Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/12



4 O. B. SPERLIN

amish, Nisquallies, Chebaulups, Duwamish, Snohomish, Skagets, Kwantlums, Clahoose, Squamishts, Nimkish, Ucletas, Coquilts, Necultas, and Quackolls ; Gray among the Chinooks ; Brough- ton among the Skilloots; Whidbey among the Chehalis; Mackenzie among the Sicanies, Tacullies, upper Atnahs, Dinees, and Bella Coolas; Lewis and Clark among the ShoshoneS, Tushapaws, Chopunish, Yakimas, Pishquitpas, Claquellas, Echeloots, Multnomahs, and Walla Wallas ; Fraser among the Natlahs, lower Atnahs, Chilkotins, Asketties, Hacamaughs, Neilgemughs, Achinrows, Swanemughs, Tahowtins, and Nas- quatins; Andrew Henry among the Bannacks; Thompson among the Kootenays, Saleesh, Skeetshoo, Kullispel, Spokanes, Ilthkoyapes, Simpoils, Nespelems, Methows, Sinkowarsin, Skummooin, and Palouse; Franchere among the Cowlitz; Ross among the Piscows, Chelans, Okanogans, and at Kam- loops; Stuart among the Shushwaps; Hunt among the Ban- nacks and the Cayuse ; and Harmon among the Babines.

How were these explorers and traders received, how enter- tained? We may recall at once the tragedies of Chirikof, Heceta, Captain Barkley, and Captain Gray; but do we then bear in mind that these are but four cases out of more than one hundred examined? As the immediate cause of the vio- lence must forever remain unknown in three cases of the four, may it not be more profitable to examine first the cases of favorable reception, where there are manners and customs embodied which may help to explain the disasters which are now so dark?

First, in regard to the mere ceremony of receiving a stranger, concerning which Jefferson specifically directed 5 Lewis and Clark to inquire: The "national hug" of the Shoshones; the discarding of moccasins and the outspreading of blankets ; the chief's harangue with its vociferated "oys" of approval; the ceremonial pipe of peace held to the four points of the com- pass, to heaven, then to earth ; the white robe thrown over the stranger's shoulders ; the community singing and dancing ; the

5 Original Journals: Vol. VII., p.