Chapter V: Part 5

Naxā′ñg̣oas stᴀ hao lᴀ īdjā′ñañ wᴀnsū′ga. L’ gaodjī′iñagas stᴀ djā′g̣ᴀñ at gitg̣alᴀ′ñ gu lᴀ qatcꜝa′s giên gitg̣alᴀ′ñ g̣a lᴀ kꜝū′g̣adies gu la sū′dagañag̣ᴀn: “G̣a′oʟ̣łîñ djat łqên, g̣a′oʟ̣łîñ.” Uiê′dhao lᴀ la daogoa′ʼga giên gᴀm gī′na gut qꜝałgā′gᴀñas. Giên l’ qatcꜝa′s giên xadᴀ′ñ gi lᴀ suuda′si: “Hā′da-i, gᴀm gī′na gut qꜝałg̣ᴀ′ñga.” Giên hᴀn la ê′sîñ gī′tg̣ᴀñ sū′udas “Kia axᴀ′nhao xā′g̣odigᴀni, djat łqên.” Uiê′dhao î′sîñ g̣a lᴀ qā′x̣uł. Î′sîñ gī lᴀ qî′nskiasi. “Hā′da-i, djixu′l sg̣u′nhao kiä xā′g̣odiga.” “Hao ī′djîn, djat łqên.” Giên la xā′sʟtcꜝasi giên kīdjia′osi. Giên wa′g̣alᴀña-i xᴀ′nłgui lᴀ g̣ā′dᴀsi giên hᴀn l’ sī′wus “Ga-i g̣e′istᴀ qꜝadjā′wa-i djat łqên.”)

Giên didᴀx̣ū′stᴀ lā′na g̣a ê′sîñ lᴀ qa′-îł. La g̣ᴀn lᴀ g̣atqea′sgida-i ʟ̣ū lᴀ g̣a î′sîñ nᴀñ ʟ̣′g̣odi. La ê′sîñ lᴀ dᴀñʟ̣′stᴀ uiêd la g̣ᴀn î′sîñ sqā′wa-i lᴀ g̣agī′ga-i ʟ̣ū la g̣ei î′sîñ lᴀ sg̣alᴀ′nʟꜝxa.

𝄆 “Ha la ye he ha la hala′ñ ha lâ yâ hâ lâ hâ li ha 𝄆 hâlī′x̣iesi 𝄇 |
chief,

hali 𝄆 x̣ie′sahalañ 𝄇 𝄇 Ha ha djigwi′s hao qag̣a′-i stᴀ ga hagū′thao
chief sun rises then about

ł qa′sgut gīgiê′nhūs xē′txa dī ʟ̣g̣a′ogwañ. Halâ′yi hē yē 𝄆
start I traveling dead falls under I am lying about.

hâlī′x̣ias. 𝄇
chief.

Ga′-istᴀ didᴀx̣ui′ lᴀ qa-ila′-i gu î′sîñ nᴀñ ga qā′dagadi. La ê′sîñ lᴀ dᴀñʟ̣′stᴀ. La g̣ᴀn sqawa′-i lᴀ g̣agī′ga-i ʟ̣ū î′sîñ la g̣ei lᴀ sg̣alᴀ′nʟꜝxa.

𝄆 𝄆 “Ha ē⁺līx̣ia 𝄇 hēlē 𝄇 𝄆 dī gut gī′łdjiwa-i
Chief. (repeated four times) my bravery, strength, etc.,

ga qî′nx̣it-hatꜝᴀ′lgañ. 𝄇 𝄆 ha ē⁺līx̣ia 𝄇
is all taken away. chief. (repeated five times)

𝄆 Dī gut gī′łdjiwa-i ga qînx̣it-hatꜝᴀ′lgañ 𝄇 hâlīx̣iâsâwa-i⁺ 𝄇
My power is all taken away. chief,

hâlī′x̣ias. 𝄇
chief.

A′nis sg̣ā′lᴀña-i ga lᴀ sugī′ga-i ʟ̣ū î′sîñ didᴀx̣ui′ lᴀ qa′-îł. Lᴀ g̣a î′sîñ nᴀñ ʟ̣′g̣odi. La ê′sîñ lᴀ dᴀñʟ̣′stᴀ. Lᴀ la ʟ̣′stᴀx̣idia′-i ʟ̣ū ałgwᴀ′nxᴀn l’ sg̣alᴀ′ñx̣idi.

𝄆 “Hâlīx̣iâ hâ hâ hâ hâ 𝄇 gīdjā′x̣ui gī′hao dī dā′ga qō′naiya-i
Chief, which way my brother great

qaᴀ′ndju⁺dal hē lē. proudly travels about

Dī qꜝā′ñᴀłg̣a g̣a hî′ldᴀñda′lgᴀñ. 𝄆 My mind in while I go around is shaking.

Hâlīx̣iâ hâ hâ hâ hâ 𝄇 𝄆 Hâlī′xias. 𝄇
Chief. (repeated three times) Chief. (recited)

Ga′-istᴀ ê′sîñ dī′tgi lᴀ qa-ila′-i ʟ̣ū î′sîñ tān xᴀn ga qꜝadaga′dies. Giên lᴀ la dᴀ′ñʟ̣stas. Lᴀ dᴀ′ñat djī′guaga-g̣eił. Î′sîñ la g̣ᴀn sqawa′-i lᴀ g̣agī′ga-i ʟ̣ū ałgwᴀ′nxᴀn l’ sg̣alᴀ′nx̣idi.

𝄆 “Halīx̣iâsē ē 𝄇 gīdjax̣ui′gī⁺ kugwaiya
Chief, (repeated six or seven times) which way (where) [did he]
fall

da′og̣o si′la-i ga′odiañ â 𝄆 for the place absent from (or is wanting)

Halīx̣iâsē ē 𝄇 𝄆
Chief. (repeated four times, voice falling at the end)

Hâlīx̣ias. 𝄇
Chief. (recited)

Tā′na-i ʟa′ałao wᴀ g̣e′igi lᴀ iʟꜝxai′yag̣ᴀn. L’ g̣ō′ñg̣a ʟꜝᴀ qadao′kꜝotwā′lag̣ᴀn.

Hao ʟ g̣e′idᴀñ.

FIGHT AT THE TOWN OF DA′X̣UA

[Told by Moses McKay, sole survivor of the Seaward-Sqoā′ładas]

From Da′x̣ua Ya′ʼgît sent to Masset inlet for a canoe. He belonged to the Seaward-Sqoā′ładas. [151] He was town chief at Da′x̣ua. After some time had passed they brought the canoe to him. Then, although Ya′ʼgît owned it, while it was being brought Sg̣agᴀ′ño [152] bought the canoe, his (Ya′ʼgît’s) head slave being then away fishing. [153] His (the slave’s) name was Yū′lᴀñ.

He now came in from fishing. Then they said to him: “Yū′lᴀñ, Sg̣agᴀ′ño has bought the canoe.” He at once became angry because they had taken away the canoe from his master. Then he chewed native tobacco. After that he tried to mix calcined shells with it, but he was so angry he shoved it outside [of his mouth] against his cheek. [154]

And at night he went to the place where the canoe lay. He then said: “Are you awake in the canoe?” And the one in the bow and the one in the stern replied. “We are,” they said to him. And he further said to them: “It is well that you are. They say that Yū′lañ says that he is going to break up this canoe.”

And after he had waited some time longer, and it was midnight, he went there again. And he spoke as before. And again they answered him. He again went away.

And just before dawn, at the hour when it is always dark, he went thither once more. He again asked: “Are you awake?” And they did not answer him. He then struck upon the bow with his stone ax, and one who was with him struck upon the stern. They split the canoe into pieces. They then went away to the house.

When daylight came and people knew that he had smashed the canoe they all moved at once. They put on their armor to fight one another. After they had put on their gorgets, helmets, and hide coats they went out to fight one another with spears and bows.

Now, after they had fought for a while, they shot Yū′lᴀñ in one eye and put it out. He went to the house. And after he had sat in the house for a while news came to him: “Yū′lᴀñ, we are being worsted.” At once he again went out to fight. And after he had begun to drive them back they put out his other eye.

He then crept to the house. While he was creeping along he fell into a deep hole into which they used to defecate. Then he was creeping into [the house] all covered with ordure. And his master’s wife said to him: “Yū′lᴀñ, you never used to ask how an affair was started. [155] Look at yourself.” “Well, noble woman, it is not so bad as if I sat below by the creek.” [156]

Yū′lᴀñ could then do nothing. And his friends G̣a′nqꜝatxa and Sa′diya passed. They alone fought. But still the Seaward-sqoā′ładas won the day. [157]

Then Sg̣agᴀ′ño and his family fled to the woods. They were not then called Pebble-town people. Sg̣agᴀ′ño’s family came to Pebble-town and bought it. And the Sea-otter people [158] sold the town. Then they had a town there.

The interest of this story lies in the fact that it tells of the first civil disturbance among the people of Skidegate inlet, which ultimately led a part of them to move to the west coast. This version was obtained from the last survivor of the Seaward-Sqoā′ładas. Another, differing in some particulars, was obtained in English from Wī′nats, chief of the Seaward Gîtî′ns, also an inlet family, and may be found in Publications of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, volume V, part I, page 80. The town of Da′x̣ua stood just north of Lawn hill, at the entrance of Skidegate inlet.

FIGHT AT THE TOWN OF DA′X̣UA

Da′x̣ua lnaga′-i g̣e′istᴀ hao Ya′ʼgît G̣ao g̣a ʟ̣ū da′ʼg̣ag̣ᴀ′n gi kiñgugā′ñag̣ᴀn. Djax̣ui′ sqoā′ładagag̣ᴀn. La′hao Da′x̣ua lnaga′-i gu lā′na-aog̣agā′g̣ᴀn. Giê′nhao ga′-istᴀ g̣a′g̣et qa′odihao ʟua′-i lᴀ gi ʟꜝ qꜝā′-isʟʟꜝxatcꜝai′yag̣ᴀni. Giê′nhao ha′oxᴀn Ya′ʼgît l’ daʼg̣a′-i wa g̣a qā′gᴀndixᴀn Sg̣agᴀ′ño ʟuwa′-i daʼg̣ā′g̣ani hā′lgui sū′g̣a lā′g̣a nᴀñ ku′ndjaowaga′g̣ani xaoya′nag̣ani sila′-ig̣a ᴀ. Yū′lᴀñ hᴀ′nhao l’ kig̣ai′ag̣ᴀn.

Uiê′dhao l’ xaoî′ntcꜝawag̣ᴀn. Giê′nhao hᴀn lᴀ gi ʟꜝ sā′wag̣ᴀn “Yū′lᴀñ, Sg̣agᴀ′ño ʟuwa′-i da’′gani.” Gañā′xᴀnhao l’ stꜝexag̣ia′lag̣ani l’ qꜝo′lg̣ᴀ stᴀ ʟuwa′-i ʟꜝ da-isda′si g̣aga′n ᴀ. Giê′nhao xā′-ida gu′lg̣a la xagadjai′yag̣ᴀn. Wᴀ ʟ̣g̣a gwa′ga-i lᴀ sʟtcꜝā′-i kia′ʼgustᴀ ʟꜝa tcꜝidᴀ′ñ lᴀ sʟꜝî′ñałañdigoañag̣ᴀn.

Giê′nhao sî′ñx̣ias giên gia′gu ʟuwa′-i gīg̣odia′si g̣a lᴀ qā′-idag̣ani. Giê′nhao hᴀn l’ sā′wag̣ᴀn: “Dalᴀ′ñ gua ʟuwa′-i gū′g̣a skiä′na-igiñ.” Giên sqꜝeū′x̣ua lᴀ gi nᴀñ ā′⁺ñas giên tꜝā′ng̣a î′sîñ gañā′ñ. “Tꜝalᴀ′ñ g̣e′idᴀñ” hᴀn hao lᴀ gi ʟꜝ sā′wag̣ᴀn. Giên “Dalᴀ′ñ g̣e′idag̣a-i lā′ga. Yū′lañ ʟuwa′-i g̣ei dalᴀ′ñg̣a qꜝatnanᴀ′ñsîñᴀ′ñ ʟꜝ sū′gᴀñ,” hᴀn hao la xᴀn sā′wag̣ᴀn.

Giên ga′-istᴀ lᴀ gū′tg̣a qa′odi g̣al-ya′ku la g̣ela′-i ʟ̣ū î′sîñ g̣a lᴀ qā′-idag̣ani. Giên ku′ng̣ada l’ sā′wag̣ᴀn gañā′ñ î′sîñ l’ sā′wag̣ᴀn. Giên î′sîñ lᴀ gi ʟꜝ kîłg̣adā′g̣ᴀn. Giên î′sîñ stᴀ lᴀ qā′-idag̣ani.

Giê′nhao ga′-istᴀ sî′ñg̣aʟ̣an kꜝiū′stᴀ g̣alg̣agî′lgᴀñᴀs ʟ̣ū′hao î′sîñ g̣a lᴀ qa-idā′g̣ᴀni. Giê′nhao î′sîñ l’ kiäna′ñag̣ᴀn: “Dalᴀ′ñ gua skiä′nadia?” Giê′nhao gᴀm xᴀ′ñgiañ lᴀ gi ʟꜝ sug̣ā′ñag̣ᴀn. Giê′nhao sqꜝe′ux̣ua łg̣ā-ʟꜝua′-i lᴀ skîtkꜝū′dju giên lᴀ gi nᴀñ ʟ̣dadjā′g̣ᴀn î′sîñ tꜝā′ñg̣a nᴀñ skîtgudjā′wag̣ᴀn. ʟua′-i lᴀ skîtskꜝā′mᴀłg̣o. Giê′nhao na gi stᴀ lᴀ gᴀ′ndax̣îtg̣āwag̣ᴀn.

Uiê′dhao siñg̣aʟ̣ana′-i ʟ̣ū ʟuwa′-i g̣ei lᴀ skitłaga′-i g̣ᴀn ʟꜝ u′nsᴀtdala′-i ʟ̣ū tꜝa′łg̣awai′yag̣ᴀn. Gañaxᴀ′nhao gutxᴀ′nłag̣a gut g̣ᴀn ʟꜝ gia′-îłaiyag̣ᴀn. Qꜝōg̣ā′gīga-i sqē′łdadjiña-i kꜝî′tg̣agīga-i g̣eiłgīga′-i ʟ̣ū′hao tca′aʟ at łg̣ēt at gut ʟꜝ daowa′ʼgag̣ᴀn.

Uiê′dhao gut ʟꜝ î′sdadi qa′⁺odihao Yū′lañ xᴀ′ñē sg̣oa′na ʟꜝ tcꜝidā′lag̣ᴀn. Uiê′dhao na gi l’ qā′-idag̣ᴀn. Giên na l’ qꜝao-u qa′odi î′sîñ lᴀ gi ʟꜝ kindatcꜝai′yag̣ᴀn: “Yū′lañ, ʟꜝᴀ ʟꜝ qatꜝa′g̣o-gutg̣a′ndax̣idig̣a.” Gañaxᴀ′nhao î′sîñ l’ da′ox̣idag̣ᴀn. Giê′nhao lᴀ x̣îtstatax̣îtx̣idaiya′-i ʟ̣ū l’ xᴀ′ñē sg̣oa′na î′sîñ lā′g̣a ʟꜝ tcꜝidā′lag̣ᴀn.

Giê′nhao na gi agᴀ′ñ l’ ʟx̣uqā′-idag̣ᴀn. L’ qagīg̣ᴀñᴀ′ndixᴀn qoa′nłg̣agiᴀ′ñ g̣ei l’ ʟ̣g̣oetcꜝai′yag̣ᴀn. Giên l’ na′g̣a-ʟ̣djus dᴀ′ñat agᴀ′ñ lᴀ ʟx̣uqatcꜝai′yag̣ᴀn. Ḷū′hao l’ qꜝo′lg̣a djā′g̣a l’ sū′daiyag̣ᴀn: “Yū′lañ, gᴀm gī′na g̣ēt ku′nłg̣ala-i gī dā kiä′nᴀñg̣ᴀ′ñgᴀñgîn. Gu dā qîñ.” “A î′ldjao, gī′na dā′g̣ᴀña tꜝa′g̣a qꜝa′o-uwa-i gañā′ñ ʟguag̣ē da′ogus.”

Giê′nhao gᴀm ʟgu g̣e′itłiña-i Yū′lañ g̣ᴀn qea′ñg̣agag̣ᴀn. Giê′nhao l’ djī′gîn G̣ā′nqꜝatxa qā wai′giên Sadiyā′ ê′sîñ. Ga-i sg̣u′nxᴀnhao g̣agā′lañ îsdadai′yag̣ᴀni. Skiä′xᴀnhao Djax̣ui′-sqoa′ładaga-i gui ga-i g̣e′igî qayä′lag̣ani.

Giê′nhao Sg̣ag̣ᴀ′ño gwai′giagᴀñᴀñ dᴀ′ñat gᴀ′nstaiyag̣ᴀn. Gᴀm xᴀn wa′ʟ̣u Łg̣ā′xet-gu-lā′nas hᴀn ʟꜝ kig̣adagā′ñag̣ᴀni. Giê′nhao Łg̣ā′xet lnaga′-i gi Sg̣ag̣ᴀ′ñogaña wa′daxaʟꜝxaiyāg̣ᴀn. Giê′nhao Qogā′ñas lnaga′-i at giê′tagā′g̣ᴀni. Giê′nhao gu lᴀ lanadag̣eiłg̣ā′wag̣ᴀn.

WAR BETWEEN THE WEST COAST HAIDA AND THE TLINGIT

[Told by Richard of the Middle-Gîtî′ns]

The Tlingit destroyed Those-born-at-Stasaos [159] in Skidegate channel. For that reason ten canoes went to war from Gū′dᴀl, [160] and three canoes of us came apart from the rest [when we were] among the Tlingit. Then they (the others) plundered. They destroyed a fort. On that account they had many slaves.

Then we landed on a fine beach, not knowing where the Tlingit lived, and we started a fire. We acted as if we were visitors. And after we had had a big fire there for some time seven Tlingit came to us in a canoe. They asked us: “What warriors are these?” Then Skᴀ′ngwai’s father said: “We are not warriors. We come to buy food of you.” And they said: “No; you are warriors.” Then we denied it. We told them to come near shore, and they entered the mouth of the inlet.

And after he (one of them) had talked for a while, he said: “Get [into] the canoe. I do not understand their pronunciation.” [161] As soon as they got [into] the canoe they went off in fright. Then we pursued. [The other canoes] shot at them, one from each side, and we were behind. And after we had shot for a while we upset them near an island. One whom we had shot lay there, having fallen out into the water. Then Xᴀ′ñxogutg̣as [162] and his brothers started to get out to fight, and I stopped them.

After that we went away and started across [to the Queen Charlotte islands]. The wind blew strong from the north. In the middle of the night a great wind arose. The canoe was split. I nailed the parts together with some staples I had. We also tied ropes round the canoe. Some of us cried from fright. We thought the other canoes had capsized. This was the first time I experienced a strong wind since I was grown.

At daybreak we were in front of Paint mountain. [163] And after we had sailed from there for a while I shouted: “He he he he he; chiefs’ nephews whom I have for sons-in-law, do not let your minds be downcast. We go out to have a warm time. Make your minds strong.” Then they stopped weeping.

Some time after that our canoe came to Gwi′gwᴀñ-bay, [164] and there was one canoe there. There we spent the night. When we left next day another sail came in sight from Skidegate. Then we saw each other. And we were glad to see each other. And when we came to Gū′dᴀl the [other] warriors had taken thirty-eight slaves. We were ashamed. Then it was reported that a woman said of us: “What open place do they keep going out for, I wonder?” [165] We immediately prepared for war.

The people went then to the camps from Gū′dᴀl. And after they had fished for some time the fish were dried. Then we went to war in four canoes. We started across from North island. [166] We went against the Klawak [167] people.

We pulled up our canoes at the mouth of the inlet. The next day we again went up the inlet. We went, went, went for a while and landed where there was a strong tidal current. In one [stream] there were plenty of dog salmon. After we had been there a while [we saw] some broad sails coming from above. And it (the canoe) landed below the place where we had pulled up our canoes.

He (the owner) had his wife and two slaves. Then he got off and put on his cartridge box. And he passed up near the place where we were watching. After he had gone a slave killed dog salmon in the creek with stones. During all that time they talked Tlingit to one another. And they started a fire at the foot of a tree which stood near them.

By and by, when evening came, he came down. From afar he spoke Tlingit to them. Three persons presently came along behind him. When two reports were heard the people ran down. The slaves already had their hands in it (the canoe). The gun box was untouched. There were five [guns] in it. Since he had come there he had lain down on his back and spoken in the Tlingit language. The roasted salmon was still stuck in the ground. [168]

Then they shot him from in front. And then he exclaimed: “What people have done this to me? Save me.” [169] Then he (the assailant) shot him again with a pistol. A male slave, however, escaped into the woods. And when they ran down to his canoe there were cuts of whale in it. By that time they were speaking Kaigani [170] together. I then said to them: “Why did you, who are Haida, talk Tlingit? We would not have touched you.” Then she (his wife) said: “We did not think anything like this would happen.”

And when they got ready to start she said: “Those who came with us have a fire on the other side. They are Klawak people.” In the night we went over to them. And we landed near. We ran toward them. The fire there was large. And after we had gone toward it for a while we peeped over a log. They lay asleep around the fire.

Just before daybreak we ran upon them. Then we seized a man to enslave him. He resisted more fiercely than was expected. Then I shot him. He fell. Afterward he rose. When he ran they shot him again. After that he ran into the woods. We took all the property of the men. We took six slaves. Many, too, we killed.

Then we got into our canoes. We prepared to go. And we arrived over against Gᴀsqo. [171] In the night a south wind came suddenly upon us, accompanied by rain. And after we had thrown over some of the property we went back. [By and by] we sailed over [to Gᴀsqo]. There was no place to land. But after we had gone on for a while we found a landing place. Much rain fell.

After we had been there for a while a slave stood up in the canoe. He called for his uncle’s supernatural helper. He did so because the rain chilled him. By and by the rain stopped and a north wind set in.

At once we started across [Dixon entrance]. We reached the islands the same day. The day after we sang war songs there. After we had remained there for a while we came to Tcꜝā′ał. [172]

Here is the end of this.

WAR BETWEEN THE WEST COAST HAIDA AND THE TLINGIT

Sta′saos qē′g̣awa-i hao Łî′nagîts kꜝē′djîs g̣a ha-ilū′dasg̣aiyagᴀn. Ga-i tꜝa′guhao Gudᴀ′l stᴀ ʟū g̣aʟa′ał gu ʟꜝ qa′-idaogᴀn. Giê′nhao Łî′nagîts sū′g̣a ʟꜝᴀ′stᴀ iʟꜝ g̣ałg̣u′nuł g̣atxadī′djîñ. Giê′nhao ga-i taskidā′ñagᴀni. Tꜝa′odjî hao ʟꜝ qꜝai′yuwaidaiyagᴀn. Wa′athao tā′gidjîgida-i qoa′ngᴀni.

Giên ga tā′djia lā gu Łî′nagîts gᴀm ʟgu naxᴀña′-i g̣ᴀn iʟꜝ u′nsᴀtg̣ᴀñgᴀn giên tꜝalᴀ′ñ tcꜝā′nug̣adagᴀn. Agᴀ′ñ tꜝalᴀ′ñ qaʟū′īdjiña′g̣eiłdigᴀn. Giê′nhao gu gîndja′oga-i î′sdi qa′odihao ʟꜝa g̣ᴀ′nstᴀ ga Łî′nagîda tcꜝadjī′guag̣aga g̣a ʟuqā′ʟꜝxagᴀn. Giê′nhao hᴀn iʟꜝ at kiänᴀ′ñgᴀn: “Gī′ʟ̣g̣ᴀn qa-idawa′-i hao ē′djîn.” Giê′nhao Skᴀ′ngwai g̣ō′ñg̣a hᴀn sū′gᴀñ: “Gᴀm tꜝalᴀ′ñ qa′idaog̣ᴀñgᴀn. Gatā′hao dalᴀ′ñ gi tꜝalᴀ′ñ dā′xo-î′ngᴀn.” Giên hᴀn sū′gᴀni “Ga′oano dalᴀ′ñ qa-idā′wagᴀn.” Giê′nhao gī ʟꜝ qā′dagᴀne. Giên dia′nᴀñ ʟꜝ gā′yiñxᴀlgᴀni giên g̣ag̣aga′-i g̣ei qā′x̣iatcꜝigᴀni.

Giên g̣a lᴀ kîłgu′ldi qa′odi hᴀn l’ sū′gᴀn: “ʟua′-i łᴀ da′og̣o. Kî′łgulia-i ł kî′lsgudaiyagᴀni.” Gañā′xᴀnhao ʟua′-i ʟꜝ da′oga-i ʟ̣ū ga′-itg̣oqa-idᴀni. Giê′nhao g̣ō′ʟ̣ag̣a ʟꜝ djîskī′dᴀni. Dagwu′lgî ga g̣astî′ñ xā′dasi ā′xᴀn tcꜝînłg̣oa′ñgᴀni. Giên tꜝalᴀ′ñ î′sîñ g̣ō′tgi g̣atꜝē′djᴀni. Giê′nhao ʟꜝ tcꜝî′nłg̣oañgîn qa′odi nᴀñ gwai′ya gu ʟꜝ tcꜝîtgutꜝᴀ′łdagîlgᴀn. Gū′g̣a nᴀñ ʟꜝ tcꜝigā′gᴀni ʟua′-i gug̣e′istᴀ g̣ā′yuwa-i g̣ei ʟ̣x̣ia′ñgāgîñgᴀn. Giê′nhao Xᴀ′ñxogutg̣as-gā′ña l’ da′otꜝᴀłx̣idigᴀn giên g̣a ł qꜝa-igidᴀ′lgᴀn.

Giê′nhao wᴀ stᴀ îsdax̣ī′dᴀni gañā′xᴀn ʟuda′ogᴀni. Qꜝa′ʼgustᴀ tā′dju yuᴀ′ngᴀn. G̣āl ya′ku ʟꜝᴀ gi tadja′o g̣ā′tg̣oyuᴀ′ngᴀn. ʟua′-i g̣a ʟgū′sʟgᴀni. Dī ga kꜝᴀtłg̣askiä′lu ī′djîn at łᴀ qā′tgogᴀni. Îsîñ ʟuᴀ′-i ʟꜝ łg̣adjigū′sʟgᴀni. ʟꜝ īłī′ łg̣osg̣ā′-igagᴀñgîn. Djigî′n xā′txatgwañ tꜝalᴀ′ñ gudᴀ′ñgᴀni. A′hao ʟnōt dī inā′sʟ g̣ᴀ′nstᴀ tadja′o ʟā′djîga ł g̣ā′ndᴀñgᴀn.

G̣a-iʟ̣ū′hao sîñgaʟ̣ana′-i gu Mas-ʟdag̣a′os xē′tgu lᴀ gi sîñgaʟ̣a′nga. Giê′nhao wᴀ stᴀ x̣uqa′-îłgîñ qa′odi qagᴀ′ndjūñ ła g̣atgadā′gᴀni: “He he he he he ē′ʟꜝxagît nā′tg̣alᴀñ ł qō′nᴀldᴀgᴀn gᴀm xē′da gudᴀñā′ñ g̣eidᴀg̣ᴀ′ñg̣o. Gī′hao tꜝalᴀ′ñ îsx̣iā′gᴀni a′hao ga kꜝī′na tꜝalᴀ′ñ g̣ā′ndᴀñgîñga. Gudᴀñā′ña ʟā′djîgadᴀg̣o.” Ḷū′hao sg̣a′-iłia-i ʟan g̣î′lgᴀni.

Giên ga′istᴀ qā qa′odi Gwī′gwᴀñ-sʟꜝîñ gu ē′ʟꜝg̣a qaʟꜝxagî′lgᴀni giên ʟua′-i ga sg̣oa′na ê′sîñ wᴀ gu īdjā′gᴀni. Gu ʟꜝ g̣ā′ldagᴀne. Dag̣ala′-ig̣a stᴀ ʟꜝ qasā′g̣aga-i ʟ̣ū ga g̣asg̣oa′na î′sîñ Łg̣agî′lda stᴀ gīx̣iawa′-i gī′sdagani. Giên gu ʟꜝ qî′ñgᴀn. Giên guta′t agᴀ′ñ ʟꜝ xᴀña′lgᴀn. Giên Gudᴀ′l gu ʟꜝ î′sʟꜝxaga-i ʟ̣ū ʟꜝ qa′ido-î′ndjawagᴀn xᴀ′ldañ ʟa′ala-i łg̣u′nuł wᴀ gi stā′nsᴀñxa ʟꜝ î′sdagialagᴀn. Iʟꜝ g̣e′idaxagᴀn. Ḷū′hao nᴀñ djā′da hᴀn iʟꜝ sudā′ñ ʟꜝ sū′gᴀñ: “Gī′ʟg̣ᴀn gadjā′wasi gī′hao lᴀ ga′-itax̣uñgwa′-ani.” Ḷū′hao g̣eidā′ñ xᴀn tꜝalᴀ′ñ qa′idox̣idigᴀn.

Giê′nhao Gudᴀ′l stᴀ ʟgᴀnła′ñ g̣ei ʟꜝ qasā′gīgᴀn. Ga′-iʟ̣u ʟꜝ xao qa′odi qꜝā′g̣asʟgᴀni. Giên ʟū g̣astᴀ′nsîñ gu ʟꜝ qa′-idogᴀn. Giê′nhao Qꜝā-its-gwai′ya-i stᴀ tꜝalᴀ′ñ ʟuda′⁺ogᴀn. Łᴀwa′k xā′-idag̣a-i hao tꜝalᴀ′ñ tā′ng̣agᴀn.

Ga′iʟ̣uhao g̣a′oga-i qꜝe-ū′g̣a ʟua′-i ʟꜝ ʟꜝstagî′lgᴀni. Dag̣ala′-ig̣a î′sîñ ʟꜝ ʟu-î′sdax̣îtłgᴀn. Isdā′lgᴀni. Qa′odi nᴀñ djī′wa-i djē′gᴀs gu ʟuwa′-i ʟꜝ ʟstagî′lgᴀni, nᴀñ g̣a sqā′gî qoa′na gu ᴀ. ʟ̣! g̣ētg̣ᴀ′ndi qa′⁺odi sa′stᴀ ga gīx̣ia′wa-i gaostᴀtꜝᴀ′lgᴀn. Giê′nhao ga′gu ʟua′-i ʟꜝ ʟstagilā′digᴀni gu ʟꜝ xē′tgu lᴀ g̣askī′dᴀn. L’ djā′g̣a îsî′s giên xᴀ′ldᴀña-i î′sîñ lā′g̣a stî′ñgᴀni. L’ qatꜝᴀ′lgᴀn giên g̣eiga′ñ g̣ᴀlqa′-igiga-i lᴀ daqa′-iłgᴀni. Giê′nhao ʟꜝ g̣ētg̣ᴀ′ndies ʟꜝa gut lᴀ qā′łgᴀn. Giê′nhao nᴀñ xᴀ′ldᴀñas l’ sila′-ig̣a sqā′gi gī g̣ᴀ′nʟa-i g̣ei lᴀ qꜝadjū′gᴀni. Kꜝiä′łhao Łî′nagît kî′łg̣agî gutg̣ā′ lᴀ kîłgulg̣ō′gᴀn. Giên ʟꜝ qꜝō′łg̣a qa-it giagᴀ′ñgᴀn qꜝo′lgî lᴀ tcꜝā′nog̣adag̣ogᴀn.

Qa′odi sîñx̣aiya′-i ʟ̣ū la qaʟꜝxā′sgag̣ᴀni. Wā′djx̣ui xᴀn g̣a lᴀ djîłgita′ogadalgᴀni. Qa′odihao l’ dī′tg̣a ga łg̣u′nuł gᴀndax̣ī′dᴀn. Djigwa′-i sqꜝastî′ñ wᴀ gu qꜝadō′gaga′-i ʟ̣ū g̣a ʟꜝ x̣a′ostagᴀni. Tagī′djigida-i ʟgī′xᴀn wa g̣ei ʟꜝ qᴀngixā′ñgᴀni. Djī′gu g̣oda′-i wa g̣a gᴀm gīdjigî′łdag̣agᴀn. Sqꜝaʟe′ił wa g̣a īdjā′gᴀni. L’ qā′ʟꜝxas gu lᴀ ta-ig̣ā′gîtwas gu Łî′nagît kî′łg̣agî lᴀ kiłgulai′agᴀn. Ha′oxᴀn wa′g̣alᴀña-i kîtsgîlagā′gᴀni.

Ḷū′hao l’ qᴀn g̣ei lᴀ ʟꜝ tcꜝigā′gᴀn. Ḷū⁺ ʟꜝa hᴀn l’ sā′wagᴀn: “Giʟg̣ᴀ′n xa-idᴀg̣a′-i hao dī î′sdañ. Dī łᴀ qagᴀ′ndᴀ-kuxa′ogu.” Giê′nhao djī′gu kꜝudja′o at î′sîñ lᴀ la tcꜝigā′gᴀn. Nᴀñ xᴀ′ldᴀña īłinagā′gᴀn ʟꜝa agᴀ′ñ tꜝaqagᴀ′ngîlgᴀn. Giên ʟua′-i lā′g̣a ʟꜝ da′ox̣îtsg̣agᴀna-i kun lᴀ qꜝeidā′gᴀn lā′g̣a gā′yiñgîñgᴀn. ʟʟ̣a la ê′sîñ gu′tg̣a Qꜝeits xā′-idᴀg̣a-i kî′łg̣agî gu′tg̣a lᴀ kîłgu′lg̣ogᴀn. Ḷū′hao hᴀn lᴀ ł sudag̣ō′gᴀn: “Gasî′nʟao dalᴀ′ñ Xā′-idᴀg̣as skꜝiä′xᴀn gu′tg̣a Łî′nagît kî′łg̣agî dalᴀ′ñ kîłgulā′-udjañ. Gᴀm dalᴀ′ñ g̣a tꜝalᴀ′ñ ʟā′gaskig̣ā′ñaxᴀñga.” Ḷū′hao hᴀn l’ sūgᴀn “Hᴀ′nʟgua gī′na g̣ā′-itgasañ tꜝalᴀ′ñ gudᴀñō′-udjî.”

Ḷū′hao ʟꜝ dag̣a-ilansʟia′-i ʟ̣ū hᴀn l’ sū′gᴀn: “Inax̣ua′hao iʟꜝ ta′ogᴀn ga ē′djîn tcꜝā′nudig̣a. Łᴀwa′k xa-idᴀg̣a′-i hao ī′djî.” Giê′nhao g̣ā′lx̣ua tꜝalᴀ′ñ tā′ng̣ax̣îttꜝē′djîni. Giê′nhao qꜝō′łg̣a tꜝalᴀ′ñ g̣agadā′ñgᴀnî. Giên tꜝalᴀ′ñ da′ox̣idᴀnî. Tcꜝā′nuwa-i wᴀ gu yug̣odī′gᴀnî. Giên g̣a agᴀ′ñ łkꜝî′nxet tꜝalᴀ′ñ gᴀndā′ldi qā′odi qꜝā′xo łgī′g̣odia tꜝᴀ′lgî gi tꜝalᴀ′ñ gwasqā′ñgᴀnî. Tcꜝā′nuwa-i djî′nxa qꜝaxasʟg̣awā′gᴀnî.

Giê′nhao sîñg̣aʟ̣andala′-i ʟ̣ū tꜝalᴀ′ñ daoʟꜝxa′gᴀni. Ḷū′hao nᴀñ ī′łiña ʟꜝ xᴀldā′ñg̣atda′gᴀnî. ʟꜝᴀ lᴀ qꜝaixagū′łdagᴀn. Giê′nhao lᴀ ł tcꜝī′gᴀn. L’ g̣atʟ̣skī′dᴀn. Ga′-istᴀ lᴀ gia′xaʟꜝxagᴀnî. L’ g̣adaga′-i ʟ̣ū î′sîñ lᴀ ʟꜝ tcꜝī′gᴀn. Ga′-istᴀ l’ g̣atgî′lgᴀn. Iłî′ndjîda-i gī′nag̣a waʟ̣uxᴀ′nhao tꜝalᴀ′ñ gī′⁺gᴀn. Ga ʟg̣u′nuł hao tꜝalᴀ′ñ tagī′djîgîda′dᴀgᴀn. Qoan ê′sîñ ʟꜝ ʟꜝ′dagᴀnî.

Giê′nhao ʟꜝ qa′-idawa-qaʟ̣′gᴀn. Giê′nhao stᴀ ʟꜝ ʟu-îsdax̣ī′dᴀnî. Giên Gᴀsqo ʟā′stᴀxᴀn ʟꜝʟuda′ogᴀni. Ga-i g̣ala′-i g̣a īʟꜝ gi xe-u′ dala′ñ dᴀ′ñat sqꜝag̣e′idᴀnî. Giên ʟꜝ tadā′ñgî qa′odi ʟꜝ stī′łsg̣agᴀn. Ga′-iʟ̣u ʟꜝ x̣ūtî′sʟꜝxagîlgᴀn. Gᴀm ʟgu g̣a ʟꜝ gig̣a′ogial-łiña′-i ga′og̣ᴀñgᴀn. Giê′nhao ʟꜝ ʟu-îsdā′l qa′odihao gia′gu ī′sʟîña ʟꜝ qē′xagᴀn. Dala′-i gug̣oyū′ᴀngᴀn.

Giên gut ʟꜝ î′sdi qa′odi ʟūgoag̣a nᴀñ xᴀ′ldᴀña gā′yiñgîñgᴀn. Qāñ sg̣ā′nag̣wa-i gī lᴀ kiägā′ñgᴀn. Dala′-i l’ gîñx̣uaiga′-i hao l’ gîñsū′gᴀn. Qa′odi l’ x̣îlgā′g̣ada-i gañā′xᴀn qꜝa′gustᴀ kwē′ʼg̣ax̣idigᴀn.

Gañā′xᴀnhao ʟꜝ ʟuda′ogᴀn. G̣ē′gixᴀn ʟꜝ ʟuda′oʟꜝxagîlgᴀn. Dag̣ala′-ig̣a gᴀ stᴀ ʟꜝ ī′djîñ gu ʟꜝ qa-idjū′ʟꜝxagᴀn. Ga′-igu ʟꜝ naxā′ñ qa′odi Tcꜝā′ał g̣a ʟꜝ ī′djîn.

A′hao ʟan ā′sga-i g̣e′ida.

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

RAVEN TRAVELING

[Told by John Sky of Those-born-at-Skedans] [173]

Over this island [174] salt water extended, they say. Raven flew about. He looked for a place upon which to sit. After a while he flew away to sit upon a flat rock which lay toward the south end of the island. All the supernatural creatures lay on it like Genō′, [175] with their necks laid across one another. The feebler supernatural beings were stretched out from it in this, that, and every direction, asleep. It was light then, and yet dark, they say.

[Told by Job Moody of the Witch People [176]]

The Loon’s place [177] was in the house of Nᴀñkî′lsʟas. One day he went out and called. Then he came running in and sat down in the place he always occupied. And an old man was lying down there, but never looking toward him. By and by he went out a second time, cried, came in, and sat down. He continued to act in this manner.

One day the person whose back was turned to the fire asked: “Why do you call so often?” “Ah, chief, I am not calling on my own account. The supernatural ones tell me that they have no place in which to settle. That is why I am calling.” And he said: “I will attend to it (literally, ‘make’).”

[Continued by John Sky]

After having flown about for a while Raven was attracted by the neighboring clear sky. Then he flew up thither. And running his beak into it from beneath he drew himself up. A five-row town lay there, and in the front row the chief’s daughter had just given birth to a child. In the evening they all slept. He then skinned the child from the foot and entered [the skin]. He lay down in its place.

On the morrow its grandfather asked for it, and it was given to him. He washed it, and he put his feet against the baby’s feet and pulled up. He then put it back. On the next day he did the same thing and handed it back to its mother. He was now hungry. They had not begun to chew up food to put into his mouth.

One evening, after they had all gone to bed and were asleep, Raven raised his head and looked about upon everything inside the house. All slept in the same position. Then by wriggling continually he loosened himself from the cradle in which he was fastened and went out. In the corner of the house lived a Half-rock being, [178] who watched him. After she had watched for a while he came in, holding something under his blanket, and, pushing aside the fire which was always kept burning before his mother, he dug a hole in the cleared place and emptied what he held into it. As soon as he had kneaded it with the ashes he ate it. It gave forth a popping sound. He laughed while he ate. She saw all that from the corner.

Again, when it was evening and they were asleep, he went out. After he had been gone for a while he again brought in something under his blanket, put it into the ashes and stirred it up with them. He poked it out and laughed as he ate it. From the corner of the house the Half-rock one looked on. He got through, went back, and lay down in the cradle. On the next morning all the five villages talked about it. He heard them.

The inhabitants of four of the five towns had each lost one eye. Then the old woman reported what she had seen. “Behold what that chief’s daughter’s child does. Watch him. As soon as they sleep he stands up out of himself.” His grandfather then gave him a marten-skin blanket, and they put him into the cradle. At his grandfather’s word some one went out. “Come to sing a song for the chief’s daughter’s baby outsi-i-ide, outsi-i-ide.” As they sang for him one in the line, which extended along the entire village front, held him. By and by he let him fall, and they watched him as he went. Turning around to the right as he went, he struck the water.

And as he drifted about he cried without ceasing. By and by, wearied out with crying, he fell asleep. After he had slept a while something said: “Your mighty grandfather says he wants you to come into his house.” He turned around quickly and looked out from under his blanket, but saw nothing. Again, as he floated about, something repeated the same words. He looked quickly around toward it. He saw nothing. The next time he looked through the eyehole in his marten-skin. A pied-billed grebe came out from under the water, saying “Your mighty grandfather invites you in,” and dived immediately.

He then got up. He was floating against a kelp with two heads. He stepped upon it. Lo! he stepped upon a house pole of rock having two heads. He climbed down it. The sea was just as good as the world above. [179]

He then stood in front of a house. And some one called him in: “Enter, my son. Word has arrived that you come to borrow something from me.” He then went in. An old man, white as a sea gull, sat in the rear part of the house. He sent him for a box that hung in the corner, and, as soon as he had handed it to him, he successively pulled out five boxes. And out of the innermost box he handed him two cylindrical objects, one covered with shining spots, the other black, saying “I am you. That [also] is you.” He referred to something blue and slim that was walking around on the screens whose ends point toward each other in the rear of the house. And he said to him: “Lay this round [speckled] thing in the water, and after you have laid this black one in the water, bite off a part of each and spit it upon the rest.”

But when he took them out he placed the black one in the water first and, biting off part of the speckled stone, spit it upon the rest, whereupon it bounded off. Because he did differently from the way he was told it came off. He now went back to the black one, bit a part of it off and spit it upon the rest, where it stuck. Then he bit off a part of the pebble with shiny points and spit it upon the rest. It stuck to it. These were to be trees, they say. [180]

When he put the second one into the water it stretched itself out. And the supernatural beings at once swam over to it from their places on the sea. In the same way Mainland [181] was finished and lay quite round on the water.

He floated first in front of this island (i.e., the Queen Charlotte islands), they say. And he shouted landward: “Gū′sga wag̣elai′dx̣ᴀn hā-ō-ō” (Tsimshian words meaning “Come along quickly”) [but he saw nothing]. Then [he shouted]: “Ha′lᴀ gudᴀñā′ñ łg̣ā′gîñ gwā′-ā-ā” (Haida equivalent of the preceding). Some one came toward the water. Then he went toward Mainland. He called to them to hurry, [saying] “Hurry up in your minds,” but he saw nothing. He spoke in the Tsimshian tongue. Then one with an old-fashioned cape and a paddle over his shoulder came seaward. This is how he started it that the Mainland people would be industrious.

Pushing off again toward this country, he disembarked near the south end of the island. On a ledge a certain person was walking. Toward the woods, too, among fallen trees, walked another. Then he knocked him who was walking along the shore into the water. Yet he floated, face up. When he again knocked him in the same thing was repeated. He was unable to drown him. This was because the Ninstints people were going to practise witchcraft. And he who was walking among the trees had his face cut by the limbs. He did not wipe it. This was Greatest-crazy-one (Qōnā′ñ-sg̣ā′na), they say.

He then turned seaward and started for the Heiltsuk coast (ʟdjîñ). [182] As he walked along he came to a spring salmon that was jumping about and said to it: “Spring-salmon, strike me over the heart.” Then it turned toward him. It struck him. Just as he recovered from his insensibility it went into the sea. Then he built a stone wall close to the sea and behind it made another. When he told it to do the same thing again the spring salmon hit him, and, while he was on the ground, after jumping along for a while, it knocked over the nearer wall. But while it was yet moving along inside the farther wall he got up, hit it with a club, killed it, and took it up. [183]

He then called in the crows to help him eat it. They made a fire and roasted it [on hot stones]. He afterward lay down with his back to the fire. He told them to wake him when it was cooked. He then overslept. And they took everything off from the fire and ate. They ate everything. They then poked some of the salmon between his teeth. And he awoke after he had slept a while and told them to take the covering off the roast. And they said to him: “You ate it. After that you went to sleep.” “No, indeed, you have not taken the coverings off yet.” “Well, poke a stick between your teeth.” He then poked a stick between his teeth. He poked out some from his teeth. He thereupon spit into the crows’ faces and said: “Future people shall not see you flying about looking as you do now.” They were white, they say, but since that time they have been black.

And walking away from that place he sat down near the end of a trail. After he had wept there for a while some people with feathers on their heads and gambling-stick bags on their backs came to him and asked him what the matter was. “Oh, my mother and my father are dead. Because they told me I was born [in the same place] as you I wander about seeking you.” They then started home with him. Lo, they came to a house. Then they made him sit down. One of the men went around behind the screens by the wall passage. After staying away for a while [he came in and] his legs were wet. He brought a salmon with its back just broken. They rubbed white stones against each other to make a fire. Near it they cut the salmon open. They put stones into the fire, roasted the salmon, and, when it was cooked, made him sit down in the middle. There they ate it. These were the Beavers, they say. They were going out to gamble, but turned back on account of him.

One of them again went behind the screens. He brought out a dish of cranberries, and that, too, they finished. Again he went in. He brought out the inside parts of a mountain goat, and they divided them into three portions, and made Raven’s portion big. Then they said to him: “You had better not go away. Live with us always.” They then put their gambling-stick bags upon their backs and started off.

When it was near evening they came home. He was sitting in the place [where they had left him]. Again one went in. He again brought out a salmon. They steamed it. And they also brought out cranberries. They also brought out the inside parts of a mountain goat. After they had eaten they went to bed. On the next day, early in the morning, after they had eaten three sorts of food, they put the gambling-stick bags upon their backs and started off again.

He then went behind the screen. Lo, a lake lay there. From it a creek flowed away in which was a fish trap. The fish trap was so full that it looked as if some one were shaking it. There were plenty of salmon in it, and in the lake very many small canoes were passing one another. Several points were red with cranberries. Lēn [184] and women’s songs [185] resounded.

Then he pulled out the fish trap, folded it together, and laid it down at the edge of the lake. He rolled it up with the lake and house, put them under his arm, and pulled himself up into a tree that stood close by. They were not heavy for his arm.

He then came down and straightened them out. And he lighted a fire, ran back quickly, brought out a salmon, and cooked it hurriedly. He ate it quickly and put the fire out again. Then, sitting beside it, he cried.

As he sat there, without having wiped away his tears, they came in. “Well, why are you crying?” “I am crying because the fire went out some time ago.” They then talked to each other, and one of them said to him: “That is always the way with it.”

They then lighted the fire. One of them brought out a salmon from behind [the screens] and they cut it across, steamed, and ate it. After they had finished eating cranberries and the inside parts of a mountain goat they went to bed. The next morning, very early, after they had again eaten the three kinds of food, they took their gambling-stick bags upon their backs and went off.

He at once ran inside. He brought out a salmon, cooked it, and ate it with cranberries and the inside parts of a mountain goat. He then went in and pulled up the fish trap. He flattened it together with the house.

After he had laid them down he rolled the lake up with them and put all into his armpit. He pulled himself up into a tree standing beside the lake. Halfway up he sat down.

And after he had sat there for a while some one came. His house and lake were gone from their accustomed place. After he had looked about the place for some time he glanced up. Lo, he (Raven) sat there with their property. Then he went back, and both came toward him. They went quickly to the tree. They began working upon it with their teeth. When it began to fall, he (Raven) went to another one. When that, too, began to fall he sat down with his [burden] on one that stood near it. After he had gone ahead of them upon many trees in the same way they gave it up. They then traveled about for a long time, they say. After having had no place for a long time they found a lake and settled down in it.

Then, after he (Raven) had traveled around inland for a while, he came to a large open place. He unrolled the lake there. There it lay. He did not let the fish trap or the house go. He kept them to teach the Seaward (Mainland) people and the Shoreward (Queen Charlotte islands) people, they say.

While he was walking along near the edge of the water [he saw] a part of some creature looking like a woman sticking out of the water at the mouth of Lalgī′mi. [186] He was fascinated by her, made a canoe, and went to her. When he got near she went under the water in front of him. After he had made a canoe of something different he went to her again. When he got near to her she sank into the water. He made one of something still different. Again she sank into the water before him.

Now, after he had searched about for a while, he opened a wild pea (xō′ya ʟū′g̣a, “Raven’s canoe”) with a stick and went out to her in it. When he came near to get her that time she did not go under the water. He came alongside of her and took her in. She wore a dancing skirt and dancing leggings. He then got the canoe ashore, untied her dancing leggings and dancing skirt, and wiped her all over. He ran to the woods, got a tcā′łg̣a, [187] and drew it over her for a blanket.

He then launched the canoe and put her in it, and they started landward. [188] He set her ashore on the west arm of Cumshewa inlet (G̣a′oqons) and also took out the house for her, but kept the fish trap in his armpit. He did so because he was going to teach [some one] about it.

He then went back again. After he had passed along Seaward land (the mainland) in his canoe for some time, behold, a person came along by canoe. The hair on the top of his head was gathered in a pointed tuft. And he (Raven) held his canoe off at arm’s length for a while. The canoe was full of hair seal. Then he questioned him: “Tell me, where did you gather the things you have?” “Why, there are plenty of them” [he replied], and he picked up his hunting spear. After he had looked between the canoes he speared something. He pulled out a hair seal. “Look in” [he said], and he (Raven) looked in. He could see nothing. “I say, I am this way (i.e., have bad eyesight) because a clam spit upon me. Since then I have been unable to see anything.” He then stretched his head over. He stretched it to him. And, having pulled a blood clot out of his eye with his finger nails, he put it back again. He used bad words to him, therefore he did not take it out for good. Now, he (Raven) treated him well. He made many advances to him, but he could not get [what he wanted] and started off.

After he had gone along for some time, lo, Eagle [189] was coming; and he said to him: “Comrade, I have been drinking sea water. You, too, had better drink sea water.” And he drank some in his sight. At once he defecated as he went along. Then Eagle, too, drank some. He also defecated as he went, and he said: “Cousin, come, let us build a fire.” “Wait, I am looking for the place.” Then Eagle pulled a water-tight basket out from under his armpit and drank from it. At once what he had drunk spurted from his mouth as he went along. After they had gone along for a while they landed upon certain flat rocks extending into the sea.

Then Raven went up first and lighted a fire. He again watched Eagle as he kept taking out his basket and drinking water. He intended to take it, but he did not have an opportunity. Eagle also let the contents of his stomach run into the ground, and they went out of sight. Then he (Raven) took a walk. “I am going to drink,” he said, and passed into the woods. Having taken roots and put root sap into the hat he wore, he went to him. While coming back he drank of it on the way. And he asked Eagle to taste it. He handed it to him. He looked into it. He sniffed at it. “Tell me, cousin, why does your water smell like pitch?” “Well, cousin, the water hole was in clay.”

He then broke off tips of branches from a hemlock that had clusters of twigs sticking out all round them and gave them to him. “Cousin, put these upon the fire.” And he put them upon the fire. Wā-ā-ā, it burned brightly. And after he had done this a while, lo, Eagle pulled out his basket. As soon as he saw that, he (Raven) ran to the end of a clump of limbs and stepped heavily upon it to break it. “Clump of branches, fall down, fall down” [he said], and it broke and was coming down. Then he said to Eagle, “Hukukukuk.” [190] Eagle ran from his water in terror.

Then Raven put on his feather clothing and flew away with it. Eagle, too, put on his feather clothing and flew after him. He tried to hook his claws into him, and water was jerked out of [the basket]. As this happened the salmon streams were formed. Eagle gave up the pursuit, and he (Raven) continued scattering water out of his mouth. After a while he emptied the last where he had stretched out the first [lake]. He treated this island in the same manner. After that he emptied [the last] at the head of Skeena. [191]

Eagle was also called Lā′g̣ałᴀm. [192]

Raven finished this. He then traveled northward. After he had traveled for a while he came to where a village lay. He then put himself in the form of a conifer needle into a water hole behind the chief’s house and floated about there awaiting the chief’s daughter.

The chief’s child then went thither for water, and he floated in the water that she dipped up. She threw this out and dipped a second time, but he was still there. And when close to her he said: “Drink it.”

Not a long time after that she became pregnant. Then she gave birth [to a child], and its grandfather washed the child all over and put his feet to its feet. It began to creep about. After it had crept about for a while it cried so violently that no one could stop it. “Boo hoo, moon,” it kept saying. After it had tired them out with its crying they stopped up the smoke hole, and, having pulled one box out of another four times, they gave it a round thing. There came light throughout the house. After it had played with this for a while it let it go and again started to cry. “Boo hoo, smoke hole,” it cried. They then opened the smoke hole, and it cried again and said: “Boo hoo, more.” And they made the space larger. Then he flew away with it. Marten [193] pursued him below. Tā′ʟᴀtg̣ā′dᴀla, [194] too, chased him above. They gave it up and returned.

He then put the moon into his armpit. And, after he had traveled about for a while, he came to where Sea-gull and Cormorant sat. He made them quarrel with each other. And he said to Cormorant: “People tell me to brace myself on the ground with my tongue this way [when fighting].” He then did it, and [Raven] went quickly to him. He bit off his tongue.

Then he made it into an eulachon. And he put on his cape and rubbed this all over it, and he rubbed it on the inside of the canoe as well. Then he also put rocks in and went in front of Qadadjâ′n. [195] And he entered his house. “Hī, I, too, have become cold.” Qadadjâ′n was lying with his back to the fire and, looking toward him, saw his canoe, covered with slime, lying on the water as if full. He then became angry and pulled the screen down toward the fire. Eulachon immediately poured forth. He then threw the stones out of the canoe and put them into it. When it was full, he went off with them.

After he had distributed the eulachon along the mainland in the places where they now are and had put some in Nass inlet, he left a few in the canoe.

He then placed ten paddles under these, of which the bottom one had a knot hole running through it. And he shouted landward to where a certain person lived. She then brought out a basket [196] on her back, and he said to her: “Help yourself, chieftainess.” After she had put them into [the basket] a while, and her basket was nearly full, he stepped upon a stalk of łqeā′ma [197] which he had provided and said: “Ā-ā-ā, I feel my canoe cracking.” He then pushed it from the land, and when she stretched out her arm for more [eulachon] he pulled out the hairs under her armpit.

Fern-woman (Snᴀndjā′ñ-djat) at once called for her sons. Both her sons knew how to throw objects by means of a stick, they say. [198] He immediately fled. And one of them shot at him and broke his paddle. And after they had broken ten he paddled with the one that had a knot hole. When they shot after him again he said “Through the knot hole,” and through the knot hole went the stone. Thus he was saved. He had dexterously got her armpit hair.

He then left the canoe. He came to a shore opposite some people who were fishing with fish rakes in Nass. And he said: “Hallo, throw one over to me. I will give you light.” But they said: “Hᴀ hā′-ā-ā, he who is speaking is the one who is always playing tricks.” He then let a small part shine and put it away again. They forthwith emptied their canoe in front of him several times.

He then called a dog and said to it: “Shall I make (or ordain) four moons?” The dog said that would not do. The dog wanted six. He (Raven) then said to him: “What will you do when it is spring?” “When I am hungry I will move my feet in front of my face.” And he made it as he (the dog) told him to do, they say.

He then bit off a part of the moon. After he had chewed it for a while he threw it up [into the sky]. “Future people are going to see you there in fragments forever.” He then broke the moon into halves by throwing it down hard and threw [half of] it up hard into the air, the sun as well.

Thence he traveled northward. The smoke of House-point was near him. He then pulled off his hair ribbon and threw one end of it over here. He at once ran across on it. And he walked about the town, peering in [through the cracks]. The wife of the town chief of House-point had given birth to a child. And he waited until evening. Then, at the time when they went to bed, he entered [the child’s] skin and himself became newly born.

Every morning they washed him, and his father held him on his knee. After a while his aunt came down to the fire. They handed him to his aunt. After she had held him for a while he pinched her teats. “Ha′oia,” she said. “Why do you say that, ʟ̣a?” [199] “Why, he nearly fell from me.” The town chief was named “Hole-in-his-fin,” and his nephew was named “Fin-turned-back.”

After a while he thought: “I wish the village children would go picnicking.” And on the next day the children of the town went picnicking. They brought along all sorts of good food. And his aunt brought him to the same place. When they had played for a while they went away. After they had all gone his aunt sat there alone. He looked about, entered his own skin quickly, and seized his aunt. And his aunt said: “Do not take hold of me. I am single because your father is going to eat my gifts.” [200]

Then, as soon as she started off, he became a baby again. His aunt was crying and as she went had it on her mind to tell what had happened. He wished his aunt would forget it when she went in. And she went in. After her brother had looked at her a while he asked: “What is the cause of those tear marks?” “Why, I discovered him eating sand. That is why I am crying.”

He then started along by the sea and, having punched holes in the shells brought up by the tide, he made two dancing rattles. And he ran toward the woods. He took grave mats, frayed out the ends, and fastened shells upon these. He made them into a dancing skirt. And he said to the ghost: “Are you awake?” It got up for him, and he tied the dancing skirt upon it. He also put the rattle into its hand. And he said to it: “Walk in front of the town. When you reach the middle wave the rattle in front of you toward the houses. A deep sleep will fall then upon them.”

Now it began to dance, they say. When it waved the rattle toward the town, just as he had told it to do, they began to mumble in their sleep. They had nightmares. He then went into the first house and, roughly pulling out a good-looking woman, lay there with her. And he entered the next one. There, too, he lay with somebody. As he went along doing this he entered his father’s house, went to where his aunt slept, and lay with her.

And a certain old woman living in the house corner did not have a nightmare. She had been observing the chief’s son in the cradle come out of himself. Then he went out again. After he had been away for a while he came in and lay down to sleep in the cradle. He made the ghost lie down again.

The town people told one another in whispers that he had lain with his aunt, and his mother, Flood-tide-woman, as well. This went on for a while; then, all at once, there was an outbreak. Then they drove Flood-tide-woman away with abusive language. Her boy, too, they drove off with her with abusive words. She was the sister of Great-breakers, [201] belonging to the Strait people, they say.

And they came along in this direction (i.e., toward Skidegate). After they had come along for a while they found a young sea otter opposite the trail that runs across Rose Spit (G̣o′łgustᴀ). His mother then skinned it and sewed it together. Now she stretched it and, having scraped it, laid it out to dry. When it was dried she made it into a blanket for her son. He was Nᴀñkî′lsʟ̣as-łiña′-i, [202] they say.

And after they had traveled for a while she stood with her child in front of her brother’s house. By and by somebody put his head out. “Ah, Flood-tide-woman stands without.” “N-n-n, she has done as she always does (i.e., been unfaithful to her husband), and for that reason comes back again,” said her brother. And again he spoke: “With her is a boy. Come, come, come, let her in.”

Then she came in with her son. And her brother’s wife gave them something to eat. By and by he asked of her: “Flood-tide-woman, what are you going to name the child?” And she moved her hand over the back of her head. She scratched it [in embarrassment]. “Why, I am going to name your nephew Nᴀñkî′lsʟas-łiña′-i.” As she spoke she held back her words hesitatingly. “I tell you, name him differently, lest the supernatural beings who are afraid to think of him (the bearer of that name) hear that a common child is so called.”

While she was staying with her brother her child walked about. He banged the swinging door roughly. “Flood-tide-woman, stop that child from continually opening the door in that way.” “Why, chief, I never can stop him.” “Just hear what she says. What a common child is continually doing the supernatural beings ever fear to do.” On another day, while Great-breakers was lying down, he banged the door again. He said to the mother: “Flood-tide-woman, a common child is doing the same thing again. Try to stop him.” “Why, chief, I can never stop your slave nephew.”

And where he was sitting with his mother by the fire, on the side toward the door, right there he defecated. And his uncle’s wife made a pooping sound at him. “I shall indeed go with that husband’s nephew,” he heard his uncle’s wife say. [203]