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This war that I am
about to relate took place about 300 years ago. The Cowichans had grown
a great and powerful people, numbering many thousands. They had been
insulted, or some of their friends had been killed by the people of
Snohomish, now in American territory. How, they were burning to avenge
this deed, and mustered their fighting men and manned their war canoes,
and off they started. They got safely across the Sound and attacked the
people of Snohomish, conquered them and burnt their villages. From there
they went on to Port Manson; and then to Colthic, a village near Port
Townsend, and on to Los Angeles, conquering wherever they went. After an
absence of a month they turned homewards, laden with the spoils of war;
but what was their horror on reaching home, where they expected a warm
welcome, to find their villages all in ruins and their wives and
children gone. An old man hobbled down to the beach and told them of
what had taken place. The Fort Rupert and one hundred and twenty
Northern tribes had come down on a war expedition, and had fallen on the
defenceless villages of Cowichan, Ruper Island and Saanich, and had
killed the men left in charge and carried off the women and slaves, to
be “elitans,” or slaves. The Cowichans did not wait long, but hurried to
the New Westminster people and asked their help. They are related to the
Cowichans. The Songhees, who lived at Metchosin, sent word to say that
the Northern tribes were going to make a second foray, and try to carry
off the men this time. The Songhees bid their friends wait till the
Northern people came down.
One day a small canoe came flying with the news that the invaders were
coming. About 300 canoes had passed Nanaimo. So the Cowichans and New
Westminsters went to meet them.
At Maple Bay the invaders had landed to rest. The Cowichans crept up and
waited outside of the bay. In order to draw the enemy out to sea, they
sent a canoe, with a man disguised as a woman, and twenty men lying at
the bottom of the canoe, fully armed and covered with mats, across the
entrance of the harbor. When the Northern people saw this, they pushed
off and went in chase of the canoe. The canoe turned out to sea and drew
the people after it; and, when well out, the Cowichan, Saanich and New
Westminster contingents gave chase, and then the battle commenced. The
Northern people were surrounded and kept in for two days and three
nights. The water was red with blood. The Cowichans sang their war song,
given by Stimqua, the great snake, which fell from Heaven into the bay.
At last a few canoes escaped and were chased as far as Comox. They were
upset and the people killed. Not one of the North people escaped.
After resting, the Cowichan, Ruper Island and Saanich people went to
look for their wives and children. They were successful, and brought
them home safely. Then they made a second expedition for revenge,
burning the villages and taking the women and children captive. This
broke the power of the North people, and the Cowichans lived in peace
for many years. |
