2 1 I n d . C 1 . Comm. 143
BEFORE THE I N D I A N CLAIMS COMMISSION
)
SIMON P U O N D O N , ON RELATION
OF THE COWLITZ TRIBE OF INDIANS, )
)
)
Plaintiff,
1
v.
)
Docket No. 218
1
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
)
)
Defendant.
Decided:
J u n e 25, 1969
FINDINGS OF FACT
The I n d i a n Claims Commission makes t h e f o l l o w i n g f i n d i n g s o f f a c t :
1.
I-.,
On August 8, 1951, Simon Plamondon, a member o f t h e C o w l i t z T r i b e
of I n d i a n s , f i l e d t h e p e t i t i o n h e r e i n on r e l a t i o n of t h a t t r i b e .
\
,
2.
The p l a i n t i f f i s a t r i b e of American I n d i a n s r e s i d i n g w i t h i n t h e
t e r r i t o r i a l l i m i t s of t h e United S t a t e s , and i t h a s t h e c a p a c i t y and
a u t h o r i t y t o b r i n g and m a i n t a i n t h e i n s t a n t a c t i o n under S e c t i o n 2 of
t h e I n d i a n Claims Commission Act (25 U.S.C.A.
3.
70a).
The i n s t a n t a c t i o n i s concerned w i t h a b o r i g i n a l t i t l e t o a
t r a c t of l a n d i n t h e southwestern p a r t o f t h e S t a t e o f Washington.
The
a r e a c o n t a i n s t h e e n t i r e d r a i n a g e of t h e C o w l i t a a n d Lewis R i v e r s , and
t h a t of s e v e r a l s m a l l e r s t r e a m s .
I t e n t a i l s most of p r e s e n t C l a r k ,
C o w l i t z , a n d Lewis c o u n t i e s and p a r t s of Skakamia, P a c i f i c , and T h u r s t o n
counties.
4.
C'
.
The e a r l i e s t recorded o b s e r v a t i o n s of t h e n a t i v e s i n t h e c l a i m e d
area were i n t h e Lewis and C l a r k j o u r n a l s .
I n 1806 t h e y r e c o r d e d t h a t t h e
21 I n d . C 1 . Comm. 143
"Hull-loo-el-ell"
153
were "on t h e Cow-e-lis-hee"
River and when Lewis and
C l a r k "crossed i n t o t h e mouth o f t h e Chah-wah-na-hi-ooks
recorded t h a t " s e v e r a l t r i b e s of t h e H u l - l u - e t - t e l l
river."
River" t h e y
N a t i o n r e s i d e on t h i s
P l a i n t i f f e q u a t e s H u l o o e t a l w i t h C o w l i t z and r e f e r t o t h e Chah-
wah-na-hi-ooks
a s t h e S a h a p t i n name f o r t h e Lewis R i v e r .
The o n l y a u t h o r i t y
which p l a i n t i f f c a n c i t e f o r t h e s e e q u a t i o n s i s D r . Verne F. Ray, i t s
expert witness.
The Commission f i n d s t h e c o n f u s i o n s of Lewis and C l a r k
names c a n n o t b e s o e a s i l y r e s o l v e d .
I n t h i s r e g a r d t h e Commission h a s
observed t h a t D r . Ray h i m s e l f i n 1954 n o t e d t h e numerous p u z z l e s p r e s e n t e d
by t h e Lewis and C l a r k J o u r n a l s w i t h r e g a r d t o p l a c e and t r i b a l names.
,---.
I n t h e i r a r t i c l e The C o n t r i b u t i o n s o f Lewis and C l a r k t o Ethnography,
1-
--
J o u r n a l o f t h e Washington Academy of S c i e n c e s , November, 1954, D r . Ray and
Nancy O e s t r e i c h L u r i e wrote:
'1
-,
..
. T h i s r i v e r was t h e t r i b u t a r y of t h e Columbia
which i s now known as t h e Lewis R i v e r of t h e s t a t e
o f Washington. It was f i r s t n o t e d by C l a r k , who
a s m a l l r i v e r which t h e I n d i a n s c a l l
w r o t e of ' .
Cha wah-na-hi-ooks.'
Lewis w r o t e of t h e 'Clan-nahmin-na-mun n a t i o n . '
C l a r k ' s term w a s merely a v a r i a n t
s p e l l i n g f o r Tawanahiooks; L e w i s ' s was s u f f i c i e n t l y
d i s t i n c t i v e p h o n e t i c a l l y t o s u g g e s t t h a t i t was a
d i f f e r e n t word, belonging t o t h e language p r o p e r , n o t
jargon.
But t h e Biddle t e x t r e n d e r s L e w i s ' s words a s
' t h e Towahnahiook n a t i o n , ' which i s t o say ' t h e Snake
nation.'
Lewis h i m s e l f i d e n t i f i e d t h e r i v e r a s t h e
'Cah-wah-na-hi-ooks',
t h a t i s , 'Snake' r i v e r o r ' r i v e r
on which t h e Sn&e I n d i a n s l i v e ' .
..
.
"We may now a c c e p t t h e f o l l o w i n g p o i n t s a s b e i n g
s a f e l y e s t a b l i s h e d : The r i v e r c a l l e d Multnomah o r
Mulknoma by t h e e x p l o r e r s i s t h e modern W i l l a m e t t e ;
t h e Towanahioolcs i s t h e Deschutes; C l a r k ' s R i v e r ,
21 Ind. C l . Corn. 143
when l o c a t e d i n n o r t h - c e n t r a l Oregon, i s a l s o t h e
Deschutes; t h e Chawanahiooks i s a r i v e r flowing s o u t h
i n t o t h e Co1.umbia i n western Washington. 1/Towanahiooks
and Chawanakiooks a r e v a r i a n t s of a term, probably from
Chinook Jargon, which means ' s n a k e ' ; t h e e x p l o r e r s a p p l i e d
t h e unmodified term not only t o t h e two d i s t i n c t and
d i s t a n t t r i b u t a r i e s of t h e Columbia but a l s o t o t h e
$4
Shoshone o r Snake' I n d i a n s ;
. Chinookan and S a l i s h a n
peoples l i v e d on t h e 'Snake R i v e r ' , which i s now t h e
" (PI. Ex. 130, pp. 364-365)
Lewis;
..
...
5-
Following t h e Lewis and Clark observations t h e r e were a number
of r e p o r t s of e x p l o r e r s , t r a p p e r s , m i s s i o n a r i e s , government o f f i c i a l s and
o t h e r s concerning t h e I n d i a n s i n t h e g e n e r a l a r e a .
ranch ere and h i s group
m e t I n d i a n s on
'
Robert S t u a r t , i n 1811, t r a v e l e d some 260 m i l e s up
t h e n o r t h w e s t , 1811-1814, G a b r i e l
t h e Cowlitz River.
In his travels in
i t h e Cowlitz River and wrote of b a r t e r i n g w i t h I n d i a n s of "Le Cow-lit-sick
..'
nation."
A t t h e i s l a n d known today a s Bachelor I s l a n d (which i s n e a r t h e
mouth of t h e Lewis River) he found I n d i a n s of t h e C a t h l a p o o t l e (Chinookan)
Nation.
Alexander Henry i n 1813-1814 s e n t f o u r I r o q u i s up t h e Cowlitz
R i v e r where t h e y saw t h r e e v i l l a g e s and many s c a t t e r e d h u t s of n a t i v e s .
Alexander Ross, a f u r t r a d e r f o r a Jacob Astor company, w r o t e about
h i s v i s i t s t o I n d i a n t r a p p e r s from 1813 t o 1821.
Cawlitz n a t i v e s along t h a t r i v e r .
He r e f e r r e d t o t h e
I n t h e summer of 1820 J e d i d i a h Morse
was c o m i s s i o n e d by t h e P r e s i d e n t t o a s c e r t a i n the " a c t u a l s t a t e of t h e
I n d i a n t r i b e s i n our country."
He
reported t h e Cowlitsick "on t h e
Columbia r i v e r 62 m. f r m i t s mouth; they dwell i n 3 v i l l a g e s on t h e N.
c r e e k of i t , c a l l e d t h e Cowlitsick, 200 yards wide, r a p i d , b o a t a b l e ' l 9 0
miles.
-1/
. . whole
no. of s o u l s
-
2,400"
(Pl. Ex. 14, p. 368).
The Lewis River flows e a s t t o west i n t o t h e Columbia.
The 1825
--.
21 I n d . C 1 . Corn. 143
155
r e p o r t of John Scouler r e f e r r e d t o " t h e K l i k e t a t , a s c i o n from t h e
Shahaptans, who now dwell near Mount R a n i e r , and have advanced toward
t h e f a l l s of t h e ~ o l u m b i a " ( P I . Ex. 18, p. 225).
t r a v e l e d i n t h e Columbia River a r e a .
I n 1825 D r . S c o u l e r
He v i s i t e d a "Kowlitch" v i l l a g e and
r e p o r t e d t h e I n d i a n s were p r e p a r i n g f o r w a r w i t h t h e Chinook.
I n 1834 D. Lee and 3 . H. F r o s t r e p o r t e d t h e "Cawalitz" on t h e n o r t h
s i d e of t h e Columbia River t o t h e n o r t h of t h e Chenook and C h e c a l d i s h .
Between t h e Cowlitz and t h e f ? > a l l s H i twas i n h a b i t e d by s c a t t e r i n g bands of
Chenooks and C l i c k a t a t s .
John K.
own send's n a r r a t i v e o f h i s j o u r n e y s i n
1834 t o l d of a " t r u l y f e a r f u l f ' d e p o p u l a t i o n caused by a n epfdemic d i s e a s e
c..:,
. throughout t h e a r e a .
\.
H e wrote t h a t w h i l e encamped on a p l a i n below
::
W a r r i o r ' s P o i n t (near t h e mouth of t h e Lewis River) h e w a s n e a r s e v e r a l
l a r g e l o d g e s of Kowalitsk I n d i a n s .
When t h e Kowalitsks became bothersome,
h e r e p o r t e d t h a t h i s camp-keeper, a K l i k a t a t , who "has n o g r e a t l o v e f o r
Kowalitsk Indians", would " c l e a r t h e c o a s t . "
( P l . EX. 26, p. 342).
The
c h a p l a i n t o t h e Hudson's Bay Company, Herbert Beaver, i n a n 1836-1838
r e p o r t , w r o t e " n e a r l y two hundred of t h e K l i c k a t a c k T r i b e o f I n d i a n s have
c o n g r e g a t e d , f o r a g r i c u l t u r a l purposes, on a l a r g e p l a i n a b o u t f o u r t e e n
m i l e s d i s t a n t from t h e F o r t [ ~ a n c o u v e r ] .
. . . They
l i v e principally
by h u n t i n g , and on w i l d r o o t s , t h e i r f i r s t a t t e m p t a t c u l t i v a t i o n b e i n g
made, t h i s y e a r .
. ."
(PI. Ex. 28, pp. 58, 5 9 ) .
would be i n t h e Lewis River v a l l e y .
The d e s c r i b e d l o c a t i o n
L t . C h a r l e s Wilkes r e p o r t e d on C o w l i t z
I n d i a n s a b o u t t h e Cowlitz Landing farm of t h e Puget Sound A g r i c u l t u r a l
Company.
\
A C a t h o l i c Missionary was e s t a b l i s h e d t h e r e and t h e r e a r e
2 1 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 143
recorded r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e Cowlitz I n d i a n s i n t h a t a r e a .
S i r George Simpson, t h e Governor of t h e ~ u d s o n ' sBay Company f o r
North America, wrote i n 1841:
I1
When I descended the Cowlitz i n 1828, t h e r e was a l a r g e
p o p u l a t i o n along i t s banks; but s i n c e t h e n t h e i n t e r m i t t e n t
f e v e r , which commenced i t s ravages i n t h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r ,
had l e f t b u t few t o mourn f o r t h o s e t h a t f e l l . During t h e
whole of our d a y ' s course, t i l l w e came upon a small camp
i n t h e evening, t h e shores were s i l e n t and s o l i t a r y , t h e
d e s e r t e d v i l l a g e s forming melancholy monuments of t h e
g e n e r a t i o n t h a t had passed away."
(Def. Ex. 31, p. 176)
The a r t i s t Paul Kane i n 1846 v i s i t e d Cowlitz farm where h e p a i n t e d
t h e w l i k e n e s s of Kiscox, t h e Chief of t h e Cowlitz I n d i a n s , a small t r i b e
of about 200."
(Def. Ex. 11, p. 205).
I n t h e Commissioner of Indian A f f a i r s r e p o r t s , Joseph L. Meek i n
'-3848 l i s t e d t h e Cowlits a s numbering 500 and l i v i n g on t h e Cowlits River,
and i n 1849 Joseph Lane, Superintendent of I n d i a n A f f a i r s f o r t h e T e r r i t o r y
of Oregon, r e c o r d e d , "The Cowlitz I n d i a n s l i v e on t h e Cowlitz r i v e r from
i t s mouth t o t h e s e t t l e m e n t s .
They number about 120, t h e y have a few
arms; a r e w e l l d i s p o s e d , have a few h o r s e s , 2nd l i v e by hunting and
fishing."
(Def. Ex. 13, p. 174).
6. I n May, 1853, t h e Commissioner of I n d i a n A f f a i r s i n s t r u c t e d I s a a c
I. S t e v e n s , Governor of t h e Washington T e r r i t o r y , t o c o l l e c t a s much
i n f o l m a t i o n a s p o s s i b l e with r e s p e c t t o t h e number and l o c a l i t i e s of t h e
Indians w i t h i n t h e t e r r i t o r y .
Governor Stevens had a l s o been a p p o i n t e d
t o d i r e c t a n e x p l o r a t i o n and survey of a n o r t h e r n r o u t e f o r t h e proposed
railroad t o the Pacific.
One of the members of Governor s t e v e n s ' s t a f f
21 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 143
was D r . George Gibbs.
157
I n an e t h n o l o g i c a l r e p o r t contained i n Governor
S t e v e n s ' Reports of Explorations and Surveys, D r . Gibbs wrote:
-
"The Cowlitz, l i k e w i s e a once numerous and powerf u l t r i b e , a r e now i n s i g n i f i c a n t and f a s t d i s a p p e a r i n g .
The few bands remaining a r e intermingled w i t h t h o s e of
t h e Upper C h i h a l i s . According t o t h e b e s t e s t i m a t e s
obtained, t h e two u n i t e d a r e n o t over one hundred and
s i x t y - f i v e i n number, and a r e s c a t t e r e d i n seven p a r t i e s
between t h e mouth of t h e Cowlitz and t h e Satsop.
"The Taitinapam, a band of K l i k a t a t s a l r e a d y
mentioned, l i v i n g near t h e head of t h e Cowlitz, a r e
probably about s e v e n t y - f i v e i n number." (PI. Ex. 50,
p. 428).
The Cowlitz and Upper C h i h a l i s T r i b e s a r e l i s t e d a s l o c a t e d on t h e Cowlitz
,---.
. ---
River and t h e C h i h a l i s , above t h e Satsop.
.
D r . Gibbs i n 1856 wrote on t h e I n d i a n s of western Washington:
"The banks of t h e Columbia, from t h e Grand D a l l e s t o
i t s mouth, belong t o t h e two branches of t h e Tsinuk [Chinook]
n a t i o n , which meet i n t h e :neighborhood of t h e Kowlitz
River, and of which a n almost nominal remnant i s l e f t ;
upon t h e e l e v a t e d p l a t e a u l y i n g south of M t . Adams and
M t . S t . Helens, and upon t h e southern and western s l o p e s
of t h e l a t t e r , a r e t h e K l i k s t a t and t h e Tai-tin-apam; on
t h e Kowlitz, t h e t r i b e of t h a t name, once numerous, b u t
now almost e x t i n c t ; and i n t h e mountains n o r t h of t h e
Lower Columbia, between Shoalwater Bay and t h e heads of
t h e T s i h a l i s , t h e t r i b e of ~ i l l o p a h , (Owhillapsh,) o r , a s
termed by Mr. Hale, Kwalhioqua, now reduced t o a h a n d f u l .
"Of t h e r i v e r I n d i a n s , and general'ly of t h o s e w i t h whom
no t r e a t i e s have been made, v e r y l i t t l e i s t o be added t o
t h e observations contained i n my former r e p o r t .
In that
paper, t h e K l i k a t a t were t r e a t e d a s belonging t o t h e
e a s t e r n d i v i s i o n of t h i s T e r r i t o r y , t o which t h e i r o r i g i n a l
l o c a t i o n and a f f i n i t i e s a t t a c h them. A s , however, they
a r e h e r e spoken of a s connected with t h e w e s t e r n d i v i s i o n ,
some explanation i s necessary. A f t e r t h e depopulation of
21 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 143
t h e Columbia t r i b e s by c o n g e s t i v e f e v e r , which t o o k p l a c e
between 1820 and 1830, many of t h a t t r i b e made t h e i r way
down t h e K a t h l a ~ u t l (Lewis R i v e r ) , and a p a r t of them
s e t t l e d a l o n g t h e c o u r s e of t h a t r i v e r , w h i l e o t h e r s
c r o s s e d t h e Columbia and o v e r r a n t h e W i l l a m e t t e V a l l e y ,
more l a t e l y e s t a b l i s h i n g themselves on t h e Umkwa. W i t h i n
t h e l a s t y e a r (1855), they have been ordered by t h e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t of Oregon t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r former home, and are
now c h i e f l y i n t h i s p a r t of t h e T e r r i t o r y . The p r e s e n t
g e n e r a t i o n , f o r t h e most p a r t , l o o k upon t h e K a t h l a p u t l a s
t h e i r p r o p e r c o u n t r y , more e s p e c i a l l y as they a r e i n t e r m a r r i e d w i t h t h e remnant of t h e o r i g i n a l p r o p r i e t o r s . No
c o r r e c t c e n s u s h a s a t any t ~ h ebeen made of t h e K l i k a t a t ,
b u t t h e y a r e e s t i m a t e d a t from 300 t o 400, e x c l u s i v e o f
t h e Taitinapam.
"Of t h e Willopah (Kwalhiokwa,) o r , as t h e y c a l l themselves, Owhillapsh, t h e r e a r e y e t , i t a p p e a r s t h r e e o r
f o u r f a m i l i e s l i v i n g on t h e heads o f t h e T s i h a l i s R i v e r
above t h e f o r k s . According t o t h e account of a n o l d man,
from whom t h e vocabulary was o b t a i n e d , t h e K l a t s k a n a i , a
k i n d r e d band, till l a t e l y i n h a b i t i n g t h e mountains o n t h e
s o u t h e r n s i d e of t h e Columbia, and now a l s o n e a r l y e x t i n c t ,
formerly owned t h e p r a i r i e s on t h e T s i h a l i s a t , t h e mouth of
t h e Skukumchuk, b u t , on t h e f a i l u r e o f game, l e f t t h e
c o u n t r y and c r o s s e d t h e r i v e r . Both t h e s e bands s u b s i s t e d
c h i e f l y by h u n t i n g . A s b e f o r e mentioned, t h e y are o f t h e
T a h k a l i s t o c k , though d i v i d e d by n e a r l y s i x d e g r e e s o f
l a t i t u d e from t h e p a r e n t t r i b e . The f a c t of t h e s e migrat i o n s o f t h e K l i k a t a t and K l a t s k a n a i w i t h i n - r e c e n t p e r i o d
i s i m p o r t a n t , as i n d i c a t i n g t h e d i r e c t i o n i n which p o p u l a t i o n
h a s flowed, and t h e c a u s e s inducing t h i s s e p a r a t i o n o f t r i b e s .
(PI. Ex. 60, pp. 164, 171-172)
Hazard S t e v e n s , i n a biography of h i s f a t h e r Governor S t e v e n s ,
r e c o r d e d t h a t t h e r e were 1,115 members of t h e Chinook, C h e h a l i s , and
C m l i t z I n d i a n s i n 1857.
During t h e war of 1855-1856 L i e u t e n a n t P i e r r e
C h a r l e s , w i t h a f o r c e of Cowlitz and Chehalis I n d i a n s , s c o u t e d up t h e
C o w l i t z and Newarkurn R i v e r s and captured a number of t h e enemy.
7.
There are a number of ethnographic maps i n e v i d e n c e which show
z r i b a l names and boundaries of t h e t e r r i t o r y occupied by t h e v a r i o u s
I1
2 1 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 143
I n d i a n groups i n t h e a r e a .
The Alexander Ross map
(1821) shows t h e
"Cowlitz Nation" along t h e Cowlitz River from t h e g r e a t bend t o n e a r i t s
mouth.
Along t h e Lewis River appear
The Horatio Hale map
t h e words " C a t t l a - p u - t t l e t r i b e . "
(1841) i n d i c a t e s a Kawelits t e r r i t o r i a l boundary i n c l u d -
i n g t h e Cowlitz River extending t o Mount Ranier.
The Upper Lewis River
a r e a and Mount S t . Helens a r e included i n t h e Walawala a r e a .
The mouth
of t h e Lewis River and t h e a r e a along t h e Columbia River a p p e a r s a s Tshinuk.
The John C. Fremont map (1848) shows t h e Cou-e-lis-ke a c r o s s t h e
Cowlitz River a r e a above t h e g r e a t bend, extending from t h e e a s t e r n s l o p e s
of t h e Willapa Mountains t o t h e headwaters of t h e Cispus River.
The word
Chinooks e x t e n d s on both s i d e s of t h e Columbia River a t t h e mouth of t h e
T-
..
-.
Lewis River.
The George Gibbs map
(1853-1854) i n d i c a t e s t h e Cowlitz a r e a e x t e n d i n g
a l o n g t h e Cowlitz River and t o t h e northwest t o Mount R a i n i e r .
The mid-
Lewis River a r e a i s designated Taitinapam and t h e upper Lewis River a s
Klikatat.
Chinook.
The mouth of t h e Lewis River i s i n a n a r e a l e t t e r e d Upper
Governor Stevens map is v i r t u a l l y t h e same a s t h e Gibbs' map.
The L t . G. K. Warren map (1858) i n d i c a t e s Cowlitz extending from t h e
g r e a t bend of t h e Cowlitz River west f o r soine 20 m i l e s i n a n a r e a between
t h e C o w l i t z and T o u t l e Rivers.
A map i n 1862 f o r t h e r e p o r t of t h e Superintendent of I n d i a n A f f a i r s
h a s t h e K o w i l i t s k name a c r o s s t h e middle courses of t h e T o u t l e and
Coweman R i v e r s .
The Franz
Boas map i s based on information c o l l e c t e d by James A.
T e i t , F r a n z Boas and Leo J. Frachtenberg.
Cowlitz t e r r i t o r y i s shown
21 I n d . C 1 . Comm. 143
160
e x t e n d i n g from very n e a r t h e mouth of t h e C o w l i t z River t o i t s s o u r c e s
on t h e s l o p e s of M t . Ranier and t h e Cascades t o t h e s o u t h .
The r i d g e o f
t h e Cascades forms t h e e n t i r e e a s t e r n boundary l i n e , from Mount R a f n i e r
t o n e a r t h e Columbia River.
The Tinneh a r e shown on t h e upper C h e h a l i s
R i v e r and i n t h e Willapa Mountains.
D r . Ray drew a map showing t r i b a l b o u n d a r i e s of S a h a p t i n s p e a k i n g
p e o p l e which appeared i n M e l v i l l e ~ a c o b s 'A S k e t c h of Northern S a h a p t i n
Grammar (PI. Ex. 1 2 1 ) .
On t h a t map t h e "Mical" a r e p l a c e d n e a r Mount
R a i n i e r , t h e Ta-ipnapam a r e t o t h e s o u t h i n t h e upper C o w l i t z R i v e r a r e a ,
and t h e K l i k i t a t s a r e shown t o t h e s o u t h of Mounts S t . Helens and Adams.
The Chinook a r e shown a l o n g t h e Columbia R i v e r i n c l u d i n g t h e lower Lewis
-
'River.
The M e l v i l l e Jacobs' map accompanying H i s t o r i c P e r s p e c t i v e s i n
I n d i a n Languzges i n Oregon and Washington ( P I . Ex. 122) p l a c e s t h e lower
C o w l i t z on t h e lower Cowlitz River t o n e a r t h e Columbia; t h e upper C o w l i t z
on t h e u p r i v e r p o r t i o n
of
"Meshal" a p p e a r s n e a r Mount
t h a t stream.
R a i n i e r a n d t h e Kwalhioqua a r e i n t h e W i l l a p a Mountains.
The K l i k i t a t ' s
t e r r i t o r y i n c l u d e s most of t h e Lewis R i v e r a r e a .
The W. W. Elmendorf map shows C o w l i t z on t h e middle and lower c o u r s e s
-
of t h e Cowlitz River.
The Lewis R i v e r
as " S a h a p t i n Groups."
The Upper Chinook a r e p l a c e d a l o n g t h e Columbia R i v e r
i n c l u d i n g t h e mouth of t h e Lewis River.
Mount S t . Helens' a r e a i s l i s t e d
The Willapa Mountains a r e d e s i g n a t e d
i n t h e Athabaskan t e r r i t o r y .
8.
One o f t h e most e x t e n s i v e e t h n o g r a p h i c and h i s t o r i c a l d e s c r i p t i o n s
2 1 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 143
161
of t h e Cowlitz I n d i a n s was t h a t of Edward S. C u r t i s .
I n The N o r t h American
I n d i a n h e wrote:
"The Cowlitz comprised a b o u t t h i r t y s e t t l e m e n t s d i s t r i b u t e d a l o n g Cowlitz r i v e r from i t s j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e
Columbia t o a p o i n t a few m i l e s e a s t of t h e W i l l a m e t t e
meridian, a d i s t a n c e of f o r t y t o f i f t y m i l e s . A l l i e d
by speech and by p r o x i m i t y , t h e people o f t h e s e v i l l a g e s
were n o t p o l i t i c a l l y u n i t e d by a t r i b a l o r g a n i z a t i o n .
N e v e r t h e l e s s t h e i r language c o n t a i n e d a c o l l e c t i v e name
f o r them -- S t l p u l i m u h k l
.
"No e a r l y w r i t e r g i v e s u s a n a d e q u a t e e s t i m a t e of
t h e Cawlitz p o p u l a t i o n b e f o r e s t r a n g e d i s e a s e s began
t h e i r ravages. Native i n £ orma t i o n must t h e r e f o r e b e
r e l i e d on. From one of t h e few s u r v i v o r s was o b t a i n e d ,
a l o n g with a f u l l l i s t of t h e v i l l a g e s and t h e i r l o c a t i o n ,
a c a r e f u l e s t i m a t e of t h e number of houses i n e a c h s e t t l e ment. The r e s u l t i s s u r p r i s i n g , i n d i c a t i n g a t o t a l
of f o u r hundred and f o r t y - f i v e houses, o r a minimum popul a t i o n of more t h a n s i x thousand. I t i s s a f e t o s a y
t h a t p r i o r t o a b o u t 1830 t h e r e were f o u r thousand p e o p l e
on Cowlitz r i v e r , though i t must be s a i d t h a t a few
o f t h e v i l l a g e s n e a r i t s mouth were p a r t l y i n h a b i t e d
by Chinookan p e o p l e m a r r i e d t o Cowlitz. The e t h n o l o g i s t
Gibbs, who made h i s o b s e r v a t i o n s i n 1853 and l a t e r , supposed t h a t t h e maximum number of Cowlitz and Upper
Chehalis w a s f o u r thousand, b u t a t t h e t i m e h e w r o t e
t h e Cowlitz were r a p i d l y approaching e x t i n c t i o n .
The s w i f t d e p l e t i o n of t h i s t r i b e w a s due a l m o s t
wholly t o epidemic d i s e a s e . I t i s known t h a t between
1820 and 1830 c o n g e s t i v e f e v e r worked havoc among t h e
t r i b e s of t h e lower Columbia. About 1830 m e a s l e s
a t t a c k e d t h e Cowlitz w i t h t e r r i b l e e f f e c t , and a b o u t
1845 a v i s i t a t i o n of c h o l e r a r e s u l t e d i n some two
hundred d e a t h s . Then q u i c k l y followed f e v e r and c h i l l s ,
and t h e f e v e r - r a c k e d n a t i v e s , throwing themselves i n t o
t h e streams f o r r e l i e f , h a s t e n e d t h e end. More t h a n
h a l f t h e people d i e d a t t h i s time, d e c l a r e s a woman who
survived t h e a t t a c k . Many a house was l e f t empty, o r
w i t h a s i n g l e occupant. Then i n r a p i d s u c c e s s i o n came
measles, c h o l e r a , f e v e r , and a g a i n t h e m e a s l e s , and
f i n a l l y a few y e a r s l a t e r a n outbreak o f smallpox comp l e t e d t h e work and l e f t t h e Cowlitz l i t t l e more t h a n a
name. Whiskey played b u t a n i n s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e i n t h e
e x t i n c t i o n of t h i s t r i b e .
.
71 Ind. C 1 . Comrn. 143
I1
The C m l i t z never e n t e r e d i n t o a t r e a t y w i t h t h e
United S t a t e s , b u t t h e remnant was s e t t l e d on Puyallup
reservation."
( P I . Ex. 113, p. 5)
He l i s t e d some 29 Cowlitz v i l l a g e l o c a t i o n s a l o n g t h e Cowlitz River.
~ c r i b e dt h e Millapa
He
a s a s m a l l , i s o l a t e d , Athapascan group which
occupied t h e c o u r s e of t h e Willapa River from W i l l a p a , Washington, t o i t s
s o u r c e and t h e p r a i r i e s between t h e headwaters of t h e C h e h a l i s and Cowlitz
Rivers
.
The C u r t i s r e p o r t d e s c r i b e d t h e Chinookan T r i b e s a s occupying t h e
banks of t h e Columbia River and i t s t r i b u t a r i e s from t h e r a p i d s a t t h e
Dalles t o the sea.
The exceptions t o t h i s t e r r i t o r i a l occupation were
" t h e v i c i n i t y of K l i c k i t a t r i v e r where some K l i c k i t a t had come down from
: t h e i n t e r i o r and i n t e r m a r r i e d with t h e Chinookans, Lewis r i v e r , which
a l s o was h e l d by t h e K l i c k i t a t , Cowlitz river, t h e v a l l e y o f which was
occupied by t h e Cowlitz, a S a l i s h a n t r i b e , and t h e s i t e s of Westporr
and C l a t s k a n i e , Oregon, where a band of Athapascans
had s e t t l e d .
from Willapa R i v e r
I n a l l c a s e s t h e s e a l i e n t r i b e s were l a t e comers; i n o t h e r
words t h e Chtnookan s t o c k once h e l d unbroken a s t r i p of t e r r i t o r y from
t h e ocean t o &he D a l l e s of t h e Columbia i n Washington and Oregon."
(PI. Ex. 112, p. 85).
9 . The Handbook of American I n d i a n s , by F r e d e r i c k Webb Hodge, r e c o r d s :
" C o x l i t z . A S a l i s h t r i b e formerly on t h e r i v e r of
t h e same name i n s. w. Washington. Once numerous and
p o w e r f u l , they were s a i d by Gibbs i n 1853 t o be i n s i g n i f i c a n t , numbering with t h e Upper C h e h a l i s , w i t h whom they
were mingled, n o t more than 165. About 1887 t h e r e were
127 on Puyallup res., Wash. They a r e no longer by t h iIIs
name, b e i n g e v i d e n t l y o f f i c i a l l y c l a s s e d a s Chehalis.
( P I . Ex. 142, p . 355)
21 I n d . C l . Comm. 143
Hodgets Handbook a l s o d e s c r i b e s t h e Taitinapam a s :
"A small Shahaptian t r i b e spehking t h e K l i k i t a t
language and formerly l i v i n g between t h e headwaters
o f Lewis and Cowlitz rs. i n Skamania c o . , Wash.
They were never o f f i c i a l l y recognized by t h e Government and i f any s u r v i v e t h e y have probably been
merged i n t h e K l i k i t a t t r i b e . ' '
and t h e K l i k i t a t a s :
.
10.
"A Shahaptian t r i b e whose former s e a t w a s a t
t h e headwaters of t h e C o w l i t z , Lewis, White Salmon,
and K l i c k i t a t rs., n. of Columbia r . , i n K l i c k i t a t
and Skamania c o s . , Wash. T h e i r e a s t e r n neighbors were
t h e Yakima, who speak a c l o s e l y r e l a t e d language,
and on t h e w. they were met by v a r i o u s S a l i s h a n and
Chinookan t r i b e s . I n 1805 Lewis and C l a r k r e p o r t e d
them as w i n t e r i n g on Yakima and K l i c k i t a t rs., and
e s t i m a t e d t h e i r number a t a b o u t 700. Between 1820
and 1830 t h e t r i b e s of W i l l a m e t t e v a l l e y were v i s i t e d
by a n epidemic of f e v e r and g r e a t l y reduced i n numbers.
Taking advantage of t h e i r weakness, t h e K l i k i t a t c r o s s e d
t h e Columbia and f o r c e d t h e i r way as f a y s. as t h e
v a l l e y of t h e Umpqua. T h e i r occupancy of t h i s t e r r i t o r y
was temporary, however, and t h e y were s p e e d i l y compelled
t o r e t i r e t o t h e i r o l d s e a t n. of t h e Columbia. The
K l i k i t a t were always a c t i v e and e n t e r p r i s i n g t r a d e r s ,
a n d from t h e i r f a v o r a b l e p o s i t i o n became w i d e l y known
as i n t e r m e d i a r i e s between t h e c o a s t t r i b e s and t h o s e
l i v i n g e . o f t h e Cascade range. They joined i n t h e
Yakima t r e a t y a t Camp S t e v e n s , Wash., June 9 , 1855, by
which they ceded t h e i r l a n d s t o t h e United S t a t e s .
They a r e now almost wholly on Yaliima r e s . , Wash., where
t h e y have become s o merged w i t h r e l a t e d t r i b e s t h a t a n
a c c u r a t e e s t i m a t e of t h e i r number i s impossible. Of
t h e groups s t i l l recognized on t h a t r e s e r v a t i o n t h e
Topinish a r e probably t h e i r n e a r e s t r e l a t i v e s (Mooney
i n 1 4 t h Rep. B. A. E . , 738, 1896) and may b e regarded
a s a branch of t h e K l i k i t a t , and t h e Taitinapam, speaki n g t h e same tongue, a s a n o t h e r minor branch.
One of
t h e s e t t l e m e n t s of t h e K l i k i t a t w a s Wiltkun."
John R. Swanton i n The I n d i a n T r i b e s of North America l o c a t e d
t h e C o w l i t z on "most of t h e lower and a l l t h e middle c o u r s e of C o w l i t z
21 Ind. C l . Comm. 143
River ."
164
( P I . Ex. 152, p . 4 2 2 ) .
He a l s o wrote t h a t t h e H u l l o o e t e l l
( r e p o r t e d by Lewis an? C l a r k on t h e Cowlitz and Lewis R i v e r s ) may have
been a s u b d i v i s i o n of t h e S k i l l o o t I n d i a n s .
He l i s t e d t h e C a t h l a p o t l e
(meaning people of Lewis R i v e r ) a s belonging t o t h e Chinookan l i n g u i s t i c
s t o c k and l o c a t e d on t h e lower p a r t of Lewis River and t h e s o u t h e a s t s i d e
of t h e Columbia R i v e r i n C l a r k County.
11.
D r . H e r b e r t C. T a y l o r and D r . L e s t e r L. Hoagland r e s e a r c h e d t h e
I n d i a n epidemic of t h e 1830's and t h e i r r e p o r t w a s p u b l i s h e d i n 1962
( E t h n o h i s t o r y , Vol. 9, No. 2 , S p r i n g 1962).
I n t h a t paper t h e
Cowlitz
were d e s c r i b e d as,
.
. . A S a l i s h a n - s p e a k i n g group now known as t h e Lower
Cowlitz, who around 1820 l i v e d on t h e Cowlitz R i v e r ,
from a b o u t t h e p r e s e n t town of Mossy Rock, Lewis County,
Washington, t o a few m i l e s above t h e j u n c t u r e of t h e
C o w l i t z and Columbia r i v e r s . The term s p e c i f i c a l l y
does n o t i n c l u d e t h e Sahaptin-speaking Taidnapam, now
known as Upper Cowlitz, who l i v e on t h e upper r e a c h e s o f
t h e C o w l i t z R i v e r , n o r does i t i n c l u d e t h e Chinookan...
speaking S k i l l o o t ( K r e l u i t ) who l i v e d a t t h e mouth o f
t h e C o w l i t z River. The S k i l l o o t a r e subsumed under
t h e term Chinook." (Def. Ex. 3 3 , p. 161)
11
P l a i n t i f f ' s e x p e r t w i t n e s s was D r . Verne F. Ray who t e s t i f i e d
b e f o r e t h e Commission and who prepared a s p e c i a l a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l r e p o r t
Handbook of Cowlitz I n d i a n s which was i n t r o d u c e d i n t o e v i d e n c e as p l a i n t i f f ' s
E x h i b i t 161.
D r . Ray t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e claimed a r e a was o c c u p i e d by
f o u r I n d i a n groups which t o g e t h e r c o n s t i t u t e d t h e Cowlitz T r i b e .
t h e (1) Lower C o w l i t z , (2) Upper Cowlitz,
(4) t h e Mountain Cowlitz.
They w e r e
( 3 ) Lewis River C o w l i t z and
He c o n s i d e r e d t h a t t h e f i r s t t h r e e s u b d i v i s i o n s
21 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 143
h a s been a s s o c i a t e d a s a t r i b e s i n c e time beyond memory, w h i l e t h e f o u r t h
had amalgamated w i t h them during t h e f i r s t q u a r t e r of t h e 1 9 t h Century.
That f o u r t h group was i n D r . Ray's opinion t h e occupants of t h e Willapa
H i l l s and t h e d r a i n a g e of t h e Upper Chehalis River.
H e reported t h a t
a r e a t o have been o r i g i n a l l y occupied by t h e Athapascan-speaking I n d i a n s
known a s t h e Kwalhiokwas.
That t r i b e , however, dwindled i n t h e l a s t p a r t
It i s D r . Ray's
of t h e e i g h t e e n t h and t h e e a r l y n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r i e s .
opinion t h a t they i n t e r m a r r i e d with Cowlitz and by t h e middle of t h e
nine'teenth c e n t u r y had completed a n amalgamation w i t h t h e Cowlitz.
The t h i r d group, t h e Lewis River Cowlitz, i n D r . Ray' s o p i n i o n , occupied
/--
t h e Lewis River t e r r i t o r y .
Although he recognized t h a t t h i s a r e a h a s
g e n e r a l l y been a s c r i b e d t o Chinook (near t h e Lewis River mouth) and K l i k i t a t
o r Taitnapam, D r . Ray found t h a t t h i s was occasioned by l i n g u i s t i c c o n f u s i o n
and a l a c k of knowledge of t h e s e Lewis r i v e r "Cowlitz".
However, D r . Ray
d i d r e p o r t i n h i s Handbook t h a t p r i o r t o t h e 1830's Chinookan speaking
peoples h e l d a s t r i p of t e r r i t o r y along t h e Columbia River.
This s t r i p
would have extended i n l a n d f i v e miles from t h e mouth o f t h e Lewis River
( o r , h e computed, about f o u r m i l e s from t h e Columbia R i v e r ) .
13.
Defendant's e x p e r t w i t n e s s was D r . C a r r o l l R i l e y , who a l s o
t e s t i f i e d b e f o r e t h e Commission and whose r e p o r t on t h e Cowlitz I n d i a n s
was r e c e i v e d i n evidence a s ~ e f e n d a n t ' sExhibit 38.
H e concluded t h a t
t h e Cowlitz T r i b e i n a b o r i g i n a l times used and occupied t h e lower and
middle c o u r s e s of t h e Cowlitz River.
(---
D r . Riley t e s t i f i e d concerning D r .
Ray's "Lewis River Cowlitz" t h a t they were:
?1 I n d . C 1 . Comm. 143
.
166
. . a group of p e o p l e s p e a k i n g e i t h e r Taitnapan o r
. D r . J a c o b s who d i d t h e
K l i k i t a t d i a l e c t s or both .
e t h n o l o g i c a l work on t h e T a i t n a p a n seems t o c a l l them
K l i k i t a t . They a r e v a r i o u s l y r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e
e a r l i e r documents u s u a l l y a s K l i k i t a t o r r a i t n a p a n . A t
any r a t e t h e y were S a h a p t i n speaking peoples. I d o n o t
know. I s e e no e v i d e n c e whatsoever f o r c o n s i d e r i n g
t h e s e Cowlitz. I am i n t h e s t r o n g e s t of disagreement
w i t h D r . Ray--the most emphatic disagreement h e r e . I
d o n o t b e l i e v e t h e s e Lewis R i v e r p e o p l e should e v e r
b e c o n s i d e r e d C o w l i t z and I do n o t t h i n k on t h e b a s i s
o f t h e e v i d e n c e t h a t we have h e r e t h a t they were s o
c o n s i d e r e d (Tr. 245, 246) . I '
II
.
D r . R i l e y a l s o found a r a t h e r b a s i c disagreement w i t h D r . Ray con"U
Although D r . R i l e y r e c o g n i z e d
c e r n i n g t h e "Upper Cowlitz" d e s i g n a t i o n .
t h a t Upper C o w l i t z w a s a term used i n Governor Stevens' time, h e f e l t
t h a t t h e a r e a w a s r e a l l y ~ o s s e s s e dby t h e Taitnapan.
And D r . R i l e y t e s t i f i e d t h a t h e r e a l l y d i d n o t d i s a g r e e w i t h D r .
Ray's i d e n t i t y o f t h e W i l l a p a H i l l s a r e a .
D r . Riley believed t h e a r e a t o
h a v e b e e n occupied by Athapascan s p e a k i n g I n d i a n s who were i n t h e p r o c e s s
o f d y i n g o u t i n t h e f i r s t p a r t of t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y b u t h e c o u l d
n o t a g r e e t h a t t h o s e I n d i a n s "simply switched o v e r t o being Cowlitz."
.
-
14.
On March 22, 1854, Colonel U. T. Simmons was a p p o i n t e d s p e c i a l
I n d i a n Agent f o r Washington T e r r i t o r y .
Governor I s a a c S t e v e n s of
Washington T e r r i t o r y i n s t r u c t e d him t o make a t o u r of t h e v a r i o u s t r i b e s
w i t h i n h i s d i s t r i c t t o prepare the Indians f o r future negotiations.
A c t i n g Commissioner of I n d i a n A f f a i r s C h a r l e s E. Mix, on August 30,
1854, n o t i f i e d Governor S t e v e n s t h a t t h e l a t t e r bad been d e s i g n a t e d by t h e
P r e s i d e n t t o conduct t r e a t y n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h t h e I n d i a n t r i b e s i n t h e
21 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 143
T e r r i t o r y of Washington.
167
Mix i n s t r u c t e d S t e v e n s t o endeavor t o u n i t e t h e
numerous bands, and fragments of t r i b e s i n t o c r i b e s and ~ r o v i d ef o r t h e
c o n c e n t r a t i o n of one o r more of such t r i b e s upon t h e r e s e r v a t i o n s which
may be s e t a p a r t f o r t h e i r f u t u r e homes.
I n February 1855, Governor S t e v e n s commenced t r e a t y n e g o t i a t i o n s a t
2
.
a p o i n t on t h e C h e h a l i s R i v e r w i t h t h e Upper and Lower C h e h a l i s , C o w l i t z ,
Lower Chinook, Q u i n a u l t and Q u e e t s I n d i a n s .
James G. Swan, a s e t t l e r i n
t h e a r e a , who was p r e s e n t a t t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s l a t e r w r o t e [ 1 8 5 7 ] : "Around
t h e s i d e s of t h e s q u a r e were ranged t h e t e n t s and wigwams o f t h e I n d i a n s ,
each t r i b e having a s p a c e a l l o t t e d t o i t .
The Coast I n d i a n s w e r e p l a c e d
,--..
a t t h e lower p a r t of t h e camp; f i r s t t h e Chinooks, then t h e C h e h a l i s ,
'
=
Q u e n i u l t and Quaitso, S a t s o p o r S a t c h a p , Upper C h e h a l i s , and C o w l i t z .
These d i f f e r e n t t r i b e s
had s e n t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s t o t h e c o u n c i l and t h e r e
were p r e s e n t about t h r e e hundred and f i f t y of them, and t h e b e s t of
f e e l i n g s p r e v a i l e d among them a l l . "
( P l . Ex. 47, pp. 337, 3 3 8 . )
The
proposed t r e a t y w a s drawn and provided t h a t t h e I n d i a n s w e r e t o c e d e a l l
the territory:
11
...
commencing on t h e P a c i f i c c o a s t , a t t h e d i v i d e
o f t h e Q u a i t s o and Hooch R i v e r s , thence e a s t between
t h e same, along t h e l i n e of t h e Quillah*
tribe, t o
t h e summit of t h e c o a s t r a n g e ; thence s o u t h , a l o n g t h e
l i n e of t h e Chemakum and Skokomish t r i b e s , t o t h e f o r k s
of t h e Satsop R i v e r ; t h e n c e s o u t h e a s t e r l y , a l o n g t h e
l a n d s ceded by t h e N i s q u a l l y I n d i a n s , t o t h e summit o f
t h e Black H i l l s , and a c r o s s t h e same t o t h e banks o f
t h e Skookumchuck Creek; t h e n c e up s a i d c r e e k t o t h e
s u m m i t of t h e Cascade r a n g e ; s o u t h , along t h e r a n g e , t o
t h e d i v i d e between t h e w a t e r s of t h e Cowlitz and
Cathlapoodl R i v e r s ; t h e n c e southwestwardly t o t h e l a n d
o f the Upper Chenooks, t o t h e Columbia R i v e r and down
21 I n d . C 1 . C m .
143
t h a t r i v e r t o t h e sea."
( P l . Ex. 47, pp. 343, 344.)
Governor S t e v e n s 2roposed t o t h e I n d i a n s t h a t t h e y c e d e t h e i r l a n d s
and move t o a s i n g l e r e s e r v a t i o n t o be s e l e c t e d f o r them b u t t h e I n d i a n s
were adamant f o r r e s e r v a t i o n s i n t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e t e r r i t o r i e s .
The Upper
C h e h a l i s wanted t h e i r r e s e r v a t i o n t o i n c l u d e Mound P r a i r i e and s m i t h ' s
Prairie,
The Lower C h e h a l i s d e s i r e d " t h r e e m i l e s above and below
'Wahnoolchie'
f o r a r e s e r v e on t h e C h i h a l i s . "
Yowannus spoke a s head
c h i e f o f t h e Upper C h e h a l i s w h i l e Tu-leh-uk spoke a s head c h i e f o f t h e
Lower C h e h a l i s . C h a h - l a t "a sub c h i e f from t h e North s i d e of
ray's Harbor"
e x p r e s s e d a d e s i r e t o s p e a k "of h i s land" which he wanted t o r e t a i n .
I
Tee-whit o f " S a t s o p and Squatsen" wanted p a r t of h i s l a n d f o r a r e s e r v e .
- L a t e r Anannata, "sub c h i e f Upper C h i h a l i s " s t a t e d h e spoke f o r t h e
11
C o w l i t z and S a t s o p too" and t h a t t h e y would g i v e up a l l t h e i r l a n d f o r a
r e s e r v e from " t h e mouth of Black R i v e r down t o t h e lower end o f S m i t h ' s
prairie."
Yowannus s t a t e d "We have f i n a l l y s e t t l e d on a p l a c e f o r t h e s e
f i v e bands, t h e C o w l i t z , Upper C o w l i t z , Upper C h e h a l i s , S a t s o p , and
Mountain I n d i a n s ( a remnant of t h e Kwalk w i o quas)."
"We g i v e up a l l o u r l a n d s t o you b u t a small p i e c e .
a d i f f e r e n t language.
Tu-leh-uk
said
We Kwinai-utl s p e a k
A 1 1 t h e s e on t h i s r i v e r from Wan o o l c h i e down a r e
w i l l i n g t o go t o g e t h e r . "
Mak-an-hu,
"North s i d e of G r a y ' s Bay" s t a t e d
h e wanted t h e Governor t o l o o k o u t f o r t h o s e n o r t h of t h e C h e h a l i s and
tl
t h e y a r e w i l l i n g t o g i v e up t h e i r l a n d s and go over on t h e w e s t s i d e w i t h
Tu-le-huk.
They have f o u r r i v e r s on t h e Northern s i d e which t h e y g i v e up."
The S a t s o p and C o w l i t z expressed a w i l l i n g n e s s t o g i v e up t h e i r l a n d s
h
P
21 I n d . C l . Comm. 143
169
and go on t h e r e s e r v e asked f o r by t h e Upper C h e h a l i s .
Mo-te-lis,
"a
sub c h i e f from n o r t h s i d e of Gray's Harbor" claimed t o own a l a r g e c o u n t r y
on t h e n o r t h s i d e of Gray's Harbor and s t a t e d h e wanted t o remain t h e r e .
Kishkok, Cowlitz c h i e f , s a i d they were w i l l i n g t o move t o t h e S a t s o p
country.
Yowannus, Upper Chehalis c h i e f , s t a t e d t h e Governor had g i v e n
him a p a p e r "on M r . Ford's recommendation.
H e gave up a l l t h e c o u n t r y
t h a t had belonged t o him and came down t o t h e S a t c h e l , and wanted t h e
p l a c e t o extend t o a small c r e e k below i t , f o r t h e f i v e o r s i x bands h e
had spoken of."
Governor Stevens would n o t accede t o t h e r e q u e s t s of t h e
I n d i a n s f o r t h e r e s e r v a t i o n s they d e s i r e d and no t r e a t y was consummated.
-
I n 1857, S p e c i a l Indian Agent Ford, w e s t e r n D i s t r i c t of Washington
T e r r i t o r y , w r o t e t h a t t h e Upper and Lower C h e h a l i s t r i b e s were w i t h i n h i s
district.
H e recommended t h a t a t r e a t y b e made w i t h t h e I n d i a n s o f h i s
d i s t r i c t , and t h a t two r e s e r v a t i o n s be set a s i d e f o r them.
I n 1858,
I n d i a n Agent U. T. Sinnnons made a s i m i l a r r e q u e s t i n h i s annual r e p o r t .
On May 17, 1864, t h e Commissioner of I n d i a n A f f a i r s w r o t e t o t h e
S e c r e t a r y of t h e I n t e r i o r with r e s p e c t t o a proposed r e s e r v a t i o n f o r
t h e Chehalis Indians.
The C o d s s i o n e r s t a t e d i n p a r t a s f o l l o w s
( I Kapp. 901):
. .
. It w i l l be seen by S u p e r i n t e n d e n t H a l e ' s l e t t e r of
J u l y 3, 1862, t h a t t h e country claimed by t h e s e I n d i a n s i s
l a r g e , comprising some 1,500 s q u a r e m i l e s ; t h a t t h e y have
n e v e r been t r e a t e d w i t h , b u t t h a t t h e Government h a s s u r veyed t h e g r e a t e r p a r t of i t w i t h o u t t h e i r consent and i n
t h e f a c e of t h e i r remonstrances; and t h e c h o i c e s t p o r t i o n s
o f t h e i r l a n d s have been occupied by t h e w h i t e s w i t h o u t any
r e m u n e r a t i o n t o them, and w i t h o u t t h e i r consent o r having
r e l i n q u i s h e d t h e i r claim o r r i g h t t o i t . They have been t h u s
It
21 I n d . C 1 . Comm. 143
crowded o u t and excluded from t h e u s e of t h e l a n d s c l a i m e d by
them and t h o s e which they have h e r e t o f o r e c u l t i v a t e d f o r t h e i r
s u p p o r t . T h i s h a s caused much d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n and t h r e a t e n s
s e r i o u s t r o u b l e , and they m a n i f e s t a d e t e r m i n a t i o n n o t t o be
f o r c e d from what t h e y c l a i m a s t h e i r c o u n t r y . A f t e r v a r i o u s
p r o p o s i t i o n s made t o them by S u p e r i n t e n d e n t Hale, l o o k i n g t o
t h e i r removal and j o i n t occupacion of o t h e r I n d i a n r e s e r v a t i o n s ,
t o a l l which they s t r e n u o u s l y o b j e c t e d , t h e y e x p r e s s e d w i l l i n g n e s s t o r e l i n q u i s h a l l t h e l a n d s h i t h e r t o claimed by them,
provided they s h a l l n o t be removed, and p r o v i d e d t h a t a s u f f i c i e n t q u a n t i t y of l a n d s h a l l b e r e t a i n e d by them a t t h e mouth
of t h e Black River a s a r e s e r v a t i o n .
Although v a r i o u s o f f i c i a l s of t h e United S t a t e s c o n t i n u e d t h e e f f o r t
t o make a t r e a t y w i t h t h e Cowlitz, t h e C h e h a l i s , and o t h e r w e s t e r n
Washington t r i b e s , no t r e a t y w a s e v e r e x e c u t e d w i t h any of them.
Follow-
i n g t h e u n s u c c e s s f u l end of t h e t r e a t y n e g o t i a t i o n s on March 3 , 1855, t h e
United S t a t e s d e a l t w i t h t h e l a n d s of t h e s e I n d i a n s a s p u b l i c l a n d s , t h e r e by d e p r i v i n g t h e s e I n d i a n groups, i n c l u d i n g t h e p l a i n t i f f C o w l i t z I n d i a n s ,
of t h e i r o r i g i n a l I n d i a n t i t l e w i t h o u t t h e i r c o n s e n t and w i t h o u t t h e
payment o f any compensation t h e r e f o r .
15.
The Conmission f i n d s t h a t a t t h e time of t h e unexecuted t r e a t y
o f March 3 , 1855, and f o r a long t i m e p r i o r t h e r e t o t h e p l a i n t i f f exc l u s i v e l y used and occupied i n I n d i a n f a s h i o n , and hence had a b o r i g i n a l
t i t l e t o , t h e t r a c t bounded and d e s c r i b e d a s f o l l o w s :
Beginning a t Naches Peak, t h e n c e southward t o Old
Snowy ' ~ o u n t a i n , t h e n c e s o u t h w e s t e r l y a l o n g t h e d i v i d e
between u p p e r Cispus River and upper C o w l i t z River t o
t h e mouth of Adams Creek, thence s o u t h w e s t e r l y i n a s t r a i g h t
l i n e t o t h e mouth of t h e Kalaina R i v e r , t h e n c e n o r t h w e s t e r l y
a l o n g t h e middle channel of t h e Columbia R i v e r t o t h e upr i v e r end of F i s h e r I s l a n d , t h e n c e n o r t h e a s t e r l y and a l o n g
t h e d i v i d e between Coal Creek and C l a r k Creek t o t h e d i v i d e
s e p a r a t i n g t h e w a t e r s of Tucker and Delameter Creeks from
Monahan C r e e k , thence n o r t h w e s t e r l y a l o n g s a i d d i v i d e t o
21 Ind. C l . Comm. 143
Abernathy Mountain, thence n o r t h e r l y i n a s t r a i g h t l i n e t o
t h e mouth of Dillenbaugh Creek, on t h e s i t e of t h e p r e s e n t
town of C h e h a l i s , Washington, thence e a s t e r l y t o t h e s o u t h e a s t c o r n e r of S e c t i o n 30, Range 1 W . , Township 1 4 N.,
t h e n c e n o r t h e a s t e r l y t o t h e c o n f l u e n c e of Johnson Creek
and Skookumchuck R i v e r , t h e n c e n o r t h e a s t e r l y t o Bald H i l l ,
t h e n c e due s o u t h t o t h e d i v i d e s e p a r a t i n g t h e w a t e r s of t h e
N i s q u a l l y R i v e r and t h e Cowlitz River and t h e n c e e a s t e r l y
and n o r t h e a s t e r l y a l o n g s a i d d i v i d e t o P i n a c l e Peak, t h e n c e
n o r t h e a s t e r l y t o t h e p o i n t of beginning.
16.
The Commission f u r t h e r f i n d s t h a t t h e a r e a i n t h e n o r t h w e s t
p o r t i o n of t h e claimed t r a c t , known a s t h e Willapa H i l l s a r e a , was occupied
i n t h e e a r l y 1 8 0 0 ' s by t h e Kwalhioqua I n d i a n s and t h a t t h e C o w l i t z d i d n o t
e x c l u s i v e l y u s e and occupy t h a t a r e a p r i o r t o t h e 1855 t a k i n g .
r\
:;
-.
The Commission f u r t h e r f i n d s t h a t t h e Lewis R i v e r a r e a i n t h e s o u t h e r n
p o r t i o n of t h e claimed t r a c t w a s v a r i o u s l y used and occupied by o t h e r
- .
Indian groups during t h e 1800's.
Therefore, t h a t a r e a w a s n o t e x c l u s i v e l y
used and occupied by Cowlitz I n d i a n s .
!SR-.- Vance,
3
,b4
Commissioner
Richard W. 9arbo$bughq, Comrnisd~6ner