Book Description:
In March 1803, while anchored in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, the American trading ship Boston was attacked by members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. Twenty-five of her 27 crewmen were massacred, leaving two survivors who were captured as slaves. John Jewitt’s riveting account of the 28 months he spent as a slave in the household of Chief Maquinna is both an entertaining adventure and invaluable source of information on European attitudes and Northwest Coast societies at the time.
On the third of September, the whole tribe quitted Nootka, according to their constant practice, in order to pass the autumn and winter at Tahsis and Coopte, the latter lying about 30 miles up the sound in a deep bay, the navigation of which is very dangerous from the great number of reefs and rocks with which it abounds. On these occasions every thing is taken with them, even the planks of their houses, in order to cover their new dwellings.
To a European, such a removal exhibits a scene quite novel and strange: canoes piled up with boards and boxes, and filled with men, women and children of all ranks and sizes, making the air resound with their cries and songs. At these times, as well as when they have occasion to go some distance from their houses, the infants are usually suspended across the mother’s shoulders in a kind of cradle or hammock, formed of bark, by means of a leather band inserted through its loops. This they also keep them in when at home in order to preserve them in a straight position and prevent any distortion of the limbs, most probably a principal cause of these people being so seldom deformed or crooked.
The long boat of our ship having been repaired and furnished with a sail by Thompson, Maquinna gave us the direction of it, we being better acquainted with managing it than his people. After loading her as deep as she could swim, we proceeded in company with them to the north, quitting Nootka with heavy hearts, as we could entertain no hopes of release until our return, no ships ever coming to that part of the coast.
Passing Coopte, which is situated on the southern bank, just within the mouth of a small river flowing from the east in a narrow valley at the foot of a mountain, we proceeded about 15 miles up this stream to Tahsis, between a range of lofty hills on each side, which extend a great distance inland and are covered with the finest forest trees of the country.
Immediately on our arrival we all went to work very diligently in covering the houses with the planks we had brought, the frames being ready erected, these people never pretending to remove the timber. In a very short time the work was completed, and we were established in our new residence.
Tahsis is pleasantly situated and in a most secure position from the winter storms, in a small vale or hollow on the south shore, at the foot of a mountain. The spot on which it stands is level and the soil very fine, the country in its vicinity abounding with the most romantic views, charmingly diversified, and fine streams of water falling in beautiful cascades from the mountains.
This village is the extreme point of navigation, as immediately beyond, the river becomes much more shallow and is broken into rapids and falls. The houses here are placed in a line like those at Nootka, but closer together, the situation being more confined. They are also smaller, in consequence of which we were much crowded and incommoded for room.
The principal object in coming to this place is the facility it affords these people of providing their winter stock of provisions, which consists principally of salmon, and the spawn of that fish; to which may be added herring and sprats, and herring spawn.
The salmon are taken at Tahsis, principally in pots or weirs. This pot or weir is placed at the foot of a fall or rapid where the water is not very deep, and the fish, driven from above with long poles, are intercepted and caught in the weir, from whence they are taken into the canoes. In this manner I have seen more than 700 salmon caught in the space of 15 minutes.
I used frequently to go out with Maquinna upon these fishing parties and was always sure to receive a handsome present of salmon, which I had the privilege of calling mine. I was also permitted to go out with a gun and was several times very successful in shooting wild ducks and teal, which are very numerous here, though rather shy. These they cooked in their usual manner, by boiling, without any further dressing than skinning them.
In many respects, however, our situation was less pleasant here than at Nootka. We were more incommoded for room, and as it was colder, we were compelled to be much more within doors. We, however, did not neglect our Sundays, when the weather would admit, to retire into the woods, and by the side of some stream, after bathing, return our thanks to God for preserving us and offer up to him our customary devotions.
I was, however, very apprehensive, soon after our arrival at this place, that I should be deprived of the satisfaction of keeping my journal. Maquinna, one day observing me writing in it, enquired of me what I was doing. When I endeavoured to explain it, by telling him that I was keeping an account of the weather, he said it was not so and that I was speaking bad about him and telling how he had taken our ship and killed the crew, so as to inform my countrymen, and that if he ever saw me writing in it again he would throw it into the fire. I was much rejoiced that he did not more than threaten, and became very cautious afterwards not to let him see me write.
Not long after, I finished some daggers for him, which I polished highly. These pleased him much, and he gave me directions to make a cheetoolth, in which I succeeded so far to his satisfaction that he gave me a present of cloth sufficient to make me a complete suit of raiment, besides other things. Thompson, who had also become rather more of a favourite since he had made a fine sail for Maquinna’s canoe and some fine garments for him out of European cloth, about this time completed another, which was thought by the savages a most superb dress.
This was a kutsack, or mantle, a fathom square, made entirely of European vest patterns of the gayest colours, and bound with a deep trimming of the finest otter skin; while the bottom was further embellished with five or six rows of gilt buttons, placed as near as possible to each other. Nothing could exceed the pride of Maquinna when he first put on this royal robe, decorated like the coat of Joseph, with all the colours of the rainbow, and glittering with the buttons, which as he strutted about made a tinkling, while he repeatedly exclaimed in a transparent exultation, Kiew shish kutsack-wick kum atack Nootka. A fine garment — Nootka can’t make him.n the third of September, the whole tribe quitted Nootka, according to their constant practice, in order to pass the autumn and winter at Tahsis and Coopte, the latter lying about 30 miles up the sound in a deep bay, the navigation of which is very dangerous from the great number of reefs and rocks with which it abounds. On these occasions every thing is taken with them, even the planks of their houses, in order to cover their new dwellings.
To a European, such a removal exhibits a scene quite novel and strange: canoes piled up with boards and boxes, and filled with men, women and children of all ranks and sizes, making the air resound with their cries and songs. At these times, as well as when they have occasion to go some distance from their houses, the infants are usually suspended across the mother’s shoulders in a kind of cradle or hammock, formed of bark, by means of a leather band inserted through its loops. This they also keep them in when at home in order to preserve them in a straight position and prevent any distortion of the limbs, most probably a principal cause of these people being so seldom deformed or crooked.
The long boat of our ship having been repaired and furnished with a sail by Thompson, Maquinna gave us the direction of it, we being better acquainted with managing it than his people. After loading her as deep as she could swim, we proceeded in company with them to the north, quitting Nootka with heavy hearts, as we could entertain no hopes of release until our return, no ships ever coming to that part of the coast.
Passing Coopte, which is situated on the southern bank, just within the mouth of a small river flowing from the east in a narrow valley at the foot of a mountain, we proceeded about 15 miles up this stream to Tahsis, between a range of lofty hills on each side, which extend a great distance inland and are covered with the finest forest trees of the country.
Immediately on our arrival we all went to work very diligently in covering the houses with the planks we had brought, the frames being ready erected, these people never pretending to remove the timber. In a very short time the work was completed, and we were established in our new residence.
Tahsis is pleasantly situated and in a most secure position from the winter storms, in a small vale or hollow on the south shore, at the foot of a mountain. The spot on which it stands is level and the soil very fine, the country in its vicinity abounding with the most romantic views, charmingly diversified, and fine streams of water falling in beautiful cascades from the mountains.
This village is the extreme point of navigation, as immediately beyond, the river becomes much more shallow and is broken into rapids and falls. The houses here are placed in a line like those at Nootka, but closer together, the situation being more confined. They are also smaller, in consequence of which we were much crowded and incommoded for room.
The principal object in coming to this place is the facility it affords these people of providing their winter stock of provisions, which consists principally of salmon, and the spawn of that fish; to which may be added herring and sprats, and herring spawn.
The salmon are taken at Tahsis, principally in pots or weirs. This pot or weir is placed at the foot of a fall or rapid where the water is not very deep, and the fish, driven from above with long poles, are intercepted and caught in the weir, from whence they are taken into the canoes. In this manner I have seen more than 700 salmon caught in the space of 15 minutes.
I used frequently to go out with Maquinna upon these fishing parties and was always sure to receive a handsome present of salmon, which I had the privilege of calling mine. I was also permitted to go out with a gun and was several times very successful in shooting wild ducks and teal, which are very numerous here, though rather shy. These they cooked in their usual manner, by boiling, without any further dressing than skinning them.
In many respects, however, our situation was less pleasant here than at Nootka. We were more incommoded for room, and as it was colder, we were compelled to be much more within doors. We, however, did not neglect our Sundays, when the weather would admit, to retire into the woods, and by the side of some stream, after bathing, return our thanks to God for preserving us and offer up to him our customary devotions.
I was, however, very apprehensive, soon after our arrival at this place, that I should be deprived of the satisfaction of keeping my journal. Maquinna, one day observing me writing in it, enquired of me what I was doing. When I endeavoured to explain it, by telling him that I was keeping an account of the weather, he said it was not so and that I was speaking bad about him and telling how he had taken our ship and killed the crew, so as to inform my countrymen, and that if he ever saw me writing in it again he would throw it into the fire. I was much rejoiced that he did not more than threaten, and became very cautious afterwards not to let him see me write.
Not long after, I finished some daggers for him, which I polished highly. These pleased him much, and he gave me directions to make a cheetoolth, in which I succeeded so far to his satisfaction that he gave me a present of cloth sufficient to make me a complete suit of raiment, besides other things. Thompson, who had also become rather more of a favourite since he had made a fine sail for Maquinna’s canoe and some fine garments for him out of European cloth, about this time completed another, which was thought by the savages a most superb dress.
This was a kutsack, or mantle, a fathom square, made entirely of European vest patterns of the gayest colours, and bound with a deep trimming of the finest otter skin; while the bottom was further embellished with five or six rows of gilt buttons, placed as near as possible to each other. Nothing could exceed the pride of Maquinna when he first put on this royal robe, decorated like the coat of Joseph, with all the colours of the rainbow, and glittering with the buttons, which as he strutted about made a tinkling, while he repeatedly exclaimed in a transparent exultation, Kiew shish kutsack-wick kum atack Nootka. A fine garment — Nootka can’t make him.