in 1811 two or three small posts on the waters of the Columbia, exclusive of the New Caledonia quarter. Every one knew this, and knowing it, how could we account for the more than warm and unreserved welcome Mr. Thompson met with from Astor's representative. Unless, as some thought at the time, M'Dougall was trying to pay Mr. Thompson back with his own coin, by putting on a fair face, so as to dupe him into an avowal of his real object. This is more than probable, for in point of acuteness, duplicity, and diplomatic craft, they were perhaps well matched.
{87} CHAPTER VI
The ten tribes—Number of warriors—Their laws—Chief's
arbitrary power—Dress, games, and arms
of the men—Dress of the women, slaves, and
basket-making—Lewdness of the women—Food,
ornaments—The salmon—Superstitious customs—Sturgeon—Fathom-fish—Roots
and berries—Circulating
medium—Econé, or Good Spirit—Ecutoch,
or Bad Spirit—Etaminua, or priests—Keelalles, or
doctors—War canoes—Diseases—Winter houses—Temporary,
or Summer houses—Fleas—Practice of
flattening the head—Colonization—Wallamitte—Cowlitz,
or Puget's Sound—Conclusion.
All the Indian tribes inhabiting the country about the mouth of the Columbia, and for a hundred miles round, may be classed in the following manner:—1. Chinooks;—2. Clatsops;—3. Cathlamux;—4. Wakicums;—5. Wacalamus;—6. Cattleputles;—7. Clatscanias;—8. Killimux;—9. Moltnomas;—and, 10. Chickelis; amounting collectively to about 2,000 warriors.[13] But they are a*
