Ferndale Union High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Ferndale, CA)

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The Subjugation of the Wietchpecs At a time when this coast knew no other inhabitants but the Indian there were two tribes at war with each other. ' The WVietchpecs had come from their camps on the banks of the Klamath and invaded the hunting grounds of the Weeotts. The country was laid waste, for the Wietchpecs were many and their strength was great, but the dauntless Weeotts were brave. For forty days alll nights they fought and so great was the number of the slain that the peaceful beautiful river of the Weeotts ran blood. So great was the amount of blood that the flesh of the salmon in the river was tainted red and it has ever remained. I At last the Weeotts felt that they could no longer hold out against the enemy and as a last resort they prayed to the Great Spirit to succor them. The Great Spirit heard and that night he drew two whales out of the sea and placed them in a hole in the mountains. Then he gatherer an armful of redwoods and built a mighty fire around them. When they began to cook and bake the Wietchpecs smelt the spicy odor and immediately drove away the Weeotts from around the fire. All night long they danced about the baking whales and ate the flesh. When day dawned a great sleep and numbness overtook them. They sank down where they stood. lt was then that the Weeotts avenged their wrongs for they killed everyone of the Wietchpecs and in the camps in the north there was a great wailing for the spirits of the braves that failed to return. Again the valley of the Weeotts was peaceful, the enemy had been vanquished and the conquerors had proven that numbers did not denote strength. The VVeeotts worshipped the Great Spirit and thanked him and held the place sacred where the whales had been roasted. This place has been named by the white people that have since settled in the Weeott or Eel River Valley, The Devil's Bake Oven. -E. M. S. '0S. X- . J' if ff A ,A 1 X ' N fa

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Indian Theory of Beginning of the World Long, long ago before there was any world or before man was made, there was nothing at all existing except a few animals and some birds. At this time the coyote held supreme power orevr all these birds and beasts and his commands had to be obeyed by all alike. One day the Eagle was sent on an errand by him and as he did not return at the appointed time the Coyote became very angry. As the moments passed and he still did not return the Coy0te's anger became so great that he began to scratch the air in his wrath until finally there arose out of the nothingness around him, a little mound which gradually increased as he kept scratching. This be- came so large at last that it became the world. By the time this was completed,he was so delighted with his work that his anger vanished. ' Upon returning and beholding the wonderful new thing the eagle cried out in delight and asked the Coyote to scratch some more and see what else he could make. So the Coyote began to scratch up the earth and as a result he made the high mountains. The Eagle, delighted as before, begged that he again try his luck. But this time the Coyote refused, saying that he was too tired, so the Eagle began himself to see what he could do. But he did not have as much strength as the Coyote, so the mounds of earth which he raised were much smaller than the others, so they formed the hills. Now, exclaimed the Eagle, 'twe should have some trees growing on this earth. You are right, answered the Coyote, But how is it to be done? Oh! that is easy enough, exclaimed the Eagle, just watch me. Then he flew away above the mountains and as he went he dropped some of his large feathers, together with some of the smaller ones. These fell on the hillsides and where the largest ones fell, there the beautiful trees sprang up, while the bushes and shrubs grew from the smaller. Thus, according to the legend of the Indians, the world was made,-Rose C. Scott '10. Description of Barrenness 'How desolate and lonely the pasture seemed! Hungry goats had eaten every vestige of grass, and browsed the leaves from the shrubbery. The autumn winds, with each succeeding gust, had gradually blown away the few dry leaves that had fallen to the ground. Not a bird was to be seen, and not a note could be heard even from the saucy bluejay. The murmuring brook, that was wont to attract so many children during the winter, had become dry, and only the cold silent stones were now visible. C. A. M., 'l0.

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x X X will jf - I Y : i ll Wifi- lf. g The Diary of a Cisco Kid July 20th.+-How gree11 and soft is this great world to a little deer like me. You see I am a stranger here. My mother says that these big sort of creatures called men would say I am only two weeks old and my mother knows most everything. As yet I have not traveled far from my nice cosy nest here among the leaves in this little gulley. Being left alone a great deal I've decided to keep a diary on the hazel bush leaves that float down to me. I think it wil be so much fun. Don't you? Strange to say, my knees have a way of going in four different directions all at once instead of following each other the way I want them to. I'm a little encouraged though because each day they improve some. July 21st.--My mother is off again. She says when I get a little older she! will take me out with her and I can hardly wait for the time to come. She tells me our greatest enemies are dogs and men alld that I must be very quiet and still while she is gone in the day time, so I sleep most all the time. Just now I heard a terrific noice. I think it must be one of those things that men carry with them called guns. Mother has told me all about them and how they make that noise and then some one of our family drops down dead. My mother bemoans the fate of many from our band. She says things aren't like they used to be, that one has to be on his guard all the time. Just the night before last she came home and told me there was a camp of men over on the next ridge and for me to be very very quiet, that she would hang around in order to attract their attention from me. July 23.kMy, but I was frightened last night when I heard that bang so near. I trembled so my heart went faster and faster and there came a big yellow, shaggy creature nearer and nearer to me. Icould hear a steady thump of something approaching me from the other end of the gully. There was no escape for me with the banks on the other two sides. Just behind me stood a tall, funny, two-legged creature. In an instant that great creature picked me up bodily and walked off with me. Oh, how glad I am, l've saved you my dear, It is a comfort to have you along. I dare not cry out so I just bite my thoughts on the leaves in my mouth. Am I never to see my mother? Is he going to kill me? Am I to starve to death? Oh, where is my lovely mother now? I think for sure my heart will jump right through my mouth. We walked and walked for a long time until at about dusk we came to a place where some more of these strange looking creatures were. This queer looking place must be the camp my mother spoke of. They were all standing round a great sparkly mass and I heard them saying supper was ready. The horses were staked out around and beds were fixed upon the ground under the trees. There were three boys besides the man. They made me very comfortable. I did not have a very wonderful supper only some butter and sugar to suck on. I heard them say they were nearly out of things to eat and must return to the big camp. July 24.hLast night I was covered in a- blanket and tied to a stake close by the fire, After the fire went out it was bitterly cold and I was so lonesome. I kept thinking of my mother and how nice a11d warm it was close by her. Pretty soon the big yellow creature came over close to me and I curled up with him for the rest of the night. From that time on Pirate, the dog, and I have been staunch friends. Early this morning, without any breakfast, I was bundled in a great brown bag made from a sack and slung over the shoulder of the man. My poor little Diary I almost forgot you. Just by a scratch I got you in with me. The man mounted his horse and we started for the home camp as I heard them say. My, but it was uncomfortable and stuffy down in this black place. Seeing some light above me, I put my head out through the hole at the top. It was more comfortable and