A Klallam man named Boston Charlie used to hunt elk in the mountains. He was born in 1828 and died in 1928. He spent his summers in the mountains and had a favorite camping spot where he camped every year. Today it’s called Boston Charlie’s Camp, and it’s located at the base of Cat Peak. Boston Charlie was the last medicine man of the Klallam People.
He also helped the early settlers. He would go up to the hot springs to fast, pray and cleanse himself every year. The last time he traveled up into the mountains, he had a very close call. He must have fallen and hurt himself, for he was immobile.
He was weak and didn’t have anything to eat for several days. He told how the sun was going down and a huge being came up from a cliff. He thought to himself, now this is the day I am going to die. This being, called by the Klallams čičay̕íkʷtən (bigfoot), had great big leaves with blueberries and thimbleberries, wet with dew. He put it in Boston’s mouth and then disappeared down the cliff.
Boston survived that ordeal; he was rescued and that was the last time he went up into the mountains.