THE SASQUATCH…
A Collection of Extraordinary and Weird Tales
About the Hairy Giants of Chehalis Hinterlands
As told in MacLean’s Magazine by J. W. Burns.
January 6th, 1937…
The vast mountain solitudes of British Columbia, of which but very little of it has been explored, is populated by a hairy race of giants-not ape-like men. Reports from time to time, covering a period of many years, have come from the province that hairy giants had been occasionally seen by Indians and white trappers in the mountains vastness, far from the pathway of civilization. These reports, however, were always vague and for that reason no person could be found, or, at least, nobody came forward with the information that they had obtained a close-up view of these strange creatures.
Persistent rumors led the writer to make diligent enquiries among older Indians.
The question relating to the subject was always, or nearly always, evaded with the trite excuse: “The white man don’t believe, he make joke of the Indian.” But after three years of plodding, we have come into possession of information more definite and authentic than has come to light at any
other previous time. Disregarding rumor and hearsay, we have prevailed upon men who claim they had actual close contact with these hairy giants and are willing to tell
what they know about them. Their story is set down here in good faith….here is the first witnesses account. He wishes to remain anonymous and will be referred as XY.
X Y lives on the Chehalis Reserve. I believe that he is a reliable as well as an intelligent Indian. He gave me the following thrilling
account of his experience with these people.
Encountering the Giant…
“One evening in the month of May some years ago,”
said the hero, “I was walking along the foot of the mountain about a mile from the Chehalls reserve. I thought I heard a noise something like that of a grunt nearby. Looking in the direction in which it came,
I was startled to see what I took at first sight to be a huge bear crouched upon a
boulder twenty or thirty feet away. I raised my ritle to shoot it, but, as I did the creature stood up and let out a piercing yell. It was a man-giant, no less than six feet and one-half in height, and covered with hair. He was in a rage and jumped from the boulder to the ground. I fled. but not before I felt his breath upon my cheek. I never ran so fast before or since through brush and under.
I ran toward the Statloo or Chehalis river. Toward where my dugout was. From time to time I looked over my shoulder. The giant was quickly overtaking me, only a few feet separated us; another look and the distance measured to be less than fifty-
then the Chehalis river was there and in a moment it shot across the stream to the opposite bank. The swift river. however.
did not in the least daunt the giant for he began to wade it immediately. “I arrived home almost worn out from running and
felt sick. Taking an anxious look around the
house, I was relieved to find the wife and children inside. I bolted the door and barricaded it with everything at hand. Then with my rifle ready I stood near the door
and awaited his coming.”
X added that if he had not been so much excited he could easily have shot the giant when he began to wade the river.
“After an anxious waiting of twenty minutes.” resumed the Indian. “I heard a noise approaching like the trampling
of a horse. I looked through a crack in the old wall. It was the giant. Darkness’
had not yet set in and I had a good look at him. Except that he was covered with hair and twice the bulk of the average man, there was nothing to distinguish him from
the rest of us. He pushed, against the wall of the old house with such force it shook back and forth. The old cedar shook and timber creaked and groaned so much under the strain that I was afraid that it
would fall down and kill us. I whispered to the old woman to take the children under the bed.” The Indian pointed out what remained of the old house in which he lived at the time, explaining that the giant treated it so roughly that it had to be abandoned the following winter. “After
prowling and grunting like an animal around the house continued the Indian. “he went
away. We were glad, for the children and the wife were uncomfortable under the old bedstead.
Next morning I found his tracks in the mud around the house, the biggest of either man or beast I had ever seen. The tracks measured twenty two Inches in length, but narrow in proportion to their length.”
To be continued….
There are a few things I loved about this article over others. I liked that the witness called it a man giant and specifically mentioned it wasn’t an ape.
I was happy to read that the author of original article was looking for someone he found credible. Followed up by going to see the cabin and the area for himself. This was 1937, this was BBF, my new new term for anytime before he was named bigfoot officially.
This man wanted to remain nameless so he was t looking for any fame or fortune. This is a long article with a few encounters, so I’ll post another part tomorrow morning.
Have a great Saturday morning!
Sasysquatchgirl 