Item : 75-55 - Supplejack's Grave

The accompanying description by J. S. Matthews reads: "Supplejack's Grave", Chaythoos, First Narrows, circa 1888. An ancient Indian clearing, Chaythoos, i.e. "high bank" at Prospect Point, at end of Pipe Line Road, Stanley Park. Here stood the lodge of Chief Khaht-sah-la-nogh, (Kitsilano), built of cedar slabs split with stone hammers and horn wedges by the greatest natural carpenters in North America. From this settlement Indians probably watched Capt. Vancouver pass, 1792. Its precise location appears on the first map, made by Royal Engineers, Feb. 1863, of "Government Reserve". Khaytulk, or "Supplejack", son of Chief Khahtsahlanogh, demolished the lodge, and replaced it with a cottage, as shown, of sawn boards. Khaytulk had two horses and twelve cows, and supplied milk, daily by canoe, to Hastings Sawmill. Some cows wandered into the forest, and became wild, and, after the Reserve became Stanley Park, frightened people, and were shot. The progenitors of the herd given to Khaytulk, for services, by the Royal Engineers. Khaytulk died here, and was buried, with ceremony, in a small canoe within a mausoleum, our first, of wood on posts. Its glass windows were curtained with red blankets, as shown. Here, beside the tomb, on 29 Oct. 1889, stood His Excellency Lord Stanley when he christened Stanley Park, and, throwing his arms to the heavens, dedicated it to the use and enjoyment of peoples of all colors, creeds, and customs for all time. The surveyor and rodman, as shown, are surveying for Park Road around Stanley Park, and have cut notch in corner of cottage, which, together with barn, were demolished to permit road to pass. Kaytulk's [sic] body remained for some years, then removed by canoe to Brackendale, and finally to Po-kwi-lo-sun, and tomb destroyed. In 1944, at the request of his friend, Major J. S. Matthews, August Jack Khahtsahlano, who cannot read or write, son of Khaytulk, painted this from memory. He tells that the tomb was about ten feet long, six feet wide, stood on cedar posts, and had hand split cedar shake roof. Read "Early Vancouver", Vol. III, etc." This description is dated 3 September 1944.

Formerly located at 227-C-03