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Episode 9
Two months have passed since John's arrival at the Pope & Talbot sawmill town of Port Gamble. The episode with the gunboat and the northern Indians has become history, though it was still talked about occasionally. There was some discussion over the possibility of the troublemakers being Tlingit. "Haida" was a term often loosely applied to any northern natives, regardless of their tribal affiliation. |
| The settlement was buzzing with activity. The mill was in operation again, turning out lumber at more than twice its previous rate. It was rare not to see a schooner anchored in the harbor or being loaded at the dock. |
| John's brother, Peter, had arrived at Port Gamble totally by accident. He had intended to surprise John by meeting him in Seattle. He had come from the East by ship, around the Horn to San Francisco. From there he booked passage on one of Pope & Talbot's lumber schooners bound for its home port to pick up cargo. |
| Learning of a problem there, he introduced himself to the mill's president and was given carte blanche to proceed on the repair of the mill until his brother arrived. |
| Since October, the two men have totally revamped the mill, making it the number-one competitor in Puget Sound country. The Wagner brothers are heroes, and Peter is affectionately referred to by everyone as "Pete La Plash." He has accepted the position of general foreman and his wife, Meredith, is on her way to join him. |
| Governor Stevens made a visit to Port Gamble and met John, to whom he took an instant liking. The feeling was not mutual. Jim likes to mimic John's description of him with "Cocky litta bahstad!" |
| The Governor offered John a handsome contract to survey an overland route across the Olympic Mountains and, in spite of his feeling for the man, he accepted on the condition that Jim could be a guide at white man's wages. John really wanted to see the country, and getting paid to do it was hard to turn down. |
| It was Christmas at Naxw-kyit. Evening came with lightly falling snow. |
| Inside Jim's house good feelings abounded. Christmas was a new thing for the S'Klallams but they wanted to know about it, and the Wagner brothers were their guests. Chikamin Charlie, Prince Albert and Captain Drake had come in that morning with a beautiful little fir tree. They thought it would make Pete and John feel more at home. The brothers were touched by the gesture and stood it in a corner of the large room that served for cooking, dining and living. Thin strips of bright calico were hung from the branches. |
| "Okoke tenas stick delate toketie!" ("That little tree very pretty!") yelled Molly, who was up to her elbows applying her culinary skills. |
| Jim had acquired the first stove in the S'Klallam village, and Molly and their girls had put it to good use. (Three years earlier, when the mill president and his wife moved into their new home, Molly was hired to help with the general housework and cleaning. She became well acquainted with the cook stove and Boston cuisine.) They had baked cookies and cakes for days. But the prize of the day were two big Canada geese roasting in the oven. Of course, there was plenty of fry-bread and Indian food. |
| In the center of the room was a huge table made of newly sawn planks put together for the celebration. Two dozen people were seated around it, ranging in age from Jim and Molly's toddler to Jim's parents, who sat at the head of the table. Jim's father was ninety-one or ninety-two. (There was an argument concerning that.) He gave a long speech in S'Klallam, which Jim translated, that began with his genealogy and evolved into the evils and virtues of the Bostons. He ended with a joke about the Governor that was hilarious. Then he sat down and didn't speak the rest of the day. |
 Christmas dinner was a jovial affair and lasted most of the afternoon, with a lot of storytelling and singing. Most of the S'Klallams took their turn leading party songs with a skin drum. Chikamin Charlie had acquired a button accordion and learned to play a few sea-chanty melodies. To one of them, he had composed verses in Chinook concerning the evils of alcohol.
Before bidding everyone good night, Pete and John were asked to sing a Boston Christmas song. They sang "Silent Night" with lumps in their throats, thinking of their home and loved ones in the East. Then they thanked everyone for the wonderful day and stepped out into the Christmas night. |
| The two men paddled a small canoe across the channel to town. They walked up the hill to Pete's company house, the snow crunching softly under their feet. They heard something in the still air. They stopped and turned to look back at the village. All was darkness, save for a glow coming from a window in Jim's house. They listened, and could hear across the water the sound of Chikamin Charlie's accordion humming out "Silent Night." A perfect ending to a perfect day.
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"Whiskey Mamook Naika Pelton"(Whiskey Make Me Crazy)The song that Chikamin Charlie sang with his accordion.Some readers may recognize the tune as "Acres of Clams."
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| Ahnkuttie mukamuk whiskey Anah wo hey ya anah* Whiskey mamook naika pelton Anah wo hey ya anah Na-ika mahsh mamook musket Anah wo hey ya anah Whiskey mamook naika pelton Anah wo hey ya anah |
(Click to see the sheet music on a full page.) |
Past, me drink whiskey Anah wo hey ya anah* Whiskey make me crazy Anah wo hey ya anah Me sell rifle Anah wo hey ya anah Whiskey make me crazy Anah wo hey ya anah |
| (Chorus:)
Alta naika mahsh whiskey |
(Chorus:)
Now me throw away whiskey |
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| Na-ika mahsh makook kiutan Anah wo hey ya anah Whiskey mamook naika pelton Anah wo hey ya anah Na-ika mahsh makook canim Anah wo hey ya anah Whiskey mamook naika pelton Anah wo hey ya anah |
Me sell horse Anah wo hey ya anah Whiskey make me crazy Anah wo hey ya anah Me sell canoe Anah wo hey ya anah Whiskey make me crazy Anah wo hey ya anah |
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| (Chorus:)
Mahsh makook konaway iktas |
(Chorus:)
Sell everything |
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(*Anah: A Jargon exclamation of pain.)
To be continued...
DUANE PASCO
(Copyright © 1993 by Duane Pasco)
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