CHAPTER III
THE HAIDAS

A CONSIDERABLE amount of discussion has taken place
regarding the origin of the Haidas who appear to be
the aboriginal inhabitants of these islands.

There is as far as is known no direct evidence of the
date of their arrival; but as regards their origin they
appear to be a branch of what may be termed Homo
Americanus and do not differ in any essential points
from the inhabitants of the mainland. Although
exhibiting some marked differences they are almost
certainly clearly related to the other tribes of British
Columbia, but have become differentiated from them
by an isolated existence on the island group.

Fanciful theories have been enunciated to the
effect that their ancestors were swept in their canoes
Eastward from Japan by the great North Pacific
current, but such a theory although superficially
attractive will hardly survive serious consideration.

The Eastward migration of the Mongolian stock into
the American continent certainly took place in
neolithic times, and some even contend that it
commenced in the paleolithic era. Even if only the
later date is accepted it is inconceivable that during that
period man was able to build ocean-going craft capable
of surviving such a long sea journey.

From time to time imaginative people have quoted
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