FOREWORD

WueEn the early explorers visited the Queen Char-
lotte Islands off the northwestern coast of North
America more than a century ago, they found a tribe
of Indians known as the Haidas whose ways of living
differed greatly from those of the Indians east of the
Rocky Mountains. True Vikings of the Pacific, these
fearless sea raiders roamed far north and south in
their big graceful canoes, pillaging the mainland vil-
lages and carrying vast quantities of booty and many
captives back to their remote islands.

The Haidas had no tepees, no peace-pipes, no
horses, and no feather head-dresses. In their villages
were well-built plank houses; their streets were lined
with tall totem and memorial poles; they traveled in
long canoes carved from huge cedars; their warriors
went forth to battle arrayed in helmets and armor of
reeds and thick hides, and all classes from royalty to
slaves wore woven hats of various shapes.

More famous by far than the Tlingit basket, or the
Chilcat blanket, the big canoe of the Haidas was
eagerly sought after by other tribes along the coast.
Exceedingly graceful and seaworthy were these ca-

noes, though only stone tools were used in their con-
v