Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/363

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LOG OF THE COLUMBIA 351

and the adjacent archipelago. They came from the villages already mentioned. Sushin and Cahta, the most easterly and northerly residences of the Kaigani Haida. Hoskins tells of the visit of a strange Chief and of the terror which it inspired in the Kaigani Haida. This stranger was, of course, of the Tlingit stock; the boundary between the two peoples was only some thirty miles northerly from the spot now suggested as being Fort Tempest. This stranger spoke a language which the Americans could not understand; they had never met the Tlingit before, but had been confined to the Haida and the Tsimshean in the northern waters. It may be added that Vancouver had an exactly similar experience; see his Voyage, vol. 4, p. 225, 8vo. ed. 1801.

If Port Tempest be settled, there is no difficulty in locating Massacre Cove. Its exact position cannot perhaps be fixed, but its situation can, in a general way, be readily indicated. It was on the opposite, i. e., the western, side of Brown s Sound, as Boit's entry of 8th August shows. This would place it on the eastern shore of Prince of Wales Island. From it Port Tempest bore NEBN; in other words. Massacre Cove was SEBE from Port Tempest. This is borne out by the compass bearings in Boit's entry of Mth August. Massacre Cove therefore must lie between Cholmondeley Sound and Skowl Bay, perhaps about four miles south- erly from Island Point, the entrance of the latter. Boit's statement that the distance between Port Tempest and Massacre Cove is twelve leagues is an exag- geration; if these identifications are correct, the real distance, as the crow flies, is about ten or twelve miles.

These reasons lead to the position that Port Tempest is identical with the western end of Revillagigedo Channel. It is not urged that they conclusively settle the question. They are merely put forward as a contribution to the effort to solve a problem that, though small and unimportant, is attractive because of its very difficulties.

In conclusion I wish to acknowledge, gratefully, my indebtedness to Dr. C. F. Newcombe, of Victoria, B. C., for his assistance in working out this identification. His local knowledge of the region is invaluable.

NOTE I.

For the location of the villages of Cahta and Sushan I am indebted to Dr. C. F. Newcombe. of Victoria, B. C. I append a portion of a recent letter on this point. "With reference to Cahta and Sushan, I am in a different position, hav- ing visited both places. The present Cahta, now spelt Carta, is at the head of Kasaan Inlet on the East side of Prince of Wales Island, but no doubt in early days included the present Indian village of Kasaan, which is nearer the mouth of the Inlet. An early copy by Arrowsmith in the Provincial Library, dated Jan. ist, 1795, gives the name spelt Kada. Sushan is spelt in early days in several manners, as you will find by reference to "The Alaska Coast Pilot." It is right at the entrance of Cholmondeley Sound, and has long been deserted."