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The Hydahs are a manly, tall, handsome people, and comparatively fair in their complexion; but they are a cruel and vindictive race, and were long the terror of the North Pacific coast. They even ventured to attack English ships, and in 1854 they plundered an American vessel, detaining the captain and crew in captivity until they were ransomed by the Hudson's Bay Company.
That God has a people among the Quoquolts and Quatsenos, as well as among the Tsimsheans and Hydahs, we cannot doubt, and in His own time, and by His own grace, they too shall be gathered out. Four great events have signalised the last four years at Metlakahtla. These events were the visits of four important personages.
Chief Edensaw told me that in former times the Indians to the south with whom the Hydahs were at war, sometimes crossed over these mountains from the end of Kio-kath-li Inlet on the west coast, and taking their people by surprise, carried away captive their fairest young women. Among our trips inland, was one of about ten miles up the Ain River to Coos-Yoouns lake its Sourse.
Called by the Hydahs, Skil, and known on other parts of the coast as Pollock and Coal-fish, are caught off the west coast of the islands. They have been prized hitherto for their oil, which the natives have extracted, by boiling them in wooden tanks, with heated stones. Samples obtained by Hon. James G. Swan in 1883, and by Messrs.
In addition to the Tsimshean tribes which I have mentioned, I found that Indians of other two distinct languages frequented the Fort for trade. These were the Alaska Coast Indians, whose nearest village was only some fifteen miles north of Fort Simpson, and the Hydahs from Queen Charlotte's Islands." The tribal arrangements among the Tsimsheans are very much the same as among other Indian clans.
These inland Indians are of more robust and athletic frame, and are altogether a more vigorous race. Among the coast tribes, however, there are great differences, those to the north being far superior to those in the south. Those who know the Indians well declare that it would be impossible to find anywhere finer looking men than the Hydahs, Tsimsheans, and some of the Alaskan tribes.
Thus the Hydahs of Queen Charlotte's Islands are altogether distinct from the Indians of Vancouver's Island, where, indeed, those on the east coast are distinct from those on the west. Again, on the mainland, the Indians on the sea-board are distinct from the Indians of the interior, from whom they are divided by the Cascade range of mountains.
Over the door of the house was painted the family totem, for the Sitkas did not raise the house totem in a pole in front as did many of the kwans of the Thlingits, and as the Hydahs do. In these houses were held the potlatches, or gift parties, which were made by the wealthy chiefs.
Tohomish the seer, as the oldest chief and most renowned medicine-man present, came forward and lighted the pipe, a long, thin piece of carving in black stone, the workmanship of the Nootkas or Hydahs, who made the more elaborate pipes used by the Indians of the Columbia River.
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