Lake Indians

Lake Indians

Called by themselves Senijextee and possibly identical with the Lahanna of Lewis and Clark in 1805, a small tribe of Salishan stock, originally ranging along Columbia River in northeast Washington from about Kettle Falls to the British line. In 1820 Fort Colville trading-post was established by the Hudson Bay Company in their country, but they remained almost unchanged until Christianized in 1846, chiefly through the efforts of the Jesuit Father Adrian Hoecken, who in that year established the summer mission of St. Paul at the Falls. In 1870 they were officially described as living entirely by hunting and fishing, selling their furs to the traders, well fed and clothed, peaceable, friendly, independent, and Catholic in religion. They numbered then 239. In 1872 they were collected with other kindred tribes upon Colville Reservation in the same territory. With the other confederated tribes they are now attached to the mission of Saint John Francis Regis, at Ward, in charge of the Jesuit Fathers, assisted by the Sisters of Charity of Providence. They numbered 283 in 1908, a considerable increase over earlier figures. (See also KALISPEL INDIANS.)

BUREAU CATH. IND. MISSIONS, Reports (Washington), Reports of Commissioner of Indian Affairs (Washington); MOONEY in Handbook Am. Inds., I (Washington, 1907), s. v. Missions; SHEA, Catholic Missions (New York, 1854); DE SMET, Oregon Missions (New York, 1847); WINANS in Report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs (Washington, 1870).

JAMES MOONEY