Seospahkoot
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
Mentions of this person in the documents
People in this document

Pike, Commander John W.

Vessels in this document

Schooner unavailableNonpareil

Places in this document

Nass River

The Colonial Despatches Team. Seospahkoot. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. The Colonial Despatches Team. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/seospahkoot.html.

Last modified: 2020-03-30 13:22:16 -0700 (Mon, 30 Mar 2020) (SVN revision: 4193)