Proposed Purchase of Queen Charlotte's Islands. [PDF]
It was reported in San Francisco that an American company is in negotiation with the Governor of British Columbia for the purchase of Queen Charlotte's islands, on condition that the sovereignty be transferred to the United States. They lie immediately south of Russian America, and might be considered geographically a portion of that territory. These islands, three in number, extend about one hundred and fifty miles in length by about sixty miles in breadth. They posses several excellent harbors. At Mitchell Harbor, on the middle island, gold has been found embedded in quartz rock. Traces of silver have also been found. The interior of the islands is hilly and well wooded, the climate is healthy, and the soil remarkably fertile. The islands contain some beds of coal, and several fine specimens of lead and copper have been obtained.
August 13, 1867 - Front Page
THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS.; SOME FACTS REGARDING THE ISLAND TRIBES AND THEIR CUSTOMS. [PDF]
OTTAWA, OTTAWA, Ontario, March 27. -- British Columbia and the northwest coast on the Pacific Ocean are inhabited by a number of tribes belonging to seven or eight linguistic stocks; and Dr. Dawson, in his report on the Queen Charlotte Islands, published by the Geological Survey not long ago, gives a most interesting description of the Haidas, one of the tribes, or families. The island tribes appear to be decreasing in numbers, while the coast tribes appear to be almost stationary. The former make fair stockmen, but are very poor; the latter are principally fisherman, and are fairly comfortable. The physical characteristics of the coast tribes are very uniform, which is probably due to the frequent intermarriage between various tribes. This has had a distinct effect upon the various languages, words borrowed from either being used by all. Many tribes of that district deform the heads of their children. In the northern part of Vancouver Island the natives use circular bandages, which give the head an extraordinary length.
Further south a strong pressure is exerted on the crown of the head; a bandage is laid around it immediately behind the coronal suture, and a soft cushion is used for pressing down the forehead. The flatheads compress forehead and occiput by means of a board and hard cushion. Among many of the tribes a custom prevails of perforating the lower lips of the females, which, as they increase with age, gives a peculiarly repulsive appearance, and pendants weight down the lip. Earrings and anklets are also worn. Chief's daughters among some of the tribes have their incisors ground down to the gums by chewing a pebble of jute, the row of teeth thus assuming an arched form. Tattoing is practiced among the Haidas and some adjacent families, and scars at intervals on the body are an ornament of the Nootka Sound Indians.
Horatio Hale, who has written very carefully an article on the Pacific Coast Indians, says: "I do not venture to describe any physical features as characteristics of one tribe or the other." He says the possibility of distinguishing individuals belonging to various tribes is principally due to the variety of artificial deformations. The fact that in honor of the arrival of friends, the house is swept and strewn with sand, and that the natives bathe, shows that cleanliness is appreciated. The Indian of that region, moreover, takes repreated baths before praying, "that he may be of agreeable smell to the Deity." Playing is not only considered undignified, but as actually bad, and in their language "to play" means to talk to no purpose, and doing anything "to no purpose" is contemptible to the Indian. Vanity and servility are the worst traits of character among them, and to be strong and able to endure the pangs of hunger is considered a great merit. Skill and daring and bravery are honored. The character of these Indians, on the whole, is sombre, and they are not given to emotions. Even their festivals have this character...
March 28, 1891 - Article
UNIDENTIFIED WRECK FOUND.; Ship Lies in a Bay in the Queen Charlotte Islands. [PDF]
April 30, 1900 - Front Page
PREFERS TO LIVE WITH INDIANS [PDF]
DECLARING city life of to-day fatal to the moral sense and averse to adjusting himself to conditions as he has found them in New York. Capt. Newton H. Chittenden, the first white man who explored the Queen Charlotte Islands, and famous as an archaeologist...
February 18, 1912 - Article
BRITISH COLUMBIA.; Latest from Fraser's River--Shipments of Gold--Expedition to Queen Charlotte's I... [PDF]
The news from British Columbia, by this arrival, is to May 14. The Victoria Gazette has the following: " Through the principals at WELLS, FARGO CO.'S and FREEMAN Co.'s, I have been shown the statement of the amount of gold dust shipped by their respective...
June 16, 1859 - Article
CANADA OPENING UP ITS NEW COUNTRY; $500,000,000 Being Spent in Transportation Facilities for Wester... [PDF]
$500 million being spent to open West . . .
The Grand Truck Pacific Railway will also open to the world the valuable timber, coal, and mineral fields of the Queen Charlotte Islands, which stand out in the Pacific Ocean about 80 miles from Prince Rupert. Already these islands have been opened to Prince Rupert by lines of steamers, which make weekly trips. When the railroad is finished there will be an awakening of industries on the islands. The anthracite coal fields on the islands are said to be as abundant as any to be found, and the coal is of superior quality.
"Queen Charlotte Islands are about 80 miles, and 40 miles in width. There is now a population of probably less than 2,000, most of which is located at Charlotte City. The inhabitants, excepting for a few hundred, are all indians [Haida], who engage in agricultural pursuits, and have their schools and stores. They are an industrious lot.
January 28, 1910 - Article
Wreck of the Quadra. [PDF]
May 29, 1892 - Article
The inland passage to Alaska, as usually understood in the Northwest, does not commence until the waters of British Columbia are entered, though, as far as I could see, in a geographical sense, Puget, Sound, projecting . . .
There is a race of Indians in British Columbia called the Haidas, or Hydahs, that used to make some marvelosly good imitations in steatite [argillite] of the Indian dwellings with their curious "totem poles," but they, too, are gone or at least I could find none. Sometimes they carve black steatite plaques with spread eagles and other fanciful designs upon them. They make rude but serviceable mats from the inner bark of the cedar tree, and all the knick knacks that can come from the barbaric ingenuity of Indian art.
July 26, 1886 - Article
AMERICA'S FIRST SETTLERS; They Came From Japan by the Japan Current or Bering Straits. JUDGE WICKER... [PDF]
Judge J. Wickersham's Theories...
July 21, 1895 - Article
An Indian Village Burned. [PDF]
August 13, 1892 - Article
NOTES ON RUSSIAN AMERICA. [PDF]
The proposed purchase from Russia of her possessions on the Continent of North America must awaken some interest in the public mind relative to this almost unknown portion of the Continent. Should it become the property of the United States, the question ...
May 3, 1867 - Article
NOTES ON RUSSIAN AMERICA. [PDF]
II. From Puget Sound in Washington Territory, to Bhering's Straits, a distance of nearly 1,000 mles, the whole coast is thickly studded with an archipelago of islands of all sorts and sizes, from that of Vancouver down to some of only a few hundred yards ...
May 4, 1867 - Article
Lyceum of Natural History.; PRESENTATION OF EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS OF INSECTS, FISH, &C. [PDF]
. . . The Eulachon is a very fine fish, related to the Salmon, but of small size. It is found in vast shoals from the Straits of Fuca northward; being most abundant, it is said, near the mouth of Nass River, at 54"°;"40' N. As an edible fish it surpasses all the other small salt water kinds in excellence of flavor, richness and delicacy. Large numbers are preserved by the Indians for Winter consumption, and many are salted by the white settlers, who esteem them highly. They are so fat usually, that when dried the Indians frequently use them in lieu of candles, as they burn, when set on end, with a clear bright flame. . . .
June 27, 1860 - Article
FROM THE PACIFIC COAST.; Arrival of the Northern Light and the Pony Express. $2,055,368 in Treasure... [PDF]
The news from Vancouver's Island announces a fight at Cape Mudge, on the shore of the Gulf of Georgia, between 400 Hydah Indians and the British gunboat Forward.
The British Colonist publishes the following account of the engagement:
Capt. ROBSON sent Mr. HORN and Mr. GOUGH, of Nanaimo, ashore, and requested that they would deliver up the property stolen from Salt Spring Island and Victoria.
The Indians refused, and attempted to seize the messengers, who, however, made their escape aboard.
The Hydahs, who numbered 400, fired several muskets at the gunboat, and Capt. ROBSON fired a shot over their heads, to which they replied by firing several volleys.
One of the gunboat's people was shot in the leg.
A discharge of grape shot was then sent among them, and they scattered to the woods, firing as they went.
The fight then became general. The rifle-plates of the gunboat were raised, and the men placed behind them, poured volley after volley into the Indians, which they replied to briskly.
After twenty minutes' firing the savages raised a flag of truce, and two of their tyhees came on board. They were put in irons.
The next morning the canoes were searched, and an immense quantity of stolen property was recovered.
Mr. CLARKE, gunner, says he saw two dead bodies ashore, and seven Indians mortally wounded. A great many were slightly wounded. The Indians were burying their dead in the morning, and it is thought a large number were killed.
July 4, 1861 - Article
HAIDA TOTEMS AND THEIR MEANINGS. [PDF]
AN interesting collection of totems has just been added to the exhibits of the American Museum of Natural history....
A totem that recalls a Greek story is especially interesting. A ravaging monster of the sea was fought against and slain by a man. A fabulous bird lent its assistance to the man, and they succeeded in entraping the monster by means of children used as bait to lure him into a path where a great log was prepared to fall upon him.
November 3, 1901 - Article
INDIAN VILLAGE OF KASA-AN; IS SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA ON THE SHORES OF THE SKOWE ARM. Curious Carvings ... [PDF]
One of the most interesting places in Southeastern Alaska is the Indian village of Kasa-an, situated on the shores of the Skowe Arm, one of the inland passages with which this part of Alaska is so liberally canaled. This place is out of the track of vesse...
November 19, 1893 - Article
IN THE INLAND PASSAGE; "THE TIMES'S" EXPEDITION ON THE WAY TO ALASKA. A THREE WEEKS' SAIL IN STILL ... [PDF]
The inland passage to Alaska, as usually understood in the Northwest, does not commence until the waters of British Columbia are entered, though, as far as I could see, in a geographical sense, Puget, Sound, projecting ......
July 26, 1886 - Article
THE INDIANS OF ALASKA; A GLANCE AT A PEOPLE WHO ARE LITTLE KNOWN. THLINKETS--SPECULATION AS TO THEI... [PDF]
SITKA, Aug.--.--Not the least intersting features of a cruise through the beautiful green islands of the Alaska coast are the constant opportunities affordod for studying the daily life of the Indians inhabiting the region....
The Haidas are intelligent, quick to learn and adopt civilized ways, and skilled in the arts and crafts. All the other tribes say that the Haidas are not of the same origin, and though they have the same customs, familiar spirits, totemic system, and arts, there is a difference in their language.
November 23, 1884 - Article
