Among the An-ko-me-nums, or Flathead Tribes of Indians of the Pacific Coast

In this richly illustrated memoir, a 19th‑century missionary recounts his first years among the An‑ko‑me‑nums, a branch of the Salish peoples who once lived along the Columbia and Fraser rivers and the shores of Puget Sound. He describes their distinctive customs—from the striking practice of head‑flattening to their communal life in river valleys—providing a vivid ethnographic snapshot that brings the landscape and its inhabitants to life. The narrative blends personal observation with careful notes on language, ceremony, and the everyday rhythms of a culture confronting rapid change.

The author’s voice is both earnest and unflinching as he details the hardships of establishing a mission in a world he saw as shadowed by superstition and hardship. He confronts hostile forces such as witch‑doctors and whiskey traders while also chronicling moments of unexpected friendship and conversion. Through his eyes the reader witnesses the early struggles and small triumphs that laid the groundwork for a lasting, if contested, dialogue between faith and the Pacific‑coast Indigenous peoples.