De Armond, Robert N. "The USS Saginaw in Alaskan Waters, 1867-1868" (msg 1)

[David D. Robertson]

More excerpts to come in further postings.

Published as Alaska History No. 46 by the Limestone Press, Kingston,
Ontario in 1997.

Page 3:  April 29th, 1867:  The Saginaw picks up Pilot Robert Hicks at
Esquimalt on Vancouver Island; he's 40 years old, native of England,
veterand of the British and US Navies, of whaling ships, and of HBC
vessels.  On this voyage, he also serves as interpreter "for at least some
of the Indian languages".

Page 59:  Thursday, December 31, 1867:  [Diary of Peveril Meigs, captain's
clerk:]  "Perry went hunting alone this morning and the Siwash (Indian) man
adn I went together...The coldest operation is washing our faces and hands
in the morning, as we have to break the ice to get at the chuck (water) and
when we _do_ get it, it is hi-as cool (very cold)."

Page 60:  [Meigs:]  "The Siwash was in the woods all day but found
no 'mowitch' (deer)."

Page 61:  [Meigs:]  "...[T]urned in for the night after Perry's reading
about a dozen chapters of the Bible, in the most sing-song manner, causing
the Siwash much merriment."

Page 63:  [Meigs:]  "...[T]he Chilcat 'Hyas Tyee' had been taken
prisoner..."

Page 77-78:  [Meigs:]  "Jan. 19, Tues.  I went with Mr. Pillsbury to the
coal-mine this morning in the 3rd cutter, and met quite a nice
little 'klootchman' there.  She and I had quite a chat, considering the
little knowledge I have of Chinook...[W]hen I left she waved her
handkerchief and bowed as though she really wanted me to stay, but I
said, 'Not for Joseph,' and I expect she said in return, 'Wake kumtux', ('I
don't understand.') ... There were five 'klootchmen' sitting around the
fire, all seemingly pleased with my Chinook attempts...Two more nice
little 'klootchmen' came alongside in the afternoon and I pleased them so
well that they wanted mightily to come aboard and take a nearer look at me;
but I told them the 'Tyee' (chief) said 'wake', (no)...We had to duck
the 'klootchmen' with buckets of water, tonight, to keep them away from the
ship.

Page 78-79:  [Meigs:]  "Jan. 20, Wed...A 'klootchman' brought a papoose
alongside yesterday and when I asked her how much she would take for it,
said, 'Quinam sitkum donner,' ('five half dollars')...Three 'klootchmen'
came off in a canoe this morning.  One of them was the best looking one I
have seen yet...She wanted me to go ashore but I said 'Wake'...[S]he called
to me quite excitedly, and told me to get in the boat, but still I
said 'Wake.' ... At last she said she would go ashore and fix herself up
fine and come on board the ship, but I told her the 'Tyhee' wouldn't let
her."  [Dave notes:  <donner> is what we'd expect in a Tlingit-accented
Chinook Jargon, and the Saginaw was in Tlingit territory at this time.
Contrast with Meigs' own CJ <cool>, above, showing no replacement of /l/
with /n/.]

Page 79:  [Meigs:]  "Jan. 21, Thur.  We paid the 'Siwashes' for the coal
and wood today...I jumped into a canoe this afternoon with a Siwash and
Tenas Klootchman..."

Page 89:  [Capt. Thomas Gray, in command of Fort Wrangell:]  "Torryat
says...the Sitkas took it all -- giving 1/3 part of the goods, etc. to the
guide of the white party, a Sitka Indian, who was rather a young man,
speaking a little Chinook."

Page 90:  [Meigs:]  "The supposed 'Chinaman' is a Sitka Siwash."

ibid.:  [De Armond:]  "For years, perhaps for generations, groups of
Indians from Southeastern Alaska and British Columbia had traveled to Puget
Sound to trade, plunder, acquire slaves, or perhaps just to see the
country.  After settlement of the Puget Sound area by whites, the Indians
also hired out to pick hops."