An amalgamation of fact and legend that creates a portrait of rural
Native American life in the 19th century
First published in 1890, The Bridge of the Gods is a tale of the
American Indians of the Northwest. Frederic Homer Balch describes
missionaries attempting to convert Native Americans to Christianity,
warring tribes who try to form an alliance to drive out the white
settlers, and Native American legends of how the land--its mountains and
rivers--came to be. Throughout his brief life, Balch observed and
interviewed the American Indians in his native Oregon. More than a
compilation of stories, Balch's classic work is a portrait of the
Northwest tribes: their food, dress, shelters, canoes, gambling games,
religious beliefs, and the sports and pastimes of their children.