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 /BRAV'H^ROCEEDINGS 
 
 Jaeoma Aeadi^my of Seie9(;e, 
 
 TACOMA, WASHINGTON. 
 
 HON. JAMES WICKERSHAM. 
 
 Is it Mount Tacoma, or Rainier ? 
 
 SECOisTHD EXJimonsr. 
 
 TACOMA : 
 
 News Publishing Company. 
 
 1893. 
 
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PROCEEDINGS 
 
 Taeoma Aead(^my of §eie9c;e, 
 
 TACOMA, WASHINGTON. 
 
 PAPER BV 
 
 HON. JAMES WICK?:R.SHAM. 
 
 Is it Mount Taeoma, or Rainier? 
 
 SECOlSriD lEXDITIOiT. 
 
 TAOOMA : 
 
 News Publishing Company. 
 1893. 
 
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 OFFICERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TACOMA ACADEMY OF SCIEMCE. 
 
 President Hon. Frank Allyn 
 
 f Aethur E. Burns 
 
 I Genl . August V. Kautz 
 
 Vice-Presidents <( Prof. R. 8. Bingham 
 
 j Edward Eric Rosling 
 
 I, Mrs. a. H. W. Raynor 
 
 Secretary Meriden S. Hill 
 
 secretaries of departments: 
 
 Science Wm. Curtis Taylor 
 
 Aljnne Club Fred G. Plummer 
 
 History James Wickersham 
 
 Law Chas. p. Culver 
 
 Literature Mrs. C. W. Griggs 
 
 Treasurer Geo. W. Thompson 
 
Extractfrom the ffiinntes of a stated nucling held on Da ember ig, i8gj. 
 
 The Academy having convt'iied with the President in the chair, a 
 quorum being present, and the minutes of the last meeting having been 
 read and adopted, ***** a resolution was introduced 
 by the Secretary, as follows : 
 
 Resolved, that the Hon. James Wickersham be requested to prepare 
 a paper from the large amount of information he has collected on the 
 sul)ject of the origin of the name "Tacoma," with particular reference to 
 its application ])y the aborigines to Mount Tacoma. 
 
 On motion the above resolution was unanimously adopted. 
 
PROCEEDINGS 
 
 Tacoma Academy of Science, 
 
 February 6th, 1893. 
 
 The Academy convened in regular session, the President in the chair. 
 A quorum being present, the minutes of the last meeting were read and 
 approved. 
 
 The following prominent Indians representing the Puyallup, Nesqually 
 and Klickitat tribes were seated on the platform : George Leschi, son of 
 Quiemuth, a leader in the Indian war of 1855;- Jack Simmons; John 
 Hiaton, one of the patriarchs of the reservation, 80 years of age, and a 
 signer of the treaty of 1854 ; Mrs. John Hiaton and John Powers. 
 
 On motion the rules were suspended and the Academy proceeded at 
 once to the consideration of the paper of the evening entitled "Is it Mount 
 Tacoma or Rainier — what do History and Tradition say?" 
 
 Judge Wickersham being presented by the President, addressed the 
 Academy as follows : 
 
 Ladies and Gentlemen op the Academy : 
 
 The recent action of President Harrison in reserving from disposal 
 under the public land laws a tract of more than 700,000 acres surrounding 
 Tacoma, the royal mountain peak, is of great interest to the people of 
 Pierce county and the city of Tacoma. It is expected, of course, that this 
 city will be the point to which all tourists will hereafter come on their 
 way to examine the stupendous glaciers of this most lordly of American 
 mountains, and it is consequently, of great interest to our people to see to 
 it that everything concerning this park be well done — honestly, fairly and 
 patriotically. It is the most famous mountain peak in our country ; cele- 
 brated the globe over for its simple grandeur, and it behooves our people 
 to protect it, and the park around it, jealously and with sleepless vigilance. 
 
 Little can be done now, but that little is of vast importance. A proper 
 and fitting name for this great cone, and the park around it, must be offi- 
 cially announced. When this official announcement is once made it will 
 be hard to change it. It will be used in song and story ; in tradition and 
 
 5 
 
histoi*y; poets, authors, tourists, newspapers and scientific bodies of the 
 world will adopt it, and it will never change. 
 
 What name shall be forever perpetuated by being thus otticially 
 attached to this mountain peak? Shall it be called "Mount Rainier" or 
 "Tacoma?" What do honesty, euphony, simplicity, poetry, tradition, 
 history and patriotism require of us? Let us view the facts, try the cause, 
 hear the evidence, and then decide. 
 
 In the preparation of this article no attention has been paid to literary 
 effect ; the only effort has been to obtain facts by the best method possible 
 in such a case as this — by letters from prominent people who understand 
 the facts, know our history, and talk the language of the Indians ; by cer- 
 tificates signed by old Indians, who, of course, know tlie truth, and by an 
 appeal to records, papers, books, and all honest sources of information. 
 The writer has, during the last year, written the Puyallup-Nesqually Indian 
 language, and has also preserved many of their myths, traditions and 
 stories concerning this (to them) mysterious mountain. A special effort 
 has been made to get a correct Indian nomenclature of this region, and to 
 no name has so much attention been paid as to the Indian name of this 
 high mountain, from the glaciers of which spring the waters of the White, 
 Carbon, Puyallup, Xesqually and Oowditz rivers, 
 
 SPANISH mSCOVKRIES. 
 
 INIore than a century ago, in 1774, the Spaniards saw the Olympic 
 mountains and named Olympus, Sierra de Santa Rosalia. In 1790 they 
 explored the hitherto fabulous straits of Anian, and entered a land-locked 
 bay which tliey named Port Quadra. From Port Quadra they explored 
 the waters of the great roadstead to the southeast, which they named Canal 
 de Caamano. Rosario Straits, Oaliano Island, Fidalgo Island, Caamano 
 Island, and many other names are preserved by reason of these first ex- 
 plorers furnishing Vancouver with their maps and charts in 1792, when he 
 visited the same waters. The Spaniards explored the exact spot in 1790, 
 from which Vancouver named "Mount Rainier" in 1792. They lived for 
 weeks in daily sight of Mount Baker, a name bestowed by Vancouver, be- 
 cause a member of his crew by that name was the first one of his expedition 
 to see it. Did the Spaniards name "Mount Tacoma," and if so, what 
 name did they give it? Tliey saw it two years before Vancouver did, and 
 his was not a discovery, but at best only a naming. 
 
 ENGLISH DISCOVERIES. 
 
 In May, 1792, Vancouver entered the Straits of de Fuca and cast anchor 
 in Discovery Bay, the Port Quadra of the Spaniards. Leaving his vessel 
 here to repair, he explored what we now call Admiralty Inlet and Puget 
 Sound in small boats. As the little fleet rounded the long sand point and 
 coasted down into Port Townseud Bay, Vancouver records that a "very 
 remarkably liigh, round mountain, covered with snow, apparently at the 
 southern extremity of the distant range of snowy mountains before notiix'd, 
 bore S. 45 E." Later on, while in the Canal de Caamano, of the Spaniartls, 
 in speaking of the range of mountains now known as the Cascades, he 
 
 6 
 
says : "At its nortliern extremity Mount Baker bore by compass N 22 E. ; 
 the round, snowy mountain now forming its southern extremity, and 
 whicla, after my friend, Rear Admiral Rainier, I distinguished bytliename 
 of 'Mount Rainier," bore N. 42 E.". 
 
 And tlius, at a distance of over one hundred miles, Vancouver named 
 this grand white-capped summit after a foreigner who represents nothing 
 to our American civilization, and who not only never saw the mountain 
 bearing his name, but who never saw the continent upon which it is so 
 conspicuous a land mark. Vancouver held no communication with the 
 Indians, and seemed to have had the greatest contempt for them, and 
 made no effort to ascertain the names, if any they had, for the rivers, 
 mountains, bays, and other natural features of this virgin world. 
 
 At every turn he fastened the name of an obscure friend (whose only 
 claim to this high honor was an acquaintance with Vancouver) to some 
 prominent feature in the Puget Sound landscape. Out of this medley the 
 name of Rainier was thus bestowed by him on the most perfect cone in 
 that long line of extinct volcanoes, standing cold and lifeless, in the great 
 continental range. Vancouver explored and named Puget Sound, after 
 his lieutenant, Peter Puget, and then sailed away to Nootka, never again 
 to see the points upon which he so recklessly flung the names of his un- 
 known friends ; and this is the history of the name of "Mount Rainier." 
 
 THE AMERICAN NAME. 
 
 Is "Tacoma" the American name for this mountain, and what does 
 the word mean? Should "Tacoma" be perpetuated and "Rainier" aban- 
 doned? Is the one as honestly entitled to recognition as the other? Let 
 the following eminent authorities answer the question. 
 
 Vancouver, Wash., April 3, 1892. 
 
 ''^ Hon. James Wickersham, Tacoma, Wash. 
 
 "Dear Sir: Some time ago I received a note from you asking me to 
 say where the word 'Tacoma' came from. The word belongs to the 
 Scadgit Indian language, and means plenty of food or nourishment ; and 
 hence, a woman who had plenty of nourishment in her breasts was called 
 'Tacoma sladah,' or the 'motherly woman,' and in the course of time the 
 nourishing breast of a woman was called 'Tacoma,' because it furnished 
 plenty of food for the young, and the snow-capped mountains were called 
 'Haik-Tacomas,' because they resembled a woman's breasts, and w^ere 
 supposed to furnish plenty of nourishment to the lesser mountains. 
 'Haik-Tacomas,' the great mother of mountains. 
 
 "Tacoma, the Indian town, was so-called from the fact that plenty of 
 natural food was easily obtained at that place, the mother of towns. 
 
 "The first author that I remember using the word was Theodore Win- 
 throp; he called the snow peaks 'Tacomas.' 
 
 I am most respectfully yours, 
 
 "B. F. Shaw." 
 
 Colonel Shaw was the interpreter at the Nesqually treaty of 1854, and 
 commanded the Washington Volunteers in the war that followed. He is 
 
one of the most competent Indian scholars in the Northwest, and his 
 statement is entitled to great weight. He is now a member of tlie state 
 senate of Wasliington. 
 
 "Port Townsend, ^ 
 
 "Jefferson County, I 
 
 "State of Washington. | 
 
 "February 3, 1892. J 
 
 ^^ Hon. James Wickersham, Tacoma, Wash. 
 
 "Dear Sir; Your letter of the 1st inquiring about the origin and 
 meaning of the word 'Tacoma' was received this morning. It seems to be 
 imiwssible for the average white man eitlier to pronounce or write an 
 Indian word correctly. 'Tacoma' is the white man's rendering of the 
 Nesqually and Puyallup word 'Ta-ho-ma' or Tah-o-mah,' with a strong ac- 
 cent on the first syllable. The word means snow mountain or white moun- 
 tain. The Clallam name for ^Mount Bilker is 'P'kowitz' 'Puhk,' white, 
 'Kowitz' mountain. The Indian is thoroughly practical in his every day 
 talk. He calls things by their right names without any attempt at poetic 
 imagery. White poets make up their fancy names and descriptions. There 
 are Indian orators who use ornate and poetic language like white orators 
 and poets, but the rank and file of the Indian men and women express 
 themselves in very i^lain, common talk. 
 
 "In the Californian Illustrated Magazine No. 2, Vol. 1, January, 1892, is 
 an interesting article by Charles Lummis, entitled, 'The City of the Sky; 
 Acoma.' The foot note says this is pronounced 'Ah-co-ma,' accent on the 
 first syllable. This is a strange stone island 7000 feet above the level of 
 the sea. Upon the bare table top of this strange island, in the desert, 
 stands a town of matchless interest, the home of half a thousand quaint 
 lives and of half a thousand years romance. This 'City of the Sky' is in 
 the western half of New ]\Iexico, thirteen miles south of the Atlantic & Pa- 
 cific Railroad. My attention was called to it from the similarity of names 
 — 'Ah-co-mah,' the 'City of the Sky,' and 'Tah-co-mah,' the 'snow-cov. 
 ered mountain.' 
 
 "Both words, though of different languages, indicate something high 
 up. I do not know that there is any affinity in the languages — the Nes- 
 qually, or Puyallup, and the Zuni, but there is an interesting coincidence. 
 
 "The late Dr. Wm. Eraser Tolmie, who was stationed at Nesqually as 
 trader for the Hudson Bay Company, in early times, gave great attention 
 to the study of Indian languages, and is considered an authority. He 
 always told me that the word 'Ta-ho-mah' means a white, snow-covered 
 mountain. 
 
 "The Indian word 'Quil-ley-hute' is by the white man spelled and 
 pronounced 'quilleute,' and so of almost every Indian word, and especially 
 the names of places. When a person can neither pronounce nor spell one 
 Indian word correctly, their florid descriptions of the meaning should be 
 
 taken cum grano salts. 
 
 "Very cordially yours, 
 
 "James G. Swan." 
 Judge Swan has a reputation second to none on our coast as an eth- 
 nologist — his life-long study of our Indians, his labors for the Smithsonian 
 
Institution and his many interesting articles on the Indians of this coast 
 liave given him great weiglit as an authority. 
 
 No name shines brighter on the scroll of American philologists and 
 ethnologists than that of George Gibbs. His greatest work, probably, was 
 his "Niskwalli Dictionary," being a thorough examination of the language 
 of that people. He lived in our midst for years, and occupied a prominent 
 position in the early history of the Territory of Washington. His home 
 was in sight of the great mountain, and in his Dictionary, written in 1853, 
 he gives its name as "Takob." 
 
 The Tacoma Morning Globe, of Sunday, August 3, 1890, contains a very 
 interesting article by John Flett, recently deceased, about the name of the 
 mountain. No one is more competent than Mr. Flett, who came to Puget 
 Sound in 1841 , and the following is his language : 
 
 "It was no novelty to me to hear the conference between a number of 
 Indians and Hon. El wood Evans, which occurred in June, 1882, at his 
 law office in New Tacoma, on Pacific Avenue, in the second story of S. M. 
 Nolan's store. That gentleman requested me (I was then employed at 
 the Puyallup Indian reservation) to invite several old reliable Indians to 
 visit him and give him information as to the name among the Indians of 
 the mountain called by the whites 'Mount Rainier.' Before that time, 
 and in fact at the time I first came to the Puget Sound country (1841), I 
 had heard the Indians from the east side of the mountains (the Klicki- 
 tats) call it 'Ta-ho-ma.' I interpreted for Mr. Evans. He put his ques- 
 tions in English or Chinook jargon. The questions, or his words, were 
 put in native Indian to the old men. The old Indians, in reply to me, 
 said that the name Tahoma applied by them to that mountain, meant a 
 woman's breast or 'pap,' that feeds 'tootoosh' or milk; that the 'earth 
 was their mother, for she had fed them, and Tahoma given them drink, 
 and overfiowed and made the grass grow rich from the white water that 
 flowed from her.' I at the time, translated their guttural expressions, 
 which resulted in aggregating the word 'Tahoma,' though really no two 
 Indians pronounced the word exactly alike." 
 
 The following is the result of that interview, as given by Judge Evans 
 in his Fourth of July address at Puyallup that year : 
 
 "This grand lesson stamped its impress upon the native mind — in- 
 spired the Indians' imaginations. It originated for this Colossus among 
 mountains the poetic name of Tak-homa, with a meaning full of poetic sig- 
 nificance. Literally translated, *a woman's breast that feeds.' How aptly 
 is expressed that conical pile of eternal snow, which by the genial lieat 
 from heaven's own luminary sends down the waters which feed and enrich 
 so vast a region ! How true that thought, how happy that idea, for out of 
 those secret urns in the deep recesses of old Rainier proceed those numer- 
 ous rivers which fertilize the rich valleys of the Puget Sound basin and the 
 valleys of the Yakima !" 
 
 Olympia, Washington, Feb. 8, 1892. 
 '•'■ Hon, James Wickersham, Tacoma, Wash, 
 Dear Sir : Your esteemed favor is at hand asking for information in 
 
 9 
 
regard to the origin of the word Tacoma. 1 do not think 1 can enlighten 
 you on the subject. I was at one time superintendent of Indian affairs 
 for the Territory of Washington, and made some effort to get the mean- 
 ing and origin of Indian words. I think the i^resent word 'Tacoma' is a 
 corruption of the Indian word 'Tacopa,' or 'Ta-co-pe,' which in Indian 
 means wldte — 'Ta-co-pa Illi-he,' or white land. The name, I think, was 
 pretty generally given the mountain by the Indians, particularly by the 
 Nesquallies, Puyallups, Muckleshoots and Squaksons. 
 
 "Very truly, 
 "J. T. McKexney." 
 
 Some time ago Every Siinday contained a short article on "Tacoma," 
 from which the following is extracted : 
 
 "C. P. Ferry (the duke of Tacoma) has not only been a resident of 
 Commencement Bay as long as any other resident, but as an apt scholar 
 he is doubtless more familiar than any one else with mountain nomencla- 
 ture and fiction legends. On returning from Europe, he was interviewed 
 by a Globe reporter, and said, among other things, that about the first 
 thing he heard when he landed was that Seattle was still kicking about the 
 name of Mount Tacoma, and that made him tired. '"Why,' said he, 'I 
 thought that controversy was dead long ago. It is preposterous, the idea 
 of calling that mountain by any other name than Tacoma. The idea that 
 we named the mountain after the city is preposterous. Where do they 
 think we got the name for the city? We didn't invent it. Where had w'e 
 ever heard it? Why, it was the name of the mountain, and we named the 
 city after the mountain. I named this city and I named it after the 
 mountain. Where did the mountain get the name? Why, the Indians 
 alw^ays called it by that name, Ta-ho-nia. When this city had its begin- 
 ning, all about here was primeval forests ; Indians dwelt along this shore 
 and on the shore across Commencement Bay. They all called the moun- 
 tain Ta-ho-ma. We learned the name from the Indians ; that's all there is 
 about it. The name we gave to the city was the nearest expression that 
 English orthography could give to the Indian gutteral name Ta-ho-ma. 
 Why, when General McCarver, my father-in-law, laid out the first town- 
 site over in Old Town, he came down to Portland with the plans to draft 
 the papers. He proposed to call it 'Commencement City,' after the bay. 
 I said at once that would never do. The name was not pretty, and it was 
 too big and ungainly ; besides, it would open the way to ridicule — just 
 think of naming a town Commencement City ! Tahoma, the name of the 
 mountain, popped into my head, and we changed the name to Tacoma. 
 That was the way it was. The city was named in Portland, and it was 
 named after the mountain. And Tacoma is the name of the mountain." 
 
 Olympia, Wash., Feb. 11, 1892. 
 ^'IIoii. /antes Wickersham, Tacoma, Wash. 
 
 "Dear Sir: In reply to yours of the 1st inst., asking for such infor- 
 mation as I can give concerning the origin and meaning of tlie word Taco- 
 ma: Without particularly referring to your several questions, I will say 
 that I have, during my long residence on the Sound, talked with many 
 
 10 
 
people, both Indians arid whites, who, from their opportunities, would be 
 likely to know something of the matter, and that from all the information 
 I have been able to gather, I am of the opinion that the word 'Tacoma' is 
 of Indian origin, and that the most extended meaning that can be given 
 to it is 'white mountain.' 
 
 "I say 'the most extended meaning' for the reason that I have talked 
 with intelligent Indians, who assert that 'Tacoma' (they generally pro- 
 nounce it Ta-ho-ma) simply means 'mountain,' and that it applies to any 
 mountain, whether it has snow on it or not. I think, however, that 'white 
 mountain' is the true meaning of the word, for the reasons hereinafter 
 mentioned : 
 
 "I conclude that the word is of Indian origin from the fact that the 
 Indians generally, not only upon the Sound, but east of the Cascades, so 
 far as I am informed, recognize it as such, and as the name of 'Mount 
 Rainier,' so-called. And second, because I know of no claim from any 
 quarter that the word, or any word resembling it in sound, of other than 
 Indian origin, w'as ever applied as the name for that or any other mountain. 
 
 "I conclude that the meaning of the word is white mountain. First 
 because the very best authorities — that is, those who have the best means 
 of informing themselves upon the subject, say that the word means 'white 
 mountain.' And secondly, because Tacoma is pre-eminently a white 
 mountain, and that therefore that is the name which the Indians living 
 within its sight would naturally give it, and the only one which the other 
 tribes of Indians would accept, it being purely descriptive. 
 
 "As I have already remarked, the Indians generally, on both sides of 
 the mountains, recognize 'Tacoma' as the name of this particular peak, 
 and it strikes me that they do so because this word is strikingly descriptive 
 of it. 
 
 "As Tacoma has been accepted and used as the name of the mountain 
 in question by various tribes of Indians for an indefinite number of years, 
 I, at least, have found it impracticable to determine which tribe used it 
 first. It occurs to me, however, wluch is a mere matter of conjecture, that 
 places and things generally first receive their names from those who live 
 upon or near them, as probable that the name 'Tacoma' originated with 
 the people living on the Nesqually at the foot of, and in constant view, of 
 said mountain, and that such name was naturally accepted and adopted 
 by other tribes in speaking of the people living at the foot of Mount Tacoma 
 and their country, until it became general, as seems to have been the case 
 with the Indians, as I have jDointed out in this matter. 
 
 "What generations have come and gone since this mountain was 
 named Tacoma or Tahoma, is, I think, beyond successful human investi- 
 gation. 
 
 "Regretting that I cannot give you more satisfactory information on 
 the subject, "I am, yours truly, 
 
 "Francis Henry." 
 
 In the American Anthropologist for January, 1892, is an article on "Abo- 
 riginal Geographic Names," by Rev. Myron Eells, of the Skokomish 
 
 11 
 
Reservation, a high authority on such matters. Mr. Eells says: "Mr. M. 
 W. Walker, who has lived much among the Indians on the east side of the 
 Cascade Mountains, is confident that the word originated among some of 
 those Indians, probably the Tahamas, was originally Tah-ho-ma, and 
 meant 'the gods.' 
 
 In southern Oregon is a tribe of Indians named the "A-cho-ma-wi,'' 
 and Powers, in "Contributions to North American Ethnology,'' gives the 
 derivation of this name from "A-cho-ma," a river. 
 
 The Pima Indians of Arizona call the Gila river "Ack-omah," which 
 is the same pronunciation, spelled differently, as the "Acho-ma-wi" of 
 Oregon use. Add the "t" in either instance and you have Tacoma. The 
 Chinook Indians, an ancient tribe living around the mouth of tlie Colum- 
 bia river, called the ocean "Wecoma." 
 
 In the '■^Mountains of Oregon,'''' by W. G. Steele, of the Oregon Alpine 
 Club, at page 55, is an interesting letter from Edwin Eells, United States 
 Indian Agent for the Puyallup and Consolidated Agencies, dated December 
 8, 1886, in which Mr. EeUs says: "The Indian word 'Ta-ko-bet' or Take- 
 man, the first being the most general pronunciation used among the In- 
 dians, but both words are used, being the different pronunciation used by 
 the dialects. It means a white mountain, and is a general name for any 
 high, snow-covered or white treeless peak. It is applied to this mountain 
 by the Indians of this vicinity, because it is the only or most prominent 
 one of this kind in the vicinity. They used the word as we would speak of 
 'the white mountain,' there being but one near us. In the Skadget lan- 
 guage the word is a little different, and is there called Ko-ma, and is ap- 
 plied by these Indians to Mount Baker, it being the mountain in that vi- 
 cinity of the kind. The word squatach, or squat-letsh, is the general name 
 for a range of mountains, while Ta-ko-bet or Ta-ko-man or Ko-ma, is the 
 name of the snow-covered or white peaks in the range." 
 
 P. B. Van Trump, of Yelm, the most indefatigable mountaineer in 
 Washington, whose accomplishments drew from Hon. Elwood Evans the 
 expression of "that splendid scholar and writer, P. B. Van Trump, Esq.," 
 is quoted in the American Anthropologist, of January, 1892, in Rev. Myron 
 Eells' article on "Aboriginal Geographic Names," as follows: 
 
 "The first Indian I heard pronounce the name of the mountain was 
 old Sluiskin, who guided General Stevens and myself to the snow line 
 when we made the first ascent to the summit in 1870. Sluiskin's pronun- 
 ciation, as near as I can represent it by letters, was Tah-ho-mah, and in 
 his rendering of it there was, besides its music, an accent of awe and 
 reverence, for Sluiskin was very imaginative and superstitious about Ta- 
 lioma, believing that its hoary summit was the abode of a powerful spirit, 
 who was the author of its eruptions and avalanches, and who w'ould visit 
 dire vengeance on any mortal who would dare to invade (if that were pos- 
 sible) his dread abode. When Stevens and I were encamped at the foot 
 of the snow line we would often be awakened by the thunder of falling 
 rocks or the deep thud of some avalanche. At such times Sluiskin would 
 
 12 
 
start from his blanket and repeat a dismal, dirge-like song as though he 
 would appease the mountain spirit. Mishell Henry, another old Indian 
 guide to the two-named mountain, prides himself in giving its true name. 
 He has several times drilled me in pronouncing it, always smiling gravely 
 and dignifiedly at my ineffectual attempts to give it his deep chest notes 
 Henry was the first to mark out the present route to the snow line, and 
 even ascend it for two miles without leaving the saddle. He guided our 
 party (the Bayley party) in 1883, and himself ascended to the 8000-foot 
 level. Beyond that nothing could tempt him, for beyond, in his view, lay 
 danger, folly, rashness ; for even Henry, who is intelligent, and much 
 more of a philosopher than the rest of his tribe (the Klickitats), associate 
 the sublime summit of Tahoma with awe, danger and mystery. Your cor 
 resjiondent gives the meaning of 'Tacoma' as 'the mountain.' It is an in 
 teresting interpretation, considering the pre-eminence and grandeur of 
 tliis noble peak. I have questioned the Indians as to their meaning for 
 word Ta-ho-ma. The answer of some show^ed their ignorance of the mean- 
 ing. Others, with reticence and suspicion peculiar to the savage mind, 
 were stoically non-committal. One interpretation I have heard given is 
 'nourishing breasts,' the idea presumably being that the eternal snows of 
 the twin summits have given origin to the streams and have occasioned 
 the glacial deposits that have enriched the valleys, thus nourishing and 
 sustaining vegetable life there just as through the ages the maternal breasts 
 have nourished and sustained the youthful human life." 
 
 Sluiskin and Henry, mentioned by Mr. Van Trump, were Klickitats, 
 and spoke the Klickitat language. They were of the same race as the 
 guide of Theodore Winthrop, in 1853, and spoke the same name to Van 
 Trump and General Stevens that Winthrop heard before he first wrote the 
 word "Tacoma." Mr. Van Trumjj's statement is so clear, forcible and 
 elegantly put that it is most convincing evidence. 
 
 Miss Fay Fuller, the first lady to reach the summit of Tacoma, and her 
 father, Edward N. Fuller, Esq., have each made an extended study of the 
 mountain, and they have each adopted the Klickitat word as the real name 
 for the mountain. 
 
 Tacoma, "Wash., March 4, 1893. 
 fames Wicker sham, Esq., Tacoma, Wash, 
 
 My Dear Sir : I came to Steilacoom in 1849 as a member of Company 
 IM, Fourth Artillery, Captain Hill. After my discharge I took a donation 
 claim where the Puyallup Indian reservation now is, and have lived in 
 Pierce county ever since 1849. I married my wife Elizabeth in 1849. She 
 was a Puyallup Indian woman, and I lived with her until her death in 
 1887. I talk the Puyallup-Nesqually Indian language and am familiar with 
 their names for localities in this county. 
 
 The Puyallup-Nesqually name for Mount Tacoma has been, to my 
 knowledge since 1849, the word "Ta-co-ba," and has reference to the frozen 
 top of the mountain. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Jacob Kershner. 
 
 13 
 
riiikT (Uite of February 22, 1893, P. P.. Van Trniup, of Yeliii, writes 
 coneeniing the name Taconia, the reason •svhy so little is known concern- 
 ing Indian geographical names, and the opposition of ^Ir. Harvey 8cott, 
 editor of the Oregonian, to the use of the word Tacoma. "He did not state, 
 however, that he had ever directly questioned the Indians as to what 
 name in their own language, they called the mountain. If he had he would 
 doubtless have so stated in his comments. The Indian (unless since the 
 whites began to call the mountain Tacoma) never uses his own name for 
 the mountain when speaking of it to a white man. If he is speaking in 
 Chinook, which is ahnost certain to Ije the case, he will call it "la moun- 
 tain." To illustrate how unusual it is for an Indian to speak his dialect 
 name for the mountain when talking to a w^hite person and to show how 
 natural it was for the Indian in that early day (before 1857 I think) not to 
 mention to Mr. Scott his native name for the mountain, I will mention a 
 fact in my own history and that of my wife. There is an Indian woman 
 now liAdng at Yelm, where she has lived for at least forty years, wdio is a 
 niece of the chief Owlii, with whom Winthrop negotiated for horses and 
 a o-uide across the mountains. Now% although I have know^n this niece of 
 Owhi for more than ten years, have many a time talked with her and 
 traded with her ; although my wife has known her for more than thirty 
 years and has always been a great favorite with this descendant of Owhi, 
 yet neither of us heard her speak the Indian name of the mountain until less 
 than a month ago, and then it was in reply to a direct question as to what 
 the Indians call the mountain in their ow^n language. Instantly the reply 
 was "Tacobet," which she said was always the Indian name of the moun- 
 tain. She had lived so long among the Nesquallies (from infancy no doubt) 
 that she had forgotten, if she ever knew, the Klickitat "Tahoma." 
 
 This "niece of Owhi" is quite certainly a cousin to Loolowcan, the 
 Klickitat, the son of Owhi, who acted as Theodore Winthrop's guide in 
 1853, and from whom Winthrop received the Klickitat word "Tahoma." 
 This word is pronounced with the "h" hard rather as if it were "ch," and 
 with that pronunciation ringing in his ears from the ragged but royal son 
 of Owhi, Winthrop wrote for the first time "Tacoma." May his memory 
 last until that of Tacoma fades ! 
 
 IS IT A MEXICAN WORD? 
 
 The Quiches, of Guatemala, tell a wonderful story of the early migra- 
 tion of their race, which will be found in full in Bancroft : Native Races, 
 Vol. 3, p. 50. After relating many interesting matters concerning their 
 gods, etc., the story proceeds : "Other people received gods at the same 
 time ; and it had been for all a long march to Tulan. Now the Quicheg 
 had as yet no fire, and as Tulan was a much colder climate than the happy 
 Eastern land that they had left, they soon began to feel the want of it. 
 The god Tohil, who was the creator of fire, had some in his possession ; so 
 to him, as was most natural, the Quitches api)licil, and Tohil in some way 
 supplied them wdth fire. But shortly after there fell a great rain that ex- 
 tinguished all the fires of the land ; and much hail also fell on the heads 
 of the people ; and because of the rain and the hail their fires were utterly 
 
 14 
 
scattered and put out. * * ]Many other trials they also underwent in 
 Tulan, famines and such things, and a general dampness and cold — for the 
 earth was moist, there being as yet no sun. They determined to leave 
 Tulan, and the greater part of them set out to see where they should take 
 up their abode. * * Poor wanderers ! they had a cruel way to go, many 
 forests to pierce, many stern mountains to overpass and a long passage to 
 make through the sea, along the shingle and pebbles and drifted sand — 
 the sea being, however, parted for their passage." 
 
 It is maintained by some authorities that this is an authentic history 
 of the migration of these people from Asia to America, by way of the Aleu- 
 tian Islands. That Tulan is Kamtschatka, that the way opened for them 
 through the sea refers to the islands in the route, and that from Alaska 
 they walked the beach — "along the shingle and pebbles and drifted sand" 
 to the prairies west of Mount Tacoma, where they again beheld the sun, 
 when "the three tribal gods, Tohil, Avilix and Hacavitz, were turned into 
 stone." 
 
 Considering the climate of Alaska, the beach, the dense forests, the 
 stern mountains, the hail, the rain, the fogs and clouds, we may well ar. 
 rive at that conclusion. But this is not all. 
 
 The Haida Indians, of Queen Charlotte's Island, are said to be a 
 branch of the Quiches, dropped on the migration, and that their language, 
 myths and general characteristics have much to prove a relationship with 
 the ancient civilization of Mexico. 
 
 Many relics of the Mound-Builders are found on Vancouver's Island, 
 B. C, and from thence south along the line of this Mongolian migration 
 to Mexico. Bancroft in Vol. 4, "Native Races," 737-743, gives a full de. 
 scription of these far northern mounds, and these added to the other charac- 
 teristics of the Haida Indians seems to leave no doubt as to a migration 
 from mound-building Asia to mound-building Mexico by this high road so 
 graphically described in the Quiche legend. 
 
 Mrs. H. M. Kunzie, of Seattle, Wash., has, during a long residence on 
 the spot, collected at the mouth of the Umatilla river, Oregon, the very 
 stone gods, Tohil, Avilix and Hacavitz, of the Quiches, or at least exact 
 images of those found in the Quiche region of Guatemala ; she has also 
 gathered at the same spot a magnificent collection of Mexican stone relics 
 including obsidian knives, mortars, calender stone, bronze sword, metates, 
 etc., in short a thoroughly characteristic collection of Mexican antiquities 
 — rare, complete and priceless. 
 
 On the shores of Puget Sound, near Whatcom, many similar antiqui- 
 ties have been found ; jade implements and ornaments line the route of 
 this migrant colony from Alaska to ^lexico, and the proof is adding rap- 
 idly to show that this pioneer civilization of America went overland in the 
 shadow of Mount Tacoma, and in full sight of its hoary head, capped with 
 eternal snows and proudly reared above the clouds. That its grand image 
 —its great cone— possibly its then existing volcanic flame— made a lasting 
 impression on these newly arrived ^longolians is not to be doubted. 
 
 Did these passing wanderers attach the name Tacoma to this moun- 
 tain? I i now we find that Tacoma was one of their names — if Ave show 
 
 15 
 
tliat it is a thorough ISIexican name — a noun, and applicaV)lt' ; that it is 
 found in Mexico yet, it will follow that if the migration is possible the 
 naming is equally so. 
 
 In the state of Coluua, ^lexico, is the city of "Tecoman," which has 
 the exact pronunciation given l)y Mr. Peter Stanup to one of his forms of 
 the Indian name of our mountain. 
 
 Not long since the Zd-'/^tr contained the following item: "Since the 
 Mexican Central Railroad from Pueblo to Tecomavaca was opened, no less 
 than 1000 tons of onyx have passed over it," 
 
 On the map in the front of Bancroft's "Native Races," Vol. Y,, giving 
 the country immediately adjacent to the City of Mexico, we find the cities 
 or towns of "Tecaman," and "Acolman," while other forms of the word 
 are common in the Mexican states. 
 
 "Acoma, the City of the Sky," is an ancient pueblo in New Mexico. 
 Its unique position on the almost inaccessible summit of a table mountain, 
 many hundred feet high, its age, hazy past, air of mystery and ancient 
 civilization give it an interest second to none in our country ; but to us it is 
 of peculiar interest on account of the name, which is pronounced exactly 
 like our Tacoma Avithout the first letter. 
 
 One of the principal tribes of the Coahuiltican family of nortliern 
 Mexico and Southern Texas is the "Tecame," the pronunciation of which 
 differs but little from our word. Evidently the city of "Tecaman" has 
 reference to this tribe also. 
 
 In the Seventh Annual Report of Bureau of Ethnology, under the title 
 of the Copelan family, a reference is made to the subtribe "My-acoma" 
 situated in northern California, near the Acho-mawi, from "Acho-ma" or 
 "river" people. 
 
 San J. Bautiste (Tabasco), Jan. 19, 1893. 
 Mr. lames Wicker sham, l^acoma. Wash. 
 
 My Esteemed Senor : The contents of your esteemed letter of the 23d 
 of December were of great interest to me, and well deserve that I should 
 devote to it a special amount of time and study. In order, however, that 
 your worship may not wait for my answer, I hasten with pleasure to put 
 mj'self to discuss the subject of your letter to put your worship at rest, as 
 far as it is possible for me to do so. 
 
 Being simply a question of a geographical name of Indian origin, your 
 worship has certainly devoted to it much study at this moment. 
 
 The word Tacoma, to which your worship refers, contains a Nahuatl 
 or old Mexican construction (element), which is very characteristic. It 
 claims our attention by it being met with so far north and so distant from 
 the territory which is occupied actually by the tribes that are descended 
 from the primitive stock; and to speak the truth, this circumstance would 
 in the last instance (case), be a new proof (confirmation) of the powerful 
 influence that was once exercised by the people through all the territories 
 over which it ruled, all through which it journeyed, during the long itiner- 
 ary of its perigrinations. 
 
 Therefore, although the word has been much mutilated in the actual 
 
 16 
 
living language, I will, according to the present, expose to your worship 
 my own humble opinions as follows : 
 
 (1.) The vowel "A," in the English idiom in the present case, has a 
 sound which is similar to the "E" in the Spanish and of the Nahuatl, and 
 by consequence the first syllable of the words which I shall analyze would 
 be "Te," and the whole word would be "Tecoma." 
 
 (2.) This modification established, we obtain a word which has in the 
 Nahuatl idiom the signification "friend at first sight," because as a con- 
 traction (apocope) or conjunction of the words "Tecomatl" (Vase of Cala- 
 baga, according to Rincon in his work Mexican Art, p. 86, INIex. 1885. ) 
 
 (3.) Therefore it is very probable that in the word "Tecoma" there 
 are lacking other letters which, when restored, would contribute to give it 
 an acceptable signification ; thus, for example we could decompose it into 
 "Tecolman," which means heaps of coal; and of the verb "ma," which 
 means to dig (or raise anything from the earth), which conjugated gives 
 "man" and contains the transformations of "Tacoma," "Tecoma" or 
 "Tecolman," which, rendered into Spanish, means "the place from which 
 you get coal." 
 
 As regards the names "Tacobet" and "Tacoma," which have been 
 given by other tribes to the mountain, I am unable to pronounce a sentence. 
 
 I have devoted myself to the study of the indigenous languages of the 
 Southern tribes, so could not undertake to analyze words that derive their 
 origin from the living languages of the North, or from any dead languages 
 that have not been mentioned by other historians. 
 
 * * * * * ^f. 4J. 
 
 Could you have the kindness to place me in relation with some im- 
 portant philological association or academy. 
 
 May it please your worship to accept my respects, etc., etc. 
 
 Jose N. Rovirosa. 
 [Translated from the Spanish by Dr. Gundlogson, Feb. 8, 1893.] 
 
 City of Mexico, No. 11 Avenida Balueras, ) 
 March, 1, 1893. \ 
 
 Mr. James Wickersham. 
 
 Dear Sir : Your letter of inquiry in regard to Tacoma was received 
 late last night. This morning I took your letter to my friend Prof. Oniedo, 
 and he told me "Tacoma signifies caheza — head. It can be separated into 
 the roots "tetle" — stone, and "camitle" — a hollow vessel. 
 
 There is a village in the valley of Mexico that is called "Tecomitle." 
 "Tecomale" is the name of a tree of the family grape. From the root 
 "teco" are formed many words, as "tecopote," a crabapple tree; "teco- 
 lote,"anowl; "tecomarania," "tlacateco," and signifies "head" or like- 
 ness of head. 
 
 * * * * * * v 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 D. F. \Yatkins. 
 
 In volume 6, North American Sylva, Nuttal, page 74, is a description of 
 the trumpet flower, "Tecoma Radicans," with a foot note by the author, 
 
 17 
 
wliicli rvddti that the name is "from Tet'omaxocliill, tlie aboriginal Mexi- 
 can name of one of the species?" 
 
 Many other forms of the word occur in ]Mexico, even into the terri- 
 tories of the Mayas, all of which is too intricate and dry for an extended 
 examination ; sufficient to say that the word Tacoma in its different forms 
 is the most common in the ancient languages of INIexico, and signifies in 
 these various forms a head, a place from whence you get coal, a iiollow 
 vessel, a high vine, a trumpet flower, etc. May it also have been applied 
 by these people, in their migrations southward, to the grandest snow- 
 capped volcanic cone in the world? When they reached the meadows of 
 the Nesqually plains — when they had emerged from the forests, mountains 
 and fogs of their long southward journey on the seashore, and saw the sun 
 once more, as it rose over this grand peak, may they not have attached 
 this name to the mountain, which more recently they have given to so 
 many of their towns in ancient Mexico? Quzf/i Sabei 
 
 INDIAN NOMENCLATURE. 
 
 Many of the myths and traditions told by our Nesqually-Puyallup peo- 
 ple are worthy of Greek or Norse mythology. Their religious feelings are 
 natural, deep and fervent, and their music, art and mechanical skill, 
 while rude, have many points of excellence. Their language is capable of 
 fine distinctions. They bestowed names on every little lake, point, bay 
 and camping ground ; they had particular names for places and prominent 
 points, but no general names. Thus "Puyallup" was the name of the 
 camp ground on the east side of that river below the reservation, but the 
 river had no name ; there were as many names for it as they had camping 
 places along its banks. Each of tlie prominent peaks in both the Cascade 
 and Olympic ranges had names, but neither of the ranges had; they had 
 names for individuals, but not for classes or systems. 
 
 The Indian looked with awe and superstition upon the snowy summit 
 of Tacoma. He visited the base, but never ascended above the snow line. 
 The roar of falling waters, the disintegration of its rocky walls, the loud 
 snapping of its glaciers were to him mysterious, solemn and fearful. Each 
 mat home was filled with stories and traditions concerning it — and yet we 
 are told he had no name for it. Walk, as the writer has, through the for- 
 est with a bright Indian, and ask him the names of i>lants, animals, birds 
 and bugs — everything of common life to him — and you will be surprised at 
 the readiness with which the names follow your questions. I was put to 
 shame at my ignorance of botany by my friend, George Leschi, who, as a 
 boy, followed his father in hostile camps, and who cannot now read or 
 write his name. The Indian language is peculiarly rich in nouns — in 
 names. The Indians had a name for the grand mountain we call Tacoma. 
 
 What is the name? 
 
 Ask the Indians. Thousands of them yet live in sight of its snowy 
 summit, and are the best witnesses of what the name is. I have asked 
 them, and here are their answers : 
 
 18 
 
"Mro Bay, June 7, 1892. 
 "We, the undersigned, being Indians born near Mount Tacoma, do say ; 
 That the mountain was always called by the Nesqually tribe "Tacobet." 
 Edward Smith, .... age 29 years. 
 George Leschi, his [X] mark, age 40 years. 
 Charlie Walker, his [X] mark, age 56 years. 
 Louis Yowaluch, his [X] mark, age 45 years. 
 Harry, his [X] mark, - - age 50 years. 
 James Walker, his [X] mark, age 53 years. 
 Jack Simmons, his [X] mark. 
 
 "PuYALLUP Eeservation, Oct. 9, 1892. 
 "We, the undersigned Indians, belonging to the Puyallup Reserva- 
 tion, do say: That the Nesqually-Puyallup name for Mount Tacoma is 
 "Tacobet." The Klickitat name is "Tahoma." The Indian name for 
 Mount Adams is "Pah-to," and of Mount St. Helens is "Seuck" or "Seuk." 
 
 George Leschi, his [X] mark, age 40 years. 
 
 Bill James, his [X] mark, - age 39 years. 
 
 Jack Simmons, his [X] mark, - age 39 years. 
 
 William Bob, his [X] mark, - age 32 years. 
 
 Bill Petowow, his [X] mark, - age 49 years. 
 
 George Walker, his [X] mark, age 60 years. 
 
 Yelm Jim, his [X] mark, - - age 60 years. 
 
 October 20, 1892. 
 "We, being Indians raised near Port Orchard Bay and White River, 
 do say that the Indian name for Mount Tacoma was, ever since we could 
 remember, and always before, called 'Tacobet.' The mountain this side 
 of the great mountain cone is called 'Tc-Wauck.' The Olympic mountains 
 are called 'Tu-ad-och Spadit.' 
 
 [Signed] : "Jack Simmons, his [X] mark, age 39 years." 
 
 "Thos. Simmons, his [X] mark, age 60 years." 
 
 Tacoma, Wash., Jan. 30, 1893. 
 ^^Jamcs Wicker sham, Tacoma, Wash. 
 
 Dear Sir : The common Puyallup Indian name for the great moun- 
 tain is 'Takoman' or Takoban,' and also called by the Klickitats 'Tachoma.' 
 It is also sometimes referred to as 'Tuwouk,' the head of the Puyallup 
 River. Respectfully yours, 
 
 P. C. Stanup. 
 
 Seattle, Wash., Jan. 25, 1893. 
 "I, Angeline, the daughter of Seattle, do say that the old Indian 
 name for the great moiintain atthe head of the nesqually is 'tacobet,' 
 
 AND that my father, SEATTLE, ALWAYS CALLED IT BY THAT NAME. 
 
 "ANGELINE, her [XJ mark, 
 
 "Daughter of Seattle." 
 
 "On this 25th day of January, at Seattli:, Wash., Angeline, the 
 daughter of Chief Seattle, signed the above paper with her mark, 
 
 19 
 
aktek it was kxplainki) til ilek. slie said that (iod named the mol^ntain 
 Tacobkt, and only He could change it. 
 
 JACK SIMMONf^, nis [XJ mark. 
 
 Tacoma, March 11, 1893. 
 I, Moses Seattle, do sav that I am the son of James Seattle, who 
 
 WAS THE son of SEATTLE, CHIEF OF THE DwAMISH TRIBE. I KNOW THE IXDIAX 
 
 name ok the great mountain at the head of the puyallup river. tlie 
 Indian name is and always was Tacobet. My father and all my people 
 
 ALWAYS CALLED IT TaCOBET. ThE InDIAN NAME FOR SEATTLE IS "SeACHL." 
 
 MOSES SEATTLE. 
 
 This young man, Moses Seattle, wrote the above with his own liand, 
 })eing a graduate of the Indian scliool at Forest Grove, Oregon. He is well 
 educated and writes a pretty fair hand ; he is quite intelligent and under- 
 stands as well as any one the importance of what he wrote. He says 
 positively that all the relatives of old Chief Seattle call the mountain 
 Tacobet, and always did so, even before the first white man came into the 
 country. He says, moreover, that there is no such word as "Seattle;" 
 that the word is properly pronounced "Se-achl," and that Tacoma is 
 nearer the true Indian word Tacoliet than Seattle is to Se-achl. 
 
 PuYALLUP Indian Reservation, Jan. 30, 1893. 
 We, the undersigned, who talk the Puyallup-Kesqually language, do 
 say that the old Indian name for the mountain is "Tacobet," and always 
 was so before the whites came. 
 
 Martha [X[ Bill. Lucy [X] Simons. 
 
 Janimy [X] Bill, Texas [X] Bill. 
 
 GouK [X] Simmons. Mary [X] Sitwell. 
 
 Mary [X] Simmons. George [X] Bird. 
 
 Charlie [X] Jackson. Mrs. [X] Sitwell. 
 
 Sally [X] Jackson. Bill [X] Meanna. 
 
 Major [X] Hamilton. Mrs. [X] Meanna. 
 
 Ellen [X] Howard. Sally [X] Meanna. 
 
 Jean ]X] Garrison. Mrs. [X] Old Jack. 
 
 James [X] Riley. Chehalis [X] Bill. 
 
 Bill [X] James. Bersy [X] Bill. 
 
 Alice [X] James. 
 
 We, the undersigned, Klickitat and Yakima Indians, now living on 
 the Yakima Reservation, say that the old Indian name for Mount 
 Tacoma is, and always avas, "Ta-ho-ma." 
 
 Wn,HUR Spencer. 
 AiiiiAHAM Lincoln. 
 
 CU\ lU.ES W A N N ASS A Y . 
 
 I certify that the above Indians signed the above paper after thor- 
 oughly understanding it. 
 
 Jay Lynch, United States Indian Agent. 
 
 20 
 
U. S. Indian Service: Yakima Agency./ 
 Fort Simcoe, Janiiiiry 1^9, 1893. f 
 Hon. lames IVicke) sham, Tacoma, IVash. 
 
 Dear Sir : According to promise I send you statement from Indians 
 in regard to Indian name for Mount Tacoma, or Rainier. 
 
 I have talked with several Indians in regard to this matter, and they 
 say that the Indian name for the mountain is, and always was, "Ta-ho- 
 ma." Wilbur Spencer, son of old Chief Spencer, and the best interpreter 
 and an educated Indian, says the meaning of the word is a "rumbling 
 noise or sound." 
 
 The Indian name for Mount Adams is "Pao-too," meaning high, 
 sloping mountain. The Indian name for Mount St. Helens is "Lah-me-lat- 
 clah," meaning "fire mountain." 
 
 Very respectfully yours. 
 
 Jay Lynch, United States Indian Agent. 
 
 In Indian the letter h has the hard sound — almost invariably. The 
 word Tahoma forms no exception to the rule, and it is pronounced as if 
 there was a faint c before the h — "Tachoma." It is usually spelled, how'- 
 ever, without the sound of the c, but no one can study the Indian lan- 
 guage, compare the sounds, spell the words and write them as in English 
 without being at once struck with this hard sound of the letter h. It has 
 the same pronunciation in Indian that it has in Chinese. 
 
 We, the undersigned, being Indians who talk the Klickitat- Yakima 
 language, do hereby say that the Klickitat- Yakima name for the great 
 mountain, at the head of the Nesqually river, is 'Tach-oma,' and that was 
 the old Indian name for the mountain before the white men came to the 
 country. 
 
 "George Leschi, his [XJ mark. 
 
 Son of Chief Quiemuth. 
 "Mrs. Napoleon, her [X] mark. 
 Daughter of Chief Leschi. 
 "Mrs. Napoleon. 
 
 Daughter of Chief Kitsap. 
 "William Charley. 
 "Mrs. Jannie Charley. 
 "Blind Bob. 
 "Burnt Charley. 
 "Mrs. Bcrnt Charley. 
 "William Penio. 
 "Harry Taylor. 
 "Mrs. Louise Taylor. 
 • "Henry Taylor. 
 
 "Paul Wynaco. 
 "Mrs. Yelm Jim, 
 "Mrs. James Riley. 
 "James Riley." 
 
 21 
 
THE EXACT WORD — TACOMA. 
 
 In August, 1853, Theodore Winthrop journeyed from Port Townsend 
 to Squally in a royal canoe of Olallamdom, paddled by the Duke of York 
 and other aristocratically named retainers. At Nesqually he outfitted for 
 a ride to The Dalles, Ore., via the Natchez pass, and was furnished as a 
 guide a young Klickitat brave, the son of Owhi, whose annual journeys to 
 Squally from Yakima meadows made it a familiar trail to him. Across the 
 flower-carpeted plains from Nesqually rode Winthrop, the poet, and Owhi's 
 son ; into the dark recesses of the Puyallup forest, wading the unbridged 
 waters of Skamish, over logs, up Alpine heights — but always in the shadow 
 of the great white mountain, so full of mystery to the guide. 
 
 The white man was a poet — sensitive, cultured and refined ; tlie In- 
 dian, nature's child, superstitious and imaginative ; and as they journeyed 
 into this vast solitude, these poetical natures were drawn into close rela- 
 tionship. From Loolowcan, the Klickitat, the son of Owhi, Winthrop 
 heard the name of "Tachoma," and to the fortunate choice of this guide 
 we are indebted for the exact word Tacoma, as it appears in Winthrop' s 
 book, "Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1862," but written 
 nine years previously. 
 
 A few quotations from the first author tousetheexact word "Tacoma"' 
 will be peculiarly appropriate at this time, as they bear directly on the 
 subject under discussion. Concerning his journey from Port Townsend to 
 Squally, he writes, on page 43, "Canoe and Saddle:" 
 
 "We had rounded a point, and opened Puyallup Bay, a breadth of 
 sheltered calmness, when I, lifting sleepy eyelids for a dreamy stare about, 
 was suddenly aware of a vast white shadow in the water. What cloxid, 
 piled massive on the horizon, could cast an image so sharp in outline, so 
 full of vigorous detail of surface? No cloud, as my stare, no longer dream- 
 ing, presently discovered — no cloud, but a cloud compeller. 
 
 "It was a giant mountain dome of snow, swelling and seeming to fill 
 the aerial spheres as its image displaced the blue deep of tranquil water. 
 Kingly and alone stood this majesty, without any visible comrade or con- 
 sort, though far to the north and south its brethren and sisters dominated 
 their realms, each in isolated sovereignty, rising above the pine-darkened 
 sierra of the Cascade mountains, above the stern chasm where the Colum- 
 bia — Achilles of rivers, sweeps, short-lived and jubilant, to the sea; above 
 the lovely vales of the Willamette and Umpqua. Of all the peaks from 
 California to Fraser River, this one before me was royalest. Mount Reg- 
 nier. Christians have dubbed it in stupid nomenclature, perpetuating the 
 name of somebody or nobody. More melodiously the Siwashes call it Ta- 
 coma, a generic name, also applied to all snow peaks. 
 
 "Farthest away in the west, as near the western sea as mountains can 
 stand, are the Cascades. Sailors can descry a land-mark summit, firmer 
 than clouds, a hundred miles away. Kulshan, named Mount Baker by the 
 vulgar, is their northermost buttress up to 49 degrees and Fraser River. 
 Kulshan is an irregular, massive, round-shaped peak, worthy to stand a 
 white emblem of perpetual peace between us and our brother Britons. 
 
 22 
 
"Its name I got from the Lummi tribe at its base, after I had dipped 
 in their pot at a boiled salmon feast. As to Baker, that name should be 
 forgotten. Mountains should not be insulted by being named after undis- 
 tinguished bipeds nor by the prefix 'Mount.' Mount Ohimborazo seems 
 as feeble as Mr. Julius Csesar." 
 
 Most of the authorities quoted give the meaning of the word Tacoma 
 as "nourishing breast," on account, presumably, of its conical shape. 
 The Yakimas say it means a "rumbling noise," while another version is 
 that it means "the gods." From an intimate examination of the question 
 and from a careful consultation with a large number of Indians, I am 
 satisfied that they have entirely lost the meaning, if ever they had one. 
 No Indian ever made claim, in my presence, that the name had reference 
 to a "nourishing breast" and I am entirely satisfied that that interpre- 
 tation is fanciful and not real. 
 
 The Nesqually word "tak" means "inland, or away from the water." 
 "Ta" is a Nesqually-Puyallup root and is the base of "this," "tliat,," 
 "what," and "the." "Ta-hats-chebadats" means "the tall tree." "Ta- 
 stub-kate" means "the very top." "Ta-schuck" means "the high," having 
 reference to the sky. 
 
 The word "Ko" means water in Nesqually; "ba-ko" or "ma-ko," 
 snow, "ko-ba-shed" means that the feet are frozen ; "ko-ba-chi" that the 
 hand is frozen; and "ko-box" that the nose is frozen. "Ko-bat-chid" or 
 "ko-ma-chin" means rainbow. 
 
 Here we have "ta" meaning "the;" "ko" meaning "water;" while 
 the last syllable "ma" also has reference to snow; the word "ba" or "ma" 
 is said to mean to scatter — as the snow ; and if these sounds and words be 
 properly understood, we have in the word Tacoma a combination havin^ 
 reference to the scattered snow on the mountain top. 
 
 Mount Adams is named by the aborigines "Pah-too" and means high, 
 sloping mountain; Mount St. Helens is called "Lah-me-lat-clah" and 
 means "fire mountain." When we consider the shape of Adams, and that 
 St. Helens has actually ejected fire within historic days, these names seem 
 proper, as being descriptive of the characteristic feature of the particular 
 peak. The same is true of the word Tacoma; the cold and silent summit 
 is white with never melting snow ; and it is the only mountain of that 
 kind which they had constantly before them. The summer sun cleared 
 the tops of all the other peaks within their range of vision ; the Olympics 
 were entirely bare in the height of summer, as were the peaks of the 
 Cascade range so far as they could see ; for Adams and St. Helens were 
 hidden behind the range, and also had other names from other reasons. 
 So Tacoma was to them pre-eminently the snow covered mountain. 
 
 It is not true, as apparently suggested by many, that Tacoma is a 
 generic term, meaning any snow covered mountain. jNIount Baker is 
 named by the Indians "Kulshan :" Mount Adams, "Pah-too," and St. 
 Helens, "Seuq." These names are all distinct, and are never applied to 
 any other mountain. No authority can point to one instance where 
 
 23 
 
"TacolK't" or "Tahoma" has been applied to any other mountain; the 
 mistake arises in tlie explanation of persons who try to say that Tacoma 
 is a word meaning generally a snow covered mountain. They would not, 
 if cross examined, say that it ever had application to any other mountain 
 than this one ; they do not say so ; but their explanations are so vague 
 that it leaves a chance for argument which does not exist if the facts are 
 properly understood. 
 
 "Tacobet," "Tahoma," and "Tacoma" are not generic terms which 
 
 MAY BE APPLIED INDISCRIMINATELY TO ANY HIGH MOUNTAIN : ThEY ARE SIMPLY 
 THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE INDIAN NAME FOR MoUNT TACOMA, AND ARE AK 
 SOLELY THE NAME OP THAT ONE MOUNTAIN AS "PaH-TOO" IS OF AdAMS, "SEUCi" 
 
 OK St. Helens and "Kulshan" of Baker. 
 
 CONCLUSIONS. 
 
 (1). The Puget Sound Indian name for the mountain is either "Ta-co- 
 bet," "Tacoba," or "Tackob." The "b" in Indian is interchangeable 
 with "m," and hence we also have the forms "Tacoman" and "Tacoban" 
 as given by Mr. Peter Stanup. 
 
 (2). The Yakima-Klickitat name is "Ta-cho-ma," with the "ch" as 
 in German, but most frequently written as "Ta-ho-ma." 
 
 (3). The word means "snow-covered mountain." 
 
 (4). The word "Tacoma" is a fair, honest Indian noun. 
 
 (5). The word "Tacoma" should be preserved as the name of this 
 royal mountain peak, and "Mount Rainier" should be abandoned. 
 
 The special attention of the people of Puget Sound is called to the fact 
 that the reservation made by the President is only a forest reserve. It is 
 not a park, nor is it yet set apart for the public at all. It is a simple with- 
 drawal of that much of the public domain from disposal under the public 
 land laws, and is not intended in any manner for the use of the public. 
 The President has no power to improve it, or to permit others to do so, and 
 each of our citizens going upon the reserve simply becomes a trespasser. 
 It is not open to the public, but by the act of withdrawal it is beyond the 
 power of any citizen to acquire either temporary or permanent riglits 
 therein, except by act of Congress . 
 
 What we now want is an act of Congress speciallj' setting this apart as 
 a park, donating it to the State of Washington, and providing for its care 
 and custody by the State for the benefit of the public." 
 
 At the close of the paper the Indians present were called upon, and 
 gave verbal testimony concerning the name of the mountain, pronouncing 
 it Tacobet or Tahoma. 
 
 General A. Y. Kautz, a veteran of the Puyallnp war of 1855, who first 
 ascended Mount Tacoma, was present and added the weight of his author- 
 
 24 
 
ity in favor of Tacoma. Lieutenant Van Ogle, also a veteran of 1855 said : 
 Gentlemen- : I have not much to say about it. From what I used to 
 learn from the Indians, the name is "Tahoma." One of the chiefs that 
 used to try to teach me Chinook in the early days told me the mountain's 
 name was "Tacobet." 
 
 Then came the most interesting part of the proceedings, the talks of 
 the Indians. The younger men all talked fairly good English. The old 
 man Hiaton, who is over 80 years of age, spoke with a good deal of native 
 dignity and deliberateness. His words were translated by George Lesclii. 
 He would speak a few words, gesticulating quite freely, and then pause for 
 the interpreter to proceed. Jack Simmons said : 
 
 Ladies and Gentlemen : I can't talk to you very much. Always was 
 this mountain here (pointing) called "Tacobet." I think Tacoma is the 
 closest name that white men call. All the La Conner Indians and all over 
 the Sound give you his name "Tacobet." 
 
 John Powers rose up and spoke next. Said he : 
 
 Gentlemen : My mother was an Indian and my father a white man. 
 The only name the mountain is called by Indians is "Tacobet" — "Ta- 
 cobet," that all the name it called. 
 
 George Leschi said : 
 
 Well, my good friends, I can't talk much, but the name of the moun- 
 tain is "Tacobet," and the Klickitats call it "Tahoma." I am about 
 three-quarters Klickitat, balance Nesqually. 
 
 The old man, John Hiaton, was then called upon, and was interpreted 
 by Leschi. He first looked all around, and with a dignified gesture said: 
 
 I see all the ladies and gentlemen. I am going to call the name of the 
 mountain — the name God gave it. God put me down here before you came 
 here. He put me here for seed — perhaps He sent you here. My people 
 call the mountain "Tacobet" — George, his name (pointing to George); 
 "Tacobet" mountain's name — nobody can change — that is all. 
 
 Upon being asked, Jack Simmons, who is a nephew of old Chief Se- 
 attle, said that his name was pronounced by the Indians "Se-achl," and 
 not Seattle. 
 
 Upon motion the meeting adjourned. 
 
 M. S. Hill, 
 
 Secretary T. A. S. 
 
JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING. 
 
 At a joint committee meeting held May 3, 1893, at which were present 
 George W. Thompson, President of the Chamber of Commerce ; E. L, 
 Shafner, Secretary of the Commercial Club; Meriden S. Hill, Secretary of 
 the Tacoma Academy of Science, and Fred G. Plummer, Secretary of the 
 Washington Alpine Club, a resolution was unanimously adopted request- 
 ing the Academy of Science to issue a second edition of 3000 copies of Judge 
 Wickersham's paper on the name of Mount Tacoma, with a supplement 
 containing extracts from some of the communications received since the 
 issue of the first edition. 
 
 President Allyn appointed Judge Wickersham, Secretary Meriden S. 
 Hill and Secretary Fred G. Plummer of the Alpine Club to prepare the 
 second edition. 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 
 
 PoYNTERS Grove, ) 
 
 TOTTERIDGE, HeRTS., V 
 
 March 13, 1893. ) 
 Judge Wicker sham, Tacoma. 
 
 Dear Sir : I have duly received your pamphlet about Mount Eainier, 
 or Tacoma, I think I told you that beyond reading in Vancouver's travels 
 that he had named the striking object Mount Rainier, and the Sound, 
 Puget's Sound, in May, 1792, and that he was my great-uncle, I have 
 nothing of interest to supply, either biographical or pictorial. I quite 
 agree that the name of the mountain should be what it originally bore in 
 times past before Vancouver gave it a new name. Thanking you for your 
 booklet, I remain. Yours faithfully, 
 
 John Puget, Colonel. 
 
 Royal Geographical Society, ^ 
 No. 1 Saville Row, 
 Burlington Garden. VV,, 
 
 April 11. 1893. 
 
 Dear Sir: The secretary desires me to acknowledge your letter of 
 March 15th, and to send you the papers you ask for, with the compliments 
 of the society. He also sends a short paper on mountain nomenclature, 
 in which you will see the views which he has held for some time — views 
 very similar to those you express in your interesting pamphlet on Mt. 
 Tacoma. Yours sincerely, 
 
 Hugh Robert Mill, 
 Librarian R. G. S. 
 
 The Royal Geographical Society of England is the highest of all au- 
 thorities on geographical matters, including geographical names. Included" 
 with the letter of the librarian of the society was a pamphlet prepared by 
 the secretary of the Royal Geographical Society of England, Mr. W. 
 Douglas Freshfield, on the proper name of "Mont Everest," in India. 
 
 "Mont Everest^, " in the Himalayas, is the highest mountain peak in 
 the world, rising 29,000 feet above the level of the sea. The name was 
 bestowed on the mountain in 1856 by Sir Andrew Waugh, and was compli- 
 mentary to Sir George Everest. Immediately there rose a protest from 
 many eminent geographers, who insisted, very properly, that the native 
 Indian names should have the preference. They protested against the 
 name of even an eminent scholar being attached to the highest mountain 
 in the world, when the natives of the immediate surrounding country had 
 already given it a fitting name. 
 
 27 
 
t^evcral native names came forwanl. The controversy became almost 
 international, and AV. Douglas Freshfield, the secretary of the Royal Geo- 
 ^ira})iiical Society of England, prepared and read before the society in 1886 
 an article entitled "Further Notes on 'Mont Everest,' " in which he clearly 
 sets forth the reasons for adopting the native name. His arguments are 
 so clear and convincing, and fit the case of Mount Tacoma vs. Rainier so 
 closely, that it would seem as if it would forever settle the question. 
 The following extracts are taken from his paper in defence of the native 
 Indian name as against ''Mont Everest:" 
 
 "But here is proof, at any rate, that a native name was used fur the 
 group before Everest was assigned to its crowning pinnacle ! And I may 
 note also that the adjacent summit has had a native name, Makalu, found 
 for it by the surveyors, despite its situation in the forbidden territory of 
 Nepal, twelve miles less distant. 
 
 I have put forward the facts as far as I know them, but I shall hardly 
 be sorry if I fail in my argument, in so far as the assertion that Gauri- 
 sanker is the proper name for the great Nepal peak is contained in it. If 
 
 I SUCCEED IN SHOWING THAT THE MOUNTAIN HAS AN APPROPRIATE NATIVE 
 
 NAME I SHALL CONSIDER MY CASE WON. And General Walker has, I consider, 
 proved for me this — the material point at issue — by admitting a native 
 name for the group, the noblest name man can give — Devadhunga, "The 
 Abode of Deity." 
 
 "The true principle of geographical nomenclature is surely that set out 
 by Sir A. Waugh and quoted by General Walker — that local and national 
 appellations should prevail. Travelers are often far too prone to indulge 
 their sentiments or their vanity, to attest their gratitude or their expectation, 
 by engrafting exotic names on natural objects. The first requisite in geo- 
 graphical names is that they should be appropriate; that they should in 
 themselves announce their locality and indicate some natural characteristic 
 or human connection. Where the P^nglish race has supplanted its predeces- 
 sors it has a fair claim to introduce its own names, though not to the 
 extinction of such as already exist. Aorangi (the heaven-piercer) ought 
 to have been left as the title of the loftiest of the New Zealand alps, while 
 Cook found more appropriate commemoration in some cape or harbor. 
 But Mount Darwin and Mount Hooker are not out of place as secondary 
 summits. The "icy privacies" of the Poles offer a very suitable field for the 
 immortilization of sovereigns and sailors. Uninhabited islands lie naturally 
 at the mercy of their first discoverers' imagination — or want of it. But in 
 the historic highlands of Asia, amidst the relics of people and languages 
 that carry us far back in the story of humanity, such inventions as the 
 "Tsar Liberator Mountain," or the "Columbus Range" are too sadly out 
 of place." * * * 
 
 "Practically, j^erhaps, the matter at issue may seem a veiy small one — 
 a mere matter of convenience and taste. But ethnologically and historic- 
 ally it has considerable interest. Shall the greatest mountain we know 
 stand forever as a monument of the religious faith of the human race? Or 
 shall the space-searching watchman who looks down over the valleys of 
 
 28 
 
Nepal and the plains of India, light liis fires at sunrise, and at sunset to 
 celebrate no greater thought anil no higher fame than that of a most 
 meritorious mathematician?" 
 
 "Mr, John Ball wrote some years ago : With the highest estimate of 
 the services of General Dufour as director of the admirable Swiss survey, 
 the writer does not believe that the name of any individual can remain per- 
 manently attached to the highest peak of the second mountain in Europe." 
 
 Mutatis mutandis. I adopt these words in the present case ; and in what 
 has taken place in Europe we may find a practical and peaceful solution 
 for the similar question that has arisen in Asia. In a few large official 
 maps and Swiss books Dufonrspitze maintains a somewhat obscure exis- 
 tence; but the great public — "the poets too" — know and will continue to 
 know the mountain as Monte Rosa. What would have happened if Byron, 
 and Coleridge, and Slielley had had to write of Mont Paccard (the sugges- 
 tion was actually made) or Mont Saussure instead of Mont Blanc? 
 Fancy Tennyson's lines converted into 
 
 "How faintly ttuslied, how phantom fair, 
 The Dufour Spitze was hanging there!" 
 
 English and foreign geographers will, I still think, be well 
 
 ADVISED to hold TO A NATIVE NAME FOR THE HIGHEST MEASURED PEAK, 
 WHETHER GaURISANKAR OR DkVADHUNGA, TIME MUST DECIDE." 
 
 Apply the arguments made by the eminent secretary of the Royal 
 Geographical Society of England to the case of Mt. Tacoma — use our local 
 names in his argument — and where do the opponents of ''Mount Tacoma" 
 stand? Clearly outside the pale of geographic nomenclature! No better 
 argument can be made for our position than that made by this noble so- 
 ciety of English geographers. If England concedes our case, why will not 
 America? If the Royal Geographical Society of England grants that the 
 native name of this noble American peak be retained instead of Rainier, 
 what excuse can the Board on Geographic Names of the United States of 
 America give for holding otherwise? 
 
 It isn't even "English, you know." 
 
 Extract from a letter written to the Neiv York Evening Post, by the dis- 
 tinguished writer and political economist, David S. Wells : 
 
 "The name Tacoma has already found favor and is claimed to Ije of 
 Indian derivation, and if not Indian is strikingly euphonious and ought to 
 be the only one recognized and used by the people of this country," 
 
 The Washington Post in its editorial of Feb. 9, 1893, said : 
 "The Post has no special interest in the controversy, but is decidedly 
 in favor of retaining the original Indian names, where practicable, for 
 towns and reservations and other places of note instead of immortahzing 
 the names of individuals. Englishmen or otherwise. In this, was the se- 
 lection to devolve upon us, we should be very strongly disposed to call the 
 roservation 'Mount Tacoma Park,' as being musical in itself, and to Ameri- 
 can ears decidedly more euphonious and agreeable than 'Rainier.' " 
 
 29 
 
Garrett P. Scrviss, that Avoiiderful orator, who is now deligliting east- 
 ern audienees with his eloquent descriptions of western scenery, says, in 
 the New York Sim: 
 
 "There is no getting around the fact that tlie only active opposition to 
 the restoration to the grandest American mountain and its beautiful origi- 
 nal appellation arises from spite and jealousy directed against the city 
 which has chosen the mountain's name for its own. That, and not Anglo- 
 maniac or a desperately judicial regard for the supposed rights of English 
 '"explorers," who, sailing along the shores of a continent, clapped the sur- 
 names of their friends at home upon the heads of majestic mountains only 
 seen by them at a distance of 50 or 100 miles, is the real reason why Mount 
 Tacoma cannot possess its name in peace. 
 
 Of course "civilized discoverers" have a right to name mountains, and 
 any name that they bestow should, as a general rule, be retained except 
 in one case, and that is when the original name is known. The original 
 nam3 has an inalienable right to precedence, especially when It is not a 
 jaw-breaking string of unpronouncable syllables, but a euphonious and 
 musical word, such as Tacoma certainly is. 
 
 Vancouver was not the first "ci\dlized" person to see Tacoma shining 
 like a mighty white thunder cloud above the distant horizon. It was ad- 
 mired by Spanish explorers two years before he saw it, and tlieir charts 
 aided him in navigating the waters of Puget Sound, which, thanks to this 
 same bestower of obscure names on magnificent natural phenomena, is 
 called after Peter Puget, an officer on Vancouver's ship. In fact, 
 Vancouver fairly bespattered this whole region with the names of his 
 friends in England." 
 
 Boston, Mass., March 23, 1893. 
 ^^Frid G. Plnmmer, Esq., Secy IVashington Alpine CInb, Tacoma^ Wash. 
 
 ******* 
 I am glad you are making an effort to preserve Tacoma and the sur- 
 rounding region as a park, and that the name Tacoma is so well cham- 
 pioned, and trust that it will ultimately prevail. 
 
 * * * * * * * 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Hazz,\rd Stevens." 
 
 General Stevens made the ascent of Tacoma in 1870 with James Long- 
 mire and P. B. Van Trump. 
 
 Union City, Mason Co., Wash, April 27, 1893. 
 ' *Hon . James Wicker sham . 
 
 Dear Sir : I ought long ago to have acknowledged the receipt of your 
 pamphlet in regard to the name of Taconui, and am very glad that you 
 are still agitating that subject. I do not know that I am prejudiced one 
 way or the other about it, but think if my sympathies have been either 
 side in the general rivalry between Seattle and Tacoma they have been 
 with Seattle. That certainly was the case in the early part of the fight 
 between the two places, years ago, though there is less of it now. But, 
 
 30 
 
however that may be, I would like to see the name Taeoma kept on the 
 mountain. I think Taconui much the best name. My reasons are much 
 the same as those of others — perpetuate the native names when we can, 
 when they are not too hard, and this one is one of the easiest of them. I 
 have sympathized with Seattle in the general fight, as sometimes I thought 
 there w^as reason in it ; but I think Seattle unreasonable in trying to keep 
 Rainier, and so my sympathies are on this point the other way. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 M. Eells." 
 
 The Chicago Mail in its issue of May 4th, 1893, said editorially : "The 
 Mail is glad to lend itself to the proposition to establish the Indian name 
 of the great mountain near Tacoma, Washington, doing away with the 
 name 'Rainier.' given it by Vancouver in 1792. There is no reason why 
 Tacoma, Mount Tacoma, sliould not have the preference. The man for 
 whom Vancouver got his app^^llative was a British vice-admiral of no con- 
 sequence in history, though he fought against us during the Revolution- 
 ary war." 
 
 The editor of the Archaologist says in the April number: "It should 
 be the desire of all American people to preserve mementoes of our aborig- 
 inal race which is fast disappearing. This can be done only in protecting 
 not alone from destruction their works left behind, but also jealously 
 guarding the names they gave to our mountains, lakes, streams, etc. Why 
 should not then this prominent snow-clad peak have an Indian name for- 
 ever perpetuated as Mount Tacoma?" 
 
 Henry T. Finck, an author of wide reputation, says in the New York 
 Nation: "The name of Tacoma was in use centuries before Vancouver 'dis- 
 covered' the mountain. The American people will surely right it ulti- 
 mately. Some years ago an attempt was made to impose the name of a 
 governor of California on the most picturesque of American lakes. To 
 this day packages are sent to 'Lake Bigler;' but to most Californians, and 
 to all tourists, that lake is now known, and always will be known, as 
 Lake Tahoe. And so, too, will it be with Mount Tacoma. 
 
 University of Pennsylvania, ~] 
 
 Department of Archaeology and Palaeontology, [ 
 
 American ^ECTION. Dr. C. C. Abbott, Curator, f 
 
 Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 18, 1892. J 
 
 M. S. Hill, Esq. 
 
 My Dear Sir: I most heartily sympathize with you in the matter of 
 "names." It seems to me bordering upon outrage to abandon the original 
 names of mountains, rivers and other striking localities, to which the In- 
 dians gave not only beautiful but appropriate names, and foist upon them 
 those of modern people who happen to be their "discoverers," or in this 
 way endeavor to perpetuate soldiers', politicians' and others' fame, when 
 often these people have never even seen the places referred to. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Chab. C. Abbott. 
 
 31 
 
The Geographical Society ok the Pacific, ) 
 San Francisco, Miireh 4, 1893. \ 
 
 M. S. Hill, Secretary Taccma Academy of Science, Tacoina, ITas/i. 
 
 Dear Sir: I am directed by the Oouncil of the Geographical Society of 
 the Pacific to acknowledge receipt of the February transactions of your 
 Academy, and your letter of February 25, and to express to you the thanks 
 of the Society. The Council considers Judge Wickersham's paper a most 
 interesting document showing as it does that the aboriginal name of the 
 mountain is in all points of view more appropriate than wouM be any im- 
 portation from the Old World. 
 
 1 am, very truly yours, 
 
 T, F. Trenor, Assist. Secy. 
 
 Thic Minnesota Academy of Natural Sciences, } 
 Minneapolis, March 7, 1893. S 
 
 AferiJen S. Hill, Esq., Secretary TaC'iina Academy of Science. 
 
 Dear Sir: We are in receipt of your very interesting "proceedings," 
 for which please accept cordial thanks. It is a matter of mucli interest to 
 me. and should be, I think, to all, that the old local names, especially 
 those given and used by the primitive inhabitants, should be retained. 
 They should indeed be held measurably sacred to the memory of the peo- 
 ple who have passed or are passing away. They are usually significant 
 and euphonious — more so than "Tom, Dick or Harry," or even "A'aw?Vr. " 
 1 hope you will succeed in impressing upon the powers that be the mani- 
 fest propriety of affixing the title " Tacoma" to any document referring to 
 the mountain officially. Very truly yours, 
 
 W. H. Pratt, Cor. Secy. 
 
 Albany Institute, \ 
 
 Albany, N. Y., March 14, 1893. S 
 Dear Sir : 1 am directed by the Albany Institute to express its thanks 
 for the ]iamphlct on tiie name of Mount Tacoma. You are right beyond 
 all (juestion. The native local nomenclature should 1)e adopted by the 
 conquering nation unless a name embraces sounds or combinations of let- 
 ters unmanageable by the new-comers. I beg to assure you that the So- 
 ciety duly appreciates this mark of consideration. 
 
 I remain, very respectfully yours, 
 
 George Rogers Howell, 
 
 Recording Secretary. 
 To M. S. Hill, Secretary Tacoma Academy of Science. 
 
 The Oneida Historical Society,/ 
 Utica, N. Y., March 15, 1893. j" 
 Mr. M. S. Hill, Recording Secretary, Etc. 
 
 Dear Sir: Your communication was read by me yesterday, at a 
 regular meeting of this society, and its contents received consideration. 
 It is (piite true that much interest has been manifested by us in the name 
 of Mount Tacoma, and we do sincerely hope that this name will be pre- 
 served, not only for the mountain, ])ut also for the park. As a tract of 
 
 32 
 
land surrounding Mount Tacoma has recently been set apart, as a govern- 
 ment reserve, for a public park, this subject becomes a matter of national 
 interest and importance, and the proceedings of the Academy show very 
 conclusively that the name which the mountain now bears was the earliest 
 name, which name should certainly be continued. It is to be hoped 
 that action by Congress will be taken favorable to this name, at an early 
 day, and if any aid can be rendered in this direction do not hesitate to 
 call upon us. 
 
 I am, yours faithfully, 
 
 Charles W. Darling, 
 
 Corresponding Secretary. 
 
 S-MrxHsoNiAN Institution, 
 United States National Museum, 
 Washington, March 18, 1893. 
 M. S. Hill, Secretary. 
 
 Dear Sir : I have received your publication in relation to Mount Ta- 
 coma, and am entirely in accord with the proposition to restore the original 
 and euphonious aboriginal name to the tine peak to which it belongs. I 
 believe in retaining the aboriginal names in every case where they are eu- 
 phonious and clearly established, rather than inapplicable subsequent 
 names which chance and the first explorers happened to use, unless the 
 latter have become universally current. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 Wji. H. Dall. 
 
 Kansas State Agricultcral College, \ 
 Manhattan, Kas., March 18, 1893. \ 
 M. S. Hill, Esq., Secretary Tacoma Academy of Science, Tacoma, Washington. 
 
 Dear Sir : I take pleasure in acknowledging herewith the receipt of 
 the proceedings of your Academy for Feb. 6, 1893, and have examined it 
 with considerable interest. It always seemed to me highly appropriate to 
 preserve aboriginal geographical names wherever possible. I should there- 
 fore be much pleased to see Tacoma recognized as the name for your moun- 
 tain. Certainly the name Rainier has no such connection Avith our past 
 or present history as to give it much claim to our defence. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 J. T. WiLLARD, 
 
 Pres. Scientific Club, K. S. A. C. 
 
 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. Q.) 
 March 28th, 1893. \ 
 
 M. S. Hill, Secretary Tacoma Academy of Science, Tacoma, Wash. 
 
 Dear Sir : Accept my thanks for the interesting brochure you have 
 sent rae concerning the famous mountain. You certainly make out a 
 strong case for Tacoma vs. Rainier, and I shall be glad to assist you by all 
 means in my power to secure the rightful restoration. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Elliott Coues. 
 33 
 
Peoria Scikntific Association, } 
 Peoria, III.. April 28, 1893. ) 
 To the Taconia Academy of Science. 
 
 We, the undersigned, having been appointed by the Peoria Associa- 
 tion to convey our interest to the Taconia Academy do tlierefore resolve : 
 
 That we heartily sympathize with the Tacoma Academy in its effort 
 to fix the word "Tacoma" as a name for the beautiful mountain. 
 
 That we urge upon our Association its co-operation in trying to secure 
 the reserve land adjacent for purposes of a national park. 
 
 That we believe this to be a matter of national interest and worthy of 
 the utmost effort on the part of all scientists and public-spirited people. 
 [Signed] H. B. Hopkins, 
 
 H. W. Wells, 
 Alice Bakniiart, 
 
 Committee. 
 
 Tacoma, Wash., July 1, 1893. 
 Hon. fames Wickersham, Tacoma. 
 
 My Dear Sir : In response to the request contained in your favor of 
 June 30th, it gives me pleasure to enclose map of Blount Tacoma corrected 
 by best information received up to date. For comparison I enclose copy of 
 map of Mount Blanc taken from LeOontes Geology. Both maps are to the 
 same scale and give an idea of the size of Tacoma. 
 
 Answering your inquiry regarding the name of the mountain, would 
 say that this club has endorsed the word "Tacoma," as its spelling is as 
 near as any can be to the Indian pronunciation. 
 
 From triangulations made this spring, I am of the opinion that the 
 mountain is 15,000 feet high, and not 14,444 as is commonly reported. 
 This would make it the highest mountain in the United States. 
 
 Very truly, 
 
 Fred. G. Plummer, 
 Secretary Washington Alpine Club. 
 
 Monsignor Satolli, the official representative of the Pope, in closing 
 his address at the Tacoma hotel on Sunday, July 2nd, said (by his inter- 
 preter): "Again the Monsignor thanks you for this large reception. He 
 wishes to say finally that he knows the grand mountain which towers 
 over the whole Sound, has for its true name — Tacoma." 
 
 rei'okt of committee on revision. 
 
 June 25, 1893. 
 Hon. Frank Allyn, President. 
 
 Your special committee on the printing of the second edition of the 
 paper entitled "Is it Mount Tacoma or Rainier?" respectfully submits 
 the foregoing. James Wickersham, Chairman. 
 
 Meriden S. Hill. 
 Fred G. Plcmmer. 
 
 34 
 
MAP OP THE GLACIERS OF MOUNT BLAN'C. 
 
 MAP OF THE GLACIERS OF MOL'NT TACOMA. 
 
LIBRfiRY OF CONGRESS 
 
 017 373 283 1 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 017 373 283 1