Seospahkoot was a chief of the Nisga’a First Nations, located at
Nass River.
In an enclosure to this despatch, Seospahkoot is referenced in relation to a robbery of goods from the schooner
Nonpareil. In the summer of
1861, the master of
Nonpareil arrived at
Nass and, after trading a large quantity of spirits, took away with him Seospahkoot’s
wife. In October, the master brought her back to
Nass, and invited the Nisga’a chiefs on board and served them spirits. That same evening,
Seospahkoot’s nephew went on board, and his canoe was cut away by a Ts’msyan member
of the ship’s crew. This resulted in a quarrel that ended when the master struck Seaspahkoot’s
nephew on the head. The man was permanently injured by the blow, and
unable to from its effects to get his living, as an Indian must, by his physical strength.
1 This led to a party of inebriated Nisga’a boarding
Nonpareil and stealing property from the master’s store room.
Despite being provoked,
Commander Pike determined that the Nisga’a were nonetheless guilty and that
drunkenness was no palliation of the offense
.
2 They were ordered to return the property; in response, the chiefs
expressed a strong desire to make amends for their unlawful act and at once agreed
to return the property.
2