Chapter XIV: Part 14

Now he heard two women singing. Their voices were very beautiful. After a while they approached him. They were very beautiful. They addressed him, saying: “We know that your uncle is jealous of you, and therefore he ordered his slaves to throw you into the sea. Accompany us to our father’s country. It is not far from here. We will look after you.” Then he accompanied them, and soon they arrived at a large town. One of the girls was the chief’s daughter, while the other one was her slave. She was the daughter of the Eagle.

Now they entered the chief’s house. He was offered a seat and was given to eat. The chief was glad to see him. The girl’s mother, whose name was G̣ōtsō′na, was very old. She was quite bald. Early every morning the Eagles went out hunting whales. When they returned they gave the whales to the old woman. One day the youth desired to accompany the hunters. He said to his wife: “Tell your father that I wish to see how he hunts whales.” The young woman told her father, who replied: “Here is an eagle skin. Give it to your husband.” He put it on and flew out with the Eagles. Before he started, the old woman warned him, saying: “Don’t try to catch a clam. Its head looks just like that of a sea otter. A long time ago one of our hunters tried to catch it, and it drowned him. For this reason we are afraid of it.”

They went out to sea and saw many whales. The young man caught one. He did not find it difficult to lift it. The eagle skin which he had on was one the chief had used when he was a young man. For that reason it made him very strong. In the evening they returned, and he gave his whale to the old woman. He was so eager to go out again whaling that he was unable to sleep. Early next morning he started and continued to catch whales. Thus he continued to do for many years. The old woman warned him frequently, saying: “Don’t try to catch that small black animal whose head looks like that of a sea otter.”

One morning, when he started, he thought: “To-day I shall try to catch two whales, one in each hand.” When he saw two whales he swooped down and took one in each talon. He did not find them too heavy and carried them home. He gave them to the old woman. When he found that he was strong enough to lift two whales, he thought he would be able to conquer the animal of which the old woman had warned him. He started early in the morning, and, as soon as he saw the clam, he swooped down on it and succeeded in lifting it. But soon he felt his strength leaving him, and he began to sink down lower and lower. Now the clam had dragged him down to the surface of the water. Then one of the Eagles came to his assistance. He took hold of his wings and tried to pull him up, but in vain. The clam pulled him down. Another Eagle came to their help, but they were unable to overcome the clam. All the whale hunters came to their assistance, but all of them were dragged down under the water.

Now only one of the Eagles was left. He returned home and told the old woman what had happened. Then she said: “Ngai, ngai, ngai!” She sharpened her nails and put on her skin, which looked very old and ragged. Now she was an old Eagle, who had lost many feathers. She flew out to sea, and sang: “Why did my son-in-law disobey me? Ngai, ngai, ngai!” When she came to the place where the clam had drowned the Eagles, she saw the wings of one Eagle only above the surface of the water. She took hold of them and tried to lift them. She was almost dragged under water; but gradually she began to rise. She tried three times. The fourth time she succeeded in raising the Eagle. Again she sang: “Why did my son-in-law disobey me? Ngai, ngai, ngai!” Then she heard a noise under water, “Ox!” Then she lifted all the Eagles, and took them back home.

Now the young man resolved to take revenge on the people who had killed him. He put on his eagle skin and flew to his uncle’s village. There he alighted on the top of a tree. When the people saw him they attempted to shoot him, because they were desirous of obtaining the Eagle’s feathers for winging their arrows; but they were unable to hit him. Now his uncle’s son attempted to shoot him. At once he swooped down, grasped him, and carried him upward. One of the men of the village tried to hold the boy, but he also was lifted upward; and thus he raised all the men of the village. He carried them out to sea and dropped them into the water, where they were drowned.

The young man continued to live there for many years, but finally he became homesick. He did not laugh and stayed at home all the time. Then the old woman asked her daughter: “Why is your husband sad?” His wife replied: “He wishes to return to his uncle’s village.” Then the old woman gave him the skin of the bird tʼᴇn. [It has a red throat, and is eaten by the whites]. [530] He put it on and flew back. The village was entirely deserted, because he had killed all the people. Only his two younger sisters remained, who had been hidden at the time of his former visit. They were crying all the time. When they saw the bird they made a noose of their own hair, and he allowed himself to be caught.

THE STORY ABOUT HIM WHO DESTROYED HIS NINE NEPHEWS

[Told by Walter McGregor of the Sea-lion-town people.]

A town chief began letting his nephews have his wife. [531] Every time he led one away, and he never came back. He had them go and get an old dead tree which he said he owned, and they never came back from it. He let them [go after] bark and set a net for a cormorant which he said he owned, and they never came back. After he had done this way for a while, nine were destroyed.

And their younger brother came to know it. Then he began bathing in the sea. After he had bathed for a while he became strong. He smashed anything he took hold of. He also twisted and pulled out spruce limbs. When he had become truly strong he began to make various things. He finished two wedges. And he also took a sg̣u′nskaxaua shell. [532] He sharpened it. And he took a weasel skin and feathers. And he pressed mud taken from the woods hard together in his hands and made a hole within it. He made it large enough to get into.

Then he put paint upon his face and sat on top of the house. After he had sat there for a while his uncle came out. When he saw him he went back. His uncle was always jealous. One came out to call him in to his uncle. Then he went thither.

When he entered a mat was spread out for him. And, after he had given him some food, he said to him: “Nephew, you shall marry my wife.” Then he lay with her.

Next day he said to him: “Nephew, go and get a rotten tree I own behind the town.” He had his two wedges hidden about him. His uncle went ahead of him. He followed. He opened a crack where it lay. Something braced it apart. Then his uncle dropped a wedge in and asked him to get it. Then he went in and got it. He knocked out the brace. The crack came close together. Then he heard his uncle rejoice [saying]: “Look at him whom I killed because he wanted to marry my wife.” Then his uncle started off.

Then he began to cut it from the place where he was. And he cut a hole and came out. Then he split it open. He took his elder brothers out. Then he broke half of [the log] by jumping on it and threw it around. And half of it he carried home on his shoulder and threw it down hard in front of the house. That was his uncle’s supernatural power, they say. Again he slept with his [uncle’s] wife.

Next day his uncle said to him: “Come! nephew, go with me to get the cormorant I own which is sitting over yonder.” Then he took his weasel and feather and went with him to get it. His uncle set a net where some sticks stuck out on top of a very high cliff. A cormorant got into it. Then he said to him: “Now, nephew, get it.” And, when he started down upon the pole, he pushed his nephew over. Then he put himself into the feather and dropped easily. He heard his uncle rejoice. “Look at the one whom I killed because he wanted to marry my wife.” Then he started off.

Now he entered his weasel skin and climbed up the cliff. And he stretched the net across. In it he caught a number of cormorants. After he had taken them out he tore his uncle’s net to pieces and threw the pieces about. Then he took the cormorants on his back and brought them into the house. They were his uncle’s supernatural helpers.

The day after that his uncle went with him to get bark. He concealed the thing he had made. He followed his uncle. By and by [they came to] the bark which was burning, and his uncle took some of it. Then he told him to get some also. When he did so he pushed him into it. And he got inside of the mud he had pressed together. He did not feel the burning. Then his uncle said he was glad. His uncle said: “Look at the man whom I killed because he wanted to marry my wife. He will try it no longer.”

When his uncle started away from him, he went to the place, pushed the bark down, and threw it around. Then he carried some home on his shoulder and threw it down inside. That was his uncle’s supernatural helper, they say. And again he slept with his [uncle’s] wife.

Next day he again said to his nephew: “Come! nephew and go with me for a small cockle I own, which is just over yonder.” Then he started thither with him. He took his knife. The cockle opened its mouth. Then his uncle told him to get it and, when he went to get it, he pushed him into its mouth. Again his uncle rejoiced. “Look at the one whom I killed because he wanted to marry my wife.”

When his uncle started off he cut the ligaments [533] with the knife and pushed it open. Then he threw half of it around and carried half of it off on his shoulders and threw it down in the house. He had destroyed all of his supernatural helpers, they say.

Then he spread out a bearskin for them and had them lie there. While he slept his uncle and his friends took him up and put him into a box. Then his uncle put cords around it. And they took him far out to sea toward the middle of the ocean. And there they threw him into the water. Again he rejoiced and went home.

After he had floated about for some time he felt himself float ashore upon the sand. When he was about to burst the cover by stretching he heard two women talking together, saying as follows: “Cloud-watcher, [534] a box has floated ashore.” And, when he heard it, he did not burst the box.

The two women removed the lid and pulled him up. Then Cloud-watcher’s elder sister said as follows: “I will marry him because I saw him first.” Then they led him home, and they led him into their father’s house. They were glad to see him.

After they had given him something to eat he went out. And, after he had walked about in the town for a while, he entered the middle house. Numbers of eagle skins were hung there, and he entered one made of fine feathers. He flapped his wings. He almost went through the doorway. He seized the boards along the side of the door. Then he came out of it quickly. And he entered his father’s house. His father-in-law said: “I wonder why my skin tickles as if they were playing with my feather clothing.” He was town mother, they say.

Next day, very early, he heard eagles making a noise. Then he went out to look. The eagles sat in rows upon something raised high up in front of the house. [535] On it they made a noise. After they had spent some time sharpening their talons they went hunting. After they had been gone for a while and evening was come they returned with spring salmon in their talons. Some of them had red cod and pieces of whale.

Next day he heard them scream again in front of the house, and he told his wife he wanted to learn to hunt. Then she also told her father. And his father-in-law said: “Now, my child, I will lend your husband the one I used to go out fishing in when I was a youth.” Then he brought out a box. He picked one out of it covered with small, fine feathers. And, when he gave it to her, he said to her: “Tell your husband not to go toward something small which sticks out near by.”

Then he flew seaward with them and got a whale jaw. He came in before them. They caught all kinds of things. His father-in-law was pleased with him. Then they cooked the whale. When they began to eat it they pulled an old woman shaking with age out and said to her: “Drink whale broth, old woman.” And she did as they told her.

The day after that he flew out again with them. And he felt different (i.e., powerful). And he took a whale jaw. On the other side he took a spring salmon. He flew home before all. They got all sorts of things. And, when they again began to eat the whale, they led in the old woman, and she drank whale broth.

When he went to hunt with them the day after he nearly touched the thing which stuck out of the water with his claws and finally seized it. After he had flapped his wings, as he held it, for a while he vanished under the water. Then another seized his wings. He, too, was nearly dragged under. And one brought news to the town that he had seized the wrong thing.

Then the old woman sharpened her claws which were dull, saying meanwhile: “Ha-i ha-i, what wrong thing did my child’s (i.e., grandchild’s) husband get hold of?” Her wings had lost feathers [from age]. She flew down. She was unable to fly in a straight line. She flew hither and thither. When about five were left she got there, and, when those were nearly covered, she seized them with her claws. After she had flapped her wings for a while, tugging at them, she drew one of them to the surface. She was at the end of them. Something cracked at the bottom where the thing was. She pulled it out.

Then they said: “Put it far from the place where human beings are going to get food.” And they dropped it far out at sea. Then he seized the jaw of a whale and a spring salmon. He flew home with them. He killed the thing they were afraid of. That was Supernatural-clam, [536] they say.

And, after he had lived with his wife for some time, he went to see his uncle’s town. He flew to the town wearing his eagle skin. And, after he had sat at the end of the town for a while, he saw his uncle come out. Then he flew away.

And early next day he flew seaward, picked up a whale, and dropped it in front of his uncle’s house while they slept. Then he sat on a dead tree that stood at one end of the town. After he had sat there for a while some one came out. He called them to the whale, and they went to it. His uncle said he would keep it for himself. He stood on top of the whale.

Then he flew. He flew about above the place where his uncle was walking about. And they laughed at him. They said “He wants the whale meat.” And again he sat on the tree. After he had sat there for a while his uncle said he wanted all of the whale for himself. He said that as he stood around. Presently he flew over to him. He seized him by the knot in his hair and flew away with him.

After he had flown along for a while he discovered that it was his nephew, and he said: “Nephew, carry me back. You shall marry my wife. I will give the town to you.” After he had flown on with him a while longer he said the same thing to his nephew again. After he had flown on still farther with him he dropped him in the open sea. [537]

Then he flew landward, reached his uncle’s village, married his uncle’s wife, and came to own the town. His uncle became a supernatural being in the open sea.

THE STORY OF ONE WHO SAW AN EAGLE TOWN

[Told by Abraham, of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o, to whom it was related by an old man of Ninstints.]

He began gambling. After he had lost for some time he lost all of his property. Then he began to bid the property of his clansmen. [538] When he had lost a great deal of that as well he was ashamed to enter the house.

By and by he went to the end of the town. It occurred to him to go into the woods. Then he did so. Then he thought of climbing a mountain. At once he went thither. Before him eagles wheeled about upon the mountain. Presently he came to a big town.

He saw eagles sitting upon something like a pole in front of the town. They were looking into the sea for something. [539] Then he began to live with them. With the feather on the very tip of his wing one of them wiped something common out of his eyes. And in the evening they said they were going fishing. Then they killed a whale. Every evening they killed one whale.

By and by he started out fishing with a net. Then they told him not to put the whole net into the sea. And, when he fished with them, he let out two meshes. When he got something in it that time, it carried it away. He did not worry about it. Some time after this he descended to his home. Then he again began gambling. At that time he won. At once he paid all his debts.

Originally this story must have been considerably longer.

THE ONE THEY ABANDONED BECAUSE HE WAS THE FIRST TO SPEAR SEA LIONS

[Told by Walter McGregor of the Sealion-town people.]

A good carpenter had two children. People went to a reef to hunt, and he made spears for this. And he fastened them with cords. He used any sort of strong thing for this purpose. He fastened a point on the spear. Then they drove the sea lions into a pool of water on top of the reef. He speared the sea lions. And he pulled in the spear handle and put another point into it. He killed the sea lions in this way.

And, after he had done this for a while, one day they went thither, let him off first, and abandoned him. But his youngest brother-in-law paddled toward him. When he was far off he (the youngest brother-in-law) tried to take away their paddles. He was fighting to do so. He saw it. He called after them. They paid no attention to him. They were unable to kill the sea lions. He only could kill them. That is why they left him.

Then he cried for his children on top of the island. After he had cried for a time he lay down near the pond. As he slept there something said to him: “The chief asks you to come in.” He looked for the cause of it. He saw not a sign of a thing. He saw something dive into the lake. And, after he had lain a while longer, something spoke to him as before. Then he looked through the eyeholes in his marten-skin blanket. He saw a grebe [540] come to the surface of the pond. After it had swum about for a while it said: “The chief asks you to come in.” Then it dove.

Then he took a whetstone he had and jumped into the pond. He stood in front of a big house, and they asked him to come in. He entered, and they inquired of him: “Why did you kill my servants?” And he said: “I did it to feed my two children.”

And he saw two small killer whales blowing about in a pool of water in the corner of the house. Those were the chief’s two children at play. He saw killer-whale fins hung up in bunches in the four corners.

Then they gave him something to eat. They dragged a sea lion sitting on the side toward the door to the fire and put hot stones that were in the fire into its mouth. And they also put halibut into its mouth. When [the latter] was cooked they gave it to him to eat.

And after he was through eating they brought one of the fins which were in the corner. And they warmed the lower end of it. And, after they had bent him over, he put a whetstone on his back. When they struck it on it fell off. On top of the stone floor planks the fin lay shaking. They went to get another. After they had warmed that in the same way at the fire they had him bend over. And he placed the whetstone on his back. When they struck it upon him that also slipped off. That, too, fell upon the stone floor planks.

And they got another one. When the same thing happened to that they got a long one. After they had warmed that, also, for a while they bent him over. He again placed the whetstone on his back. When they struck that one on, it also fell to the stone floor planks. After four attempts they gave it up.

Then the chief said: “Let him out. He refuses the fins. Put him into a sea lion’s stomach.” And the chief said to him: “After you have floated about and have struck against land four times, get out. You will have floated ashore on good ground.” At once they put him into a sea lion’s stomach, and he tied it together from inside. They threw him out.

And, after he had floated shoreward and had floated against the land four times, he got out. He had floated ashore upon a nice beach. Then he again tied up the sea lion’s stomach air-tight and threw it out. The stomach vanished seaward against the wind.

Then he started toward the town and stayed at the end of it until evening. And in the evening he looked in at his wife. He saw that his wife’s hair was burnt short and pitch was upon her face. He also saw his two children sitting there. Then he tapped on the wall opposite his wife, and his wife went out. Then he said to his wife: “Bring me my tools.” Then she gave them to him. And he said: “Do not let anyone know about me. Conceal it even from my children.”

And, when he started off from there, he took one from among some children who were playing about and started inland with him. After he had gone on for some time he came to where a big lake lay. Then he cut on the lakeward side of a large cedar standing near it. And, after he had cut it on the back side, it fell across the lake. Then he split it from the butt end, and, as soon as he had split it, he put a crosspiece in.

Then he twisted cedar limbs. He spliced them together. When the rope became long he fastened the child to it. Then he let it down between. After it struck the bottom, and he had held it for a while it began jerking, and he pulled it toward himself. The lake was also boiling. Its hands came out first. And when its head followed them to the surface, he knocked out the brace quickly. It struggled in it. After he had struck it several times it died.

Then he pulled it out. He was going to cut it open in front. Lightning shot about. So he cut it open, beginning at the lower part of its back. Then he skinned it. Its tail was nice. It was bent over. Then he lighted a fire and dried it. That was a Wā′sg̣o, they say. When it was dry he rolled it up and brought it out.

Then he hid it in a forked cedar tree at the end of the town. He put moss over it. Then he started for the end of the town and made killer whales out of cedar. He put fins on them and kicked them into the water. But they only blew bubbles close to the kelps. Then he said: “Go where you are to be settled.” Those were the porpoises, they say. And he also worked hemlock into killer whales. When ten of those were also finished he kicked them into water. After they had been gone for some time bubbles like steam arose seaward. And he thought they were unable to do anything. And he said: “Go where your place is to be.” Those were the white porpoises, [541] they say.

Fine weather continued. All that time the people were fishing.

And the next day, after he had thought what he would use, he made ten killer whales out of yew wood. The surfaces were variegated, striped with white. Their bellies were white. The corners of their mouths were also striped with white. The fin of one of them had a hole in it, and one fin was bent over toward the tail. While he was making them they moved. For them he laid a log down [horizontally]. There he placed them, and he kicked them about. Presently bubbles of air rose far out at sea. Then he told them to come in, and he pulled them up again. They had red cod, spring salmon, and halibut in their mouths.

And in the evening he went to his wife. He looked in again. He tapped opposite his wife, and his wife came out to him. And he said to her: “When they go out fishing again to-morrow tell your youngest brother to fasten a feather in his hair.”

The next day they went fishing, and he gave directions to the killer whales. “Destroy all the people out fishing. Break up their canoes with your fins. Save only the one who has a feather in his hair.” Then he kicked them off. After they had been gone for a while bubbles rose beyond the place where the canoes were anchored. Then the killer whales came back to the canoes. Bubbles of air rose among them. The killer whales broke up the canoes with their fins. They chewed up the bodies of the people. Only the one who had a feather in his hair was left swimming about. And, when they were destroyed, he got into the broken canoe, and the killer whales came landward with him in a school. Then he got off in front of the town.

And he again called the killer whales. Then he gave them directions. And he said to the one that had a hole in its fin: “You shall be called: ‘Hole-in-his-fin.’” And he said to the one with the fin bent back: “You shall be called: ‘Fin-turned-back.’” Then he said: “Go to Na-iku′n. Settle down there. That land is good. You shall be called ‘Strait people.’” [542]

And he went to his wife with the things the killer whales had caught in their mouths. His two children were glad to see him.

And, after he had stayed at the town for a while, he went out while they slept and put on his wā′sg̣o skin. Then with his hands he merely reached for something at the end of the town. He got half a spring salmon.

And his mother-in-law always hated him. She always got up very early. He laid it down for her in front of the house. Then his mother-in-law went out very early. She found half a spring salmon. She was glad to have it.

The same night he put on his wā′sg̣o skin. He let the water come up even with his elbow. He took out half a halibut. Then he laid it down for his mother-in-law, and in the morning she found it. The town people had become hungry.

And in the night he again entered his wā′sg̣o skin and plunged his whole arm into the water. He seized a whole spring salmon. Then he again left it for the woman, and she found it in the morning.

That night he again entered his wā′sg̣o skin. And he let the water come up as far as his shoulders. Then he took a whale jaw and put it down for his mother-in-law. And she found that also.

Then his mother-in-law began acting like a shaman. And they fasted with her for four nights. He was with them. His mother-in-law was going to get power from him.

In the night he put on the wā′sg̣o skin. He swam seaward. He killed a whale. A spear stuck out of the nostrils of the wā′sg̣o. [543] He killed the whale with that. Then he put it between his ears and swam landward with it. And he laid it in front of the house, because she said a whale would float ashore.

And again, while they slept, he swam out in the wā′sg̣o skin. And he took two whales. He swam landward with them. He put one between his ears, and he also put one near his tail. Swimming landward, he placed those also in front of the house.

The next night he swam far out to sea with the wā′sg̣o skin on, and he took ten whales. He had them on each side of his head between his ears. He also had some lying crosswise near his tail. And he piled them upon himself and had one in his mouth. Then he came shoreward.

While he was still out at sea daylight came. When he reached shore his mother-in-law came down to him wearing a dancing hat. Then he stood up out of the wā′sg̣o skin and said to her: “Why is your face hard? Does some supernatural power come through you by my help?” And he made her die of shame. The wā′sg̣o skin went off of itself. Then he gathered his ten whales and told no one to cut them. What he received from the sale of the whales made him rich. He potlatched ten times for his youngest brother-in-law. He kept him like a chief’s son.

THE MAN WHO MARRIED A KILLER-WHALE WOMAN

[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo, who learned it from an old Ninstints man.]

A man and his wife were abandoned at the town of Sqa-i [544]. After they had lived there together for a while, his wife began getting mussels at Stasqa′os[544]. Every day she went there for mussels.

After a while he became suspicious of her. And one time, when she went after mussels, he followed her stealthily. When she got near the place where she was going to get mussels she went along singing. She beat upon her mat with her digging stick in lieu of a drum. When she got near the place where the mussels were a whale jumped ashore sideways just in front of her. Then she went to it, and she lay with it. And the whale went off blowing. He saw it.

Then he knew, and he went away. Then he began to sharpen a mussel-shell at some place where she could not see him. It became sharp, and one day, when it was low tide, he sent his wife to get spruce roots for him.

Then he made clothing for himself like his wife’s, took the basket, and wore the mat as a blanket. Then he went along the beach of Stasqa′os. And, when he approached the place where his wife was in the habit of getting mussels, he used his mat as a drum. When he sang the same words, the black whale came ashore on its side in front of him. Then he went to it and cut off its penis. Then it got up quickly and went into the water making a noise. Its cries died away into the ocean.

Then he came home and built a fire. And he put stones into the fire. Then he sliced it up, and, when the stones were hot, he steamed it. After it was cooked his wife came home.

Then she asked her husband: “What things are you steaming?” “I found some things which had floated ashore. I am steaming them for you. They are cooked. Take the covers off.” Then they took the covers off. Before they had even put them into the tray she took the piece off of the top and ate it.

After she had taken one bite he said to her: “Is your husband’s penis sweet?” She dropped it at once. Immediately she turned toward the door. Right where she sat she shook. Even the ground shook.

And, when his wife started off, he tried to hold her. He could not. Then she went out, and he went out after her. And, after he had followed her closely for a while, she went up in the bed of a creek at the end of Stasqa′os. All that time he kept looking at her. And, when she got up toward the mountain, she again recalled her husband’s words.

Now she sat on top of the mountain, and she again remembered what her husband had said. And, while sitting there, she became ashamed. Then she played in the earth with the tip of her finger. She made a hole with her finger far into the island. She did not feel how she did it. When she stood up she picked up some dirt and threw it into it. “All future people will do this way to you.” [545]

Then she went away and came to the west coast. And she went out on one side of Elderberry point. Then she jumped into the water in front of her. He did not know that he had married a female killer whale that had been born of a woman. [546] Then she settled herself down before him. She became a reef. It is called “Woman.” When people get off from a canoe upon it, it shakes with them, they say. [547]

And there she again recalled her husband’s words, and she went away from there also. Where she again settled down on the west coast as a reef, they also call it “Woman.”

Stories of this type are told throughout the Haida country.

HE WHO WAS ABANDONED BY HIS UNCLES

[Told by Abraham, of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o, to whom it was related by an old Ninstints man.]

A man, along with his sister, was abandoned by his nine uncles. They built a small house under a tree. He lived in this with his sister. After they had lived there for a while two ravens came flying from the west coast. Then they sat on a branch of the tree below which they lived and wiped their bills. Afterward they flew back in the direction from which they had come. They disappeared over the mountain.

After this had happened many times while they were living there they began to be suspicious. Then they conferred with each other. He asked his sister to go with him in the direction the ravens always took when they flew over. Immediately they started up in the bed of Stasqa′os creek.

When they got far up they came to the end of a trail. And they went up upon it. When they got to the top of the mountain [they found] a hole there. The bottom could not be seen. And when they started to leave it they came back to it again. They kept doing so all day. A short time after they had started from it they came back to it.

Then the man became angry, took dirt in his hand and threw it in. “Yawaiyā′⁺, it makes people come back who try to go away from it,” said he. [548] Then, when they started away, they came to the town-site of Ku′ndi. [549]

Three rows of whales had floated ashore there. Those in the row nearest land were rotten. Those in the next row were a little rotten. Those next the sea were fresh. Killer whales came out to sleep on a reef which ran out into the strait. They made a noise, touching each other.

Then he and his sister constructed a house. When it was finished he cut up some fresh whales. At the same time he steamed them.

And one night he heard something whispering to his sister. He did not ask her about it. The night after that he again heard something talking to his sister. Then in the morning he asked his sister: “What talked to you in the night?” “Brother, [550] they tell me a strange thing. Kꜝū′dᴀña-point will marry me. If you agree, they say they will give you much food. If you agree, they direct you to make a strong club. When the house is full they direct you to stand outside the door. Then they direct you to break their heads with your club.” He agreed. Evening came again, and his sister was gone in the morning.

He finished his club. Then good-looking people came in to him. Some had curly hair. When there was a great crowd in the house he stood outside. And, as soon as they went out, he struck them on their heads. Right there they fell dead. They became sea otters and hair seals. They say that Kꜝū′dᴀña-point owns the west coast sea otters.

After some time had passed away, two of his uncles’ slaves hunted for him. They came to him. Then, after he had given them food, he told them that they should not say how he was situated. He did not give them food to take home, but one slave concealed a small piece under his tongue for his child. Then they went home.

After some time had passed, his uncles came around Sqa-i-point. The slaves had told about him. That is why they were there. When they abandoned him at Sqa-i his youngest uncle’s wife, although they were watching each other, left him food enough in a neat way to last him for some time.

As they came along his uncles’ daughters were dressed up and sat high in the canoes. Near them coppers were raised upon poles. Then he called in the youngest. But he refused the others. And they started back.

Then he married the daughter of the youngest. And after that a town arose there. They bought food from him. He became a chief there.

See notes to preceding story.

THE STORY OF THOSE WHO WERE ABANDONED AT STASQA′OS

[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo, to whom it was related by an old Ninstints man]

Some people were abandoned at Stasqa′os, including a man, his wife, and his mother-in-law. The latter owned some salmon eggs. When it became cold and he was very hungry he wished his mother-in-law would cut them open, and he brought in firewood. After he had built a large fire he thought he would get something from his mother-in-law. He was unsuccessful. He was hungry many mornings and brought firewood to his mother-in-law, all the time expecting to get the salmon eggs.

By and by, when the snow was gone, he sent his wife out to get spruce roots for himself. While his wife was digging spruce roots she heard a puppy bark within the earth. Then she started to dig it out. She dug out a little puppy. And she went home with it. Then they reared it. It grew up very fast.

One morning, when they got up, two large fish lay outside. They ate them. Next morning some lay there again. The number increased. After the fish had been found there in this way for a while half a halibut lay there. Another time a whole halibut lay there. After there had been halibut for some time porpoises began lying there. After that had happened for a while hair seal began lying there. After they had been found lying there for a time a whale’s tail lay there. Again half of a whale lay there. The dog also became large.

After this, when they became tired of eating grease, she cut open the salmon eggs. His mother-in-law gave some to him. He did not look at them.

When his mother-in-law had become tired of eating grease she went after things found at low tide. Then he covered all the chitons with rotten whale. Instead of eating them his mother-in-law went in and sat down. There came to be whole whales [lying on the beach]. Stasqa′os beach was all covered with whales.

Then, unbeknown to her son-in-law, she collected urine. She put hot stones into it, and, while the dog was out at sea and her son-in-law was sleeping with his wife, she poured it into the sea. At once a great east wind arose. When daylight came the wind increased.

Then he saw the dog’s ears show at intervals above the water in front of Stasqa′os. [551] After he had looked for a while they disappeared around Gᴀ′ñxet-point. [552] After that the waves carried it along the west coast out to sea. Presently it tried to climb ashore at a steep place near Qꜝā′łgwa-i. [553] Its claws scratched great marks upon the rocks. They call that place “Dog-slipping-back.” The waves carried it away from that also. After it had become very tired, The-one-in-the-sea [554] called it in. [555] It settled down in his house.

See notes to two preceding stories. Compare story of How one of the Stasa′os-lā′nas became wealthy.

HE WHO MARRIED THE DAUGHTER OF THE DEVILFISH CHIEF

[Told by Walter McGregor of the Sea-lion-town people]

He was going along in his canoe with his two children and his wife. It was low tide. After he had gone along for a while [he came to a place] where devilfish stones lay. A great quantity of leavings from its (the devilfish’s) food were piled up there. He got off to kill it. Then, while he was punching it with a stick the devilfish came out. Immediately it wound itself around him and pulled him into its hole.

And, after his wife and children had remained there for a while, the rocks were covered with water, and they went away from him. Then the woman went home. She expected never to get him back.

The [devilfish] woman took him to her father’s town. At that time he heard them use bad words [556] to the hair seals. When day broke he hunted about for food among the waves below the capes, they used to say. He remained with her in her father’s town.

After many years had passed he remained in bed two mornings. At that time the chief asked his daughter: “Why does your husband feel badly?” Then she said to her father: “He says he is homesick for his mother and his sister.” Then he was going to let him go home with his daughter.

Now he said: “Two canoes are lying at the end of the town. Have them launched for yourselves.” At once they launched two canoes in front of the house, and they began to put things, with which the inside of the house was full, into them. Before they had taken even a little the canoes were filled. Then she went in one and her husband in the other. Although there were no paddlers the canoes went along.

He came to his father’s town long after they had ceased to think of him. Hu hu hu hu hu, his father’s town moved at once. Then they carried the things up into his father’s house. And then they sliced up the things he brought in sacks. He traded with this property. He became a great chief. It consisted in food of all kinds such as is found at low tide.

At that time his children, who had grown large, came in to him. Then he took a slice of food, cut it in two, and handed it to them, and they went out with it, the woman also. Her husband lived more years among human beings than he had among the devilfish people. With what he got by trading with the food her husband potlatched five times.

After he had lived there for some time he one day came to feel badly over something. Right where he sat, in the back part of his father’s house, with his wife he began to melt. She stretched her arms down between the planks. She pulled her head in after them. Her husband was left sitting there. Afterward her husband also went in between the planks. She went back to her father’s town. And they never saw them again.

The hero of this story was a shaman.

THOSE WHO WERE FASTING TO BECOME SHAMANS

[Told by Tom Stevens, chief of Those-born-at-House-point.]

At the town of Skedans two own brothers fasted to become shamans. After they had fasted for many years, the elder went out when the time came for them to go to bed. And, when he entered, he said he had come in from lying with a woman. He was telling a lie. He let him feel between his legs. It was wet [as if washed]. That was how he fooled him. Then his younger brother also went out, but he really lay with a woman. When day came, he lay dead.

Then they put him into a box, and they placed him on a point, [557] and he (the second) kept crying near his younger brother. After he had sat there for a while he heard the sound of a drum proceeding from the ocean. Presently it got nearer. The canoe came in sight and landed bow [558] first in front of Skedans.

Then two paddling in the bow wearing shamans’ hats [559] jumped off. And they went toward the light coming from the doorway of the house they used to inhabit. They ran inside. They came back. When they got into their canoe they turned around. “They are not in the house,” they said.

And, when they started off, one saw where the body was laid. He said: “One of those we spoke through lies there dead.” Then the two with shamans’ hats got off quickly and took off the cover. He really lay there. His elder brother did not see that they pulled off his skin.

Then they went down to the canoe, and he got in with them. When they got in he got into the stern. They did not see him. And with him they started seaward. Something round hung from the armpit of the one who sat next to him. He saw that all had the same.

Then he squeezed that belonging to the one nearest to him strongly. He almost died and acted as shaman for himself. When he blew [560] on himself he let it go. At once he sat up in the canoe. There was not the least thing the matter with him.

Then he moved slowly to the one in the middle and squeezed his also. Then he, too, was about to die and acted as his own shaman. After he had blown on himself for a while, he also let his go. The chief had his nest [561] in the middle. He sat in it.

After he had done this to all in the canoe he also seized the chief’s. He, too, began to die. His canoe companions acted as shamans for him. They blew upon him. But he did not let his go. They tried to hurry each other. “Quick, paddle away with the chief to get a shaman for him.”

Then they landed, and they got shamans for him. And they acted around him, but he squeezed it all the more. All the shamans could not heal him. Instead he squeezed it tighter. Then he began to die, and they said “Quick, go and get the chief,” and they went for him.

Then they went to get him, and they landed. But he was a great shaman, and, as soon as he put his head in, he saw the one who had seized him. And he said to him: “Look out for yourself, grandson. Those on the other side are not chiefs.” [562] He was chief among the shamans, they say. His name was Sîndjā′ña-i.

And, when he began to perform around him, he slackened his hold. But, when another shaman began to act around him he squeezed it harder, and he was dying. And, when still another acted around him he squeezed it more again, and again he almost died.

And, when the chief shaman again performed, he let go his hold. Then he got strong. All the time he said the same thing to him: “Take care, grandson. They are not chiefs on the other side.”[562] And, when a different one performed around him he squeezed it harder, and he began to die.

Then he acted around him again, and they said to each other: “Give the chief whatever he wants.” Then they brought a box from near the wall and took his younger brother’s skin out of it. Not a part of it was lost. His finger-nails and toe-nails were all there.

Then they put it before the big shaman and turned over to him all kinds of property. These and the human being he put inside of his blanket and went out. Immediately he took him over to Skedans, and he gave him directions: “I will cause sickness at Skedans. When one first falls sick and they do not get you, do not pay any attention to him. He will die. And, when another is sick and they take property to you, save him. And, when another is sick and they do not take you, pay no attention to him. He, too, will die. When one again falls sick, you will receive two pieces of property. When another falls sick, yours will become three, then four. It will increase until you receive ten pieces. When there are many sick, every time one falls sick they will go for you alone. On the other side they are not chiefs.”

Then they landed, and he put his younger brother’s skin on him. He became alive. And what he told him happened. When many fell sick they employed him only. In exchange for what he got he became a chief. With it he potlatched.

I also obtained versions of this story at Masset and in Alaska.

BIG-TAIL.

[Told by Job Moody of the Witch people.]

Mouse-woman adopted him. [563] Presently, after she had lived at Skidegate for a while, supernatural powers began to try him. After some time he began to be a shaman. By and by he became a real shaman.

Then he prepared to dance upon the surface of the ocean. He was going out after whales. Then they began to observe the regulations. [564] [They did so for] five nights. The old people were afraid to let it become ten nights. If the number of nights were even, they said his supernatural power would be spoiled. For that reason they said they wanted it uneven. When some said there were ten nights, and some, too, said there were nine, the supernatural power came through him.