As they looked to the sea for their
principal food supply, their villages
were directly on the shore just above
the high water-mark, in sheltered
coves, where they could launch their
canoes and land in any weather and
at any stage of the tide. But the Chil
kat, differing from all the oth/r Tling
it, lived just beyond the 'pen water
in a rather restricted territory on. riv
era that were veritable storehouses- of
food, bringing an abundance of fish life
to their very doors and so permitting
them to rema'n at home throughout
the year, except when on their tea/ding
trips to thA interior, which gave their
habitations a more permaneat charac
ter, and contributed to file unity of
communal life.
At the Mother Town.
Of the four principal old villages, all
which have survived the ravages
if constant strife and the still more
deadly by-products of civilization
liquor and diseaseKtafewan (mother
town) has always held the first place
in size, wealth and the character of
Its people. It retained its supremacy
long after the more southern coast vil
lages had gone to decay, as its more
interior and isolated position and the
ndepenoent and aggressive reputation
ot its population kept white traders
at a distance. Klukwan lies at the
pdsre of 3 wadual slope tb north
bank of the Chilkat, 20 miles from its
mouth, where the swift current con
centrated in a single channel forms a
strong eddy that permits the landing
of canoes at any stage of the rtver.
