skull has great breadth between the parietal hones, and the phrenological organ
of firmness is strikingly prominent.
MEASUREMENTS.
Longitudinal diameter, . . . .
Parietal d iam e ter,.......................................
Frontal diameter, . . . . .
Vertical diameter, . . . . .
Inter-mastoid arch, . . . . .
Inter-mastoid line, . . .
Occipito-frontal arch, . . . .
Horizontal periphery, . . . .
Internal capacity, . .
Capacity of the anterior chamber,
Capacity of the posterior chamber, .
Capacity of the coronal region,
Facial angle, .
. 7.1 inches.
. 5.4 inches.
. 4.3 inches.
. 5.1 inches.
. 13.8 inches.
. 4.3 inches.
. 14. inches.
. 19.9 inches.
. 77. cubic inches.
. 33.? cubic inches.
. 44.? cubic inches.
. 18.2 cubic inches.
. 78 degrees.
TH E FLAT-HEAD TRIB E S OF COLUMBIA RIVER.
The Indians of the Columbia river were little known until the remarkable
expedition of Lewis and Clark, since which period they have been visited and
described by several intelligent travellers. These tribes are established on both
sides of the river, and to a distance of many miles from its mouth. “ They are
commonly of diminutive stature, badly shaped, and their appearance by no means
prepossessing. They have broad, thick, flat feet, thick ankles, and crooked legs:
the last of which deformities is to he ascribed, in part, to the universal practice of
squatting or sitting on the calves of their legs and heels, and also to the tight
bandages of heads and strings, worn round the ankles by the women, which
prevent the circulation of the blood, and render the legs of the females particularly
ill shaped and swollen. The complexion is the usual copper colored brown of the
North« American tribes, though rather lighter than the Indians of the Missouri and
the frontier of the United States: the mouth is wide and the lips thick; the nose
of a moderate size, fleshy, wide at the extremities, with large nostrils, and generally
low between the eyes,|||ugh there are rare instances of high aquiline noses; the
eyes are generally blaS^ though occasionally we see them of a dark yellowish
brown, with a black pupil.”*
But the most remarkable feature among them is the almost universal flattening
of the head by mechanical contrivances: various means are resorted to to effect
this end ; but the model of deformity is the same throughout, consisting in a
depression of the forehead and consequent elongation of the whole head, until the
fop of the cranium becomes, in extreme cases, a nearly horizontal plane. This
custom obtains among many tribes; among which are the Klickatats, Kalapooyahs
and Multnomahs of the Wallamut river, and its vicinity; and the Chinouks,
Clatsaps, Klatstonis, Cowalitsks, Kathlamets, Killemooks and Chelakis of the
lower Columbia and its vicinity.f It is also stated that several tribes of the coast,
both north and south of the river, are in the same practice, but they are all said
to speak dialects of the Chenouk language.t
“ The mode by which the flattening is effected,” says Mr. Townsend, “ varies
considerably with the different tribes. The Wallamet Indians place the infant,
soon after birth, upon a board, to the edges of which are attached little loops of
hempen cord or leather, and other similar- cords are passed across and back, in a
zigzag manner, through these loops, enclosing the child and binding it firmly
down. To the upper edge of this board, in which is a depression to receive the
back part of the head, another smaller one is attached by hinges of leather, and
made to lie obliquely upon the forehead; the force of the pressure being regulated
by several strings attached to its edge, which are passed through holes m the
board upon which the infant is lying, and secured there.”?
“ The mode of the Chinouks, and others near the sea, differs widely from that
of the upper Indians, and appears somewhat less barbarous and cruel. A sort of
cradle is formed by excavating a pine log to the depth of eight or ten inches.
The child is placed in it on a bed Of little grass mats, and bound down in the
manner above described. A little boss of tightly plaited and woven grass is then
applied to the forehead, and secured by a cord to the loops at the side. The.
* L ewis and Clark, Exped. II, p. 130. -
t Townsend, Jour, to the Columbia River, p. 175. t Irving, Astoria, II, p. S8.
§ Ut supra, p. 175.