Townsend & CJ

[Dave Robertson]

Wyeth's Oregon, or a Short History of a Long Journey, 1832; and Townsend's 
Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains, 1834

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ammemhome.html

Page 341 { page image }

March 1st.-- There is an amusing little Indian living in this 
neighborhood, who calls himself, "tanas tie," (little chief,) and he is so 
probably in every sense of the term. In person, he stands about four feet 
six, in his moccasins; but no exquisite in the fashionable world, no 
tinselled dandy in high life, can strut and stamp, and fume with more 
dignity and self consequence. His name, he says, is Quâlaskin; but in the 
fort, he is known by the cognomen of "busy body," from his restless 
anxiety to pry into every body's business, and his curiosity to know the 
English name of every article he sees;ikata ookook?-- ikata ookook? (what 
is this?-- what is this?) kahta pasiooks yahhalle? (what is its English 
name?) are expressions which he is dinning in your ears, whenever he 
enters a room in the fort. If you answer him, he attempts the 
pronunciation after you, and it is often not a little ludicrous. He is 
evidently proud of the name the white people have given him, not 
understanding its import, but supposing it to be a title of great honor 
and dignity. If he is asked his Indian name, he answers very modestly, 
Quâlaskin, (muddy river,) but if his pasiooks yahhalle is required, he 
puffs up his little person to its utmost dimensions, and tells you with a 
simper of pride and self complacency, that it is "mizzy moddy."

Page 364 { page image }

"......I remained here several days, making excursions through the 
neighborhood, and each time when I returned to the lodge, the dogs growled 
and darted at me. I had no notion of being bitten, so I gave the Indians 
warning, that unless the snarling beasts were tied up when I came near, I 
would shoot every one of them. The threat had the effect desired, and 
after this, whenever [258] I approached the lodges, there was a universal 
stir among the people, and the words, "iskam kahmooks, iskam kahmooks, 
kalak'alah tie chahko," (take up your dogs, take up your dogs, the bird 
chief is coming,) echoed through the little village, and was followed by 
the yelping and snarling of dozens of wolf-dogs, and "curs of low degree," 
all of which were gathered in haste to the cover and protection of one of 
the houses.

Townsend, John Kirk, 1809-1851. 



OTHER TITLES
Narrative of a journey across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River 

CREATED/PUBLISHED
Cleveland, Ohio, 1905.

NOTES
"Reprint of pp. 1-186, 217-274, o

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