generally are supplied with plenty of fish and game. In their native wild condition they can hardly be called a cleanly race. Their characteristic weapon is the poggamog- gon. "It consists of a heavy stone, sometimes wrapped in leather, attached by a sinew thong about two inches in length to the end of a stout, leather-covered handle measuring nearly two feet. A loop fastened to the end held in the hand prevents the warrior from losing the weapon in the fight, and allows him to hold the club in read- iness while he uses the bow and arrow."

The Snakes had a limited knowledge of pot- tery, and made very good vessels from baked clay. Some of these were in the form of jars, with narrow necks and stoppers. They pos-

sessed little knowledge of the use of boats beyond crude and clumsy logs made of branches and rushes, generally preferring to swim the streams. Dried fish, horses, skins, and furs were their cur- rency. No trade was indulged in unless preceded by a solemn smoke. Among the Idaho Snakes four and five beaver-skins were sold for a knife or an awl. Horses were held at the value of an ax. "A ship of seventy-four guns might have been loaded with provision, such as dried buffalo, bought with buttons and rings." The standard of values was absurdly confused. The utility of an article was a matter of no consideration. A beaver-skin could be bought with a brass ring, but a necklace of bears' claws could not be bought for a dozen such rings. Axes, knives, ammunition, beads, buttons, and rings were most in demand. For clothing they had little or no use; a blanket was worth no more than a knife, and a yard of fine cloth was worth less than a pot of vermilion. They had no established laws. Like all other Indians, they are natural gamblers, and take to "poker" with an aptitude that is aston- ishing. They are skillful riders, and possess good horses. "The Snakes have been considered," says Ross, "as rather a dull and degraded people, weak in intellect and wanting in courage. And this opinion is very probable to a casual observer at first sight, or when seen in small numbers, for their apparent timidity, grave and reserved hab- its, give them an air of stupidity. An intimate knowledge of the Snake character will, however, place them on an equal footing with that of other kindred nations, both in respect to their inental faculties and moral attributes." "The Shoshones of Idaho," says a writer in the California Farmer, "are highly intelligent and lively, the most virtu- ous and unsophisticated of all the Indians of the United States."

The Bannocks are naturally a brave and war- like race. They inhabited the country between Fort Boise and Fort Hall. As the name implies, it was given to those Indians who dug and lived on roots. At least, so says Johnston, in School- craft's Archives.

The Sheep-eaters, like the Bannocks, are doubtless an offshoot of the Snake or Shoshone Indians. The Tookarikkas, or Sheep-eaters, oc- cupied the Salmon river country, the upper part of Snake river valley, and the mountains near

139

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

Boise Basin. They belong to the genuine Snakes. Other inferior bands were the Hokandikas, or Salt Lake Diggers, who lived in the neighbor- hood of Salt Lake, and Aggitikkas. or Salmon- eaters, who occupied the region around Salmon Falls, on Snake river. The Bannocks are far inferior to the Shoshones or Snakes proper.

Though the Lemhi Reservation is situated at an altitude of 5,500 feet, agriculture has been pursued with fair success. These Lemhi Indians are greatly improved in habits of industry. Be- sides cultivating their little garden patches, many of them have been engaged in cutting rails, fenc- ing, and ditching. "The possession of wagons," says Mr. Harries, "by some Indians, is materially helping to lift what is literally a heavy burden off the backs of the squaws in the matter of the hauling of the firewood." Some difficulty has been encountered in educating the children, as there is a superstition among them that "if the Indian children learn to read and write they will die." This feeling has such a strong hold upon the mothers particularly, that it has been some- what difficult to overcome the prejudice against education. With the improvidence characteristic of the race, moreover, the rations issued to the lodges on Saturday seldom last beyond Monday or Tuesday, so that unless the children are fed at the school, they are not likely to have much to eat the biggest part of the week. Indians are not superior to the generality of human nature, and naturally encounter some difficulty in studying on an empty stomach.

The Indians stationed at the Fort Hall agency are both Bannocks and Shoshones. The latter are industrious, good-natured, and quiet. The Bannocks are more restless and roving. These Indians, according to Dr. Cook, are making steady advancement in agricultural and civilized pursuits. This is noticeable to all who come in contact with them, and they are manifesting an increased desire to conform to the customs of civilized life.

The use of sign-language exists to a greater or less degree among Idaho Indians, as among most tribes. Thus the tribal sign of the Pend d'Oreilles is made by holding both fists as if grasping a paddle, vertically downward and working a canoe. Two strokes are made on each side of the body from the side backward. The

tribal sign of the Nez Perces is made by closing the right hand, leaving the index finger straight, but flexed at right angles with the palm, then passing it horizontally to the left, by and under the nose. That of the Shoshone or Snake In- dians is the right hand horizontal, flat, palm downward, advanced to the front by a motion to represent the crawling of a snake. For that of the Bannocks, make a whistling sound "phew" (beginning at a high note and ending about an octave lower); then draw the extended index finger across the throat from left to right, and out to nearly arm's length. They used to cut the throats of their prisoners.

Major Haworth states that the Bannocks made the following sign for themselves: Brush the flat right hand backward over the forehead as if forc- ing back the hair. This represents the manner of wearing the tuft of hair backward from the fore- head. He also states that the Shoshones make the same sign for the Bannocks as for them- selves.

It is not difficult to understand how readily ideas may be conveyed by signs and gestures. Thus the Shoshone sign for rain is made by holding the hand or hands at the height of and before the shoulder, fingers pendent, palm down, then pushing it downward a short distance. That for to weep is made by holding the hand as in rain, and the gesture made from the eye down- ward over the cheek, back of the fingers nearly touching the face.

Brave or strong-hearted is made by the Sho- shone and Bannock Indians by merely placing the clenched fist to the breast, the latter having allusion to the heart, the clenching of the hand to strength, vigor, or force.

As a good example illustrative of the univer- sality of sign-language, may be mentioned the conversation which took place at Washington in 1880 between Tendoy, chief of the Shoshone and Bannock Indians of Lemhi reservation, Idaho, and Huerito, one of the Apache chiefs from New Mexico, in the presence of Dr. W. J. Hoffman. Neither of these Indians spoke any language known to the other, had lived over a thousand miles apart, and had never met or heard of one another before.

Huerito-Who are you?

Tendoy-Shoshone Chief.

140

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

Huerito-How old are you?

Tendoy-Fifty-six.

Huerito-Very well. Are there any buffalo in your country?

Tendoy-Yes; many black buffalo. Did you hear anything from the Secretary? If so tell me.

Huerito-He told me that in four days I would go to my country.

Tendoy-In two days I go to my country just as you go to yours. I go to mine where there is a great deal of snow and we shall see each other no more.

Here was an intelligent dialogue carried on by two savages, strangers to each other, without a word spoken on either side. Thus to make the last answer as Tendoy did, place the flat hands horizontally, about two feet apart, move them quickly in an upward curve toward one another until the right lies across the left, meaning night, repeat this sign, two nights, literally, two sleeps hence; point toward the individual addressed with the right hand, you; and in a continuous movement pass the hand to the right, i. e., toward the south, nearly to arm's length, go; then throw the fist edgewise toward the ground at that dis- tance, your country; then touch the breast with the tips of the left fingers, I; move the hand slow- ly toward the left, i. e., toward the north to arm's length, go to; and throw the clenched hand to- ward the ground, my country. Make the sign of rain as already described, then place the flat hands to the left of the body about two feet from the ground, deep; literally, deep rain, snow. Raise the hands about a foot, very deep, much; place the hands before the body, about twelve inches apart, palms down, with forefinger only extended and pointing toward one another; push toward and from one another several times, see each other; then hold the flat right hand in front of the breast pointing forward, palm to the left, and throw it once on its back toward the right, not, no more.

INDIAN WARS.

Idaho, ethnologically, was divided by the Snake river into two grand divisions, the Nez Perces occupying the territory north of the river, and the Shoshiones the southern portion. The Nez Perces were of a higher grade, and took no part in the five years' war, from 1863 to 1868. They had their grievances, however, such as would have incited inferior tribes to rise in war; and among themselves there were naturally two

parties,-a peace party and a war party. The latter, although persuaded to sign a treaty with the whites, violated their agreement and rose in war, but were soon suppressed, and the country was opened for settlement by the whites. The discovery of gold and other valuable minerals in the Nez Perces region caused many white ad- venturers to overrun their country contrary to the provisions of the treaty and thus irritate the Indians, and this was the cause of the formation of the "war party" among them. Actual war was averted by the combined efforts of Superintend- ent Hale, of Washington, and Lawyer, the head of the Nez Perces. The establishment of a mili- tary post at Lapwai was a permanent "peace- maker."

The troubles really began in 1855, when there was a strong party of Indians who were opposed to the formation of any treaty whatever. Look- ing-glass, the war chief, becoming too old to lead in battle, Eagle-from-the-Light became am- bitious to succeed to his honors and gave his voice for war at a council held at Lapwai in August, 1861. Some of the subordinate chiefs supported him, but Lawyer was against his pro- ject: and a company of dragoons under Captain Smith at Lapwai, ostensibly stationed there to protect the Indians against the miners, was a standing menace to those Nez Perce Indians who might be disposed to break the treaty. The council of 1861 adjourned without agreeing to anything important.

Congress was asked to appropriate fifty thou- sand dollars for the purpose of purchasing a part of their reservation and establishing a satisfac- tory treaty; and forty thousand dollars was granted; but if this money ever arrived we have no account of it.

As white men rushed in and made valuable discoveries in minerals, even the soldiers at the fort were withdrawn, lest they might desert in the craze and likewise sally out for prospecting and mining. The irritability of the Indians be- coming more evident, however, General Alvord determined to have a permanent fort established at Lapwai, on the return of Maury's command from an expedition to Fort Hall, in the autumn of 1862. Fort Lapwai was built under the su- perintendence of D. W. Porter, of the First Ore- gon Cavalry. It was situated upon the right

141

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

bank of Lapwai creek, three miles from its con- fluence with the Clearwater, and the reservation was a square mile.

As the Indians began to gather at the council promised in November, 1862, the white com- missioners were obliged to announce to theni that no money had yet arrived from the govern . ment, and requested them to postpone the con- ference to the next May. This naturally irri- tated even the most peaceably disposed Nez Perces; and William Craig and Robert Newell exerted themselves to the utmost to hold them in check.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, containing a history of the state of Idaho from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and biographical mention of many pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day, Part 25

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1014

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1014