'■i^^H-;::'::': o.^' ...■" o ^o. ^ ^ .;v^t ♦p ; •> •^<^., /» < & S^ ■ ^p. * O , " *^ "-^..^^ .\t<^ ... \ / /^■••- '> c o " ° . O jj!* . " • ^ <*fi ,0^ " " " •. O <'*v .•iq .' V. ^ .^ .^^•■ ''ifS^'' Y^'' "'"^o '-^ . ° " ° » 'O '^^ '=To' y ^o -r,,-^ ^0' rv o ^ ^^ .' 0^ c°.-». "^b A*^ ^^ ^>«., ^^■'\'^^i^^ J'^° • cCn^,,.* .. ^ ^"i^ -5- ^-Jv" ^bv" Wr^- ^ A ■ V'l^o.*- '^<.<^' >^^^> \/ ;:^:v \,^ iMA\ \/ ^ ^v-^ o .1 i> '^V^' ,/ ^ ^o THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 4/^ BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 1909-1910 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1916 "^*W0T-»n? L9^ LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology, Washington, D. C, August 4, 1910. Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the Thirty-first Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1910. With appreciation of your aid in the work under my charge, I am Veiy respectfully, yours, F. W. Hodge, Ethnologist-in-Charge. Dr. Charles D. Waloott, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. CONTEXTS REPORT OF THE ETHNOLOGIST-IX-CHARGE Page Systematic researches 7 Sperial researches 17 Publications 20 lUustrations 22 Library 22 Manuscripts 23 Removal of offices 23 Property 24 Administration 25 Note on the accompanying paper 25 ACCOMPANYIXG PAPER Tsimshian Mythology, by Franz Boas, based on texts recorded by Henry W. Tate (pis. 1-3; figs. 1-24) " ." 27 3 REPORT OF THE ETHNOLOGIST-IN-CHARGE THIRTY-FIEST MMAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY F. W. Hodge, Ethnologist-in-Charge SYSTEMATIC RESEARCHES The operations of the Bureau of American Ethnology during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1910, conducted in accordance with the act of Congress approved March 4, 1909, authorizing the continuation of ethnological researches among the American Indians and the natives of Hawaii, under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, were carried forward in accordance with the plans of operations approved by the Secretary June 1, 1909, and Januarj- 7, 1910. During the first half of the fiscal year the administration of the Bureau was under the inmiediate charge of Mr. William H. Holmes, who, on January 1, 1910, severed his official con- nection with the Bureau in order to resume his place as head curator of anthropology in the United States National Museum and to become curator of the National Gallery of Art, as well as to enable him to take advantage of the facilities afforded b}^ the change for publishing the results of his various archeological researches. Mr. F. W. Hodge was designated on the same date to assume the administration of the Bureau under the title "ethnologist-in-charge." In view of the approaching change and of the necessity for devoting much of his time to affairs connected with the Department of Anthropology of the National Museum and the National Gallery of Art and the administration of the Bureau, 7 8 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY Mr. Holmes found it impracticable to give attention to field research during the remainder of 1909. Good progress was made in the preparation of the Handbook of American Archeology, to which he had devoted much attention during the year and to which reference has been made in previous reports. The systematic ethnological researches of the Bureau were continued as in previous years with the regular force of the Bureau, consisting of eight ethnologists, increased to ten toward the close of the year by the appointment of two additional members of the staff, and finally decreased by the death of one member. In addition, the services of several specialists in their respective fields were enlisted for special work, as follows : Prof. Franz Boas, honorary philologist, with several assist- ants, for research in the languages of the American aborigi- nes, particularly with the view of incorporating the results in the Handbook of American Indian Languages. Miss Alice C. Fletcher and Mr. Francis La Flesche, for continuing the revision of the proofs of theu" monograph on the Omaha Indians, to be published as the "accom- panying paper" of the Twenty-seventh Annual Report. Miss Frances Densmore, for researches in Indian music. Mr. J. P. Dunn, for studies of the tribes of the Algonquian family residing or formerl}^ resident in the Middle West. Rev. Dr. George P. Donehoo, for investigations in the history, geogx'aphy, and ethnology of the tribes formerly living in western Pennsylvania and southwestern New York, for incorporation in the Handbook of American Indians. Mr. William R. Gerard, for studies of the etymology of Algonquian place and tribal names and of terms that have found then' way into the English language, for incorporation in the same work. Prof. H. M. Ballon, in conjunction with Dr. Cyrus Thomas, for bibliographic research in connection with the List of Works Relating to Hawaii, in course of preparation for publication. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT The systematic ethnological researches by meml^ers of the regular staff of the Bureau are summarized as follows : Mr. F. W. Hodge, ethnologist-in-charge, when administra- tive work permitted devoted his attention almost exclusively to the editing of the Handbook of American Indians (pt. 2), which was so far advanced toward completion at the close of the fiscal year that it seemed very probable the volume would be ready for distribution within about six months. As the work on part 2 was in progress, advantage was taken of the opportunity afforded ])y the necessary literary research in connection therewith to jirocure new data for incorpora- tion in a re\'ised edition of the entire work, which it is pro- posed to issue as soon as the first edition of part 2 has appeared. The demand for the handbook is still very great, many thousands of requests haAang been received which could not be supplied owing to the limited edition. With the exception of a brief trip, Mr. James Mooney, ethnologist, remained in the office throughout the entire fiscal }'ear, occupied chiefly in the elaboration of his study of Indian population, with frequent attention to work on the Handbook of American Indians, and to various routine duties, especially those connected with supplying informa- tion to correspondents. The investigation of the former and present population covers the entire territory north of Mexico, from the discovery to the present time, and involves the close examination of a great body of literature, particularly docu- mentary records of the various colonies and of the official reports of French and Spanish explorers and commanders, together with such special collections as the Jesuit Relations and the annual Indian reports of the United States and Cana- dian governments from the beginning. It is also necessary, first, to fix and differentiate the tribe, and then to follow the wasting fortunes of each tril^e and tribal remnant under change of name and habitat, further subdivision, or new combination, to the end. For better handling, the whole territory has been mapped into fifteen sections, each of which has its own geographic^ and historical unity, and can thus be studied separately. The investigation includes a 10 BUREAU OF AMEKICAX ETHNOLOGY summary of the Indian wars, and notaljle epidemics Avithin the same region from the discovery. No similar investiga- tion has ever before been attempted, even the official Indian reports being incomplete as to identity of tribes and number of Indians not directly connected with agencies. In January, 1910, by request of those organizations, Mr. Mooney was designated to represent the Bureau of American Ethnology at the joint meeting of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association and the Nebraska State His- torical Society, held at Lincoln, Nebraska, and delivered several addresses, with particular reference to the utiliza- tion of the methods and results of the Bureau in local ethnologic and historical research. At the request of the Secretary of the Interior, Dr. J. Walter Fewkes, ethnologist, continued the excavation and repair of the prehistoric ruins in the Mesa Verde National Park, in southern Colorado, begun in the previous year. Doctor Fewkes commenced work on Cliff Palace in May, 1909, and completed the excavation and repair of this cele- brated ruin in August. He then proceeded to northwestern Ai-izona, and made a reconnoissance of the Navaho National Monument, visiting and studying the extensive cliff and other ruins of that section, knowledge of the existence of which he had gained many years ago during his ethnological researches among the Hopi Indians. At the close of this investigation Doctor Fewkes returned to Washington and prepared for the Secretary of the Interior a report on the excavation and repair of Cliff Palace, which was published by the Department of the Interior in November. A more comprehensive illustrative report on the same ruins, giving the scientific results of Doctor Fewkes's studies during the progress of the excavation of Cliff Palace, was prepared for publication as Bulletin 51 of the Bureau of American Eth- nology and is now in press, forming a companion publication to his description of Spruce-tree House, published earlier in the fiscal year as Bulletin 41. Doctor Fewkes prepared also a report on his preliminary researches in the Navaho National Monument, which is in type and will be published as Bul- letin 50. Dming the remainder of the winter and spring. ADMIXISTRATIVE REPORT 11 Doctor Fewkes Avas occupied in the preparation of a mono- graph on Casa Grande, an extensive ruin in Ai'izona, exca- vated and repaired by him during previous years. He gave some time also to the elaboration of an account of antiquities of the Little Colorado Valley, a subject to which he has devoted considerable study. This work was interrupted in May, 1910, when he again departed for the Navaho National Monument for the purpose of continuing the archeological studies commenced during the previous field season. At the close of the year Doctor Fewkes was still at work in this region. Owing to the large amoiuit oi' material in process of puljlication as a result of his own researches or assigned to him b}^ reason of his special knowledge of the subjects involved. Dr. John R. Swanton, ethnologist, devoted the year entirely to office work. Much of this time was spent in proof reading (1) Bulletin 43, Indian Tribes of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Adjacent Coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the result of personal field investigations and historical study ; as well as in proof reading (2) Bulletin 46, a Choctaw Dictionary, by the late Cyrus Byington; and (3) Bulletin 47, on the Biloxi Language, by the late J. Owen Dorsey, arranged and edited by Doctor Swanton, who incorporated therein the related Ofo material collected by him in 1908 and added a brief historical account of the Ofo tribe. In connection with his researches on the Southern tribes or tribal remnants. Doctor Swanton has revised and rearranged the Attacapa, Chitimacha, and Tunica linguistic material collected by the late Dr. Albert S. Gatschet and has put it almost in final form for the press. With the aid of several texts recorded in 1908, Doctor Swanton has spent some time in studying the Natchez language, preparatory to further investigations among the survivors of this formerly important group, now in Oklahoma. The I'emainder of his energies has been devoted chiefly to researches pertaining to the Creek Con- federacy, with the aid of books and documents in the library of the Bm'eau and in the Library of Congress, in anticipa- tion of field in^'estigation among the Creek tribes to be undertaken, it is expected, later in 1910. 12 BUREAU OF AMEfilCAX ETHNOLOGY iVIi-s. M. C. Stevenson, ethnologist, continued her researches among the Pueblo tribes of the Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico, giving special attention to the Tewa gi'oup. As during the previous year, her studies were devoted chiefly to the pueblo of San Ildefonso, which offers better facilities for ethnologic investigation than the other Tewa villages, although her inquiries were extended also to Santa Clara and Nambe. Owing to the extreme conservatism of the Tewa people, Mrs. Stevenson found great difficulty in overcoming their prejudices against the stud}^ of the esoteric side of their life, but with patience she succeeded finally in gaining the warm friendship of many of the more influential headmen, and by this means was enabled to pursue a systematic study of the Tewa religion, sociology, and philosophy. Like most Indians, the Tewa are so secretive in everything that pertains to their worship that one not familiar with their religious life is readily mislead into believing that the ceremonies held in the public plazas of their villages which, Avith few exceptions, are more Mexican than Indian in outward character, consti- tute the sole rites of these people, whereas it has been found that the Tewa still adhere as strictly to many of their ancient customs as before white men came among them, although some of their "ceremonies are now less elaborate than they were in former times. While the creation myth of the San Ildefonso Indians differs somewhat from those of the Zuni and of other Pueblo tribes, it is the same in all essentials. According to their belief they were created in an undermost world, and passed tlirough three other worlds before reaching this one. The tribe is divided into the Sun or Summer, and the Ice or Winter, people, the former having preceded the latter in their advent into this world, and their final home was reached on the western bank of the Rio Grande almost opposite the present pueblo. This place is marked by an extensive ruin. Every mountain peak, near and far, within sight of San Ildefonso is sacred to the Tewa people, and they make pil- grimages at prescribed intervals to lofty heights far beyond the range of their home. The names of these sacred moun- tains, with a full description of each, AA'ere procured. ADMIXISTEATrVE EEPOKT 13 The philosophy of all the Pueblos is closely related in a general way, yet there are marked differences in detail. Although Mrs. Stevenson has penetrated the depths of the Tewa philosophy, she has not been able to discover any dis- tinctive features, it l^eing a composite of Zuni, Sia, and Taos beliefs. The great desire of all these people, and the burden of their songs and prayers, is that rain, which in their iDelief is produced by departed ancestors working behind the cloud- masks in the sky, should come to fructify the earth, and that they may so live as to merit the l:)eneficence of their deities. The entrance to this world is believed to be through a body of water which the Tewa of San Ildefonso declare existed near their village until certain Zuni came and spirited the water away to their own country. Further studies, no doubt, will shed more light on these interesting beliefs, and render clearer the origin and relations of Tewa and Zmii concepts. There are but two rain priests among the Tewa of San Ildefonso: one pertaining to the Sun people, the other to the Ice people, the formei' taking precedence in the general management of tribal affairs. The rain priest of the Sun is the keeper of the tribal calendar and is the supreme head of the Sun people. The governor of San Ildefonso, who is chosen vu'tually by the rain priest of the Sun people, is elected annually, and has greater power than that accorded a Zmii governor. The war chief, whose religious superior is the war priest, who holds the office during life, is also elected annually, and also is a person of great power. There are three kivas, or ceren^ouial chambers, at San Ildefonso, one belonging to the Sun people, another to the Ice people, and one used jointly for certain civic gatherings, for rehearsal of dances, and for other purposes. The religion of the Tewa of San Ildefonso consists in worship of a supreme bisexual power and of gods anthropic (embracing celestial and ances- tral) and zoic, the latter especially associated with the sacred fraternities. The fundamental rites and ceremonies of these fraternities are essentially alike among all the Pueblos. Their them'gists are the great doctors, whose function is to expel disease inflicted by witchcraft, and those of San 14 BUREAU OF AMERICAX ETHXOLOGY Ildefonso have as extensive a pharmacopoeia as the Zuiii theurgists. The behef of the Tewa in witchcraft is intense, and is a source of great anxiety among them. Accused wizards or witches are tried by the war chief. Many of the San Ildefonso ceremonies associated with an- thropic worship are identical with those of Taos, while others are the same as those observed by the Zuiii, although neither the ritual nor the paraphernalia is so elaljorate. Some of the songs used in connection with the dances at San Ilde- fonso are in the Zuni tongue. It is to be hoped that fiu-ther comparative stud}' among these people will reveal to what extent the ceremonies have been bori'owed, like that of the Koh'-kok-shi of the Zuni, which is asserted to have been in- troduced b}^ M^ay of Santo Domingo generations ago by a Laguna Indian who had visited Zuni. j\Irs. Stevenson devoted much attention to a stud)- of Tewa games, finding that those regarded as of the greatest im- portance to the Zuni in bringing rain have been abandoned l3y the San Ildefonso people. The foot race of the latter is identical with that of Taos, and is performed annually after the planting season. As complete a collection and studv of the Tewa medicinal plants were made as time permitted. The material culture of the Tewa also i-eceived special at- tention. Weaving is not an industry at San Ildefonso, the only weaver in the tribe being a man who learned at Laguna to make women's belts. Basketry of various forms is made of willow. The San Ildefonso people, like other Pueblos, have deteriorated in the ceramic art, and they have now little or no understanding of the symbols employed in pot- tery, except the common form of cloud and rain. Their method of irrigation is the same as that observed by the neighboring Mexicans, who, having accjuired extensive tracts of land from the San Ildefonso land grant, work with the Indians on the irrigating ditches for mutual benefit. The San Ildefonso people raise a few cattle and horees, but no sheeji. Much of their land is o^oied in severalty, and their chief products are corn, wheat, and alfalfa. The women raise melons, squashes, and chile. ADMIXISTEATIVE REPORT 15 AVhile nian-iages, Ijuptisnis, and burials are attended with the rites of the Cathohc Church, a native ceremony is always performed before the anival of the priest. ^\Tiile their popular dances of foreign admixture are sometunes almost depleted by reason of intoxication, no such thing happens when a pureh' Indian ceremony is performed, for the dread of offending their gods prevents them from placing themselves in such condition as not to be able to fulfill their duty to the higher powers. Mrs. Stevenson not only prepared the way for a close stud}^ of the Tewa of Nambe by making a warm friend of the rain priest of that pueblo, but found much of interest at the Tigua pueblo of Taos and Picuris, especially in the kivas of the latter village. It was in an inner chamber of one of the Picuris ki^'as that the priests are said to have observed their rites during the presence of the Spaniards. Another interesting feature observed at Picuris was the hanging of scalps to a rafter in an iipper chamber of a house, the eastern side of which was open in order to expose the scalps to \'iew. At Picm-is the rain priests, like those of Zuni and San Ildefonso, employ paddle- shaped bone implements (identical with specimens, hitherto undetermined, found in ruins in the Jemez Mountains and now in the A^ational ^Museum) for lifting the sacred meal during their rain ceremonies. During a \'isit to Taos Mrs. Stevenson obtained a full description of an elaborate ceremony performed immediately after an eclipse of the sun. After her return to Washington, in February, Mrs. Steven- son devoted attention to the preparation of a paper on the textile fabrics and dress of the Pueblo Indians. For com- parativ^e studies it was necessary to review a large number of works on the general subject and to examine collections pertaining thereto. ]Mrs. Stevenson also prosecuted her studies of medicinal and edil)le plants. During the entire fiscal year Mr. J. N. B. Hewitt, ethnolo- gist, was engaged in office work devoted chiefly to studies connected -s^ath the Handl)Ook of American Indians, espe- cially part 2. A number of articles designed for this work 16 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY had been prepared l^y other collaborators, but were recast by Mr. Hewitt in order to embody in them the latest views regarding their subject-matter. Mr. Hewitt also conducted extensive researches into the history of the Indians of the Susquehanna River dm'ing the seventeenth century, and their relations with neighboring peoples, resulting in the discovery that a number of important tribes were desig- nated by the names Susquehanna, Conestoga or Andastes, Massawomek, Erie, Black Minquas, Tehotitachsae, and Atrakwayeronon (Akhrakwayeronon) . It is proposed to incorporate this material into a bulletin, with several early maps, in order to make it available to students of the his- tory of the Indians of Pennsylvania and New York, and their relations with white people. Mr. Hewitt also devoted about two months to the translation of Onondaga native texts relating to the New Year ceremony, and began work on the classification of the late Jeremiah Curtin's Seneca legends, with a view of preparing them for publication b}^ the Bureau. As custodian of the linguistic manuscripts in the Bureau archives, Mr. Hewitt spent considerable time in installing this material, comprising 1,704 items, on its removal from the former quarters of the Bm'eau to the Smithsonian building. He was frequently occupied also in receiving manuscripts and in searching and charging those required by collaborators either for temporary or for prolonged use. Much time and labor were also devoted by Mr. Hewitt to the collection and preparation of data of an ethnological character for replies to correspondents. Dr. Cyrus Thomas, ethnologist, wiiile not engaged in revis- ing the proofs of Bulletin 44, Indian Languages of Mexico and Central America and their Geographical Distribution, prepared by him with the assistance of Doctor Swanton, devoted his attention to the elaboration of the List of Works Relating to Hawaii, with the collaboration of Prof. H. M. BaUou. Toward the close of the fiscal year Doctor Thomas undertook an investigation of the relations of the Hawaiians to other Polynesian peoples, but unfortunately this work was interrupted in May by illness which termi- nated in his death on June 26. Doctor Thomas had been a ADMIXISTRATIVE REPORT 17 member of the Bureau's staff since 1882 and, as his memoirs pubUshed by the Bureau attest, one of its most industrious and proHfic investigators. As the result of a special civil-service examination held March 3, 1910, the staff of the Bui'eau was increased by the appointment, as ethnologists, of Dr. Tiinnan Michelson on June 1 and of Dr. Paul Radin on Jiuie 3. Doctor Radin immediately made preparations to resume his researches among the Winnebago Indians in Nel^raska and Wisconsin, commenced under personal auspices three years before, and by the close of the fiscal year was making excellent progress toward completing his studies of this important Siouan group. About the same time Doctor Michelson departed for Mon- tana with the puipose of studying the Blackfeet, Northern Chej'enne, and Northern Ai-apaho, Algonquian tribes, whose relations to the other members of the stock are not definitely known. It is the intention that Doctor Michelson obtain a view of the relations of the Algonquian tribes generally, in order that he may become equipped for an exhaustive study of the Delaware and Shawmee tribes, so important in the colonial and later history of the United States. Doctor Michelson reached the Blackfoot country on June 16, and within a few days had recorded a considerable body of ethno- logical, mythological, and linguistic material relating to the Piegan division. SPECIAL RESEARCHES The special researches of the Bureau in the linguistic field were conducted, as in the past, by Dr. Franz Boas, honorarj' philologist," whose work during the fiscal year resulted in bringing nearly to completion the first volume of the Handbook of American Indian Languages. The whole matter is in type, 735 pages were in practically final form at the close of the fiscal year, and the sketches of only three languages remained to be revised before paging. Besides the purely technical work of revising and proof reading, the most important work on the first volume was a thorough revision of the Algonfjuian sketch by Dr. William Jones, who 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 ■; 18 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY had planned to make certain additions to the manuscript, l:)ut whose unfortunate death in the Philippine Islands left his researches on the Algonquian languages incomplete. The revision was assigned to Dr. Truman Michelson, who made a careful comparison between Doctor Jones's descrip- tion of the language and his published collection of texts. Considerable progress was made on the preparation of the second volume of the Handbook of American Indian Languages. Owing to expansion of a number of the original sketches, which was due to the lapse of time since the)' were first recorded, the first volume had increased so much in size that it became necessary to relegate the Takelnia to the second volume. At the beginning of the fiscal year Dr. Leo J. Frachtenl^erg carried on in^'estigations imder the direction of Doctor Boas among the Coos Indians of Oregon. He succeeded in col- lecting a considerable body of texts from the survivors, and at the same time revised the material collected several years ago by Mr. H. H. St. Clair, 2d. Doctor Frachtenberg completed his studies of the grammar of the language, and the manuscript of this sketch for the second volume was delivered and is partly in type. Toward the end of the year Doctor Frachtenberg made preparatory studies in the Alsea language of Oregon, based on manuscript texts collected a number of years ago by Prof. Livingston Farrand on an expedition due to the generosity of the late Mr. Henry Villard. The completion of the ethnological research work among the Alsea has been provided for by a contribution of funds by ^Irs. Villard, which will make it possible to complete also the linguistic investigation of the tribe during the field season of 1910. In June Doctor Frachtenl:)erg visited two survivors of the Willopah tribe who were said to I'emember the language, but unfortunately only about 300 words could be obtained, and practicallj' no grammatical fonns. Further preparatory work on the second volume of the Handbook of American Indian Languages was carried on by Mr. James Teit, who elucidated the details of the distribution ADMINISTRATIVE EEPOET 19 of the Salish dialects of the State of Washington. Part of this work was supported by the generosity of ^Ir. Homer E. Sargent, of Chicago. The special researches in Indian music were continued in behalf of the Biu"eau by Miss Frances Densmore, who has done so much toward presei'ving the vanishing songs of the Indians. The principal new phase that has arisen in Miss Densmore's work is the importance of the rhythmic unit in Chippewa songs. Her observations indicate that the rhythmic phrase is the essential element of the song; indeed Miss Densmore is inclined to think that the fii"st idea of the song may be a mental rhythm assuming the form of a short unit, and that its expression follows the overtones of a fundamental which exists somewhere in the subconsciousness of the singer. The tabulated analyses show that 99 out of 180 songs to appear in Bulletin 45 (in press) begin on the twelfth or fifth, and 34 begin on the octave — a total of 133 out of 180 beginning on the principal overtones. Of 180 songs, 120 end on the tonic, and yet the tonic does not usually appear until near the close of the song. Melodic phrases are seldom recurrent. In the oldest songs the words are sung between repetitions of the rhythmic unit, and have a slight rhythm and small melod}' progres- sions. Rhythm varies less often than earlier words or melody in repetition, especially when the rhythm is com- prised in a definite unit. AU these facts emphasize the importance of the rhythm, and also have a bearing on the problem of the development of primitive music, which it is designed to treat in a practical rather than in a theoretical way. The independence of voice and drmii noted Ijy Miss Dens- more in prexdous studies Avas further sho\Mi by the data col- lected during the year; also the prominence of the descending interval of the minor third, and the marked use of overtones in the choice of melodic material. The songs collected comprise a group of 40 secured at Ponima, a remote village on the Red Lake Reservation, Minnesota, and the series of war songs which Miss Densmore 20 ■ BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY is now completing and which she expectts to finish before the close of the calendar year. It is the intention to combine the analyses of these with the analyses contained in Bulletin 45 of the Bureau, always bringing forward pre\'ious work, in order that the results may be cumulative. It is Miss Dens- more's desu-e, before leaving the C'hippewa work, to analyze about oOO songs collected from a representative nimiber of localities, as the data derived from systematic analyses of that number of songs should be a safe basis for what might be termed a scientific musical study of primitive song. I\Iiss Alice C-. Fletcher and Mr. Francis La Flesche have continued the proof revision of their monograph of the Omaha Indians to accompany the Twenty-seventh Annual Report, a part of which was in page form at the close of the fiscal year. Mr. J. P. Dunn pursued his studies of the Algonquian tribes of the jMiddle West under a small allotment of funds by the Bureau, but comparatively little progress was made, as it was found advisable to hold the investigations somewhat in abeyance until two important manuscript dictionaries — one of the Peoria, the other of the Miami language — known to exist, could be carefully examined, with a view of avoiding repetition of effort. Mr. Dunn was enabled, however, to revise and annotate completely a text in the Miami and Peoria dialects recorded by the late Doctor Gatschet. PUBLICATIONS. The editorial work of the Bureau was conducted by Mr. J. G. Gurlej', who from time to time, as pressure required, had the benefit of the aid of Mr. Stanley Searles. All the publications of the Bureau have passed imder Mr. Gm-ley's editorial super- vision, with the exception of part 2 of Bulletin 30 (Handbook of American Indians), which has been in special charge of Mr. F. W. Hodge, editor of the work, assisted by IVLrs. F. S. Nichols. In order to facilitate progress in the publication of the Handbook of American Indian Languages, the editor thereof, Dr. Franz Boas, assumed entire charge of the proof reading in January, thus enabling Mr. Gurley to devote more time to the numerous other publications passing through press. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT 21 In all, the manuscripts of seven publications — Bulletins 37, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, and 51— were prepared for the Govern- ment Printing Office, while proof, reading was continued on nine publications — the Twenty-seventh Annual Report and Bulletins 30 (part 2), 38, 39, 40 (part 1), 41, 43, 46, and 47, which were in hand in \-arious stages of progress at the begin- ning of the fiscal year. The number of publications issued was five— Bulletins 38, 39, 4 1, 48, and 49. The Twenty-seventh Annual Report is in type and a substantial beginning was made toward putting it into page form. The proof of the "accompanying paper" on the Omaha Indians, by Miss Fletcher and Mr. La Flesche, was critically read by the authors and is in condition to be completed in a few months. Bulletins 37 and 43 are practically ready for the bindery, and Bulletins 40 (part 1) and 45 are neai'ly as far advanced. Bulletin 44 had the l:)enefit of revision ])y the principal au- thor. Dr. Cyrus Thomas, shortly before his death, and a second galley proof was received. The fii'st galley proof of Bulletins 50 and 51 was placed in the hands of the author. Doctor Fewkes, for revision. Owing to the condition of the Bu- reau's allotment for printing and binding, as reported by the Public Printer, and on his suggestion that the work for the fiscal year be curtailed. Bulletins 46 and 47 were not carried beyond the first galley stage. Appended is a list of the publications above mentioned, with their respective titles and authors : Twenty-seventh Annual Report (1905-6), containing ac- companying paper entitled "The Omaha Tribe," by Alice C. Fletcher and Francis La Flesche. Bulletin 37. Antiquities of Central and Southeastern Mis- souri, by Gerard FoAvke. Bulletin 38. Unwi'itten Literature of Hawaii, l)y Nathaniel B. Emerson, A. M., M. D. Bulletin 39. Tlingit Myths and Texts, by John R. Swan ton. Bulletin 40. Handbook of American Indian Languages (Part 1), by Franz Boas. Bulletin 41. Antiquities of the Mesa Verde National Park: Spruce-tree House, by J. Walter Fewkes. 22 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY Bulletin 43. Indian Tribes of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Adjacent Coast of the Gulf of Mexico, by John R. S wanton. Bulletin 44. Indian Languages of Mexico and Central America, and their Geographical Distribution, by Cyrus Thomas, assisted by John R. Swan ton. Bulletin 45. Chippewa Music, by Frances Densmore. Bulletin 46. A Dictionary of the Choctaw Language, b}^ Cyrus Byington ; edited by John R. Swanton and Hemy S. Halbert. Bulletin 47. A Dictionary of the Biloxi and Ofo Languages, Accompanied with Thirty-one Texts Biloxi and Numei-ous Biloxi Phrases, by James Owen Dorsey and John R. Swanton. Bulletin 48. The Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, by David I. Bushnell, jr. Bulletin 49. List of the Pulilications of the Bm-eau of American Ethnology. Bulletin 50. Preliminary Report on a Visit to the Navaho National Monument, Arizona, by Jesse Walter Fewkes. Bulletin 5L Anticjuities of the Mesa Verde National Park: Cliff Palace, by Jesse Walter Fewkes. ILLl^STRATIONS The preparation of the illustrations for the publications of the Bureau and of photographs of Indian types continued in charge of Mr. DeLance}' Gill, illustrator, assisted by Mr. Henry Walther. This material consists of 97 Indian por- traits from life, 121 negatives and 29 drawings for the Bureau publications, 15 copies of negatives, and 676 photographic prints. As in the past, special attention was devoted to the photographing of the members of visiting deputations of Indians, since by this means fa\'orable opportunity is afforded for permanently {:)ortraying the features of many of the most prominent Indians l)elonging to the various tribes. LIBRARY The library of the Bureau continued in immediate charge of Miss Ella Leary, librarian. During the year about 1,500 volumes and about 600 pamphlets were received and cata- logued; and about 2,000 serials, chiefly the publications of ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT 23 learned societies, were received and recorded. One thousand five hundred vohimes were sent to the bindery, and of these all but 600 had been bound before the close of the fiscal year. In addition to the use of its own library, it was found neces- sary to draw on the Library of Congress from time to time for the loan of about 800 volumes. The librai-y of the Bm'eau now contains 16,050 volumes, about 11,600 pamph- lets, and several thousand unbound periodicals. Although maintained primaril}^ as a reference library for the Bureau's staff, its value is becoming more and more kno"mi to students not connected with the Smithsonian Institution, who make constant use of it. During the year the lil^rary was used also by officers of the executive departments and the Library of Congress. MANUSCRIPTS During the first half of the fiscal year the manuscripts were under the custodianship of 111'. J. B. Clayton, and on his indefinite furlough at the close of 1909 they were placed in charge of Mr. J. N. B. He-nit t, as previously noted. Nineteen important manuscripts were acquired during the year, of which se^•en are devoted to Chippewa music and are accompanied with the original graphophone records, five relate to the history of the Indians, and seven pertain to Indian linguistics. This enumeration does not include the manuscript contriliutions to the Handbook of American Indians and the Handl^ook of American Indian Languages, nor the manuscripts submitted for publication by the members of the Bureau's regular staff. REMOVAL OF OFFICES Quarters in the Smithsonian building having been assigned by the Secretary for the use of the Bureau, and funds having been pro\aded by the sundry civil act for the removal of the Bureau's property, the work of transfer was commenced on December 10, 1909, by removing the library from the third floor of the Adams Building, 1333 F street NW., to the eastern gallery of the bird haU on the main floor of the Smithsonian building. The task was made diflficult o\^'ing to the necessity of removing the old stacks and the books 24 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY at the same time, but order was fairly established in about a fortnight and the Ubrary again put in service. Not only is more space for the gi'owing library afforded by the new quarters, but increased light and facilities for research make the new library far superior to* the old. The northern half of the gallery was made more attractive by painting and by carpeting with Hnoleum. It is yet larking in necessary space, but this difficulty will be overcome when that part of the southeastern gallery still occupied by the National Museum is vacated. The offices and photographic laboratory of the Bureau were removed between December 20 and 31, the former to the second, thu'd, and fourth floors of the north tower of the Smithsonian building and one room (that occupied by the ethnologist-in-charge) on the third floor of the northeastern range; the laboratory to one of the galleries of the old National Museum building, while the stock of publications was given space on the fourth floor of the south tower. Although the quarters of the Bureau are now somewhat scattered, the facilities for work are far superior to those with which the Bureau in its rented offices was obliged to contend, and there is less danger of loss by fire. The cost of the removal, including the taking down and rebuilding of the library bookcases, necessary painting of walls and wood- work, linoleum floor covering, and electric wiring and fixtures, aggregated $1,000, the sum appropriated for the purpose. PROPERTY In addition to the books and manuscripts already referred to, the property of the Bureau consists of a moderate amount of inexpensive office fm'niture, chiefly desks, chau's, filing cases, and tables, as well as photographic negatives, appara- tus, and supplies, typewriters, phonographs, stationery, and the undistributed stock of its publications. The removal of the Bureau and the assignment of its members to less crowded quarters made it necessary to supply a few addi- tional articles of furniture, especially for the library. The entire cost of the fmiiitui-e acquu'ed during the fiscal year was $243.17. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT 25 ADMINISTRATION Pursuant to the plans of the Secretary, the clerical and laboring work of the Bureau was concentrated after the removal to the Smithsonian building by placing the routine correspondence and files, the accounts, the shipment of pub- lications, the care of supplies and other property, and all cleaning and repairs, in immediate charge of the office of the Smithsonian Institution. This plan has served to simplify the administration of the affaii's of the Bureau, has prevented duplication of effort, and has resulted in a saving of time and funds. NOTE ON THE ACCOMPANYING PAPER The accompanying memoir on Tsimshian [Mythology, by Dr. Franz Boas, is based on a collection of myths and tales recorded by the late Hemy W. Tate, himself a Tsimshian. These stories are classed as of two distinct types — myths and tales — so distinguished by the Tsimshian, as indeed by all the tribes of the North Pacific coast. The incidents nar- rated in the former are believed to have happened when animals appeared in the form of human beings, whereas the tales are historical in character, although they may contain elements of the supernatural. In the myths animals ap- pear as actors, and often incidents are mentioned which describe the origin of some feature of the present world ; but incidents of a similar character are by no means absent from the tales, especially in those cases in which animals appear as individual protectors and in which a supposed revelation is used to explain certain customs of the people. Doctor Boas calls attention to the fact ''that in the mind of the Indian it is not the religious, ritualistic, or explanatory char- acter of a tale that makes it a myth, but the fact that it per- tains to a period when the world was different from what it is now." Most important in the mythology of the Tsimshian are the Raven myth and the Transformer myths. The incidents composing the former have a very wide distril^ution among the tribes of the North Pacific coast ; indeed they may be traced from the Asiatic side of Bering Strait eastward and 26 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY southward as far as the southern part of Vancouver Island. The component incidents of the Raven myths comprise origin tales, incidents based on Raven's voraciousness, and his amorous and other adventui'es. In the author's discus- sion of the myths of the Transformer or culture hero of the Tsimshian, he introduces comparisons with the same mj^tho- logical conception among other tribes of the northwest coast. In order to afford a proper understanding of the people whose mythology is here presented. Doctor Boas follows the first section of his memoir (that devoted to the myths and tales themselves) with a description of the Tsimshian, based on their mythology, a section on Tsimshian society, and a comparative study of Tsimshian mythology. In the appendices are Bellabella and Nootka tales, a summary of comparisons, a list of Tsimshian proper names and place names, a glossary, and an index of references. F. W. Hodge, Ethnologist-in-Cfmrge . ACCOMPAXYING PAPER TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY FRANZ BOAS BASED ON" TEXTS RECORDED BY HENRY W. TATE 29 PREFACE The following collection of Tsimshian myths was recorded durmg the last twelve years by Mr. Henry W. Tate, of Port Simpson, British Cohmibia, hi Tshnshian, his native language. Mr. Tate died in April, 1914. The translation of the tales as here presented was made by me, based on a free interlinear rendermg by Mr. Tate. A comparison of the form of the tales with those recorded by me on Nass River and on a number of points on the lower Skeena River shows very clearly that Mr. Tate felt it incumbent upon hunself to omit some of those traits of the myths of his people that seem inappropriate to us, and there is no doubt that m this respect the tales do not quite express the old type of Tsimshian traditions. A few of the tales also bear evidence of the fact that Mr. Tate had read part of the collection of tales from the Kwakiutl pubhshed by myself in conjunction with Mr. George Hunt.' A few others indicate his familiarity with my collection of tales from Nass River. At the time when I received these tales I called his attention at once to the necessity of keepmg strictly to the form hi which the traditions are told by the Tsimshian ; and by far the greater part of the tales bear mternal evidence of being a faithful record of the form m which the traditions are transmitted among the people. Christian mfluences are evidently very strong among all tribes of northern British Columbia, and a study of the collection of talcs recorded by Doctor Swanton among the Haida and Tlingit ^ shows also very clearly that the coarseness of their tales has been very much toned down. It is necessary to bear these facts in mind in comparative studies based on the material presented here and on that recorded by Doctor Swanton. I have also had the personal experience that uiformants were reluctant to express themselves freely in the traditional form, being impressed by the restrictions of what we call proper and improper. The collection here jiresented evidently contams the bulk of the important traditions of the Tsimshian. A small number of these were recorded by me in 18S8, and published in my collections of myths from the North Pacific coast.^ We have from the same linguistic group a collection of Nass River tales. ^ One of the tales of Mr. Tate's series was published by me with text in the ZeitscJirift fur Ethnoloyie .- Another group of these tales was published with text in the Publications of the American Ethnological Society. 1 Publicatiom of the Jcsup North Pacific Expedition, .'ol. ra (1902 and 1905). 2 See Bibliography on pp. 39 et seq. • 31 32 PREFACE The series contained in the present vohime is given without text, partty for the reason that it has been impossible to revise phonetics and grammar of the texts, partly because there is no immediate prospect of carrying through such a revision. In the second part of the present paper a description of the life, social organization, and religious ideas and practices, of the people, is given as it appears from their mythology. In the third part I have discussed certain aspects of the social life of the Tsimshian. In the fourth part a discussion is presented of the mythology of the Tsimsluan in its bearing upon their general mythical concepts and in relation to the phenomena of dissemination of myths ua northwestern America. Tlie music contained in the present volume was reproduced as written by Mr. Tate. I presume no claim for accuracy can be made for it. I am indebted to Mr. C. M. Barbeau for the phonetic equivalents of some Tsimshian names used by Mr. Tate; to Dr. E. Sapir for those of some Nootka names. In an appendix I have given a number of hitherto unpublished BeUabella talcs collected by Professor Living- ston Farrand and of Nootka tales collected by Mr. George Hunt. I wish to express my thanks to Miss Harriet A. Andrews for her efhcient help in the preparation of the volume, and to Dr. H. K. Haeberlin for assistance in the preparation of the index of quotations. Franz Boas. Columbia University, New York, Summer of 1916. CONTEXTS Bibliography Alphabet Brief description of the Tsimshiaii I . Tsimshian myths 1. Txii'msEm. The Raven legend (notes, p. (1 (2 (3 (4 (5 (6 (7: (s: (9: (lo; (11 (12 (13 (14 (15 (16 (17 (18 (19 (20 (21 (22 (23 (24 (25 (2G (27 (28 (29 (30 (31 (32 (33 (34 (35 (36 (37 (38 567). 655). Origin of Txa'msEm Origin of daylight (notes, p. 641) Stone and Elderberry Bush (notes, p. 663) Origin of fire (notes, p- 663) Txii'msEm uses the sinews of the tomtit (notes, p. Origin of tides (notes, p. 656) '. Giant gambles with Gull (notes, p. 653) Giant obtains the olachen (notes, p. 653) Giant learns how to cook olachen (notes, p. 653) Giant and the gulls Txa'msEm and the steelhead-salmon (notes, p. 674) Txa'rasEra and I.agobola' (notes, pp. 666, 721) Txii'msEm and the crab (notes, p. 721) .• Origin of the bullhead (notes, p. 685) Txii'msEm frightens away the owners of a whale (notes, p. 687). Txii'msEm finds a lieautiful blanket (notes, p. 722) Txii'msEm and his slave (notes, p. 689) Txii'msEm kills his slave (notes, p. 691) Fishermen break off Txa'msEm's jaw (notes, p. 684) Txii'msEm and the himter (notes, p. 692) Txii'msEm and the children (notes, p. 686) Txii'msEm and the salmon woman (notes, p. 668) Txii'msEm makes war on the south wind (notes, p. 658) Txii'msEm makes a girl sick and then cures her (notes, p. 722). . Txii'msEm pretends to build a canoe (notes, p. 720) Txii'msEm \'i8its Chief Echo (notes, p. 702) Txii'msEm kills Little Pitch (notes, p. 683) Txii'msEm kills Grizzdy Bear (notes, p. 680) Txii'msEm kills Deer (notes, p. 703) Txii'msEm imitates Chief Seal (notes, pp. 694, 696) Txii'msEm imitates Chief Kingfisher (notes, pp. 694, G96) Txa'msEm imitates the thrush (notes, pp. 694, 690) Txii'msEm and Cormorant (notes, p. 678) Txii'msEm and the Wolves (notes, p. 720) Txii'msEm and Chief Grouse (notes, p. 716) Txii'msEm returns to the Wolves (notes, p. 720) Txii'msEm invites the monsters (notes, p. 718) The further history of Txii'msEm (notes, p. 723") 2. The meeting of the vrild animals (notes, pp. 723, 728) 3. The story of the porcupine-hunter (notes, p. 723) 4. The story of Grizzly Bear and Beaver (notes, p. 723) 5. Story of the porcupine (notes, p. 724) 6. Beaver and Porcupine (notes, p. 724) 7. Story of the deluge (notes, p. 727) 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 3 33 Page 39 42 43 58 58 58 60 62 63 63 64 65 65 66 66 67 68 70 71 71 72 72 73 74 75 75 76 79 81 84 85 86 87 88 90 91 91 92 94 94 96 100 100 106 108 111 112 113 113 34 CONTENTS I. Tsimshian mj'tlis — Continued. rage 8. Sun and Moon (notes, p. 727) 113 9. Am'ala' (Very Dirty) (notes, p. 723) 116 10. The four great chiefs of the winds (notes, p. 732) 121 11. The story of Naiq (notes, p. 734) 125 12. The feast of the mountain goats (notes, p. 738) 131 13. The giant devilfish (notes, p. 739) 135 14. The hunter's -vrife who became a beaver (notes, p. 739) nS 15. The winter hunters and the mosquito (notes, p. 740) 141 IG. The hunters (notes, pp. 741, 759) 145 17. The hunter and his wooden wife (notes, p. 744) 152 18. Plucldng Out Eyes (notes, pp. 746, 759) 154 19. The spider and the widow's daughter (notes, pp. 747, 750) 158 20. Prince Snail (notes, pp. 747, 749) ICl 21. The Otter who married the princess (notes, pp. 747, 751) 1G6 22. The widow and her daughter (notes, pp. 747, 750) 172 23. The mink who married a princess (notes, pp. 747, 762) 177 24. The chief who married the Robin and the Sawbill Duck (notes, p. 759) 179 25. The princess who rejected her courin (notes, p. 767) 185 26. The bear who married a woman (notes, p. 747) 102 27. The prince who was taken away by the spring salmon (notes, p. 770). . 192 2S. The town of Chief Peace (notes, p. 779) 297 29. Sucking Intestines (notes, pp. 634, 781) 214 30. Burning Leggings and Burning Snowshoes (notes, p. 781) 216 31. Hakiuia'q (notes, p. 783) ' 221 32. The prince who was deserted (notes, p. 783) 225 33. The princess and the mouse (notes, pp. 747. 791) - - . . 2 ;2 34. The young chief who married his cousin (notes, p. 792) 238 .35. The storj' of Asdi-wa'l (notes, p. 792) 243 36. Waux, the son of Asdi-wa'l (notes, p. 792) 243 37. The blind G-it-q!a'°da (notes, p. 825) 246 38. Local winter in G-it-q!a'°da (notes, p. 829) 230 39. The drifting log (story of the Eagle Clan) (notes, p. 831) 253 40. The story of Asdilda and Omen (story of the Eagle Clan) (notes, p. 832). 260 41. Explanation of the beaver hat (story of the Eagle Clan) (notes, p. 834). 270 42. The AVater Being who married the princess (story of the Ganha'da) (notes, p. 834) '. 272 43. The Story of Part Summer (story of the GanhaV.a) (notes, p. 834) 278 44. Explanation of the abalone bow (story of the Ganha'da) (notes, p. 835). 234 45. Story of GunaxnesEmg-a'd (story of the Ganha'da) (notes, pp. 747, 835). 235 46. Story of the Ganha'da (notes, p. 846) 2S5 47. G'it-na-gun-a'ks (story of the G'ispawadwE'da) (notes, p. 846) 285 48. The four chiefs and Chief Grizzly Bear (story of the G'ispawadwE'da) (notes, p. 847) 292 49. Gau'6 (story of the G'ispawndwE'da) (notes, p. 847) 217 50. Story of the G'ispawadwE'da (notes, p. 855) 2)7 51. Tsauda and Halus (story of the Wolf Clan) (notes, p. 855) 297 52. Story of the Wolf Clan (notes, p. 857).' 306 53. The Prince and Prince Wolf (story of the Wolf Clan) (notes, pp. 759, 858) 317 54. The ghost who fought with the great shaman (notes, p. 859) 322 55. Great Shaman (notes, p. 859) 331 5fi. Storj' of the ghost (notes, p. 860) 336 57. The man who bound up his ^vrinkles (notes, p. 860) 339 CONTENTS 35 I. Tsimshian mji:hs — Concluded. Page 58. The brothers who %'isited the sky (notes, p. 861) 344 59. Six hunters (notes, p. 861) 345 60. The Land Otter (notes, p. 862) 345 61. The deluge (notes, p. 862^ 346 62. The cannibal (notes, p. 863) 350 63. Origin of the cannibals (notes, p. 863) 353 64. Story of the Wolf Clan (notes, p. 863) 354 Supplement: Three war tales 355 (1) Fights between the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts and the G'it-dzi'° 355 (2) War between the Tsimshian and the Tlingit 370 (3) War between the Haida and the Gi-spa-x-la'°ts 380 I I . Description of the Tsimshian, based on their my thologj' 393 Introductorj- 393 Towns, houses, household goods, and manufactures 394 Dress and ornament -398 Fishing, hunting, and food-gathering 398 Food 404 Travel 407 Playing and gambling 409 Quarrels and war 410 Social organization 411 Family life 419 Chiefs, attendants, slaves, council 429 Visitors and festivals 437 Marriage and death 4 10 Ethical concepts and emotional life 443 Religious and magical practices 448 Current beliefs 452 Mythical concepts 453 Shamanism 473 III. Tsimshian society 478 Social organization 478 Comparative notes on the social organization of the Tsimshian 515 Birth, marriage, and death 530 Burial 534 War 536 The potlatch 537 Religion 543 Secret societies 546 Shamanism 558 IV. Comparative study of Tsimshian mythology 565 Introductory 565 1. The Raven and Transformer myths of the Northwest coast 567 The Raven m\-th 507 Transformer myths 586 Introductions of Ti'ansformer tales .586 Transformer myth of northern Vancouver Island 589 Transformer myths of the west coast of Washington 597 Transformer myths of the Gulf of Georgia and FraSer River 601 Transformer mj-ths of the Shuswap and Chilcotin 610 The myths of Hog Fennel and Old One 615 Comparison of ('ulture-Hero tales of the Northwest coast 618 36 ' COXTENTS. n'. Comparative study of Tsimsliiau mythology — (Concluded. 1. The Raven and Transformer myths of the Northwest coast — Concluded. Page The Raven myth of the Tsimahiau 620 Introduction to the Ra\'en myth i 021 Raven's adventures (see p. 33) 641 Additional ad\-eutures . ()51 Raven obtains fresh water 051 Raven j^aints the 1 lirds ^ 064 Raven carves salmon out of -^-arious kinds of wood 606 Raven marries the dead twin 007 Raven al>ducts the daughter of tlie salmon chief 671 Raven gets the soil 674 Wliy Crow and Raven are black 677 Raven and Eagle gather red and Idack cod 692 Raven marries Hair-Seal-Woman 702 Raven steals salmon eggs 705 Raven steals his sisters' berries 705 Raven's gizzard is.torn out 706 Raven kills the seals 706 Raven pretends to be dead 706 Raven bums his sister's groins 707 Raven deserts Master Fisherman on u lonely island 710 War with the Thunderbird 7U Wren kills the Bear 718 Raven judls off the arm of a chief 719 Raven is set adrift 720 Tsimshian mytlis Nos. 2-63 i see p. 34 ) 723 Nass myths 803 The Wolves and the Deer 803 The stars 803 War between the dwarfs and the birds 807 Ts'ak- 808 Growing Up Like One WTio Has A Crrandmother '. 809 She WTio Has A Labret On One Side 870 The Sqidrrol 870 TsBgu'ksk" 870 The spirit of sleep 871 The owl , 871 The boys who became supernatural beings 871 Conclusion 872 Appendix I. Bellabella and Xootka tales 883 A ppendix 1 1 . Summary of comparisons 930 Appendix III. List of Tsimshian proper names and place names 959 Appendix IV. Glossary 907 Appendix V. Index to references 980 nXUSTEATIONS Page Plati; 1 . House at Port Simpam 506 2. Houses at Port Simpsim 506 3. House-posts at G'itsIala'sEr (after G. T. Emmonsi 506 Fio URE 1 . Rear elev;jtioii of house 46 2. Plan of house 47 3. Front elevation of house '. 48 4. Stone maul 49 5. Stone adze 49 6. Box made of bent wood 50 7. Large box for keeping blankets 51 8. Food tray 52 9. Cedar-bark mat 52 10. Painted hat made of spruce root 52 1 1 . Halibut hook 53 12. Fish rlub 53 13. Bow 53 14. Stone mortar 54 15. Painted skin blanket 54 16. Legging with porcupiue-quill embroidery 55 17. Painted apron with embroidery 55 18. Legging with porcupine-quill embroidery ornamented with puffin beaks 56 1 9. Spoon made of mountain-goat horn 56 20. Ladle made of mountain-sheep horn 57 21. Large c-327, 369-39:5; iii, 1871, pp. 149-175, 205-219. Farr.\.\d, Livingston. Traditions of the Chilcotin Indians. Publications of th^e Jesup North Pacific Expedition, n, pp. 1-54. New York, 1900. GoLDER, A. F. TLingit myths. Journal of American Folh-Lore,y.y., \^~ ,^\).2^(i-2^b (a translation, wdthout credit, of Vemiaminoft's Tlingit Tales [.see Erman , above] ) . Hardisty, William L. The Loucheux Indians. Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for the year 1866, pp. 311-320. Washington, 1872. HiLL-TouT, C. 1. " Sqaktktquaclt," or the benign-faced, the Oannes of the Xtlaka- pamuq, British Columbia. Folk-lore, x, 1899, pp. 195-216. . 2. Studies of the Indians of British Columbia. Report of the sixty-ninth meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, pp. 497-584. Dover, 1899. — 3. Notes on the Sk'qo'mic of British Columbia. Report of the seventieth meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, pp. 472-549. Bradford, 1900. — 4. Report on the ethnology of the Si'ciall of British Columliia. Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, xxxiv, 19(M, pp. 20-91. 5. Report on the StsEe'lis and Sk'au'lits tribes of the Halkome'lEm division of the Salish of British Columliia. Ibid., pp. .'51]-37(i. 6. Report on the ethnology of the StlatlumH of British <'oIumbia. Ibitl., XXXV, 1905, pp. 120-218. 7. Report on the ethnology of the southeastern tribes of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Ibid., xxxvii, 1907, pp. 306-374. Jette, Rev. Pere Jules. 1. L'OrganLsation sociale des Ten'as. Cmigrh Inter- national des Amerii-anisles, xv session, i, pp. 395-409. Quebec, 1907. 2. On Ten'a folk-lore, .foumal of the Anthropological Institute, xxxviii, pp. 298-367. 1908. Krause, Aurel. Die Tlinkit-Indianer. Jena, 1885. Lutke, Feodor. Voyage autour du monde, 1826-1829. Partie historique. 3 vols. Paris, 1835. Mayne, R. C. Four years in British Columbia and Vancouver Island. London, 1862. Nel.son, E. W. The Eskimo about Bering Strait, Eighteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethiwlogy, pp. 3-518. Petitot, Emile. Traditions indiennes du Canada Nord-Oucst. Paris, 1886. Shotridge, Louis and Florence. Notes on the Chilkat, The Museum. Journal, University of Pennsylvania, iv, pp. 81-103. 1913. SwANTON, John R. 1. Haida texts and myths. Bulletin .'9 of Ihe Burexiu of Amerij-an Ethnology. Washington, 1905. 2. Contributions to the ethnology of the Haida. Publications of th: Jisup North Pacific Expedition, v, part i. Leiden and New York, 1905. 3. Haida texts — Masset dialect. Ibid., x, part ii. Leiden and N(»w York, 1908. BIBLIOCJRAPHY 41 SwANTON, John R. 4. Social condition, beliefs, and linguistic relationship of the Tlingit Indians. Twcnli/sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ainerimn Ethnology, pp. 391-485. Washington. 1908. 5. Tlingit myths and texts. Bulletin 89 of the Bureau of Aineru-an Ethnology. Washington, 1909. Teit, J.\mes. 1. Notes on the Tahltan Indians of British Columbia. Boas Anni- versary Volume, p. 348 New York (G. E. Stechert), 1906. 2. Tradition.^ of the Thompson River Indians of British ( 'olumljia. Memoirs of the A>nerica7i Folk-Lore Society, vi. 1898. 3. Mythology of the Thompson Indians. Publications of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, vni. pp. 218 et seq. Leiden, 1912. 4. The Shuswap. Ibid., n. p]). 443-789. Leiden, 1909. 0. The Lillooet Indians. Ibid., ii, pp. 193-300. Leiden, 1906. WiLLOUQHBY, C. C. A now type of ceremonial blanket from the northwest coast. American Anthropologist, n. s., xii, 1910, pp. 1-10. ALPHABET a t^hort a with a strong leaning toward e, the strength of which depends largely upon the following consonant. Before m, n, w. the a'is fairly pure, like the continental a. Before I, I, k', it is almost i. d long sound, always produced with retracted lips, and therefore more like a in German Bar. y> distinctly sonant, but more strongly articulated than in English. E obscure, weak e, as in flower. e continental e with glide toward continental i. g- distinctly sonant, anterior palatal, with affricative glide toward ?/, more strongly articulated than English g. g distinctly sonant, middle palatal, like English g in ^rootf, but more strongly articulated. g the analogous velar sound. h as in English. i, I continental %. i open i', as in kill. k' , k'.' surd and fortis of g'. k, k! surd and fortis of g. q, q!. .'. surd and fortis of g. I sonant I, with full glottal articulation and long continued. l! the same, with great stress of articulation. TO as in Engli,sh. TO.' the same, with great stress of articulation . n with fuller glottal articulation than in English. n! the same, with great stress of articulation. o, o as in note, short and long. 6 like o in German roll. d like aw in laic. p, pi surd and fortis of 6. T a very weak, strongly sonant, middle palatal trill. .s the tip of the tongue is turned up and touches the palate just behind the alveoli. The teeth are closed, and the air escapes laterally. The acoustic effect is intermediate between s and sh t, I.' surd and fortis of d. u, u like 00 in root, short, and long. w as in Engli.sh, but more strongly sonant. U'.' the same, with greater stress of articulation. X velar spirant, like ch in German Bach. y as in year, but more strongly sonant, with full breath. y! the same, with greater stress of articulation. dz, tn, ts! affricative sonant, surd, and fortis, wilh ])urer .v sound than the s described before. " indicates parasitic vowels which accompany some short and all long vowels. These are weak glottal stops with the timbre of the preced- ing vowel, a", for instance, sounds almost like dA (where A indicates a very weak a), i" like u, e" like it. After short vowels, the sound resembles a weak glottal stop. 42 TSIMSHIAN IMYTHOLOGY By Fraxz Boas BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN i CuLTUEE Areas The North Pacific coast is inhabited by a number of distinct tribes, whose culture is faii'ly uniform. We may distinguish three groups of tribes — the northern group, which embraces the Tlingit, the Haida, and the Tsimshian; the central group, which mcludes the Kwakiutl tribes and the BeUacoola; and the southern group, to which belong the Coast Salish and the Nootka. Among the last-named group the characteristic traits of Nortli Pacific coast culture are weakest, whiJe in the first group they are most strongly developed. In the following pages I shall give a very brief description of the material culture of the tribe, co nfin ing myself, however, to those ])oints that may help give the proper background of the life to which the myths and tales refer. A fuller discussion of social custoiais, social organization, and rehgion, as well as a description of the life of the people as it appears in their tales and traditions, will be given later (see p. .393). Name The Tsimshian, who are the subject of the following sketch, take their name from tlie Skeena River, on which they cWell. In their own language tliis river is called K-sia'n, and they call themselves TslEin-sia'n. Ts.'sm- is a nominal prefix, signifjnng "the inside of a thing;" the initial t- of K-sia'n is a prefix indicating place names; so that the word would mean " Inside Of Tlie Skeena River." The loca- tive prefix t- occurs in the names of almost all the rivers of this area, as in K-lo'sEms ("Nass River"). The Thngit of Alaska call the Tsimshian Ts.'otsxE'n (a phonetic modification of the word Ts.'Ein^sia'n, m being absent in Tlmgit), the Bellacoola call them slxi'mr, the Bellabclla designate them as Gwe'tEla ("Northerners"). The Haida caU each tribe by its own proper name. * The notes on the Tsimshian contained in the Fifth Report on the North- Western Tribes of Canada (Boas 1, 1S89), pp. 797-893, and those given in the Eleventh Report (Boas 1, 1S96), pp. 580 et scg., are em- bodied in their entirety in the following description. It also contains the notes on the Nisqa'^ (so far as they were not reprinted in Boas 5, pp. 651-660, 733) given in the Tenth Report (Boas 1, 1895), pp. 509- 5S3. (See Bibliography, pp. 39 et seq.) Wherever the data given here differ from the earlier descriptions, the latter are superseded. 43 44 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 The Tsimsluaii call the southern Tlingit G-id-gane'dz; the Hai'da, Haida; the Xa'ishi (the most nortliern branch of the Kwakiutl tribes), G-it!ama't; the G-imanoi'tx (the ])ranch of this tribe Ih-ing on Gardner Channel), G-it-la'°p; the Bellabella, Wutsda'. Material Cultuke The Tsimshian, who belong to the northern group of tribes, inhabit the valleys of Nass and Skeena Rivers and the channels and islands southward as far as Milbank Sound. They are fishermen, who subsist partly on the salmon that ascend the rivera of the coast in great num- bers; partly on deep-sea fishery, which is prosecuted on the codfish and halibut banks off the coast. At the same time they hunt seals and sea lions, and use the whales that drift ashore. The people of the villages along the river coui"ses and deep fiords of the mauiland are also energetic hunters, who pursue particularly the mountam goat, but also the bear and the deer. Vegetable diet is not by any means unimportant. Large quantities of berries are picked in summer and preserved for wmter use in the form of cakes. The sap of the hemlock and some species of kelp are also dried and stored away for use in the winter season. The olachen is sought for eagerly, and early in spring all the subdivisions of the Tsimshian tribe assemble on Nass River, which is the principal olachen river of the northern part of the coast. This fish is caught particularly on account of its oil, which is tried out and kept in boxes. Mr. Duncan, the well-known missionary to the Tsimshian, gives in one of his letters the following description of the preparation of olachen, as witnessed by him at Xass River:' "In a general way," he says, ''I found each house had a pit near it, about three feetdeepandsixoreightinchessquare, filled with the little fish. I found some Indians making boxes to put the grease in, others cutting firewood, and others (women and children) stringing the fi.'*h and hanging them up to dry in the sun; while others, and they the greater number, were making fish grease. The process is as follows: Make a large fire, plant four or five heaps of stones aa big as your hand in it; while these are heating fill a few baskets with rather stale fish, and get a tub of water into the house. \\'hen the stones are red-hot bring a deep box, about 18 inches square (the sides of which are all one piece of wood i. near the fire, and put about half a gallon of the fish into it and as mi«rli fresh water, then three or four hot stones, using wooden tongs. Repeat the doses again, then stir the whole up. Repeat them again, stir again; take out the cold stones and place them in the fire. Proceed in this way until the box is nearly full, then let the whole cool, and commence skimming off the grease. While this is cooking, prepare another boxful in the same way. In doing the third, use, instead of fre.sh water, the liquid from the first box. On coming to the refuse of the boiled fish in the box, which is still pretty warm, let it be put into a rough willow- basket; then let an old woman, for the purpose of squeezing the liquid from il, lay it on a wooden grate sufficiently elevated to let a wooden box stand under; then let I Quoted by Mayne, pp. 2.'>4-255, from a letter to the Church Missionarj' Society. BOAS] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 45 her lay her naked chest on it and press it with all her weight. (;)n no account must a male undertake to do this. Cast what remains in the basket anywhere near the house, but take the liquid just saved and use it over again, instead of fresh water. The refuse must be allowed to accumulate, and though it will soon become putrid and change into a heap of creeping maggots and give out a smell almost unbearable, it must not be removed. The filth contracted by those engaged in the work must not be washed off until all is over, that is, until all the fish are boiled, and this will take about two or three weeks. All these plans must be carried out without any addi- tion or change, otherwise the fish will be ashamed, and perhaps never come ag;iin. So," concludes Mr. Duncan, 'think and act the poor Indians." Clams are dug on the beaches and are dried for winter use. This work devolves on the women; in olden tunes it was done by women and slaves. Mayne (p. 254) describes their preparation as follows: WTien a laige quantity of these clams has been collected, they make a pit, eight or ten feet deep; a quantity of firewood is put in the bottom, and it is then fdlcd up with clams; over the top is laid more firewood, and the whole is covered in with fir branches. In this way they are boiled for a day or more, according to circumstances. \Mien cooked, they are taken out of the shells, spitted on sticks, three or four feet long, and exposed to the sun to dry. after which they are strung on strips of the inner cypress bark or pliable reeds, and put away for the winter store. When the Indians return to their winter villages they are strung along the beams, forming a sort of inner roof; A favorite dish is snow mixed with oil. This dish is described by Mayne (p. 252) as follows: The Indians have a favorite dish at their feasts, which appears to answer to the carv'a of the South Sea Islands. They bring canoe-loads of snow and ice, and with tliese ingredients are mixed oil, and molasses if they have it: the slaves and old women being employed to beat it up, which they do in large bowls, until it assumes the appearance of whipped cream , when all attack the mess with their long wooden spoons. [Pp. 2r>o-2r>(}] The sea-cucumber, so well known in the South Seas as the Trepang or Beche de Mer (Holothurin lubulom) is . . . boiled and eaten fresh. . . . The lichen {L. juHafus) which grows on the pines, is also prepared for food. Twigs, bark, etc., being cleared from it. it is steeped in water till it is quite soft; it is then wrapped up in grass and leaves to prevent its being burnt, and cooked between hot stones. It takes 10 or 12 hours cooking, and when done, while still hot. it is pressed into cakes. Berries when fvesh are eaten in a way we should hardly appreciate — viz. with seal oil I Huntei-s used bow and arrow and the spear, and in traveling over mountains they carry a long mountain stick, provided at the tip with a horn of the mountain goat. It seems that iii former times it was difficult to lay by enough food for the whole year, and there seem to have been periods of famine toward the end of the winter before the appearance of the olachen. This feature is quite prominent in the tales of the Tsimshian, much riiore so than in the tales of the neighboring tribes. The industries of the Indians are based to a great extent on the ociuri'ence of the yellow and red cedars. The wood of the red cedar, which is easily split, is worked into planks, which serve for building 46 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 houses, and which are utilized in a great variety of ways by the native woodworker. The bark of the red cedar is also used extensively for making mattnig, baskets, and certaui kmds of clothmg. Strong ropes are made of twigs of the cedar, while others are made of twisted cedar bark. Formerly blanlvets were woven of the inner bark of the yellow cedar, which was shredded and softened by careful beatmg, and then woven by a simple method of twming.. Tlie wool of mountain goats was also spun and woven. It may be said that the salmon and cedar are the foundations of Northwest coast culture. Part of the year the Indians live in permanent villages. These villages consist of large wooden houses built of cedar planks and arranged in a row facing the sea. A street is leveled in front of the '^/^/^///,^/^P^/7/7P^<;^/7^^^ Fig. 1. Rear elevation of house. houses, and the canoes are placed on runways on the beach in front of the village. Tradition tells of villages of several rows of houses. In olden times the houses of the Tsimshian were of moderate size, probably about thirty feet square. The following description is based on tlie observation of a few houses seen in the village of the G'it-qxa'hi in 1894 : ' Wliile the house of the Haida ^ generally has on each side of the central line three heavy beams whicl\ support the roof, the house of the Tsimshian and of the KwakiutI lias only one pair of heavy beams, one on each side of the doorway. In the KwakiutI house these two beams, wliich rest on heavy posts, stand no more than six feet apart.^ In the houses of the Tsimshian and Nisqa'^ (figs. 1-3) they stand about halfway between the central line and the lateral ■ Boas 1, 1890, pp. C80-SS3. - See G. M. Dawson, Report of Progress, Geological Survey of Canada, 187S-79 (pis. HI, IV, V). ' The Social Organisation and the Secret Societies of the KwakiutI Indians (.Hep. U. S. Xaf. .\fus. for I«S5, pp. 316 rts-rg.). BOAS] BKIEF DESCEIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 47 walls. The house of the Tlingit, as represented by Shotridge,' is very much like the Tsimshian house, except in minor points. The posts are still farther apart than in the Tsimshian house. This arrangement necessitates that provision be made for a ridge beam. The heavy beams B rest on the uprights U, which are seldom carved. On top of the beams thi-ee or four supports S are laid, on which rests the ridge beam II. The latter consists of two parts, leaving a space in the middle for the smoke hole. Sometimes, but not regularly, two additional beams R' rest on these supports. In a few cases the central ridge beam is then supported by a smaller support S'. The lower end n II II I u R Ul B U II II Fig. 2. Plan of house. of the roof is either arranged as shown in figures 1 and 2 or as indi- cated in figure 3. In the former case the roof supports are separate from the walls; beams V are laid on the uprights C, and the roof boards rest on the beams R, B, and V. In the latter case (fig. 3) the corner post P is connected with the rear corner post by a square beam which supports the lower ends of the roof boards. The walls of the old houses consist of horizontal planks of great width. The thick base planks of the front, rear, and sides (figs. 2, 3) are grooved, and the ' Shotridge, pp. 86 et seq. 48 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 1 KXn. ANN. 31 thinnei" planks are let into these grooves. The two top moldmgs of the front are also thick planks, which are grooved. Over the door D is a short, heavy plank, on which rests a suigle thinner vertical plank. The construction of the back may be seen in figure 1. Sometimes the houses are built on steep banks, so that only the rear half Is built on the ground. In this case a foundation of heavy cedar trees is built. A short log is placed with one end in the bank, the butt end standing out toward the beach, where the side wall is to be. Another log is placed in the same manner where the second side wall is to be. A third heavy log is placed over the butts of the two projecting logs. Then two more logs are put on top of the first pair with their ends in the bank, and thus a foundation is buOt up to the level of the embankment. This is covered with a platform, and the house is Fig. 3. Front elovation of house. built about eight or ten feet back from its outer edge, so that the platform forms the front portion of the floor of the house as well as a summer seat in front of the house door. The fireplace was in the center of the house, just under the smoke hole. In the daj'time the people lived on the floor of the house. The seat of the house owner was in the rear of the fire. Guests used to sit by the side of the fire. The beds were arrang(>d on a platform that ran all around the walls. Provisions were also kept partly on this platform, partly on shelves, which were suspended from the beams and rafters. Sometimes young people had their bedrooms on such shelves. According to tradition there were some houses that had more than one platform, and in which the floors were c[uit e deeply excavated. The building of a house of this type required considerable skill in woodworldng.' In former times the Indians felled large trees by ■ For detailed descriptions of the industries of the Coast Indians see Boas 11. BOAS] BRIEF DESCRIPTIOK OF THE TSIMSHIAN 49 means of stone chisels, stone axes, and fii-e; but the phiiiks used for house building were usually split off from a live tree by cutting deep notches into the trunk at appropriate distances and then splitting off pieces from the tree by means of large wedges, wliicli w(n-p driven with long-handled stone mauls (fig. 4) ; wliile on the southern part of the coast hand hammers were used. ^Vfter the planks had been split off, they were smoothed by means of stone or bone adzes (fig. 5). For A'ery fine work the process of smoothuig was contmued until the surface of the plank had reached a liigh degree of finish. The planks and boards were finally polished olf with grit stones and dogfish skin. The art of mak- ing household utensils from tliin planks of this kind had reached a liigh degree of perfection. The method pursued was that of kei-fuig the planks and of bending, after having subjected the wood to a steam bath. In tliis manner the sides of boxes and buckets were made. These were fastened to a wooden bottom either by means of pegs or bj- sewmg with twisted cedar twigs (fig. G). Water-tight boxes were secured by calkhig the joints. Large boxes of tliis tyjie (fig. 7) were used for storing provisions, blankets, etc.; smaller water-tight boxes, for cooking food, the box bemg filled with water, which was then heated by means of red-hot stones. Food trays (fig. 8) were made of large blocks of wood hollowed out by means of chisel and ax and fuiished wath a crooked knife, the handle of which fitted tlie hand nicelj'. One of the best prod- ucts of the woodwork of the natives of tills region is the dugout canoe, which is made of cedar, hollowed out , and worked down to an even thickness. After the cedar has been hol- lowed out, it is steamed and then spread, and thus large canoes are made of gi'aceful form and capable of \\'ithstanding a heavy sea. The basketry of the Tsimshian is not elaborate. Simple or twilled woven matting is made of wide strips of cedar bark (fig. 9). Water- 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 4 Fig. -1. Slone maul. 50 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 tight baskets and hats are woven of twined spruce-root work (fig. 10; see also illustrations of such basketry in Emmons 1). To a certain extent spruce-root basketry takes the place of ths small boxes which are exclusively used on the southern part of the coast for carrying water. Baskets made of woven cedar bark are largely used for stor- age of provisions, for keeping blankets, for box covers, for holding sjjoons, and for beiTying. For fishing, hooks and harpoons are employed. For halibut fishing a tackle is used with a crosspiece made of a light twig, to each end of which a hook is tied (fio;. 11). AHqt the fish is landed it is kUled Fig. 6. a, Box made of bent wood, b. Front of box. with a carved club (fig. 12). A great variety of forms of fish traps are found, in wliich large quantities of salmon are secured dm-ing the summer months. Traps are also used for securing land game. Small fur-bearing animals, as well as larger game, as bears, and deer, are trapped in tliis manner. The bow (fig. 13) is of simple construction. It is made of a smgle piece of yew wood, with slightly curved back, flat belly, and naiTow, round grip. The arrows are carried in a wooden quiver. Arrows with detachable heads were used for hunting sea otter, while land game was hvmted with arrows having bone points. BOAS] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 51 Fig. 7. a. Large box for keeping blanket?, b. Front of box 52 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY lETH. ANN. 31 Fig. S. Food Uay. and shellfish. It would seem that in olden times, practically all along the coast, the art of stone chipping was not in use, while rubbed slate points and pecked and battered stone hammers and stone mortai-s (fig. 14) were common. \Mii!e the men pro- cure all the animal food except shellfi.sh, the women gather berries and dig roots On Queen Charlotte Islands, and perhaps also among 1-he Tsimshian, tobacco was raised in olden times in gardens cl(>ared near the villages. The tobacco was not smoked, but chewed mixed with calcined shells. In olden times the dress of the Tsimshian consisted of a breech- clout, over which was worn a blanket of fur or of dressed skin. The front edges of blankets made of dressed skins were painted (fig. 15). Dressed skin was also embroidered with porcupine quills (figs. 16, 18), although this art was not as prominent among the coast tribes as it was among the Indians of the interior. Wealthy people used expensive Fio. 9. ecil:ir-bark mal. Ii 10 1 amie 1 hit miJe j[ |ikliooI. furs for maldng then- blankets, while the poor used marmot skins. On ceremonial occasions — that is, at festivals and potlatches — the BOAS] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 53 loaders dressed much more elaliorately. A painted or embroidered apron (fig. 17) and leggings (figs. 16, IS) decorated in the same maiuier were added to the blanket. The Tsirashian and Tlingit also wore ornamental blankets of mountain-goat wool.' Aprons and hoggings were made of similar material. The apron and leggings seem to have been parts of the ceremonial costume worn at dances rathci- than ordinary dress. The children of the nobility were tat- tooed on the back of the hands and on the chest with designs representing their crests. The helix of the ear was perforated four times; and large ear-ornaments made of long tassels of wool, with square pieces of abalone shell attached to them, were worn pendant from these perforations. Teeth of the killer whale were also worn as ear- ornaments. The septum of the nose was perforated, and a horizontal bar of bone, or a pendant made of abalone shell or of the tooth of the killer whale, was worn as a nose- ornament. The lower lips of women were perforated in the centei-, and labrets were worn in this laole. Yoimg girls wore a thin nail Fiii. 11. Halibut hook. Fig. 13. FL-JhcUib. with a head on the inner side. With increasing age the size of the labret was increased, and old women wore large wooden plugs inlaid with abalone shell. It is said that noble girls used to bite on a gi-een- stone pebble in order to wear down their incisors. Flij. Ki. Bow. Weapons were, besides bow and arrow, dagger, spear, and club. Warriors protected their bodies by means of armor made of rods or slats and a loose outer armor of heavy hide. .Ul of these were jjainted 1 See Emmons 2. 54 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 with the crest designs of the wearer. Greaves were worn over the shins, and the head was covered with a hchnet. Household utensils, canoes, and practically all objects utilized by the natives, are elaborately decorated. This is true particularly of their woodwork. The style of decoration is very char- acteristic. Only annual mo- tives are applied, each design generally consisting of a com- bination of various parts of an anunal's body, whose forms, although highly con- ventionalized, are easily rec- ognized. The conventional type of this art is based on the principle, so common in the art of children and of primitive people, of representing what appear to the artist as the essential parts of the animal, with little regard to their arrangement in space. This method of representation is developed here to a high artistic perfection. In general, the artist endeavors Fin. H. Stone mortar. Tig. 15. Painted skm blajikel. by distortion and dissection to fit the whole animal as nearly as possible into the decorative field. This is frequently accom- plished by spKtting the animal in two, and by representing BOAS] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 55 the two halves spread out; hut many other processes are used. Tlie forms are expressed m curved Imes, and there is a tendency to utilize oval fields, which may be elaborated by a group of concentric or ■ ■V^■■:.!^^ljC^-^C■\j^;■*!??^vl^:,<•'^■<•;^■^>^^ Fig. 1G. Legging with porcupine-quiil embroidery. almost concentric elliptical or rounded designs. These peculiar designs resemble eyes; and the Northwest coast art may be said to Fig. 17. Painted apron ^ith embroidery. be characterized by the prevalence of the eye motive. The eye is used with great frequency to indicate the joints of the body, the original idea bemg evidently a representation of the ball-and-socket joint, the 56 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY I ETH. ANN. "1 curvod outline of the figure representing the socket, the iimer field the ball. These designs are done both in carving and paintuig. Fig. is. Legjing vrith porcupine-fiiiill embroidery ornamented with puflln beaks. The colors applied are principally' black and red, although gi-een and \)\ue also occur. Among the Tsimshian and Tlingit the same kinds of designs are used on blankets woven of mountain-goat wool and cedar bark. The animals used for ornamenta- tion are almost throughout those which play an important part in the mj'tholog}' and in the behefs connected with the social organization of the tribe. It Ls remarkable that geometrical designs are practi- cally absent. Only among the Tlingit, where elabo- rate decoration of spruce-root basketry occurs, does a highly developed geometrical decorative art accom- pany the more realistic art before described. It seems probable, however, that this art has been introduced tlu'ough contact of the coast tribes with the tribes of the ulterior. The decoration resembles the designs used in the porcupine-quill embroidery of Athapascan tribes, and is executed iii basketry by a peculiar method of "false embroideiy." To a limited extent, such geometric designs are used in quUl embroidery applied to leggings and other dress, and seem to have been used on old types of The Idealistic art, which is Fig. 19. Spoon made of inoimtain-goat horn. articles • of blankets woven of mountain-goat wool BOAS] BRIEF DESCEIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 57 based on woodwork, is essentially a man's art; the geometri<' art, which is based on basket and mat weaving, is a woman's art.' The products of different parts of the country and of different tribes were so varied, that a lively trade existed all along the coast. The Tsimshian sold to the Ilaida, in exchange for canoes, particularly boxes of olachen oil, cai-ved spoons of mountain-goat horn (fig. 19) and bighorn-sheep horn (fig. 20), wool and woolen blankets. Dentalia, Fig. 20. J^adle made of mountain-sheep horn. abalone shells, copper, and slaveys were also important in intertribal trade. Dried salmon, halibut, and other kinds of staple food, were also sold in exchange for fm's and other A'alua])les. It is said that blankets made of marmot skuis sewed together were a standard of value. The curious copper plates made in olden times of native copper, later of imported copper (fig. 21), represented high values. These were used only at potlatches. Fig. ::i. I.:::;:e copper plate. 1 For details in regard to this subject see Boas ti; Emmons 1. 2: Willoughby. I. TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 1. Txa'msem (The Raven Legend)* (1) ORIGIN OF txa'msem At one time the whole world was covered with darkness. At the southern point of Queen Charlotte Islands there was a town in which the animals 1 ived . Its name was Kungalas.^ A chief and his wife were living there, and with them a boy, theii' only child,, who was loved very much by his parents. Therefore his father tried to keep him out of danger. He built for his son a bed above his own, in the rear cf his large house. He washed him regularly, and the boy grew up to be a youth. Wlien he was quite large the youth became ill, and, being very sick, it was not long before ho died. Therefore the hearts cf his parents were A'cry sad. They cried on account of their beloved child. The chief invited his tribe, and all the (animal) people went to the chief's house and entered. Then the chief ordered the child's body to be laid out; and he said, "Take out his intestmes." His attendants laid out the body of the cliief's child, took out the intestines, burned them at the rear of the chief's house, and placed the body on the bed which his father had built for his son. The chief and the chieftainess wailed every morning under the corpse of their dead son, and liis tribe cried with them. They did so every day after the young man's death. One morning before daylight came, the chieftainess went agahi to wail. She arose, and looked up to where her son was lying. There she saw a youth, bright as foe, lying where the body of then- son had been. Therefore she called her husband, and said to him, "Our beloved child has come back to life." Therefore the chief arose and went to the foot of the ladder wliich reached to the i)lace where the body had been. He went up to his son, and said, "Is it you, my beloved son? Is it you?" Then the shining youth said, "Yes, it is I." Then suddenly gladness touched the hearts of the parents. The tribe entered again to console their chief and their chieftamess. When the people entered, they were much surprised to see the shiiung youth there. He spoke to them. "Heaven was much aimoyed by your constant waUmg, so He sent me down to comfort your minds." The great tribe of the chief were very glad because the prmce lived agaia among them. His parents loved him more than ever. 1 Notes, pp. 634, 636. 2 rrobably Haida Ku'nxalas (see Swanton 2, p. 278. town No. 31), tlie town of the Eagle l.imily Qlo'na qc'^awa-i. 58 boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 69 The shining youth ate very little. He staid there a long time, and he did not eat at all; he only chewed a little fat, but he did not eat any. The chief had two great slaves — a miserable man and his wife. The great slaves were (called) Mouth At Each End. Eveiy morning they brought all kinds of food uito tlie house. One day, when they came in from where they had been, thej'' brought a large cut of whale meat. They threw it on the fire and ate it. They did this every time they came back from hunting. Then the chieftainess tried to give food to her son who had come back to life, but he declined it and lived without food. The chieftaiaess was very anxious to give her son something to eat. She was afraid that her son would die again. On the following day the shining youth took a walk to refresh hunself. As soon as he had gone out, the chief went up the ladder to where he thought his son had his bed. Behold, there was the corpse of his own son! Nevertheless he loved his new child. One day the chief and chieftauiess went out to visit the tribe, and the two great slaves entered, carryuig a large piece of whale meat. They threw the whale fat mto the fu'e and ate of it. Tlien the shining youth came toward them and questioned the two great slaves, askmg them, "What makes you so hungry?" The two great slaves replied, "We are hungry because wo have eaten scabs from our shin bones." Therefore the shining youth said to them, "Do you like what you eat?" Then the slave-man said, "Yes, my dear!" Therefore the prince replied, " I avUI also try the scabs you speak about." Then the slave-woman said, "No, my dear! Don't desu'e to be as we are." The prince repeated, "I wiU just taste it and spit it out again." Then the male slave cut off a small piece of whale meat and put in a small scab. Then the female slave scolded her husband for what he was doing. "O bad man! what have you been doing to the poor prince?" The shining prince took up the piece of meat with the scab ui it, put it into his mouth, tasted it, and spit it out agaiix. Then he went back to his bed. When the chief and the chieftainess came back from their visit, the prince said to his mother, "Mother, I am very hungiy." The chieftamess said at once, "Oh, dear, is it tine, is it time ?" She ordered her slaves to feed her beloved son with rich food. The slaves prepared rich food, and the youth ate it all. Again he was veiy hungry and ate everything, and the slaves gave hun more to eat than before. He did so for several days, and soon all the provisions in his father's house were at an end. Then the prmce went to every house of his father's people and ate the provisions that were m the houses. This was because he had tasted the scabs of Mouth At Each End. Now the provisions were all used up. The chief knew that the pro- visions of his tribe were almost exhausted. Therefore the great chief 60 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 felt sad and ashamed ou account of what his sou had done, for he had devoured almost all the provisions of his tribe. Therefore the chief invited all the people in, and said, "I wOl send my child away before he eats all our provisions and we lack food." Then all the people agreed to what the chief had said. As soon as they had all agreed, the chief called his son. He told him to sit down in the rear of the house. As soon as ho had sat tlown there, the chief spoke to his son, and said, "My dear son, I shall send you away inland to the other side of the ocean." * He gave his son a small roimd stone and a raven blanket and a dried sea-lion bladder filled with all kinds of berries. The chief said to his son, "When j^ou fly across the ocean and feel weary, drop this round stone on the sea, and you shall find rest on it; and when you reach the mauiland, scatter the various kinds of fruit all over the land ; and also scatter the salmon roe in all the rivers and brooks, and also the trout roe; so that you may not lack food as long as you live in this world." Then he started. His father named him Giant. (2) ORIGIN OF DAYLIGHT^ Giant flew inland (toward the east) . He went on for a long time, and finally he was very tired, so he dropped down on the sea the little round stone which his father had given to him. It became a large rock way out at sea. Giant rested on it ami refreshed himself, and took off the raven skin. At that time there was always darkness. There was no daylight then. Again Giant put ou the raven skin and flew toward the east. Now, Giant reached the mainland and arrived at the mouth of Skeena River. There he stopped ami scattered the salmon roe and trout roe. He said while he was scattering them, "Let every river and creek have all kinds of fish ! " Then he took the dried sea-lion bladder and scattered the fruits all over the land, saying, "Let every mountain, hill, valle)', plain, the whole land, be full of fruits!" The whole world was still covered with darkness. When the sky was clear, the j^eoplc would have a little light from the stars; and when clouds were in the sky, it was veiy dark all over the land. The people were distressed by this. Then Giant thought that it would be hard for him to obtain his food if it were always dark. He remembered that there was hght in heaven, when(;e he had come. Then he made up his mind to bring down the light to our world. On the followhig day Giant put on liis raven skin, which his father the chief had given to him, and flew upward. Finally he found the hole in the sky, and he flew tlu'ough it. Giant reached the inside of the sky. He took ofl" the raven skin and put it down near the hole of ' Meaning to the mainland. — F. li. sxotes, p. (;41. BOAS] TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 61 the sk}-. He went on, and came to a spring neac the house of the cliief of heaven. There he sat down and waited. Then the chief's daughter came out, carrvmg a small bucket in which she was about to fetch water. She went down to the big spring in front of her father's house. 'WTien Giant saw her coming along, he transformed himseK into the leaf of a cedar and floated on the water. The chief's daughter dipped it up in her bucket and di-ank it. Then she returned to her father's house and entered. After a short time she was with child, and not long after she gave birth to a boy. Then the cliief and the chief tainess were very glad. They wasked the boy regularh". He began to grow up. Now he was beghining to creep about. They washed him often, and the chief smoothed and cleaned the floor of the house. Xow the child was strong and crept about every day. He began to cry, " Hama, Juima!" He was crymg all the time, and the great chief was troubled, and called in some of his slaves to carry about the boy. The slaves did so, but he would not sleep for several nights. He kept on crying, "Hama, hama!" Therefore the chief invited all his wise men, and said to them that he did not know what the boy wanted and why he was crying. He wanted the box that was hanging in the chief's house. This box, in which the daylight was kept, was hanging in one corner of the house. Its name was md. Giant had known it before he descended to our world. The child cried for it. The chief was an- noyed, and the wise men listened to what the chief told them. WTien the wise men heard tlie child crying aloud, they did not know what he was saying. He was crying all the time, "Hama, hama, hama!" One of the wise men, who understood him, said to the chief, "He is crjang for the md." Therefore the chief ordered it to be taken down. The man put it down. The}- put it down near the fu-e, and the boy sat down near it and ceased crying. He stopped crying, for he was glad. Tlien he rolled the md, about inside the house. He did so for four days. Sometimes he would carry it to the door. Now the great chief did not think of it. He had quite forgotten it. Then the boy reall}^ took up the md, put it on his shoulders, and ran out with it. While he was running, some one said, "Giant is rumiing away with the md.' ' ' He ran away, and the hosts of heaven pursued him. They shouted that Giant was running away with the md. He came to the hole of the sky, put on the skin of the raven, and flew down, carrjdng the md,. Then the hosts of heaven returned to their houses, and he flew down with it to our world. At that time the world was still dark.' He arrived farther up the river, and went down river. Giant had come down near the mouth of Nass River. He went to the mouth of Nass River. It was always dark, and he carried the md about with him. He went on, and went 1 Notes, p. 649. 62 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 up the river in the dark. A httle farther up he heard the noise of the people, who were catching olachen in bag nets in theh- canoes. There was much noise out on the river, because they were working hard. Giant, who was sittmg on the shore, said, "Thi'ow ashore one of the things that you are catchhig, my dear people!" After a while, Giant said again, " Throw ashore one of the things you are catching!" Then those on the water scolded him. "Where did you come 'from, great liar, whom they call Txa'msEm?" The (animal) peojile knew that it was Giant. Therefore they made fun of him. Then Giant said again, "Throw ashore one of the things that you are catching, or I shall break the Ttva!" and all those who were on the water answered, "^Vhere did you get what you are talking about, you liar?" Giant said once more, "Throw ashore one of the things that you axe catching, my dear people, or I shall break the md for you!" One person replied, scolding him. Giant had repeated liis request four times, but those on the water refused what he had asked for. Therefore Giant broke the ma. It broke, and it was dayhght. The north wind began to blow hard ; and all the fishermen, the Frogs, were driven away by the north wind. All the Frogs who had made fun of Giant were driven away down river until they arrived at one of the large mountainous islands. Here the Frogs tried to climb up the rock; but they stuck to the rock, being frozen by the north wind, and became stone. They are stiU on the rock. The fishing Frogs named him Txa'msEm, and all the world had the day- hght. (3) STONE AND ELDERBERRY BUSH' TxamsEm went along up Nass River, and came to the place where Stone and Elderberry Bush were quarreling, discussing who should give birth first. Stone wished to give birth first, and Elderberry Bush also wished to give bu-th first. TxamsEin hstened to what they were saying. Stone said, "If I give birth first, then people will Uve a long time; if you give bu-th first, people wUl five a short time." Giant went to the place where they were and looked, and, behold! Stone had almost given birth to her cMld. Then he went to Elder- berry Bush and touched her. He said, "Give bu-th fu-st, Elder- berry Bush." Then Elderberry Bush gave birth to her child. For that reason people do not five many years. Because Elderberry Bush gave birth to her child first, man dies quickly. If Stone had given birth first to her child, it would not be so. That is what our people say. That is the story of Elderberry Bush's children; and ther.efore the Indians are much trouljled because Stone did not give birth to her childi-en fu-st. For this reason the people die soon, and elderberry bushes gi-ow on their graves. ' Notes, p. 6GS. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 63 (!) ORICJIX OF FIRE ' Again TxamsEm went on, and the people began to multiply on the earth. However, they were distressed because they had no lire to look their food and to warm themselves in winter; and Giant remembered that they had fire in the village of the animals. Therefore he tried to fetch it for the people. He started, wearing his raven blanket which his father, the chief, had given to him before he left yonder. Soon he amved; but the people of his father's village refused to let him have fire, and sent hun away from their town. He tried in every way to get fire, but he failed, for the people would not let him have it. Finally he sent one of his attendants, the Sea Gull, to carry a message to the people; and this is the message the Sea Gull carried: "A good-looking young chief will come soon to the people to have a dance in your chief's house." Then the whole tribe made ready to welcome the young chief. Then Giant caught a deer and skinned it. At that time the deer had a long tad, like a wolf's taU. Giant tied pitch wood to the long tad of the deer. He borrowed the canoe of the great Shark, and they came to the village, where the cliief had a large fire in his house. The big Shark's canoe was full of crows and sea guUs; and Giant was sitting in the center of the canoe, dressed in his deer skin. Then all the people entered. They l)uilt a large fire, larger than it had been before, and the great house of the chief was full of his tribesmen. Then all the newcomers were seated on one side of the large house, ready to sing. Soon the young chief began to dance, and all his companions beat time with their sticks, and one had a drum. They all sang a song, and some of the birds clapped their hands, and they all sang together. The Deer entered at the door. He looked around, and entered leaping and dancing, and went around the large fire. Then all the people were well pleased to see liim dance. Finally he struck his tail over the fire, and the pitch wood on his tail caught fire. He ran out with the firebrand at his tail and swam on the water. Then all his companions flew away out of the house. The great Shark canoe also left. The people tried to catch the Deer, intending to kill him. He jumped and swam quickly, and the pitch wood at his tail was burning. When he arrived at one of the islands, he went ashore quickly, struck a fir tree with his tad, and said, "You shall burn as long as the years last." For that reason the deer has a short black tail. (5) txa'msem uses the sinews of the tomtit 2 TxiimsEm walked along the seashore and saw a long mass of seaweed way out at sea. There were very large sea eggs on it. TxamsEm was anxious to eat them, but he could not get them because the seaweed i Notes, p. 600. = Notes, p. 655. 64 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOCiY (etu. anx. 31 was too far out to sea. Therefore he made up his mind to invite in all the people from the land and from the sea; and when all the guests were in his house, TxamsEm spoke: "Friends, I have invited you in because I want to borrow your sinews." All the people promised to help him, and first he took the sinew of the large whale. TxiimsEm threw it out to sea, trying to reach the large sea egg that ho saw on the long mass of seaweed which was floatmg on the sea. The whale smew, however, broke. He tried the smews of aU the different anunals, one at a time, but none of them were satisfactory. Finally he said, " Whose sinews have I not tried yet ? " Then the little Tomtit stood up and said, "Sn, you may take my sinews;" and he took out the sinews from his little belly and held them out to liim. They were as thin as spider web. When all his smews were out, he said, "Now, master, take hold of one end of my sinews and tlirow them out where the long mass of seaweed is; then we shall get your sea egg." TxamsEm could hardly hold the small sinew of the Tomtit. Nevertheless he tried. Finally Tomtit took hold of one end of (the rope made of) his own sinews, went dowai to the beach, and threw (the rope made of) his own sinews seaward to the place where the long mass of seaweed was, and caught it. Then all the pcoj)le puUed at it, and the sinews of the Uttle Tomtit were stronger than the sinews of all the other animals. Soon TxamsEm had a large sea egg. He ate it and kept the shell. He was well pleased to have eaten the large sea egg. Then he gave power to Tomtit to be a chief overall the animals. Then TxiimsEm went on. (6) ORIGIN OF TIDES ' Agam TxamsEm took his raven blanket and flew over the ocean with the firebrand in hLs hands. He arrived at the mainland and came to another house, which belonged to a very old woman, who held the tide-lme in her hand. At that tinae the tide was always high, and did not turn for several days, until the new moon came, and all the people were anxious for clams and other sea food. Giant entered and found the old woman holding the tide-line in her hantl. He sat down and said, "Oh, I have had enough, I have had all the clams I need!" The old woman said at once, "How is that possible ? How can that be? What are you talking about. Giant?" — "Yes, I have had clams enough." The old woman said, "No, it is not true." There- fore Giant pushed her, so that she fell back, and he threw tiust into her eyes and her mouth. Then she let the tide-hne go, so that the tide ran out very low, and all the clams and shellfish were on the beach. So Giant carried up as much as he could. The tide was still low when he re-entered. The old woman said, "Giant, come and heal my eyes! I am blmd from the (hist." Giant said, "Will you ' Notes, p. 6.56. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 65 promise to slacken the tide-line twice a day?" She agreed, and Giant cured her eyes. He had eaten all the shellfish that he had carrietl up. The old woman said, "How can you get water to drink, Giant?" He answered that it was under the roots of the httle alder tree.' Soon Giant was thirsty, and he went to tlrink water, but he could not find any. Finally he went up Skeena River, and there he found water; because the old woman had dried up all the brooks and creeks. Therefore the tide turns twice every day, going up and down. (7) GIANT GAMBLES WITH GUI>L^ Ho went on and made a house. He saw a sea gull flymg about, and said, "Hey!" The Gull continuetl to fly about, crying, "Ha, ha!" Then Giant ran about and made sticks, intending to gamble, and the Sea Gull came to hun. They began to gamble, and soon they began to quarrel; and Giant said, "This is my gambUng-stick." Sea Gull said, "No, it is my gambling-stick." Therefore Giant threw the Gull on his back and stepped on his stomach, so that the GuU vomited one olachen. Giant took it, and the Gull flew away. (8) GIANT OBTAINS THE OLACHEN ^ On the following day Giant made a little canoe of elderberry wood , went do\\ai the river, and landed at the beach m front of the house of a great chief, Kuwask. After he had rubbed the spawn of the olachen over the inside of his canoe, he entered, and said, "Oh! my clothes are wet, because the Tsimshian were working hard last night, fishing for olachen. Many persons caught two or three canoe-loads of olachen up the river last night." Then the people in the chief's house said, "Oh, how could olachen get there? Their time has not come yet. They wiU go up four months and a half hence." They did not believe what Giant said, and contmued, "You are a liar, you are a liar!" Giant said, "Look at the inside of my canoe! There are spawn of olachen in it." The young men went down, and saw that the whole inside of the canoe was full of olachen spawn; and when they lifted up the stern-sheets, they found the tail of an olachen. Therefore the young men returned, went up, and said, "It is true," and showed the olachen tail. Then the gi-eat chief said, "Perhaps those foolish young olach^ns have gone(?)." Moreover, he said, " Go and ask the several chiefs in the village — ask Burst Under The Stern Sheets, ask Stick To The Hot Stone, ask HaK Eaten By Tlie Goose, ask Dried In Olachen Box.^ See what they say!" Then the person went to ask them. He was sent by the chief, and they all agreed. Therefore the chief ordered the men who were standing in the four ' See p. 69. ' Notes, p. 053. 8 The.se are names of the various olachen chiefs, and refer to the conditions of the fish during the process of catchmg and trying out the oil.— F. B. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 5 66 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 corners of his house to break the corners. They did so, and the olachen went down into the water. Therefore Giant ran down to the water, stepped into the river, and shouted to the olachen to go up the river. He said, "Go up on both sides of the river!" Then he went aboard his canoe, filled it with olachen, and paddled along to Nass River, shouting all the while. Therefore on Nass River the olachen fishing bcgms Aery early in spring. (9) GIANT LEARNS HOW TO COOK OLACHEN ' Giant camped at a certain place. lie did not know how to cook his olachen. A woman came to the place where he had camped, and Giant spoke kindly to her, like a brother to his sister. Her name was Tsowatz. She was the Oil Woman, of dark complexion. Giant asked her, "Tell me, how shall I cook my olachen?" Oil Woman told him, "You must heat stones; and when they are red-hot, pour four pails of water into a large cedar box. " Thus spoke Oil Woman to Giant. She said also, "Make a pair of tongs of cedar wood for handling red-hot stones. The tongs should be a fathom and a half long. Throw red-hot stones into a box ; and when the water bods, fiU five baskets with olachen; then heat some more stones ; and wluui they also are red-hot, make a large spoon of alder wood, and use it for taking the stones out of the cedar box. When you have done this two or three times, the fish wiU be done. Before the fish is done, pour more water into the box before you take out the first lot of stones. Then, after you take out the first lot of stones, put in the second lot. Then take them out again, and put in the third lot of red-hot stones to cook the fish with; and when the oil appears on top of the water, you will have all the grease you want." Thus spoke the Oil Woman to Giant, and Giant was glad to receive the instruction of Oil Woman. He took her gladly to be his sister. (lO) GL\NT AND THE GULLS TVTido he was still encamped there, a gull appeared over Giant. He called him Little GuU. Then two Gulls came to him; and Giant asked them, "How shall I roast my olachen, friends?" The two Gulls taught liiin how to roast the olachen. They built a frame of elderberry wood and put it in good order. The space between the elderberry sticks was about three finger-widths, and they were as long as the fore arm. They placed the olachen on the elderberry frame. Then the GuUs said to Giant, "Put on your mat of spi-uce roots and your cedar-bark raincoat, and your gloves, and wrap your blanket around jour knees, and start a fire imder the frame, and sit there and keep the fire a-going until the olachen are done on one side. Then 'This and the following story contain the olachen taboos practiced bj- the Tsimshian.— Notes, p. 653.— F. B. boas] TSIMSHIAKT MYTHS 67 turn them over. When you turn the frame over, say 'Lawa!' Then put it in good order again, and put them on the frame -with the other side towards the fire. Then, when one of the oLichen bursts on account of the heat of the fire, say 'Oh, oh! some more olachen are coming up!' " Giant was very glad to receive the instructions of the two Gulls. Before the olachen was done, the two Gulls began to eat Giant's olachen; and they cried while eating, "Gunax h-aa, gunax Jiaa!" Then many guUs came, crying "Gunax Turn, gunax Juia !" and ate all the olachen on the frame. Now Giant was sad. He took the GuUs and threw them into the fire, and ever since that tiine the tips of their wings have been black. (Note of the Recorder. — Tlie place where he camped at that time was called Ijittle Crabapple-Tree Place. And so we know nowadays how to cook olachen, for Giant taught the people how to cook olachen. AH these works he did in order to support the people whom he made out of the elderberry tree. The first tiling he did was to leave his father; the second was to fly over the sea to the maudand; the third, to scatter all kinds of fishes in the rivers and streams; the fourth, to scatter all kinds of berries over the dry land; fifth, he ascended to heaven and brought down dayhght and north wind ; and as the sixth thing, ho went to the village of his father and brought the fu-e; seventh, he went to the old woman and obtained from her the tide- line; eighth, he called the Gull to gamble with him, and in their quarrel he stepped on the GuU's stomach and made him vomit olachen; ninth, he went to the olachen \'illage and deceived the chief; tenth, he met the Oil Woman; eleventh, he called two Gulls to teach him how to roast the olachen. And this is the end of his works to fill the wants of the new people whom he had made.) (ll) txa'msem axd the steelhead salmon' Now Giant's name was changed to TxiimsEm. He went on, and saw a steelhead salmon jinuping in the river. Then he made a plan. He kicked the rock and made a deep hole. He said with a loud voice, " Ha, steelhead salmon ! come up to me to the beach ! " He was stand- ing above the hole which he had kicked into the rock. Suddenly the steelhead salmon hit his heart, and TxamsEm lay there like one dead. After a while he opened his eyes, and saw that the salmon had jumped over the hole that he had made. He kicked the rock again, and made a second hole. Again he said, "Come up to me, big steel- head salmon, and we will see who is the stronger!" He stood there, ready to catch the steelhead salmon. Again suddenly the steel- head salmon hit his heart, and he lay there like one dead. After a whUe he opened his eyes and saw the steelhead salmon IjTng in the hole near the water. TxamsEm rushed down to kill it, but could not reach it. He kicked the rock agam, and made a third hole, and he 1 Notes, p. 674. 68 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 stood there above those three holes. lie repeated the same words as before, ''Come up to me, big steelhead salmon! Wo will see who is the stronger." And when he said so, the steelhead salmon hit him again, and he lay there like one dead. His heart was swollen. Wlien his eyes opened again, he saw the steelhead salmon again, which lay right in the middle of the last hole. He went down slowly and caught it; and he was very glad to have the steelhead salmon, for ho was very hungry. He did not know how to prepare his food, so he sat down and eased himself. Then he asked Ids excrements, "What shall I do, excre- ments?" They answered, "Steam it in a hole, steam it m a hole." Then he gathered firewood. Then TxamsEm gathered stones, heated them, and when the stones were red-hot, he put them in a hole. He also went and gathered leaves of the skunk-cabbage to cover it. Then he cut the salmon lengthwise, and covered it with the skunk- cabbage leaves, and poured water on it. When the salmon was done, white crows gathered over him. Then TxamsEm said to the White Crows, "Grandcliildren, go and borrow for me some dishes, so that I may eat my salmon." The White Ci-ows went and brought mussel- shells to TxamsEm. When he saw them, he said, "No, that is not what I want. I want real dishes. Go agam and bring them!" They went, and brought clamshells. Then TxamsEm became angry, and said, "Go again and bring me real dishes." They went, and brought all kjnds of shells. Now TxiimsEm himself went to get real dishes. As soon as he had gone, all the crows came and ate Txiim- sEm's salmon. After they had eaten it, they put over the hole a large hemlock tree that stood near by. Wlien TxamsEm came back, he saw that the hole was empty, and all he saw was that the ground was covered with the crows' excrements. He looked up, and, behold! multitudes of crows covered the branches of a large tree. Then all the crows flew away; and TxamsEm cursed them, and said, "As you are flying there, you shall be all black." Therefore all crows are black. (12) txa'msem and lagobola" TxamsEm went down the river, and arrived at its mouth. There he met a man named Lagobola, and TxamsEm talked to hun. He said, "Brother, where have you been?" Lagobola replied, "I come from the south, and I heard of your fame, which has spread all over the world." Thus spoke Lagobola to TxamsEm. Lagobola also said, "I also hear about your supernatural power." Then TxamsEm said, "Well, Brother Lagobola, let us go to the sea tomorrow to hunt sea otters!" and Lagobola agreed. They were going to Dundas Island. TxamsEm killed three seals and two sea otters; and he camped there first. While he was making a fire, Lagobola came to ' Notes, p. 666. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 69 the place wljere he was encamped. TxamsEm invited liim up, and they were about to eat there. Then TxamsEm went to get fuel and to look for water. They began to eat; and after they had eaten, Lagobola said to his friend, " Wliat are you gomg to drink, TxamsEm ? Ai-e you going to driiik from the root of the little alder tree?"' — "Yes, my dear!" said TxamsEm. After they had eaten, TxilmsEm took his bucket and went to the root of the little alder tree, and found no water there, for Lagobola had dried up all the water of the brooks. TxilmsEm knew at once that Lagobola had caused the water to dis- appear. Therefore he put his one foot on Dundas Island, the other on the mainland at the mouth of Skeena River, filled his (basket) bucket, and took the water to Lagobola. Then Lagobola drank, and tasted the water of Skeena River. On the following mornhig TxamsEm and Lagobola started to hunt. TxamsEm said, "Go round outside Dundas Island, and I will go mside." Lagobola consented to this; and while they were going along, Lagobola took off his huntmg-cap, and a fog arose. He put it upside down in liis canoe, then a thick fog lay on the surface of the water. TxamsEm lost lus way and paddled about, but his brother Lagobola did not paddle. His canoe was just drifting about. Then TxiimsEm was scared. He cried, and called liis friend. "My ilear Lagobola, I know your supernatural power is stronger than mine. Take pity on me, my dear!" He called out to him again, but Lagobola did not answer. Again he called, and began to cry. He said, "O my dear brother!" Then Lagobola shouted, and said, "What is the matter with you?" Lagobola gathered the fog, took it off from the water, and put it in his cap. Then he put the cap on, and soon the fog cleared away. Then Lagobola asked TxamsEm, "Why are you so full of fear ?" TxamsEm said, "I did not cry, I am only smging in mj'^ canoe." They paddled along toward the mahi- land, and came to the mouth of Skeena River. Then they went up the river, each in his own canoe. When they reached the point where the current runs down, TxiimsEm said, "Let us gamble here!" Lagobola agreed, although he did not care. He said to TxamsEm, "What kind of game shall we play?" TxamsEm replied, "Let us have a shooting-match!" So Lagobola consented. TxiimsEm had said, "Whoever hits this crack shall wm the game — either I or you." He prepared a rock and split it, so that they might shoot at it. "Let us stake Skeena River against Nass River!" Then his brother Lagobola agi-eed. Lagobola had a nice box-quiver, but TxiimsEm had j ust made a bow and arrow. TxiimsEm took two stones, on which they sat down. They talked to each other. TxiimsEm wished to sit nearer to the water than his brother. Lagobola said, "You shoot fu-st, my 1 See p. 63. 70 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 brother!" but TxamsEm replied, "No, let us shoot at the same time!" Lagobola agi-eed, and they shot at the same time. Before they shot, TxamsEm squirted water from liis mouth, and said, "Let Lagobola's arrow fall a Uttle farther over there, and let my arrow hit the goal!" As soon as the brothers shot, Lagobola saw distinctly that his arrow struck the rock, while TxiimsEm's arrow fell a little to one side; but TxiimsEm said, "I hit it!" Lagobola said, "No, I hit it!" but TxamsEm repeated, "I hit it!" He was very glad while he was sayii^.g this. At once Lagobola said, "You won, Brother TxamsEm. Now the olachen will come to Nass River twice every summer;" and TxiimsEm said, "And the sahnon of Skeena River shall always be fat." Thus they divided what TxamsEm had won at Nass River. Then TxamsEm went down to the ocean, and Lagobola went south- ward to the place he had come from. (13) txa'msem and the crab^ TxamsEm went on with Ms raven blanket which his father had given liim, and flew over the ocean. What was he to cat ? At sun- rise he arrived at a sand-spit. He saw a large Crab sitting there, warming himself in the sun. It was very low tide. TxamsEm wanted to kiU him , so he flew to the place where the Crab was sitting, and said, ' ' Let us have a game, grandfather ! " Thus spoke TxamsEm, while he touched the back of the Crab. The Crab rephed, "Oh, no!" TxamsEm did so several times. When the tide turned, the Crab moved away. But TxiimsEm desired very much to have the large Crab. Agam he flew to him, touched him on his back, and said, "Let us have a game, gi-andfather!" The Crab rephed, "Oh, no!" Again he flew and touched him on his back, and said, "Let us have a game, grandfather!" Then the Crab was displeased with TxamsEm, who was sitting close to the water. TxamsEm came again and pushed him, and said, "Let us have a game, gi'andf ather ! " Then the large Crab caught him by the leg and walked slowly down into the water. TxamsEm was scared, for ho was in the claws of the large Crab. He said to the Crab, "Dear grandfather, let me go!" but the CVab would not listen to his request, and walked along the bottom of the sea. Soon the Ci'ab felt that TxiimsEm was dead, and let go of him. TxamsEm came up to the surface of the water and floated there. A light wind blew and drifted lum ashore. Then the tide turned again, and he lay there on the gi'ound. The sun rose up to the middle of the sky and loosened the raven blanket. By and by he opened his eyes, because he had been warmed by the heat of the sun. He arose, and saw some of Ms feathers that had come off. Then he said to himself, scratcMng his head, "My feathers have done well enough." ' Notes, p. 721. BOiS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 71 (14) ORIGIN OF TUE BULLHEAD^ TxamsEm went along the sand-point, and while walking there he was searching for food, but he did not find anythmg. Suddenly, behold! there was a fish in the water. It was not moving. TxamsEm stood there and wept. Ho said to the Fish, " You look like my grandfather,, who died a httle while ago." He wiped the tears from liis eyes, and said, "Come ashore! I want to talk to you a wliilc." Tlie Fish came toward the shore. TxamsEin thought he would kill it. He was much depressed because he was hungry. Now the Fish was almost within his reach, but it swam back into the deep water. The Fish knew Txamssm's intentions, and swam back from the shore, saying, " Do you think I do not know you. Giant ?" Then Giant acted as though he were going to take hold of the Fish, stretched out his hand, and said, "You shall have a thin tail, only your head shall be large and thick." It became the bulllicad. Tlie bulUiead is remarkably stout, because TxamsEin cursed it, and nlade it thin at one end, while the other end is thick. (15) TXa'MSEM FRIGHTENS AWAY THE OWNERS OF A WHALE ^ TxamsEm lived there for a wliile. Soon he made up his mind to go back to the mainland, for he was very hungry. He had bad luck, and he needed something to eat. He flew back over the sea, and soon he came to a village where there were many people. Behold! a large whale lay there on the beach. He had on his raven blanket, and ho flew to the j^lace where the dead whale lay, and said in the Raven lan- guage, " Guldge gag dze el han!" The people were worried to know what the Raven wanted to say. On the followmg day a number of gamblers were together at one place m this village. TxamsEm was sittmg at one end of the gamblers. The people did not know him. They began to talk about what the Raven had said the day before. Therefore the Raven asked what it was that the Raven had been sayhig. Then one of the party told hun that the day before, in the afternoon, a raven flj'ing over the dead whale had turned over above the whale, saymg, " Gulage gag dze el han," and that he had done so several times. "Oh, I see, I understand what he said! Hesaid, 'Maybe a pestilence wiU come to this village within a few days.'" Tlien the people were still more troubled; and when evening came, the chief of the village sent out his slave, and said, " Go out and order the people to move tomorrow morning!" The gi-eat slave ran out and cried, "Great tribe, move!" They did so the foUowing morning. Now, TxamsEm lived in the chief's house. He carved the large whale, and carried the meat into the Ikiusc. Four houses were filled with the meat and fat. He lived there a long time, and ate the whale meat and fat. ' Notes, p. 685. - Notes, p. 0S7. 72 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 (16) txa'msem finds a beautiful blanket.' Now, TxamsEm took one of the chief's dancmg-garmcnts and wore it. He threw away his raven blanket which his father had given him, and went on, not knowing where he went. He went along, and tore his dancing-blanket, and was very poor; but he remembered his raven blanket which he had thrown away. He turned back and searched for his raven blanket a long time. At last he found it, took it up, and put it on, then he was glad to have it back. He went on, and saw a very nice dancing-blanket like the one he had worn before. At once he tore his raven blanket which his father had given him, and took the dancing-blanket that hung before liim. Ho went on, dressed hke a yomig prince; but when he was walking, behold! it was no dancing-garment, but he had on only hchens. He sat there weeping, turned back, and searched for liis raven blanket, tied it together, and walked on, hungry and weeping. As he went along, behold! there were a marten blanket and a dancing-blanket hanging there. So he went toward them, took off liis raven blanket, and wore the marten blanket below, and the dancing-blanket over it. He went on, dressed like a young chief. Then he saw a village before him, and his heart rose in pride; but, behold! his garments were only common moss and lichens. He stood there again weeping, and turned back to search for his raven blanket wliich his father had given him. He found it, put it on, and flew toward the town. (17) txa'msem and his SLAVE ^ Before TxamsEm reached the village he transformed a piece of rot- ten spruce wood into a slave, whom he called Lgum. Then TxiimsEm took a pair of clamshells and made of them ear-ornaments, which he wore as princes wear abalone ear-ornaments. Then TxamsEm said to his slave whom he had made out of spruce wood, " Wlien you see me walking on the beach of that town, say, 'Do you know that a great chief is walking along the beach of your village, great tribe ?'" The slave passed several times, and repeated what his master told him. Sometimes he made a mistake. Then TxamsEm scolded him for his mistakes until he remembered what TxamsEm taught him to say. •They went on, and soon came to the end of the village. TxamsEm walked along the beach in front of the town. Then his slave shouted, and said, " Do you know that a great chief is walking in front of your town, great tribe? He is wearing his abalone ear-ornaments." Then the whole tribe went to see the great chief who had come into their town. The head chief of the town mvited TxiimsEm into his house, and set before him rich food of all kinds. While TxainsEm was eating, he saw that the chief's house was full of dried codfish. ■ Notes, p. 722. 2 Notes, p. 689. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 73 After the evening meal, he called to his slave to go \vith him to refresh themselves for a while. They did so; and when they were behind the house, he opened his mind to the slave. He said, "I saw a house full of dried codfish, so I will pretend to die. Wlien you go in, I will lie down, and some of the codfish oil will di'op into my eye. Then I shall pretend to die of this cause ; and when you tell the people that I am about to die, you shall order the people to move and to leave everything behind. Then, when you put me into the grave-box, don't tie it too tightly." Thus spoke TxamsEm to his slave. They went in again in the evening. Now, TxiimsEm lay down, looked up, and soon some codfish oil dripped into one of his eyes. He pretended to be very sick, because he wanted to have all the codfish in the town. The same night, after a short time, he pre- tended to die. Then all the people wailed for lum. The slave ran out and cried, "Move, great tribe, because the great chief died of the codfish oil!" Tlie people did so. In the morning they moved, and left aU the dried codfish and everything behind. Tlie slave put him into a box, and tied it up with cedar-bark rope. When all the people had left,TxamsEm asked from out of the box, "Have they all left?" The slave said, "Xo." The slave left the box, went to ever}^ house, and ate the best codfish he could find. Tlaen TxamsEm became very desirous of eating it. The slave had tied up the bo.x, and TxamsEm was anxious to get out, but he was unable to open the box. So the slave ate all the codfish he wanted. Then, when the slave had enough, he went to the box, inidid the rope with which he had tied the box, and TxamsEm came out with sad countenance, and ate the codfish that his slave had left. Tliey staid there a little longer, until they had devoured all the codfish in the whole village. (18) txa'msem kills his slave ' They went on and on, until they arrived at a large village. Then TxamsEm ordered his slave to say the same as he had at the last village, where TxiimsEm had pretended to die. TxiimsEm walked along the beach in front of the town. Then his slave shouted, and said, "Do you know that a great chief is walking along the beach in front of your town, great tribe ? He wears a costly pair of abalone ear- ornaments." Then the whole tribe sallied forth from then' houses to see the stranger. One of the head chiefs invited him in, and he entered with his slave and sat down. The chief gave them to eat. First they ate dried salmon, and then the waiters served them crab- apples mixed with grease. Then the chief of the house said, "Lgum, ask your master if he wishes to have crabapples from Galax." Wlien TxamsEm saw these excellent crabapples, he was very desirous of eating them. Therefore he said to his slave in a low voice, "Tell I Notes, p. 691. 74 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. avn. 31 them that I should hke to eat what they have there now." The slave said, "O chief! my master says he does not eat what you have there now, because he is afraid he might die." The chief of the house said, "Oh, I see! Then we will eat it with you, Lgum." Then TxamsEm sat there, looking at his slave angrily. The slave ate all with the chief of the house, but TxamsEm had only very little to cat. After they finished eating, they went out. TxamsEm was still angry with his slave. TxamsEm went first, followed by his slave Gahaya (?). Soon they came to a deep canyon. TxamsEm had placed the dried stem of a skunk-cabbage across, formmg a bridge. lie himself went across first; and when he reached the other side, he called Lgum to come across, but the slave was afraid to follow him. After a while, however, he followed him; and when Lgum reached the middle of the bridge, it broke. Then Lgum fell into the deep canyon, and his belly burst. Wlien TxamsEm saw what had happened, and saw the food of which he had not been able to partake, he flew down to the bottom of the canyon and ate the contents of the slave's stomach. TxamsEm simply took the food wath both his hands and ate it all. After he had eaten, he flew up from the bottom of the canyon. (19) FISHERMEN BREAK OFF TXa'mSEM's JAW* Again TxamsEm was very hungry. lie went on, not knowing which way to turn. Behold! he came out of the woods near a large town. There were people out m front of the town, fishing for halibut. TxamsEm thought they might have much bait on their hooks and that he would eat it. He dived and saw the bait. He took it off from the hooks and ate it. Then TxiimsEm went from one hook to another, eating all the bait. Thus the bait of all the fishermen had disappeared, and they did not know how it had happened. Finally one of the fisher- men caught TxamsEm's jaw. His jaw was caught on one of the hooks. Then the fisherman pulled up his line, and TxamsEm was pulled up. He offered resistance, but could not take the hook out of his mouth, and he held on to the rocks at the bottom of the sea. Then the fisher- men assembled, and hauled together at the fishing-line. TxamsEm had said to the rocks to which he held at the bottom of the sea, "Help me, rocks of the bottom!" and finally he said to his jaw, "Break off, jaw! I am gettmg tired now." Then his jaw broke off, and the fisherman hauled up the liae easily. Behold! the fishermen saw come up on the hook the great jaw with a long beard. Some of them laughed, but others were scared. They all went ashore at once, and all the people assembled in the chief's house. They looked at the great jaw, and were surprised to see a man's jaw with a long beard caught on a halibut hook. On the following day the gam- blers assembled at one place on the beach of the town. There they 1 Notes, p. 684. BOiS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 75 looked at the great jaw. It was a man's jaw. Now TxamsEm went ashore and came out of the water. He was in great pain because his j aw had been broken off. Then he said to himself, " I am always doing something to m^yself." Soon he arrived in the town, and saw the gamblci's sitting on the beach. So he went toward them; and while the people were looking at the man's great jaw, TxiimsEm came and sat down at the end of the line of people that were sitting there. He saw the people looking at the great jaw. The people handed it around and looked at it. After a little while TxamsEm held his blanket over his mouth to cover his lost jaw; and when he saw his great jaw, he stretched out his hand and said, "Give it to me! Let me look at it!" He took it and looked at it, examining it and turning it over and over. He said, "Oh, that is wonderful!" He made the people forget it, put it on, and ran away, and then the people recog- nized him. They said, "That is TxamsEm, the cheater." TxamsEm ran away as fast as he could. Then his jaw was well again. (20) txa'msem and the hunter ' TxiimsEm went on; and as soon as he came to the beach, he saw a hunting-canoe coming around the point, and four men m the canoe. He thought that the hunters would have with them many animals that they had caught, and he said to himself, "I will pretend to be a woman." Wlien the hunters' canoe approached, he assumed the shape of a woman. When the chief of the hunters saw the young woman walking along the shore, he said, "Let us take her on board our canoe!" They agreed, went ashore, and took her aboard. The chief wanted to marry her. The young woman carried a child along. The hunters camped in the evening, and the child was crymg. Its mother said, "The child wants to have a gisox.- That is why it cries." Then the young man cooked seal and gave it to the woman to let the child eat of it. Wlien the men were all asleep, TxamsEm arose and ate all the animals that the hunters had. Early on the following morning the chief of the hunters arose, and saw that his new wife looked like a man: therefore he shouted to wake up his companions. TxiimsEm arose first; and the chief of the hunters said, "That is you, TxamsEm, cheater!" TxamsEm ran away, and his child flew away into the woods as a crow. (21) txa'msem and THE CHILDREN^ TxamsEm came to another village, and saw many little children playing at the end of the town. They were throwing pieces of wliale blubber at one another. TxamsEm went toward them, stej^ped in ' Notes, p. 692. 2 The meaning of this word is unknown to me.— F. B. ' Notes, p. 6S6. 76 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 among the children, and ate the blubber with which they were plaj-iag. He ate all the blubber which the children were throwing at one another. Then the children stood there quietly, wondering what had become of it. TxamsEm questioned them. "Children, where did you get this blubber?" One of the largest boys told him where they got it. He said, "We climb up a tree and throw ourselves down. When we strike the ground, we say, 'High piles of our blubber,' arid at once there are high piles of blubber." Therefore TxamsEm also climbed up a tree which the children had pointed out to him. It was a very tall one. When he reached the top of the tall tree, he threw himself down; and before he touched the ground, he shouted as the children had told him, "High!" TxamsEm struck the ground. Then the children went up to him, looked, and saw that he was dead. The children laughed at him, and left him there. After a little while TxamsEm opened his eyes. He looked about, but he did not find anything to eat; but he had pains all over hLs body. He lay there on the ground, very sick from his fall from the top of the tall tree. (22) TXa'mSEM and THE SALMON WOMAN* When TxamsEm recovered from his sickness, he went on, very hun- gry and distressed. He went down to the beach and buUt a small house, made a canoe and a spear. One day he went out to try to spear something to eat. It was a calm day. TxamsEm took up his spear, when a fog arose. It lay on the surface of the water. After a while tlie fog cleared away, and TxamsEm beheld a bright and fair woman sitting in the bow of liis canoe. TxamsEm smiled at her, and she also smiled at him. TxamsEm said to the bright and fair woman, "I wish to marry you. " Thus spoke TxamsEm to her. The woman said at once, "Just take care. Giant! I am the Salmon. Do not do me any harm. " Thus said Bright-Cloud Woman to him. TxamsEm rephed to her, who was now his wife, "Come, mistress, let us go home to our house ! " They went ashore, and came to the beach in front of TxamsEm's house. As soon as they had gone in, TxamsEm begged Bright-Cloud Woman to cause the salmon to appear in the brook that was at the right side of TxamsEm's little house. Bright-Cloud Woman dechned. Early the following morning Bright-Cloud Woman arose quietly, went down to the creek, and put her toes into the water. At once a great many spring salmon jumped in the water. Then she woke her husbancl, and said, "See how the salmon are jumping at the mouth of the creek!" He arose and saw the spring salmon near the mouth of the creek. TxamsEm was glad. Then Bright-Cloud Woman called her husband to comb his hair. TxamsEm's hair was very ugly. His wife combed it way down his back, and sh.e changed TxamsEm's hair into blond hair. She also ' Notes, p. 66S. boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 77 made his rough skin soft and wliite. TxamsEm loved his wife very mucli. Soon tlie spring sahnon were coming up the river. TxamsEm went down and chibbed them, and Bright-Cloud Woman went and got them, and TxamsEm got poles and hung the salmon on them to dry. Earh' the following morning Bright-Cloud Woman went down to the creek again. She went into the water, and let the water come up to her knees. At once there were sahnon jumping. She came out of the water, went to her husband, and awakened him. She said, "The creek is full of silver salmon. " TxamsEm arose, went down, and saw the sUver salmon. The river was almost dried up, so full was it of salmon. On the foUowuig day Txam^sm went to his canoe to get wood to smoke his wife's salmon. He took along some salmon which he was going to eat while he was gettuig wood. "VMien he came to a place where he was going to get wood, ravens were flying over him, because they noticed the salmon in TxamsEm's canoe, and TxamsEm had nothing to cover his salmon with. Many ravens assembled, and TxamsEm did not want to leave his salmon in the canoe, and he also wanted very much to get wood to smoke all his wife's salmon. So finally he took out one of his eyes to watch the salmon in the canoe; and he commanded his eye, "If any ravens should come to the canoe, call me, and I will come and drive them away. I don't want them to eat my salmon. I am going to cut wood a Uttle farther out there. If they come to the canoe, then call me; and when I call you from out there, you shall answer so that I know that you are still in my canoe. " Then he went. As soon as he had gone, the ravens came into the canoe; and his eye shouted, "My eye, my eye! these ravens are about to devour me!" TxamsEm repUed, "Hide under the stern-board!" His eye repUed, "I have done so, j-et the ravens are about to devour me." TxamsEm went back quickly, and called to his eye while he was going back, "My eye, my eye! hide under the stern-board! Oh, my eye!" Soon he came down to the canoe, but both his eye and his salmon were gone. He had lost everything. He stood there on the shore, and he had not a chip of wood; so he went aboard his canoe and went home, very sad. Soon he reached his camp. His beautiful wife came down to meet him on the beach. She asked him, ""Why do you look so sad, my dear?" TxamsEm said to her, "A raven took away my salmon and also my eye, and so I did not get any wood. " Then his wife said, "I will make a new eye for you, better than the old one." TxamsEm went up to his house with his sore eye. His wife went up to the place where he lay, and said, " I wiU wash your eye-socket. " She took water, washed his eye, and made a new one for him, so that it was better than before. TxamsEm was very glad, 78 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [rrn. ann. 31 for he had a new eye, and he loved his wife very much. The woman loved him really until their salmon was all dried. Then TxiimsEm went into the river and clubbed all the salmon. He built two large houses, and filled them with good dried sabnon. Now TxamsEm's food became plentiful, for his wife was drying sal- mon, and she was roasting some of them. Their tlu'ce houses were fuU, and there was no place where TxamsEm did not put away the dried saknon. Bright-Cloud Woman did thus so many times throughout the year, that there was no room for any more dried salmon. All the storehouses of TxamsEm were fuU of bundles of good dried salmon. Therefore they ceased to make more dried salmon. On the following day he went and took a walk on the sandy beach next to the house. Bright-Cloud Woman staid at home. In the afternoon TxamsEm came home, and his wife stepped up to him and asked him whetlier he wanted his supper. \Mien TxilmsEm said "Yes," Bright-Cloud Woman gave Mm to eat. The following morning he went out very early, and came back in the evening. His kind wife was ready to give him supper. For four days they acted tlxis way. Then TxamsEm became proud because he had so much food. He spoke angrily to his wife when he came home late in the evening. Finally he asked his wife, "Did any one visit you while I was away?" Thus spoke TxiimsEm to his fair wife. Then his good wife spoke with kindly words. "O master, what do you think! Who should visit me in this lonely place?" But TxamsEm was angiy. Bright-Cloud Woman said to her husband, "Have pity on me, my dear! No stranger has done any mischief to me. I love you most. " Thus said Bright-Cloud Woman to her husband. Then TxamsEm said, "I have been gambling every day, and at one time I was always gaining; but now I am losing everything I have. So I know that some man is visiting you." Thus spoke TxiimsEm to his wife. The good woman wept. TxamsEm arose, went out, and his wife followed him secretly. TxamsEm had gone to the first point where he sat down and was gambling with a stump. Bright- Cloud Woman came secretly to where he was, and saw her husband gambUng with the large stump. She went away secretly. In the evening TxamsEm came home to his kind wife in a rage. One day TxiimsEm dressed up. He was gomg to take a walk. His wife combed his hair as she used to do every morning. He arose, and tried to go out; but the backbone of the spring salmon caught in his hair, and he scolded it. He took it and threw it into the corner of the house, saying, "You come from the naked body of a woman, and you catch my hah-!" Bright-Cloud Woman just hung her head and cried, but TxamsEm laughed at his wife and went out. Just before evening TxamsEm came in, and again the backbone of the sprmg salmon caught in his long blond hair. TxamsEm was very BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 79 angry, and tlirew it into the corner of the house. He said again, "You come from the naked body of a woman, and you catch my long blond hau'!" Bright-Cloud Woman arose at once. She said to the dried Salmon, "Come, my tribe, let us go back!" Thus she said to them. She stood up and whistled. Then all the dried Salmon flew out of the house; and while the dried Salmon were flymg away, TxamsEm's blond hair became scorched and turned back to its own natural color, and his own rough skin came back again. And while his blond hair was bemg scorched, he tried to take hold of its end, and said, "You should not do that, hau-;" and he was uglier than before. Then Bright-Cloud Woman started, and led her tribe, the dried Salmon, and they all went into the water. TxJimsEm tried to put his arms around his wife, but her body was like smoke, and his arms went tlu-ough her, for she was a cloud. TxamsEm came to be very poor, and had nothing to eat and was very hungry. He was there all alone, no one to comfort hun. He had lost all his provisions, and his beautiful wife had gone. His blond hair was scorched, and his soft white skm had become rough again. He sat down in the house, weeping and sori-owful on account of the things he had lost. (23) txa'msem makes war ox the soltii wind ' TxamsEm continued to live alone in his little hut. It had been bad weather all the time since his wife had left hmi, for the south wind was blowing hard, and he could not get anythmg to eat. All the people were also unable to get then- food, and they were starving. They were also unable to get any fish; for the halibut, red cod, black cod, and others would not bite, and the fishermen could not get any bait on account of the bad weather. They all were very much distressed. TxamsEm's eyes were sore on account of the smoke which the south wind blew down thi'ough the smoke hole, and which filled his little hut. Then TxJimsEm called all the Fish. When they were in his house, he said, "O my father's tribe! let us consider if we can not get something to eat, the weather always being so bad! We shall soon die of starvation if we always stay at home on account of the bad weather." Then the Devilfish arose, and said at once, "O chief! I will speak what is in my mind. Let us go and make war against the Master Of The South Wind, that we may not all die of starvation!" Then the Halibut also arose, and said, "I am much pleased with what my friend said. Let us go and make war against him, lest we and our children die!" The Fish agreed to go and make war against the Master Of The South Wmd." Then the DevUfish also said, "Let us borrow the canoe of our brother Killer Whale, for he has a strong canoe, which can be used in a gale ! " The Fish consented, ^ The form of the following story is influenced by the Kwakiutl tale printed in-Boas and Hunt, Kwakiut Texts (Publications of the Jemp Iforth Pacific Ezvedition. vol. m, p. 350).— Notes, p. 658.— F. B. 80 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 ami he sent the Red Cod to borrow the canoe of the Killer Whale. The chief of the Killer Whales gave it to them, and they took it home. Then the Halibut arose, and stood up before TxamsEm, and said, "I come to tell you the wishes of our people, what they want you to do, dear TxamsEm! They say that you shall devise a way how we can make war against the Master Of The South Wind." So TxamsEm said to him, "Go and ask my brothers to get ready; we will go tomor- row;" aiid the Halibut went to report to the people what TxamsEm had said. Then TxamsEm begged his companions, Devilfish and Halibut, to sit in the stern of the canoe. When they were all aboard the large Killer- "Wliale canoe, one of the shellfish was also among the number. It was Cockle. Cockle decided to kick the Master Of The South Wind down the beach when they arrived there. Early in the mornmg they launched their canoe, and all the people went aboard. The Devilfish and the Halibut were sitting m the stern, and the Cockle and Red Cod in the bow, to watch any danger that might come to them on their way. Then KOler Wlialo went agamst the South Wind, going southward toward the town of the Master Of The South Wind. They were going a long time, and the Coclde always said, "I will kick the Master Of The South Wind down to the beach when we get there." TxamsEm heard what Cockle said; and when they saw the village, TxamsEm advised his three companions, Devil- fish, Halibut, and Cockle: "You shall go ashore first, and we others will stay in the canoe with the whole crew. Your comjjanion Halibut shall lie down at the door of the house of the Master Of The South Wind. Devilfish shall hide on one side of the door, so that he may suck out the Master Of Tlie South Wind, who shall then slip on the Halibut when the Cockle kicks him down the beach in front of his house." Thus spoke TxamsEm. Then he stopped speaking, for he had arrived at the beach in front of the house of the Master Of The South Wind. Halibut went ashore first, and lay down at the door of the house of the Master Of The South Wind. Devilfish remained sitting in the canoe. Then Cockle jumped out of the canoe and went to the door of the house. Tliere he opened his shell when he entered the house. He saw the Master Of The South Wind lying with his back toward the door of the house; and he was always breaking wind, therefore the south wind was blowing hard all the time. The Cockle tried to go toward the Master Of The South Wind. He opened his shell and tried to kick the Master Of The South Wind, but in vain. He tried in every way, but could not do it. Finally TxamsEm called hun down, so the Cockle went down to the canoe. TxamsEm took him up and broke him. He said to him, while he was breaking him, "I will break this braggart," and he ate hun. Then Red Cod jum{)ed into the house. He took his fire-drill and dr'dled. Soon he obtained fire. He took red-cedar bark from under his blanket and put it on BOAS] ' TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 81 the burninji fire. Thus he made a thick smoke in the house of the Master Of The South Wmd. The Master Of The South Wind began to cough and to sneeze. Then Red Cod jumped out again. Now the chief, tlie Master Of The Soutli Wind, coughed and sneezed very hard. He arose, and kept going ))ack\vard, on and on. He stumbled because he was coughing so hard. He came to the door of his house; and when he stepped on the HaUbut, he sHpped on him, and slid right down to the Killer-\¥hale canoe. Then Devilfish sucked, and kept him from going back. TxamsEm said to his people, "Kill him with stones, kill him right away!" Thus spoke TxamsEm to his com- panions. Then he spoke again, and said, "Go on, warriors, club and kill hun ! " Then the chief, the Master Of The South Wind, spoke at once, and said, "O Chief TxamsEm! why do you intend to do this to me ? " TxamsEm said at once, ' ' O chief, Master Of The South Wind ! I do this because we always have bad weather." Then the Master Of The South Wind spoke again, and said, "There shall be alternately one fine day and one bad day." TxamsEm said at once, "Kill him! for what is the use of one day fine and another bad weather ? Wliat does that help us ? " Then the chief, the Master Of The South Wmd, spoke agam, and said, "There shall be two good days in succession." TxamsEm said, "I don't want that, either. Go on, kill him ! " Thus spoke TxamsEm to his warriors. Then the chief, the Master Of The South Wind, said, "It shall always be summer in your world." TxamsEm said, "That is too much. It is enough to have four days fine weather at a time." Thus said TxamsEm to the chief, the Master Of The South Wind. Then TxamsEm said again, "O chief, Master Of The South Wind ! don' t lie, else we shall come again and make war on you." Now, Devilfish let go of him. He went up to the beach, and entered his house. TxamsEm called Halibut and Devilfish and Red Cod. They all went aboard the canoe and returned home. When they arrived on the beach of TxamsEm's house, TxamsEm said at once, "Go to your places, for I have been to make war against the Master Of The South Wind, and he promised that it would be good weather for four days at a time." Thus spoke TxamsEm to them before they left him. Each went to his own house. Soon some went to dig clams, others went to get bait ; and others went to search for their own kind of food. Still others went fishing; and therefore nowadays we have good weather in our world. (24) TXa'mSIDM makes A GIRL SICK AND THEN CtTRES HER' TxamsEm went on, not knowing which way to turn. He was very hungry, staying in a lonely place. After a while he came to the end of a large town. He saw m-any people walking about, and he was afraid to let himself be seen. TxamsEm sat down there; and on the foDow- 1 Notes, p. 722. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 6 82 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [btii. axx. 31 ing day, while he was still sitting there, he saw a largo canoe being launched on the beach. Aboard were many young women who went to pick blueberries. Then TxamsEm thought how he could enter the great town. Finally it occurred to him to catch a deer. He went into the woods and caught a deer, skinned it, put on the skui, and then swam in front of the large canoe which was full of yoimg women who were gomg to pick blueberries. Among them was a young princess, the daughter of the master of that large town. TxamsEm saw that she was among the young women. She was sitting near the middle of the large canoe, between two women. Now, they saw the stag s\vimming along in front of the canoe. Then the princess said to her companions, "Let us pursue him!" They did so They paddled along, and soon they caught and lulled the stag, and took him into the canoe. TxamsEm thought, "Let them put me down in front of the princess!" and then they took him into the canoe and placed him in front of the princess, as TxamsEm had wished them to do. Then they paddled along toward the place where the blue- berries were. Before they reached the blucbeny-patch, the deer moved his hind leg and kicked the piincess in the stomach. Then he leaped out of the canoe and ran into the woods. The princess fainted when she received the woimd, and therefore the young women turned back and went home. The piincess became worse as they went along. Finally they reached the beach in front of the house of the head chief. They told the people what had happened to them on their journey. Then they took the piincess up to her father's house. A great number of people were following them. The chief was very sorrowful because his only daughter was hurt. He called together all the wise men, and asked them what he shoidd do to cure his daughter. The wise men told him to gather all the shamans, and let them try to cure her woimd. There was a woimd imder her ribs made by the hind leg of the deer. Then the chief ordered his attendants to call all the shamans. The attendants went and called all the shamans. They gathered in the chief's great house. Then the shamans worked over her with their supernatural powers, but they all failed. The wound could not be cured by the super- natural powers of the shamans. The girl became worse and worse, until she was very ill. Still the shamans worked on, day and night. Three days had passed, and the many shamans had been working in vain. On the fourth day, behold! before the evening set in a canoe filled with yomig men came to town. They came ashore, and some people went down to meet them. Then the people who were going down saw a shaman sitting in the middle of the canoe. They went up quickly and told the chief that a shaman had come to town. Therefore the chief sent to hun, asking him to cure his only daughter. (This shaman was TxamsEm, and the crew of his canoe were his BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 83 grandchildren the Crows.) In the evening, when he came in, he saw the princess lying there very ill, for he had hurt her a few days before ; and all the shamans who had failed before were sitting along the wall on one side of the house. TxamsEm pretended to be a shaman. He sat down near the head of the princess, who was lying downa ; and all the yoimg men followed him, carrying a large box which contained his magic powers. He took charcoal and nibbed it on his face, and rubbed ashes over it. He put on the crown of bcai-s' claws, placed a ring of red-cedar bark aroimd his neck, and put on his shaman's dancing-apron, and took up his large shaman's rattle. He started with beating of the drum; and after the drumming and beatmg, he began his song; and when they were singing, they pronoimced these words : "Let the mighty hail fall on the roof of this chief's house, On the roof of this chief's house. On the roof of this chief's house! " and as the singers pronoimced these words, hail beat on the roof of the chief's house terribly. (Before TxamsEm arrived in the town, he had ordered some of his grandchildren the Crows to take each a small white stone in his mouth, and said, "T\Tien we pronomice the words of our song, then drop the stones on the roof of the chief's house." Thus had TxamsEm spoken to his grandchildren the Crows, and they had done so.) When the mighty haU ceased, TxamsEm said, "Biing me a mat of cedar bark." They brought him the mat, and he spread it over the princess to cover her. He himself also went imder it with the girl, touched the wound, said, "Be cured, wound imder the right ribs!" and so it happened. Then the chief was very glad because his daughter had been cured of her iUness. He gave TxamsEm all khids of food. Now, the chief spoke to the shaman after he had fed him, and said, "Ask me whatever you wish, and I win give it to you." Then he made a promise tmto him: "Whatever you may ask me, I will give it to you, my dear, good, and true supernatural man, — you, who are possessed of supernatural powers, — for you have succeeded in restoring my only daughter." Then TxamsEm looked aroimd and smiled. He said, "What I want is that you shoidd move, and leave for me all the provisions you have; for my yoimg men have nothing, because we have no time to obtain our own provisions, for wo are going aroimd all the time healing those who need us." Then the chief ordered his slaves to go out, and ordered the people to move on the next day. Then the slaves ran out, cryuig, "Leave, great tribe, and leave your provisions behind!" The people did so. They left in the moriiuig, and left all their food, according to the order of their master. TxamsEm was very glad, because now he had much food. On the following day he took a walk; and while he was absent, his grandchildren assembled, 84 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn. 31 opened many boxes of crabapples mixed with fjjrease, and ate them all. Wien TxamsEni came h(ime from his walk, behold ! lie saw all the empty boxes, and he knew that his grandchildren had done this. (25) txa'msem pretends to build a canoe ' TxamsEm did still another thing. After he had visited every country, he found a httle hut in which were two women — a widow and her daughter; and the widow was very kind to him, and fed him with many kinds of food. Mter TxamsEm had eaten, he said to the widow, "I wiU marry your daughter, " and the widow agreed. Then TxamsEm was glaang all the time, and the big TxamsEm walking slowly after him. Every time the Tomtit jumped, he said, "Tsiap, isiap!" aU along their way. Wlien he said ''Tswp!" he meant, "This way, old friend!" Before they arrived at the town of Chief Wolf, Tomtit came to TxamsEm's side, and said, "Now I will go bark home, for I am afraid of the Wolves." Thus he said to TxitmsEm. TxiimsEm saw the smoke rising from the village of Chief Wolf, and he was glad to see the smoke yonder. He walked on quickly, and arrived at the end of the village. Some young men came out to meet him; and when they reached him, they ran around him, taking up his scent. Txam- sEm was afraid of them, because they were smelling around him. The young men asked him where he came from and where he was going. He replied, "I just intended to visit Chief Wolf's village, since I promised to come back again, and now I am back here." The young men continued to ask him, "With whom have you been all this time?" TxamsEm said, "I just want to see Chief Wolf." Then they led him to the house of their chief. As soon as TxamsEm entered, all the people m the house raised their noses because they smclled the bloody wound in TxiimsEm's body. Therefore the chief asked him, "What has happened, that your bodv is fillod with .50633°— 31 ETH— IG 7 98 TSIMSIIIAN MYTHOLOGV lETii. ANN. 31 blood?" TxamsEm replied, saying, "As I was going to got my hunting-gear, I met a person on tlic way — a man and his wife and his two children. He asked me to accompany him to his hunting- ground. I did so, and went with him. One morning I went hunthig with him, and I killed more mountain sheep than he did, and also some black bears. Then I went home to fetch my family to our camp. On the following morning we went again to his hunting- ground, and I killed more than I did before. Therefore he was angry with me, and struck me with his club; and I fell to the ground, and lay there for a while. He also cut my belly and took out my intestines, and he threw me down a steep cliff. I must have lain there a long time; but at last I revived, and I tried to get up, but I was weak. After a while I felt a little better. I remember that you were a kind friend to me, and so I have come here to see you before I die." Then Chief Wolf questioned him, and asked, " How far is that from here?" — ^"Oh, it is quite a long way off." — "How many days since it happened?" He answered, "P^our or live days ago." — "Have you had anything to eat since that time?" — "Oh, no!" Chief Wolf took pity on TxJimsEm wlicn he told his story, and he asked TxiimsEm whether it was a long way off, because he wanted to take revenge on TxiimsEm's enemy. Chief Wolf believed the deceitful TxamsEm. Now, Chief Wolf ordered his attendants to give his friend TxiimsEm fat food, and they did as the chief had ordiered them. They gave him all kinds of rich meat and fat. Therefore TxamsEm became well again, for he was eating rich food every day. He staid among the Wolves for a long time. Every house was full of rich meat and of fat; but he was not satisfied, for he wanted the rich food for himself. So, on the following evening, as soon as he had finished eating, he said to Chief Wolf, "I will go out with your young men when they go out hunting. I think I can do better than they." Thus he said. Chief Wolf smiled, and said, "All right, friend! I hope they won't leave you behind, for my attend- ants run as quickly as birds fly, so I am afraid that they will leave you behind." In the evening all the young men made ready for the next day, and very early the following morning they started. TxamsEm was up also. They all went, and TxamsEm accompanied two young Wolves. As soon as they arrived at the foot of one of the high mountains, they looked up, and, behold! the top of the moun- tain was full of mountain sheep. TxamsEm said to his companions, "I will remain here while you go up there." The two young Wolves consented. They climbed up one side of the high mountain, trying to get up to the mountain sheep. Soon they arrived there; and the two young Wolves killed almost all of them, and threw them down one side of the high mountain, letting them slide down to TxiimsEm. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 99 When the}^ had thrown down ;dl I hey had killed, they refreshed themselves; and TxamsEm gathered all the game, covered it with hemlock leaves, and left only four or five nncovered. When the two young men had refreshed themselves, they went down, and found very few carcasses. TxilmsEm sat there without saying anything. They asked him, "Are these mountain sheep all that came down V — "Yes, that is all." Then the t^<^o young men raised their noses to smell, and soon found the pile of hemlock leaves. They scratched them off, and found the animals. Then they asked TxamsEm, "Who hid those animals here?"— "Where?" said he. "I did it, for I was afraid that some one might come and take them away, for you staid away a long time." So they took them all out, and gathered them in one pile. TxiimsEm was ashamed. Therefore the two young Wolves went away, howling, until all the Wolves gathered together to carry the carcasses down. They all took them down to the chief's house. TxamsEm came down also. Now, Chief Wolf's house was full of mountain sheep, and all the Wolves were glad. TxiimsEm sat there alone. No one spoke a word to him. Then tlie chief gave a great feast to his people. TxiimsEm looked pitifully at the chief's face; therefore Chief Wolf fed him with good food. Wlien the feast was over, two young men went secretly to the chief, and told him that his friend had hidden the animals that they killed before they came down. After these men had spoken. Chief Wolf asked his friend how he liked hunting. TxiimsEm said, "It delighted me verv mucli, sir."--" Will you go again with these men?" — "Yes," was his answer, "but I want to go alone." — "All right! you shall go." On the followuig morning the men started out hunting again, and TxamsEm went last. He followed secretly behind them. Soon two young men saw that on the top of a mountain there were manv mountain sheep. They went up, and TxiimsEm looked at them secretly. They killed as many as they could, and let them slide down the side of the high mountain. Then they lay do\\Ti on the ground on top of the mountain to refresh themselves. After they had been there some time, TxamsEm took many carcasses down to the beach and hid them from the Wolves. The two yoinig men missed some of the mountain she(>p; but they smelled all along the way that TxiimsEm had dragged them, and so they soon found the pile of carcasses. They questioned TxiimsEm, who was standing by these carcasses. "Wlio dragged them down here? Wliero are they?" — "I killed them myself." — "No, you dragged them down here." These two young men were angry with him. So one of them went away, and the other one remained to watch over the game; and the one that had gone away began to howl. Soon all the Wolves came that way, howling; but TxiimsEm stood there, 100 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ixx. 3i ready for them, put on his raven {rarmont , and flew away. The chief's son decided to kill the man who had dragged dowTi these animals. They rushed at him; but TxamsEm ran as fast as he could toward alog that floated a little way out on the water. He flew, and alighted on it. Then the Wolves went away with the carcasses, but TxiimsEm paddled to the north country on the floating log. He drifted to Cape Fox with the tide. Therefore the canoes do not capsize in stormy weather when they cross over there. We people from vai'ious villages came to him to buy dried meat from him, and he became a very rich man. He had many valleys for his himt- ing-groimd, and he built a hut in each valley to dry meat and tallow. He had four valleys as his hunting-ground. Every year he went to his first camp; and after he had killed all the porcupines there, he went to the next camp; and when he had killed aU there, he went to another camp; and so on. He made a good club of yew wood with which to club porcupines after smoking them out of their dens; and when they ran out, he clubbed them and slew them. Therefore all the porcupines were in distress on accoimt of this man. One year this himter started earher than other yeara. He went to camp in his four valleys, and obtained a great number of porcupines. WTien he had fUIed three of his huts, he went to his last hunting-groimd ; and as soon as he arrived thei'e, he went out alone to look over the large rock above his hut; and when he arrived there, he saw a large porcupine of brown color going aromid the foot of a large spruce tree which stood in front of the rock. He ran after it, and, behold! there was a large door opened for him, and a large fire was burning in the center of a large house. He was invited in; so he entered, and they spread a mat on one side of the fire; and a great chief was there, seated in the rear of his house. He ordered his young men, and said, "Rim around the village and invite all the women to my house, ' Notes, p. 723. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 109 that I may dance and welcome my guest!" So they went. WTien all the women were in, the Porcupine arose and began to dance; and the song-leader began to sing, "Pronounce my name, pronounce my name! Strike, strike!" Repeat many times. l8^i^^^^j^^^5 ^yE^^Ei^=-L-_^ ^^ Aitgul wai - ya, aitgul wai - ya, yetsl yetsl. Porcupine ran around his own large fire; and after he had sung, he stood in front of his guest, and said to him, "Pronoimce my name, brother! Wtat is mj- name?" Thus he said, while he stood in front of him. Then the hunter said, "Your name is Little Porcu- pine." — "Yes, my name is that," said Chief Porcupuie, and stnick the himter's face with liis spiny tail. Then they began to sing again, and Chief Porcupme danced once more, while the himter's face was full of porcupine^ quilis. At the end of the song the chief stopped in front of the himter, and said, "Now, brother, what is my name ?" The hunter said, "Your name is I^ittle Ugl}' Porcuprne. " Again the chief struck the hunter's face with his spiny taU, and said, "That is my name. " They sang again, and Chief Porcupine ran aroimd the fire, while his attendants ki-pt on smging. Again he stopped in front of the hunter, and said, "What is my name, brother?" The man said, "Your name is Little Burnt One. " Again the chief struck him with his spiny tail, sapng, "Yes, that is myname," and the himter's fact- was full of porcupine quills. It was swollen so that he could hardly see out of his eyes. Again Chief Porcupine ran around the fire while they were singing, and agaiia he stopped in front of tlie lumter, and asked, "What is my name, brother?" Then the poor himter said, "Your name is Little Lean Fellow." — "Yes, that is my name," said Porcupine, and stinick the hunter's face with his spiny tail. He ran around again, and his attendants kept on singing, for this was the last chance for the man's hfe. Then somebody touched hun softly. It was the Mouse Woman. She asked him, "Do you laiow who has pmiished you?" The poor blind himter said, "No." — "It is the chief of the Porcupines," said Mouse Woman, "because you killed so many in years past.'' The Mouse Woman was speaking to him wliile Porcupine was singing. "Now, this is the last time. At the end of thi^ song the Porcupines will strike you all over your body with their s])iny tails if j'ou do not give the right answer to the chief's question. His name is Sea Otter On Green Mountain. " WTiilc the Mouse Woman was stOl talking to him, the smging ceased, and all the Porcupines were ready to rush on him. Then the chief stopped in front <>f him. and said, "Now, what is my name, 110 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY tEm. a.nx. 31 (loar man?" Then the pour man answered in a low voice, "Your name is Sea Otter On Green Mountain. " Then Chief Poi'cupLne ordered his peoj^le to wasli th(^ face of the poor man ; and all the Porcupines worked at his face, and took out the green contents of the stomach of the firet wife of Cliief Porcupine, and they rubbed it on the face of the himter, for it was full of quills. Then the quills came out again by themselves; and they took the contents of the stomach of the second wife of Qiief Porcupine and rubbed it on his face, and more cjuills came out, and the man's face be- came better than it had been before. Then the contents of the stomach of the third wife was nibbed on his face, and the swelling on his face became less, the quills became loose and fell out. Then the contents of the stomach of the fourth wife was rubbed on his face, and all the quills came out. Not a single one remamed Ln the face of the himter. Chief Porcupine had been chewing new green leaves. Then he spat in his hands and rubbed the face of the man, whose face became as beautiful as it had been when he was a boy. Then Chief Porcupine ordered his attendants to give food to the hunter. Therefore they brought fat mountain-sheep meat and many different kinds of food, and fruits of all kinds; and when the hunter felt satisfied after he had eaten, the chief said to him, "I will be your fri(>nd. My people are full of sorrow because you have slain great numbers of them, so I have taken you into my house to kill you right here; but since you have pronoimced my chief's name rightly, I will spare your life. Now, I will ask you kindly not to smoke the porcupines out of their dens; and if you need porcupine meat, do not kill so many of them; and when you have killed one or more, dry their meat in a good fire and eat them before winter sets in, so that my people may not have any sickness in winter, and cast their bones into the fire; and do not let yoiu- yomig people eat the heads of yomig porcupines, lest they become forgetful." Therefore the Indians know how to use the contents of the stomach of the porcupme when porcupine quilLs stick m the bodies of our people. Then the himter went out from that place to his own hut, w^here his wife was sitting weeping because her husband had been away for many days. While the woman was sitting there, she heard a noise at the door. She turned her face, and saw her husband come in. She was surprised, and questioned him, and the himter told her that he had been to the house of Chief Porcupine. Then they moved and went home. They took all the porcupine meat from the other camps ; and when he had taken them all home, he invited the people to his house, and told them what had happened and how he had been punished in the house of Chief Porcupine. Therefore the people nowadays know that tlie Porcupine is troubled by the people. Porcupine is an animal that knows how to sing. Porcupines know every tune in existence. boas] tsimshian myths 111 4. The Stoky of (ikizzly Beak axd Beaver' There was a great lake close to Skeena River, where many beavers liuilt their houses, because it was deep water and a safe hiding-place and good shelter for them in %vinter-timc. There were many old houses, and new ones as well. They thought that their dangerous enemies could not reach them. One day the beavers thought there was no danger near them. Therefore they left their houses and went out for fresh an-, and they covered the melting ice. It was early in spring when the animals awoke from their winter sleep and came out of theu' dens. The Grizzly Bear had just come out from liis winter sleep, and as soon as he came out he saw many beavers that covered the ice. He went there secretly, fell on them, and killed many of them. Some of them escaped to their houses in the lake; but the great Grizzly Bear hunted them to their houses, and slew many of them in their houses, and they were very sad. The great Grizzly Bear, however, was happy because he had much food, and the poor weak beavers were much distressed. He thought that these beavers would last him through the summer, and finally only one beaver escaped from his paws. Tliis poor Beaver went away down into the water, and the great ■ Grizzly Bear was eating the beaver meat ; and when he had enough, he lay do^vn and slept among the slain beavers. The poor lonely Beaver hid in th(^ deep water and thought about her great enemy. Then she plamicd to make false ground on one side of the lake. So she took wet soft moss and put it at the butt end of a fallen tree which stretched over the water at one side of the great lake. She did so in the night, for she was afraid to work in the daytime. She made it look hke dry land ai'ound the old fallen tree. At the end of the summer the salmon were in the creeks. Now, the great Grizzly Bear's beaver meat was all gone, and the great dreadful thing was very hungry. He was walking around the lake, searching for something to eat; and he went to the brooks and caught manj^ salmon, which were to serve as his food in winter. One day as he went about very hungry, walking about proudly, for he was stronger than any other animal, he stood there, and saw a poor weak Beaver sitting at the end of a fallen tree. She was sitting there very lonely. '\\'Tien the proud animal saw her sitting there, he asked with his proud voice, "What are you doing there, poor annual?" Thus said the proud Grizzly Bear when he saw her sitting on the end of an old log. The Beaver said, "Grizzly Bear shall die!" Then the Grizzly Beai- became angiy, and said, "Did you say I shall die?" but she did not even answer him. He walked down to and fro on the dry land at the foot of the fallen tree, on the end of which the poor ' Notes, p. 723. 112 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY iKTII. ANN. .'U little Beaver was sitting. The Beaver said again, ' ' Tla(> great Grizzly Bear shall die!" — "Yes," said the great monster, "I will kill you right there. Don't run away! I will tear you right now!" and lie walked toward the Beav(>r that was sitting there. He was walking along the log proudly, and said, "Don't run away! I wiU devour you!" but the bravo Beaver rephed, "Great Grizzly Bear shall die!" Then the proud Grizzly Bear flew into a rage; but the poor Bc^aver remained sitting there, and then swam out into the water. Then she looked back at the Grizzly Bear, and said, "Grizzly Bear shall die!" At once the Grizzly Bear jumped on the Beaver, who dived under the fallen tree where she had made the false ground in order to entrap the great Grizzly Bear, and the great monster struggled in the slough that the Beaver had made. Then the Beaver came out on the surface and chmbed on the log where she had been sitting before, and looked at the great Grizzly Bear who was struggling there. She said once more, "Grizzly Bear shall die!" The Grizzly Bear became tired out in the slough, and groaned in despair. He tried with aU his might to get away, but he could not, because th<> soft mud and moss held him. He tried to swim, but he could not do it. A\Tien he was about to die, he said to the Beaver, "Come and help me!" and the Beaver said again, "Grizzly Bear shall die!" Now, the great animal howled and shouted and moaned and died there in despair. He was drowned in the slough, because he had no pity on the weak animals, and tried to devour aU the weak animals. He thought there was no one besides himself. Yet the weak animal was stronger than he in wisdom, and the weak animal killed him. He was howling and crying, — he who had slain all the poor Beavers, — but no Beavers were crying or moaning when the great Grizzly Bear destroyed them. Therefore let not the strong oppress the poor or weak, for the weak shall have the "victory over the mighty. This is the end. 5. Story' of the Porcupine^ (Printed in Boas 13, pp. 236-241.) The tune of the song recorded on p. 238, as given by Mr. Tate, is printed here. It has not been possible to correlate words and tune. SSi^^^^ ^ ^^ I -•^-0 i *=T=t: '^ EfcE ^ ^m] ±3t: * ^ ' Notes, p. 724. noAS) TSIMSHIAN MYTHS . 113 6. Beaver and Porcupine ' (Printed in Boas 13, pp. 226-235.) 7. Story of the Deluge ^ (Printed in Boas 13. pp. 143-2.53.) S. Srx AND Moon ^ I Translated from Boas 10.) It was in the beginning, Ijefore anytlaing that Uvea in our world was created There was only the chief in heaven. There was no light in heaven. There were only emptiness and darkness. The cliief had two sons and one daughter. His people were numer- ous. Indeed, they were the tribe of the chief. These were the names of his three children. The name of the eldest one was Walldng About Early ; the name of the second, The One Who Walks All Over The Sk\'. The name of the gu'l was Support Of Siui. They were very strong. The yoiuiger boy was wiser and abler than the elder one. Therefore one day he was sad, and he pondered why darkness was contmuing all the tune. Therefore one day he spoke to his sister, "Let us go and get pitch wood!" They went and they cut very good pitch wood. They made a ring of a slender cedar twig, and measured it according to the si^e of a face. Then the}' tied pitch wood aU roimd it, so that it looked like a mask. After they had finished, they told then- sister, who was accompanying them while they were getting pitch wood, not to tell the people about what they were doing. Then The One Who Walks AU Over The Sky went to where the Sun rises and showed liuusclf to the people. The pitch wood that was tied around his face was burning. Suddenh' the people saw the.gi-eat light rising in the east. They were glad when they saw tlie Ught. Then he ran m full sight across the sky. He came from the east and went westward. He was carry- ing the pitch mask. That is the reason why he was ninning riuickly, because else the pitch wood would have been burned up. Therefore he was ninning c[uickly across the sky. Then the chief's trilje assem- bled. They sat down together to hold a council, and said, "We are glad because your child has given us light, but he is ninning too quickly. He ought to go a httle more slowly, so that we may enjoy the light for a longer time." Therefore the chief told his son what the people had said. His son replied, asking Imn what he should do, since the pitch wood wotdd burn before he could reach the west. Therefore he went that way every day. The people assembled again and held a coimcii, and refjuested him to go slowly along the sky. That is what they asked of him; and > Notes, p. 724. s Notes, p. 727. 506,33°— 31 ETH— 16 S 114 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [kth. ann. 31 therefore his sister said, ''I will hold liiin when he is niiininu: along the skv^" Then the ])eople hlessed the woman, and the father also hlessed his daughter. Next tune when The One Who Walks All Over The Sky started on his journey, Support Of Sun started too. She went south- ward. Her brother rose in the east, and then the ghl turned back and ran to meet her brother. The woman said, "Wait for me until I catch \ip with you!" She ran as fast as she could, and held her brother in the middle of the sky. For this reason the Sim stops for a little while in the middle of the sky. The woman stood fu'm, holding her brother. Therefore we see the Sun stopping for a little while in the middle of the sky. Then the people saw the Sun stoppuig for a little while in the middle (if the sky, and they shouted for joy. F\ill of joj', they said, "Sup- port Of Sun makes the Sun stop! Hau!" and the whole crowd was fuU of joy. Suddenly the chief began to scold his son, blaming his elder son because he was not as skillful as his younger brother. Then the elder one lay do^\^l prone, crymg on account of what his father said to him. 'When his brother, the vSun, came back, he lay dowai, for he was tired. Walkmg About Early spoke to his little slave when everybody was asleep, when all the house fellows of liis father were asleep. After he had spoken, he rubbed charcoal over one side of his face, and said, "When yoxi' see that I rise in the east," thus he spoke to his slave, " jimip up and shoTit, 'Hiirrah! he has arisen !' That is what you are to say." Then he left . The One Who Walks All Over The Sky slept like one dead, because he was very tired. He allov od his shining face to shed light out of the smoke hole. Then Walking About Early arose in the east. That is where he arose. Then the little slave jumped \xp and shoiited, "Hurrah! he has arisen!" Several people asked him, "Why do you make such a noise, bad slave ?" but his joy was only increasing. He jumped up, and pointed out where the Moon was rismg. Then suddenlj- the people looked up. Behold! the iloon had risen. Then all the people shouted for joy, and shouted, ' ' Huirah ! ' ' After some time all the different kinds of animals assembled to hold a coimcil. They agreed that the Sim should walk about every day, that he shoidd be the hght of day, and that he should make everything gi'ow; and they also agreed in regard to the Moon. At that time thej' held a gi'eat council. All kinds of animals assem- bled. Dogs were there also. The Dogs, on theh part, were wiser than all the other animals. Therefore they spoke fii-st in the gi-eat council of the airimals. The wise Dogs said, "The Moon shah rise fox'ty days." BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 115 Then all the animals were silent. The Dogs sat d(j\vii together and talked secretly, and thought about what they had said. The wisest one among them was still standing. He was coimtmg his fingers, and reckoned forty days to each month. "While he was doing so, a man stnick the thumb of the wise one — it was Porcupine who struck the Dog's thumb — and said, " Wlio can live if there are forty days each month tlu'oughout the year ? There shall be only thirty days each month." And all the annuals agreed ■with him. They were glad. Therefore all the animals said, "We will follow the advice of Porcupine." Therefore what he had said happened; and therefore each month has thuly days, and there are twelve months each year. Then all the animals agreed tliat the Dogs should be driven away; and for this reason the Dog hates the Porcupme, and therefore the Dog hates all the animals of the woods; but the Dog liates the Por- cupine most of all, because Porcupme knocked down Dog's thumb with his spmy tail when tliey were seated together in coimcil; and indeed Porcupme took the position of the wise i)og away from him when he was standing among the animals. Therefore the Dog hates the Porcupine up to this day, and for that reason the Dog's thumb stands opposite his other fingers. The Dog had sLx fiiigei-s. On account of what happened then, there are onlj' twelve months. At that time Porcupine made the days as we have them now — thirty to each month. All the people enjo}- the light in heaven. Before that, our world was always dark. At that tune the animals named every month wliile the)- were seated together in council. They began the coimt ^^•it]l the month — Between October and November, 'Falling-Leaf Month." Between November and December, "'Taboo Montli.'' Between December and January, "The Intervening Month." Between January and February, "Spring-Salmon Month." Between February and March, "Month When Olachen Is Eaten." Between March and April, "When Olachen Is Cooked." Between April and May, (?) Between May and June, "Egg Month." Between June and July, "Salmon Month." Between July and August, "Humpback-Salmon Month." Between August and September, (?) Between September and October, "Spiuning-Tiij) Month." And they also divided tlie year into four seasons — spring, summer, autunm, and whiter. When The One Wlio Walks All Over The Sky was asleep, sparks Hew out of liis moutli. Those are the stars; and at night the moon receives its fight from the shining face of the Sim, who is asleep when ]u' is tired and when his fight shoots out of the smoke hole. 116 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [kth. axx. lil Sometimes when tlie Sim is glad he adorns hiniseK. lie takes his sister's red ocher to paint lus face. Then the people know what kind of weather it is going to be on the following day. When the people see the red sky m the evening, they know that it wall be good weather the following day; and when they see the red sky in the morning, they know tliat the weather is going to be bad the whole day. That is what the people say. The girl, on her part, was cast down. Therefore one day she, on her part, went westward. She wrung out her garments and struck the water witli them. Then slie returned. The cliief, her father, asked her, "Wlience did you come, cliild?" Thus spoke her father, the chief, to the girl. Then the gu'l said, "I just went westward." She was standing near her father's great fii-e, warming herseK. She wore her gai- meuts, and shook the water out of her garments upon her father's fire. Then suddenly a fog came out of the house, and the whole tribe enjoyed the fog. The people were refreshed, because it was veiy hot, and tlu^y agreed that the girl had refreshed them. That is where fog comes from nowadays: it comes from the west. Therefore the chief, the father, was glad when he saw that Ms cliildren were wise. He gave to his eldest son the duty to watch that people may know the year. To the next one. The One Wlio Walks All Over The Sky, he gave tJie duty to make all good things, such as fruit, appear on the eartli, and to make ever\"thing plentiful; and he blessed liis daughter be- cause she refreshed witli cool fog tliose who were tired. That is tlie end. i». Am' ALA' (V^nr Dirty) '■ Once upon a time there was a great chief who built his house on a sandy beach. He had four nephews. Every morning in winter tlie chief called his four nephews and sent them to get fuel. The young men also built a new large house. When the north wind blew hard, ajid when it was very cold, so that the water of the sea almost froze, the vmcle would say, "I want you to be stronger than any one else. When you are very strong, I shall invite all the chiefs and their warrioi-s to fight against you. Therefore buUd a large fire, (io down to the water, and bathe in the sea. Then I shall come down and whip you with a bundle of twigs." After he had fixiished this speech, he said, "Will you now go down to bathe ?" So the eldest one went out fii-sl, went into the ice-cold water, and the second and third brotfhers also went ; but the fourth, the youngest , would not go. He would lie in the corner of his uncle's house. They say that he had never taken a bath, even once, ever since he was born. ' The translation of this name is given by Mr. Tat«, but is not clear. -■Im'i/a' means "smoke hole." — Notes, p. 729.— F. B. BOiS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 117 He arose late every morning and scratchoil his head; and when his three brothers came back from then- morning bath, they laughed at him and gave him the nickname Dirty. Every morning when the three princes were bathing in the sea, their uncle would go to them while they were in the water and would whip them with t^^^gs. They were aU equally strong. One was not stronger than the others. But the youngest one continued to lie in the corner of the house, right on the ground, %vithout a bed. He had only a ragged deer-skin blanket to wear. When he arose late in the morning, steam would arise from the ground where he had lain. Therefore his three brothers thought that he had wet the ground wliile asleep. The three l)rothers went bathing all th(> time, and they became stronger than all the other people. Their uncle made a certaia law for them. He said, "As soon as you come out of the watei', go into the woods and try to pull out one of the fresh l)ranclies of a spruce tree." The young men did as their uncle had tokl them, aud tried to pull out the branch without any tools. They went every morning again and again, but they could not do it. He, however, the youngest one, Dirty, woulil sit in the water at midnight in the cold of winter, when the north wind was blowing, and before daylight he would come out of the water, and lie down agahi in liis bed of ashes in the corner. Therefore he slept very late in the morning, hke a lazy feUow, and his brothers mocked hun often because he had never gone bathing once. This young man would not go near the fuv soon after his bath, but he just wrapped himself in his old ragged deer-skhi blanket, and the steam rose up from his bed of ashes in the corner, because liis body was wet from his midnight bath ; and tliis is the reason why he slept late every morning while his tlu-ee brothers went to take their bath. ^Vlien they all gathered around the large fire, after they had taken their bath, they were talking aliout the branch wliich they were to twist and tear out. Then Dirty said, " I shall go and twist it out easily." They laughed and twitted him, and said, " Oh, you miserable fellow! You will twist and tear out the branch of the fresh tree! — you, who wet your bed in the morning when you are asleep ! You wiU certamly be able to pull out the branch, for you are so fuU of dirt." They made fuu of bim and pushed him out of the house. The young man went to the bay south of their house, where a brook was rumiiug down. He was full of sorrow whUe going up the brook. Then he met a yomig man whose skui shone bright. He asked him, ""Why are you so sad this morning, my dear!" The young man answered, "O supernatural one! my tliree elder brothers make fun of me and laugh at me, and they call me Very Dirty." Then the supernatural being repUed, ""WTiat do you wish of me? I 118 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ikth.asn. 31 will grant you your wish." Then the young man said, " You soo that mj^ skin is not clean. I want to be clean, and I want to be stronger than any living being in the country." The supernatural being replied, "Go over there and gather the leaves of the supernatural tree and brmg them to me." So Dirty went to the great valley and tried to find the leaves, but he could not do it. He brought leaves of all kinds, but the supernatural being refused them. Then the super- natural being went himself and brought a bunch of leaves of the supematm'al tree. He said, "Let us go down to that pool yonder!" Thej'^ went, and, behold! there was a good pond, and the supernatural beuig washed Dirty in the pool four times. He washed him with the leaves of the supernatural tree, and he became very clean, and was a fine-looking young man, tall, and broad of chest. Then the supernatural l)eing said agahi, "Go down and plimge into the pond; and as soon as you come out of it, then you shall tear out that 3'oung tree on the other side." The young man did as he had been told. He plunged into the pond and came out agaui quickly. He ran toward the young spruce tree and jiulled it out wath its roots. The supernatural being asked him, "Ai'e you now strong enough?" He repUed, "No, I want greater strength." The supernatural being said again, " Go down and plunge into the water." So he went to the pond and plunged uito the water. He came out of the pond, and pulled out a spruce tree a httle larger than the first one, with the roots. Agam he was asked, "Is tliis enough?" but he rephed, "No, I want more." Therefore he sent him again to the pond, and on coming out he pulled out a spruce tree with its roots. Again the supernatural being asked him, "Ai-e you now strong enough?" but he replied, ''I want more." So he sent liim into the pond again; and when he came out of the water, he pulled out a large tree with its roots. Then th<> supernatural Ix'ing asked liim, "Are you now satisfied?" The man said, " Let me do it once more ! ' ' Imt the supernatm-al beuig said, "No, now it is enough." " Then he vanished from his side. So the young man went liack; and before he came into his uncle's house, he came to the tree the branch of wliich his brothers had been trying to pull out every morning. He took hold of it, twisted it, and pulled it out very easily. Then he put the branch back after he had puUed it out. He went dowm to his uncle's house, and the three brothers made fun of liim a,nd laughed at him, but he did not answer them at all. Now, the appointed day had come, and the cliief, the uncle of the young men, invited all the chiefs and their strong men to fight against tlie three brothers who had made themselves strong; and when all the guests were in the house, the chief said to his three nephews, " Go into the woods and bring down some fuel, for we have no wood to BOAS] ■ TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 119 make a fire for these chiefs who are coming to my house." Therefore they went and broke young rotten red-cedar trees, and took them home to make a fire with. Dirty went and pulled out a spruce tree with its roots, and carried it on his shoulders, and brought it into his uncle's house. There he broke it up and put it on the fire. Then his three brothers were ashamed because he was stronger than the}'. Now, the day had come whi>n the warriors were to figlit against the brothers. One day the eldest brother made himself ready to fight with one of the warriors, and all the chiefs and tribes assembled in the house of the chief on the sandy shore, and they were all sitting there quietly. Then one of the G'it-qxa'la stepped forward to fight against the eldest brother. They joined and fought, tr^-ing to throw each other. They fought a long time, and at last the man from G-it-qxa'la threw the eldest brother. He was hm-t, and lay there, his whole body aching. Then the G'it-qxa'la tribe shouted for joy. Then the second brother stepped forth, and said, "Who is the strongest man ? Let him come out in front of his people, and I will fight with him!" Then a man of the tribe of G-i-spa-x-la'°ts came out. They joined and fought, as the two others had done before, and the man of the tribe G"i-spar-x-la'°ts vanquished the second brother, who was bruised all over Ins body and full of pain. Then the third brother stepped forth while the tribe of Gu-spa-x- la'°ts was shouting for joy. The third brother said, "Who will come and fight with me?" Then a man of the tribe of G^it-dzl'^s stepped forward to fight against the third brother. They joined, and the third brother fell, overpowered by his adversary. His skull was broken, and he died there. Then all the people shouted like thunder. Now, the chief, the uncle of the thi"ee men, was ashamed. He said to Dirty, "Now, Dirty, where are you?" He replied, "Here I am, uncle! What do you wish?" His uncle said, "Step forward and fight against the men who beat your three brothers!" Then he stepped forward, and said, "Now, you three men, come forth and fight me, all together!" So the three strong men came forth to fight with him. The tkree men attacked him at the same time; and Dirty squeezed their heads, and ])roke them like eggshells, and they all died there. Their skulls were brokeji. Therefore the chief's tribe shouted for joy. Then all the trilies made war against him; but he won a great victory over them that day, and a great many people were killed by one man. His uncle had to pay them with his goods — costly coppers, slaves, large canoes, elk skins, and other kinds of property. Thus his uncle became poor. Therefore the people moved away and deserted the chief's nephew Dirty, and one slave who remained with hun. They lived in liis micle's 120 " TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY ' [ eth. an-n. SI house. The slave was very skillful in shooting wild ducks with his arrows, and Dirty hked to cat the wild ducks. The slave gathered the oil of the wild ducks in a root basket. Now, all the animals hcnird that this young man was the strongest person that ever lived. Therefore all the strongest animals came to his door and called liim out to fight with them. First came the Black Bear. Dirty came out and killed the Black Bear as one kills mice. Next came a Sea Lion and stood at his door. He called Dirty out to fight with him. The young man came out and killed him as one kills mice. Next the Grizzly Bear came and stood at bis door. He called Dhty out to fight with him, and he came out and killed him as one kills mice. Then the Xa°l came. (A xdH is a very strong and large animal. He is stronger than all the other animals in tills country. Sometimes he will kill many grizzly bears at one time.) The Xa"! also came and stood at the door of Dirty's house, and called Du"ty out to come and fight with him. So he came out, fought with him, and killed him. Thus all the strongest aidmals came to him, and he killed them all as one kills young mice. Then Dirty said to his slave, "When you see that my back is bent, then come and rub it with the oil of wild ducks that you have gathered in your root basket." Wlien all the animals had failed, the strong trees came. First the Crabapple Tree came to his door and called him out to fight with him. He came out and puUed it out with the roots as one plucks out grass; and thus all the strongest and greatest trees came. He pulled them out and broke them to pieces. When all the trees had failed, the strong birds came and tried to beat him. P^irst the Thunderbird came and stood at liis door, and called Dirty out to fight with him; and when Dirty came out, he threw his bolts of lightning, but Dirty took hold of him and killed hhn as one kills a fly; and thus all the strongest birds came. Now, when all the living beings had come. Dirty had a short rest. Next morning a long, broad Mountain stood at his door and called him out; and when Dirty came out, the large Mountain said to him, "I am the last one of your enemies. If I tbrow you down, you will die; but if you throw me down, I shall die. Then you shall take my life away from me, and you shall live as long as the world stands." i^iter the Mountain had spoken, they joined. Now, Dirty's back became bent, for the Mountain was leaning on liim; and Dirty's slave came to liim with the root liasket filled with oil of wild ducks, and the slave rubbed it over his back. This strengthened him, and Dirty threw the liigh Mountain and broke it to pieces. It became the sandbar with largo rocks at the beach of Sandy Shore. Thus Dirty took the Mountain's hfe. KOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 121 Thus aU his enemies were destroyed by this powerful man, and liis fame spread all over the world, and he now rested from his fights; for his victory was very gi"eat, and he had more power than he had ever had before, for the Mountain gave him his power. One momhig very early the slave ran into the house and tokl him that a canoe had come, witli two people in it. Du-ty was lying down by the fireside. The two men came in and said, "Great chief, our poor sick chief wants you to come. He wants to see you before he dies. Therefore he sent us to you." Then Dirty arose, and he and his slave made ready to go with the two men who had come to liim. They went down to the canoe together. The two men paddled, and the canoe went quickly toward the southwest. After they had passed over the large sea, they saw a small island in front of them; and when they came nearer and nearer, the island appeared to be large; and there was a large town on the island, with many houses and many people. As soon as they arrived on the beach, crowds of people came down to meet them. jDirty went ashore, and the men guided him and the slave to the chief's house. As soon as he came in, behold! a chief lay there in the rear of the house. He was very ill. The pole sup- porting our world was standing on his chest; and the world had always been turning on his chest ever since the world began, all through the ages. Now, he was sick, and therefore he sent for Dirty to take liis place. He spoke to Dirty: "The reason why I s(>nt for you is that you shall lie down here and take care of the world. I have heard that you are a mighty man. I know that you have double strength — one which you obtained from a supernatural being, the other which you obtamed from the strong mountain. Liedown by my side ! I wUl put this polc-of-the-world on your chest." Before Dirty lay down by his side, he said to his slave, " I will give part of my hfe to you. Sit down by my side! You shall always live with me, and you shall rub my back with the oil of wild ducks once a year." So the slave sat down there, and Dirty lay dowii. Then the cliief took the pole off from his chest and put it on Du'ty's chest, and the chief and all liis people left the town. Dirty is still holding the world on his chest, and liis slave is also there. The oil of wild ducks is nearly gone now; and as soon as Dirty dies, the world will come to an end. 10. The Four Great Chiefs of the Winds' There are four great chiefs in the fom* corners of the world. The North Wind is the first of all; the South Wind, the second; the East Wind, the thu-d; and the West Wind, the fourth. The three chiefs 1 .Notes, p. 732. 122 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 hato the North Wmd, because the North Wind makes the workl pale ill whiter. The South Wind wants the world to be always green, as in spring; and East Wind wants the same as South Wind; and also West Wind wishes for the same. Therefore South Wind made war against North Wind. South Wind invited his neighbors East Wind and West Wind. They assembled, and the strong South AVLnd went fu'st, and a strong southeasterly gale blew very hard. Then the East Wind also blew very hard, and they joined in battle. Finally North Wind was vanquished, and the three Winds won the victory over North Wind. Therefore North Wind promised that the world should be green for six months, but South Wind would not consent to it. His two neighbors, however, compelled liiiu to do so. Therefore South Wind agreed, and they made a law that the South Wind should sometimes blow in whiter with rain, wliile the North Wind makes everything cold and frozen; and in spring the tlu-ee Winds should play, in order to melt the frozen ground ; and in summer the West Wind was to blow softly over the land and .<-omf ort the j)ale world with its lovely breezes. Now, when they made this law, the gentle Wind said, "Let tlie whole world have peace once or twice a year — once before autumn, and once before spring." They all agreed to these words and went to their homes. South Wind had five children — four boys and one girl. The names of these children were Proud Rain-Wind (KscUyaxl-haiwas), and the next one Excrement Face ( Y !an-dzaxl), and the third one Rahi Under Tlie Knee (Lu-niEkmrgum ts!Em-sait), and the fourth one Going Behind The Mountains (Gilhak-gask) , and the ghl's name was Drops Of A Sprhig Of Water (Ksa-lu''wal-gwa'nEks). West Wind had two children. His elder son's name was Evenhig Clouds (SEsa'ksgum sa° tgi-ya'°sat), and his younger son's name was Red Evening Clouds (Bi'ltsEgum lawugumks). East Wmd had two children. His elder son's name was Clouds Falling On The Mountain Top (Hapka'bsks a na-ga-ts !uwan-sganl'st), and his yoimger son's name was Red Morning Clouds (Bi'ltsEgum ganla'q). North Wind's wife had two cliildren who were twins — the one named Frozen (Gwatk-sa), the othernamed Freezer (Ksat). One of the sons of Xoi-th Wind wanted to marry South Wind's daughter, but South Wind's sons ditl not want to l(>t their oidy sister marry him. The following year North Wind came to South Wmd and asked for his daughter for his other son, who wanted to marry Drops Of A Sprmg Of Water. Then South Wind consented, and let him have her to be his wife. Chief North Wind invited all the differ- ent Winds; and when the guests were all in his house, South Wind BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 123 brought his daughter, with very strong winds and heavA- rains. Now, the prince and the princess were married; and after the celebra- tion was over, South Wind went back from tlie north to his own country, with strong winds and rain. The 3'oung princess hved with her husband in the house of her father-in-law and with her sister-in-law. She was always with her wherever she went. Xow the winter months had come on, and the north wind blew hard, and there was ice on all the rivere, lakes, and ponds. Everything was frozen. Xorth Wind's people said that it was a very warm season, but the daughter of South Wmd felt ver\' cold every day. She was sitting in the cold icy house without a fii'e, crying, wliile the people in the house felt quite warm. At night, when she was in bed with her husband, she was almost frozen. One day she went out as usual, and sat downi on the beach at high-water mark. Then she took her sahnon-knife, took a piece of yellow-cedar wood, and carved it in the shape of a duck. Allien she had finished it, she said to her little wedge, "Go to my father's comitry and tell them what is happening to me in this far country!" Then the wooden wedge became a wild duck. Chief South Wind and his cliieftainess were sittmg in front of their house, and one morning they saw a duck diving in the water. The Duck said, "Since new moon your daughter has been cast out by Frozen." The duck dived again, came up, and repeated the same, "Since new moon your daughter has been cast out by Frozen." Then South Wind said to his four sons, "My sons, go north and bring back your sister from the house of Chief Xorth Wind ! ' ' There- fore Proud Rain-Wind went northward tlirough the air in the form of a large cloud; but before ho had gone halfway a strong north wind began to blow, and all the clouds were driven away. The sister was sitting out there, and saw her brother coming. She cried aloud when he was driven away. Agam Chief South Wind said, "Xow, j'ou go, my second son!" Then Excrement Face went northward. Then the princess saw a black cloud come toward her. Wlien the black cloud had come half- way, the north wind began to blow very hard, and drove it away. Then the princess cried bitterly, and said, "Oh, my brother Excre- ment Face has been driven away!" Now Chief South Wind said to his third son, "Go up there, my son Rain Under The Knee!" He went; and showers of rain came, and soon he had passed more than half the distance. The north wind blew ver}' hard, and the rain froze and he was driven away. Then the princess cried more bitterly, and said, as before, "Oh, my brother Rain Under Tlie Knee has been driven away!" 124 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY |eth. ANN. 31 Then the father said to his hist son, "Go north, my son Going Behind Mountains, and bring back your sister!" At midnight Going Behind Mountains went swiftly northward in the shape of a (doud, sharp at each end. Then the north wmd began to blow harder and harder, but the cloud Gohig Behind Mountains was not driven away. Its sharp ends passed all the mountains and slowly went northward. The princess was crymg, fearing that her last brother might be driven away as the others had been, for she knew that she would die there on the ice if he should not succeed. Now, the httle cloud stopped a while and went on slowly. At last it reached the village of North Wind and gained a great victory on that day. Therefore the north wind ceased to blow. Then all the brothers came with heavj' rain, and all the ice was melted away, and the house of North Wind was full of water from the heavy rain ; and the sister-m-law of the princess was floating about in the house, saying, "Take me with you, sister-in-law, lest I perish in this cold water!" and the princess took the floating piece of ice and put it on her right leg. Therefore women's legs are cold up to this day. Now, when the ice was nearly melted. Chief North Winil said to the four princes, "Take awa}^ yom- sister, and come no more to my country!" Then the four brothers said, "We shall take away from you two months, and you shall have oid}- four months." Chief North Wind did not reply. The four brothers continued, "If you do not agree to tliis, we shall kill you right now." Therefore North Wind agreed to what they said. Therefore the winter lasts four months, and the tliree chiefs have among them eight months. Now, the four brothers and then- sister went to their own country ; and when they arrived at their father's house, the father was very glad to see his daughter back again. Therefore he invited the neigh- boring Winds with their children. He told them of the hard life that his daughter had led when she lived in the house of North Wind. He continued, "She was in such distress that I had to send my sons to take her back, and my sons fought for many days with the people of North Wind. At last my sons won the vi(-tory over them. The reason why I sent my sons was to take away from North Wind two months, and let hun keep only four months." West Wind said, " Let each of us have three months! North Wmd shall have only three months in winter. South Wind shall have three months in the fall, I wiU have three months in summer, and East Wind shall have thi'ee months in spring." Then the tliree chiefs agreed. Ther(>fore the seasons have three months throughout the year. The new law they made was [)etter than the first. BOAS) TSIMSHTAN MYTHS 125 The chiefs went up to North Wind and told hiin so, and he also agreed, and therefore this law among the winds continues up to this day. 1 1 . The Story of X.ltQ '■ In early times, when the people wore multiplying, and lived in the large town on the plains on the upper course of Skeena River which we call now Prairie Town — that is, where the village of our forefathers used to be — the people used to play the greater part of the night in the open air. The young men would play all kinds of games, and they went out night after night to the open space on the level ground behind their houses. There were a great many people, and there was a crowd of young men, of women, and of children. Therefore the}' made much noise when they were on their )>layground until late in the night. One night they went out again, as usual, and began to jilay before it was dark. They started their first game, aixd another followed; and when they started still another game, they saw a beautiful plume descending slowly from the sky above them; and the}' all desired to have it, because it was beautiful to look at. A very tall young man went first, caught it, and put it on his head. As soon as he put it on his head, he was taken up by the plume which had come down from above. Another youth saw his friend hangmg by the plume. He stepped up and took hold of his feet. His hand stuck to his friend's feet, and the plume pulled them up. Another man took hold of the feet of the second one, and his hands stuck fast; and so all the young men stuck by the plume, which pulled them up to the sky. Wlien the old men who were in the house heard that the cliildren were being taken up by the beautiful jilume, they came out, took hold of the heel of the last of the young men, and the old men stuck there too. The women came out, and one of them took hold of the heel of the last one of their husbands, and the women stuck fast. Then the children came out, and they all were taken up by the plume. Only one princess, the daughter of a great chief, who had just been delivered of a child, was left. All the people were taken up by the plume; and at last they dropped down from the plume, and all died. Their bodies formed a great pile. The young woman came out, and she wept l)itterly over the pil(^ of bodies; and wliile she was weeping, she wiped the mucus from her nose, and threw it down on the ground ; and, behold! there was a baby boy formed from the mucus of her nose. She took a piece of grindstone and put it next to her body, and she took a little branch of a crabapple tree, which she put in her bosom, and also her feather. Then she took a little piece of shell and put it m her bosom ; and when she came in, she wrapped the baby boy in marten garments. 1 Notes, p. 734. 126 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ans. 31 Then she took out from lior l)osom the piece of grindstone, and it also became a baby boy, wliich she wrapped in a sea-otter garment; and she took out tlie little branch of the crabappli' tree, and it, too, became a baby boy. She took out the little feather, and it be- came a baby boy. She took out the little piece of sh(dl, ami it became a httle girl. .Then she gave names to the children. The first one, wliich originated from the mucus of licr nose, she called Nalq (Mucus). This was the name of the eldest one. The second one she named Little Gruidstone; the third one. Little Crabapple Tree; the fourth one, Little Feather; and the fifth one, I\Jiife Hand. The children gi-ew up; and whtni they became larger, they began to play in the open air, like the former people. Then they saw large piles of bones on the level ground ; and when they came home, they asked their mother what they were. She told them what had liap- pened to the people — how they had played every night until the chief in heaven became displeased at their noise, and how the chief m heaven let a beautiful plume come down; that a tall young man ^took hold of it and put it on his head; and that it wafted all the former people up into the sky, young men, old men, women, and chil- dren. She continued, "And I am left alone. Therefore I tell you, beloved children, do not play always in the open, lest the Lord of Heaven waft you up, too." The young people did not heetl their mother's warning, and the next morning the}- played again in the open, as their fathers had done in the days of old. They made much noise. Then the plume descended agaui from heaven. They stood still, gazing at the beauti- ful plume which was coming down; and as they looked up with amaze- ment, the youngest brother, Little Feather, took hold of the beautiful plume, which wafted him up. When his elder brother. Mucus, saw Little Feather lifted from his feet, he took hold of him by the heels, and his hands stuck to him. The feather could hardly drag Mucus up, but at last his feet wcr(> lifted from th(^ ground. Then the second brother, Little Grindstone, took hold of his brother's feet, and he became a large rock on the ground. It was hard to pull him up, but at last his feet were Ufted from the ground. Then the third brother took hold of his feet, and he became a large craliapplc tree, whose roots were stretched out imderground; and it was hard to drag him up, but finally the roots broke ui the ground. Tlien the girl. Knife Hand, sharpened her hand; and as soon as Crabapple Tree's roots were hfted from the ground. Knife Hand climbed up her brothers' heads until she reached the head of her youngest brother, who had first taken hold of the beautiful plume; and she cut the air above the plume with her sharp hand, and the brothers dropped down and were hke dead. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 127 Then the girl took the beautiful plume aud swung it over her ilcad brothers' bodies, and they came back to life. When they knew the powers of the plume, they went to the place where the bare bones were piled up on the gromid, and they put the bones together, and joined those of one person to those of another. They put a man's liead on a woman's body, and they put women's heads on men's bodies, and all the bones were mixed together; and they put one leg of a tall man together with another of a short man. So we see now that some men have no beards, for they have women's heads; and some women have whiskers because the\' have men's heads; and some people limp because they have legs belonging to different pei-sons ; and many other things besides these happened. Thus they assem- bled the bones. A large number of bones covered the plain; and after they had gathered the bones, Naki took the beautiful plume and waved it over the bones where they were lying on the ground. The first time he moved the beautiful plume, behold! there was a noise; the bones shook and came together. He waved it a second time, and, lo! suiews and flesh came to be on the bones. He waved it a third time, and skin covered the flesh, but there was no breath in them. He waved it a fourth time ; and while he thus swung the beautiful plume the fourth and last time, he said, "Let air from the four winds come and breathe upon these bodies, that they may come to life again!" Then the four winds blew hard, and breath came back into the bodies, and they were alive, stood up, an exceedingly great multitude. Tlien the four young men went home to their mother. Their mother scolded them for having taken hold of the beautiful plume, and the young men were ashamed on account of the scolding they had received. Therefore they left home, and left their sister with their mother. They were aliout to travel over the whole world, and they went on and on until the}' arrived at the foot of a high, steep moun- tain. Behold! there was a blind man, with a bag net, sitting on a platform at the foot of the mouutaui. When they came near, Nalq said, " I will touch his bag net, and see what he is going to do with it. " Ht^ touched the net, and the blmd man pulled it up (luickl}'. "^lien he had hauled in his net, he said to himself, "Oh, dear! I have lost Nalq." Thus he said. Then they laughed, because the blind man knew them. This blind person caught people, whom he ate. They traveled on, farther and farther away. After some time they met a raccoon who was holding a little piece of wood in its mouth. The youngest brother, Little Feather, kiUed the poor little raccoon and threw it away from then- traU. They went on and soon they came to a hut. Behold ! a middle-aged woman cami' out and made tliem welcome. She invited them into 128 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ikth.ann. 31 the house. She was very kind to the young people, and gave them to eat. She said, " Stay here a while and refresh yourselves from your long journey!" While they were eating, the woman asked them, "Did you meet my gi-anddaughter on your way here? She went out to get chips for a fire." The four brothers replied that they had not met her; that they had seen only a raccoon on their way, which they had killed. Then the wrath of the old woman was great. She said, "Oh, oh, oh! Let every hole close up ! Let the door close up! Let the smoke hole close up!" And all the openings of the house began to close up, and the heat began to increase, and the four brothers felt the heat hke that of an oven. However, before the smoke hole had closed, the youngest brother, in the form of bird's down, ascended with the smoke througli the smoke hole; and when he was outside, he ran quickly toward the raccoon which he had kUled. He found the place where it was, wafted his beautiful plume over the body of the raccoon, and it came to life again. ThiMi ho helped the Raccoon to gather wood. The three others, however, were dying of the heat in th(^ house. Little Feather returned quickly with the Raccoon; and as soon as they reached the door, the Raccoon called her gi'andmother, and said, "Grandmother, open the door for me and let me in!" As soon as the old woman heard her granddaughter's voice, she said, "Let the door open, and let all the holes open! Let the smoke hole open!'' And they all came out of the house safely. They continued their journey, and went on farther until they came to a large lake. Behold ! there was beautiful green grass, and a variety of sweet-smelling flowers were around the lake. They went around the lake, and, behold ! they saw a hut before them at one end of the lake with the beautiful sweet-scented breeze. When they came near the hut, a khidly old woman came forth to meet them. "Come in," she said, " and refresh yourselves in my house, for you have made a long journey. Take a rest for a while." The men all went in, and the old woman was very kind to them. She gave them good clean food, and they ate. Before nightfall she showed them the place where to lie down in her hut, and she let them have her good warm blankets. She also told them that no danger would come near them as long as they were in the house. Before they went to bed, she gave them food again, so that they should take a good comfortable rest and sleep well. Soon after they had their meal, they were ready to sleep, and they immediately went to bed. The eldest brother, Nalq, whispered to his brothers, "Brothers, don't take too much sleep tonight, lest misfortmie befall us and we all perish. Let some of us sleep, and others keep watch during the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 129 niglit!" They did so. Two of them went to sleep, and two of them kept watch. Before they were m bed, Nalq saw fom- poles standmg behmd the old woman's bed, and around the end of each of these shredded cedar bark was WTapped. The old woman watched until her guests were asleep. At mid- night the men seemed to be asleep, but Xrdq did not sleep. He was watching her, and he saw sparks coming from her mouth. The brothers were asleep and snoring; and when she heard that they were fast asleep, she arose gentlj' from her bed, walked toward her guests, and took one of the poles vdtii the shredded cedar bark at its end. Then she placed the cedar bark a Httle over the first one to catch his breath, and then she went to the other one, and to the thhd one. At last she went towards Nalq, and placed the cedar bark over his mouth far longer than over that of the others. Then she went back to her bed. Xalq saw all that she was doing. Then she placed the pole at the foot of her bed. The cedar l)ark at the end of it was quite wet from the moisture of the breath of the fotu* brothers. Then she lay down, and was soon in a deep sleep. As soon as she lay down, sparks came forth from her mouth; but when she was in a deep sleep, only a few sparks came from her mouth. Nalq watched her; and as soon as the sparks ceased coming from her mouth, he arose from his bed and went up to her. He took one of the poles with the shredded cedar bark at its end, and held it a httle above her mouth; and he held it there a long tune, imtil the cedar bark was quite wet from the moisture of her breath. Then he put the pole at the foot end of her bed, and took away the pole in which she had caught the breath of her guests. Then he lay, down again. Early the next morning she awoke, and arose wdthout noise. Nalq also arose secretly. He stood at the door, which was half open, lookuig on at what she was doing. She went down to the beach and shouted. She shouted four times. Then the water of the gi-cat lake began to heave, and, behold! a large Frog came up from the water. It came toward the old woman. T\Tien the large Frog was near her, she said, '"Open 30ur mouth, and I will feed jou with four yoimg men who staid in my house last night." Thus she said to the Frog. Then the large Frog opened its big mouth wide, and the old woman threw her pole with the wet sliredded cedar bark into it; and the large Frog swallowed it and went home. Before she re-entered, Nalq went to his bed and snored loud. The woman started her fire and called her guests, and she prepared their breakfast. She was a witch, who had killed many people that traveled past her house. Now, she had fed her supernatural power, the Frog, vntli the moistm-e of her own breath; and wliile her guests were taking their breakfast, she felt pain iA her stomach, and became 50033°— 31 E^— 16 9 130 XSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 worse and worse. She began to gi'oan, and said to her guests, "I have brought misfortune on myself, great Nalq!" But the young man did not mind what she said. Soon her breath became less and less until she died. They went on their journey; and before they had gone far they saw another liouso. "Wlion thoy opened the door, behold ! there were many bodies of killed people hanging about inside the house. Some of them were only bones. The young men put them on the ground near the beautiful lake; and after they had put them in good order, Nalq took the beautiful plume and waved it over the bodies, as he had done with his own people on the plain; and those who had been killed all came back to life after Nalq had waved his plume over them four times. When they were all alive again, Nalq asked them what had happened to them or who had Idlled them, and they replied that they had died in the house of a kindly woman on the other side of the lake. Then the four brothers told them that she had killed them with her supernatural power. Nalq told them that there was a large Frog at the bottom of the lake. Thus he said to the men who had just come back to life. They traveled on and on until they came to a place between two mountains. They went on tln-ough the valley; and as they went along, the passage became naiTower, until they saw that way off the two mountains formed a cave. They went on toward the cave until they came near it, and there they stopped. Nalq asked his brothers, "Dear brothers, which way shall we go?" and his three brothers replied, "Let us pass through the cave!" And while they were still speaking, the cave closed four times, like the twiidding of an eye, and it remained closed behind them, and they had no way of escape from it. The only way they could get out was under the t\vinkling cave. They counted the twinkling; and after they had counted four times, the cave opened slowly. Then Nalq tried to go through first. He had three more steps to take, when the cave twinkled, and killed him there. Next the second brother, Little Grindstone, made ready. After he had counted four, he quickly went through ; he had two more steps to take, and the cave twinkled again, and killed him also. Then the third brother made ready. They counted four. The cave opened slowly, and I.,ittle C'ral)apple Tree went through quickly. He had one step more to take, and the cave twinkled, and killed him also. Then the last brother made ready. He held the beautiful plume in his hands. He coimted four, and the cave opened slowly. Then Little Feather fl(^w through the cave, and took with him the crushed bodies of his brothers. He laid them out in good order, took his plume, waved it over them, and they came back to hie. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 131 The brothers went on their journey, and soon arrived at the city of the Air. One of the Au* chiefs, North Wind, invited them in, and gave his daughter to Nalq to be his wife. Then another cliief. South Wind, invited the other three brothers in, and gave his daughter to Little Grindstone to be his wife. Then another chief, East Wmd, invited the two remaining ones in, and gave his daughter to Little Crabapple Tree to be liis wife ; and another chief, a beautiful man, mvited Little Feather in, and gave him his daughter to bo his wife. Now they were married. On the following day North- Wind Woman said to lier husband, "Let us travel about!" Nalq made ready to go with his wife, and it was not long lief ore the north wind blew hard. Nalq went along with her. He felt cold, and mucus came from his nose. It fell on the water and became ice, and therefore ice goes along with the north wind. On the same day the South-Wind Woman asked her husband to travel with her. Little Grindstone was ready to go, and the south wind blew very hard. Then Grindstone, who fol- lowed her, let the water collect in his mouth, and blew it out up into the air, and it came down like rain. Therefore the rain goes with the south wind, and the people use water whenever they sharpen anythmg on a grindstone. Now, the following day East-Wind Woman asked her husband to journey with her, but Little Crabapple Tree was too lazy to go out with his wife: therefore the east Avind blew harder and harder, trying to move her husband, but the roots of the Crabapple Tree spread out under the ground. Then the whirlwind blew with the east wind, and Little Crabapple Tree's' roots gave way, and he went along with his wife. Therefore whirl- winds come with the east wind. Again the follomng day the West- Wind Woman asked her hus- band to journey with her; and before they started. Little Feather said to his wife, "Don't blow so hai'd, lest you fall behind me, for I am faster than you!" and the west wind blew gently. She went along with him all round the world; and therefore the west winds blow gently now, for she is afraid of fallmg behind her husband. Little Feather; and these four brothers help the four winds now and for all time to come, and we are always reminded of the deeds of these four brothers. That is the end. 12. The Feast of the Mountain Goats ' Wlien the people lived in our own village on the upper course of Skeena River, which is named Prairie Town, there were many hunters among them. They often went out hunting, and succeeded in catching many animals. Among them were six brothers who were 1 Notes, p. 738. 132 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 very good hunters. Every fall they used to go huutuig mountain goats, and they killed many goats at a time. They took only the kidney fat and intestme fat of the goats, and left all the meat belund. The goats were distressed by their actions, for the hunters did not burn either bones or meat. The six brothers did .this every fall. In the following spring they went up the same mountain and kdled many mountam goats, as they had done before, and tliey caught a kid and took it down to their home. Then the children took the kid to the river and threw it out into the water. The poor httle thing tried to swim ashore; but as soon as it got ashore, the cliildren took it again and threw it into the water, and they laughed when they saw how fumiy the htth; kid looked when it was swimming. The children did so many times, and the httle kid was very cold. Then the children built a fire, and let the kid lie down on one side of it to get warm; and some of the children pushed the kid into the fire, so that the hair began to burn, and then threw it agam mto the water, and they shouted with pleasure. Then a young man came down to hear what the noise of the children meant. He went down to the cliildren that were pla^dng with the Httle kid, and he took the poor little kid out of their hands, and rubbed its hair with his hands to wipe off the water from the wool. The name of this young man was ReaUy Black. ^ He guided the kid way back from the village until they reached the foot of a high mountain, and he said, "Go on, supernatural one, go on!" The people forgot what the children had done to the kid; and before the next fall drew near, messengers came down to the village. They went to every house, and invited everybody — men, women, and chikh'en and old people — and told them to go and build a new village at the foot of a high mountam, right on the prauie. The people of the town received this message gladly, and the chiefs mvited the messengers mto theh houses, as was the custom. On the foUowhig moi-ning the people were ready to go. They followed the messengers until the evening, gomg along the prairie, as the messen- gers told them; and before evening they saw a large new house, and sparks flying out of the smoke hole of the large house. The messen- gers ran ahead, and a great multitude of people came out and stood on the prairie a httle way from the front of the large house, waitmg for the people to meet them. When the other messengers came up and met them, they went towards the building; and before the guests entered the building, the people all came out dancing, as is the custom when a chief mvites another tribe. The dancers wore headdresses representing mountain goats, and their blankets were goat sldns. After they had danced, the people went into the house; and while 1 In full, Beally Black Raven Feather.— F. B. boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 133 going into the house, they sang a song, as is their custom ; and when they were all m, one of the young men came along and went to meet the youth whose name was Really Black, and spoke to him. " Friend, I want you to go with me, and let us sit on the other side of that post there!" They went together, and sat down behmd the post. Then the chief began to dance, and they sang the firet song accompanying the chief's dance ; and a beautiful mountain stood in the middle of the buUdiug, inside the house. "Wlien the first song was ended, they began another one; and this is then song: ' yi yi ye a ha a yi yi ye a ha yi ye a a Na-sta sga-nis-da ha a yi yi ye a ha yi ye a a ■Wil ligi-sgErEl n-na°q-i-gwa yi yi ye a ha jd ye a a Awil gun-dad wa^kgEt yi yi ye a ha yi ye a a T'in sa-k"4axsl sga-nisi ji yi ye a ha yi ye a a "O yi yi yea haa! on one side of a high mountain I laid my hoof, because the prince of the Mountain Goats kicked down the side of the moimtain." When the next song began, behold ! a mountain goat was seen coming along the mountain, -with one horn on its head. It came down from the top of the mountain, jumping, until it reached the foot of the mountam; and all the people said, "It looks like a real mountain goat." When the last song was being sung, the Mountain Goat leaped in front of the guests, and kicked the front of the house. He leaped to one side and kicked it agaui; and the house and the whole floor broke down, aiul aU the people were destroyed alongside the high mountain. Only the one youth, Really Black, was saved. He had been sittmg behind the house post, which had now become a little spruce tree way up on a high mountam. There was no way of escape for him, for the roclcs were very steep above and below. He began to look down below, and on the next morning he was crying for fear; but his friend lay by his side, sleeping soundly, imtil the stui was high up iti the sky. While the youth Really Black was still weepmg, the young man who was sleeping by his side woke up, and said, "What is the matter with you, friend?" and Really Black, full of fear, said, "It is because all my people have been buried by tliis steep mountain, and I have no way of escape from this steep place." Then the youth who had been asleep said, "Do you know who invited your people in?" Really Black said, "No." Then the ' Music and words were recorded by Mr. Tate. The adjustment of words and music does not appear clearly from his manuscript.^F.B. 134 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. anx. 31 youth replied, "The Mountain Goats have done it, because they were distressed by your people hunting them every year and catching them; for the hunters did not take them home, but left them among the mountains; and there tlie bones of the Mountaui Goats would decay and be scattered about, instead of bemg burned — meat, skins, bones, and all. Therefore the Goats took vengeance on your people. You, however, are the one who took pity on me when the children of your people thi-ew me out into the river last spring, and you kindly led me away, back to yonder village, to enjoy my freedom, and there- fore I wiU help you from this steep mountam. Do not be afraid. You shall get down safely. I shall give you my blanket." Really Black felt encouraged by what his friend said to him, but still he was full of fear. The young Goat put on his skin, and said, "I shall show you what to do." Before he leaped, he said, "On the thumb!" and then turned his head towards a deep chasm in the rock. He leaped again, and said, "On the sand!" and so on, until he came down. Then Really Black lost sight of him. He began to cry agam and to weep, for he had lost sight of his friend, and he sat down' by the Uttle spruce tree; and while he was crying bitterly, a young Goat came down from above him from the top of a high shdmg mountain, and he came to the man who was fuU of fear, and said, "You see there is no danger in it. Try it!" Then the poor man took the Goat's garment with fear and trembling, and put it on himself. The young Goat told him not to be afraid, and that no harm would befall him. He gave his friend good advice: "Before you leap, say these words, 'On the thumb;' and when you leap to the other side, then say, 'On the sand;' and repeat these words all along until you get down safely; and when you get down safely, pick out your relatives among the bodies. Put them in good order, as many as you want to hve. When you have done so, jump over the bodies until they come back to life. You shall jump over them four times ; and hang my blanket on a branch of the tree below, and then go home with your relatives and your people." Thus spoke the young Goat to his friend Really Black. As soon as the speech of Really Black's friend was ended, he started, and said, as his friend had commanded Mm. He said, "On the thumb!" Then he jumped, wearing the skin of the young Goat, and his foot stuck firmly to the rock. Then he turned his head another way; and before he leaped he said, "On the sand!" and his foot stuck. Then he went down without fear, and soon came to the foot of the high steep mountain. There he gathered the bocUes of liis relatives, (put them in good order as his friend the Goat had commanded him, and he jumped over them four times, and all the bodies came back to life.) Then the young man Really Black Raven Feather hung Ms friend's blanket on the branch of a tree, and thej' all went home. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 135 On the following day the young man caUed all his relatives, and they went to the foot of the steep mountain, where the bones of the goats lay, piled them up, and burned them all; and thoy walked around the burnt bones. They also burned the meat and the skins. In those days the people did not speak badly of animals of any kind. They burned the bones and the meat of the animals, and did not leave the bones on the mountains. It Ls said that when a hunter burned the bones and meat, then the animals would recover from then" sickness; but as long as the bones lay scattered on the ground, then the animals' sickness would grow worse and worse, and they could not be cured. This is what the young Goat told his friend behind the little spruce tree on the slope of the sliding mountain. This is the end. 13. The Giant Devilfish' A long time ago a good hunter wont out with four men in his canoe. They went arountl a large island. Soon they saw Killer Whales jumping here and there. There were many of them, and the hunters went ashore to hide from them. Soon they saw a good-sized Killer Whale jumping out of the water at the foot of a high precipice. Sud- denly they saw that he floated dead on the surface, his beUy upward, and all the Killer Whales were floating there. The hunters had camped at this place in the evening. Early the following morning the chief hunter awoke and went out of then- hut. There he saw many KiUer Whales coming from all directions, for the prince of the KiUer Wliales had been kiUcd by the Giant Devilfish on the preceding day when the hunters had passed the island. The Living Depths Horror was the den of the Giant Devilfish at the foot of that great precipice. When the great monster had killed the prince of the IviUer Wliales, the chief of the Killer Whales sent his messengers to all parts of the world, and called liis people to his village. He gave them a great feast, and told them that his only son had been killed by the great monster who lived at the foot of the great precipice. He said, ' ' I want you to come and help me kiU it, because it will always be very dangerous to our chikhen." Then all the chiefs of the Killer Whales agreed. Therefore they all assembled that morning when the hunter saw them all around on the water. Now, the hunters aU came out and saw them, and they heard them speak hke men. All the KiUer Whales have only four clans, hke human beings. The chief of each clan caUed his warrioi-s to kiU the gi-eat monster. The crests of each clan of these KiUer Whales are on their dorsal fins. The Eagles have a white fine in the midcUo of the dorsal fin; the Wolves have a long dorsal fin like a wolf's tail; 1 Notes, p. 739. 136 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 the Ganha'da have a short fin Hke a raven's beak; and the G'ispawad- WE'da have a flat short dorsal fin with a round hole in the middle. The chief of the Eagle Clan had been killed a few days before. Therefore he was the first to call his warrior to go and attack the monster. He jumped and dived into the deep sea and fought against the Giant Devilfish. (The devilfish's mouth is in the middle of its arms, and it draws its prey into it . In the midtUe of very many suckers is a skin which can be pulled back; and when this is (hawn back, the sawlike edge of the mouth is pressed against the victim.) When the first warrior had been there a while, he came up dead, and one sucker from the arms also came. Another one was called. He dived down into the deep and continued to fight \vdth the mon- ster. He staid a httle longer than the first one. Then he came up to the surface dead, and two giant arms also came to the surface. Thus they continued to battle until the last warrior of the KiUer Whales had gone and had cut off one arm. He also came up dead, and many dead KUler Whales were floating on the water. Then the cluef of the G'ispawadwE'da called his warriors to fight the monster. The chief said, "I will send two at a time." All the Whales agreed to this, and two went down to the bottom at a time. Then half of the arms of the monster came up with their dead bodies. Another two went, and brought up another half of the arms that remained after the fii-st two Whales had come up dead. When the warriors of the G'ispawadwE'da had obtained two arms, all their warriors had perished. Now, the Wolf Clan came forward, and the chief of the Wolves said, "I will send down four of my Wolves at a time." They all agreed to this. Therefore the chief sent out four warriors to fight the gi-eat Livmg Depths Horror. They staid there a little longer, and came up dead, and one giant arm came up floating on the water- Another four were sent down. They staid in the deep a long time, and then came up with many wounds on tlieh dead bodies, and another giant ann floated on the water. Then all the Wolves' warriore had perished. Now, the Raven Clan came forward. The thi-ee clans had already obtained five of the monster's giant arms, which floated among the dead bodies of the Killer Whales. Then the chief of the Raven Clan said, "You are a brave clan. You have obtained five giant arms of the monster of the deep. My relatives are weak. We can not do as much as you, but let us try all we can to do the best and fight against the monster!" Then he called one of his warriors. He called him by name. "Now, Bird Garment will go first! Kill that monster that has slain all our bravest people and our prince!" Then the young Ealler Whale jumped on the water three times. He went downi; and after he had been there a short time, a giant arm came up on the water, and Bird Garment also came up to the BOAS] TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 137 sm-face. He took a short rest; and the chief called him again. "Where are you now, Bird Garment ?" He jumped three times, then he went down again. He staid a little longer, and another giant arm came up and drifted on the surface of the water. Bird Garment followed it. He had obtamed two great arms, and he floated on the water, weary. The body of this great Killer Whale was not hurt by the monster. He was only tired out. Again his chief called him, and said, "Now, my brave man Bh'd Garment, where ai'e you? Try once more!" Then the brave Killer Whale jumped on the water and dived. He staid under the water for a long time, and all the Killer Wliales thought that he had been killed by the monster of the deep. Finalty he came up again with a giant arm in his mouth. Then all the tribes of the Killer Wliales shouted for joy and struck their tails on the water, saying, "Bird Garment is a warrior." And when their shouting ceased, he said, "Only two of his long arms remam. Now, I desire you to be with me when I go do\vn again." Therefore the brave Killer WTiales took courage, and many of them went down with Bird Garment. They bit off those arms, and Bird Garment went right to the heart of that fearful monster. Fuially the two remainmg arms were cut off from the body, and so all the brave Killer Whales brought up the great monster's body, and the clan of Bird Garment became the first of all the clans of the Killer Wliales. The Killer Whales had gamed the victory over that great monster; but Bhd Garment was the bravest among all of them, for he alone cut off three arms of the monster. The hunters saw all these thmgs, and they understood all the Killer Whales had said durmg the fight with the grept monster. ]\Iany years passed, and the young one of the old Devilfish was growni up. He lived in the same place, and was woi-se than the former one. He took down every person that passed by his place. Some- times be took dowTi canoes with the hunters and animals. One day an Eagle seated on the top of a high cliff saw a sprmg- salmon passing that place. He flew down swiftly and caught the spring salmon with his long claws. The salmon struggled on the water, and another Eagle came down swiftly to he\p him. Then the young monster came up with his mouth wide open and swallowed the two Eagles and the spring salmon. The two young Eagles were the children of an Eagle chief. He was very sorry to know that his two children had been caught by the Devilfish. He mourned many days, and his people came to comfort him, but he would not listen to them on accoimt of his great love for his children. At last one of his warriors said to him, "Call all the large bh'ds, and we will make war against the monster." Therefore the sad 138 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn. 31 chief agreed. He sent his messengers and called all kinds of large bu-ds. The Thunderbuxls came, the great Mountain Eagles, Hawks, Ravens, and all khids of birds; and when all the bhxls were in. Chief Eagle told them that the monster had killed his sons while they were catching a sprmg salmon at the foot of the precipice. He continued, "My people here like to go and fight him." After Chief Eagle had spoken, Thunderbu-d spoke, and said, "I will go with you; I hate him!" Mountain-Eagle Chief also said, "I will go with you when you fight against him;" and Chief Hawk and Chief Raven said the same, and all the birds said the same. On the following mornmg they went to the top of the precipice. Chief Eagle said, "One of my warriors shall go first, and all his fellows shall follow him." Therefore the Eagle warrior flew right down; and when the great monster saw him flappuig his whigs above his den, he came out, his mouth first, with which he intended to swallow all the Eagles. He opened his mouth and devoured all the Eagles. Thunderbird came down next, thundermg and lightening; and when the giant monster felt the water trembling, he put out two long arms. The lightning struck them, and the two arms were killed. Then all the birds flew down. The Devilfish was very angry. He opened his mouth, intending to swallow all of them. Wlien the Raven saw the mouth open, he flew down, went right into the mouth, and plucked out the great monster's heart with his sharp beak, and so the giant monster died there. Thus another Raven clan also gained the victory. Therefore the Giant Devilfish is afraid of the Ravens up to this time. When the people in olden times saw a devilfish coming up under a canoe, sometimes a man would sing out lilce a raven, "Caw, caw, caw!" Then the great monster would die before it came to the surface of the water. The devilfish would always die when it heard the sound of the raven's voice; but if a person waited untU the monster came to the surface of the water and then sang out, it was in vain, and the great monster would swallow him, canoe and all. Therefore the hunters would watch for devilfish in the water. These two stories of the DevUfish are connected. This is the end.' 14. The Hunter's Wife Who Became a Beaver ^ A man and his dear wife went out hunting raccoons. He went to his hunting-ground where they had been many times before, and he 1 See p. 100. sin olden times the people were skillful hunters, because the skins and meat of animals were very useful to them: for their clothing was made of the skins and furs of animals. Therefore they hunted grizzly bear, black bear, and mountain goat. All these were very useful animals. They spim the wool of the mountain goat and made yam of it, and then it was woven into dancing-blankets and cloaks. The wool was used for many objects; and they used the skins of all kinds of animals, great and small. Therefore they were very good hunters. Thus it was with one family.— Henbt W. Tate.— Notes, p. 739. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 139 built his hunting-lodge there. Many days passed by after they had reached this place. One morning the man went out to put up his raccoon traps, while his \vife staid at home in the camp. The man came home late m the evenmg; and two days later he went to look after his traps, which, hje had put up a few days before. He had built many all along the valley. When he came to his traps, they all had caught animals, and he set them agam. Then he carried the raccoons to the camp, and his wife was very glad to see her husband's good luck. Late at night he finished his work, and on the following morning he began to skin the raccoons, and liis wife helped him. They dried the skuis and the meat, and both worked all day until late at night. On the following day he went again to liis traps, and he caught more than he had before. His wife helped him carry the animals to the camp, and early the next mornmg they sldnned the animals. The woman was very happy because her husband had caught many raccoons. The sun was shinmg on their camp when she went to the place where her husband was wt)rkmg. She said, "My dearly beloved husband, just look at me for a while! " The man had no time to look at her, and did not pay attention to what his wife said. She, however, forced him to look at her. Wlien she thus compelled him to look at her, the man said, "You are no better than these raccoons. " Then the woman was very much ashamed, and left her husband weeping. She sat down on the bank of a brook that ran between those two moimtains. There she was sitting and weeping; but her husband did not pay any attention to her, because he had much work to do with the animals he had killed. The woman continued to cry. When her husband saw this, he said to her, "Stop crying, my dear, and come home with me!" but she rephed, "No, I won't; I am no better than these raccoons. I am ashamed on accotmt of what you have said to me. Go away! I am no better than the raccoons." She cried agam ; and so her husband went away, and went on with his work. She continued to weep. Before the sun went dowai she felt very warm, and therefore she stopped crying and went down to the little river to cool herseK. She took gravel and small pebbles and dammed up the water to make a small pool, in which she intended to swim. Soon the water began to rise to her knees. Then she took more stones and gravel to dam up the water. There was a rock in the middle of the pool which she had made. She went there and rested on it. When the sun went down, her husband came down and called her ashore; but she refused to come, and said, "I am no better than your raccoons. I am much ashamed on account of what you said to me. " Then the man saw her swimming about m the pond. Late in the 140 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 night he went home ; but his wife was still in the water, and staid there all through the night. The man did not sleep. He hoard his wife striking the water with her apron whenever she turned. Early the next morning he arose and went down to look after his wife. Then he saw a lake below the camp, and his wife swimming about in it. Therefore the man stood on the shore of the lake and cried, "Come home, my dear wife! You know I love you better than any one. Come home, now! Do come home!" She rcpUed, "No, you love the raccoons better than me. I shall never come back to you. " She still worked at her dam, and she would strike the water with her small leather apron whenever she dived.^ Then the man was very sorry. He kept on watchhig for several days, and would call his wife to come ashore: but she would only reply, "I am very much ashamed on account of what you said to me. Go home, and tell my brothers that I am not dead. I am going to live in this lake all by mj^self. " Therefore the man went down to his village. When he reached home, he went to his wife's brothers and told them what had become of his wife. Then these six brothers went with their sister's husband to the hunting-ground. Wlien they reached there, behold! there was a large lake between the two mountains, and a beaver's house in the center. The six brothers stood on the shore of the lake, full of sorrow, together with their brother-in-law. Then the eldest one said, "My only sister, we have come to take you dowTi to our home. " Then she came swimming and stopped in front of them, and said, "No, I will not come. Leave me alone! I am well off here. My husband is not angry with me, but I am ashamed of myself. No, I will never go down with you, but look well after my poor husband ! Don't hurt him ! I intend to stay here by myself. Any time you want to come, visit me." After she had said these words she dived. Then the six brothers lifted their voices and wept. She emerged on the other side of the large lake. Then the brothers went home fuU of sorrow. After two months had passed, they went up to the valley again; and when they reached there, there was a very large lake between the two mountains. It covered the whole valley; and they saw their sister diving, and they saw also thi-ee large round objects floatuig in the middle of the large lake, with three young beavers on them. The woman had been very good-looking. Her hair was reddish. The brothers were standing on the shore weeping, and their sister came toward them. Then the eldest brother said again, "Will you 1 In olden times men as well as women used to wear a small piece of leather as an apron. They used soft leather of a good quality, as wide as the palm of the hand. They used to fasten both ends in the belt In front and behind, and the body was bare. They wore only loose garments. The men had no coats, nor shirts, nor trousers, nor suits of clothing. The women also had no petticoats, as they have now. Thus it was with this woman.— Henkt W. Tate. BOis] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 141 not come down with us?" but she could not speak a word. She just dived in front of them. ITer leather apron had become a beaver's tail, and her body was covered with dark-brown fur. She was afraid that her brothers had seen her children swimming about with her. Then the brothers went home again full of sorrow. The six brothers could not forget her. The following spilng they went again to visit her, and they found the large lake full of beavers. There they stood on the shore weeping; and as they stood there weeping, behold! a large Beaver came toward them %vith a green cottonwood tree in her mouth. Her face was not yet covered with hair. Then the eldest brother said to her, "My only sister, will you not come down with us to our house?" but she could not speak. She just dived in front of them, seeming to say that she could not do it. Tlien the brothers wept bitterly and went home once moi-e. Now, the brothers considered what ihej could do with their sister, and finally decided to break the dam. Therefore the following spring they set out, went to the lake that their sister had built, and they worked, trying to break down the dam. Before they started then." work they had seen that the large lake was full of beavers, but their sister was not among them. Then they worked on until the dam began to break dowai and the water burst out; and before the lake was emptied many beavers came out of the empty lake. All the beavers escaped and fled away from them, and scattered all over the land, but the mother-beaver was not with them. Therefore When the big lake was empty, the brothers went into the lake-bed to see if tlieir sister were still there. They went into the beaver houses, and at last they found her right in the bottom of the lake. Her body was all covered with fur, but her face was still the same. She could not speak. Her finger-nails were hke animal claws, and her leather apron had become a beaver tad. Slie was glad to see her brothers. She died right there, because she was on diy ground. Therefore the people say that all the beavers are females, not miales, because the woman w^as thek ancestor; and also because the woman's hair was brown, therefore all the beavers have brown fur, no black. This is the end. 15. The Winter Hunters and the Mosquito^ In olden times the people used to hunt in the winter and travel way up the mountauis. Once upon a time there were ten brothers who went hunting. Their wives accompanied them. They went on and on far away from their home. They passed many mountains, valleys, and rivers, and after many days they finally came to the top of a mountain. They looked down into the valley, and, behold! there was smoke at the foot of the mountain. Therefore they said ■Notes, p. 740. 142 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 to one another, "Let us ojo down and camp in these houses!" for it was near the end of the daj'. So they shd down on their snowshoes, and soon came to the end of a village. The people came out to meet them when they came down, and each family invited one of the strangers into their house. They said, "We are told that ten brothers -with then- wives have arrived, and the youngest brother has a young wife with a child." The cliief of the village invited the youngest one into his house, and also his young wife with her child. When the chief gave them their supper, and while they were eating, the child began to cry. The mother was very himgry, and did not mind the cr^nng of the cliild. Therefore a middle-aged woman who was seated on the other side of the fire asked the young mother to let her have the child while she was eating, and the young woman gave her the child. The child kept on crjdng and screaming. Therefore the old woman put her mouth to the baby's ear and sang this song: "A, a, a, ye! A, a, a, ye! " Thus sang tlie old woman into the baby's ear. Then the cliild began to cry less and less until it stopped. The child's mother always looked over to her child while she was eating; and after she had finished, she went over. She thought her child was sound asleep. Soon after her meal she saw that her child was hanging on the arm of the old woman. She took her chUd from her, and, behold! it was dead in the arms of the old woman. The young mother did not ciy, but only wrapped the cliild in her marten blanket, and saw, when she examined it, that blood was oozing out of the baby's ear where the old woman had put her month. Therefore the young Avoman told her husband, "My dear, the inhabit- ants of this village are not real people; they are strange beings. Go to your brothers, and tell them what has happened to our cliild wliile we were eating our meal." So the young man went to liis brothers and told them what liad become of their httle cliUd, and gave orders to his brothers not to sleep, to avoid danger. He said, "Wliile these people are asleep, let us escape the same way that we came sUcUng down!" Late in the evening the people of the village went to bed. The two young people were fuU of sorrow on account of the death of their cluld. Not long after the people had gone to bed, the chief arose again, and crept toward the young couple. Then they made a noise, and coughed when the chief was close to the place where they lay; and when the cliief heard the cougliing, he ran away and lay down again in liis own place. After a while another man in the house arose and came toward them. Wlien he was near by, they coughed, and the man crept away from them. Thus it happened with all the brothers and their hosts. BOAS] TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 143 Just before daybreak all the people of the village were sound asleep. Then tlie strangers went out secretly, and all met at the end of the village and went up the mountain. Before they reached the top of the mountain, they looked back, and, behold ! a multitude of people came in pursuit, climbing the side of the steep mountain. Then the few strangers were in trouble; and when they reached the shding snow, they held a counsel, and they agreed that when their pursuers were close beliind them, they woidd try to cause an avalanche to destroy them. So the ten men and ten women worked hard in the snow. They used their staffs with mountain-goat horn at the points to dig across a largo snowbank tliat hung on one side of the mountain ; and when the multitude that pursued them was close behind them, they threw do%vn a large piece of snow, and they all jjerished, and were swept away under the avalanche. Then the ten couples had a rest on top of the snow, for they were weary after their labor; and wliile they were there, behold! another multitude of jjeople came beliind them, more than before, and the hearts of the ten couples failed. Now, the youngest one said, "Let our hearts not fail us! Let us all have courage ! " and so they began again to work with their staffs, and dug out the snow; and when the many people who pursued them were near to them, they broke off a large piece of snow, which fell down over the people that pursued them, and they all perished in the avalanche. Still another multitude of people were coming along, and they also perished in an avalanche. They had done this several times, and at last the chief came up to them alone. He was a short, stout man. He came up to them quickly, so that the ten couples had no time to loosen the snow. This was the Mosquito Town, and the old woman in the chief's house drank the baby's blood tlu-ough its ear. The chief's name was Baboudina (?). He was pursuing the ten couples because his people had been destroyed by the avalanches. His proboscis was of pure crystal. He ran rapidly toward them, and kUled the first one with his crystal proboscis. Then he went to the other one, and the rest ran away from him, but he pursued them. Finally only one young woman was loft. She was younger than all the others, and ran faster than they. She was the mother of the child that was kiUod in the house of Chief Baboudina. She ran more quicklj' than the chief; and when she arrived at a lake, she ran into the water; and while she was walking in the water, she saw a tree slanting over the lake. She went to it and climbed to the top. There she staid. As soon as she reached 144 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY ' [r-Tn. anx. 31 the top of the tree, behold! Baboudina was commg along, following the scent of hei- footprints right down to the water. Then he lost her tracks and looked about in the water. At last he saw the young woman sitting in the water. Then he jumped in and tried to kill her; but he could not do it, for he only saw the young woman's reflection in the water of the lake. He came out of the water again, and the water was full of dirt and mud. He stood on the shore waitmg until the mud cleared away. When it was clear, he saw the woman again sitting at the same place. He dived again, and tried to get her in the mud, but could not catch her. He came out again, and stood on the shore looking mto the water, waiting until it cleared, and soon the water was clear again. Therefore the woman laughed at hun, because he was so foolish; and as soon as the water was clear, he saw the woman laughing and scornmg him, as he thought. Therefore he was very angry, and dived once more, and staid in the water a long whUe. He came out again and was furious. Ho felt quite chUly because he had been in the water a long while. Ho remained standing at the same place, waiting for the water to clear again. The sun had almost set before the water was clear. Then he saw the young woman laughing and scorning him. Full of anger because the young woman was mocking him, he jumped again into the water and kicked and beat the mud in the bottom of the lake. He staid there a long while; and when ho came out again, he was very chilly. Then he tied up all his long hair on the top of his head, and made it roimd like a ball. His whole body was shaking, for he felt so cold. The sun had gone down in the west; and he stood there, his body shaking, and the ball of hair moving quickly. This made the woman laugh very much when she saw it. When the water was clear once more, Baboudina saw the j'oung woman laughing again, and he plunged in. He did not care about the cold. He forgot all about it, and he staid there twice as long as he had before. Finally he came out of the water. He walked very slowly ashore, for he felt very cold. The moon was shming, the sky was clear, and the north wind was blowing, and soon he was frozen to death. His wings were frozen to the ground. The woman saw him lymg there dead. She did not believe that he was really dead. Therefore she took a rotten branch, and threw it toward the place where he lay; but he did not move. Then she came down from the tree and went to the place where he lay and kicked him, but he was quite dead. Then she took her fish-knife made of shell, which she wore under her shirt about her neck, and cut him open. She took out his heart; BOAS] TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 145 but the heart had two eyes and a mouth, and was still living. It looked at the young woman, and the young woman was afraid of it. She took it down to the bodies of her companions. When she came to the one who was last, killed, she swung the heart over him, and he arose again after she had swung it over him four times. Then she went to another one and swung the live heart of Baboudina over bis body, and he came to life. She went to all her companions who had been killed; and when they were aU alive again, they were all very happy; and the young woman told them that she had killed the chief of the Mosquitoes, that he was Ijing dead by the lake. Then they all wanted to go and see him. The foIlo\\"ing day they went there, and found the place where he lay dead. The}" examined the body, and saw that the proboscis was of pure crystal. Then they said to one another, "Let us burn him up right here!" They started a tu'e, and put his dead body on the fire. His heart also was burned, and oidy the ashes remained there. And some of the people blew into the fire where they had burned Baboudina, and blew the ashes of the dead chief's body about. Then all the ashes flew upward, and thus the ashes of Baboutlina became small mosquitoes. Therefore mosquitoes remam on earth now. After they had finished this, they all went home sjiielj". 16. The Hunters' There were ten princes who went out hunting. When they arrived at their camping-place, they built abut. Their wives accompanied them. Only the j'oungest brother had no wife. After they had finished their hut, the eldest brother went alone to hunt porcupine; and when he was a short way off from the camp, behold! he saw a large, fat porcupine coming toward him. He clubbed it, tied its Mud legs, and hung it on a tree. He went on and climbed a rock. When he reached the top, behold! there was a white she-bear. He went up to her and shot her with his arrow; and when the man saw that the bear was dead, he went on to the top of the mountain a little higher up, deshous of seeing the other side. He did so; and when he reached the top, he looked down on the other side of the steep mountain. There he saw a village at the foot of the mountain, and smoke rising from it. He slid do%vn the ice on his snowshoes, and came to the side of the first house. He looked through a knot-hole, and, behold! a young woman was alone in that house. She looked at the man and smQed at him. She said, "Come in, my dear!" Then the people in the next house questioned her, and asked, "Did any one come to see you?" and she repUed, "Yes, it is so." 1 Notes, pp. 741, 759. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 10 146 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn. 31 This last house belonged t o a chief. Then the chief said to the woman, "Send him to me, that I may give hina to eat." Then the woman said to the young man, "Go to the chief's house, for he invites you in!" Therefore he went; and when he entered, a crowd of young men came to meet him at the door. They took aU his weapons and examined them, and they made him sit down on one side of the large fire. Then the chief ordered his attendants to prepare food for him, and they did so. They gave him rich, fat food; and while he was eating, the young men brought in all the weapons which they had taken from him. When it was late in the evening, the chief gave him some fur blankets — marten blankets and raccoon blaiikets — and the hunter slept soundly. Early the following morning somebody shouted, "The grizzly bears are coming down on the other side of the river!" Therefore the chief said, "Let the good hunters go and kill them!" Then the hunter took all his weapons and went across the river, and he took his first quartz arrow to shoot the grizzly bear, but his bow broke. Then he took his spear, but his spear broke. Then the great grizzly bear came to him and killed him right there. Then the chief whose guest he had been the night before cut him in two and hung him up in one corner in the front of his house. Now, the second brother set out to search for his elder brother, who had been lost a few days previous. He took all his weapons, hung liis quiver over his side, took his spear over his shoidder, and }iis good bow, and started. After he had left the camp a Uttle while, behold! there was a large fat porcupine which met him on his way. He clubbed the porcupine, tied its liind legs, and hung it on a tree, as his elder brother had done before. He went a little farther; and when he reached the top of the rock, he saw a verj' fine white she-bear feeding on the green grass before him. He crept up to her secretly and shot her. The bear fell on the green grass. He went up to her, and wanted to see the top of the mountain a httle above him. When he reached the top of the moun- tain, he looked down on the other side, and saw the smoke rising from a large village at the foot of the steep mountain. Then he shd down on his snowshoes; and when he came to the side of the first house, he went around and looked through a knot- hole; and the woman inside looked at him, smiled at him, and invited him in. Again the people next door, in the house of the chief, asked the woman, "Did any one come to you ?" and she replied "Yes." There- fore the chief said, " Let him come to be my guest! " and so the young woman sent him to the chief's house. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 147 As soon as he came in, he saw a crowd of young people, who met him at the door. They took away all his weapons, and some led Mm to one side of the chief's great fire. They made him sit on a grizzly-bear skin which was spread there. Then the chief said to Ms attendants, " Feed my friend with rich food!" and his attendants pre- pared food and did what the cMef had told them. They served him with rich food, and during the meal the young men brought Ms weapons in. Then the cMef ordered Ms servants to lend him a blanket for the night. Then they all went to bed, and the man slept soundly. Early the next morning a shout was heard outside. "Behold! grizzly bears are coming down yonder!" Therefore the cMef said, "Let the hunters go and kill them for me!" The young man made Mmself ready and started. He went toward the grizzly bear, and took Ms first quartz arrow and shot it, but Ms an-ow broke. He took another one out of Ms qmver; and as he tried to shoot, Ms bow broke. He threw it away, took Ms spear, and when he attacked the bear the point of the spear broke. Therefore the grizzly bear caught hold of him and killed him right there; and the cMef took him into Ms house, cut him in two, and hung him in the corner with his elder brother. Then the third brother set out to search for his elder brother. He took all his weapons; and when he was a little way off, he saw a large fat porcupine. He clubbed it and hung it on a tree. Then he went a little farther on, and there he §aw a fine wMte she-bear and shot her; and when the bear lay on the grass, the man went on and took up his arrow with wMch he had shot the she-bear. He went to the top of the mountain, as Ms two brothers had done before him, and looked down on the other side of the mountain. There he saw the lar Original: Da sa-sit-ya'ksa'mEs-6'Ia a sEin-ama-p!a'sEm su-pla'sEm hana'°xda, sa-sis'a'xsit a asi at dEm da'milda su-p!a'sEm y!6'°la ba'n dEda an'o'ndit. ■ Original: Ada k!a-sila-gam-BiI'°lkda su-pla'sEm y!6'°ta; ada a'lg Lxga ama-pla'sEm liana'°xga°. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 149' what to do." After the woman had said so, she vanished from liis sight. Then the young man went to the top of tlie mountain; and when he reached up there, he looked down on the other side and saw a hirge town at the foot of the steep mountam. He shd down over the ice, and arrived at the side of the first house at the end of the hxrge town. He went around and looked tlu-ough a knot-hole, and, behold! the same woman was alone in there. She looked at the young man and smiled, and beckoned to him, and he staid with her.* She said to him, "The cliief wiU invite you in, but do not eat much, as your nme brothers have done; and do not allow them to take your weapons away from you, for they always exchanged your brothers' weapons for ch'ied stalks. Let them not have any of your weapons. Early tomorrow mornmg the gi'izzly bear will come down, and the chief will send you to kill it. When you have kUled it, the whole village wiU fight against you, but I will help you. Because your brothers' weapons were exchanged for stalks of plants, then arrows and then* spears broke easily. Now, I shall let you have my two dogs to help you when you are tu-ed." With this she handed him her two pups, and said, "Put them m your garment. Wlien you are out of breath, tlu"ow the two pups on the gi'ound, and say, 'Grow up quickly. Red, and fight!' and then thi-ow down the other one, and say, 'Grow up quickly. Spots!' " After the woman had fuiished speaking, the chief m the house next door asked, "Did any one come to 3'ou?" The woman did not answer him at once, as she had done before, because she loved the young man much. The young man embraced her and kissed her many times. After that the chief asked again, "Did any one come to you?" and the young woman replied quickly, "Yes, he is commg." Then the chief said, "Send him over to my house, that I may feed hmi on rich, fat food." Then the man went; and when he came to the door of the chief's house, a great crowd of young men met liim. They acted very kindly towaid him, and wanted to take his weapons from lum, but he refused to let them have them. They led him to one side of the large house, and a gi"izzly-bear skin was spread by the side of the large fu-e. He sat down there, but nobody took his weapons away from him. Then the chief ordered liis attendants to prepare food, and they did so; but the young man refused to eat, and said, "I just finished my dinner before I came shding down the moimtain, there- fore I am very thankful for your kmdness;" but the claief compelled him to eat. Therefore the young man took a little. Late at night ' Original: Galistatna'°, da ninli's hana'^xda k!ul-lu-k!il'IdEt dadl-most da hmS,nixt, ada ligi-an'o'nt asga su-p!a'sEm ylo'^tagao da la'lgut a na-wil-na'kga hana'^xt. 150 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. anx. 31 they went to bed and slept. The j'oiing man was on the alert, and kept his weapons m readiness. Before he went to sleep, he looked at one corner in the front of the house, and saw his nine brothers hanging there, cut in two, and his heart was filled with sorrow. Therefore he could not sleep soundly at night. Before it was midnight he perceived that some one came to the place where he was lying, trj'ing to steal his weapons; but he held them in his hand, and coughed to let them know that he was not asleep. Many tried in the same way, but before daylight came they were all asleep. When day began to dawn, not a sound was to be heard; and when the sun rose high, a soft voice was heard outside, saying, "Behold! the gi-izzl\" bear is coming down on the other side of the river." Then the chief said, ''Let the hunter kill it for me!" Then the young man, who had kept ready, set out at once. He crossed the river, went right up to the great grizzly bear, and killed it. Then another gi-izzly bear came along, and he killed it also. A third one came along, and he killed it. Then two came together, and he killed both of them. Foin- came together, and he killed them. Then aU the gi'izzly bears pressed the young man hard, but he stood firmly, fightmg against them. Finally liis quiver was empty. Then he took his spear, and killed them with it, and many grizzly bears covered the gi'ound. Now he was very tired. He had forgotten all about the two pups that he had. When he was almost ready to faint, he remembered the two pups. He took one out, threw it on the ground, and said, "Grow up quickly. Red!" and then he threw down the other one, and said, "Grow up quickly. Spots!" and the two pups became giant dogs. Now, the two large dogs were stronger than the giizzly bears, and killed as many as they could while the hunter was lyuig on the gi'ound, for he was weary and needed a rest. The two giant dogs kLUed all the grizzly bears. When the two dogs also were th-ed out and the young man had recovered his strength, he went to the place where the two giant dogs were, and he petted them, as his sweet- heart had advised huu to do when she gave him the two pups. While the young man was petting them, the two dogs became smaller and smaller until they had regained their former size. Then he put them back in the belt of his garment. He went across to the village, while the place where he had been was covered with grizzly bears. The young woman came down and met him on the way. They went to the chief's house; and when they entered, they saw Chief Grizzly Bear lying dead there. The young woman said, "Now cut him open and take out his heart, and I shall wave it over the bodies of your nine brothers. Then they shall come back to life." Thus BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 151 spoke the young woman. He did as she had said. He took out the heart and gave it to her. Then she waved it over the body of the eldest one four times. Then the eldest brother came back to life. He rubbed his eyes just as though he were waking from sleep. Then she went to the second one, and the second brother came back to life, as Ms eldest brother had done before; and so with all the others. When they had all come back to life, the youngest one said, "Now go down to our camp and bring your wives here." So the nine men went to their camp, and the wives were very glad to see them come back. On the following day they started for the grizzly-bear village. The youngest brother had married White-Bear Woman, and he divided among his brothers the bears which he had killed. After they had dried the meat and the grizzly-bear skins, they were ready to move, and on the following day they packed all their belongings to go home. They started and went right to their home. When they reached then- own home safely, the eldest brother invited all hLs people, and told them then* story — how they had met dangers at the village of the grizzly bear, and how theu' youngest brother had delivered them from the hands of the cruel animals that had destroyed them, and how this youngest brother had married the beautiful woman who had helped him from the hands of those who had deceived them. Then the youngest brother brought down his beautifid wife to his own house. The young woman always followed him wherever he went, and the young man was successful in everythmg he did, on account of the help of the Bear Woman. He killed the strongest animals of all kinds, for his two dogs were stronger than any kmd of animal. Once upon a time this young man who had married the White- Bear Woman heard of a shaman woman who was killing all the hunters who passed her den. Therefore he set out with his wife to visit her. When they reached the cave in which the supernatural woman lived, she came out and invited them to visit her den; and when they went in, she made them sit on one side of her fire on a broad board. As soon as the young people were seated, they saw a number of dead people hanging on poles in the corners of the house. Then the supernatural woman said, "I shall have your wife for my dinner today, and tomorrow I shall eat yoti." The young man replied, "I shall have your head, and I shall put it on a long pole. I shall feed your flesh to my two dogs." With this he threw his two dogs on the ground, and his wife said, "Grow up quickly, Red, and you, Spots!" Then the two dogs shook their bodies and grew up to be large dogs. Then the young man said, "Attack her and bite her neck and eat her flesh ! " The two dogs rushed at her so quickly 152 . TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 that she had no time to call up her own supernatural helpere. They bit her neck, hit off her head, and the two dogs ate her flesli, but her head was still alive. The young man took it and put it on a pole, which he placed upright in the mouth of her den. Then the young woman took her two dogs, petted them, and they became smaller and smaller until they were of the same size as before. They went to their own house, and when they arrived there, the pups were dead. Then the young man died also. The woman took her husband's body and her two dead dogs aijd carried them to her own home. That is the end. 17. The Hunter and his Wooden Wife * A hunter married a young woman. He loved her very much because the young woman knew how to make dancing-blankets, which were very dear to the people in olden times. Not many days after their marriage the hunter made ready to go up the mountains for fall and winter hunting. One day they started, and lie went with his young wife, taking all hi3 woodworker's tools and his traps and snares. They went on and on until they arrived at his camping-groimd, and there they went into the hut. In the autumn the young man first hunted mountain sheep, whose wool the young wife needed for making dancing-garments. Therefore the man killed many. He took off the good wool, and the young woman took all the wool and washed it; and when it was dry enough, she spun it into yarn; and after she had spun it all, she dyed some; and when she was ready, she began to weave; and when one half of her weaving was finished, she became sick while her husband was away. When he came home, he found his young wife very ill. When she was dying, she called her young husband to her side, and said, "My dear husband, keep your love for me after I am dead. Don't go home too soon! Watch over my grave!" Then she died. The young man was in deep sorrow for her sake. He kept her dead body many days. Now the winter was nearly passed, and he still kept the body until it was decayed. Then he buried it. He carved an image of his wife out of red cedar. This man never touched anything that his wife had made, and so it was with her dancing-garment which she was making when she died. It was still hai:^ging there where it had been when she was work- ing on it. When he made the image of his late wife, he seated it in front of her unfinished dancing-garment, and he made the fingers move as though they were weaving a dancing-garment. He made it turn when he opened the door, and he ])retended that the image could speak. 1 Notes, p. 744. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 153 Then he began to liunt agam; and whenever he came home from huntmg, he threw down his bear meat and fat outside the house. Then he woukl speak to his wife-uuage, "Come out and look at this!" Then he spoke to himself as though his image- wife were speaking: "Oh, I can not, because my yarn is twisted aroimd my fingers! Therefore I won't come out." Then he went in and embraced his wooden wife. He talked to his wooden wife, and would say, "You are very handsome." Now many huntei"s were passmg by. They looked into the house and saw a woman weaving a dancing-garment. Then some one said that the hunter's wife was made of wood. He told about it in the village. There were two sisters among some young men. One night theii' mother was angry with them. Therefore they ran away from then- mother and crossed the mountains. They crossed the mountams, valleys, and rivers, and one day they arrived at the camp of the wooden wife. They looked in through a knot-hole, and there was a woman seated by the side of a dancing-garment, which she was weaving. They wanted to ask her if she could give them food, so they opened the door, and the woman that was weaving turned her head to look at them. They stood there and asked her to give them a little food, but she did not pay any attention; and the yarn was twisted around her fingers, and she just moved her fingers. There- fore the elder sister said to her younger sister, "That is not a living- being! I will go near and look." So she went near and touched her shoulder, and said, "Will yon give us a little food, elder sister?" However, she felt that it was not a human bemg, but wood. She called her younger sister, and they were surprised. Then they laughed at her, and they remembered what they had heard about the hunter's wooden wife. They hid in a corner of the house among the dried meat and fat. Soon they heard the hunter come down to his camp He whistled, for he was very tired because his load was heavj^. He said to his wooden wife, "Come out, my dear, and look at this!" Then he said to himself, "Not so, my dear, for my yarn is twisted around my fingers." Then he came in, ran to his wooden wife, and embraced her and kissed her, and the two young women laughed at him secreth'. The man heard them hiughing secretly. He got up and looked around, and found the two yoinig women who were hidhig among the dried meat. He called them and spread a large grizzly- bear skin on one side of the house. The two young women sat down on the large grizzly-bear skin, and he cooked for them rich meat, tallow, and fat. They ate many things that night, but the younger sister was afraid to eat much. She ate onlv a little of each kind of 154 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 food. The elder sister ate a great deal. She overate. At midnight they went to bed. The man spread another grizzly-bear skin for their bed, and he gave them fur garments. They slept soundly that night; but the elder sister, who had "overeaten, soiled her bed early in the morning. The hunter arose and made a fire. He cooked a meal for the two women, and then called them. The younger one arose, but the elder one was ashamed to get up. The man said, "Wake up, my dear, we are waiting with breakfast!" but she cried l)ecause she was very much ashamed. Then the hunter made fun of her. Pie wanted to marry the younger one. She replied, "You may marry me if you promise to destroy your wooden wife. " He prom- ised to destroy it, and she asked him to promise not to tell any one what had happened to her elder sister. lie also said that he would never do so, and he also said to her, "Don't tell any one what I have done to the wooden figure!" and she promised not to do so. Then they were married. The young woman was better than his former wife. He taught her to weave dancing-garments, and she learned the art quickly, and she made them better than his first wife. The hunter came to be richer than ever. He sent his sister-in-law back to the village; and at the end of the next autumn they moved back to the village. He gave a great feast to all the people, and built a large house, and became a head chief in his generation. His new wife was a wise woman and kind to all the people. That is the end. 18. Plucking Out Eyes ' There was a great town, and many people lived in it. A large lake was behind the town, and a good trail led from the towri to the lake. The people used to walk up to the lake to enjoy themselves — young and old, and also children — because there was a good sand}'' beach all around the lake. The young people would swim there — young men, young women, and children. The town had a very good chief, a very kind man, and the chief- tainess also was kind to all the people. Their son was a nice young man, whom they loved very much, because he was their only son. The mother had many brothers, who also loved her only son. This young man was as gentle as his father and his mother; and the prince had a young man, nice like hunself, for his friend. They loved each other like brothers. Often they would sleep in one bed. The young man's parents were very anxious that he should marry one of his father's relatives; and all his uncles came and assemblcnl around him, and said that he must marry the girl, as his father wished. However, he refused. He did not want to get married so 1 Notes, pp. 7-16, 759. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 155 soon. He said he was still too young, but his parents urged him to marry soon. Now we will see what happened to this young man who did not want to marry. It was in the evening, when all the young people went home frona playing on the shore of the lake. The young man went up along the trail behind his father's house. Before he reached the lake he saw a beautiful girl coming down along the trail on which he was walking. She looked at hun and smiled, and the young man looked at her and also smiled. He asked her, "Where do you come from?" and they were both standing side by side. Then the girl said, "I come from over yonder." The young man continued, "Wliich way are you going?" She said, "I am just taking a little walk farther down, young man." — "Shall I go with you?" — "Yes, come on!" Thus they walked on the trail side by side, and they began to talk together whUe they were going along. Then the young man said, "I love you. Now I want to marry you."' The girl said, "If you will promise me that you will not take any wife beside myself, then you may marry me." The young man promised that he would not marry another woman beside herself, and he married her.^ Then she said, "Come and go with me to my house!" So they went up the lake. She said, "Any time you want me, shout four times, and I will come to take you to my house, by day or by night; but let nobody know what you have done, lest you die. Don't marry another woman!" He promised her again that he would not do it. The girl said agaui, "Don't tell any one!" Then they separated. This was the reason why the young man did not want to marry. Sometimes when lying down in the night, his friend would say to him, "You must do what your parents want you to;" but the prince always said that he was still too young to marry. His friend noticed that the prince would often come in just before daylight and lie down again by his side, and that his body then was quite cold and a little wet. The prince had done so many times, and more than two 3"ears had passed this way. One night his friend made up his mind to watch the prince. He pretended to be asleep ; and when the prince thought that his friend was asleep, he arose from his bed and went out secretly. Then his friend arose also. He went out, and, behold! the prince was going along the trail behind his father's house. His friend followed hun secretly, and also went along the trail. The prince did not know that his friend was following him. As soon as the prince came to the shore of the great lake, he shouted, and shouted 1 Original: N si'oplEnt, g-aVun hasa'gaut n dEm sil-nATiEn. 2 Original: Ninli' gan-SEm-g-a'dEt a'^skga su-p!a'sEm ylo'ota a dEm wa-gilc-ga'" ligi-hana'<>x a na-awa'ot; wai la ^a'odi wait as n!i'at a gwi'ot. 156 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 again, while his friend was standing a little farther back in the woods, keeping very quiet. After the prince had shouted four times, behold ! a beautiful girl came up from the water. She came ashore to where the young prince was standing, and she took him and dived with him to the bottom of the lake. After his friend had seen this, he went home ami lay down again. Just before daylight the prince came in secretly and lay down again. Night came on again. When the prince was fast asleep, and his friend noticed that he was sleeping, he arose secretly and went up to the lake, stood at the same place where the prince had been standing the night before, and shouted as the prince had done. He shouted four times. Then the beautiful girl came up from the water. She went toward the young man who stood on the shore. She took him and plunged down to the bottom of the lake.' Then he saw a good- looldng boy creeping around the house. So the man took the boy and ran away with him; and at midnight, while the prince was still asleep, the friend came in with the boy. He tlii'ew him on the pruice who was sleeping, and said, "What makes you so patient with your child?" The prince awoke, and said, "You have done a great ^vrong. I am sorry for what you have done." Then they all went to sleep again. This cliikl was the son of the prince and of the woman of the lake. Then the child arose and plucked out the eyes of the man who had taken him up. He went around the house and took out the eyes of all the people, and strung them on a line of red-cedar bark. He went all around the village and took out the eyes of all the people. The sister of the prmce lived at the end of the village. She had given birth to a child a few days liefore, and a slave-girl was staying with her, takmg care of the newborn child. Before dayUght the child of the princess was crying on the la]> of the slave-woman. The princess said to her, "Look after thechikl!" Still the slave took no notice of what her mistress had said. There- fore the child's mother took the child from her. She looked at the slave's face, and, behold ! her eye-sockets were empty. She saw the child creeping on the. ground at the door, ■with a long line in his hand, on which the eyes of the people were strung. Now the fath(^r of the child which had taken the eyes of the people woke up, and, behold ! his friend who had taken the child up from the lake had no eyes. The prince went to the place where his father, the chief, was sleeping, and he saw that his father had no eyes. He went around in his father's house, and all the people were dead, and their eyes were gone. He went to another house, and there also the people had lost their eyes. He went on from house to house, and ' Original: Dat sila-na'ktga". BOAS] TSIMSHIAlSr MYTHS 157 he found that in every house the people were all dead, then* eyes havmg been plucked out. So he went to his sister; and there he met his child, dragging along the line fidl of the eyes of the people. The child was dragging the hne along the street when he passed hhn. He went to his sister, who hail just given bhth to a child, and saw that she was still ahve. He told her that their parents were tlead, and, further, that aU the people in the village were dead. Therefore the young man asked her to leave the viUage. His sister took up her own child, and they went along the street. Agam they met the child who was draggmg along the street the line -with the eyes. He took up the child, and threw away the line with the eyes of the people. " They went together on the traU behind the house of the cliief, which led to the lake. The prince shouted four times, and, behold! the beautiful woman came up, and went ashore to the place where the prince was standmg. When she came near him, he thi-ew the child at her, and said, "Why didn't you take notice to whom you gave your child ? This child has killed every- body m my viUage." The woman stood there silent, and the prince and the pruicess were crying. They remained there a little longer, and the woman of the lake felt A^ery sad. She spoke kindly to her husband and to her sister-in-law. She said to her husband first, "Come to me, my dear!" So the prince went near her, and she gave him gambling- tools. She sent him away to the south, and said to him, "Go there! You shall l)e richer than any one you meet." Then she gave him a set of gambhng-sticks.' Then the young prince took them and went southward. He always shook his gambling-sticks, and he always won, and became richer than all his fellow-men, as the woman of the lake had said. She also called her sister-in-law to her, and gave her a garment of wealth. She put around her an ever-new belt, and she put the prmcess's own child on her back, and said to her, "Whoever meets you, or whoever hears your child cry, shall be richer than any one else." She sent her toward the northwest. The child was ahvays crying as she went along. Therefore it is that whoever meets her becomes rich among the people. Now these two people parted. The young man went southward, and the young woman went northwanl. Then the woman of the lake took up her own child and went down to the bottom of the lake. She wept there, and at the end of her mournmg-period she came up with her chilil on her back. She went ashore and came do-mi to the seashore. There she stood on the beach and went into the salt water. 1 These sticks they use up to this day. They split maple wood and make gambling-sticks, and they make them pretty. Some gambling-sticks are made of bone, some of maple. They are fift.v or sixty in number, and each one has a mark and a name. — Henrt W. T.^te. 158 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axx. 31 She plunged to the bottom of the sea, and left her home in the lake, and went way out. She became a being part fish, part woman, and had her new home in the sea. Sometimes the people will see her coming up, and they call her Haklula'q. 19. The Spider and the Widow's Daughter' There was a famine among the people. There used to be famines because they had no nets to catch sahnon, and not many people know how to make salmon traps and weirs. Therefore dried salmon was not plentiful in winter, and many \\-idows were dying of starva- tion, and also old people antl orphans. When a famine set in, the rich people would leave the village and move to some other place, scattering in every direction, without taking pity on the poor. They left them in the empty villages, and diseases swept the poor people away. Starvation and disease destroyed them all. So it happened to one widow, who was left in the village when all th(> wealthy people had moved away. She went into the woods behind the empty village, where a small brook ran down. There she made a httle hut for hersoK and her daughter, and every day she looked out of her little hut, and saw many salmon jumping at the mouth of the brook. They wished to catch them, but they did not know how to do it. They waited for the sahnon to go up the brook, intending to club them. Early every morning the Avidow came out of her hut and went down to the beach to search for something to cat. Early one morn- ing, on going out, she saw many salmon jumping on the water. She thought her daughter would soon die before the salmon would come up the creek. Therefore she sat down on the bank of the l^rook, weeping. Her daughter was alone in the hut. She was in bed, and was starving. When the girl opened her eyes, behold! a tall young man was standing at the door of the hut, who saitl, "I have come to marry you." He was a strong-looking young man. The girl was much surprised, and said, "Wait until mother comes in, and teU her what you want!" but the tall young man said, "I can not wait for your mother, won't you take me now?"^ The girl agreed, and he married her. He said, "I mU come again tonight." Then he left. Late in the evening her mother came home sorrowful, but she noticed that her daughter looked happy. She did not ask the reason, and pretended not to notice it. At midnight the tall young man entered the hut. The widow did not sleep, and therefore she saw the door open and the tall young man enter. She saw him go in to her daughter, and she wondered what her daughter had done. Still she was afraid to speak. 1 Notes, pp. 747, 75fl. ' Original; ,\'lga n dEm di-bEbu'°dEs nftn; at n dEin gcin-ga'°ni7 ada n dEm sil-n4'kEn ga'wun? noAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 159 Early the next morning she arose and Ughted the fire. The t.all young man asked the girl, "Why are you staying here?" The girl said, "We are waiting for the salmon to come up the brook, then we intend to club them." He rephed, "Tell your mother to bring down nettles, as many as she can find." The girl told her mother, who went quickly to gather nettles. After she had tied them into bundles, she carried them down. The young man spread out the nettles in the hut. Then he sharpened a piece of hard wood and spht the nettles. He dried them in the sun; and when they were dry, he peeled off the outer bark. On the fol- lo\ving day he dried them again. He took three dried ribs of mountain goats, used them as knives to peel off the outer bark until the fiber remained. After the young man had peeled aU the nettles, he showed his mother-in-law how to spin and make thread out of them. He spread the fiber on his right thigh with the thumb of his right hand, and he held the nettle fiber in his left hand with tliree fingers. Then he worked on, pushing the fiber toward his knee, and drawing it again back toward liis body. Thus he twisted the fibers into a thread. Xow the widow had learned it, and worked all night spinning, day by day, and night by night, until she had used up all the fiber of the nettles. Then the young man made a mesh-stick, four fingers wide, and as long as the palm of the hand, out of hard wood, and he began to net; and in three days he had used up all the thread, and his net was twenty fathoms long and twenty meshes vndo. Then he told his mother-in-law to make a good cedar-bark line of three cords, twenty-six fathoms longer than the net; and he took dry red cedar and carved floats out of it.' When the young man had finished the net, he went out in the night with liis wife and began to fish. His net was fuU of salmon; and when he came home early in the morning, his canoe was full of silver salmon. The widow cut them aU while they slept, and before evening her son-in-law and her daughter awoke. After they had taken their evening meal, they made ready to go out fishing again, and they came home early, with their canoe full of silver salmon. He smoked the sahnon, and enlarged his mother-in-law's hut and made it into a large house for smoking salmon, and the large house was fuU of dried salmon. Then he built another large smoking-house, and it also was soon filled. Then they tied the salmon into bundles. He built a third house, and they stored in it the bundles of dried salmon.- AVhen the large house was full of bundles of dried salmon, and the salmon were hanging in the other two houses, the man said to his wife, "I am ' There were no lines at the bottom of the old nets. They had only top lines.— Hexry W. Tate. 2 There were twoscore dried salmon in one bundle. Inonebundleof animal skins are only ten.— Henry W. Tate. 160 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ANN. 31 going away now to my own home. I took pity on you and your mother. Therefore I came to show you how to make nets." The girl said, "I will go with you. Let my mother go to her own home." On the following day the young woman told her mother what her husband had said to her; and the widow felt very sad, yet sh(> had nothing to say. The young man said, "I wiU take one bundle of dried salmon for you when you go," and the young woman was very glad to go with her husband. In autumn, when the leaves were faUing, and all the people had assembled in the village, they saw that all their poor relatives had died of starvation. They took the boches and burned them. The widow returned to the village, and the people thought that her daughter had died because she had been left alone. She did not tcU any one that she had plenty of dried sahnon. The people, however, tried to find out what had become of her. WTien winter came, the widow called the young men to help her, and they took down two large canoes and went to t he place where her store- houses were. Then the young men went up, and saw the houses full of bundles of dried salmon. They carried them down; and when the two large canoes were fuU, they went home. They carried the bundles of salmon up to the widow's brother's large house. On the following day the two large canoes went again, and both were filled with bundles of chied salmon. Now, the large house was quite fuU. When all the bundles of dried sahnon had been taken to the village, she invited her tribe to give each chief one bundle of dried salmon, and divided one bundle between each man and woman, and her fame spread among all the tribes. They came to buy good dried salmon, and she became very wealthy. The net, however, she did not show to any one. The young man took his wife to his home; and M'hcn the young woman sat down on one side of the house, a Mouse Woman came to her, and asked her to cast her woolen ear-ornaments into the fire. After the Mouse Woman had taken the burnt ear-ornaments out of the fire, she said, "Don't you know who married you V The woman said, "No." — "It is the Spider. He took pity on you, therefore he went to show you how to make a net. Don't eat their food, lest you die! If you take your own food, you will remain a human being; but if you eat theirs, you will become a .spider." Thus said the Mouse Woman, and then she went away. The woman's husband showed her some more kinds of netting, and the follo-ning summer the Spider's wife went home to her mother's camp, and she showed her mother what she had learned in the house of the Spider. This is how the people in olden times learned how to make nets. That is the end. boas] tsimshian myths 161 20. Prince Snail ^ There was an old village at the northwest of Xlen, and many people were Imng there. It is the same village as that in which the chief lived who maiTied the Robin Woman. ^ A great chief lived there who had many people in his tribe. There- fore they were proud and high-handed. He had sLx sons and one Ijeantiful daughter. His sons were expert hunters. Therefore their father was a wealthy chief. He had many slaves, males and females. Therefore he was proud, and ever}' one honored him and his famil}-. There were many Tsimshian tribes, and each tribe hail a chief. Some had one and some had two, and there were main' princes in each tribe. Now, when the daughter of this wealthy chief was grown up to be a woman, another chief wanted to marry her, but her parents declined. All the chiefs and princes of the Tsimshian wanted to marry her, but the parents refused them all. They made the bed for the young woman above their own room. Her six brothers, her servant girl, and her parents watched over her daj' by day. When night came, the chief himself would put a bar across the door, and all his slaves would go to bed. Her parents guarded her day after day and night after night. The young woman used to take a walk behind her father's house once a day, accompanied by one of her own maids. One day she wanted to take a walk with her to take some fresh air, as she was accustomed to do. Before she went out, she stood at the door and looked to the right and to the left; and when she saw some one on the right or the left, she would go back, imtil no one was to be seen on the street. She did so every day. One day she went with her maid to take fresh air; and when going back, before they entered her father's house, she saw a snail creeping along the street. So she kicked the snail out of the way with the tip of her toe, and said to it, "Wouldn't j^ou like to marry me?" Then she went home.' Every day she went to bed early, soon after she had taken her walk, and went up the ladder to her bed; and her parents made their bed at the foot of their daughter's ladder. Two nights had passed since the young princess had kicked the snail out of her way. In the following night, soon after midnight, the young girl felt some one touch her.* So she turned her face toward him, and she saw a fine-looking young man. She put her arms around hun, and felt that his skin was as smooth as glass. Therefore 1 Notes, pp. 747, 749. 2 See p. 179. 3 Original: Adahaut dEda hatsaE'rElt, "Amuksat nE'rEni k!ui-wa-di-hau'En ga'dEda kia'i?" ' Oiiginal: Da la gik h6'"p!Elt, ga'wun M-k!a-da'o! a'otgut, dat ga'lksa da Igu-wa'lksEga wil ni'ka g'a'd daawa'ot. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 11 162 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 she loved him very much. Before dayUght the j'oung man awoke and went away. The following night the girl went to bed as early as she was accus- tomed to do, and soon all the people in the house of the great chief lay down. Then the young man came again and staid with the girl, and she loved him more and more.' Now, the parents of the young woman did not know what was happening to their princess. The young man went to her four nights ia succession; and when the fourth night had passed, the young man said to his beloved, "Shall I take 3'ou away from your father's house into my father's house, and to his large house? It is not far from here." She agreed. She forgot her pride and her father's refusal of her to all the chiefs of the Tsimshian, and the princes' desire to have her in marriage. She took only a small box and went with this young man, and the young man took her far awa}' from her father's house. Now they reached the young man's village. He went with her into a large house. The young woman was a little behind her husband and entered after him. She looked around and saw her husband, who entered and walked right up to a large fire. There he lay down, with his back against the fire; and she saw that a large snail was there in front of the fire, as big as a whale, and another one was on the other side of the fire. These two large snails were the parents of the young man who had married the young woman. They did not care for the young man's new wife, and staid with their backs turned toward the fire. Then the young woman was much disappointed. She went to one corner of the large house and sat down without any one speaking to her. She sat there weeping and full of sorrow; and while she was weeping, she felt that some one touched her side and asked her for her woolen ear-ornaments. Then the young woman took off her woolen ear-ornaments, and the Mouse Woman took them. The Mouse Woman asked her, "Do you know these people?" The young woman said, "No." Then the Mouse Woman said, "You remember one time when you saw a snail on your way home and you kicked it out of the way, and you said to the snail, 'Don't you want to marry me?' That is what you said when you kicked it away with the tip of your toe. Therefore the great chief sent his son to marry you." After the Mouse Woman had spoken, she went away. Now we will go back to the young woman's own home on the morning when she left. When no one in the house made a noise, the old woman thought that her young daughter was stUl asleep. There- fore she ordered every one in the house to keep quiet until her daughter J Original: Ada wiladi-Ia'lga txan!ilu-tgu-wa'lbdawildi-nfi,'kgEsgawi-sEm'a.'g"idga,daaIgikgoi'ursued liim again. He ran faster than the Wolverene, so the Wolverene ran up a tree, and the young man spanned his bow and had his arrow ready in his hand. He pointed the arrow at the Wolverene wdthout saying a word to him. Now, he said, "I shall shoot you right now. " But the Wolverene said, "Wait, I shall tell you!" but the young man would not listen. He said, "I shall not wait any longer, because you have made fioi of mo tluee times." Then the great Wolverene said, "You shall liave my secret now. It is the rotten fern (or qialu'>gAn ?) ." Then the Wolver- ene began to cry, "Rotten fern!" and he went his way crying until his voice was lost. Now, the young man went and repaired his traps and snares, and ho made many new traps and snares, and he went and searched for some rotten fern (or qldlu°gAn%). Ho found some and ate st)me; and he used some while bathmg m the morning, as the Wolverene had told him; and he came to be a great hunter, more successful than lie had been before; and when he went to see his traps and his snares, behold ! every one had caught a marten or mink or weasel, and many other good animals. He did so the whole year round, and in the spring he budt bear traps, and snares for grizzly bears, and traps for wolverenes and wolves and all other kinds of animals, and he became richer and richer. Many j^rmcesses wanted to marry him, and many times he gave a great feast to the people because he; was vejy rich. He remained an expert hunter. Finally he married one of his uncle's younger daughters, and after many days his wife had a little son. Wlien the boy grew up, he heard the people say outside, "There is a white she-boar coming down on the ice of the Skeena River!" and the son of Dcvil's-Club Tree took his spear and ran down. He saw the white she-bear coming down the river on the ice; but before he was able to throw his spear, boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 177 the white she-bear kicked the ice, and the man was drowned. The white she-bear was ahnost drowned too, but she succeeded in reach- ing the bank. The man went under the ice and died there. 23. The Mixk Who Married a Princess ' In olden times many animals married women, and so it was with this young woman. Her parents did not want any one to marry her. jUthough all the princes wanted to have her, they would not agree. One night they went to bed, and some one came to the place where the princess was sleeping. He woke her, and said, "May I stay with you tonight?" She said, "Yes." And so the young man remained with her. Before daybreak the young man said, "Shall I take you to my house?" and the young woman said, "Yes, of course!" There- fore he took her in his canoe, and they left her home, Metlakahtla. He said to his wife, "Lie down in the canoe!" and the young woman did what her husband said. He paddled the whole night. Then he came in front of his house. He said, "Now, my dear wiie, wake up and go into my house ! " So the young woman arose, and she went with him into a mink's den. Now, the young woman's heart was sorry on account of what she had done, for she knew now that her husband was a Mink. She was always crying. Every morning the Mink went fishing and brought many eels, which he caught under the small rocks. He strung the eels on cedar twigs, and carried them up to his den, where his wife was. She would not eat anything, but just chewed fat. Every mornmg, very early, the Mink went and brought home one or two strings of eels. He dried them in the smoke; and every time he came home he counted his dried eels. He brought fresh ones, and hung them also in the smoke to dry. Wlien the young woman saw tliat her husband always counted his dried eels, one morning while her husband was away, she took the eels down and hid them ; and as soon as the Mink came home with another string of eels, he looked for his di'ied eels, and they were all gone. He scratched his head, and said, "I don't know what has become of all my dried eels. Maybe I ate them, I don't know! Oh, no! for my stomach is not full." He was afraid to ask his wife, for fear of making her angry. Therefore he said to himself, "Perhaps I ate them all! Oh, no! my stomach is not full." Then the young woman began to laugh, and he said, "Oh, how foolish these human beings are! What will they have to eat during the cold winter, when the snow is on one side of the trees! How foolish they are!" The young woman was laughmg about the words that her husband spoke to himself. ' ' Oh, yes ! " said he, "maybe I ate them all, ate, ate, ate! Oh, no! for my little stomach is not full. How foolish people > Notes, pp. 747, 762. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 12 178 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth.ann. 31 arc ! Wliat will they eat in the cold whiter, when the snow is on one side of the trees!" Then the young woman lauglied aloud, and said, "Oh, you funny fellow! I liid your dried eels in the corner. Go there and get them!" Mink went and got them and hung them in the smoke. He was glad, and said to Ills dear wife, "My dear wife, I am sorry to trouble you about the dried eels, but I did not mean you, I just talked to myself. " Now, the time came when the people moved to Nass River to fish for olachen. One day the sun shone, and the young woman said, "Let us take a walk and sit on the point yonder! There we shall see the canoes passing by." They went there, and sat down behmd a log. The canoes passed by the place where they were sitting. Mmk saw some people wearing white bone ornaments in their ears and in their noses.' Mink saw that it looked very well, and he said, "My dear wife, what are these white thmgs m the ears of your people?" — "They are bones." — "But why do they do it?" She replied, "Because they want to show that they are of my rank." Mink said, "Can you do the same to me ? " — "Oh, yes ! I will if you want me to. " Mink said, "How do they make the holes in the eai-s?" — "You must sharpen a hard spruce branch, and then I will do it for you." — "Yes, my dear wife, I want it very much. You must do it with a sharp branch tomorrow." On the following morning Mink went and got a spruce branch. He took it home and sharpened it. The young woman said, "Sharpen both ends." Muik did as his wife told him; and when lie had done so, he gave the branch to his wife. The young woman said, "Are you ready now?" — "Yes, I am ready," said he. Then the young woman took the sharpened branch, and asked, " Wliere is your stone hammer?" Mink gave it to her. "Now lie down on the ground, and I ■noil drive this sharp branch through your ears." Mink lay down on the ground, and said, "My dear wife, I am afraid I shall die." — "Oh, no!" said the young woman, "you wall not die. The people shall know that you are of my rank. It will not hurt you, but my father's people will like you. " Therefore he lay down on the ground. The young woman took the spruce branch in one hand, and the stone hammer in the other. She said, "Close your eyes!" — "No," said he, "I'm afraid, I'm afraid! "said he. Thenthe woman said, "Then I shall leave you and go home to my father." Now, Mink lay down on the ground, his one ear up, and the other down on the ground. "Close your eyes!" said the woman. He closed his eyes, and the young woman took the sharp branch and drove it into his ear and fastened it to the gi'ound. Mink died there, and the young woman went back to her father's house. 1 Ifwa^ the custom to wear bones in holes made through the ears and the nose. — IIenry W. Tate. boas] tsimshian myths 179 24. The Chief who Married the Robin and the Sawbill Duck ' In olden times, long ago, the people of this coast used to marry animals, birds, frogs, snails, mice, and so on. So it happened unth one great chief. His village was at the northwest side of Xlen Island, and his tribe consisted of many people. He had no wife. His people assembled several times, and tried to find a woman to be liis wife. Then the chief said to them, "If you bring me a woman of the Robin tribe, I wiU marry her; and if you will bring me a woman of the Sawbill Ducks, I will marry her." Then the people of his tribe had a great meeting to talk over these matters. Some of his wise men took counsel, and chose himters to search for the two women whom the chief wanted to marry. There- fore the hunters fasted; and after their fasting, some went up the mountains, and others went out to sea. Those who went up the mountains reached a large plam, where they saw a large village, and they went toward it. When they came near, they saw young people walking up and down on the street. They seemed very happy, and they were good to look at. They were young men and young women. "When they saw the hunters coming to their village, some young men ran in and told the people and also their chief, who in^ated the strangers into hishouse. They spread mats at the side of the chief's large fire, and immediately they sat down. Then some one touched the side of one of the hunters. It was the Mouse Woman. She said, "Do you know whoso village this is T' He said, "No." Then the Mouse Woman said, "This is the AiUage of Robin, and tlus is the house of their chief. He has a beautiful daughter, whom her father \vill let you have to be your chief's Avife if you promise him to take good care of her." After Mouse Woman had spoken, she went away. Now, the chief said to liis attendants, "Get ready for these men who have come to visit us. Prepare good food for them." Then his men roasted a good dried spring salmon, put it into a dish, and jilaced it before the hunters, who ate of it. After that tliey gave them fat meat of mountaiia goats and all kinds of fresh berries. Late in the evening, after they had eaten, the head men of the hunters said to the chief, "You are a great chief, and we are glad to see the riches in your great house. We have come from very far to visit you; for we have heard of the fame of your wealth, which we see now, and part of which we have tasted. Our poor chief has sent us to you, for he wants to have your daughter to marry her. We \vill honor her, and she shall be the greatest cliieftainess in our village and among all the Tsimshian tribes. We shall do all we can for her." 1 This story resemblps in style the Kwakiutl stories (see p. 106) .— Kotes, p. 759.— F. B. 180 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 After he had spoken, the chief of Robin's attendants spoke: "Indeed, chief, my chief heard what you said to him. Tomorrow- he will invite his tribe, and ^\all tell his people what you ask for, and the day after tomorrow they will decide." Two days passed, and then the people of the village assembled. Then- chief said to the visitors, "Friends, I am glad that you have come here, and that you want to take my daughter to be your chief's wife. My wise men and all my people have decided that you shall take her to your chief. I understand that you promise to take good care of her, wliich I hope you will do. I wish that my daughter and the young chief might come to visit me in the winter to get provisions. At present I send her with you empty-handed. That is what my people desire and what they have decided in this matter. At present I just give her two small root baskets — one filled with fresh meat and fat, and the other fiUed with various kinds of freslf berries." The hunters started homeward. They did not know the way, but the young Robin Woman led them. They walked down, and passed many mountains and many valleys and rivers. They traveled on many days ; and they reached home late in the fall, bringing with them a beautiful young woman. Tlie young chief was very glad to see the beautiful young woman. The hunters gave the girl to liLm to be his wife. So the chief received her. He loved her very much. The head man of the hunters opened one of the small root baskets and took out the fresh meat antl fat. He put it on the mats which were spread in front of the chief and his new wife, and the meat and fat filled one end of the house. Then the head hunter took the other root basket and took out the various ripe berries, which he put into a cedar box. When the chief saw these things, he was very glad, and invited his whole tribe in. After the people had eaten, they said to their cliief, "O chief! you ought to invite in all the tribes to show them your new wife, and they shall be happy with you." The chief consented, and sent his messengers to all the different tribes around his village, asldng the chiefs of the different triljes to assemble in his village two days later to take part in the wedding feast. All the chiefs had a very haj^jiy time, at the end of which they went to their own homes in their canoes, which were loaded with meat and fat and all kmds of berries. They were aU talking about the young princess who was now the wife of the yoimg chief. Now we will turn to the other woman, the Sawbdl-Duck Woman. I said before that some hunters went in their canoes; and as they went along the seashore, when they came aromad the point, they saw a young woman walking along the sandy beach. Her braided hair BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 181 was hanging down her back, and was ornamented with beautiful white shells. The head man of the hunters wanted to go and take her for their chief to be his wife. So they went ashore. The head man went toward her and sat down with her on the beach. The man told her that his chief wanted her to marry him. Then the SawbiU-Duck Woman consented. He took her to the canoe, and they went home, where they arrived a few days before the other hunters came. The chief was stiU waitmg imtU the others came home. He waited for a long while, and finally those who had taken Princess Robin came home. Then the young chief loved the Robin Woman more, for she was more beautiful than the Sawl)ill-Duck Woman. After the cliief had given liis great feast, he kept the two women as his wives, but he loved the Princess Robin most. Now, winter-time came, and food began to be scarce. Then the young Robin Woman remembered her father's words which he had spoken to the hunters when they took her away. One night she said to her husband, "My dear, I remember my father's words which he said before your messengers took me from his house. He said that he wanted you to send two large canoes to him in midwinter to bring down winter provisions, and I will go with these men if you should send them." The chief acceded to her request. On the followmg day he called the young men of his tribe and sent them to go with his wife. In the morning they started in two large canoes. They went to the Skeena River. The ice was very hard on the river. The young woman guided them on their way. Soon they came to the end of the ice on Skeena River; and the hearts of the young men failed them when they saw the hard ice on the river. Then the prhicess stood up in the bow of the canoe, and sang her sprmg song. At once the ice began to melt m front of the canoe as far as they could see. Then the young men took courage and went on. Soon they reached the end of the opening in the ice; and the Robin Woman stood again in the bow of the fh-st canoe and sang with hor beautiful voice as the robm sings in the springtime, and the ice melted away in front of the two large canoes. They went on, and the Robin Woman continued to sing. Therefore the people say nowadays that as soon as the robm sings the first time m spring, the ice begins to melt. They say that the bird's smging over the ice causes it to melt. They went on many days, and finally reached a beautiful town. There were four rows of houses there, and every row was full of houses, and the chief's house was in the middle of the first row. It was a very large house. The village was very beautiful, and all the people in the village looked very fine. 182 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etu. axx. 31 As soon as they reached there, the Robin cliief invited the strangers who came to the town with his young daughter, and the chief was much pleased to see her come; and when all the young men were seated on one side of his large house, the chief first gave them cooked fresh spring salmon to eat, and then fresh salmonberries and all other kinds of fresh berries. After the meal the princess called the young men who came with her from her husband's town, and led them to one side of her father's house. There she opened the door of a large room and showed them snow and ice, wliich filled the inside of the large room. Then she took them to the other side of the house, opened the door of a large room, went in, and all her companions followed her. There she showed them a large hill fidl of salmonberry bushes and all kinds of berries around that beautiful liill. There were all kinds of wild flowers budding on the green grass, and all kinds of birds were singing on the flowers. The hummingbirds went in rapid flight among the flowers. Then the princess took them to the rear of the house and showed them a large beautiful river. The river was full of aU kinds of salmon. So the people said that the house of Chief Robin had winter on one side, and summer on the other. On the following day the chief invited all his people into his large house. After the feast he began to speak, and said to his people, "My dear people, you all know that my daughter has come up to me from her husband's, for their provisions are gone, for they used them in the -winter. Therefore my beloved daughter took her husband's people to come with her for food. Therefore I want you, my great tribe, to bring her fresh spring salmon, fresh ripe berries — salmon- berries, bluebeiTies, and aU other kinds of berries — also mountain- goat meat and fat and the soft fat of grizzly bears.". On the following morning the birds were ready before day-dawn. "\^ery early in the morning Chief Robin stood on the roof of his large house and began to sing to call his jieople. Then they all flew out to gather food; and before noon they came home one by one, bringing meat and fat of mountain goats, grizzly-bear meat and fat, salmon- bcn-ies and bluebeiTies, and all kinds of food. At dusk all the Robins had come back into the house of their chief. Then the chief said to his tribe that he would send liis daughter back to her husband the following morning, with all the provisions that had been brought to his house. A\Tien the morning came, he stood on the top of his house to call the people, and sang as robins sing. So his people assembled, loaded the two canoes with all kinds of food, so that the two canoes were full of all kinds of provisions. Then the two canoes started down the river. The young princess was in the first canoe, and she did as before. She was standing in the bow, and sang her song, and the ice of the river melted away before them. BOAS] TSIMSHIAK MYTHS 183 Early the following mormiig tliey reached Xlen village. Then the whole tribe of the chief, the husband of Robin, came down to unload the two canoes which were full of all kinds of meat and fresh ripe berries, of fat, and of fresh fish of all kinds. They unloaded the two canoes; and the chief invited all his people into his house, and gave fhem food until they were satisfied. Then the chief said to his people, "My dear people, I want to invite all the Tsimshian tribes, and give them some of this food; for they are starving, and faniuae is on the river." His tribe consented, and on the following morning a canoe manned by many young men and one prince, a nephew of the chief, went out as messengers to every tribe to invite the chiefs and then- people. When they had visited each tribe, they came back to their chief with happy hearts. On the following day all the guests entered, and the tribes sat down by themselves with their chiefs. When they were all in, the chief said, "Bring yom* boiled fresh spring-salmon, put it mto a wooden dish, and place it before the chiefs. " So his attendants did what he had said. They passed wooden spoons and horn spoons about to all the chiefs and their people, and they placed in front of the guests wooden dishes filled with fresh boiled salmon. Then all the guests wondered to see the fresh sprmg salmon, and they ate it all.' After they had eaten fresh spring salmon, the chief said, "Bring the fresh ripe salmonberries," and his attendants brought in many new boxes filled with fresh ripe salmonberries mixed with fat of the grizzly bear. Again the guests were much astonished. They put the food into the wooden dishes, and passed about mountain-sheep horn spoons. Soon the guests tasted the nice fresh ripe salmon- berries, and the young men told the story about Chief Robin's house and village. They said that the house was a marvelous one; that there was winter on one side, and midsummer on the other side. They continued, "We saw all varieties of birds and of flowers." Soon after they had told their story, the guests went home, and all their canoes were loaded ^\^th some of the food. They were all merry. On the following day the chief invited the chiefs of the tribes with their wives and people, as he had done before. When all the guests were in, he repeated the same words that he had said a few ' days before. He spoke to his attendants, and said, "Bring in the fresh meat and fat." They did so. They brought in a box. They poured water into the box, and put red-hot stones into it until the water began to boil. Then they put the meat over the hot stones and covered the boxes to keep the steam in. After the chiefs and then- wives had eaten the meat and the soup, they gave them blueberries antl many difTerent kinds of berries. 1 The reason why they were astonished was because it was winter.— F. B. 184 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 Before they finished eating, the young men outsicU^ the chief's house shouted, and said, "There arc two canoes coming around the pomt!" Now, we must remember tlie Sawliill-Duck Woman. As soon as the Robin Woman came back from her fatlier with ])rovisions, and the Sawbill-Duck Woman saw how many tlifferent kintls of food the Robin Woman had brouglit to her husband, she went all alone to her father for food. She arrived at her fatiier's house, and told her father what the father of Robin had done for Ids daughter — how many different kinds of food she liad brouglit clown to her husband. There- fore the father of SawbUl-Duck Woman assembled his whole tribe and informed them of what his daughter had said about her husband, and how the Robm Woman had given to her husband, the chief, many kinds of food. Then the wise men of his people said, "Let us also go and bring to our chief's daughter many kinds of food!" They all agreed, and on the followuig morning they went, and from noon on until the evening they came home one by one. Some brought whales; others, sea Uons, seals, halibut, and all kinds of fish. They carved the whale blubber, the sea-lion blubber, and the seal blubber. On the followu^g day they took down two large canoes antl loaded them with all kinds of blubber — blubber of whales, sea lions, seals — and with all kmds of fishes. After they had filled the two canoes, they tied them together and put a wide plank across them. The Sawbill- Duck Woman sat down on it. Then the two large canoes went on fast. They took a little rest on one of the islands, and the Sawbill- Duck Woman looked at the beach. Behold ! a large pile of mussels was hanging on a rock yonder. She went ashore and took off a large pUe of mussels, and placed it by her side on the plank. Now, these two canoes went on toward the chief's town. They came there about the time when the great feast given by the chief to all the tribes of the Tsimsliian was ended. The chiefs and the people were all happy. While they were still feasting, some one came in and said that two canoes were comuag up around tlie point, and all the guests were silent. Then another man came in and said that the other wife of tlie chief was commg from her father's house with two large canoes full of somethuig. So the chief ordered his attendants to go down and see what the woman brought home with her. Quickly they went down to the beach and saw the large <-luster of mussels by the side of the Sawbill-Duck Woman on the plank where she was sitting. When the men saw the large cluster of mussels by her side, they went back quickly to the chief's house before aU the guests had gone out. The chief of the feast asked, "What did she bring home with her ?" The men who had gone down told liim that she had brought home a large pile of mussels. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 185 Then the chief became very angry; and he was ashamed, for in his house were all the chiefs and head men of the Tsimshian tribes. They were all silent. At last the cliief of the feast said to lus attend- ants, "Go down to the canoes and capsize them!" So a number of his young men went down and turned over the two canoes, which were fiUed with all kinds of fish and animals. Then the Sawbill-Duck Woman flew out to sea, and the young men who had capsizeil the two large canoes saw the blubber of whales floatmg on the water, and also blubber of sea Uou, of seals, and of all kinds of fishes. They ran back to the chief quickly and told him of what had happened. They said, "These two canoes are full of the richest food — blubber of whales, sea Uons, and seals, and of all kmds offish." Therefore the chief said, "Gather the whale l)lubber and the blubber of sea lions and seals, and bruig it in ! We will give it to all the chiefs here. And also take up all the fishes, and we will give them to the head men of all the tribes, that they may take them home for their wives and then- children." Therefore the young men went down again quickly to bring in the blubber; but, behold! it had been transformed mto rocks and large rountl bowlders. These are still on the beach at the end of Prince Rupert Town. The young men went back to the chief and told him that the canoes and their load had been transformed uito rocks and bowlders on the beach; and now the chief was still more ashamed, and he was very angry. All the chiefs went out from the feast. They were amazed to see the rocks and bowlders on the beach, and every one went home full of joy. . 2.5. The Princess Who Rejected her Cousin* There was a custom among our ])eoplo that the nephew of the chief had to marry the chief's daughter, because the tribe of the chief . wanted the chief's nephew to be the heir of his uncle and to inherit his place after his death. This custom has gone on, generation after generation, all along until now, and the places of the head men have thus been inherited. So it is with this story. A very long time ago there was a great village with many people. They had only one chief. There was also his sister. They were the only two chiefs in the large town. The chief also had a beautiful daughter, and the chief's sister had a fine son. All the people of the village were glatl to see the young prince and the young prmcess growing up, and they expected that these two would soon marry. Therefore the relatives of the prince went and talked with the father of the prmcess, and they also went to the uncles of the princess and talked to them. ■ Notes, p. 767. 186 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 Now, the relatives of the gu-1 aceepted, but the gii'l rejected the proposal and said that she would not marry him; but the young prince loved her very much, and still she refused him. The young man loved her still more, and he was always true to her. Moreover, he was very anxious to speak to her, but the young woman rejected him. Now, the princess wanted to make a fool of her cousm. One day she dressed herself up and went to the end of the village to take some fresh air. The young man saw her pass by his door, and he went after her. Soon he saw her sitting under a large tree, and went up to her, and the girl was very kind to hun. She smiled when she saw him comiiig. Then the young man sat down })y her sitle under the tree as gently as he could. He asked her if she did not want to marry him. The girl said, "If you make a deep cut in your cheek, then you may marry me." Therefore the handsome yoimg man took his knife and cut down his right cheek. The girls laughed at liun, and they went home. When the cheek of the young man was healed, the princess put on her finest dress, passed the door of her cousin, and the young man saw her pass by. He followed her, and saw her sit at the same place where he had met her before. He went to her; antl she stretched out her hands to greet hun, put her arms around him, and kissed him once, since her cousin wanted to marry her. Then the young man loved her still more because she had kissed him the fu'st time ever smce he had loved her; and when the young man was overflowing with love, she said, "If you love me so much, show your love and make a cut down your left cheek; then I shall know that you really love me." The young man did not Mke to do it. However, ho wanted to marry her, and so he took his knife and made a cut down his left cheek. They went home, and the young man was always tlunkuig of her. Soon his wounded cheek was healed. He did not mind his foolish acts. On the following day he saw her passing his door. The young man followed her, and she was sitting under the tree. She smiled at him when he was coming to her, and said, "Do you come to me again, my beloved one?" and he replied, "Yes, I come to marry you." Then he put his arms around her, and she kissed him again. He asked her, "Do you love me, my dear cousin?" and she re])lied, "Yes, you know how much I love you," and the princess asked him, "Do you also love me, cousm?" and he rephed, "Indeed, I love you very much." Thus said the young man, for he wanted to marry her. Then the princess said to him, "Now, show me your love. Cut off your hair, then you may marry me." So the young prince took his knife and cut off his beautiful yellow hair. (In those days the young men and the old men wore their hair as long as women's hair, and it was considered dishonorable to cut a man's hair as we do it now.) BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 187 They went home, and on the following day the young man sent some one to her, saying that he wanted to marry her now. There- fore the messenger went to her and told her what her cousin had said; but the woman repUed, "Tell him that I do not want to marry a bad-looking person hke him, ugly as he is;" and she gave him the nickname Mountain With Two Rock Shdes, as he had a scar down each cheek. She laughed at him and scorned him, saying, "I do not want to marry a man who cut his hair like a slave." The young man's messengers came back to him and told him what she had said. Therefore the youth was very much ashamed. He remembered that he also was a prince, and he cried because his own cousin had mocked him. Now, he decided to leave his father's house and his uncle's house, for he was ashamed before his fellows of the scars wliich he had made on his own cheeks by order of his beloved one. He went about, not knowing which waj^ to go. Day by day he went, and he came to a narrow trad. He walked along it, and saw a small hut away off. He went toward it. Before it was evening he reached there; and when he was near, he walked up to it quietly. He stood outside and looked through a small hole. Behold! a woman was sitting there by the side of a fireplace. She said, "Come in, xamine the rivers. Now they saw that many leaves had fallen from the Cottonwood trees. Then they retia-ned to their master with the glad tidings, and the chief said that it would be better for them to get ready to move. Therefore he invited his tribe into liis house. He told them what the scout slaves had to say, and all the people agreed to move within a few days. The scouts had brought home with them some fresh green leaves, and the whole tribe were glad to see the leaves. There- fore on an appointed day they were ready to move from their home in the deep sea. They went very slowly, and soon they reached the town of the Silver Salmon. Then the chief of the Spring Salmon told them that his scouts had brought home some nice new sahiion, and that therefore they were moving. Thus he informed the Silver Salmon. Therefore the chief of the Silver Salmon said, "We will also move after you have gone a little distance." Soon after they had left tlie town of the Silver Salmon, the cliief took a small smooth round pebble from his own mouth and handed it to liis adopted son, the princes. He said, "Take this and put it into your mouth. It will defend you against all dangers, death, and dilli- culties." The young man took it, and put it into his mouth. They went on their way, and soon they met many canoes. They asked the crew, "How is it in those two rivers? Are there any sabnon?" They said, "Yes." Then the prince asked one of his men, "Who are these people?" The man told him that these were the canoes of the Steelhead Sahiion, who had come back from the two rivers, that they moved early in the spring, and that they were now on their way home. Soon they came to another large town, tli(^ village of the Hiunpback Salmon. The chii^f ( )f the Spring Salmon told them that his scouts had BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 197 brought good tidings from the Skeena and Nass Kivers; and the chief of the Humpback Sahnon repHed, "We will go up Skeena and Nass Rivers after the Steelhead Salmon have passed." They went on their way, and came to another village, the houses of which were carved in the form of the rainbow. The prince asked who tliese peojile were, and they told him tliat it was the town of the Dog Sahnon. The chief told them also that his scouts had brought good tidings from Skeena and Nass Rivers: and the chief of the Dog Salmon replied, "We will go after the Iliunpback Salmon have passed." They went on their way, and came to a large town, the towii of the Cohoes Salmon. The caiwings on their houses were curious hooked noses. The Spring Salmon told the t'ohoes Sahnon that he had good tidings from the Nass and Skeena Rivers; and the chief of the Cohoes said, "We will wait mitil late in the fall, just before there is ice on the rivei-s." They went on their way; and after they had traveled a short distance, they came to a very large village, the village of the Trout. Their houses wei'e carved with stars. The chief of the Spring Salmon told them that he had good t idings from the Nass and .Skeena Rivers ; and therefore the chief of the Trout said, "Chief, will you wait for us a couple of days, so that we may get ready to move udth you?" The Spring Salmon con- sented to wait for a couple of days. Soon they got ready, and the cliief of the Trout wanted to go ahead of the Spring Sahnon. The Spring Salmon agreed to this, anil the Trout went ahead. The Spring Salmon moved along .slowly; and as soon as they reached just outside of the Skeena and Nass Rivei-s, just inside of Douglas and Stephens Islands, they rested for a while. Then the chief stood up in his canoe and said to his people, "Now I will question j^ou, and you shall answer me;" and so he asked the jH'ople in the first canoe, "Which way will you go ?" and many canoes replied, "We wiU go up Nass River." Then the chief said, "Oh, many of you are just like bones found on a sandbar in Nass River." Then he questioned another company: "^Miich way will you go ?'' and they repUed, "We wnW go up Ksdal River." — "Oh," said the chief, "your flesh is harder than wood." Then he turned to a third company: ""N-VTiich way wiU you go?" They replied, "We will go up G'itslEmga'lon." Then the chief said, "Go to those that will carry you there and that will throw you on t he gromid ! " ' Then he turned to the fourth company and said, "And which way will you go?" The fourth company rephed, "We will go to the canyon of the G"its!ala'sEr." Then the first three companies rephed, "Go there! Your ears shall be full of maggots." 1 TrauslaTion not certain: SEm-ga hne shake, and so he pulled up his net easily. He looked down to the lower end of lus pole, and, behold! a large spring salmon was in liis net. Therefore he shouted, so that his companions might come and help him. Two men came, and they pulled up the salmon on the shaman's platform. When he got tho salmon on his platform, the shaman's supernatural helper came to him on liis platform, and saiil to him, "That is the cliief of the Spring Sahnon, with the lost prince in his stomach. Don't club him hard, lest the prince should be hurt!'' Thus said the shaman's super- natural helper. "Lay the Salmon down easily, so that the prince may not be hurt!" He took the large Spring Salmon out of the bag net and put it down easily on the platform. Then he said to his companions, "Go to the village and tell the people that I caught the cliief of the Spring Salmon who took away tho young prince, and call four old shamans to be my helpers, and bring down a new cedar-bark mat and bird's down and my bag of red ocher, also my rattle and my crown of grizzly-bear claws, my dancing-apron, and the white eagle tail." They went, and they shouted, "The great shaman has caught in his bag net the chief of the Spring Salmon, who carried away our prince!" Therefore all the people assembled around the two men who brought the good tidings. They also said, "Let four old shamans go down to his platform to help liini carry up the large Sahnon to the cliief's house. Also take a new cedar-bark mat, red ocher, eagle's down, his dancmg-apron, his crown of bear's claws, his rattle, and his wliite eagle tail." So the four shamans went down and spread out the new cedar-bark mat. The great shaman put on his apron and his crown of bear's claws. He took liis rattle in liis right hand, and the eagle tail in his left. The four shamans were ah'eady dressed before they went on the platform. Then they took the four corners of the cedar-bark mat on wliich the large salmon had been placed, and walked up slowly. The great shaman went ahead of them, shaking his rattle and swinging his eagle tail, going in front of the 1 Translation uncertain. BOASJ TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 201 four shamans who were curnnjig the hirge Spring Salmon on the mat. Before entering the cliief s house, he ordered all the young people to come out, for they were all unclean. He let all the aged people enter in front of the large Spring Salmon; and he made all the shamans dress up, men and women. Then the crowd moved into the house, and the chief laid a good-sized cedar board in the center of the house. Then all the old men and women were ready. The male and female shamans were dressed up, and came in after the large Salmon had been placed on the new cedar board. All the shamans marched around the fire four times. All the singers were ready, sitting around the house. Then the great shaman said, "Let two very old women shamans get ready to cut this great cliief Spring Sahnon ! " Then two very old women took up theii- large mussel-shell knives (these were very useful in olden times), and the whole assembly kept silence. Then one of the old women shamans said, "I will call the names of this chief of the Spring Salmon:"' and she began to call, ''My dear chief Spring Salmon, named Quartz Nose, named Two Gills On Back, named Lightning Following One Another, named Three Jumps!" Xow they l>egan to cut the large Spring Salmon along its big stomach. They cut along easily, and took out the large stomach; and one of the women cut the large Salmon, and the other cut open the large stomach. "VMien she opened it, behold ! a small chUd was in it. She took it up easily, and the great shaman began to smg, while all the other shamans, male and female, swung their rattles. The singers were singing as loud as they coidd, and the great shaman was running around the small child. It was the size of a span from the middle finger to the thumb. While the shamans were working around the prince, he began to grow very quickly, not as childi'en grow up nowadays. He came to be of his former size. Then he told his story — how the Sprmg Salmon had taken him away the same night when he left his father's home; and he told his father's people how he reached the village of the Salmon. He con- tinued, "'I did not know where I was until the old Mouse Woman came to my side and asked for my ear-ornaments. Then she told me as follows: 'This is the town of the Spring Salmon which you see. The chief was sick for two years, until j^ou took him out of your mother's box. Tlien he was a little better. Therefore he sent his attendants when your mother was angry with you.'" And he told his story right along — how he had lived at the to^v^l of the Spring Sahnon until the chief was quite cured, and how the chief sent his people often to Skeena River to see if salmon (that is, the leaves of Cottonwood) were in the river, until the messengers brought the news that the season had arrived. Then they moved, and first passed the town of the Silver Salmon, to whom the chief gave the good news 202 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [btu. ANN. 31 from Skeena River — how they went on and passed the town of the Humpback Sahnon, and how the chief told them the news from Skeena River; how they went on and passed the village of the Dog Salmon, and told them the same stoiy ; how they went on and passed the village of the Cohoes chief, and told them the news; how they went on and passed the town of the Trout, and how aU the Trout had asked Chief Spring Salmon to wait until they themselves were ready to go ahead of the Spring Salmon, to which the chief had consented; how they waited there two days and met the Steelhead Sahnon coming from the rivers, when the ice was still on the rivers, who told them that it was good weather on the Skeena and Nass Rivers and about the fishing; how they rested between two islands; and how the chief had asked aU his people where they would camp, and how they had answered him what rivers they chose; and how they had come to the mouth of the canyon and had seen all the bag nets at the sides of the canyon ; how some nets had been well open and others closed. He continued, "'Only the net of the great shaman was wide open, and reached from one side of the canj'on to the other end of the other side. Therefore my Salmon father had no way to go up any farther."' All his father's people listened in silence and astonishment. There- fore ho turned to his mother, and said, "Now, mother, don't keep dried salmon in your box any longer; and if any one cooks fresh salmon of any kind, throw the bones into the fire and drink sis soon as you finish eating. Then the salmon wall go home, and will revive again safely.'' The father kept the prince in his house. The prince kept a little round pebble in his mouth, which his father Salmon had given him before they moved from then- town. Therefore the prince did not need any food after he had come home. One day the prince called four j^oung men, who were to be his com- panions; and he loved them very much, and they loved him also. The prince staid in his father's house for a long time. He began again his old occupation of making arrows with eagle's feathers, and therefore eagle feathers were very useful to him. Therefore one day he went out with his four friends to his eagle trap, which he used to make, digging a deep pit, with some small pieces of wood across the opening of the pit. They put the bait on top, and some man would stand in the pit. As soon as the eagle saw the bait, he would swoop 1 Before the spring salmon went up the river, the Tslmshian moved from Nass River to Sljeena River. All the Tslmshian tribes went to Skeena River for their salmon fishinf^. When they reached the mouth of Skeena River, they saw the spring sahnon jumping. Then the Tslmshian children shouted, saying, "Ayuu, do it again!" and every time they saw salmon jump, they shouted, ".4 j/«u/" The prince ex- plained this to his father's people at G'itsIala'sEr when he came home. That which we call the jumping of salmon Is no jumping, but the salmon were just standing up in the canoe to stretch their bodies; and when the Salmon hear the children or the people shout "Ayuu, do it again!" they are very glad to hear them shout "Ayuu, do it again!" When the salmon stop jumping, the people say, "We will catch you tonight in our nets!" Sonowadays the people, when they see salmon jumping, shout, "Ayuul" to make the salmon happy. --Henry W. Tate. BOAS] TSIMSHIAX MYTHS . 203 down upon it to take it, and the eagle's feet would sink down. Then the man in the pit would take the feet of the eagle and club it. Some- times they would catch many in this way hi a single day, and they used their feathers. The four young men did not know what kind of bait the prince used; and one day they went again, as they had been doing for many days before. There was one among the young men who loved the prince more than the other three, and whom the prmce also loved. Before they went to the eagle trap, the pruace called this youth, and took out of his mouth the small stone and put it into the mouth of his beloved friend. Then they went on; and as soon as they arrived at the place where the trap was, the three men went into hiding, and the fourth one went down into the pit, ready to catch eagles, as usual. Tlie prince hunself lay down at the openmg of the trap, and became like a small sjjriug salmon, A-ery pretty to look at, and shinmg brightly. Tlien a large hawk which flew high up in the air looked dowm for hi.s prey, and saw a nice little sprmg salmon on the ground below. Therefore he turned his wings down rapidly and picked up the small spring salmon by the throat and flew away quickly. Behold! there was the young prince dead on Ivis eagle trap, his mouth full of blood. ~\ATien the j'oung men, his companions, saw this, they wept bitterly, and his friends took him down to his father's house. Then all his people mourned over him for many days. At the end of the mourning-season the whole village took him to his grave. They put the cofTm in the same place where he had been taken away when he had taken the shape of a spring salmon. They put the coffm on fouir strong poles to protect it from the wolves. When night came, the four friends staid under the coffm. About midnight one man loft his companions and went home, and three remained. At midnight another man went home, and two remained. Then after midnight the third man went home, and only one remained. He was the one who loved the prince most in his heart. Before daylight he thought he heard the sound of people coming up the river in canoes and talking to one another. Soon the canoes reached tlie beach in front of the place where they were. The people went up to where the coffin was. Three men stood at the foot end, and one of them climbed up to the coffm. lie loosened the rope aromid the collln and opened it. Then he said, "Dear prince, your father the chief sent us to take you down to him." Thus spoke the man who had climbed up. Then the prince arose, and went down laughing for joy, and his beloved friend stood there speechless. Tlie men helped the prince down from the cofTin. Then the prince's friend went to him and said, "My dear prince, I am here. Don't go with those men! Come down with me to your (nvn father's house!" The prince, however, took no notice of him. 204 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 They went down to the canoe, ami the prince went aboard with tliem. Then the friend jumped aboard. The four men, however, did not see him, and the prince also did not see him. They paddled away happy, and their hearts full of joy. The man was very anxious to talk to the prince, and went to him in the canoe, sat down by his side, and said, "My dear prince, did you know that I came aboard with your' but the prince took no notice of him at all. Therefore the man began to cry. Now the prince said to the men who took him in the canoe, "Pull hard! I feel somethino; touching me on my right side." Thej' pulled liard. The prince's friend was angry with those men who wei'c takmg away the prince, and he saw that they all had aroiuid then* tliroats large wreaths of cedar bark. Therefore he went to the steersman, took the big red thing arountl his tliroat, and pressed it between his hands. Then the steersman fainted. The young man left him and went to the others and did the same, until he had done so to all of them. As soon as he let go, each man revived. Therefore they paddled away hard to get home. When they reached there, the whole village of the Salmon people greatly rejoiced, and the friend of the prince was astonished to see them. They took the prince into the chief's house, where there were a great number of Salmon jx^ople. The prince's friend stood outside. No one took notice of him. Therefore he was thinking of his own home, and stood outside crying. When he stopped crying, he wiped the tears from his eyes down his cheeks with the palm of his hand. Then he felt something in his own mouth. Beliold! it was the small pebble which the prince had put into his mouth before they had gone to the eagle trap. Therefore he took the stone out of his own mouth and offered it to the ])rince, who was seated l)y a large fire, where he was eating. The young man took the small pebble and put it into the prince's mouth. Then the prince looked around, and saw his friend sitting by his side. lie put his arm around his neck, and said to him, ' ' Did you come along with me '( ' ' The youth replied, "Yes, I came along with you, my beloved prince." Then the prince saitl to his friend, "If you are liungry, go beliind the village, and you will see the children playing on the sand-hill. Take one of them and club it. Make a fire and roast it whole; and when you have eaten enough, throw the remains into the fire, bones and all, and drink fresh water." None of the Salmon people knew that the young man was there, only the prince. At night they lay dowai in one bed to sleep, and they were talking together, ^\^aenever he was hungiy, the young man did what the prince had told him. On the following day the prince asked liis friend, "Did you hear the drum which is alwavs being beaten at the end of the village?" BOiS) TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 205 "Yes," he replied. "They are danchig. If you want to see them, go down and look up. Don't go in! Just look in at a knot-hole. Take %\ith you leaves of a small hemlock tree, and put them into the knot-hole." Therefore the man went; and when he reached in front of the large house, he heard a drum and singing, and he looked with one eye tlirough the knot-hole. lie saw that the house was full of eagle down, and all the Salmon people were dancing, wearing garments set with abalone shells. When he took his eye away from the knot-hole, it was full of heri'ing spawn. Then he put the hemlock branch through the knot- hole; and when he ])ulled it out, it was full of herring spawn. He ate it and went home. Tiie prince iisked him, "^Vlicre have you been all tliis time?" and he told him tliat he had been to see the dancers. Now the man had been there a long time. One day he felt home- sick for his parents and his village, and he cried all day long. Then the prince came to him and asked liim why he was crying, and he told him that he was homesick for his parents and brothers and sisters. Therefore the prince said. "I will take you up there after . a while, early in sjiring; for now the ice covers aU the rivers, and no one can go up .Skeena River until the ice is melted." The prince tried in every way to comfort him. They went to the place behind the village; and the prince said to his friend, "I -will take you to the mouth of Skeena River, and then I will go back. I will stay here as long as my Sahnon father is ahve. You shall tell tliis story in my father's house when you get home. My Salmon fatlier also said to me, 'When the people of the canyon cut the spring salmon, let them cut the head first, and the tail also, but don't let them break the tail off with the liand. Just cut it right through with the mussel- shell knife. Diui't use a stone or bone Ijlade. Otherwise thunder and hghtning and heavy rains will come upon them anil })ring dis- aster to your people.' " After the prmce had spoken, the man said, ■'My dearly beloved prmce, I do not want to leave you here. I want you to go back with me to our home, lest your relatives and your father make complaint against me if you do not come back with me." Therefore the prince spoke again, and said, "I will go back with you: and as soon as I arrive at home, I shall die, and then I shall stay wdth my gi'antlfather ami liis people." The friend compelled liiin to go home with Mm. At the end of theu- talk they went into the cliief's house. That was the winter-time, and the prince always said to Ms friend tliat he should club one of the cMklren beMnd the town whenever he was hungry, and so Ms friend did so all winter long. Early in spring the prince spoke to the Salmon people. "O father! I wish to go as a scout and to see if there are any salmon in Skeena 20R TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. HI River." Tliorcforo the Sabnoii father invited all his pc^ople into his house, and told them what his adopted son had said; and all the Salmon were glad, because the prince was wise. Early the next morning they took the prince down to a new canoe. Tliey launched it, and the}' all went aboard, together with the prince and Ms friend. Then the Salmon people paddled; and as soon as they arrived at the mouth of Skeena River, they saw the ice floating down, therefore they could not go any farther. Then the prince said to his companions, "Let us try to go a little farther up;" and the young people pulled very hard to get ahead, but they were liindered by floating ice. Soon they arrived at the mouth of G"its!Emgal6n River. Then the prince said to his friend, "You go ashore here antl walk up to the village." They both cried for a while, and then separated, their hearts full of sorrow because they were never to meet again. The young man stood on shore, weeping. Then the canoe of the prince went down river quickly, and the young man lost sight of it. Therefore he went up to his own town ; and when he arrived there, his parents were glad of his coming. Ilis father called all the people; and when they were all in, the young man told his storj' — how the Spring Sabnon had taken the body of the prince, and that he was living there now, that he had gone with him in the canoe of the Spring Salmon. He continued, "He did not know me at first; and when we reached the place, I remembered that he put a small pebble into my mouth, so I put it back into his mouth. Then he knew that I was with Mm. He still loved me, but the SaMion people did not see me at all." Moreover, he told the people that the prince would not come back any more, because the Spring Salmon loved Mm, and that many of the young Salmon people loved Mm much. He also told the people what advice the prince had given, to be very careful in cutting the spring salmon when cutting off the head and the tail, and that if th(\v broke the backbone at the head or tail, then thunder and lightmng would burn up the mountains and the village; and he said, "Don't use stone or bone knives, because tliis will make heavy rsiins and the rivers will overflow." Furthermore, he said to them, "Don't let the people keep salmon in their boxes when it is dry, lest there be no salmon the following summer;" but he also told them how flic Herrings were dancing every day, and how beautiful the houses of all the Salmon were; that the Spring Salmon had carved houses, and also Silver Salmon, Humpback Salmon, T>og Salmon, Cohoes Sahnon, and Steelhead Salmon, but that the houses of Trout were carved bet- ter than all the others; that the Spring Salmon were the cMefs of all the Salmon, and that their town was way out at sea, and so on; and that all the tribes of Salmon were people. TMs is the end. They have always kept the story of the prince antl the Salmon. boas] tsimshian myths • 207 28. The Town of Chief Peace ^ In a village at Metlakahtla lived a great chief. His chieftainess was a great noblewoman; and although the cliief had many wives, he loved her most, for she was a princess, the daughter of the chief of another village. Therefore her husband loved her and honored her. Many years had passetl since they were married, and stiU she had no cliildren; but when she was getting old, she conceived and bore him a son. They loved him very much. Soon he grew up ; and when he was a young man, everybody loved hi in . The father wished his son to marry, and therefore the young man was married to a princess. His father gave away much property to the relatives of the prmcess; and the princess's relatives — her uncle and also her father — gave him four costly coppers, elk skins, boxes of crabapples, boxes of cranberries mixed with grease, and all kinds of food. The young man loved liis wife, and all his people loved her. The princess, however, was downcast because her husband was a great gambler. Every day he would go to the gambUng-house, and he would join the gamblers. Sometimes he lost much. At other times he won. His wife would stay at home. Soon the princess gave birth to a child. One day the prince went, as he was used to doing, to the gambUng- house, and he gambled and lost all his property, and he lost all his father's property — his costly coppers, liis large canoes, and liis slaves — and he lost also his father and his mother and his wife and his httle boy. Late in the evening he came home. He was very sorry on account of what he had done to his good family. As soon as liis wife saw him enter, she arose and took a dried salmon; but the young man was silent. Ho stared into the fire Uke one dumb. His wife roasted the sabnon, cut it, and put it in a large dish and placed it before her husband; but the prince did not take any notice of it, for he felt distressed because he had lost all his property and liis family. Therefore he kept silent. The dish remained untouched in front of him. When it was late in the evening, the woman scolded because her husband did not eat the salmon which she had prepared for him. Therefore she took the dish away, and said, "You ought to eat the salmon of the daughter of Cliief Peace." She was angiy, and threw the dish with the salmon into the fire. Then the ^''oung man's heart was full of sorrow. He arose and went to bed and lay down there. He thought that he would not be I The people have a little story about a village on an island way out in the ocean, in which a great ehiel is said to live, Chief Pea^e. He is said to have a very beautiful daughter called Peace Woman, a very beautiful girl; and many princes tried to marry her, but they could not reach her touTi, because it is too far away from the mainland. They could not find their way back from her home, and they all perished on their way out on the ocean. — Henby W. T.4te. — Xotes, p. 779. 208 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY (hini. ann. .'il able to endure the shame of staying at home. Therefore he decided to leave the house wliilo the people were asleep. He arose from his bed, took mountain-goat fat and some tobacco to chew, and some small coppers. Then, before going out, he went to one of liis father's slaves, and said toliim that he was leaving liis father's house because he was angry. Then ho went away quickly, without waiting for an answer. As soon as he had gone, the great slave shouted, "Master, master, your son has gone away!" The cliief said, "Where did he go?" The slave repUed, "He left just now. He told me that he was going to leave you and your people." Therefore the chief said, "Go out and call my tribe. Tell them that my beloved son has left my house, being angry." So the slave went out and shouted, "My master's sou has left full of anger." Therefore the whole tribe arose; the people took their torches of pitch wood and of olaohen, and searched in the woods and on the beach and in the water. The young prince, however, had gone straight behind his father's house, and he came down at the beach on the other side. He walked around the sandy shore of the bay until he came to a point of land. There he sat down at the foot of a spruce tree; and while he was there he heard a canoe rounding tlie point. Then he heard the crew saying, "This is the place!" He remained sitting there. Then he heard them come ashore toward him. Behold! two men stood in front of hun, who said, "Prince, come down to our canoe and go with us! We have come to take you home. " So the prince went down to thiiir canoe to accompany them, and the two men asked him to lie down and to sleep. He obeyed, and the two men paddled very hard ami soon reached their master's village. There they woke the ])rince, who had been asleep all the way. When the young man awoke, behold! ho saw a a great town and many people. He went ashore, and some })eople guided him to the chief's house. There he sat down on one side of the fii'e, and many people came m. As soon as he was sitting there, some one touched Ids side, and said, "My dear, throw your ear- ornaments into the fire!" He did so. This was the Mouse Woman, who asked liim, "Do you know who has brought you here?" He rophed, "No." Then shesaid, "This is the town of Chief Peace. He has a beautiful daughter." The Mouse Woman contuuied asking hun, "Have you a little fat, tobacco, or a small piece of copper?" The prince said, "Yes, I have fat, and tobacco, and copper." Then the Mouse Woman said, "Ask the chief's attendants to spread a mat in front of the chief and the chieftainess and the three uncles of bis daughter; and then throw the fat on the mat, and also the tobacco. Then the small amount of fat will enlarge on the mats, and after- BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 209 ward take the small coppers and break them to pieces. Tlirow these down also in front of the great chief and his wife and the girl's uncles." Thus spoke the Mouse Woman, and she went away. Presently the prince said to the chief's attendants, "Spread two mats in front of the chief, two mats in front of the chief tainess, and two before each of the three uncles of the gnl." The attendants did as they were told ; and the i^rince first tlu-ew a httle fat on the mat hi front of the chief, and it became a great pile. He also threw tobacco on the other mat, and the tobacco became a great pile. He did the same hi front of the chieftamess and of the three uncles of the girl. After he had thrown down the fat and the tobacco, he threw a piece of copper m front of the chief, and it became a large costly copper. He threw down four pieces. Then he tlxrew two pieces of copper down in front of the chieftainess, and two each in front of the three uncles of the daughter of Chief Peace. Wlien he had done so. Chief Peace said to his attendants, "Bring down my only daughter, and let her sit by the side of the prince! She shall become his wife." And the chief invited all his people, and the prince was mamed to the cliief's daughter. The girl loved him very much, and his father-in-law loved both of them. Sometimes the young man would go to get wood; but his father- in-law would not allow him to get fu'ewood, for he had many slaves to do so. The chief gave to his daughter the two great slaves who had brought the prince to his house to be the slaves of the young couple. One day the prince went around the island crying, for he felt home- sick for his parents. Late in the evening he came back home to his father-ua-law's house, and he went right up to his bed and lay down to weep. Then his beautiful wife came to him and asked him why he was weepmg, whether there was anything wi'ong between them or between hun and her father. The man replied, "No, not so. I am weU satisfied with your father's kinchiess to me." Then he told her that he felt homesick for his father and mother at home. The princess did all she could to comfort him. On the follownug morning his father-in-law said, "Start the fire, slaves! " They Ughted the fire. Then he asked his daughter, "What makes my son-in-law so sad this morning?" The young woman replied, "He longs for his parents." Then the chief said, "Oh, it is notavery long way off. I shall send you back soon. Early tomoiTOw morning I shall send my whole tribe out to hunt ; and if they are suc- cessful, I shall let you go day after tomorrow, and you will reach home on the following day." So on the followuig morning, quite early, all the people of the tribe went out hunting; and when the sun rose ui the east, they came home one by one. Some brought whales; others, sea lions, seals, halibut, .50633°— 31 ETH— 16 14 210 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 and all kinds of fishes. When they were all at home, they gave the animals and the fishes to then- chief; and the chief invited all his people, to teU them that his son-m-law was to leave tlic followuig mornhxg for his own native land; and he also said to his daughter, "Wlien you have no food in winter, tell your husband to ask his wood-(^^-aiver3 to make a good long cane six fathoms long of r young men took down her digging-sticks. She put the first one very deep into the ground, and then the other ones to the last one. Then Peace Woman went to the first stick, leaned on it, and there was a great whale. She went to the second one, there was another whale, and there was a whale at each of the six chgging-sticks. She put down the six digging-sticks again, and another six whales came up. Then she stopped. Now she stood on her board, and pointed out one large whale, which she gave to her father-in-law, and one whale to each of the four brothers of her mother-in-law (that is, to her hus- BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 213 hand's uncles), and another one she gave to her mother-in-law, and two whales she gave to her father-in-law's tribe, and two more to her husband's tribe, and two whales she gave to her owti husband. Xow all the people of the two tribes were busy with their own food. Then the people came along to buy provisions. The prince cut one whale and sold it. Another one he cut to be given away to the chiefs of all the Tsinishian tribes. Therefore when the appointed day came, he made a gi-eat feast for the chiefs of all thc^ tribes. He gave away much property, and one large whale which was cut into shces of blubber. Now, one day before evening the princess said to her husband, "Bring me some water!" So the prince took her root basket and went. His former wife was sitting by the side of the water, watcliing him secretly, and as soon as she saw bun coming, she hid in the bushes; and when the young man took the water, she rushed to liim from the bushes where she had been hidmg, took hold of him, and put both of lier hands around his l)ody, sa^^ing, '' ^Miat has made your heart hard against me, my dear? Take pity on me! Just say a word to me, and I shall be satisfied." The prince tried to escape from her, but she would not let him go. She hcdd hun, and finally the young man took pity on her and spoke to her.' Then the prince washed his water basket and went away quickly. As soon as he came in, his wife took tlie plume from behind her ear as she was accustomed to do. She put it do\\ii into the water, lifted it up, and, behold! it was full of all kinds of slime. Tlierefore she struck her husband in the face, and said, "Although you still love your former wife, yet you come to get me." She poured out the bad water, arose, and went out. Her husband followed her. She went down to the beach, and her husband went there also. She walked out on the water, and her husband also walked along on the water. The princess was walking on the "belt" of the water.- Together they walked on that line; and when they passed the islands, the princess said to him, "Go back to your former wife, lest I look back and you perish!" However, the young man followed her, running as fast as he could, and crving piteously as he was running. Often he would try to put liis hands around her; but he could not do it, because she had become like unto a cloud. Again and agam she said, "Go back, lest I look back and you perish!" Now, the youjig man saw the island of Chief Peace's village far ahead. Agam the. woman said, "Go back!" but the man said, "No, no, I will not go back, unless you come back with me." Then the princess looked back at liim, and at once he sank down to the bottom of the ocean and died there. Then Peace Woman 1 Original : Su-g-a'wun da sa-qa-pa'*>J su-p!a'sEm ylo'^ta as nli'at, da wila du'mgEt wil waldEf . 2 We call "belt "of tlie water a line tliat may be seen on the water "hen it is very calm. — TIenrv W. Tate. 214 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY (eth. axx. ^1 went ou weeping until she arrived at lier father's house on the island; and when she came in, she was weeping bitterly. Her father asked her, "'Why are you weeping, my dear daughter?" but she did not reply. Again the chief asked her, "Where is your husband, my dear daughter?" Then she told him that he had died in the sea when she looked back at him. Chief Peace was full of sorrow, because he loved his son-in-law; and after he had cried, he rebuked her for having Idlled her husband. Therefore he ordered his slaves to take down his long pole with the bag ni-t at one end. They did so. Then he said to his slaves, " Open the privy-hole between the door.and the fireplace." They opened it, and the chief took his net-pole, put it down into the hole, and after a wliile he hauled up the net. He had caught the backbone of liis son-in-law. He let down the net a httle longer, and the head came up with the bag net. He put them together in their proper places, and thcnlet the net down again, and he caught both arms. He let it down agaui, and ho caught thi^ hands. Again he let it down, and caught the legs. Ho let it down once more, and he caught the feet. Thus the chief brought up all the members of the body. He put them in their proper places; and when he had put theni in order on the wide plank, he leaped over the body of liis son-ui-law: and after he had done so four times, the prince arose, and the chief gave lum again to his daughter. So the j^omig princess was comforted, and she gave a great feast to her people ; and she told them how well pleased she was with her husband's relatives, how her father-in-law loved her as long as she had been with hun, and that also her mother-in-law loved her verv* much, and that the whole family had loved her. Therefore her father, Cliief Peace, was glad, and so were all his people. The prince said also, " I will not return to my owm home, but I will live here with my wife and with my father-in-law and my mother-in-law." 29. Sucking Intestines' There was a gi-eat town at Metlakahtla, the town of the G"i-spa-x- la'°ts, called the Red-Bear YiUage (Lax-mEs-6'1), in which a great chief and chieftainess and the chief's nephew were living. The young man fell in love with the chieftainess. She loved him very much, and the young man loved her, but the chief did not know about it. The young man often went to her while the chief was away. jVfter a while she was with child, and the chieftainess resolved that she would pretend to die on behalf of her lover. So they agreed on this plan; and on the following day the chieftainess pretended to be very sick, because she loved the j'oung man better than her husband, and she wanted to marry that young man. She had not been sick many days when she said to her husband, "AVlien I die, bury me in a large box. Do not burn my body, l)ut 1 Notes, pp. 634, 781. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 215 ]iut inj'^ horn spoon in my coffin, ami mv marten lilanket, and my fish-knifo." After a short tune she pretended to die. Then the whole tribe of the chief assembled and cried for her. The people made a large box to bury her. They put her into it, with two marten blankets and one sea-otter garment, and also many dozens of l:)eautiful horn spoons, and with her fish-knife. They put the coffin on the tree on the little island in front of the village. Now she pretended to be dead. For two nights the chief went to the little island, and sat right- under the coffin in wliich the chieftainess was lying, and wept. "Wliile he was there, he saw grubs falling down from the coffin. Then the chief thought, "Her body is full of gi'ubs," and this made hun cry bitterly ; but actually the chieftainess in the coffin was scraping her horn spoon with her fish-knife, and the scrapings of the horn spoon looked just like maggots. As soon as the chieftainess was in the coffin, the young man went to her every night while the village people were all asleep. He went over to the httle island, chmbed the tree, and kicked the cover off the coffin, saying, "Let me in, ghost!" Then the chieftainess would laugh in her coffin-bed, "Ha, ha! in your behalf I am pretending to make grubs out of myself." Then she opened the cover of the coffin. The man went in and lay down with her. The young man always went up to her every night, but the great chief did not know about it. He was still weeping, and no one could comfort him. One night another young man went to the little island where the chieftainess was, and was sitting with his sweetheart imder the chief- tainess's coffin. Then they saw a young man coming to the place where they were. They recogmzed the cliief's nephew, who chmbed up to the cliieftainess's coffin, kicked the cover, and said, "Let me in, ghost !" and they heai'd the chieftainess laugh in her coffin. They heard her reply, "Ha, ha! I am pretending to make grubs out of my- self." Then they saw the young man gomg into the coffin, and they heard them talking in the coffin. Before dayUght the chief's nephew came out of the coffin. Then they told the chief what they had seen; and he sent over his two attendants to watch the cliieftainess's coffin, and he gave them this command: "If it is true, throw down the coffin." Therefore the two attendants went to the island and watched the coffin; and while the people of the village were asleep, they saw a man coming over. They recognized the chief's nephew. He chmbed the tree to where the chieftainess lay; and as soon as he reached the top of the tree, he kicked the coffin, sa_\Tng, "Let me in, ghost!" and they heard the chieftainess laugh, and reply, "Ha, ha! I am pretending to make giubs out of mvself on your behalf." The attendants heard 216 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [btii. ann. .'U them talking in the coiEn; and at midnight, when everything was quiet and they knew that they were asleep, they chmbed the tree, threw down the large coffm, and the body of the cliicftainess burst, and the chief's nephew also was killed. When the men came do\vn, they saw a baby boy among the intes- tines of his mother. They went back to the chief's house and told him that it was true, and they also told liim that the child was alive. Then the cliicf ordered them to bring the child to liim, so they brought the cliild to him. It was sucking the intestmcs of its mother; thei'efore its name was Sucking Intestines. Then the chief took a good female slave to be its nurse. The cloild grew up in the cliief's house, and the chief loved the little boy very much. When he was able to walk, he would go very often to the Httle island to get chewing- gum from the spruce trees, for he hked chewing-gum very much. He got it from the same spruce tree on wliich liis mother's cofhn had been placed when she pretended to make maggots out of herself. The chief took liiiu over to the island, and biii-ncd some gum for him to let the child have the chewing-gum. He did so many times, gomg with his slaves. One day the boy walked over to the island alone to take gum from the same spi-uce tree on which his mother's coflln had been. He hked best to be on the Httle island where he was born, and played around there almost every day, and the slaves would take liim over to the island. He became a beautiful boy, and the cliief loved him more and more every day. One day the boy said to liis father, "Let us go to the httle island and burn some gum!" So the chief went with him, together with some of his slaves. Then the chief ordered his slaves to burn off the gum, and they did so. The chief was sittmg near the spruce tree, wliile the boy stood in front of him. Then a flame of fire, hke a tongue, took the boy away from the chief, and the boy was burned to death. The cliief mourned agam, for the fire had swallowed up the boy. Tliis is the end of Sucking Intestmcs. Nowadays we still caU the httle island Where She Pretended To Make Grubs Out Of Herself. 30. Burning Leggings and Burning Snowshoes' There was a tribe, and a great chief was married t(i a chieftainess. He loved her very much. After a wliile he was again m love with a young woman, and he expected her to be liis wife. He loved her better than his first wife, and therefore Ms first wife was very jealous of his new love. The young woman had four brothers who were hunters. Every year they would come down to visit their brother-m-law, and brought with them prt>visions to their dear sister. Therefore the chief loved 1 Notes, p. 781. uuAs] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 217 them very much. Then liis first wife was very jealous of the young woman, and she tried in every way to find fault with her. Finally the young woman gave birth to a boy, and the chief loved her very much. The first wife was still trying to find fault with the young woman. The child was growing up, and began to creep about; and the cliief loved the child's mother because she had borne a cliild. One day the four brothers came down again to visit their only sister, the chief's wife, and brought her lich food — dried meat and fat — and the cliief welcomed liis four brothers-in-law. After they had been there some time, the chief asked the eldest of liis brothers- in-law kindly to gamble with liim, and they played together on the gambling-mat. The eldest brother took out a small leather bag from his gambling-bag, contauiing red ocher, which they used m those days to paint, their faces. lie took it out of his gambling-bag and put it on liis face. Now, the first wife of the chief saw this, and she called a slave-girl, and sent to the man who had the red ocher. She asked the slave-girl to toU Inm that she wanted some of the red ocher, and she promised to meet liim behind the house. Therefore the slave-girl went to the eldest brother and told him what the chief- tainess wanted; but the young man said to the slave-girl that he did not want to comply and to do a wrong to his brother-ux-law, so the slave-girl went back and repeated to the chieftainess what he had said. The cliieftainess sent the slavo-girl again to tell him that she wanted some of the red ocher, and that she would meet him outside right away. The slave-girl went again and whispered to the young man, and repeated to him all the cliief t ainess had said. Then he said, "I will give part of the red ocher to her, but I will not meet her;" and he gave half of his red pamt to her through the slave-girl. The woman took it, went out, and put the paint on her face. Then she came agam, and went to where her husband was sitting with his young wife, in the rear of the house. She said, "Look here! Look at my face! Your brother-in-law mocked me and just put the red paint on my face.'" Then tlie cliief became very angry; and ho said to lis attendants, "Shut the door, lock it, and slay the four brothers in there, and throw them beliind my house, outside." Therefore his attendants killed them and threw their bodies behhid the chief's house, as he had ordered them to do. Then the young woman went every morning to mourn for her four dear brothers, and the cluef now loved his former wife most. The clieftainess was very glad now, because the cliief loved her more than his young wife. The young woman woke up very early, and carried her clidd along, going beliind the clucf's house, where the bodies of her dead brothers were; I Original: Nio gwawa'(?) mat am nErEnu(?); at ha-wila'g>'dii Igu-qlala'ntk a'nEsgat a kl4'i, am-t!a'- IdEda mEs-a'ust a tsla'lut, ada da'mxdut a gwl^t. 218 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 ami she mourned there mitil evening every day. She would never eat anything. She did so often. After the ehief had killed her brothers, he called all the young men of liis tribe into liis house, and they had fun in his house every evening. The yoimg men would shout for joy in the chief's house, while the poor sister was crving every evening over her dear brothers' bodies. Now, the cliieftainess was seated close to the chief when he was sitting in front of the large fire, while the young men were playing at the other side of the fire. One day the chief said to the young men who were playing, "When you see that woman (meaning this younger wife) come in tonight, take a cedar-bark rojte and trip her, so that she may fall." Late in the evening she ceased her wailing, and came m at the door with her chUd on her back. She came in; and when she came close to the cedar-bark rope, the yoimg men held it tight, so that she almost fell over it. Then all the young men shouted and laughed at her, and the chief and his first wife also laughed at her. The poor mourning woman with the child on her back crept to her bed in the corner of the chief's house. Very early the following mornuig she went out again, and wailed all day as she had done before. She was almost in despair because they had mocked and laughed at her late in the evening. Wlien she came in late at night, the young man tripped her feet again with the cedar-bark rope, and she fell; and they all laughed at her while she crept to her bed, her heart heavy with sorrow. She was weak, for she had not had anything to eat since the time when they had killed her brothers. Early the following morning she went out again. She wished only for one thing; namely, to die. Therefore she went there often. In the evening, as soon as the sun went down, after she had been weeping bitterly all day, she opened her eyes, and there was a flash of lightning. She looked, and, behold! a handsome young man stood by her side, who said to her, " Wliat ails you ?" — "O Supernatural One! the reason why I weep is my grief for these, my four slain brothers, whom they have thrown out here. So I go every day to mourn for them; and besides this, they made fun of mo, tripping my feet with their cedar- bark rope; and they all laugh at me, by order of my husband, and his chieftainess. Sometimes I am faint with sorrow." Then the Supernatural One said to her, "My father the Sun sent me down to find out what has happened. He was displeased to hear your voice every day. Take my leggings and my snowshoes and also my moccasins." He made them mto one bundle and tied them together. Then he ordered her to throw them down in front of the chief. He continued, "Then say to him, 'See what happens to the leggings and snowshoes of those whom you have murdered!' A BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 219 flash of lifjhtniiio; will proceed from them. Then he will call all of his people into his house to let them know what has become of the leggings, snowshoes, and moccasins of the four brothers whom he had killed a few days before, and to tell them that a flash of lightning had proceeded from them. AU his wise men will not be able to underetand it; and only one very old man, who lives at the end of the village, and whose name is Disbeliever, wiU not come when he is called the first time. He is blind, and therefore he can not come. Then the second time the chief will send some young man. I will transform myself into the old man Disbeliever. I shall meet the young man on my way. They will take my hand; and when you see me coming into the house, you must run away, lest you be con- sumed with the rest." Thus spoke the vSuperaatural One to her. So she took the bundle made of the leggings, the snowshoes, and moccasins, and went in haste before it was dark. The chief heard that his wife had stopped wailing very early, and he wondered about it. Then he told the young men who were ])laying in his house not to trip her with the cedar-bark rope. Wlion she came in, all the young men were quiet. She walked on straight to her cruel husband, who was seated in the rear of the house, with his first wife leaning against his side, glad and happy. The brave woman went to them and threw the bundle down m front of them, saying, "See what has hap- pened to the leggings, snowshoes, and moccasins of those whom you have murdered!" Theii there was a flash of lightning, which fright- ened the chief. He trembled, and said to the young men, "Call all the people of the village, from the old men down to the small children, and from the old women downi to the little girls. Let no one remain outside!" Therefore they went aroimd to every house and called all the people, in accordance with the order given by the chief. When all the guests were bi, the chief told them what had happened to the leggings and snowshoes of those whom he had slain a few days pre- viously, and he exjdained to his people what his wife had said when she threw the bundle dowii in front of him, and how a flash of light- nmg had proceeded from the bundle; and he said to his wise men, "Explain to me the meaning of this!" but nobody could exjilain it. Some of them did not believe him, and some were astonished; still there remained one very old man. Disbeliever by name, and it occurred to some of them that the old man Disbeliever still remained outside. Therefore the chief sent for him. The young men went to his house and told him what had happened to the leggings, the snow- shoes, and the moccasins of those whom the chief had slain a few days before. Then the oldman laughed, and said that the leggings and snowshoes of the ghosts were becoming a flash of lightning; and he continued to laugh, saying, "No, no! Never since the world began 220 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 have I heard of sucli a tiling as what you have told me. No, dear, no! I do not believe what you have said." The young men dis- pleased the old man, who said, "No, I won't go there! Nonsense, nonsense! That is all." They told him that the chief wanted huii; but he said, "No, I will not go. I am not well tonight." Therefore they went back to the chief's house, and they told him that Dis- believer had made fun of them. (The people named the old man Disbeliever because he did not believe what the people would teU him. Therefore they gave him the name Disbeliever.) Therefore the great chief was enraged, and said, "Bring him in quickly!" The young men went a second time; and while they were on then- way, they met him. They asked him, "Is that you. Disbe- liever?" — "Yes, I was gropuig my way along." They took him by the hand and led him into the house up to the chief and his wife. As soon as the old man came ui, the mourning woman took her child on her back and went t)ut unobserved. Now Disbeliever said, "Let me feel of the bundle!" They took his hands and guided them to where the bundle was. Nobody had touched it before, because they were all afraid lest they should be consumed by the lightning. The chief repeated the words that his wife had said to him. When the old man felt of the bundle, he laughed again, and said, "I do not believe that the leggings and snowshoes and moccasms of the ghosts became a flash of lightning. I never heard of such a thing happen- ing since .the world began. No, no, no!" Then he opened the bun- dle, took the legguigs by themselves, saying, "Now, legguigs, let a flash of lightnuig proceed from you!" At the same time he struck the ground with the leggmgs. He took up the pair of snowshoes and struck the ground with them, and said, "Now, snowshoes, burn! — ^Now, moccasms, let flashes of lightning proceed from you! Oh, what nonsense!" The chief took a little comfort when the old man took up the leggings. Then the old man put them on. He also put on the snow- shoes, and leaped first before the cliief, who was sitting by his side. He struck the snowshoes one against the other, and ran around the fh-e that was burning in the center of the house. All of a sudden a flash of hghtning proceeded from the leggings and snowshoes and moccasins, and the house and all the people in it were consumed. Not one escaped from it. Tiie woman was sitting where the bocUes of her brothers were; and the supernatural being came to her again, and said, "Lay out the bodies of your brothers in good order." She cUd so, and then the supernatural being jumped over the eldest one fh-st. He did so four times, and the eldest one arose. The supernatural being stepped to the second brother and jumped over him four times, then the second brother arose; and the supernatural being did to the third one the BOAsi TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 221 same as he had done to the two others, and the tliird one arose ; then he stepped to the youngest one and jumped over liim four times, and the youngest one arose from where he had been h^ng dead. The supernatural being wore his owai leggings, snowshoes, and moccasins when he jumped over the dead bodies of the four brothers, and so they arose from where they had been l}^ng• dead. Therefore the woman was much pleased to see her brothers ahve again. She went to the place where the supernatural being stood, but he disappeared from their sight. Then the four brothers went dowTi to the village, accompanying their sister. They saw the desolation of the ■sdllage. They went to where the great chief's house had stood, and there was only a heap of bones and of ashes on the ground where the people had been assembled in the chief's house. After they had been there for a wliile, they started for their own home in the mountains, taking their sister along, and they still Uve in the mountains. We call their village TslEtsIa'ut.' 31. HakIula'q^ There was a village way out at sea near the great ocean. In front of the vUlage were two islands. The first one was large, the second one smaller than the first. The first island was the town of the sea otters. The sea otters lived at the foot of the trees on the large island, and so it was on the next smaller island. There were many sea otters on the two islands. Between the two islands a cliild was floating. So it happened that if any one tried to go to these islands, ho saw a beautiful cliild floating on the water. The canoe went toward it, and they took the child aboard; and whenever they camped on the large island, a monster (Haklula'q) would come out of the water and ask for her child. She would say, "Who stole my child r' Then a storm and high waves would strike against the high rocks on that island, and the island would become covered with foam, and the people woidd die there. The same thing happened for many years, and many people died there generation after generation. The people had no power to IdU the monster. The whole village was in mourning, for their young men had almost cUsappeared. Only old men now re- mained in the village. Two or three canoes were lost every day, of those who tried to Idll the cliild and the woman but could not do it. 1 Possibly the description of "a pantomimic dance given to me at Kinkolith (0-in-go'llx-). on Xass River, refers to tliis tale (see Boas 1, IS'Jo, p. 52); "In one ceremony two men dressed like Ts!Ets!a'ut hunters appear. Suddenly the noise of Ihimder is heard, and down through the roof comes a person dressed in eagle skins and wearing the mask of the thunderbird. The hunters shoot at the bird. At once there is a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. One of the men falls dead, and the other one escapes. The fire is extinguished by water wliich wells up through a tube of kelp that has been laid undergroimd and empties into the fire. .\t the same time water is thrown on the spectators through the roof. This performance is accompanied by songs of the women, who sit on three platforms in the rear of the house. The song relates ^o the myth which is represented in the performance." - Notes, p. 783. 222 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 Therefore the whole viUago assembled to talk about the monster that was destroying all their young men, and thoy agreed to make war against it. So one day they prepared their weapons, and made ready to go out against the monster and its cliild. On the following day they went. Part of the people went to battle against the monster, and the rest remained in the village. When the party arrived at the place whore the child was floating, they did not find it. So they came to the large island, and there they saw sea otters running about. They hunted them and clubbed a great number. They nearly forgot their grief, because they had slain so many sea otters. It was very calm that day, and before evening they loaded the canoes with the sea otters; and while on their way back home, between the two islands they saw the child floating on the surface of the water. Then a violent man said, "I will kill the child to revenge the blood of my relatives!" and they all agreed. He took up his spear and thrust his spear light tlu-ough the heart of the floating child; and when he took the spear from the body, the monster came up from the water, and asked, "Who killed my only child V The man who had killed it said, "I killed your child, for j'ou destroyed all my family." Then the monster shouted and cried aloud. A great whirlpool opened and swallowed the canoes. The first canoe went along very fast, so that the whirlpool could not catch it. The crew brought the sad news to the people who remained in the village. Then that part of the people who liad remained in the village made ready to fight the monster. On the following day they went; and when they arrived at the same place (that is, between the two islands), they did not see anj'thing on the surface. The}' went right ahead until they arrived at the large island; and they saw that the land was full of sea otters, but they did not pay any attention to them. They came back soon. On their M^ay back they saw a cliild floating there. Then the two canoes went on (?), and the two harpooneers took up their spears and thrust them through the body of the child. The monster came up and cried for her child, whose body was torn by the spears. She said in a low voice, "Wli}* chd you kill my child?" and the harpooneers of the two canoes said, "Why are you kilhng all our people ? You have killed the greater part of our tribe." Then she shouted as loud as the rolhng thunder. A whirlpool opened and drew in the canoes, but the two canoes the harpooneers of which had the child's body at the end of their spears could not be swallowed by the whirlpool. Then the monster seized the bow of each canoe and took them down to the bottom of the sea and destroyed them all. Now only one young chief remained in the village, with his cwo nephews and his niece ami the mother of these two young people. The young chief thought how he could overcome the monster of the sea. One day he said to his two nephews. "Let us build a good swift BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 223 canoe, and let us try all kinds of trees!'' and when he was cutting down the tree, two young men, who were also his nephews, came to him. Now there were four young men, two women, and the chief. They made a good-sized canoe; and when it was finished, they steamed it, and it was very good. Therefore they took it down, and went in it against the rolling waves. They were paddling hard, and the canoe was broken by the waves. They went home, broke it all to pieces, and tlu^ew the pieces into the fire. Then they made another canoe of a spruce tree. It was better than the one they had built before. Wlien it was finished, the cliie.f went to test it on the sea. They went out; and wliile they were on the sea, they went against the rolling waves made by a great storm. The waves struck the canoe, and soon it broke. They went home and broke it all to pieces. Then they made a new canoe of j-ellow cedar, better than the one thej' had built before. When they had finished it, they took it down, and went again against strong wmds which raised moun- tamous waves. They struck it and broke it. Then they went home, broke it to pieces, and threw the pieces into the fire. The chief tried all kinds of trees. Last of all he tried the yew tree, whose wood is very strong and hard. They built a better canoe than any of those before; and when they had finished it, they tested it on the stormy sea. Then they came back home safely. Then the young chief ordered his four nephews to gather all kuids of food. On the following day he loaded his strong canoe with all kmds of proATsions, and they started. The young women were with them. Then- yew canoe was faster than a flying bird. They went along between the two islands, and soon they arrived at the place where the floating cliild was. Then the young chief said, "Just pass close by the floating cliild!" The}' did as the chief had ordered them; and when they were passing near by, the chief took the child's foot into the canoe, and said to liis companions, "Pull hard!" and they paddled as hard as they could, and reached the fn-st island. Then they hauled up then- canoe right in the woods, with the child and everything in it. As soon as they had carried up theh- canoe, the monster came out of the water in front of them, and said, "Give me my child!" The cliief rephed, "TVTiere are all my people whom j^ou destroyed? I will not let your child go." The monster woman said, "Give my cliild back to me, or I will overturn the island on which you camp." The 3"oung chief replied, "Where are all my people whom you have destroyed?" In the night the island rolled over and over slowly; but they all went aboard then- canoe, and the canoe floated above the island. On the foUowuig mornuig, when the rolling of the island ceased, the 224 _ TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann. 31 canoe rested on top of it; but all the trees of the island were swept away, and nothing but bare rook remained. There was no way to escape from the island. The monster was still pleading for her child, but the young chief continued to ask for his people. Not many days passed before the child died. Then the monster woman stopped asking for her cliild. The young chief was still on the island, and he was there for a long time with his companions. The chief still counted the days of his work. One night about midnight the eldest one of the young men com- pelled his sister to have intercourse with him. The next morning she asked him to go with lier to the beach. There the young woman took the skin of a white weasel and tied it on the back of the head of her brother. She said to him, "Go on and fly out to sea, that aU the people may see you ! " For that reason the male sawbiU duck is wliite on the back of its head. When the days that the young chief had counted were at an end, he said to liis nephews, "Let us try to go to our empty village!" Therefore they let their canoe slide down on the side of the rock; and as soon as they reached the water, they paddled away hard. Soon they saw the monster sound asleep floating on the sea at the same place where the child had been floating. Therefore the har- pooneer said to his companions, "I will take her into my canoe." They went toward her, and the chief took her by the tail and threw her into the canoe. Then they pulled away as hard as they could; and when they had gone a short distance, the gi-eat whirlpool opened behind theii- swift canoo, but they paddled away to the shore. Soon they came to then- old village. As soon as they arrived there, the monster woman died. They took her ashore, and the dead child. They took her into the house with her child and hung them up inside, one on each post. On the following day they all went aboard again and went to then- village. Then the whole village was astii', and the chief invited them into his house; and when they were all in, the chief of the vUlage let the people dance and served his guests with food. After they had eaten, the eldest nephew of the chief said that his uncle wanted to marry one of the village chief's relatives. The latter invited his people to tell them what the young chief said. Then the old people of the vil- lage chose one of the old chief's nieces, a good-looking young pruicess. They gave her to the young chief to be his wife, and the whole village gave him all kinds of food, costly coppers, and elk skins. Then they went home to their own village. The tlu-ee nephews of the young claief wanted to take wives in the same village; and one day they went to the same village where the uncle had married, and they presented to the uncle of the young chief's wife and to nil her relatives the skin (?) of the child of the BOAS J TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 225 sea monster, and he gave liis wife's uncle the j^ew-wood canoe, and he gave to her father many costly coppers. He also gave presents to all the relatives of liis wife. Then all liis nephews married there, too, and his niece married the old chief's son, and thus the empty village was peopled agam. The young chief took the monster woman for his crest. He kiUed the two monsters, and the island was free to those who wanted to hunt sea otters. Therefore the young cliief became great among his people. .32. The Prince Who Was Deserted" Once upon a time there was a great town of the Gid-wul-ga.'dz tribe between Metlakahtla and Port Simpson, where there is a gi-eat sandbar in front of Kumalgo. There was a gi-eat chief there, and his four brothers-in-law. He had an only son. The prince did not eat, but was only chewing dried kidney fat. He was sitting on top of his father's house, and made arrows all the time. He did so every day; and when the humpback salmon arrived in the rivers, his father's people went everywhere to catch salmon, and dried them for winter use. The prince and his Uttle slave also went to the little rivers in the gi-eat bay, and caught many humpback sahnon and took them home. They unloaded the canoe on the sandbar in front of the village, and in the morning the eagles would gather and eat all the humpback salmon. He did so the whole summer; and when the eagles were fat, then- feathers dropped out on the sandbar, and the prince sent down liis Uttle slave to gather the eagle feathers. The little slave went down and brought to his young master the eagle feathers, and the prince was very glad. He liked to feed the eagles with the sahnon, because he wanted their feathers. He made many boxes full of arrows; and he used the eagle feathers, wliich he fastened to the shaft, so that the arrows were very swift. Now the sahnon-run was over. Summer had passed, and winter came, and the people had used up aU then- salmon, and all the dif- ferent kinds of food w^ere nearly gone. Then the prmce's father, the chief, was much displeased with his son because he had fed the eagles in the summer during the salmon-run. Therefore the gi'eat chief sent his wife to his four brothers-in-law. He gave them this advice: "Let none of my sons' uncles take pity on him when he comes to then- house, starving and hungry, for he has always been feeding the eagles during the past summer. Let the eagles feed him now!" Thus spoke the chief to his wife. Therefore his wife went to her eldest brother's house, and she told him what her husband had said. Then her eldest brother said, ' T will do so." She went to her second brother and told him what her husband had said. She went into the house of the thii'd and foiirth brothei-s and told them the same. ' Notes, p. 783. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 15 226 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 Every morning during this hard winter the great chief said to his ovm nephews, "Wake u]) and make a fire!" Then all the people in his house arose, and would sit around the fire. They ate little food, but his son was sitting there just chewmg a little fat which he held in his mouth. His parents did not give him even a little food, because his father was angry. One day the prince felt sad on account of what his father and mother were doing to him. Almost every mornmg his father said to him, "My son, go and feed the eagles with your salmon!" The young man was always crying. Therefore he went to his eldest uncle's house. As soon as he entered, his uncle said to his young men, "Spread the mats by the side of the fire!" They did so. "Now let my nephew sit on them!" He said tohis wife, "Now feed my nephew!" So his wife took a nice dried salmon, roasted it by the fire, cut it, put it into a wooden dish, and the young men placed the dish before the prince. Then his uncle arose from his seat; and when the young prince stretched his hand toward the dish to take the I'oasted salmon, the chief took the dish with the roasted salmon away from him, and said, "Oh, let those eagles that you fed last summer feed you now!" Then he ate it with his wife. Therefore the young man was very much ashamed on account of what his eldest uncle had done to him. He went out crying and sad. On the following day he went to his second uncle's house; and as soon as he entered, his uncle said to his young men, "Spread the mats alongside of the fire!" They did so. His wife roasted a salmon, cut it and put it into a dish, and placed it m front of her nephew; but before the prince could take the salmon, his uncle took it away from him, and said, "Oho! this one who fed the eagles shall not eat this good salmon." He ate it with his wife. Then the prince was very much ashamed, and went out crying. On the following morning he went to his thu-d uncle's house, sat down on one side of the fire, and his uncle's wife roasted a dried sahnon. After she had cut it, she put it into a wooden dish and placed it in front of the young man; but before he could take the dish, his uncle took it away, and said, "Oho! this one who fed the eagles shall not eat this good salmon." Then the boy went out crying bitterly. He lay down on his bed and cried the whole night. The following morning he went to his youngest uncle's house. As soon as he entered, his youngest uncle said to his men, "Spread the mats alongside of the fire!" They did as he had ordered them. His youngest uncle was crying with his wife while his nephew was sitting there. When they stopped crying, he said to his nephew, "I have heard what these bad men have done to you. Your mother came here the other day, and told us that your father wanted us to treat you badly. That is the reason why they ill-treated you; but I do BOAS] TSIMSHIAIST MYTHS 227 not want to treat you that way." After he had spoken thus, he asked his wife to roast a salmon. She roasted it and placed it in front of him ; but he did not take it at once, because he thought they would take it away from him. But his uncle said, "Eat the salmon, my dear nephew!" So he took it and ate, and they gave him many kinds of food. At midnight he went home well satisfied. Early the next morning his father said to his slave, "Go out and order the people to move up to Nass River!" Then the great slave ran out and shouted, "Move away tomorrow, great tribe!" The people made ready to move, and on the following morning they left the chief's son by order of the great chief. His youngest imcle's wife left one dried spring salmon and a bucket of crabapples and his little slave with him. They also left all his boxes of arrows with him, and some fire and half a small bucketful of grease. Now his people started and went to Nass River. Wlien all the people had gone away, the prince gathered some old boards and pieces of cedar bark. With these he built a small house. He gave the little slave a little salmon and crabapples mixed with grease. Early every morning he went out and made more arrows, and would sit outside the house. The tid(( was very low, and then he saw an eagle that screeched on the beach. He called his little slave. "Go down to the beach and see why the eagle is screeching there!" So the slave went down to where the eagle was sitting; and when he reached the place, the eagle flew away. Behold! a trout lay on the beach. Then he shouted with all his might, and said, "There is a trout here, my dear!" So the prince said, "Take it up!" The slave carried it up to the prmce, who ordered him to roast it. The slave roasted it ; and when it was done, he said to his little slave, "Eat it all!" The slave did so. Early the next morning the prince went out again and saw many eagles that were screeching on the beach. He sent his slave down. The slave ran down, and, behold! a large bullhead was lying on the sand. He shouted again, and said, "There is a large bullliead here, my dear!" The prince said, "Bring it up here!" The slave took it up, and they steamed it in a hole in the ground. The little slave ate of it, but the prince did not eat any. For several days the eagle gave them trout and bullheads, which they dried. Then they had enough to eat. One morning he went out again, and he saw many eagles come down on the beach, where they were screeching. He sent his little slave down. He ran down again to look, and, behold ! a silver salmon was on the sand. Again he shouted, and said, "There is a silver salmon, m}' dear!" The prince ordered him to take it, and he carried it up. The prmce cut it and roasted it and ate a little. They did so for several days, and they dried the salmon. 228 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 On the following day the pi'uice went out agam, and he heard the eagles screaming on the beach. He sent his little slave down. The slave ran down, and, behold! a large spring salmon was on the sand. The slave shouted, and said, "There is a large spring salmon!" The prince said, "Take it, take it!" So the slave took it up. It was very heavy; and when he was halfway up, the prince went down to help him carry it. The prince split it and dried it. They did so for many days, and his house was full of dried fish. Another morning he went out, as usual. Behold! there were many eagles down on the beach. He sent his slave down, and, behold ! there was a great halibut on the sand. The slave shouted, and said, "There is a large halibut here, my dear!" The prmce said, "Take it!" but he could not drag it along. When he told the prince that he could not drag it, the prmce himself went down, and he dragged it up. He cut it and dried it. Another morning the prince went out, and he heard the eagles screeching on the beach. There were a great many eagles there. So he sent down his slave; and when the slave came, he saw a seal. Then the slave shouted, "Here is a great seal on the beach, my dear!" The prince said, "Take it!" The slave could not carry it, and so the prince went down and dragged the seal up to his camp. He cut it and dried it. Now one house was fidl of all kuids of fish. Because the pi-ince had fed the eagles the past summer, they now gave him this food. Tliey did so many days, and every day a seal was on the beach. He dried them all. One morning the prmce went out, and, beht)kl! there were many eagles down on the beach. He sent his slave down; and when ho came there, behold! a large sea lion was there. He shouted with all his might, "Here is a gi'eat sea lion, my dear!" and when the prmce heard that there was a sea lion, he went into the woods, took cedar twigs, twisted them, and joined them together; and when he had thus made a rope, he went down and tied the large sea lion to the shore; and when the tide rose, he and his slave hauled it up on shore; and when the tide turned, it was on the beach. The prince carved it and dried it. Now one house was fidl of dried seal meat, and he had another house full of sea-lion meat. The sea lions are very large and have much meat and fat. Tliey did so many days, and two houses were full of sea-lion meat and fat. Now the people who had left him were dying of starvation on Nass River; for no olachen had come, and they had no food. Another morning the prmce went out agaui, and ther(^ was a great number of eagles far out on the water. They were flying ashore with a great whale, and they landed there. Therefore the prince and his slave went into the woods and took many cedar twigs, which they twisted the whole daj' long. They tied the great whale to the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 229 shore. On the following day they cut the bkibber and carried it into a large house. They filled three houses wdth it, because the whale was very large. They did so several days. Now they had ten great whales. They had cut six whales, and four remained on the beach. The prince went out, walking around the whole village. All the houses were full of blubber. He was thinking of his uncle who had pitied him while he was hungry. Therefore he called a gull and asked it to let him have its skin. So the gidl lent him its skin. He put it on and took a small piece of boiled seal moat and flew away to Nass River. When he an-ived there, he saw many canoes trying to catch olachen with their bag nets, but they could not catch many. The prince flew over the canoes, trying to find one of Ms relatives among the canoes. At last he discovered his father's slaves in one of the canoes. He flew over it. A slave-woman was sitting in the stern, while her husband and others were managing the nets. The gidl was flying over her head, and dropped down a piece of seal meat to her. The slave-woman took it and put it into her glove, and she then saw the gull fly away down river until she lost sight of it. In the evening, when the fishermen came home, and when all the people were in bed (the slave families live in one corner), the slave- woman told her husband that the gull dropped a piece of half-dried seal meat to the place where she was sitting in the canoe. Therefore the man had a little of the seal. She also had a little, and gave the greater piece to her child. The child was glad to get the seal, and swallowed it and choked. The child almost died because he swallowed it whole; and the cliild's mother put her fuigers into the child's mouth, trying to take the piece of seal meat that was choking the child, but she could not do so, because she had short fingers. Therefore the chieftainess inquired what was the matter with the child. The slave said, "We do not know." The chieftainess said, "Bring the child here to the light of the fire, so that I may know!" They did so, and she said, "Something obstructs its breath." Therefore the chief- tainess put her long fingers into its mouth, and she felt something. She took out the piece of boiled seal meat. Behold ! there was a piece of seal meat. Then she asked the slaves where they had gotten it, and she told her husband the chief about it. Therefore the chief asked the slaves where they had obtained the dried seal meat, and the mother of the child told the chief how the gull had dropped the piece of seal meat into the canoe while they were out fishing. The chief asked, furthermore, " Where did the gidl go after it had dropped the seal into the canoe?" and the slave-woman said, " It went straight down river." Tlierefore the great chief said, "Call all the wise men, and I will ask them what they think." So the great slave called all the old 230 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. anx. 31 men to the chief's house. Ho askod for their opinion, and they said, "We believe that your son must have been successful." Therefore the chief wanted to send a canoe on the next day to look for him. On the following morning they started, and before evening they arrived in front of Port Simpson. Behold! the surface of the water was covered with grease. They paddled along, and when they came to the place where they had left the prince, they went ashore. Behold! they saw a great many bones on the beach ; and the sand smellod of grease in front of the old village; and the houses were full of diied salmon, halibut, dried seals, sea lions, whale blubber; and four great whales were on the beach. They were surprised, and wondered on account of all the prince had done. Wlien the prince saw the canoe coming to his town, he went out, and would not allow them to come ashore; but they asked him to take pity on them. So after a little while they landed. Then they ate dried salmon, dried halibut, dried seal meat, dried sea-lion meat, and whale blubber; and when they all had had enough, the prince ordered them, and said, "Don't tell my father that I have plenty to eat! Tell him that I died long ago; but I want you to stay here two days and eat as much as you can, but don't take anything home with you. Tell my youngest uncle that I want him to come home soon. I will give him one great whale that is lying here on the beach; but I don't want my father and my mother here, nor my three elder uncles, who made fun of me at the time of the famine, nor any of my father's people; but I want all the different tribes to buy my provisions which you see m all these houses." Then he sent them back; and when they arrived at home on Nass River, the slaves landed in the evening. They went up to the house of their master. The chief asked them, "Is my son still alive?" They replied, "Yes, he is still alive;" and the slaves said further- more, "Your son, whom you deserted there, has plenty to eat. There is no room for all the meat and fat, for the dried trout, salmon, spring salmon, seal, sea lion, and dried halibut. Many houses are full of whale blubber, and all the houses are full of meat and of fish as well, and four great whales are on the shore, and a great many boxes are full of grease, and the whole surface of the water is covered with grease. The prince has succeeded in getting all these pro- visions, and he does not want to see you or his mother, only his youngest uncle. He asked him to come down to him, and he wiU give him one great whale. He does not want his three elder uncles and all your people, but he ordered me to teU all the different tribes to buy liis provisions." Then the chief and his wife could not sleep that night. Early the following mornmg the chief said to his great slave, "Order the people to return to our old town where we deserted our prince. Then we BOAS] TSIMSHIAJT MYTHS 231 will ask him to take pity on us, lest we die of starvation." There- fore the great slave ran out and cried, "Return to the old town, great tribe! Move by tomorrow, for our great prince has plenty to eat m our old village." Early the following morning the chief and all his brothers-in-law and all his people moved, and returned from Nass River to the old village at Sandbar Town. Then the eldest uncle di-esscd up his two daughters. He placed them on a box in his canoe, for he thought his nephew would marry them. All the people paddled as hard as they could; and when they arrived in front of Port Simpson, behold! they saw that grease covered the water; and one of the young women stretched out her hand and dipped her fingers into the grease and ate it. The youngest uncle was behind the other canoes. One day about noon the prince saw a great many canoes approach- ing. Then he went out and asked them, "Where do you come from?" They replied, "Your father and all your uncles are here, and your father's people." Again he asked them, "WTio told you to come?" and they all remained silent. Agam he said, "Don't come ashore, or I shall shoot you with my arrows! Get away from here and leave me alone to starve!" Then all the people pleaded with bun, and he took pity on them. He asked them again, "Where is my beloved youngest uncle?" They rephed that he was far behmd. The prince did not allow them to land until his youngest uncle came. All the canoes anchored ui front of the old village. It was late in the evenmg when the youngest uncle came. He landed, but the prince refused to let the others come ashore until the following morning. He pomted out one of the great whales, and gave it to his youngest uncle, who gave his beautiful daughter to his nephew to be his wife. On the following mornuig the prince went out and called the people ashore. When the canoe of hLs eldest uncle was near the shore, the two girls dipped their hands mto the water to eat the grease that was floating on it. Therefore the prmce was very much ashamed. He did not want to see them. He cut one of the whales, and gave one-half to hLs father, and one-half to his eldest uncle. He cut another one, and gave one-half to his second uncle, and one-half to his third uncle. Then he opened his storehouse of blubber, and gave one piece of blubber to each man and each woman, and he gave small pieces to the children. He invited them to come to his house to his marriage. He loved his wife very much. On the following day all the tribes came to buy provisions. They bought them with elk sldns; and some chiefs of various tribes bought them with slaves, canoes, and costly abalone shells, and with many 232 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 hundred score of dried raccoon skins, sea-otter skins, marten skins, dancing-blankets, and all kinds of goods. 'When he was richer than all the chiefs, he invited the chiefs of all the tribes and made a great potlatch and took liis new name, H^sdii, which means "craving food." He gave away many elk skins, slaves, marten blankets, dancing-blankets, horn spoons, abalone shells, and rings of killer- whale teeth, and he became a great chief among the Tsimshian, and his wealth increased more and more. Again he gave a great feast and invited all the chiefs, more than he had done before. When all the cliiefs were in his house, ho took ten costly coppers, ten large canoes, fourscore and ten slaves, elk skins, twenty score of sea-otter garments, marten garments, dancing- blankets, and many horn spoons and horn dippers, and many costly abalone shells, and earruigs of killer- whale teeth, and many boxes of grease and crabapples mLxcd with grease, and all khids of pro- visions. Before he gave away all of this, he took one of the costly coppers. They placed it on his chest, and he took his new name, Deserted One. After that they proclaimed his new name. Then he took the costly coppers and gave one to each chief, and he gave away the rest of his goods. All the princes of the various tribes received gifts from him, and all the chief tainesses received horn spoons and horn dippers, costly abalone shells, car-ornaments of kUler-whale teeth, and so on. And as long as he lived, the eagles gave hun whales, sea otters, sea lions, seals, spring salmon, halibut, and all kinds of fresh fish. His fame spread all over the country in those days, and he became greater and greater until his life ended. 33. The Princess and the Mouse* It was soon after the Deluge. A new town was built in the same place where the old town had been before the Deluge, and the people grew up and became numerous in the same to-wni at Prairie To^^Tl. They had a great chief who had a beautiful daughter. Her mother and her father loved her very much. The girl grew up, and many princes wanted to marry her; but her parents refused them, for the chief wanted his daughter to marry a high prince. The chief watched her m the night, lest some one visit her. Her father made her bed above his own bed. She went up early every evening, and woke up late every morning, as her parents ordered her to do. When she wanted to take a walk in her father's village, she invited some young women to walk with her. She did so once every year. The name of this girl's mother was Gundax, and her own name was Su-da'"!. Thus many years passed. One night the princess felt that some one came to her, and she saw a young man by her side. Before day- 1 Notes, pp. 747, 791. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 233 break the young man went out, and the princess staid in bed until very late. The foUowdng night the young man came again, and she loved him very much. Every night he came to her. One night it occurred to the young princess that she wanted to know who the young man was who came to her every night. There- fore she watched hun early in the morning; and when the young man arose, he was transformed into a mouse, which went through the knot-hole above her bed. Then she felt very much troubled. She was with child; and when her time came, her father asked his wife the name of the man who had been \;\'ith his daughter. Her mother asked the young woman, but she did not tell her. Therefore her father invited all the best woodworkers and told them to make a box. They did so, and calked it with gum. AVhen they had finished it, they brought it to the chief. The chief ordered his attendants to take it dowm to the bank of the river. Then the great chief told his men to bring dowii all his wealth; and they brought downi ten costly coppere and many elk skins, marten blankets, and all kinds of expensive garments. They put the costly coppere in the bottom of the box, ami spread over them elk skins and marten garments, and skuis of many other animals. Then they put the prmcess into the box and tied it up, by order of the gi-eat chief, and they threw her into the river, and the sti-ong cur- rent took the box down the river. The great chief was very much ashamed on account of what his only daughter had done. Then the whole village mourned for the young princess. Now the box drifted dowm river to the sea. The young woman was still alive in the box. For many days she floated on the water. One day the young woman felt that her box was bemg moved by great waves. She felt it gomg up and do^\^l the great waves on a sandy beach, and soon she felt that her box struck the gi'ound. Now another noble family was encamped on this sandbar on Queen Charlotte Islands. Tliis family had lost theu" young daughter not many days before, and the great chief tainess was mourning for her day by day. Early in the morning the chieftainess went out walking along the beach; and when she came round the sandy point, she sat down there, weepuig; and while she was sitting there weeping, when she opened her eyes, she beheld a large object just under high-water mark. She stopped crying and went down to the place where the large object lay; and when she came to it, she recognized a large bundle of goods. She went back to her husband without touching the large bundle, and she said that she had found a large bundle on the beach. They ran down together; and when they came to the place, they saw elk skins around it. They took their knives ami cut the thongs with which it was tied. Then something moved inside. They opened the skins one by one ; and as soon as the last one was off, many mice ran out of the bundle to the shore. 234 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [kth. Axx. 31 Then the chief and his wife ran back full of fear; but as soon as all the mice were out, they saw a lovely princess lying m there. She smiled when she saw the two people standing over her. Therefore they said, "This is our daughter that was dead. She has como back to life." So they took her to their camp and carried up the costly things. They found costly coppers m the bottom of the box. Now the noble family was very happy because they had found agam their beloved daughter. They loved her very much. The chief invited all the chiefs on Queen Charlotte Islands, and he gave his newly-found daughter the name of his late daughter. The chief had a nephew, a very excellent young man. Therefore the clrief 's nephew wanted to marry hLs uncle's daughter. Now we will turn to the mice. The many mice were the children of the young woman, which she had from her sweetheart in her father's house at the head of Skeena Kiver. Now her cousm married her on Queen Charlotte Islands, and she had a son, whom she called Yoihetk; and another son was born to her, whom she called Gamalukt; and still another son was born to her, whom she called Gayaa. Then the chief, the father of the young woman, who had found her on the sand beach, died; and after the chief had died, another son was born to her, anil she called him Bax- gwan. Not very long after this the wife of the chief also died, when she was very old. Then another child was born to her, whom she called Su-da'°l. Now these children were growing up together. The young- est children were playing about in the house, wliile the mother of these cliildren's father was sitting by the fire. Then one of the little chil- dren fell against her grandmother's back, so that she fell to the ground by the fire. As soon as she opened her eyes, she scolded her grandchildren, and said, "Nobody knows your family. You come from a country far away, you foolLsli, common people!" All these children were of a noble family, therefore their mother had given them noble names. The children cried, and their mother asked them what had happened. Then the elder ghl told her mother what then" gi-andmother had said to them, and the young woman went out and cried in the woods behind the house late in the evening; and the young mother came in again when her eldest son came home from hunting. He asked her what made her so sad, and his mother told him what his grandmother had said to his younger sistei's. Then the young man questioned her further, and his mother told her story. She said to him, "This is not our tribe. Our people live far away at the head of a great river. Our family is a noble family m a large town, where there are many people, and your grandfather's house is in the center of the town. It is a large carved house, and my uncle's houses are on each side of my father's house. I want you to go back BOAS] . TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 235 to my country and to my people. Take all your brothers and your two sisters with you!" The eklest sou agreed to do what his mother saitl. Therefore he asked his father to make for him a good-sized canoe. His father did as his son had requested. He made a very good canoe for him; and after the canoe was finished, they made ready to go. The father of the children was very sorry to know that all his children were going to leave him. Before they set out, their mother took them to the sandbar at Rose Point. She pointed with her finger a little south of sunrise, and said, "Keep the head of your canoe in this direction; and when you reach the mouth of a great river, make a pole with which to punt up the river; and after you have passed a great canyon up river, you will reach a great town. That is the town of your relatives." Soon after she had given them this advice, the children started across the sea. For two days they paddled across the strait. Then they came to a passage between two large islands. They still kept the head of the canoe a little south of sunrise, and then they arrived at the mouth of a great river which had been unknowai to them before. They did as then- mother had commanded them; and when they camped iii a certain place, they prepared a pole to use on the river. On the following mornuig they started again, going up the river. Then- father had loaded thek canoe with meat of seals, sea lions, halibut, and all kinds of sea animals, also with shellfish. They went up the river day after day. Now they arrived at a large canyon, as their mother had told them, and after four days they had passed through the canyon. Another day passed, and they saw a large town before them. Toward evening they arrived below the large town and camped there; and before they walked up on the trail that led up to the town, they turned their good canoe upside down, and it was transformed into a little hill, and all the animals were changed into stones, which are there up to this day. In the evening they walked up to the vUlage, at the tunc when all the young people of the village were walkmg on the street. Then this noble family walked up and down, and nobody knew who these strangers were. They saw a large house in the center of the town, and their mother had told them that this was theu" grandfather's house. They met a young man, whom they asked, "To whom docs this large house belong?" The young man told them that it was a great chief's house. The eldest son understood the language of his mother, while the rest used the Haida language. Then the young man ran into the chief's house and told him that some strangers were standing outside — four young men and two 3'oung women. There- fore the chief sent four of his young men to call them in. The nles- senger went out on the street and told them that the chief invited them to come in. Then the chief ordered his men to spread a good 236 TSTMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ANN. 31 mat by the side of his large fire, and they sat dowTi there. Then the eldest son inquired if a chief of this towTi had cast out his daughter years ago on the river, and the new chief remembered that his uncle had cast out his only daughter on the river years ago. Therefore they said, "Yes, we do remember it." Then the eldest son said, "We are her children." The whole village was astir that night, and the new chief invited all the old men, and he told them that these four pruices and two princesses were the grandchildren of his late uncle. The wise men asked the princes for their names, and the eldest one told-them his own name, Yoihetk; the second brother's name, Gamalukt; the third brother's name, Gayaa; the fourth one's, Bax-gwan; the elder girl's name, Gundax; and the younger girl's name, Su-da'°l. He told them that their mother had given them these names. Then all the wise men received them gladly. They lived in their grandfather's house, and aU the people loved them very much. Now we will turn again to the mother of the young prmces and of the princesses on Queen Charlotte Islands. As soon as her children had gone away, she went into the woods weeping. She wandered away. While she was walking in the woods, she came upon a narrow trail. There she met some young people, good-looking young people, who asked her, "Why are you so sad?" She told them what had happened to all her children. She said, "All my children have gone to our old home, and I am left alone in this strange land, without relatives. I have only my husband." Therefore these young people said, "We are your children, too. Don't l)e so sorrowful! Come with us to our house, and you shall see how nnuiy children you have with you in this strange country!" Therefore the woman went 'wath them. They came to a large town, and crowds of people assembled around her. When all the people had assembled, one of them spoke: "Now, my dear mother, we all are your children. Our old grandfather cast you into the river, and us too. Therefore we are here. We can not go back to our own native country, therefore we built a town here. You shall stay with us here, for you brought us to this side. We will keep you as long as you live." The woman, however, wanted to bring her husband with her, but they would not allow it. Then the woman agreed to their request. This town was the town of the many Mice — the children of the woman and her Mouse lover, who came to her in her father's house in her native land, when she was young. Now they had a dance in their house to comfort their mother, and they danced day by day. Soon after their meal every morning they would dance. One day the husband of this woman went into the woods to search for his wife, but he could not find her. He went on day after day. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 237 One day the woman went back of her cliildren's town to refresh her- self, as she used to do every day. Then she thought that she heard a low moan a little distance away, that called her name. She recog- nized her husband's voice, and went toward the voice secretly. She heard bun, and then she called bun to come. He emliraced her, but his wife told brm her whole story, and said that her children were dancing. So the man was very anxious to see the dance. She hastened to go home. Her husband would not let her go, but asked her to come back to his own home, but she would not go. She said, "Go away, for my children will kill you ! They wUl soon come to look for me." The man, however, still held her in his arms. At last four young men came to call their mother to the house. They saw the man with their mother, and they said that they must kill him. But their mother said, "Not so, my children! Be kind to him. He is my husband. He is like your father. He wishes very much to see your dance." Then they agreed to their mother's request. They said, "We wUl allow him four days in our midst. Then he must go away to his own house." Evening came, and they began to dance untU late at night. Thus this man learned theu- song and the dances that they had. The whole village was asleep in the daytime; but before dusk they awoke, took their meal, and after they had eaten they began to dance. AU the people of the vUlage came to the house where their mother was, and danced there all night until daybreak. At the end of four days they sent the man back to his own home, and they said, "After four days more we shall send our mother back to you ; " and the Chief Mouse commanded hini : ' " Don't maltreat any mouse when you human beings see one on your way or in your house, lest you be beset by dangers, for all the mice on this island are of noble blood. Therefore if any human being does somethmg bad to a mouse, we shall kill him. I will give you a dancing-feather, a neck- band, and a skin drum. Then you shall teach your people how to dance." As soon as the Chief Mouse had spoken, the man left and went to his owTi home. Then all his people came to bun into his house, and the man taught them his song. When aU his people knew how to sijig this song, he put on his eagle feather and his necklace, then he began to dance; and aU his people came to see him — men, women, and children — and everybody was delighted to see this dance. At the end of four days the wife also came. She was a good singer, therefore all the women stood around her to learn her songs, and she taught them. Thus all the different villages on Queen Charlotte Islands learned how to dance, because the Mouse taught them. When the chiefs of all the tribes assembled at a dance in a chief's 238 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 town, the siiifjcrs fisscmbled in his houso. Thus the chief became the head of his people, ami they had dances all the tune. That is the end. 34. The Young Chief Who Married his Cousin' There was the town of G'it-cjxa'la, and the great chief there had a beautifnl daughter, lie had also a nephew who was to succeed to his place when he himself should die. This young chief was very wealthy, because he was a good hunter. The young chief wanted to marry his uncle's daughter. The great chief agreed, and one day he married her. The young woman loved him very much, and he also loved her very much. A year passed after they had married, and the young chief wanted to take another princess to be his wife, for m olden times it was the custom of chiefs to have many wives. So it was with this young chief. But his former wife did not want to let her husband take another wife beside her. The young chief, however, wanted to follow the chiefs' custom to have many wives, and therefore he married the other prmcess; and when he had his new wife, he still loved his own cousin, but she became sadder and sadder day by day. The young chief told her that he loved her more than his new wife, but she was sad, and her husband said, "I love you with all my life." She, however, did not listen to liim; and after midwinter, when all the people moved to the fishing-ground, the young chief also moved. He took his two wives m his canoe, and his uncles moved with them m his owii canoe. They were there on the fishmg-ground. The young chief built hLs own new house, and his father-in-law lived in hLs old house. The young princess was still sad. She always went to her father's house; and when the yomig chief's slaves would bring salmon to the young chief, he would divide it between his two wives; but his first wife did not take hers because she was jealous, and she always went to her father's people to ask for salmon; and she took them to her parents, and her mother dried them for her. She became sadder and sadder every day, and finally sIk; left her husband and lived in her father's house. She would go often into the woods to gather berries, and there she would cry, and late in the evening she would go home. Her mother did all she could to comfort her, but she contmued to cry. There was a high steep rock a little above their camp, which they called Place Of Supernatural Beings. She was sittmg at the foot of the high rock. Every day she went into the woods to pick berries; and when her baskets were full, she would stay at the foot of a large old dry tree, weeping, for she was very unhappy. She did so every day, and in the evening she would go home. ' Notes, p. 792. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 239 Before she entered her father's house, she heard a joyful voice in her husband's house. Then she was still more sorro\\'fuI, entered her father's house, and went right to betl without eating anything. Slie wept all night. Early the following morning she went out again to pick berries; and as soon as she had filled lier two baskets, she sat down at the same place, crjing. While slie was there, a supernatural being came to her, who asked her, " Wliy do you weep, and what makes you so sad V She replied, "Because my husband has married anotlier prmcess. I love him, and that makes me sad every day." Then the supernatiu-al bemg said, "Don't cry! I have come to comfort you. I want you to love me." Then he asked her to man-}- him, and she agreed. She loved him very much. He told her that his camp was not far from hers, and he said, "I wHl come to you often." Tliis young man was as bright as the sun. He was the son of the supernatural chief who lived in the high rock, and whose name is K-xamin. It stands a little above the river. The shining young man came to her often: and every morning when she went to pick berries, a supernatural being came and helped her, and sometimes a supernatural bemg would bring them man}' salmon. Now the former husband of the young woman came often to take her back while the young woman was absent picking berries. He said to her parents that he loved her more than his new wife. When she came back, they told lier, but she did not want him any more. Soon this young woman was with cliild. In the fall the young chief moved back to his ovn\ village, with his uncle's whole tribe; but the young woman's father remamed behind. He staid there in winter, and the supernatural being brought all kinds of animals to his father-in-law. In midwmter the people moved again, and went to the same camping-groimd as before, and there a boy was born to the woman. He was like to his supernatural father. As soon as the nephew had put up his camp, he went to his uncle's house; and when he came m, the yotmg woman went out. There he saw the bright little boy, and he thought it was his child, but it was the child of the supernatural bemg. Therefore he was very anxious to take her back, but she re- fused to go. Every morning the father of this child would bring salmon to his father-in-law. He put them downi on the beach below the chief's house. But the young chief could not catch any salmon, while the young woman's father was successful in everything. His house was full of aU kinds of food, while in the house of his nephew was not enough food for aU his people. Therefore the men of his tribe brought him salmon and berries; and before the fall of the year the young chief's new wife called all the young people, men and women, and bade them help her pick wild crabapples on her 240 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 husband's crabapplo ground and knife grass ground (?).' Two large canoes full of young men and young women started to pick crab- apples for the second wife of the yoimg chief. They went up shouting for joy. Wlien they had gone, the supernatural being came to his secret wife, and asked her, "Did you go with your parents when they went to pick wild crabapples?" She said, "No," l)ecause she was much ashamed because the second wife of the young chief had made fun of her. Then the supernatural bemg said to her, "You must go with them, for my father's slavas wiU pick wild crabapples for you." Therefore she went Avith them; and the supernatural beuig said to her, "Take many mats with you, many boxes, and many baskets!" and she did what the supernatural being had told her to do. They took a large canoe and went up above the high rock and camped there. Tlien the supernatural being came to them on the camping- ground. Tliey saw a crabapple tree full of crabapples; and the supernatural being said again, "I give these to my child. Clear the ground at the foot of the crabapple tree, and spread your mats all around it." She did so; and after she luid cleared the ground, she spread the mats. They sat down on thi^ beach, her parents a little beyond their daughter, who had gone to pick the large crab- apples. Then all the leaves of the crabapple tree began to shake, although the young woman did not see any one on the tree. She loved her supernatural husband. In the afternoon he said to her, "Go and see what has happened to your <'rabapple tree." She went up to the foot of the crabapple tree, and saw a great pile of crabapples on every mat which she had spread there, and there were no small leaves. She ran to the place where her parents were, and called them, "Come, parents, and look here!" Her mother came down from the tree, and she ran to her daughter, and they saw great piles of crabapples on every mat, and she saw the leaves in heaps by themselves on one side of the tree. She called her husband, and the old chief came to her and saw these things. Then the supernatural being spoke again to his wife, and said, "Tell your parents to cook these crabapples tonight, before they waste away!" Therefore the old chief built a large fire, put stones into it, put water into a square box, threw the red-hot stones mto it to make it boil, and when the water was boiling, they tlu-ew the crabapples into the hot water and covered the box. They finished this during the night. They filled ten or more large baskets. The slaves of the supernatural bemg were the silver-blue cod, and these had picked the crabapples. They were the slaves of the super- 1 This word is unknown to me. I give Mr. Tate's translation. The original sentence reads: Adat gaxlgo'dEt dEmt sa-k!E'rElda ut* a'lgEm ratl'lkst nakst, gu t!aot nt'alguda lax-ye'al. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 241 natural spirit who lives at the foot of Mount K-xamin, whose son married the .young woman. The followTjig day they went down to their camp, and they had ten large boxes filled %vith crabapples mixed with grease. On the following day the supernatural being came down to his wife, and said to her, "My parents want to see my child for a while. " The young woman said, "Oh, must it be? I am afraid he will cry when he is there." Then the supernatural being said, "No, not so. My father will make a cradle for liim." Therefore she let him have the child. The supernatm^al bemg said, "Come up to the foot of Mount K-xamin after two days, and stay a little below the high rock. There you shall have your child again." Then he went away with the chUd. After two days she said to her parents, "Take some elk skins and red ocher and eagle down, and let us go up to the foot of Mount K-xamin to see my child which his father took away two days ago!" They took a canoe and went up the river to the foot of Mount K-xamin. As soon as they arrived, a nice carved cradle came down on the water right to the foot of the high rock, and a sweet lullaby was heard in the mountain, and a live cradle was rolled along by the waves of the river, while the echo of the supernatm-al lullab}' was heard on the river and on the mountain. Tlie child was sound asleep in the cradle, and they learned the supernatural lullaby while the live cradle went up and down on the w^ves of the river. As soon as the lullaby ceased, the live cradle came right toward the canoe. Then the young woman heard her husband's voice, saying, "Take him I" The young woman took up the cradle; and the old chief took two elk skins, and said, "I present these elk sldns to you, for you made my grandchild's carved cradle." lie threw them on the water, and the two elk sldns went down; and he threw red ocher and eagle down into the water, which also went down. Before the people went home to their village, the supernatural being said to his wife. "Tliis year you may go home with the rest of yom" father's people, and I wiU still be with you and help you. Let no one marry you. I shall slay the woman who married your former husband." Then he went away. The boy grew up rapidly and came to be a j-outh. One day they moved to their home, but the chief did not camp with his nephew. There were many people in the young chief's camp. Thej- were always merry. Before they arrived at home, the chief's new wife took a good-sized canoe with some slaves, and went ahead of all the canoes, fuU of joy. While they were on theu- way, a great many killer whales came up, and one of them jumped on the canoe m which the new wnfe of the young chief was. It capsized, and she was droMHied together M-ith some slaves, and the young chief was in deep sorrow, and mourned for the death of his new wife. At last 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 16 242 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 they arrived at home. The supernatural being had sent the killer whale to upset the canoe of the chief's new wife, who was drownied in the water. Now, the supernatiu-al being came to his wife bj- night, and told her that he had killed the woman who had made her unhappy. Two days after all the peojile liad arrived at home, the old chief arrived. Then they heard a great noise in the house of the young chief. They asked some people what had happened to the young chief, and they told them tlaat the chief's new \\'ife was drowned by killer whales jumping on her canoe. Then the old chief gave a great feast and showed his grandchild to the people. The chOd grew up and became an expert hunter and expert at halibut fishing, and he obtained all kinds of fish and water animals, large and small, and he was richer than any one else. He gave many feasts to all the tribes, and many chiefs wanted to marry his mother, but she refused. She did not want to marry again. Her former husband also wanted to marry her again, but she refused. Many yeai-s passed, and the wife of the old chief died. Then the son of the supernatural being was lonely, and said to his mother, "Let us camp somewhere with my grandfather!" Hismother agreed, and they moved, and camped away from the \illage. One day the young man's mother spoke to him, and said, "My son, I want to say Jhis to you: you ought to marry some princess!" but he replied, "No." And while they were encamped there, the supernatm"al being came and brought them many halibut, seals, sea lions, and other animals. They dried them, and built four large houses for drying halibut and seal and sea lion ; and when the four houses were full, they built another fom-, and filled them with whale blubber; and the supernatui-al bemg and hLs son brought four great whalej^, and he obtained many large water animals. Many houses were full of seal, sea lion, and whales. He caught four large whales, and they tied them to the beach. Seals and sea lions were lying about, and there was a smell of grease all along the beach in front of their camp, and the oil of the great whales covered the water of tlie sea. At the same time many people died because there was no food in their village. One day early in the morning the old chief took a canoe and went to the village. He loaded his canoe whh seal meat and fat and sea-lion meat and fat and also with whale blubber and dried halibut. When his people saw the canoe coming, they all went down to the beach, and the old chief gave each man a piece of seal meat and fat, sea lion meat and fat, and whale blubber; and he told the people that they had an abundance of food and that many houses were full of meat and fat, of whales, sea lions, seals, and of dried halibut: and he said, "Four great whales are tied to the beach at our camp, and sea lions, seals, and halibut are lymg about." BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 243 When all the tribes round about heard that there was plenty to eat in the camp of the old chief, they loaded their canoes with elks, spoons of elk antler, and slaves, to present them to their old chief. They brought enough elk skins to fill two houses; and when all the tribes round about heard that there was plenty to eat in the old chief's camp, they went there to buy meat — the Tsunshian, G'itlama't, Bellabeha, the people from China Hat, and all the tribes speaking different languages. They bought dried meat and fresh meat, whale blubber, and fat of sea lions and seals, and so on. They bought them with slaves, many large coppers, and four houses full of elk skins, and they had many thousand raccoon skins, and spoons of elk antler, and horn spoons; and when all the buyers had assembled, the old chief gave a great feast to the people speaking different languages — those who had bought the meat and fat in his camp; and he gave away many slaves and canoes and elk skins, and raccoon skins: and the mother of his grandson gave away many spoons of elk antler, horn spoons, and many boxes of whale oil, and many boxes of sea- lion oil and seal oil. Then the old chief gave his name to his grandson, and he gave to his daughter a great woman's name; and when all the chiefs were satisfied, they honored the yoimg chief, and he became great among the people, and the people of his own tribe honored the young chief. A little later his grandfather died, and he gave a great feast to all the tribes. He became richer and richer because he was a great hunter and his father was a supernatural being; and his name was great among the people speaking different languages as far as the Bellabella and Tsimshian extend, but he never man-ied. His mother also was great among the princesses. She also was afraid to marry, lest her supernatural husband should be angry with her. (The supernatural being had told his wife that this would be the last time he would visit her. He said, "Let my son help you to everything you need." Then he disappeared.) 35. The Story of Asdi-wa'l.' (Printed in Boas 13, pp. 71-146.) 36, Waux, the Son of Asdi-w.v'l' In the story of Asdi-wa'l we did not tell about his only son. Now we will take it up again, at the time when Asdi-wa'l was living among; his brothers-in-law. His wife loved him very much because she thought he was a super- natural being. Not many days after they had married, the young woman bore him a son ; and his father, Asdi-wa'l, called his son Waux. That means "very light. " This son would fly away like a spark. ' Notes, pp. 747, 759, 792. 244 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth Ann. 31 The child grew up and became strong in his mind. He went everywhere with his father. He went hnntmg in the woods or on the slippery rocks above the mountains; and he luiew well how to hunt, because his father taught him how to hunt wild animals. Wlien he went up the mountains with his father, his father would give him a spear and his dogs, and also his large hunting-hat, his little l>asket, and mat blanket, and his pole, to take care of while he crept up to the animals. He himself only took his bow and arrows and his snowshoes. The boy loved his father very much. When he moved to Nass River with his father and his uncles, they stopped halfway, and the young man went up the mountains with his father Asdi-wa'l. There they killed some bears in their dens. When they came home late in the evening, the boy told his uncles how many black bears his father had slain, and the young man took care of all the weapons which his father had given him. When his uncles left his father at KsE-ma'ksEn, the boy did not want to go %vith them, but they compelled hun to do so. Therefore he wept bitterly with his mother all the way whUe they were going up to Nass River. Not manj^ days after they arrived at Nass River, the mother and her son took a canoe by night and came down from Nass River, trying to find Asdi-wa'l. Wlien they reached the place on the follow- ing day, he had disappeared, and his wife and son were full of sorrow. They searched KsE-ma'ksEn, and thought that some wUd animal had come and devoured him. Then they went right down to their home on Skeena River. The young man was a very skillful hunter. He knew his father's hunting-ground, and he knew also how to use his father's weapons. He would kill all kinds of animals, and he became very rich in property. He had meat and tallow of all kinds of anunals, fat, and skins of all kinds; and he made black horn spoons of mountain-goat horn, and spoons of elk antler, and dippers of elk antler. Before his mother died she wanted her son to marry one of her cous- ins, and he did what his mother wanted hun to do. Not many days after he had married, his mother died, and the young couple were happy. He always went alone to hunt on his father's hunting- ground. He slew many animals. Sometimes his wife would go with him. There was a great mountain on which his father used to hunt mountain goats in the fall, when they were very fat. He went there, and camped in the hut that his father had built at the foot of the high mountain. His wife was with child, and the children struggled in her womb ; and when the tune came, behold! she gave birth to twins. In the fall they moved from the village and went to the foot of the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 245 high mountain to live in the huntmg-hut. They camped there, as they had often done before. He killed the mountam goats, and they filled the hut with meat and tallow and fat. In the winter he went home, and gave a great feast to all the tribes of the Tsunshian, and he proclaimed his new name which his father Asdi-wa'l had given to bun as soon as he was born. His name was Waux; and he was a great hunter in those days, and his fame spread among all the tribes of the Tsunshian, and the animals of the woods knew hun also. His two children followed him wherever he went. One time he went up a newly discovered mountain, and there he lost his two children. They slipped on one side of that new mountain, and both died there in the Valley Of Supernatural Beings. Waux, however, was going to die there too. They mourned for the two children whom he had lost there. So they moved to the old hut at the foot of the high mountain, and Waux went every day to hunt mountain sheep. He enlarged the old hut which his late father had built, and filled it with di-ied meat and fat. Late in the fall, when the leaves were falling, he went up the same mountain for fresh meat. He forgot to take his spear along. He took only his huntmg-pole and his dog, his mat blanket, his little root basket, and his huntmg-hat. He saw great flocks of mountain sheep, and he pursued them, and the mountain sheep had no way to escape. There was only a narrow cleft on one side of the high mountain. Then all the sheep went into the cleft; and at the end of the cleft there was only bare rock like glass, and all the sheep slipped there. One large sheep was the last; and before the large sheep jumped off the slippery rock, it kicked the side of the mountain, and leaned its head against the rock to show that the mountain was angry with the hunter. After the sheep had done so, it leaped down the slippery rock. Then the high mountain shook for a while. Therefore Waux struck his hunting-pole through the hard rock. He took hold of it, and called hLs dog to his side. Wlien the mountain shook again, he looked down to his hut and shouted down to his wife, saying, "Sacrifice fat to the supernatural powers, for I can neither go on nor turn back!" The woman replied, "I can not hear what you say! What is it?" "Oh, sacrifice fat to a supernatural being!" She cried out and answered, "Shall I eat fat?" Waux answered still louder, "Offer to a supernatural being!" She replied again, "Shall I eat fat?" Waux repeated the same words over and over again, but his wife repeated her own wish. Finally Waux shouted, and said, "Go and eat all the fat you can! Melt it all and eat it; and after you have eaten the melted fat, drink cold water and lie dowii across an old log!" Then she heard her husband's words distinctly. She hastened into the hut, made a 246 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 largp fire, and moltpd much fat, and ate it all. Then she felt satisfied and drank much water. She went toward an old log, lay down across it, and her body broke apart. She was transformed into flint, which is still lymg there at the foot of the high mountain. There is flint all over it, and a white stone like white marl)le is inside. Waux himself was transformed into stone, with his hunting-hat and his mat blanket and his pole, and his dog also was transformed into stone. He is standing there up to this day. The reason is that he forgot to take his spear. He had used the spear often before when some mountains were shaking. He just put the spear across the chasms between rot-ks after they had shaken, and a way opened for him; but this time he had no way, and his wife misunderstood his request to offer to a supernatural being. 37. The Blind Git-q!.v'°da' In a camp at the mouth of a creek was a blind man. He used to camp there before he was blind and when he was a hunter. His wife and little son, who loved him very much, were with him. They were camping there, waiting for the salmon-run. They had a good little hunting-hut. They waited there a long time for the salmon, until the fall. Then, when the sabnon were in the brook, the woman and her son went up the brook and caught a few salmon, striking them with a harpoon. Then they carried them down to the hut where the old blind hunter was. This Was while the leaves were falling and before the wild animals got into their dens. Early one morning the woman said she would go to gather bark for winter fuel. She did so. She would always go with her little son. Late in the evening they came home. They did so every day. Very early one morning the boy went out; and while he was sitting outside, he looked across the brook, and, behold ! a great grizzly bear was coming down to the stream, looking for old dead salmon, which he intended to eat before his long sleep in his den in the long winter. Therefore the boy ran in and told his blind father that a great grizzly bear was coming down on the other side of the stream. The blind man said, "Take me out!" So the boy took him by the hand and led him outside. He said agam, " Run in and bring my bow and my good arrow!" The boy did as his father had said. He brought him the bow and the good arrow, and gave them to his blind father. Then his father said, "Now take the end of my arrow and point it at the shoulder of that great grizzly bear, that I may hit its heart!" The boy did as his father had told him. He took the point of the arrow and directed it toward the grizzly bear's shoulder. Then the boy said, "Now shoot!" The old hunter used all his strength to pull his bow, and he shot it. The arrow went right through the great > Notes, p. 825. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 247 t> grizzly bear's heart, and it lay there dead. The old hunter said, "I killed it with one shot," for he heard the grizzly bear groan, and after a short time the groan ceased. He said again, "Now it is dead, for I hit the heart." Then his wife came out and made fun of him, and said, "Oh, yes! you killed it!" The blind man said, "Yes, I killed it." Then his wife laughed at him. The woman knew that he had killed the grizzly bear, yet she did not want to give him any of the grizzly-bear meat. Therefore she said to her blind husband that he had missed it. She thought that if her husband should die soon, she might marr}^ a man better than he. Late in the afternoon that woman said to her son, "Let us go across, my son, to get bark! We shall bo back late in the evening." Then they went to where the great grizzly bear lay dead; and when they came there, she said to the boy, " Now, my son, don't tell your father that he killed this gi-izzly bear! You and I will eat its meat and fat." Then she cut it up and filled her canoe twice, and late in the evening she came home. She had washed the arrow thoroughly. The blind man asked, "Did you find my arrow, my dear?" The boy said, "Yes, father!" — "Then bring it to me!" Then his wife brought it to him, and said, "Here is your arrow with which you shot the old log over there!" Then the old hunter took his good and successful arrow, felt of it and smelled of it, and said, "Yes, I know that I have killed the animal. I can smell the fat." Then his wife was angry. He said again, "O my successful arrow! I have smelled the fat of the great grizzly bear." Every morning she went out to gather bark with her son. She built a great fire and cooked as much of tlie grizzly-bear meat as she wanted, and she and her son ate all they wanted. Late in the evening every day she came home. She told her son many times not to tell his father that he had killed the great giizzly bear, lest he should eat the meat and it would all be consumed, and they would die of star- vation. She continued, "Let him die, for he is old and bhnd and of no use." The boy, however, did not listen to what she tokl him every day, for he loved his old father very much. He was always with him in his poor ])ed, and slept with him oftt-n. One night they went to bed early, and the boy whispered to his old father, " Father, you killed that great grizzly bear a few days ago. Here is a little meat which I hid behind my ear, for mother does not want me to tell you that we have plenty, lest you eat of the meat and fat. We always eat meat and fat every day. My mother makes a large fire out there, and she cooks the meat and fat, and she said that she would whip me if I should tell you. Here, I will give you tliis meat! Eat, my father! I don't want 3'ou to die! Do eat this, father!" 248 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann, 31 His father, however, refused, and said, "Go on, my dear son, eat it!" Then the old man began to cry. He cried the whole night, and before daylight he said to his son, "My dear son, I want you to lead me on the trail that leads toward the lake up in the woods." The boy asked laim, " Wliat are you going to do, father ? " He replied, "I vn]l stay there and comfort myself." The lad said agam, "No, I will not do it, father; you might die!" but the old man said, "If you love me, my son, do whsit I have asked you to," and the boy agreed; but he said, "Only don't kill yourself!" — "No, no!" said the old man, "but don't let your mother know about it." They went farther downi from the hut and came to the trail wlaich led up to the lake. They went on and on until they arrived at the lake. Then the old man said, "Now go back to your mother, my son, and let me sit down here!" The boy asked to be allowed to stay with him, but his father sent him down to his mother. They were both crying when they parted. The boy went down, and the old man remained sitting there alone, crying. He cried a whole day, and nothing would stop him. After a while, when it was near sunset, he heard a loon crying on the lake. The bhnd man was still crymg. Again he heard the loon still nearer the place where he was sitting. He continued to cry. He heard the loon a third time quite near to the place where he was sitting, and a little later some one nudged him, and asked him, " Wliy do you weep ? " He answered, " O Supernatu- ral One! I am in great distress. My wife has used me very badly." — "What do you want me to do for you?" said the supernatural being. The bhnd man said, "O Supernatural One! restore my eyesight." The Supernatural One said, "Turn toward me ! " Then the blind man hastened to turn toward the supernatural being, who took some rubbish from his right eye and from his left eye. The supernatural being threw this mass on the water. Then he said to the blmd man, "Do you see me now?" The blind man said, "I just see a little light." So the supernatural being put out his hands and took some more bad blood out of his eyes, and said, "You are a careless hunter. Why don't you hide your face when bad things pass in front of your eyes while you are sitting down? Now tell me if you can see that place." The blind man said, "It is not very clear." The supernatural being did this three times; and after he had done it four times, he vanished from his sight. Then the blind man went into the water, and saw that it was fidl of all kinds of rubbish — blood, ashes, hair, smoke, steam, dust, and so on. He was very glad, and wanted to know who had opened his eyes. On the following morning he hid himself, that his son should not see him if he should come. Early the following mornuig the boy awoke and ran up the trail to the lake; and when he came to the place where his old blind father had been sitting, no one was to be BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 249 found; and he began to cry and call his beloved father, but nobody answered. He saw blood in the water, and thought some wild ani- mal had eaten him in the night, and he felt very sad. He went down the trail, crying and calling. His mother heard him when he came down the trail crying. She awoke, and wanted to know who was there. Behold! the boy was coming along crying, and said, "Some wild animal has devoured my poor father!" The boy's mother was angiy with her son, and said, "Stop crying! Let us be glad that your father is dead. Come and eat this rich meat! Stop at once, or I shall whip you!" The boy was afraid of her, and stopped crying; but he did not eat much, because he was thmking of his father. After they had eaten, she said to the boy, "Let us go to get bark!" The boy, however, lay down on his old father's bed, weeping, and his mother went alone. She followed the trail; and when she reached the place, she saw something that had been dragged down into the water, and she saw blood mixed wath rubbish, and she believed that her husband was dead. She was glad. She went a little farther down along the trail, and saw a large pile of thick bark some distance away from the trail. So she went toward it and piled it up. Now the man went down another way when he heard his wife singing happily instead of singing a mourning-song. He passed her, and went right down to the hut. Behold! there was his son lying on his bed crying. He said to his son, "My dear son, I am still aUve, and my eyes are open again! I can see clearly. Do not cry! Come, let us close up every hole in this hut, and I shall shut the door. Let your mother stay outside this night!" After they had eaten their supper, he went to bed with his beloved sou. Late in the evening the woman came home, and the door was shut against her. She knocked at it, and said, "My dear son, did your father come home, or are you still alone?" and there came no answer. She said to her husband, "Take pity on me! I feel very cold out here." Still no answer came from them. She felt very cold, and said, "Do open the door for me, my dear son ! " Her voice was shaking on account of the cold. She said, "Take pity on me, lest I freeze to death!" Before dayhght she was transformed into a hooting owl. Then the man ran out and opened the door. He saw an owl flying away. It alighted on a tree that stood near the hut, and hooted. So the man said, "Go away into the woods, owl!" and he became again a great hunter. Not many years passed, and he went alone into the mountains. He had often heard an owl hooting since his wife had been transformed into an owl; and one night when he was alone in the mountains, he 250 TSIMSHIAK MYTHOLOGY [eth. an.n. 31 heard again the hootinn; of an owl; and he said, "You fooHsh woman, go away from me! I don't want you to come near my camp!" Then the owl stopped hooting when she heard what her husband said, and the man forgot that he had been talking to the owl. He went out of his hut, and the owl flew just above his head, and he fell dead right there. 38. Local Winter in Git-q!a'°da' Before the Deluge the Tsimshian lived on ilie upper course of Skoena River. There was the great village of the G'it-q!a'°da, and in it were many people. They had only one great chief who commanded his people and made laws for them in regard to every- thing.^ The son of that chief of the G'it-q!a'°da had married according to their custom, in winter. He was a young man of very good mind. Shortly after he had married, there was a great famine aU along the coast. In the spring a man cut a hole in the ice on Skeena River and put down his bag net. He caught a spring salmon. His wife steamed it in a box and put small sticks through the spring salmon the width of a fuiger apart. Then he invited all his tribe, and the people were very glad to have a fresh spring salmon. The starvation was almost forgotten; and after they had eaten, they went to their own houses, taking part of the boiled salmon to their wives and children. While they were on their way home, a snowstorm came up; and one man named G'augun took off the cover from his salmon, stretched both his hands toward Heaven, and said, ''How is it? Do you think winter is coming back again ? Look at the fresh boiled spring salmon that I have in my hand ! Shame on you for letting it snow every day !" Then he went home and gave his boiled salmon to his wife and his children. After they had eaten, they felt satisfied. Then all the jieople of the village were ready to go fishing the next morning on the ice. In the same night a heavy snowstorm set in, and it continued until the food of all the people was gone, and there was a very bad famine among the people. Many died of starvation. No one was able to work and to get food, on account of the snow- storms. The wile of the newly married prince had given birth to a child; and while it was snowing every day, the whole tribe died. Only the prince and his wife remained alive. They ate very little food once a day. The young woman would boil a little piece of dried salmon, and would take the soup for the child that she was nursing, while the prince ate a piece of the salmon. Soon their food was gone. Then the child died, for the mother had no milk for it. On the day after the child had died, a blue- 1 Notes, p. 829. 2 Then follows a description of tlie marriage customs given on p. 532. BOAS) TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 251 ja}- was sitting m the smoke hole with a large cluster of ripe elder- berries in its bill. The biid opened its mouth, crymg, "Qwash, givash, (iwasJi!" Wlien the elderberrias dropped dowii, the young woman arose and took them and showed them to hei- starving hus- band. Their heai-ts felt relieved. Then the woman said to her husband, "Be of good cheer, my dear! Let us try to leave this desolate place, and we shall fuid summer, for the supernatural power sends a large cluster of elderberries to show us that summer has come." Now, they made ready to go to another place wliQe it was stUl snowing heavOy. On the followmg day they put on their snowshoes and went down river, leaving their old home. They struggled along in the snow. The prince was very weak because he was starving, and his wife suckled him twice a day. They traveled for one day from the old village site, and they passed out of the snow and reached a place where it was summer. Wlien they looked behind, black clouds were still hanging over the village. They went farther down the river and made a camp. The prmce was still very weak, and the young woman suckled him. Then she went down to the river to fetch water, and brought it to her husband, and she would always see small trout among the stones in tlie shallow water. On the following day she told her husband that she had seen many trout among the stones in the shallow water. Therefore the weak prince took his knife and split a small ])iece of red cedar, and made out of it a fish trap. The young woman took it down to the river and placed it among the stones where the small trout were. There she left it over night. On the following morning she went down, and, behold! the trap was full of small trout. She took them to her sick husband. She boiled them in a root basket and took them to her husband. She gave him a wooden spoon, but the prince declined it. He said, "You shall eat it, and you shall go on sucklmg me." The young woman did so every day until the prince was a little stronger. Then he made a larger trap, for larger trout ; and every night they caught many trout, and also eels. They dried some of the trout and eels, and the prince made a still larger trap for salmon. Then he caught many sprmg salmon. Next he made two large traps, and he also buUt a weir on one side of the Skeena River, and put two large salmon traps in the deep water at the end of the bridge. He built a house for smokuig salmon. Then they had plenty to eat. There was no longer any famme. In midsummer they dried all kinds of berries, and at the end of the summer the prince buUt a large canoe; and after the canoe was finished, they loaded it with all kinds of dried salmon and boxes of dried berries. They went down river, and camj^ed at Fall Camp. 252 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 On the following day they went up to Ksdal. They reached the mouth of the river; and as they camj^ed there, they uidoaded their canoe, and buUt a house in the strange country, which was unknown to them. In the autumn he often went up the mountains to hunt goats while his wife staid at homo with her unborn child, and the prince kUled many mountain goats. He took their meat and their fat. At the head of the brook he saw a large lake. One day he was tliinking of it, and m winter ho went up to the large lake and walked on the ice on his snowshoes. Then he went up the mountain at the end of the great lake. When ho reached the top, he looked down on the other side, and there he saw smoke ascending in the vaUey. It was toward evening, and he went back to his camp. Late in the night he came home. His wife was crying, thinking that she had lost him. Then he told her that he had seen smoke on the other side of the mountaui which he had climbed. They lived there all winter, and theii- provisions lasted xmtU the following summer. Toward the end of a hard winter they went across the lake m their canoe. They carried enough food with them, and their new child. They walked up the mountain, and soon they reached the foot of the mountain on the other side. Then they walked do-\vn over a large plana, and a brook ran through the plaui. They walked down alongside the brook; and when they arrived at its mouth, they saw a house on the other side of it. Therefore they called for some one to take them over. Then a small canoe came across. They crossed the brook, and they met four young men who were encamped there m a small hut, and who gave them food. They were very friendly to those four young men. The eldest of them was in love with the gui, and the girl also loved him deai-ly. At last the father of the girl became sick and died, and a few days after, her mother also was taken sick and died. Then the girl lived alone with these four young men. (These four young men were the offspring of a wild duck who was sent by the daughter of the South Wijid while she was in the house of Chief North Wind, where she was almost frozen.) The eldest of the young men wanted to marry tlie girl, and she agieed, so they were married. Then the girl gave birth to four children at one time, as ducks lay eggs in the spring; and the next sprmg four other children were born. They grew up to be men and women. Eveiy time she would give buth to four children at a time, and they began to build a village there; and when theu- mother died, they had begun to be a large and powerful people; and wherever these people moved, there was a heavy snowdrift on the ground. Therefore it is told among these people that no one should throw stones at wild ducks in wmter, lest a heavy snowstorm should set in. boas] tsimshia^^ myths 253 39. The Drifting Log' There was a gi'eat war at G'itslEmga'lon between two clans — the Gispaw*adwE'da and the Eagle Clan. The Eagle people were defeated by the GispawadwE'da. There was a gi-eat battle on that day. ilany Eagle people were killed by their enemies. The last day they had a very hot battle, and nearly all the Eagle people were destroyed, and then- chief fled \vitli his young niece. The chief's name was Nes-wa-na'°, and the ghl's name was Daul. They crossed the high mountains between Skeena and Nass Rivers, ilany days they walked along the trail; and when they arrived at a village on the upper Xass River, at their Eagle relatives on Nass River, they were received gladly, and Nes-wa-na'° became then- chief. In the spring, when the people were expected to come olachen &hing, they moved down to their fisliing-gi-ouml and camped on Sandbar Camp. The olachen came up the river, and all the people were very busy. Then the children were always in the way of the fishermen, and some of the children were hurt and died. Some fell into the water and were drownetl, and so on. One day the new chief invited all his people to a council to talk about the children — how they could keep them safely in an empty house, and how some one shoidd take good care of them. On the following day the chilchen were gathered together in the new chief's house, but the boys were always fighting wdth the girls. Therefore another day they separated them, the boys by themselves, and the girls by themselves. A great number of girls went and found a hollow log lying above liigh-water mark. Their parents had chosen the princess Daul to take care of them, and all the guls loved her very much. They went into the hollow log and played that it was their house. They started a fire in it and ate there, and their ]iarents carried great quantities of provisions into the small log: and they had many gar- ments of black and arctic fox, martens, raccoons, weasels, and all kinds of costly garments. They staid there a long time, Avhile the people were working, and all the children loved the young princess as children love their mother. One night the tide was higher than it had been for many years, and the high tide carried away the large hollow log from its place while the children were asleep in it. The log floated out to sea with many children in it. Early the next morning the princess awoke and went out and saw that the log had drifted away. Before the log had drifted away, a young prince had given her a young eagle as a present. She loved the young eagle, and tamed it, and the young eagle learned to understand her words. Then she ' Notes, p. 831. 254 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 knew what had happened ; and when the princess went nearer the young eagle, it was ilying with its mistress, and the princess named it Young Eagle. She cried ; but when she went back into the hollow log, she stopped cr\nng. She was afraid that if the cliildren should know what had happened, they might faint. Therefore she tried everything to comfort them. The log was drifting way out on the great ocean. When the parents of the children missed the hollow log from its place, they began to cry. They took their canoes, and went down the river to search for their children, but in vain. They did not find them. They went back liome, full of sorrow on account of the loss of their children and of their young princess. The young eagle was seated on a root of the hollow log in which the cliildren were; and after a few days had passed, the young eagle flew back to Nass River. When all the people in the village were lamenting, the young eagle flew down from liigh up in the air, and alighted on the roof of the house of the princess's grandfather, and screeched. Then all the people of the village knew that the children were still alive. After the eagle had screeched, it flew away down to the mouth of Nass River. The log was still drifting about way out on the ocean, and the tide took it out between Queen (^harlotte Islands and Prince of Wales Island, and took it along the south side of Prince of Wales Island. The people of a Haida village were camped on the outer coast for halibut fishing; and when the sun set in the west and great waves rolled up on the sandy shore at the end of the camp of the Haida tribe, the log was carried ashore by the waves and grounded there; and when the tide receded, the princess said to all the children, "Now, cliildren, come out!" Therefore all the cliildren came out, and the princess said to them, "Now go up to the woods behind the village, and I will go in front." It was evening now, and all the children went up into the woods. Then she walked in front of the houses of the camp, and stopped in front of the chief's house. Many young people passed her without noticing her; and wliile she was standing there, some one came up from the beach. It was a young prince, who asked her where she came from and where she belonged; and she answered in her own language, which the prince did not understand, and the young princess did not understand what he said. The young man wanted to take her into his father's house. The princess fii'st refused, but finally she went with him. The prince stopped the young men who were playing at the door of his father's house, and led her into the cliief's house, who ordered his young men to spread mats at one side of the house. Tlien the great chief said, "My son shall marry you because I am your relative. What is your name, my dear ? " but she did not under- BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 255 stand what he said. Therefore they called one of liis female slaves who understood the Tsimshian language to be his interpreter; and the interpreter said, "The great chief aslved for your name." She replied through the interpreter, "My name is Daul. I am the niece of the great cliief G'it-xa'n and Nes-wa-na'°. They were all killed by the enemy. He was the only one who made liis escape from them. He took me across the mountains, and at a river on the other side of the mountain we found our relatives, who treated us well ; and the whole village loved my uncle and myself. When the olachen came up the river, they moved down to their camping-ground; and they did not want my uncle to work himself, so they gave him all their cliildren to take care of while the people went out fishing, and they gave me the girls to take care of. I took them into a large hollow tree wliich lay above high-water mark, and one night the high tide carried it away, and we drifted away from there to this place." After she had said tliis, she began to cry. Tlien the great chief said, "My niece, my son shall marry you." She replied, "I will do so if you will promise to take care of my girls." Therefore the chief said, " We will take care of them as though they were our cliildren." Then she sent the young men to bring them down. The young men went and shouted; but the girls were afraid, and ran away, for it was the first time they heard the Haida language. The young men came to the chief's house and said that the cliildren were afraid of them. Therefore the princess went down with her new husband to the hollow tree, and all the children were in there. She called them; and before they left the hollow tree, the princess asked them to put on their fur garments, and they all went into the great chief's house. The chief ordered his men and slaves to give them food; and after the food was served, the great chief said to liis new daughter-in-law, "I will take all these girls to be my own chil- dren; and if any one wants to marry any one of them when they are grown up, they shall come and talk to me; and if I agree, then they may have them." On the following day his son was married, and the great chief invited all the other chiefs to the marriage festivul. The young eagle still loved the prmcess, and she always fed the young eagle. Sometunes it went over to Nass River to visit her grandfather. It would stay there a while and then come back again to the prmcess. After a few months had passed, the young prmcess gave bu'th to a boy. A year passed, and another boy was born to her. Another year passed, and she gave bii'th to another boy. There were, in all, four boys and one girl, and then another girl. All her companions married. They also had children. 256 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 The princess's children were skillful sea-otter hunters. One day a great number of children were playing on the beach, and the prin- cess's youngest child was among them. She hurt one of her play- mates, and the child began to cry. Then the mother of the child which was crying asked, * ' Who hurt you ? " and the chdd of the mot her said that the younger daughter of t he princess had hurt her. Then the cliild's mother scolded the younger daughter of the princess, saying, ''You have no reason to be proud, cliild; your father just found your mother on the beach. He did not intend to marry her like a princess, taking her from her father's house." The princess heard what she said, and she began to cry. She did not tell her husband. The princess's boys did not speak her language; only her elder daughter could speak her language. Now the four young men were grown up, and were strong men. They were playing outside, and began to quarrel with the son of one of their father's relatives. They began to fight, but the princess stopped them with kindly words; but the mother of their cousm was angry, and she scolded the princess's sons, saying, "We did not go to your mother's father's house to let my brother marry your mother, and now you pretend to be very proud, you slave ! They found your mother on the beach." When the princess came into her father-in-law's house, she cried bitterly. After she had cried, her husband came ui and questioned her, but she did not tell him. She only said to him, "Make a good- sized canoe. I wiU send all my children to my own country." There- fore her husband bought a large canoe; and one day in the summer- time they loaded the canoe with many things — costly coppers, and slaves for all the boys and for one of the daughters. The father kept only the younger daughter. Her mother called her elder daughter, and said, "The young eagle will guide you to our native home." The princess asked her husband to make a crosspiece of wood and fasten it on the bow of the canoe to let the young eagle sit on it. He made it, and they started. The young eagle was sitting on the bow of the canoe, and they paddled away along the south side of Prince of Wales Island, and the young eagle flew ahead of them. Before they started, their mother had said to her daughter, "You shall always ask the young eagle which way to go : ' Young Eagle, where is your mother's native land V and it will guide you on your way home." Now they started; and the young eagle flew ahead in front of the canoe. It would sit on a tree; and when the Ciuioe came to the place where it was sitting, it flew ahead again and sat down again farther on. Thus they continued all the way until they arrived at Root-Basket Camp. They camped there. In the evening they went around the small island and killed many seals. After they had dressed the seals, BuAs] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 257 they went on until they passed Grizzly-Bear Pomt. Behold! there was a great sea in front of them. Then tlie girl asked the young eagle, "Where is your mother's native land, Young Eagle?" and the eagle led them to a camping-place. There they waited until the folio \\'ing mornmg. Early the following mornmg the eagle screeched to wake them up. They arose and went on. The young eagle flew across the great sea high up in the air, and the prmces paddled on as hard as they could; and when the sun rose high up in the sky, they saw a small blue mountain far aheatl. They followed the eagle, which was flying way up in the aii', and before evening they saw the island ahead. They paddled very hard, and late in the evening they arrived at Slave Island. They camped there and took a rest; a,nd after they had eaten, they slept . Only a girl watched over them while they were asleep. They camped there for two days. The following day they went on again and crossed Beaver-Tail Island. The girl asked the eagle again, "WTiere is your mother's native land, Young Eagle?" and it always flew ahead; and when they arrived on the mainland, they camped on Hole Island. On the fol- lowing day they went on to Nass River, and in the evening they camped on Gravel Bar Camp ( ? ?). The young eagle left them there ; and the}' did not know which way they should go, because it was at the mouth of three rivers where they were camping — the rear river, middle river, and Nass River. The eagle batl been awuy for two days, and the princess was still encamped there. The eagle had gone up to her ( ?) mother's uncle, and was sitting on top of his house, screechmg. After two days the eagle came back; and the princess started once more, going up Nass River, the eagle flying ahead. Now they understood that they were near home, and they were very glad. Before they arrived at the village, they put on their good clothes; and their sister looked shining, like a supernatural being, when she put on her dress of white sea-otter skm. The four brothers wore their garments of black sea- otter skm, and they had red pamt on their faces and eagle down on their heads. They paddled along, and the young eagle was sitting on the bow of the canoe. Before the sun set in the west, the canoe came up to a village; and the young people were shouting outside on the street, when they saw the canoe coming up to them. The canoe arrived on the beach in front of the village, and the people saw the young eagle sittmg m the bow. Some one asked them, "Where do you come from ? What people are you ?" Then the girl said, "We are the children of your Princess Daul, who was among the children that were carried awaj- by the high tide in the hollow tree." Then all the people cried, and some shouted for joy. They took them up into their grandfather's house. 50G33°— :n ETH— 16 17 258 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth.ann. 31 The cliief was very old, and was blind on account of Ids old age. Then all the people of the village came in to see them. They were seated on one side of the large fire. They were hke supernatural beings to look at. Then the old cluef asked, " Wliero is your mother ? " The gu-1 rephed, "She is at home with father." — "Wlio are your father's people?" — "He is the only son of a great cliief named G'it-xa'n." — "How many are you?" asked the old cliief. She rephed, "These four boys here and we two girls. My grandfather kept my younger sister to stay with liim. " Then the old man smiled, and said, "Come up to me, each of you, from the eldest to the last!" Tiien the eldest boy went to him. " What is his name ?" and the girl replied, "His name is Hais." Then the second one came. He felt of liim also, and asked, " Wliat is his name?" — "His name is Nes-awatk." Then the tldrd one came. "Wliat is Ms name?" — "His name is Xagigun." Then the last one came. "Wliat is Ids name?" — "His name is Xbi-ye'lk." And he called her to come. "My dear," he said, "I wUl feel of you." She went to him, and he asked her, "Wliat is yourname, my dear?" — "MynameisWi-n!e'°x;" and the old cliief continued, "Who gave you your names, cluldren?" She rephed, "My grandfather gave them to us." — "Yes, yes! he is my relative. Is it very far ?" She rephed, " It is not so very far. " — " Who brought you here ?" She said that a young eagle had brought them. "And where are aU your mother's companions?" — "They all married there. Not one of them was lost, and some of them have cluldren." Then all the people were glad. The cliief said to the eldest one, "You shall have my place, and try to go back to our own village at Gits!Emga'l6n and destroy those who killed your grandfathers." As soon as the old chief ended liis speech, he feU back and died. Then liis whole tribe mourned over him. The eldest son of Princess Daut succeeded to Ids place, and his people loved him very much. One day liis people wanted to go and visit their cluef's children. Many of them went in many canoes, and one of the sons of Daul went with them to guide them on tliek way; and they reached the village of the Haida, who received them peacefully, and they became very friendly. There was no war between them, and the Nass Kiver people took back some of their grandcluldren. As soon as they arrived on Nass River, the new cluef wanted to go and fight \\-ith the people of Gits lEuiga 'Ion, those who had mur- dered his relatives on the battle-field years ago. Therefore he made ready, with his whole tribe. They crossed the mountains, and arrived at the great lake of G'its !Eniga'l6n. They saw smoke up there, and followed it, and soon they arrived at a great camping- place near the lake. The people were beaver huntmg. They went there secretly by night. The people who were in camp there were BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 259 the relatives of the murderers of the relatives of the young chief. The chief and his people staid belxind the house, waiting until their ene- mies were asleep. They were very merry in the evening, laugliing and shouting for joy, and making fun of the relatives whom their grand- father had destroyed on the battle-field years ago. The young chief heard all they said, and heard them laughing. At midnight the war- riors came in one by one; and when they were all in the house, the chief ordered his men to stand each by one of the sleepers ; and when they were ready, the chief shouted, "Now slay the murderers!'' Then his men killed all of them, and not one of them escaped. Only one slave-woman with her little daughter was saved. She Avas a relative of the young chief, and she was living in a little hut behind iier master's house, where she was weeping. She made her escape early in the morning. Early in the morning the four jjrinces sang their war-song, and the slave-woman knew her relatives' war-song. After they had sung twice, the slave-woman came out with her little daughter, and said, "You are my relatives, my dears. I know your war-song." The young cliief asked her, "Wliat is your name?" and the woman replied, "My namewas Wl-nle'^x. I am the younger sister of Princess Daul, whom my uncle Nes-wa-na'° took away from here to some other ])lace; and these people took me captive, and I have been their slave for many years. They intended to kill me when they put up a totem- pole in winter." Then the four princes raised their voices and wept; and after they had wept, the young chief said to her, "My mother's name is Daul. She is stiU alive. She is married to a great chief's son in a Haida viUage. She is your sister. She had sLrc childi'en — four boys and two girls — and we are her children." Then the poor slave- woman embraced each of them. The young chief asked her whether any of the men remamed in the village; and she said, "Only one old chief remains, the one who de- stroyed all your grandfathers in battle." She asked, furthermore, "Is my uncle alive?" They replied, "As soon as we came home to his house he died, after having spoken to us, and I succeeded to his place; and he cliarged me to take revenge on these murderers who destroyed liis brother and his people. Therefore I have come across these mountains. All my companions are my people. " After this they had a long conversation, and the young cluef said to his men, "Now cut off the heads of those whom you have killed!" They did as their young chief had told them. And he said also, " Take their scalps!" and they cut down the bodies on each side of the chest down to the belly and puUed down the skin between their legs as a sign that the relatives of those slain should not take revenge in the future. When they had done so, they ])ut eacli of the bodies on a pole and placed them upright along the camping-ground. Then 260 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [kth. ann. 31 they went down to the village of G'its lEmga'lon. They arrived at the village in the evening, and went into their enemy's house, where the old cliief was all alone. They saw him sitting in the rear of his house; and when they all had entered, the young chief said, "Now kill the old chief to avenge the death of my grandfather's relatives whom he destroyed." Tiien all his men clubbed him with their war- clubs, and the young chief destroyed all his property, pulled out his eyes, and hung the body on the grave of his uncles who were slain in battle long ago, head downward, feet upward. Then he sent back all his warriors to Nass Kiver, to their own home, togetlier with Ids third brother. The daughter of Ids captive aunt and two of his own brothers staid with him. He wanted his own sister to come and live with them, and he continued to live in his own native home. Wlien liis sLster came across the mountains, he married a princess, one of his neighbors' daughters; and many cliiefs desired to marry his sister, for she was verj' beautiful; and one of the G'itsIala'sEr came and wanted to marry her. Tlie chief agreed to it, and they were married ; and tliey multi]>lied among all the tribes of the Tsim- sliian; and so did her younger sister, whom her grandfather kept among the Haida, and also the daugliter of the captive aunt, whom he sent over to Nass River. These three girls were the ancestors of the Eagle family all over the coast, among the Tsimsluan. 40. The Stohy ok Asdii.da and Omen' A long time ago there was a village called Dzl'gwu. There lived a chief and his wife. They liad two children, a boy and a girl. The boy was called Asdilda, and t he girl was named Omen (DPks) . One day the prince called his three friends, and they went up the river of Dzi'gwa in their canoe to fish for trout, as they used to do every spring. The prmce was seated in the bow of the canoe, two of his friends in the middle, and one at the stern. They went up the river until they arrived at their fishmg-ground. Then the prince looked down mto the clear water, and saw many trout under the canoe. He took his two-pronged fishing-spear. The prince wore his valuable hat. The hat was very expensive, and was called Cormorant Hat. It was covered with costly al)alone shells; and nobody was allowed to wear the hat except this prince, as a crest of his family. He speared a good many trout, and at last a large trout came up. He tried to spear it ; but before he succeeded, his valual)le hat fell down, and the trout was gone. He had missed it. He put his hat on, and looked down again, and saw a large trout come along slowly. He took his spear, and was ready to throw it; but before he could cast his spear, his valuable hat fell off, and he lost sight of the 1 Notes, p. S32. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 261 trout. Then he put on his hat a friends got skunk-cabbage leaves and spread them on the ground. They used them as dishes to put the roasted trout on. Immediately a frog leaped on the cooked trout and remamed sitting on it. Then the prince became angry with the frog. He took it and threw it mto the fire, but the frog jumped out of the big fire. He took the frog again and tlu-ew it onco more into the fire. The poor thmg tried to escape, but in vain, for the young man was stronger than it. At last the frog was killed in the fire; and one of the prince's friends took the burnt frog away and secretly threw it into the bushes. Then they had their supper. They lay down and slept ; and on the following morning, very early, the prince said to his companions, "Let us go home! " They launched their canoe and started home- ward. When they were all aboard, they paddled along. When they were a little distance from the camp, behold! a young woman was seen coming dovai to the beach behind them. She shouted, saying, "My dears, please take me along with you!" The woman had her face blackened whh charcoal, for she was in mourning. The young man turned back to her, for the prmce was much pleased by the beauty of the young woman. He jumped out of the canoe to take her, and stretched out his hands to embrace her; but the woman vanished, and only a frog leaped away from bun. He went down to his canoe, and they paddled on. When he had gone some distance, they heard somebody crying behmd them, saying, "My ilears. Mill you take me along with you ?" and the young man stopped. They looked back, and the prmce saw a beautiful girl. He said to his companions, "Let us turn back and take her along!" So the canoe turned back toward her. When ihey arrived near the shore where she had come down to the beach, the prince jumped out of the canoe and walked up to the woman. He stretched out both hii arms to embrace her, but she vanished again. Only a frog leaped away from him. He went do^vn to his canoe, and they started again. After they had paddled some time, a woman came down to the beach and shouted, saying, "My dears, please take me 262 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 alonjj: with you!" Then the men stopped, liokod back, and saw a <^()()d-looking woman coming down. Tlic prince asked them to turn back and to take her aboard. So they turned back and reached the place where she liad come do\Yii. The prince jumped out and went to meet her, and the woman came down to the beach; and the prince stepped up to her quickly and stretched out his hands to embrace her, but she vanished, and just a frog leaped away from him. He went down to liLs canoe, and they paddled away; and after they had gone some distance, they heard some one crymg behind them, saying, "My dears, take me along with you!" Then the prince answered, "No, you will vanish away from me." Thus said the prince to her. And she asked once more to be taken along, but they did not heed her request. They paddled away as hard as they could. Then the woman said to them, "My dears, listen to what I say to you!" They stopped and listened. "As you go along, when you arrive at that point yonder, your prince will fall back and die; when you reach the next point, one of those who sit in the miildle of the canoe will die; and before you arrive at the beach of your village, the next man will die, too; and as soon as your steersman finishes telling to vour people the storv of what has happened to you, he will die." ' Thus spoke the woman to them. They paddled away from her, laughing, and scorning her, "Ha, ha! you will soon die yourself!" They paddled along, and soon reached the point about which the woman had told. Then the prince fidl back and died. His friends paddled along, weeping and sad; and while they were paddling along weeping, one of those sitting in the middle of the canoe fell back and died also. Xow, only two were left who were paddling along. Before they reached the shore of their village, the next one fell back and died, and only the steersman remained. When he arrived at the shor(>, crowds of people came down and questioned him about what had happened to those who had di;>d. The steersman did not say a word, but went up to his father's house. The people continued to question hun as to what had happened to them. As soon as he came into his father's house, the crowds fol- lowed him, and the house was full of the people of the whole village. Then the steersman began his story. "Yesterday, when we arrived at the fishing-ground, our prince, Asdilda, speared many trout ; and before he went to camp, he looked down and saw a large trout coming along. Immediately he took up his harpoon, ready to spear the large trout, but his hat fell over his eyes, and the trout disappeared. His valuable hat fell several times just when he was ready to throw his spear, and the trout was gone. At last he became angry, took off' his hat and tore it to pieces, and BOAS] TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 263 he threw it into the water; and when I saw the hat smk slowly, I took my pole and fished it up, and put it behind nie in the canoe, at the stern. "In the evening we camped at the foot of a large spruce tree, and built a large fire, ready to cook our supper. We roasted some of the trout, and soon they were done. Then we went for skunk-cabbage leaves, and we spread them on the ground to serve as dishes. Then we put the roasted trout on them. As soon as we sat around there, a frog leaped on the fish; and our prince, Asdilda, became very angry at the frog, took it, and cast it into the fire. The frog leaped out of the fire, but the prince took it again and threw it in. The frog tried to escape from him, but could not do so. Again the frog tried to leap out of the fire, but the prince took a long pole and pressed it into the fire. The fi'og tried to escape, but could not«do so. He pressed hard, until the poor tiling died and was burned." The steersman continued, "Then I took the body secretly and threw it into the bushes. Our fire was almost out, and we lay down in our camp to sleep until the following morning. Then we had our breakfast; and after we had eaten, our prince said that we should go back home. "We started for home; and when we were paddhng along from our camp, we heard some one shout behind us." Thus said the steersman wliile the people crowded about him in his own house. "Then," said the steersman, "we beheld a young woman, who stood on the beach of our camp, with her face blackened vnth char- coal as a sign of mourning; and she said, 'My dears, -w-ill you take me along in the canoe ?' Our prince said, ' Let us turn back and take her with us ! ' So we turned back to her ; and when we reached the shore, our ])rince jumped out of tlie canoe, went to her, and stretclied out liis arms to embrace her, for he was pleased with her. She had a lovely countenance, and was beautifid to look upon. Therefore the prince put forth liis arms to embrace her; but she vanished from our sight, and the prince saw only a frog that leaped away from him. This happened to us three times. "Then we paddled away from our camp, not heeding her words. She cried out repeatedly after us; and at last she said, 'My dears, just stop for a while, until I have told you sometliing.' Then we stopped paddling, and she said, 'Just listen to what I say. Wlien you reach the point yonder, your prince wiU fall back and die; and when you reach the other point, one of those seated in the middle of the canoe will die ; and the next one will also die before you arrive at home; and your steersman will die as soon as he has finished telHng Ills story to the people.' " Thus said the steersman, and fell back and tlied. 264 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 1 KTH. AXN. :^0 Then all the people of the villajTe moved away. They took the bodies of the dead and buried them. On the followino; morning an old woman who lived at the end of the towoa went to the house of the chief, of the father of the prince who had died. The old woman said, " Send for all the people of the village." The chief obeyed, and invited all liis people in; and when all the people were in the house, the old woman said, "My dear people, I had a dream last night;" and all the peo]>le were very anxious to know what the old woman had dreamed. So tlie people questioned lier, and asked what her dream had been. She said, "I had a very bad dream;" and she said to the chief who had lost Ms son, "Dig out the earth in the middle of your house. Dig a deep hole, and put your only daughter into it." Therefore the chief ordered liis people to dig out the ground; and after they had dug a deep hcje, they put costly coppers into it first, painted garments, and much property. They put the costly coppers on each side of the pit, and also garments of sea-otter skins, of marten skins, and woven blankets, and many elk skins. Then the girl went into the hole, and they covered it over with blankets, and filled it in over the blankets. As soon as the old woman knew that the princess Omen had been covered with earth, she said, "I saw in my dream that fire fell from heaven and consumed this village. I saw a fire fall on top of that mountain yonder." And as she pointed to the top of the same mountain, behold! a little firebrand fell down on top of the mountain, and it began to stream down quickly like water from the top of the mountain. The fire went around the village, and the water in front of the village burned like oil. The people of the village could not escape from it. They were all burned up. Only the princess, who was hidden in the- hole, was saved; and the old woman also hid herself in the ground. The princess Omen heard the noise of the fire passing over her while she was sitting in the pit; and when the noise had ceased, she heard the voice of a very old woman coming down crj-ing ; and Omen heard the mourning-song of the old woman, and Omen knew that the old woman was weepiiag on the ground above her; and this is the mourning-song of the old woman: i # im^ ^ Am - sa- gait - dil i 6hC na - ga - E^^ w Beps dEp an-qa dEp an - qa I gather the bones oi my dear ones, my dear ones. bOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 265 The girl heard it wliile she was in the pit. After a Uttle wliile, she heard anotlier voice coming along. So she [nislied away the cover, and, behold ! she saw a chief tainess holding a cane in her hand. There was a live frog at the lower end of the cane, and a live person on top of the live frog, and a live eagle was at the upper end of the cane ; and the cldeftainess was wearing her large hat made of spruce roots painted green. She walked slowly along, talking with the aged woman. She said to the old woman, "Don't you know that Asdilda cast my only child into the fire ? Therefore I burned up this village." She sang — ^qe m I Yfia ho j'Ba ha Dzila'°gan3 ya, yea ho y6a ha Dzila'°gans ya, ayea a yga-ha ayea a yea-ha ye ho yea (three times) ve a ye And she went along all alone, crying while she was walkmg. After she had repeated her song three times, she put her child's name into the mourning-song, in the last line of her song. Her name was Dzila'°gans. Tliis was the name of the frog that had been tlu-own into the fire by the prince while he was on his way to fish trout. Wliile the cldeftainess was going away, the girl Omen came out from her liiding-place. She had learned well the mourning-song of that cliief tainess who had just gone. As soon as she was out of her pit, she looked around, and with deep sorrow she saw that nobody was saved, that the whole village was bm-ned. She went along, not knowing which way to go; but before she went, she put on her garments of sea-otter and of marten skins and the chief's woven dancing-blankets; and she put in order the costly coppers and the elk skins, which she left in her liiding-place. Then she went off full of sorrow, and singing her own mourning-song. It is as follows: 'W'^r _^^_H. • ^ H — r-^ i>=^ ■ L U — \ U-J-J L_J — J -& — 1 ^ 1 ^ ^ 1. Xa dEm maige eint giina'dil can-wa'Ida; a yi yi Na dEm maige sint gima'dil gau-wa'Ida; a yi yi. 2. Nil wil ga-xbESEm-laxla'xl guMiauts guna'dil ^au-\va'lda; a yi yi. Gan-hi-gaxl wi-gal-ts!abEm Dzi'gwa; a yi yi. .3. Gan-hi-gaxi na-gal-ts!a'pgES guiia'da; a yi yi. Gaii-hi-gaxl w-i-g-al-tsla'bEm Dzi'gwa; a yi yi. ■i. Nil wil ksi-latkl gus-Hkla'k"; a yi yi. Gan-lu-gaxl wi-gal-tsIa'bEm Dzi'gwa; a yi yi. 266 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn. .-.l 1. When went to epoar fish my dear lord, aUxs! ^Vhea went to spear fish my dear lord, alas! 2. Then fell the cormorant hat of my dear lord, alas! And so the town Dzi'gwa was destroyed, alas! 3. So the town Dzi'gwa of my dear lord was destroyed, alas! So the great town Dzi'gwa was destroyed, alas! 4. Then the shining garment appeared, alas! So the great town Dzi'gwa was destroyed, alas!* Sh(' went on and on until she came to a large lake; and while she was walking around the lake, she beheld a beautiful garment spread for her on the ground, glittering like the stars of heaven. The gar- ment was full of the foam (?) of living persons; and she put this glit- tering garment into the mourning-song. She went along, weeping, past the garment; and while she was still going on along the lake, she suddenly heard a great noise coming forth from the water of the lake. It sounded like I he rolling of thunder. She looked up, and saw a supernatural halibut coming up out of the water in the shape of a house with carved front, and she put it into her mourning-song. She passed by, going her way, struggling along until she felt weary and faint, because she was starving, and her voice was almost lost on account of her weakness. After some time Omen came down on the other side of the lake, and she saw a fire burning under the root of a spruce tree. She went toward it, feeling very weak. Her garments were almost gone on account of her long journey. She sat down by the fire, with her back toward it. On tills fire the body of a dead princess of a town near by had been burned. The oidy daughter of a chief and his chieftainess had died and had been burned there. And while the wandering princess was sitting by the funeral pyre warming herself, a canoe came along with four people in it. When they saw the princess sitting by the fire, they passed on toward the village on the other side, and they took the news to the people of the village, saymg that they had seen a, young princess sitting by the funeral pyre; and all the people were glad, and said that the princess had come back to life. Therefore the chief and his wife went over to see what had happened there. They arrived at the beach, and, behold! a princess was sitting down by the fire. They came ashore as quickly as they coukl, and the chief and his wife went up to the fire. Then the whole company, and also the cliieftainess, embraced the girl; and the chieftainess asked her, "Wliat is your name?" The girl said that her name was Omen, and so on; and this had been the name of the chicftainess's only ' Mr. Tate has given tune and words apart, and I can not fit the words to the music— F. B. boas] tsimshian myths 267 daughter who had just been burned on the funeral pyre where the wandormg princess was sitting. Then the chief and his wife and his people took her home, fuU of gladness, and gave a great feast to the people, because his daughter who had been dead a little while previously had come hack to life. So the princess lived with her new parents; and after she had been there for some time, her new parents loved her very much, and her father wanted to marry her to one of hLs nephews. The following summer, when the strawberries were ripe, all the young women started to pick strawberries on a certain island a little distance away from their village. All the young women left the canoe and went to pick berries on one of these islands. The young princess was left alone in the canoe; and when the whole party began to pick strawberries, the princess, who was alone in the canoe, started to go out to the next island. While she was on her way, a south- westerly gale began to blow, and drove her away. The strong wind drove her canoe away from her new home; and so she arrived in the middle of the great sea, in an entirely unknown part of the world. Then she sang her mourning-song which she had been singing while she wandered'away alone, after the fire had consumed her own father's village. Then she looked, and, liehold! a large object like a great eagle came forth from the water, with ten little eagles on the head of the large one. She drifted on until she landed a little distance outside of our old town of Metlakahtla. She reached the shore of the G'id- wul-g'a'dz tribe, and their chief took h(>r into his house and mar- ried her. She bore him three sons and two daughters, and she was happy in her new home. The chief who had married her had five wives besides her, so he had six wives altogether. And one day the older \vives of the chief quarreled with the princess because the chief loved her most ; and the elder wives said to the young princess, "The chief ought not to have married you, for you were driven away by the southwest wind while you were picking strawberries, you Haida slave!" Thus said the elder wives of the chief to Omen. Her children grew up. The eldest son used to go out hunting, and they became rich in the foreign land. The boys gave a great potlatch to all the Tsimshian tribes, and took their names. The eldest son took the name Asditda, and the second one took the name Younans, the thirtl one Gamqagun; and the first girl was named Lu-xsmiiks, and the second one Alulal and Sagabin. Then they had another great feast, and Asdilda made a cormorant headdress covered with abalone shells, like that of the former Asdilda, which he wore when he was out fishmg for trout at Dzl'gwa; and he made a cane like that of the Frog Woman, with the frog at one end, and the live person on 268 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etu. an.\. 31 the frog, and a live eagle at the upper end; and he made a glittering garment, hke the one which his mother saw by the side of a lake, and a supernatural halibut, and the eagle that his mother had seen in mid- ocean while she was being driven away by the southwest wind. Then they gave their mother a new chief's name, Picking Strawberries and Great Haida Woman. She got these names on account of her quarrel with the elder wives of the chief a little while ago. Therefore these people have these names and crests, and they have their mother's mournmg-song which she sang while escaping from the burnt village. Many years after this the mother called her children together and told them what had happened to her. She said, "These are not your people. Our people lived on the other side of this land, way out at sea." She told them the story about her brother Asdilda — what had happened to him when he was out fishing trout, and how the Frog had l)urned their vUlage, and how she alone was saved when her father dug a pit and put her into it with much valuable property and sLx costly coppers, and so on, and how she came to the other village among her relatives who had the same crest, and how she was driven away by the southwest wind, and so on, until she had married the children's father. Thus spoke the princess to her children. As soon as she ended her storv', one of the boys said, "Let us go and visit our native land and our relatives there!" Then the eldest one said, "Let our younger brother and our younger sister go to visit them!" So they made themselves ready and went. Their father the chief bought a new good-sized canoe, large enough to withstand the sea and the wind, and the mother went down with them to the beach. She pointed out the direction with her finger, saying, "You must keep ahead between Dundas Island and Stephens Island; and when you get out to sea, keep ahead in the direction where the sun sets, and the stern toward sunrise; and when you get to the islands, turn your canoe to the southwest. Then you will find your grandfather's village." Thus she said to her two children. The children started out, and six slaves went along with them. They went on and on until they passed between the two islands, Dundas and Stevens, and went out to sea, as their mother had told them. Then they turned their canoe to the southwest; and after some time, when the mainland sank out of sight, they saw land ahead of them, and they were glad. On the following morning they landed on the other shore and camped for a while. They went on, turning their canoe southward, as their mother had told them, and they went along the shore of the island; and when they passed the first point, they saw a village in front of them, and before evening they arrived in front of the village. TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 269 The j'ouug prince said to them, "My dears, have you lost a princess who was on her way to pick strawberries many years ago T' Then the people of the village called them ashore and took them into the house of the new chief; and they told the story how their mother was driven away by the southwest wind while on her way to pick strawberries; and some ol the people who knew their mother were glad to hear the good news about the princess who was lost many years ago. Then the people told them how their mother had a good home among the Tsimshian tribe, and how the elder brothers had given great feasts, and that their father was a chief of one of the Tsimshian tribes; and at the end of their speech, theii- grandfather's nephew invited in all the chiefs, and told them that the old man's grandcluldren had come safely, and they were all happy. The boy went on the following day to visit the old home of his mother, trying to fmd the costly coppers and the property that was liidden, as his mother had told him. He arrived at the old desolate village-site of Dzl'g^va, and he found all the tilings as his mother had told him. He found all the costly coppers and the other property, and that is the end. These are Omen's mourning-songs, which she sang when she went along her way, after she had left the ^^llage that had been destroyed by fire: s ^^ isi g ^^ JJJ J 1. Na dEm maige sint gima'dii ^an-wa'lda; a yi yi Na dEm maige sint guua'dil gan-walda; a yi yi. 2. Nil wil ga-xbESEm-laxla'xl gul-hauts guna'dil gan-wa'lda; a yi yi. Gan-lu-gaxl wi-gal-ts!abEin Dzi'gwa; a yi yi. 3. Gan-lu-gaxl na-gal-ts!a'pgEsguna'da; a yi yi. Gan-lu-gaxl wi-gal-ts!a'bEm Dzi'gwa; a ji yi. 4. Nil wil ksi-latkl gus-likla'k"; a yi ja. Gan-lu-gaxl wi-gal-ts!a'bEm Dzi'gwa; a ji yi. 1. When went to spear fish my dear lord, alas! WTien went to spear fish my dear lord, alas! 2. Then fell the cormorant hat of my dear lord, alas! And so the town Dzi'gwa was destroyed, alas! 3. So the town Dzi'gwa of my dear lord was destroyed, alasl So the great town Dzi'gwa was destroyed, alas! 4. Then the shining garment appeared, alas! So the great town Dzi'gwa was destroyed, alas! ' I See footnote on p. 266. 270 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [tlTII. ANN. 31 ^ -f^ Am- sa- gait- dal ^ ^ e seps dEp an- qa dEp an- qa I gather the bones of my dear ones, my dear ones. ^ fe I^M FT-- jja ^^^B y?a ho yea ha yea ho y6a ha ayea a y6a-l.a ye ho yea ^ s_^5E TTV^^ f t f-o ^ ^ Yea ho yea ha yea ho yea ha ayea a y6a-ha ye ho yea i fe W tXiJ. --J P P-fS 1 -^± Yda ho yea ha yea ho yea ha ayga a yea-ha ye ho yea i^B g . S f p-g fl ^ ^m -=— «i — k Dzila'°ganfl ya, Dzila'°gan8 ya, ayga a yga-ha ye a ye 41. Explanation of the Beaver Hat' There was a great war between the Eagle Clan and the Ganha'da, who lived in villages, one on each side of the river. A prince of tlie Ganha'da was married to a princess of the Eagle Clan. One day the young man was jealous of his wife. He took his knife and cut her, and the young woman ran over a bridge to her uncle's house. As soon as she got across, she fell down dead; but before she died she told her brothers that her husband had cut her \\'ith his big knife. She died, and her relatives did not weep over her. They just hid the body. Her younger brother looked just like her. He took her clothes, put them on, and pretended to be the young woman. He looked just like his sister. One day he was walking about outside. Then the .young man from the village of the Ganha'da saw his wife walking about on the other side. Therefore one evening he went across, trying to take her back. As soon as he met his wife, he entreated the young man who pretended to be a woman to go back with laim. The young man replied, "I am not angry with you; you were jealous. So if you want to come in with me tonight, come, but I don't want you to do me any harm again;" and the young man of the Ganha'da promised that he would not do her > Notes, p. 834. Bois] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 271 any harm. Late in the night they went into the house; and as soon as the young man was sound asleep, the man who pretended to be the woman took lais knife and cut liis brother-in-law's throat. Then he threw the body out of the house. Now the two villages began to fight, and had a great battle. Some- times the Eagles were victorious, sometimes the Ganha'da. At last the Ganha'da vanquished the Eagle Clan, and therefore the latter fled. Tliis happened on Copper River in Alaska. The people of the Eagle Clan took to their canoes, and escaped soutliward. They took with them their costly coppers and many elk skins, marten garments, and other kinds of property, and the3^ left in more than ten canoes. After traveling three days, they came to a nice bay. They tied their costly coppers together to make an anchor. On the following day, when they pulled up the anchor, their line broke, and they lost ten coppers. They went on southward for many days. When they came to the mouth of the river, they took one of their expensive crests, a stone carved like an eagle, put cedar bark around it, and cast it out to serve as an anchor, and all the canoes gathered there. On the following morning they pulled up their carved eagle; but before they could take it into their canoe, the line broke. Then they would mourn over their loss. Again they started, and went on southward until they arrived at an inlet, up which they went. There they camped. They were glad to have escaped from their enemies, but their hearts were heavy because tliey had lost their carved eagle and their coppers. In the great battle they had lost their princes, and they had to leave a part of their property in the houses. They were going to make tliis inlet their new liome. On the following day three of their young people went out in a canoe across the inlet; and when they reached the foot of a steep cliff, behold! a large halibut came up, opened its mouth, and swallowed the canoe wdth the three persons — two princesses and one prince. The people on the other side saw it. Therefore two of their brave men went to kill the monster who had devoured their prince and their princesses. They crossed the inlet in their canoe, having their large knives tied to the right wrist. As soon as they reached the foot of the steep rock, a lialibut came up, opened its mouth, and swallowed the canoe with the two brave men; but as soon as the halibut had swallowed them, they cut it inside with their knives. They cut up its intestines until it died. Then the supernatural halibut felt the pains in its stomach, jumped out of the water, and struck the water with its tail. It swam around the inlet, and finally ran ashore and died there. Then those who had remained alive went down to the beach, and saw that the great supernatural halibut was dead. They cut it open, and saw the two canoes and five persons. Then they sang their mourning-song. 272 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ANN. 31 Before they left tlieir camp, one of their princes went up into the woods to refresh himseK, for he was in deep sorrow. lie went on and on until he came to a plain. There he found a large lake. He stood on the shore of the lake, weepmg, on account of his brothers who were swallowed by the sui)ernatural halibut; and while ho was weeping there, he heard a noise. He looked up, and, behold! there was a large beaver on the water, with copper eyes, copper ears, copper teeth, and copper claws. It struck the water with its tail, making a noise like thunder. Then the young man went back to the camp, and told his people that he had seen a large beaver m the lake above their camp. On the following morning they went to hvmt the large beaver. Soon they came to the lake, but they saw nothing. Everytlung was quiet. Wliile they were still standing there, they heard the sound of a drum, followed by a mourning-song; and after a while they saw the large beaver come out of the water, with copper eyes, copper claws, copper ears, copper teeth. They agreed to kill it, for they needed the copper. Therefore they tried hard to break the dam in the large lake. After many days they succeeded. Before the lake was dry, the beaver came out. The men killed it and skiimed it, taking off the copper claws, the ears, eyes, and teeth.' As soon as they had killed it, they went down and took the beaver to be their crest, and therefore the Eagle Clan use it now. No other clan can use this large beaver. When the head chief LEg'e'°x makes a great potlatch, he wears it on his head, and four head men take hold of the headdress, and one of each clan, so that the people may know that he alone is the head chief of all the Tsimshian. They always kept the beaver hat ui their family. 42. The Water Being Who Married the Princess^ (There are a great many stories of human beings who made wonder- ful marriages, telHng how a prince or princess was taken away from the old town of Metlakahtla, where, after the great Flood, all the villages of all the tribes took their beginning.) A great chief lived there, who had a very beautiful niece, a young princess, whose name was Sagapgia. This princess was very much beloved by the yoimg women of her imcle's tribe. One day in summer, when the salmonberries were ripe on Skeena and K^dal Rivers, many yoimg women of one tribe, of a Raven to'.ra, took a large canoe. The canoe was fidl of young women, and the prmcess Sagapgia was among them. She was sitting in the center of the large canoe. They have to pass a slough (?) near the mouth of Skeena River, and there is a great sandbar which they saw in front 1 In a letter, Mr. Tate says that the beaver's mouming-song contains only one word— ' beaver-in-h''s- houseof-the-lake." = Notes, p. 834. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 273 of the canoe off the mouth of Sandy Bay Creek. They went with the tide, and therefore the canoe was very swift; and when it was near the bar, they saw a mass of foam over the sandbar; and while the young women went across the foam, they paddled very hard; and when they had passed by, they found that they had lost the jirincess oiit of the canoe. The canoe was full of foam where she had been sitting. Then they cried for her sake. They made a camp at Autumn Camp, which is now named Port Essmgton. There they waited for the tide to turn, and when the tide was out, went home and told all that had happened to them. Then the wise men said that the supernatural being of Sandy Bay had taken her. Therefore the great chief, her uncle, called all the shamans from all the villages and paid them. The shamans said that the son of the great supernatural bemg of Sandy Bay had married the girl. Therefore the uncle of the princess sacrificed for her sake grease, crabapples, cranberries, dried berries, elk skins, costly coppers, garments of sea-otter skm, marten garments, abalone shells, canoes, and slaves. He made a great sacrifice. The young prmcess saw aU these thhigs, which came into the house of the chief of Sandy Bay, where she was sitting at the bottom of the sea. As soon as she entered the house of the supernatural being, Mouse Woman came to her side, and said to her, "Throw your woolen ear- ornament hito the fire!" and when she had done so, the Mouse Woman took the burnt wool out of the fire, and asked the prmcess, "Do you know who has brought you here ?" She said, "Xo." — "This is the house of a great cliief of the supernatural bemgs. His son wants to marry you." Thus said the Mouse Woman, and went away. When the sacrifices of her uncle came into the house of the super- natural being at the bottom of the sea, the young man loved her very much, for she was very beautiful. She staid there many years. She had a son, whom her father-in-law called Down The Useless River (Wa-mEdi-a'ks). ^Yhen the boy was born, the grandfather took his forehead and pulled it, and he also pulled his legs and his hands and his body, and the infant was called by its grandfather Y!aga-gunu'ks Do-s\Ti The Useless River (Y!aga-watkda wa-msdi-a'ks). One day the supernatural chief was sittuig by the side of his large fire with his back against the fire, his face toward the Useless-River a httle above his house. He said to the Useless-River, "Send dox^-n to my daughter-in-law a baby girl!" On the following morning the princess had conceived ; and when the time came, she gave birth to a baby girl. The cliief made it grow quickly, as he had done with the elder cliild ; and when the children had grown up to be a young man and young woman, the old chief invited all the supernatural beings of the rocks; and when all the supernatural beings came into the house, the great chief's people served food to his guests. After 50630°— 31 ETH— IG IS 274 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 they had eaten, the supernatural chief said to them, "My dear chiefs of the supernatural bemgs of all parts of the world, I ■sv-ill speak a few words to you. Let all my grandchildren's people live! Don't do them much harm, because many of them have been drowned in the river by you. Therefore I have invited all of you to my house." Then all the monsters rephed, "Yes, we will do what you have said." North Wmd said, "I \vill not blow so often;" and South Wmd said, "Neither will I;" and West Wind and East Wind said the same; and all the supernatural beings said the same. (Before the old supernatural chief had invited all the monsters to his house, many canoes were capsized on Skeena River and along the coast, for the supernatural beings in the water wanted to eat the dried berries which they carried in their canoes. Therefore many canoes were cai)sized by them.) After they had all said that they would not do any more harm to the people, they all went out, each to his ovn\ home. Now many days had passed, and the great chief said to his son, "Now, my dear son, let my grandcliildren and their mother go back to their own home!" Therefore on the following day they started homeward; and when they arrived at the Raven town, they were all happy, and the tribe of the young princess's uncle was full of joy because she was still alive. He invited all the Tsimsliian tribes, chiefs, and other people to show them Hs two grandchildren, and he gave out their names. Then the young man and his sister did all they could to obtain animals of the woods and of the water. The young man was very rich, and he would give great feasts to his uncles' people. In course of time his uncle died, and he gave a great feast to all the Tsimshian cliiefs and to their people, and he took the name wliich his super- natural grandfather on the sandbar had given to him while he was with him in the town of the supernatural beings in Sandy Bay. He had called him Down The Useless River. Soon after he had given a feast to all the Tsimshian, he said to his mother, "Now I shall invite all the supernatural beings which were my supernatural grandfather's guests when we were in his house!" and his mother said, "Do so, my dear son! Your supernatural fathgr and your supernatural grandfather will help you." Then the young chief sent word to a man of the tribe of G'it-la'n of the Tsim- shian, who know how to make carved wooden dishes; and he sent word to the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts to make carved wooden spoons ; and he sent word to the G'inax'ang'i'''k to make carved wooden boxes; and he gave order to the G'id-wul-g'a'dz to make deep wooden dishes with carving; and he gave order to the Git-dzl'°s to make carved horn spoons ; and he gave order to the G'inada'°xs to dry much mountain-goat meat and tallow; and he gave order to theG"i-lu-dza'r WMbJ TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 275 to pick cranberries and crabapples; and he gave order to the Gid- wul-ksE-ba'° to make many hundred score of dried cakes of hemlock sap ; and he gave order to the G'its !ala'sEr to dry many bundles of berries; and he gave order to the tribe «of Gits lEmga'lon to dry many hundreds of salmon, and to the women to make mats of the bark of the i-ed cedar. Tliis was two years before he gave the great feast to all the monsters or sujiernatural beings in the water. At the end of two years all the Tsimsliian tribes brought the tilings they had made. The G"i- spa-x-la'°ts brought ten boxes of carved spoons, the G'it-la'n brought ten boxes of carved wooden dishes, the G'inax'ang-I'''k brought many carved boxes, the G'id-wul-ga'dz brought ten large boxes filled with deep carved wooden dishes, and the G"it-dzi'°s brought ten boxes of carved horn spoons, and the G"inada'°xs brought many boxes filled with dried meat and tallow, and the G"i-lu-dza'r brought many boxes of cranberries and many boxes of crabapples mixed with grease, and the G^id-wul-ksE-ba'" brought many hundreds of bundles of (b'icd cakes of hemlock sap, and the G'its !ala'sEr brought many hundreds of bundles of dried blueberries and many boxes of cran- berries mixed %\'ith grease, and soapberries, and the G'its lEmga'lon brought many hundred bundles of dried spring salmon and many hundred bundles of silver salmon. He sent word to the tribe of the G'it-qxa'la to shred bark of the red cedar and to bring eagle down and tobacco, and he sent word to the G"it-q !a'°da to make blankets of yellow-cedar bark and to bring burnt clamshells. Now, the tribe of Git-qxa'la brought many boxes filled with slu-edded red-cedar bark, ready to make into headdresses and necklaces; and the G-it-qla'^da brought many boxes filled with yellow-cedar-bark blankets and cloaks ready to wear, and burnt clamshells; the Git-qxa'la also brought many boxes of tobacco. His own tribe, the G"idzExla'°l, took down their canoes and loaded them with all these goods. Many canoes were filled with the goods made by all the Tsimshian tribes. All these tribes used the same language. Now this young chief moved from the old town of Metlakahtla up to Nass River; and when he arrived there, he built two large houses just above the rock of Algusauxs. He built also another house for his mother. Then he sent out his young men and his sister with them in a canoe as messengers to invite all the supernatural beings of the rocks and from the water from all over the world. The canoe was away for ten days, and then came home. The days passed on, and not one of the guests had come to his feast. Then he and his sister went to their supernatural grandfather to ask him why all the supernatural beings had not come. The super- natural chief replied that they had not come, because one of the 276 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [etii. ANN. .'U supernatural chiefs had not been invited by the messenger. There- fore all the other chiefs had not come. Thus said the supernatural chief to his grandson. He led his grandcliildron to the place of the supernatural chief who had been missed by the first messengers. Then the two young people went back to Nass River, where they had come fi'om. On the following morning they saw a great dark bar at Crabap pie- Tree Point, below their camp. The prince said to his people, "Go, and flee into the woods, and don't come down when floods of water swamp our houses and when floods of foam come! Wlien the flood comes a second time, then you wiU know that they have left." Then all his people went into the woods on the hiUs behind the houses. Now aU the monsters came up Nass River; and storms of wind were blowing that day, and floods of water came, and floods of foam covered the houses of the young chief and of his mother and sister. Only these three remained in the camp. The fii-e of the great young cliief who had invited the supernatural beings could not be extin- guished by the flood. The people who were in hiding beliind the camp on tlie hill heard the voices of the young chief and his mother in the houses below, in the flood of water and foam that covered the houses. Then the wind and rain storm ceased, and the floods decreased, jind the liouses a])peared out of the waters. Then the young chief said to those that were high in the woods, "Let aU the young men come down and help me serve food to these cliiefs!" Therefore all the young men came down to their master; and when all the young men came into the chief's house, they saw strange forms sitting around. Two of them were very ugly. The names of the ughest two were Spagait-an-a'tk and K-knaaze. The name of another one was Kuwa'k. He was very good to look at. He always smiled when looking around. He was bald-headed. Another one was caUed K-lgu-a'l. His liat and liis blanket were fuU of arrows. Another chief was called Lax-an-batsa'xl. He wore a hat made of twisted cedar branches. Another chief was called Long Hands (Wut!E-an'6'n) ; another one, Drift Log Enemy (Wil-n- lEba'1-g'al-soks); another one, Short Nose (Lgu-dzak). Others were named K-spE-ha'walk, K-nE-dEp-wa'n, K-wil-g'ig'a'mk, K-wil-dza'n, Txam-a'x, Nlalis and liis grandfather, K-ts!Em-a'us, K-wI-ts!u- wanxl, G'adEm nagai, Wa-niEch-a'ks, K-sana'il, K-sbaxl, K-gwilax- la'k, (Wll-g-ig-a'mk), Wtl-g-amk-ga-a'ks, K-n-ts!ah5'mt, K-sbalil, K-gutisga't. Ail the supernatural beings wore their crests on theii- heads and on their garments'. Therefore when all the young men came into the house, they saw the wonderful tilings that the guests of the young princess had. The young cliief took his new name, Down The Useless River ( Y ! aga-watkda wa-mEdi-a'ks), and his sister took KOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 277 the name Killer Wliales Are Keatly To Go Up (Wl-alas-latk-gul-nexl- al-yo). After the two liad proclaimed tlieir names, the young man helped the chief serve the dried salmon and tlie other food. They put it into the carved dishes, which they placed before the guests. Alter a wliile the young cliicf said, "Throw all the carved wooden dishes into the fire!" The young men did so; and when all the dishes that were filled with roasted dried salmon were burned, the chief said to his attendants, "Take the deep carved wooden dishes and put the dried berries mto them!" Thcj- did as they had been told; and after they had eaten the dried berries and salmon, the fat of mountain goat was tliro\ra into the fire. Alter they had eaten the berries mixed N\-illi crabapples and cranberries, the}' filled the carved square boxes and threw them mto the fire with the carved wooden spoons; and when the monsters had eaten dried blueberries mixed with crabapples, they looked at one another with smiling faces. Then the chief said to his attendants, "Xowgrmd the roasted hemlock bark!" They did so, and mixed it with hot water and grease and with cranberries, and placed them m carved boxes. They put one spoon in each box — a nice carved mountaha-goat-horn spoon. They threw these also into the fire: the carved boxes, wooden dishes, and spoons which aU the Tsimsliian tribes had made for two years before the feast. They cast everythurg mto the fire with the food. After the food had been served, the chief piled up many elk skins, marten garments, raccoon garments, weasel garments, and othere, and goat fat, tobacco, ocher, and costly coppers. He gave them away to all these supernatural chiefs. Then he said to all his guests, "I want these two chiefs to take their place way back of Canoe Pass, because these two chiefs are so hard for human bemgs to pass." Then all the monsters consented to what Down The Useless River said. That is the reason why these two chiefs, Spagait-an-a'tk and K-knaaze, left their places. On the following day the young chief said to his attendants, "My dear young men, now go and flee agaui up the liiUs!" So they went into the woods up the hills and momitains. Then the wind blew harder and harder. The flood came, and the houses were covered with foam and water, and it was stormmg the whole night. On the fpUowing mornmg the whid ceased, for Chief K-gazoun jjoured his seal oil on the water, and it was c^uite calm ; and when all the monsters were gone, the chief's people came do.wTi to their camp ; and they saw that the chief's house was carved with the great starfish covered with costly abalone shells, and the other house was carved with a large bullhead with Hve children on its back, with beautiful green abalone shells in the eyes and fins. These two carved houses were given to the chiefs by the monsters. Then all the people of the chief's tribe loved their master very much, and the chief and his sister also loved their people. 278 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann. 31 43. The Story of Part Summer' In olden times there was a very happy people in the village of G'itslEmga'lon. They lived in a veiy pretty town of three rows up the G'its!Emga'l6n River. I called it the Three-Row Land, for tlio village was built in three rows. They built their houses on top of the liill, the second row under the first, and the third row under tlu; second one. The town was on the bank of a river, a very good river, and the village was not far from a very large lake. They went there very often in the summer for picking berries of all kinds, which were growing along the sides of the lake, which was their himting- ground. Sometimes the people would live there in summer for dry- ing berries for ^vinte^ use, and in wmter the hunters would live there. Therefore they built their little huts on the shore of the large lake. Many famiUes had several huts for use in the proper season. There was a great chief in this village who had five children — four boys and one girl — whom he loved very much. In those days the people of each tribe were m the habit of going for one or two days to catch salmon to be given to the chief, who was to use them in the winter; and in the winter the people would often go to the chief's house, and the chicftainess would feed them. So the people caught salmon for their chief, and the women worked for their chicftainess. They would go some days and pick berries for her. The chief and his wife did not work for themselves. The peoj)le worked for them. The chief also had many slaves, male and female, and he had many wives — many chiefs had as many as twenty, some ten, and others four — and these slaves and wives would work for the people, but the head \\'ife did not work Uke the others. The four sons of the chief were very expert hunters, and the youngest one had two beautiful huntmg-dogs. They were very useful dogs. One was called Red, the other Spots; and the girl hked the dogs very much. Her name was Part Summer. She was very dear to her brothers, for she was the only girl among them. One day the women of the village started out picking berries for the chicftainess, and the young princess wanted to go with them. So they started from their camp on the shore of the large lake; and when they came to the berryuig-ground, they soon filled their bags with berries. The bag of the princess was not quite full yet, when she slipped, stepping on the dung of a black bear. She became angry, and said, "Oh, tliis big dung stuck on my foot! How nasty it is ! " Thus said the princess. All her companions gathered around her and filled her basket with berries. Her basket was not as largo as those of the others. Then they started for their camp; and as they went along, the carrying-strap of the princess's basket tore, and all her berries were scattered on the ground. Her companions 1 Notes, pp. 747, 834. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 279 came and filled her basket again. They went on some distance, and again her carrying-strap tore. Then some of the women went away home. The berries were scattered on the groimd and were mixed with dirt, but a few companions staid with her and gathered the berries. They went on, but agam her carrying-strap broke; and her companions said to her, "Let the bags go! We have plenty of bags fuU of berries for you. You do not need those for yourself. Let us go on instead of gatheruig those berries, before night comes, lest the ^\ild beasts devour us and we perish." The princess, however, answered, "No, I will not leave my berries. Go right on if you want to. " When all the young women had left her in the woods, and she was alone there picking up her berries, behold! two young men came to her, and asked her, "What is the matter?" She told them that her carrpng-strap tore several times. They asked her what had become of her companions, and she rephed, "They would not wait any longer. " Then these two men asked her to let them carry her basket, and she consented. They took the basket of berries, and went on until they arrived at a village that was unknowTi to her. She was standing outside a large house. Then the father of the young men asked them, "Did she not come on with you, my sons?" They replied, "She is standing outside." — "Bring her in!" So two girls went out to get her, and took her into the house, and she was made to sit on one side of the fire. As soon as she was seated, a blouse Woman came to her side, and asked her, "Don't you know who has brought you here?" The princess repHed, "No." — "The Black Bear brought you here, for you were angry when you slipped on the bear dung while you were picking berries.* Therefore they brought you here. Xow take good care. They will give you something to eat, but do not eat the first salmon that they offer you. It is the stomach of a human body. " Xow the Bear people took good dried salmon and roasted it, put it into a dish, and placed it before the princess, but she did not eat of it. They took it back and ate it themselves. Then they took real salmon and roasted it. This the Mouse Woman had said was real salmon, so she ate of it. The !Mouse Woman had told her also that they would offer berries mixed Math crabapples, and that she was to refuse this. She said, "Don't taste of it! That is decomposed flesh of a body, and the crabapples are the eyes of the dead person; but the second dish of berries mixed with crabapples will be good. " So she ate of this, and continued to do so. She became the wife of one of the sons of the Black-Bear chief. She staid there a long time, until the fall. Every morning the male Beai-s went for salmon, which they caught in the brooks, and the female Beai-s went into the woods to pick berries, and in the evening 280 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 they would all come homo. Some of the male Bears would not come home with the rest, and some one said, "My companion's fishing-line is broken. " Then a very old Bear would say, "Oh, perhaps he used the common bushes, and therefore it was broken. Cranberry bushes are the best for maldng lishing-lines. " Alter he had been away for two or three days, he would come back home downcast. This was because some person had killed a Black Bear near a brook. Some female Black Bear would do the same. ^Vhen the rest came home in the evening, some one would say, "My companion's carrying-strap tore;" and after she had been away several days in the woods, she came home slowly. Now, it was late in the fall before the animals went into tlicir dens. Then the Black Bear chief invited his whole tribe in; and when all the people were in the house, he asked each family of liis people, and said, "In what den will you lie down this winter?" Then one male Bear would answer, "We shall lie down in the den of So-and-So, " and he mentioned the place where the den was. And after he had asked every family for their dens, then he turned to liis eldest son, who was married to Part Summer. The Bear chief said, "Now I will ask you, my daughter-in-law, and my elder son shall answer me, 'In what den are you going to lie down this winter?' " Then his son replied, "We shall lie down in the den of Mountain Beautiful." Then the princess said, "Oh, it is very easy for my' younger brother's dogs. Red and Spots!" Therefore her husband asked, "What do you say to the den of ]\Iountain Side?" — "Oh, it is easy for the dogs Red and Spots!" He mentioned all the dens he knew in every place; and the woman always said that it was easy for her younger brother's dogs, Red and Spots. Therefore the chief said again to his daughter-in-law, "Do you want the difficult den Both Sides Rock Slide or Both Sides Drum ? " This the princess accepted. She said, "That is the den that I wanted. It is (UITicult to get at. " Her father-in-law questioned her, and said, "How many brothers have you, daughter?" She replied quickly, "I have four brothers." The chief asked, "Are they hunters?" The princess replied, "Yes, they are. AH of them are very expert hunters; therefore I do not like to choose an easy den to lie in this winter with my husband, lest they should kill lis easily." The chief said, "Now I will ask you just one more question. How many mats has your eldest brother?" The princess replied, "My eldest brother's mats are sLxty. " Then sLxty Black Bears hung their heads, and the tears ran down their noses. ' ' Sixty mats' ' meant that her eldest brother had lain sixty times twenty days by himself, using one cedar-bark mat, and that he had taken a bath every second day, tliat is, ten baths in each twenty days; and after each two BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 281 days' bath ho had taken away the mat and put it aside, and had taken a now mat for the other twenty days.' So Chief Black Beai' asked the young princess how many mats her eldest brother had; and these sixty Black Bears hung their heads, for they IvJiew that they would soon be slain by the eldest brother of the princess. Therefore they hung their heads and cried. The Black Bear chief asked her further, "How many mats has your second brother?" — "My second brother has forty mats." Then the forty Black Bears hung their heads, and the tears ran down their noses. Again the chief asked, "How many mats has your tliird brother?" The princess replied, "My thii'd brother has twenty mats. " Then twenty Bears hung their heads, and the water ran down their noses. Again the chief asked, "How many mats has your youngest brother, princess?" — "My youngest brother has five mats." Then five Black Bears hung their heads, and water ran down their noses; and the princess's husband also hung his head, and the tears ran down his nose. After the chief had questioned them, he said to all his people, "Tomorrow you shall go all over the country and gather wild carrots for your own use in your dens for the winter. " Then the old Bear said, "We shall he down under old fallen trees; " and the chief said to his people, "As soon as you hear the thunder rolling, then each shall go to his own den, lest danger come upon you. " On the following morning all the Bear people went out; and soon the thunder was heard rolling, and each Bear family went to its own den. Now the eldest brother was prepared to go hunting. He had been away for a month in the mountains, and had succeeded in killing sixty black bears. He went home, and the second brother was ready to go hunting. He staid in the mountains for a month, and then went home, having Icilled forty black bears. When the third brother was ready to go, he left home, and staid in the mountains a month, and then went home, having Idlled twenty black bears. Then he came home. Now the youngest brother was ready, and went with his two dogs, Red and Spots. He went on and on, and did not find anything. He went farther on. Many days had passed and he had not killed anything. So he stood at the foot of a mountam, cryuig, and thinking of his sister that was lost the preceding summer. While he was crymg, his two dogs raised their noses and went up a mountain with a rock-slide on each side. Soon they came up to a * They used this custom when they wanted to have success in hunting. Original: Ada laxst a gu'plElda sa'°t a l;p!e'lda laxst a mEla-klE'rElda sa°t hi-ga'odi klErElda laxst. Dat gik l!i;g4' nakst ligi ami dzE wa-na'kst dat gi ligi-lEp-wila's hana"'Rat ana'gat, adat da'mgEt; dit hi-sa-ba'g6'°p'Elda sa'°t laxst ganl sil-na'kgA hana'gat; datksa-ga-sgantatma'gat. Adaam tset-ma'gat. Adat gik ga° su-sgant a gik klE'rElda gidis sa°. 282 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ax.n. 31 place where a few trees were. The young man heard the dogs barking up there. Then he stopped crying, and looked up to the place where his two dogs were barking. Then he saw them run about barking and wagging their tails. Therefore the yoiing man tried to climb the mountain. He put on his snowshoes, which huntere use when they climb mountains, put the points of mountain- goat horns under his snowshoes, four horn-points on each side. Thus the young man was trying to reach the place where his dogs were barking, and he was using his own staff. (Hunters' staffs are seven or. eight feet long, and have a horn at one end. They use these when they walk over sliding snow, so that they will not slip.) He climbed; and it was very hard to go on quickly, for the snow was slippery. The dogs were still barking, but the young man could not go on any farther. He was always sliding back, for the snow was very soft. Alas! he stood there not halfway from the foot of the slippery snow, his face directed to the place where his dogs were barking. He was thinking that he could not get up there. Then he wanted to turn back. At this time his sister looked down at him. She stretched out her hand, took some snow, pressed it, and it rolled down. The young man saw the small ball of rolled snow coming down. It struck the front end of his snowshoe. The young man took it up and looked at it. Behold ! there were the unpressions of four fingers of some person in the snow. Then he tried again to climb up, and finally he reached his two dogs, who were still barkmg. They had their ears down and were wagging their taOs. He came to the opening of a den; and when the dogs came to the place where the young man was, the jirincess recognized her brother's dogs, Red and Spots, and the princess called them by their names Eed and Spots; and therefore the dogs wagged their taOs, and their ears drooped, for they knew her also. Still the dogs saw the Black Bear seated with her, and therefore they barked. Now the man came up, and he also saw his sister in the Bear's den. Then the princess called him m, and she said, "Wait, brother, until I give birth." She gave birth to two children, and handed them to her brother, who was standing outside the den. So he took them and put them inside his hunter's garment. Then the princess came out of her den, and said to her brother, "Now, my dear, do not kUl your brother-in-law with knife, spear, or arrow. Just make a smudge in front of the den." Then the young man said to his sister, "I will kill him;" but the princess said, "No, not so, my brother! Kill him, only do not use your spear if you kill him, that you may not die." Therefore the young man made a fire at the mouth of his brother-in-law's den. and BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 283 the den was full of smoke. Soon they heard his brother-in-law groan m the den, and then they heard the groans cease. Now he put out the smudge, for he knew that the Bear was dead. The young man went in and drew hun out; and while the bodj' was lying at the mouth of the den, the princess sang a song. After she had sung, she said to her brother, "Now, my dear, cut hun up!" The young man just put his knife at the Bear's chest, and she sang again the Bear's mournmg-song. Before the young man had reached the place where the den was, the Bear had taught the princess to sing this song as soon as he should die, and to sing it again when he was being cut up; and when they dried his skin, and when they roasted his heart, another song was to be sung; and when the skin had been dried, they put red ocher over it from the head to the tail, and they also put red ochcr across it under the arms. The Bear had also said to his wife, the princess, "They shall put my skin by the side of a fire to chy it; and when j'ou hear a creaking noise, you shall know that I feel chilly and shall add fuel to the fu'e." Thus the Bear had told her. Now, after the young man had cut up the bear, he rolled it down the mountain, and slid down the snow as did his sister and the two cubs. They went right home. The young man was very glad to have succeeded in rescuing his beloved sister. When they arrived at theh home, the people of the three-row town assembled to see the princess and her two cubs, and the people who saw her coming home shouted for joy and gladness. Her father gave a great feast and named his grandchildren. The childi-en soon grew up. They were both boys. Every morning they played outside and in the houses; and when they saw little clouds arising in the hills, they would say, "There is the smoke of our Bear grandfather!" and then the hunters would go and kill bears. Many times they Saw the smoke. One day they played in their grandfather's house, running about and knocking each other down; and they ran around behind the people who were sitting around the fire; and her grandfather loved them very much. Another day they would get up again in their bed and run about in the house, knocking each other over. When they were playing together, one of them fell against their grandmother's back, and the old woman fell back and fainted; and all the people in the house jumped up and worked over the old woman to revive her. She came back to life, but she felt distressed, and groaned, and said, "Oh, these little slaves have hurt me! We don't even know where they come from." 284 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. an-x. 31 Then the chUdreu were much ashamed at what their grandmother had said to them. They wopt bitterly, and the mother also was ashamed and wept. The children went to their mother and asked her to leave the village, saying that they wanted to go to see their father's people. Theh" mother said to them, "Don't come back any more, but stay with your father among the Bear ])eo|)le, and bring food to me from time to time, and give animals to your younger uncle." So they went on theu" way, sorro\vful. Their mother was very sad, and theh' grandfather missed them much. That is the end 44. Explanation of the Abalone Bow' In olden times there was a gn^ut chief of the Raven Clan called Ayagansk. He was a very rich man among his ])eople, and he was a great warrior. He had gained victory in many battles, and he was an excellent hunter. One day ho called his three companions and asked them to go with him to hunt seals. On the following day they went out in their canoe. They passed around tlie large island on which the village was situated. The weather was very bad. They had a good-sized canoe, and went on until they came to the foot of a steep cliff. As soon as they came there, the water all of a sudden began to move up and down. Then a live abalone bow appeared on the water, carved with the figure of a raven, and inlaid with costly abalone shells. Then the hero stretched out liis hands and took hold of it at one end. They paddled away. The brave man held on to the bow, and the thi-ee men paddled away as hard as they could. Then the live bow died, but the green abalone shells were still as beautiful as before. Ayagansk gave a great feast to all the tribes, and he gave away the red wood of the bow, and he proclaimed that no other clan should use the abalone bow as their crest ; and so all his relatives after tlus generation kej)t the abalone bow, and no other clan have it except the Raven Clan. It is a chief's crest, jind they had a song of this bow. The chief of the Raven Clan used it when he was raised to a high position and he took a new name. Xot all members of the Raven Clan used tlus bow. Only one cliief in each generation used it at a time. When they take it', they give away many costly coppers, canoes, slaves, and ail kinds of goods, and then they give out the story where they obtamed it first, and thus all the clans understand it. Some of these abalone bows were kept through four or five gen- erations; and they changed them only when the wood was rotten, but the abalone shells were kept. 1 Notes, p. 835. boas) tsimshiax myths 285 45. Story of Guxaxxesemga'd ' (Printed in Boas 13, pp. 147-192.) 46. Story' of the Ganha'da^ Once upon a time a man went out hunting in his canoe, but for three days he did not catch anything. On the fourth day he saw swimming on the sea a large raven, which was flapping its wings and diving and emerging again. Under the wings he saw many people. When he came back home, he built a house and painted on its front the sea raven (TslEm-a'ks'). 47. G-it-na-gux-a'ks* A long time ago a hunter and liis family lived in his own town. This was soon after the Deluge. The jieople were all scattered over the world. So it was ^\-ith this family. They made their home on an island outside of China Hat. Once upon a time they set out to hunt sea otters, sea Uons, and seal. Thej' left their new towai. There were not many people at this time, but only a few. The name of this chief was Dragging Along Shore (Dzagam-sa'gisk). They went on many days, but they caught notliing. They were still looking for animals, but they were tired, for. they had not caught anything. Therefore the head men in the canoe said, "Let us turn back to go home!" and they all decided to go back. As they were going along the channel, evenmg came; and when they came to the foot of a steep motmtain, the steersman said, ''Let us cast anchor here for the night, and stay until tomorrow morrung!" They all consented, and the steersman cast his anchor-stone. Then they all went to sleep in the canoe. There were four men in the canoe. The head man slept in the bow, his two companions iii the middle, and the steersman slept in the stern. They were all fast asleep. When they were fast asleep, about midnight, tho hunter ui the bow of the canoe was awakened by a noise which he heard around his canoe. Therefore he looked into the water, and saw a beautiful blue cod ^ s\vimmmg around the canoe. Therefore the man. Chief Dragging Along Shore, was angry with the codfish, because he could not sleep well at night. He took her up and broke up her Httle fins. Then he threw her away, and said, "You disturbed ray sleep tonight!" Then he went to sleep again. He wrapped his blanket over his head, and soon was fast asleep. When the steersman had cast anchor, the anchor-stone had dro])|)ed on the roof of the house of a supernatural chief wliich stood at the foot of the steep cliff in the water at the bottom of the 1 Notes, pp. 747, 635. ' I Notes, p. 846. 2 Translated from Boas 1, p. 293.— Notes, p. 846. ' A female slave of Na-gtm-a'ks. 3 This is a personification of the snag. 286 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn. 31 sea. Its name was G'it-na-gun-a'ks. Therefore the chief, Na-gim- a'ks, sent his slave to see what was the cause of the noise on his roof; and therefore his codfish slave went around the canoe, and the chief hunter broke her fins. The ])oor slave-girl came back to her master's house weeping, and the cliief asked her what was the matter. The poor slave replied that human beings had cast their anchor and dropped it on the roof of the house, and also that the chief had broken off both her fins. She wept bitterly. Then the chief said to iiis people, "Take the canoe down into my house." Therefore they took the canoe dowai to the chief's house at tlie bottom of the sea while the men were fast asleep m their canoe. While these four men were still sound asleep, the steersman felt a drop of water falling into his eye; so he opened his eyes, and saw that a sea anemone hud fallen on them. Then he sat up, and saw that they were inside of a large house. Their canoe was on the highest platforni in the rear of the house. Then he saw peoj)le sit- ting around the large fire in the bottom of the house. Then the steersman shook the canoe, and said in a whisper, "Alas! we are in danger." All his companions awoke, and they all began to cry. They saw a great chief sitting in the rear of the house m front of his fire. After a while the chief said to his attendants, "Let my guests come down to the fire!" So they brought them down; and as soon as they were seated by the side of the large fire, the Mouse Woman came and touched the chief hunter. She said, "My dear, throw your ear- ornaments uito the fire ! ' ' Therefore Dragging Along Shore threw Ms woolen ear-ornaments into the fire. Then the Mouse Woman took the scorched woolen ear-ornaments, and said, "Don't you know in whose house you are?" He replied, "No, I do not know." Then she said, "This is the house of Chief Na-gun-a'ks. You cast your anchor-stone on the roof of his house last night. Therefore he sent his female slave, because he mshed to know what caused the noise up there, and you have broken her fins. She was crying when she came in. Then he sent liis attendants and took you down into his house. I advise you to ofl'er him what you have m your canoe, lest you be m danger." Thus spoke the Mouse Woman, and went away. Cliief Na-gun-a'ks said to liLs attendants, "Boil some seals, that I may feed my guests!" Therefore his attendants took four large boxes and four large seals. They put red-hot stones into the four boxes; and when the water began to boil, they put a seal into each box; and when the seals were done, Chief Na-gun-a'ks said, "Take one seal to each of the men!" They did so. Again the wise Mouse Woman came, and said, "Don't be afraid when they bring you a whole seal ! Just open your mouth wide, and BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 287 you shall swallow it. It will not hurt you. Tell your companions what I have said." Those three men belonsjed to the crest of the Killer Whale, while the steersman belonged to the Eagle crest. Then each man took up a pole. They took up a seal and brought it to the guests. One of the men who held the boiled seal at the end of his pole stepped m front of Dragging Along Shore, who opened his mouth; and the man who held the seal took it by the tail; and the chief swal- lowed the whole seal, begmning at the head. The second man stood in front of the next one, who opened his mouth and swallowed the whole, seal. Finally the last man who had a seal m liis hands at the end of the pole stood in front of the steersman, and said, "Open your mouth!" So the steersman opened his mouth and tried to swallow it; but the whole seal would not go down his tliroat, because he belonged to the Eagles. (The other three men belonged to the Killer- Whale crest, thei-efore they could swallow the whole seal; but the steersman belonged to the Eagles.) Now, Cliief Na-gun-a'ks said to his servants, "Cut that seal to pieces, so that he may eat it easily." Then they did so. The men had been there a whole year. Then the other super- natural beuig who lived on the other side of the sea would often say, "Let your guests come out!" Chief Na-gun-a'ks loved these human beings who had come to his house. So one day Cliief Na-gun-a'ks said to his attendants and to liis servants, "I ^\^ll give a great feast to all my fellow-chiefs in the rocks. I will invite them, and wiU show thera my human guests. After that I will send these my friends to their own home." Ilis attendants consented, and there- fore he sent messengers all over the world to invite his fellow-chiefs, the supernatural beings of the rocks. The men did not know how long they had been there, and they never felt hungry. Before the monsters came into their host's house. Chief Na-gun-a'ks said, "Get into your canoe, and you shall see what will come to pass!" Before they went aboard their canoe, Cliief Dragging Along Shore said to his host, "Shall I give you a present ?" His master said, "Do so!" and he presented him with four coppers and the fat of mountam goat, and tobacco, with a box of grease and a box of crabapples and a box of cranberries, also with red ocher and eagle dowTi. Na-gun-a'ks was very glad to have all these presents. His house was full of the tliuigs which Dragguig Along Shore had presented to him. Chief Na-gun-a'ks sent them into their canoe after they had put away all the presents. Then the chief commanded that the door of liis house be opened; and when it opened, the water rushed in. The house was full of water, and the canoe was floating on the first platform of the chief's house. Then the waters subsided until the tops of the various kinds 288 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. Axx. 31 of supernatural cliiof.s of the rocks were seen. Many difTcrent Isiuds of monsters were left dry on the floor of Cliief Xa-gun-a'ks's liouse. The chief showed liis guests all these monsters who had assembled from all parts of the country. Some of them looked nice, others curious, still others ugly, and others terrible. Chief Na-gun-a'ks himself wore his own garments in the form of the body of a killer whale, but the body was set all over \vdth horns. Then Chief Na-gun-a'ks said to his guests, "My dear supernatural beings, I am glad that you have all come to my feast. My brother, Draggmg Along Shore, and his two nephews, and his brother-in-law, Iloldamia, came to my house several days ago. They brought me costly coppers and all kinds of provisions. I have kept them here for a whole year, and now I will send them to their old home as soon as possible. Therefore I have called you all. I wish to let you have what they gave me." And after he had handed his gifts to all the monsters, he said again, "I will give liim my own garment covered with horns, and my 23rmcij)al crest, the mermaid children going up the river, and my copper canoe, the copper stem-board, and copper paddles, and also my carved house." Then all the monsters were much ])leased on account of the gifts which they received from Na-gun-a'ks. Hesaidalso, "Iwouldadvise you, supernatural chiefs in the rocks, let not one of you, my dear chiefs, frighten my brother here, because he pleased us by givmg us his provisions and costly coppers; and when you see liim hunting, I wish that all of you may help him, so that he may have good luck." All the monsters of the rocks agreed to what Chief Xa-gun-a'ks said. On the following day the door of Chief Na-gun-a'ks's house opened, and the water ran in rajiidly, running through the open door. Again the canoe of Dragging Along Shore was floating above the first plat- form of the chief's house. After a while the water subsided, and a carved room appeared on each side of the inside of the house. One side room was carved with two killer whales, with their noses joined together. It was called Dash Against Each Other. The room on the other side was carved with green seaweed, and there was a copper canoe with coppers and a stern-board of cojijier and a copper bailer. Then Na-giui-a'ks blessed Dragging Along Shore, and said, "You shall receive everything you need in the future in your land; but do not hurt any fish, or anything that you may see in the water, lest you be in danger. When you go hunting, offer burnt-offerings. Then you shall have good luck. Come to this place over my house and offer me something, that I may help you right along. You shall go home tomorrow." He also said to the steersman, "I will let you have my own hat," and he gave Mm a large sea-apple shell with a hving person in the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 289 center with a face like that of a man, and a good-sized box inlaid with abalone shells. After he had given his presents to these men, he said, "Now go aboard the canoe and sleep there tonight." They did as he had said. The men had always slept in the canoe ever since they had been in the house. Early the next morning the steersman awoke from his sleep, and, behold! there was a mountain of foam around the canoe. Therefore he called his companions, and said, "Alas! we are m danger." They all awoke, and the mountain of foam became less. However, the men did not know how. The foam was changing mto a thick tog, so thick that the men could not see one another in the canoe. Then their hearts failed. The steersman, however, encouraged his companions, who were silent from fear; and while they were still silent, they heard a noise hke the rolling of thunder. The thick fog vanished, and there was bright sunshine. They looked at one another, and they saw that the hat of the cliief in the bow of the canoe was full of all kinds of seaweed, sea anemones, and sea kale ( ?) of all kinds, and the hats of the other men in the canoe were just like his; and the canoe itseK was full of seaweeds, sea anemones, and sea kales. Then the man at the bow said, "Take up your paddles and paddle away!" They saw that they were at the foot of the high chff where they had dropped their anchor a year before. So they took their paddles and paddled away; but their i)addles also were fuU of seaweeds, and were very heavy because they were made of copper. Draggmg Along Shore said to his men, "Don't pull the seaweeds off from the canoe, from the ])addles, and from our clothes!" Now they paddled on; and whenever the handles of their paddles touched the canoe, it sounded like a bell. The canoe went as fast as a bird fiies, and at midnight they reached their o^^^l home. Early in the morning one of Dragging Along Shore's elder sisters would come out and go to the east side of the village, waiting for her brother who had been lost the preceding winter. As soon as she came out this time, behold ! there was a large monster floating on the sea in front of the village. She saw something that seemed aUve on top of it, and it made a noise like a beU, boom! She ran in and called her husband, and said, "Alas! we are in dan- ger." Her husband arose and went out. He also saw the curious monster on the water. He inquired, and said, "Who is there?" Then they answered, "Was not a chief lost from here last whiter?" They said, "Yes." Then the men in the canoe replied, "We are coming home again safe." Then the whole village was in excitement. ^Ul the people in the village went down to the beach to welcome those who had been lost a long wliile. Some of the people were afraid when they saw that 50633°— 31 ETH— IG 19 290 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 their clothes were full of seaweeds, soa anemones, and sea kales, and that all Idnds of shells were sticldnn: to the canoe, to the paddles, the stern-boartl, and thi^ bailer, that their root hats were covered with shells and seaweeds, and that everything in the canoe was that way. Soon they came ashore. Then the youu"; pcHiple wanted to take lip tlic canoe; but they could not, because the canoe was made of copper and was very heavy; and two yoiino; men carried up their paddles, which were also made of copper; and when they had carrii^d up everything, the four men themselves carried up the copper canoe, two men at each end. Now Dragging Along Shore sent messengers to his tribe to invito all his people. When they were all in, he told the story of what had happened to them on their way — how they had been in the house of a chief at the bottom of the sea, and how his host had invited all his fellow-creatures when he had given him his presents, and also how his host had given him his own crest. He showed his people a killer- whale hat covered with horns, and the garment of green seaweeds, and the two rooms with carved sides, also the copper canoe and paddles; and he told how Chief Na-gun-a'ks had given his 1)rother-in- law a real sea-apple hat and a carved box-cover set with all kinds of shells, and how they had feci them with one seal each as soon as they had been taken down. After he had tokl his story, he asked his i)eople if he should give a great feast and invite all the tribes around them. His people agreed, and he sent messengers around to invite the chiefs. On the appointetl day all the chiefs came to his feast, and a crowd of canoes covered the water in front of his house. Then the head man of the village came out and called them ashore; and when all the guests were ashore, they called them in; and when all the chiefs were in the house. Dragging Along Shore asked every cliief to wear his own crest, hat, and decorated garment. Therefore all the in- vited chiefs wore their own crests. When they had put on their own crests, Holdamia opened his carved box, the cover of which was inlaid with all lands of shells, and thick fog filled Dragging Along Shore's house. Then the chiefs from all the tribes were silent. They were afraid to speak. Soon after the thick fog had come out, Holdamia closed his carved box, the fog disappeared, and the chiefs looked around the inside of the house. They saw that it was now full of seaweeds, sea anemones, and sea kales, which were hanging all around the house, and the copper canoe was on the first platform of the house ; and there was a carved room on one side, with a design of the two killer whales joined together by their noses, and named Dashing Against Each Other; and on the other side of the fire a room appeared carved with green seaweeds. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 291 Dragging Along Shore wore his Ivihor-whale garment covered with many horns, and the guests were also covered with seaweeds. Therefore Dragging Along Shore proclaimed that his famil}- name would be G'it^na-gun-a'ks, and this name was to continue from him from generation to generation. Holdamia also gave a great feast to all the chiefs around, and he showed them what he had received from Chief Xa^gun-a'ks. lie held in his hand a copper paddle, and wore his sea-apple hat with a living person in the center. The abalone box was filled with thick fog. He also aiinounced Xa-gun-a'ks as one of the Eagle Clan. Now Dragging Along Shore prospered, for he was successful wher- ever he went hunting, and he could get many animals. His fame spread all over the world, and he was known to all the people round about his village, and he gave a great many feasts to the chiefs. He gave a feast almost every year, for he was a very successful hunter because he had the blessing of Chief Na^gun-a'ks. Once upon a time he went out again, as usual, to hunt, and three other men were ^\^th hun in his canoe. They did not Icnow his taboos, although Chief Dragging Along Shore told them that they must not touch any fish. He obtained all the animals he wanted. He foimd almost all the animals already dead, and on the way home dead animals or fish would float on the water in front of the canoe. They took them into the canoe. When evening came, thej^ went ashore to seek a place in which to camp. They made theii- camp there, and took the animals and fish out of the canoe. When the young men who were with the chief carried up the goods from the canoe, they saw a large l)ullhead aground. They ran there together, and one of the young men took the bullhead and clubbed it; but the other said, "Leave the bullhead alone, we have plenty of good fish!" But the young man who took itfirstsaid, "No, Iwantto have it, for our chief said that we should take everything that we meet on the way." The two others, however, compelled him to leave it. They took it from Mm, and laughed at the bullhead. They cut open both sides of its mouth to enlarge it. The other man, however, was sorry, and went to tell his master what the two other men were doing. Then the chief was angry, and said, "Oh, you two! You have brought us into danger!" He told the j'Oung man to go up the hill and look down to the sea before they rounded the next point. Then they took their canoe down, put aboard a few things, and paddled away from their camp to round the point; and the young man was sitting on top of a hill, looldng down. His eyes were follow- ing the canoe. As soon as they went around the point, the young man who was sitting on top of the hill saw how a great whirlpool opened and how it swallowed the canoe. 292 TSIMSIIIAN MYTHOLOGY I kth. anx. ril Then the young niaii left. In less than half a day ho reached home, and told his jjeoph^ what had Ix^eoine of their master, and how he and the two others pcrisheti in the whirlpool. Dragging Along Shore now lived in the house of Chief Na-gun-a'ks; and the two other men who had laughed at the bullhead perished in the bottom of the great whirlpool, because they had disobeyed the commands that Chief Na-gun-a'ks had given Dragging Along Shore before he sent him home, when he commanded him not to hurt any kind of fish. 48. The Four Chiefs and Chief Giuzzly Beak' A long time ago, before the Deluge, while the people were livmg ■on the upper course of Skeena River, there were four brothers, all chiefs. Each of them had a house. They lived in the old village Prairie Town, and their people were very proud of their fuur good chiefs, who treated them well. One hard winter, when all the food was used up, each of the four brothers made a fire in his house every morning to show the people that they were still alive, but others were starving to death. Many people were dying of starvation, and every day they made a fire to show that they had plenty to eat . One day toward evening a thin person came down the river on tiie ice, and the eldest one of the chiefs sent out his attendants to call him into his house. The man came in, and they spread mats by the side of the great fire, and the thin man seated himself there. Then the eldest chief, who had invited him in, inquired, "How long is it since you left your homel" The man replied, "It is many days since I left my home." — "What have you been eating all the while along the way?" The thin man replied, "I have eaten only snow all along the way. " Then the chief said, " Bring in snow in a wooden dish!" and his attendants filled the dish and put it before him. The man did not eat the snow, but arose and went out. Another evening the thin man came round to the village again, and they told the second chief that he was coming, so he sent out his attendants to invite him in. They spread mats by the side of the fire, and the second chief asked him, "How long is it since you left home?" The thin man replied, "I left home many days ago." The chief said, "What have you been eating all along the way?" — " I ate only snow. " Then the second chief ordered his attendants to bring in some snow in a wooden dish. They did so, and brought in a large wooden dish full of wet snow, and put it before him, and gave him a spoon; but the man did not eat. He arose and went out. Another day toward evening, while the young people were playuig games, the lean man came down again from the woods. They told 1 Notes, p. 847. noAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 293 the third chief that the thin mixn was coming down from the woods. Then the third chief sent out liis attendants to invite him in, and the thm man came in. They spread the mats before liim. He sat doAvn on the mats, and the chief asked liim, " Is your village very far away ?" The thin man said, "Yes, it is very far away. I left there many days ago." — "And what have you been eating all the way down?" He said, "I ate nothing but snow." The third chief sent his attendants to bring in some snow. They did so in a large wooden dish, which they placed before him. The thin man did not eat, but arose and went out. The people were still dying of starvation. Anotlier day toward evening the thin man came down from the woods. They told the youngest of the four chiefs, and he sent his servant and one of his owm nephews to invite him in; and when the man came in, they spread mats by the side of the fire, and the man sat down. As soon as he was seated on the mats, the fourth chief said, "I have heard what my three brothers have done to you, my dear, and I am very much ashamed of what they have done. They have no pity. They did not show a kind heart to a stranger who comes and visits their houses. They are bad people." Thus said the young chief. He said to his wife, "See if a dried salmon remains in your box!" Then his wife arose, went to the empty salmon-box, and there was only one large spring salmon left in the box. She took it to the fire and roasted one half. She put aside the other half. And after she had roasted it, she put it in a dish and gave it to the thin man. After he had eaten the dried salmon, the chief's nephew soaked dried berries in water and mixed them with fi-esh red berries. They gave these to the thin man, and many kinds of provisions besides. After they had eaten, when it was nearly midnight, the chief said to the thin man, " Wlien do you intend to go back home?" The man said, " I will go back home tonight. " Then the chief said to his wife, " My dear, give the other half of the dried salmon to this chief, that he may eat it on his way home ! " So she gave him the other half of the dried salmon, of which he had eaten one part a little while ago. He went back the same night. Before he left he said to the chief and his wife and his nephew, " I am much pleased because you have shown me kindness, and you have given to me your last provisions in this hard season of starvation. You have taken pity on me. I have been to the houses of all your elder brothei-s, but they all made fun of me, and gave me nothing but snow. Therefore I will reward your kindness to me, and by tomorrow I will give you a costly crest. Early tomorrow morning, when you hear a noise yonder, take your canoe and go with your nephew and your wife. Let your three brothei-s come afterward. Then I will give you my present. " As soon as he had said so he left. 294 TSIMSIIIAX MVTHOLOdV I i:tii. axn. 31 The chief and his wife did not sleep that night; and before day- break the young chief heard something like a song on the other side of the river. He arose, called his nephew sind liis wife, and said, "Let us be off!" So they crossed the river; and when they arrived on the other side, at the foot of a rock-slide, they heard a shouting above. Behold ! a man was coming down wearing four crests, a grizzly-bear hat, red leggmgs, and a bow in his hand. Another young man was coming down wearing a mountain-goat hat, and a woman with two large dishes — one carved witli live frogs, and the other one with a mountain si)ring. Then they sang a mourning-song. The words of their song are these : '"Ai-yu' wa hoo hi, yea, ha-ha -ha — a! " They repeated this many times. After the two had sung their mourning-song, the one took off the grizzly-bear hat and gave it to the chief, and he took off his red leggings and gave them to the chief, also his sinew bow. The young man who wore the mountain-goat hat took it off and gave it to the chief's nephew, and the woman gave her two dishes to the chief's wife. Then they went up the rock-slide again and were transformed into tlu'ec grizzly bears. Later on the three elder brothers heard a noise on the other side. They went across quickly in their canoes, but they were too late. They met theb youngest brother on his way back, but the three elder brothers paddled across in vain. They came bnck empty- handed. Now the young chief became the richest among all liis people. With his sinew bow he shot allkinds of animals; and while the winter famine lasted, he had plenty of meat of all kinds, fat of all kinds, and skuis of all kinds. He fed all his people, also his three brothers, and- all his people brought hmi all kmds of property as presents. Before the winter famine ended, he uivited all the people of the river, and gave away property to them, and he put on his mountain- goat hat and sang one mourning-song while he piled up his property before it was given away. And this crest went on through all gener- ations throughout the ages. He made another feast and invited all the different tribes, and he wore his grizzly-bear hat and his red leggings, and he carried his smew bow and sang the two mournmg-songs which he had received from the grizzly bears who rewarded him for his kindness to the Cliief Bear. • Then his wife showed the guests her two carved dishes, which she also had received from the grizzly bears in return for her kindness; and the guests were delighted to see the new crests and to hear the two songs. Tlien the chief proclaimed that no one should use these crests and his mourning-songs, only his clan after him through all BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 295 generations. He also took his new ciiief s name, which the grizzly bear had given him to reward him for his kindness. This name was Nes-nawa. The three brothers were jealous of their younger brother, but the people of all the tribes loved and honored him, anrl his name was great among the people. His own tribe was veiy proud of their chief, who was the richest among all the chiefs. Wlien he was old, he went again to his hunting-ground; and while he was there, while they wei'e encamped, in the evening, a man came to him, and the old chief invited him to eat with him. So they ate together; and while they were eating, the man said, "T will give you my mountain-pole. You shall keep it, as you did the other tilings which I gave you before." Then the old man's eyes opened, and lie recognized him, and another song went with this pole. A small live man was seated at one end of the pole. When the old chief went home, he gave his last feast; and when all the guests were in, he took his new crest, the pole, and he sang the song of the pole. After he hatl given away all his property to his guests, he said, "This is my last feast, and this is the last time I shall see your faces. I shall leave all my property to my only nephew, and also all my crests and my mourning-songs. He shall have all my power and my honor. He shall have my hunting-ground and my house, and he shall be kind as I have always been kind to my people." After that he gave his blessing to his nephew. Then he took a wooden drum, sang liis mourning-song with all his relatives, and all the guests were sorry to hear his last kind words to his relatives. At the end of his song he lay down and died, and all .the guests mourned over him for two days and two nights. His nephew succeeded him. {Anotlicr Version) Cliief Dzeba'sa used the Prince Black Bear when he danced among the other chiefs in the winter dance. In olden times, when the people still lived on the upper part of Skeena River, in Prairie Town, there was a great famine among the people. There were six chiefs in the village, and each had a house. During the famine the smoke continued to ascend from their houses every morning, but many of their tribe died of starvation. One morning in winter it was very cold. The Skeena River was full of ice, and snow covered the ground. Then a stranger came along on the ice. He went into the house of the oldest cliief, wdiose attendants spread a mat by the side of the fire, and the cliief ortlered liis attendants to put fuel on the fire. They did so. Then the chief asked the stranger, "Wliat kind of food do you eat down river?" The stranger replied, "I ate only snow while I was coming along." 296 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY I inn. ANN. 30 So the chief ordered his attendants to bring snow in a dish. Tliey brought in a large wooden dish filled with snow, and placed it before the stranger. Then the stranger stood up and went out. The stranger looked very poor. On the following morning the same stranger was seen coming along the ice. He went into the house of the second chief, whose attendants spread mats for him by the side of the fire. Then the chief ordered hi s attendants to put fuel on the fire, and they did so. The cliief asked what kind of food the stranger had eaten when he was coming down the river. Ho replied, "I ate only snow when T was coming along." So the chief ordered liis attendants to bring in snow in a wooden dish, and they did so. They filled a large wooden dish with snow, and placed it before the stranger. The stranger went out without touching the snow. The third morning he was seen coming along on the ice. He went into the house of the third chief, and the same happened as before. Finally, on the sixth morning, the stranger went into the house of the sLxth chief, who was a very young man. The six cliiefs were brothers, and this one was the youngest of them. The stranger entered the house, and the young chief welcomed him. He said to his attendants, "Spread the mats by the side of the fii-e." They did so, and they put fuel on the fire. The young chief had seen the meamiess of his five brothers to the poor stranger who had come to their village, and he had made up his mind to be Idnd to him and to comfort Mm. His wife arose, went to one of the boxes, opened it, and took out their last dried salmon, half of which she put back in her box. The other half she put in a wooden dish, and placed it before the stranger, who ate it. After the stranger had eaten, he said to the young cliief, "Very early tomorrow morning go to the other side of the river. If you should hear anything, you might go across. I will then give you a present." The young chief did not sleep that night. Very early next morning he arose with liis attend- ant. They crossed the river, and as soon as they came to the other side, they heard a mourning-song. Then the Prince of the Black Bears came down from the hills singing this song, and with three crests, red leggings, a mountain-goat hat, and a grizzly-bear hat, and he gave them to the chief in return for the half-sahnon which he had eaten in the chief's house the day before. Then the five brothers of tlie young cliief quarreled with their younger brother. Since that time the GispawadwE'da have the Prince of the Black Bears in their dances, with abalone shells in each ear and on each eye, and abalone shells on each tooth, and no chief besides Dzeba'sa can use Prince of the Black Bears. boasj tsimshian myths 297 49. Gau'o' (Printed in Boas 13, pp. 19.3-226.) 50. Story of the G'ispawadwe'da^ Once, upon a time a man went out hunting mountain goats. He met a Black Bear, who carried him to his den. There the Bear taught him how to catch salmon and how to huild canoes. Two years later the man returned home. When he arrived, all the people were afraid of him, because he looked like a bear. One man, however, caught him and carried him to the house. He was unable to speak, and did not want to eat boiled meat. Then the people rubbed him with medicine, until finally he resumed his human form. After this, whenever he was in diiEculty, he went up the mountain to his friend the Bear, who would help him. In winter, when nobody was able to obtain salmon, he would catch fresh salmon for him. Then the man built a house, and painted it with a picture of the Bear. His sister wore a dancing-apron with a representation of a bear. There- fore his sister's descendants use the bear as their crest up to this day.^ 51. TSAUDA AND HaLUS ^ There are many (HfTcrcnt tales belonging to the time after the great Deluge, when the people were scattered all over the earth, and when they had villages at Metlakahtla. There was a great chief who had a wife, and they had an only daughter who was very beautiful. In olden times people would love their children very much. So it was with this chief and his wife. They loved their only beautiful daughter. They did not let her go out often in the daytime, and all the princes in the village of Metla- kahtla wanted to marry her; but her parents would not let her marry, because they loved her dearly. She was quite young, and her father chose the daughters of liis principal men to be her friends. Ten of these were chosen. Once a month throughout the year she would take a walk with the maids on the street of her father's village, and all the young princes followed her when they saw her walking on the street. Now, the princess came to be a woman, and she wished in her heart to marry soon, before she should be old ; and she lay in bed sleepless every night, thinking about this matter. Her bed was over her parents' bed, and the beds of her maids were under hers. One midnight she thought that she saw a vision. She saw a shining light come down through the smoke hole. It went to her, and she saw a young man in the midst of the shining light. He said ■ Notes, p. 847. 2 Notes, p. 855. 'Trausliited from Boas 1, p. 293. 298 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. asm. 31 to her, "Shall I marry you, my dear princess?" She said that she would tell her father, and the prince promised to come back again some other night. So he went. This prince came i'rom heaven. His name was Tsauda, and his slave's name was Halus. This prince had a wonderful garment of sliining light. The following night he sent down his slave to talk to the young princess to ask her to marry him. So his slave HaJus went down to her. He went to her bedroom, going dowai tlu-ough the smoke hole. He stood by her side, and the young princess smiled when she saw him coming back, as he had promised a few days before, and the slave Halus staid with her. The princess told the slave that her father had consented to their marriiige. The princess thought that this slave was the prince with the garment of shining light who had come to her a few days before, so she loved him very much ; and Halus told her that he had a good slave, and that he wanted her father to give him a wife. The young woman said, "I have a little sister, but she is lame, and I want to take her along when you take me to your father's house." Willie they were still talking, a shining light came tlirough the smoke hole, as before. Now the young woman was afraid, and Prince Shming Light said to his slave Halus, "Wliathave you been douig here?" but Halus remained silent. Tsauda said, "Everything that you do in the future will turn out badly, and you will be disa])- ])ointed with your wife!" and Tsauda said, ''I shall marry your lame sister, and she will have good fortune." Then he went away. Halus, however, loved his beaut if id wife. On the followmg day Tsauda came and put on his shming-light gar- ment. He came to the chief's house, and the great chief was very kind to him. Soon after the chief had given him to eat, Tsauda said, "I wish your second daughter to be my wife." The great chief replied, "My second daughter — she is lame!" but the prince urged his suit, so at last the chief consented ; and Halus's wife was laughuig at Tsauda because his wife was lame. Tsauda, however, took no notice of what she said. After many days had passed Tsauda said to his lame wife, ' ' I shall take you up to my father's house, and I shall wash you in my wash- tub." So on the following morning very early they went. Tsauda took his lame wife under his shmmg wing and flew upward. Now they arrived at Tsauda's father's house, and the supernatural <'hief was very glad to see his daughter-in-law. The supernatural chief took her and washed her four times in his own bathtub, and the lame girl shone almost as brightly as her husband Tsauda. And Tsauda's father gave to his son a magic sling and four sling-stones like pebbles out of a brook. Then Tsauda left his supernatural father's house; and when he arrived at his father-in-law's house, the latter was verj- BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 299 much pleased to see them come home again. HLs father-ui-law was glad to see his lame daughter transformed mto a beautiful woman as fair as her husband. He loved Tsauda more than his elder daughter's husband. One day his father-in-law said, "Tomorrow, when my son-in-law Halus comes home, let him bring some firewood. I intend to invite my people. I want to tell them that I am going to invite aU the chiefs fi-om every village to the marriage feast." Halus awoke early in the morning and went for wood. He came to a sandy beach and gathered the driftwood there, filled his canoe quickly, and came back early in the forenoon. The great chief sent down his yt)ung people, and they carried the wood to the chief's house. Tsauda just blew some water from his mouth, and said. "The driftwood that Halus brf)Ught will just smoke in the house.'' WTien the young men piled up the driftwood on the fu'eplace. it began to smoke very much. Halus's mother-in-law loved him. while the chief loved Tsauda better. Now the mother-in-law's eyes were full of smoke. There- fore she tln-ew the driftwood away from the fire, and said, "Oh, that common man Halus brought this smoking driftwood!" and Halus's beautiful wife began to cry, because she was very much ashamed. Early the next mornmg Tsauda went out to get wood; and when he reached a rocky place, he went up into the woods and brought down di-y pitch wood. Soon he had filled his laige canoe. His wife was with hun. They came home during the forenoon, and many young men came down and carried up the good fu-ewood to the chief's house. They piled it up on the fireplace, and the pitch wood burned like fat. Then the chief loved Tsauda still more, and the chief gave a great festival to all the fellow-chiefs from all the tribes because his two daughters were married. Early m spring all the Tsimshian were ready to move to Nass River for fishmg; but the north wind was still blowing hard, and when they arrived outside of Port Simpson, they could not round the long point there. AU the canoes of the Tsimshian were on the south side of the long point. So Halus said, "Tsauda, let us tlu-ow our sling- stones through that rock, that om" way may open! " and all the people shouted because Halus had a magic sling. Then Tsauda said, "You throw first, and I shall tlu-ow afterward!" Then Halus stood up on top of a large box and put his stone in a sling. Tsauda blew water out of his mouth, and said. "Let Halus's sling-stone pass through his mother-m-law's lip-hole." (What I mean by lip-hole is this. The old women in our country had a queer custom, that every woman should have a hole in her lip. Wlien a girl was able to walk and had no hole in her lip, they would call her a slave. Therefore when a gui was able to walk. 300 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 her parents made a little hole in her lip. They would call all men and women of their exogamic gi'oup, and the mother of the girl would give all she had to the husband's relatives, the aunts of the child; and when the child was grown up, they enlarged the lip-hole; and when she w;is full-grown, the lijj-hole was larger than her mouth. The highest chieftainess had a lip-hole larger than that of any other woman. This was a sign that she was of high rank. She was the wife of a great chief or the relative of a great chief.) Now Halus threw his slmg-stone. Before he tlu"ew it, he swung his sling over his own head, and the stone slipped off from his sling and went through the lip-hole of his mother-in-law. Then all the people shouted and clapped their hands. Next Tsauda stood up and said, "Let me try to use my poor sling! " So all the people were quiet. He took up his sling and a smooth pebble out of his bag. He tlu-ew it, and there was a large hole tlirough the rock, and the way was opened for them to pass through. All the canoes went up through it. Before they reached then- fishing-camp, the chief said, "I need that copper yonder on the top of the high mountain." Therefore aU the canoes assembled at the foot of tlie high mountain. (That large copper wtxs hanging on top of that high mountain. For many years they had seen it, but they could not get it. Many daring men tried to take it, but they all perished, because no one was able to climb the slippery rock. Copper was then very expensive among the people. Therefore they tried over and over again, and they could not get it because the rocks were so slippery and tbe top of the mountain was very cold. Therefore all the brave men jjerished on that mountain.) Now Halus was ready. He stood up in the canoe and took out his sling and a stone, ready to throw it. Then Tsauda blew out some water from his mouth, and said, "Let Halus's sling-stone go through the bow of his father-in-law's canoe!" and when Halus swung his slhag, the stone slipped out and went through the bow of his father- in-law's canoe. Then all the people clapped their hands and shouted as much as they could. Now Halus had t%vice disappointed them. The}" said, "Oh, oh, you clumsy one!" Halus felt very much ashamed, and his wife cried, and also his mother-in-law was much ashamed; and Halus was angry and threw away his magic sling. Tsauda put a stone in his slmg, stood up on a box, and threw a stone. It hit the large copper on the top of the high mountain: "Damnum ! " Then all the people shouted for joy, and the great copper came slithng down slowly. Then all the men and women stepped forward and blew water out of their mouths against the copper, and said, "Toward iiorthwest!" and "Toward the rivers!" and when the men and women spoke these words, the large copper, which was sliding BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 301 dowTi slowly, divided in the middle; and one part flew away to the northwest (Alaska), and another part flew away to the head of Copper River (the head of the rivers). This is the reason why good copper was found in ^Uaska long before the white people came to this country, and that good copper was also found at one of the head waters of Skeena River. Our people call this copper "living copper." (They say that a spring salmon went up this river; and when they reached the deep water at the upper part of the river, the salmon became copper. Therefore the Indians know that there was live copper in this brook or river. ) After Tsauda had thrown the copper from the top of the high mountain, they went on until they arrived at their camping-place, and made ready for fishing ; but somehow the fish were late in coming. When the time had come for the fish to arrive, the river was full, and everybody went out to fish. The men had their wives with them in the fishing-season. (When the fish first go up the river, the IncUans use wooden rakes. The man sits in the bow of the canoe, and the woman sits in the stern to keep the canoe straight, and to steer it quickly among the many canoes. They use large canoes, and in half a day they fill them with olachen. The men work day and night with the rakes. They went with the tide until eight days had passed. Then they changed their fishing-implements. They put away the rake — a wooden rake made out of chy red cedar, and pins made out of large rotten spruce branches. The inner part of the branch is very hard. They split it and sharpen it like the point of a pin. They are three fingers long. Then they change these rakes after eight days, and they use the bag net, because the olachen goes farther down in deeper water. Therefore they use the bag net. They put the bag net at the end of a pole five fathoms long, and everything thus. Two or three people are in each canoe. The man holds the net-pole, and his wife and the man's sister or mother are with them.) Now Halus was very proud because he had a beautiful wife, and he showed her among the people on the fishing-ground. He did not care much about the fishing. When the fishing-implements were changed, the chief said to his elder daughter, "Let your husband fill one canoe for me tomorrow, and one for each of your three uncles, and Tsauda shall do the same." The following morning they both set out. Halus went very earh' with his wife and mother-in-law, and Tsauda went with his wife and one female slave. Tsauda went a little later. Halus went among the canoes which were fuU of fish. Then Tsauda blew water from his mouth, and said, "Let Halus's bag net be filled with mud of the river, chips, and whole leaves from the trees, but let him not get any fish!" Halus took his pole with the bag net on it and went to work; but 302 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY |eth. amn. 31 every time he let down his bag net, it came up full of mud from the river. Tsauda, however, filled his large canoe with fishes, and they went home early. ^lany slaves carried up the fish to his fathei'-in- law. As soon as they had emptied the large canoe, they went again the same day, and toward evening Tsauda came home again. Then his father-in-law's slaves carried the fish to his father-in-law. He had two large canoes full of fish, which he gave to his father-in-law. Late in the evening the chief's other son-in-law came home secretly. That was Halus. Before daylight Ilalus went again with his wife and liis mother-in-law; but he caught nothing, only loaves and mud. Tsauda went again with his wife and a female slave, and before noon he had filled his largo canoe with fish. Tsauda met Halus while he was going home, and Halus's bag net was full of leaves, mud, chips, and all kinds of rubbish; and when Tsauda came alongside his canoe, Halus was ashamed to see Tsauda's canoe full of fish. Now Tsauda gave his fish to his wife's elder uncle; and soon after he had eaten in the house of his wife's uncle, while the slaves were still carrying up his fish, Tsauda started again. He passed the place where Halus was, and he made fun of him. "Have you filled your canoe noAV with fallen leaves ? " Halus felt very much dis- tressed on account of what his master said. He cried, and his wife also was sad, and so was his mother-in-law. Tsauda went in his canoe twice in one day and filled it with fish. He gave ono canoe to his wife's second uncle. On the following morning Tsauda went early; and when ho was fishing, his bag net wa.s filled with fish. Just as before, his canoe was full again. Halus came toward him, and said, "Master, will you let me have some of your fish to take in my canoe?" Tsauda replied, "Wait until the season is over." Therefore Halus was much ashamed. Hestoodup and jumped outof his canoe, and said, "I shall become your snag." He was drowned. His wife also jumped out of the canoe, and said, "I shall be your codfish." Tsauda continued to work with the bag net. Halus went to Tsauda's bag net and caught it. Tsauda's net was caught. Tsauda knew that Halus had caught his bag net. Therefore he said, "Halus, let go of that net! If you don't let go of it, I will curse you." But Halus did not want to let go. Then Tsauda cursed Halus, and he became a red cod. He told him that his head would always be downward and his tail upward, and that if he looked up, then his stomach would come out through his mouth and he would die and float on the water. That is why the red cod is this way now. As soon as it looks up, it comes up to the surface of the water, for its stomach comes out through its mouth. Halus's beautiful wife became a codfish, a blue-side cod, wliich is a beautiful fish. Tsauda caught her in his bag net, and he recog- BOAS] TSI-MSHIAN MYTHS 303 nizcd his sister-in-law. As soon as he saw her among the olachen, he took her out and threw her into tlie water again. That is the reason why the blue-side cod is the prettiest of all the fishes, for it was a princess. ITalus's mother-in-law was very sad because she had lost her beau- tiful daughter. She came home full of son-ow; but, for fear of her son-in-law Tsauda, she did not dare to look angry, lest he transform her into a fish. Now Tsauda's wife was with child, and gave birth to a beautiful .daughter. Tsauda said, "This is my sister-in-law come back again through my \\'ife:" and the girl had four holes in each ear and a hole in her lip and in the septum of the nose, as a sign of her liigh rank. Then they gave her a baby girl's name, Another Dear Girl (G'ik-lu- da'°lk). Tsauda gave tliis child to his mother-in-law, and she took comfort because her daughter had come back to her again. She loved her more than her own daughter whom she had lost. Soon the people had finished boiling their fish, and they moved down to their village. Tsauda's father-in-law also moved; and when they arrived at home, Tsauda said to his father-in-law, "Soon I shall go away to my own home with my wife. Wlien she has another child like herself, I Avill come again and give it to you, so that you may have another girl like the one you had before. You shall call her Moon." On the following day Tsauda went away to his father's home ^\ith his wiie; and when he arrived there, liis own father was much pleased to see his son and his wife; and after they had been there a wliile, Tsauda's vdie gave birth to another child, and Tsauda took the child and gave it to his mother-in-law, as he had promised before he left them. Wlien Tsauda and his daughter flew toward his father-in-law's home, the cliikl was grown up to be a woman; and when Tsauda arrived there, he took her out from under his mngs, and a young woman came out, whom he handed to his mother-in-law. They received the child joyfully, and named her Moon, as Tsauda had requested. These two girls grew up to be very beautiful young women, like their lost aunts. Tsauda, however, went, and never came back again. His wife also never came back. This is a story of the Wolf family. When the elder girl was married, she told her husband that her father, Tsauda, told her of a good copper in the Copper Creek at the head of Skeena River. Therefore the prince called liis three young men to go with hi in to see the good copper at the head of that creek; and when they were going in their canoe up the river, they smelled sweet-smelling scents; and when they went farther up, they smelled still more fragrant odors; and they went on and on, and the 304 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 odor was sweeter than ever. Before evening they camped, and the prince went into the woods; and as he went through the valley, he saw something standing in the middle of a nice plain, moving and waving. He went near it, and he saw that it was a live tree of odors. So he ran to it and embraced it, and all the branches of the tree also embraced Mm, and the living tree pressed him hard and squeezed him; and before he lost consciousness, he shouted, to call liis men to come to his help. They ran cjuickly, and saw the prince and the living tree of odors embracing each other. The prince said to Ids men, "Dig away the earth from the roots quickly." The men dug away the earth quickly: and when all tlie roots were out of the ground and the branches were dead, the priuc-e was released from the branches. All the branches let go of his body. This is the tree of odors, or the live tree. This prince was very successful, because he was married to the daughter of a supernatural being. He cut the tree into short pieces, and he also cut the branches and the roots, and he gave to each of his men one root; and Ms men filled their bags with the soil from the place where the tree of odors had been, and when they came back home, they sold them for a high price. Then all the chiefs from all the tribes came to buy one of the short pieces at a high price, and the princes and the princesses came and bought pieces of the tree of odors, and the prince became a great chief. Then the younger daughter of Tsauda said to her husband, "My dear, my father has told me that there is a good copper at the head of a creek;" and the husband of the younger one called his young men to go with him up there. The following day they set out and went up that creek, and night after night they camped. That young prince went walking along the bank of the river, searcMng for smooth copper pebbles; but he could not find any, because the time had not come yet. They traveled on many days, until they reached a place way up the river, and toward evening they camped there. There was not much water in the river, and they could not travel on by canoe, because three small brooks joined where they camped, and at tins place the deep water ended. The young prince walked along the bank of the river. Then he saw many salmon. He hastened back to his men, and told them that many salmon were in the deep water there. Therefore he took Ms salmon-spear and went down again, wMle Ms men started to light a fire in the camp. He went down, and stood there ready. When he saw a large salmon come up, he struck it and took hold of it. He dragged it up to the shore and clubbed it. Then he took out Ms dart and threw the salmon backward. So the salmon strack the smooth stones of the river-bank. It sounded like copper. Then the young prince went to the place where he had tMown the salmon. Pie took it up again to see if anytMng was under DOAS] TSIMSHIAII MYTHS 305 it, and, behold! the salmon was transformeil into copper. So he took it np to the camp of his men and showed it to them, and they were all very happy. In the night they got ready for the next morn- ing. They spent the whole night making a new pole and new darts to be used the next day. Before daylight they all went to sleep, and the jDrince took his copper and put it under his head as his pillow. Late on the following morning, when the sun was high in the sky, the steersman woke up and aroused his fellows; and when the brealdast was ready, they called the prince. Then they found that he was dead. They wept over him; but the wise man said to his fellows, "He died because the live copper killed him. Let us burn it !" Thus said the steersman. They threw the copper into the fire to be burned, took the bark of a dried spruce tree, and started a large fu-e, and the live copper was melting; and when the fii'e had gone out, the pure copper remained in the ashes like a pole. They saw that the copper was very good and soft. They took it and put it into a bark bag, took the prince's body down to the canoe, wrapped him in a new cedar-bark mat, and carried liim in their canoe down the river. When tliey arrived at liome, and the prince's wife saw him dead and saw the melted copper, she felt very sad. She went into the woods weeping for her husband. While she was sitting at the foot of a large white-pine tree, she heard a noise on the tree above, and saw a shinmg light. There was a man who came down from the top of the white-pine tree and smiled at her, and said, "My dear daughter, what ails you?" She said, "IVfy beloved husband is dead." And Tsauda rephed, "Don't feel sorry for him! If you want hhn alive again, I will resuscitate him, my dear daughter!" Now, Moon knew that her father had come down to visit her. Therefore she stopped crying, and said, "Bring him back to life for my sake!" Tsauda said, "Call out aU the people, and I will bring hun back to life." So she went into the house. She sent out all the people. Tsauda came in and took the cold water of life from the sprmg and sprmldcd his face with the water. He slapped the dead man on both cheeks with the pahns of his hands, and said, "Come back to life from death, son-in-law!" and the prince sat up, and his wife came to him and embraced him. Then Tsauda said, when the young man was alive agam, and when all the people had come into the house, "Be careful of the living copper of that river! Let nobody go there, but my son-in-law and his descendants! I shall teach them how to kill the live copper and how to make costly coppers. Then he shall teach his children as I taught him." Thus spoke Tsauda to the people; and when his speech was at an end, he called his son-in-law aside, and also his 50(i33°— 31 ETH— IC 20 306 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 youngest daughter, and told them how to kill the live copper. Ii(> said, "As soon as you catch the salmon coppei-s or live coppei-s, make a large fu-e and throw the salmon coppers into it, as many as you caught in one evening at your camp. You must throw them all mto the fii"e, and the fumes will not hurt you, but it will make you richer than any cliief in the whole world; but if you tell these high commands to some of your relatives or friends or to your tribe, you shall become poorer than ever, and those to whom you have told my secret shall become rich. Let nobody go with you to that river! — only you two, you and my dear daughter. She shall go with you ; and if she has some children, then you shall take them with you; and whoever goes there without your consent, he shall die by the fumes of the live coppere." After Tsauda had given this advice to them, he said to his favorite daughter, "Now, my dear, go with me to the foot of that white-jMne tree!" and when they reached there, he told his daughter, "You shall eat the pitch that covers this white-pine bark as a medicine against the influence of your copper-work. You shall rul) it over your hands and face before you take the live copper." As soon as Tsauda had said this, he flew up to his supernatural home. Then the prmce and liLs wife went up ther(> for coppers. He did all that his father-in-law had commanded him to do, and he was the first copper- worker among the natives. He became richer than any chief round about, and his fame spread all over the country. Chiefs from all the different tribes came to buy his costly coppers with many thousands of costly animal skins, and canoes, slaves, boxes of grease, costly abalone shells, and aU kinds of things. So this prmce was great among all the chiefs. He gave away many times costly coppers, male and female slaves, elk skms, and all kmds of goods. At his last great feast he invited the chiefs of all the tribes, and they proclaimed that he shoidd take his great grandfather's name. Around Tlie Heavens, and all the chiefs said that he shoulil be the' head chief. 52. Story of the Wolf Clan ' There were two villages in the Strait of iletlakahtla. One was inhabited by the Eagle Clan, the other by the WoK Clan; and they were on friendly terms, for the chief of the Eagle Clan was married to the princess of the Wolf Clan, whose name was Bidal. The chief's name was Nes-wa-na'°; Once upon a time these two friendly people agreed to build a weir between the two islands, so as to catch seals and fishes at low tide. After they had finished the weir connectmg the two towns, they made an agreement that whoever shoukl awake first in the morning should go down and take something caught by the weir. The people 1 Notes, p. 857. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 307 of the Wolf Clan would go down first abnost cviTy morning. There- foro the chief of the Eagle Clan was angry with liis brother-in-law's tribe, and war began between them. The Eagle Clan gained the victory over their enemies, and the chief killed all his wife's relatives. Then he took the weir as his own. Therefore his people went down every morning and brought up sometimes seals or halibut or other kinds of fish. In the other village only women and girls remained. No men were there. Miev a while a prmcess, the wife of tlie cliief, gave bnth to a girl. So the chief asked the women who nursed his wife, "What kind of a baby is it ?" They told hun that it was a girl, and he was glail of this. He said to his slaves, "Keep her in good health." After a while the young woman was agaui with child; and when the time came, she gave birth again. The chief asked the women again, and they tohl hun that the child was a boy. Then the chief ordered his attendants to kUl his own son, and they did as he had ordered them. His wife's grief was almost too much to bear. Again she was with child; and when the tune came, and she gave birth, the chief asked again his wife's nurse, "What kind of a baby is it?" They told him that it was a l)oy, and he ordered them to kiU him. They obeyed and killed hun. Now, the girl grew up. She looked into the sun, and her eyes became sore. Therefore her father named her Ya°l. The mother was with child again; and when the tune came, she gave birth. When the chief asked the nurses, they told him that the child was a boy, and he ordered them to kill him. They killed him also, and the young princess's grief was almost too great. She was with child agam; and when the time came, she called her own maid, and said to her, "When I give bii-th again, and the child is a boy, do not tell the chief when he asks you, but tell hun that it is a girl, else he might kill hun also." The maidservant promised lur to do so; and when the time came and she gave birth, a boy was born. The chief asked the prmcess's maidservant, "What kuid of a baby is it?" and she deceived him, and said, "It is a girl." So the chief said, "Keep her in good health." The child, however, was a boy. The princess, the chief's wife, kept her boy and tramed hun. The boy grew up to be a j'outh, and the father learned that his wife's maidservant had deceived him. Theri'fore he was angry with her, and one day killed her. The boy, however, grew up. His mother was always with him, for she knew that liis father sought the cliikl's hfe. She told her son that lus father had slain aU her relatives and all her sons. Now the cliief's hatred of his wife and of liis son was so great that his wife and her son fled. The young man culled three youths, his friends. Every day they weixt and hunted birtls. The young prince 308 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn 31 was very skillful in making bows and arrows, and he gave them to his three friends. When they grew up to be young men, they were able to shoot large animals. Then the mother of the prince told her son aU that his wicked father had done to her other sons, how he had killed them as soon as they were born, and she told her son how his father had killed all her brothers and uncles on account of the trap that had been built between the two villages, and she told him every- tliing about her wicked husband. The young man took pity on her and wept with her, and he hated his father; and one day he killed him to avenge his uncles and liis mother's uncles and his own brotliers, but he was afraid lest the people should laugh at liim. Then his mother told him a story about an arrow with a Uving reptile-head, wliich was in another village far away in the uttermost parts of the world, in the northwest, in the house of a chief called Gutginsa'. She said, "Many brave men have tried to gain this arrow of supernatural power, but they all failed because it is so far away." Thus spoke the woman to her son. Then the young man left his mother. He called his four compan- ions who had always been with him ever since liis youth. He told them the storj' that liis mother had told him, and he said t« liis com- panions that he intended to go there. They all agreed. They made a good-sized canoe; and when they finished the canoe, the prince asked Ms mother to collect as much food as she could. She did as her only son said. Then they loaded their canoe with all kinds of food — grease, fat, dried beri'ies, meat — also with coppers, eagle down, and red ocher, and set out. They went toward the northwest. One night they camped in a certain place. Then the young man, all by liimsclf, went into the woods to wash, in order to gain success, wliile his companions started the camp-fire. While he was in the brook batliing, he beheld a young man who stood by the pool where he was batliing. The young man said to Mm, "What have you done with my batliing-place ? " The prince, who was batliing, said, "O supernatural one, take pity on me! I did not know that tliis pool belonged to you. I came here to bathe because I wanted to have success and take revenge on the enemy of my relatives." Then the supernatural being said to Mm, "What do you want to have?" The young man repUed, "My mother told me that a cliief in a far-away country has a hve arrow. His name is Gutginsa'." The supernatural being rephed, "Yes, it is very far away from here, in the outermost part of the world, but you shall get there. I will let you have my blanket; and whenever you reach a village, you shall wear it, and you shall shout belund the houses. Then they shall tell you how many more villages there are before you reach the place BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 309 where yon want to go; but }'t)ii shall liide j'oiir canoe from every tribe that you pass. Don't show yourselves, lest they teU you how difficult is the way that you are to go ; and you shall order your com- panions always to offer burnt-offerings." After the supernatural being had said so, he handed him the sldn of a sparrow and vanished from Ms sight. Then the young man went to Ms compamons, who were encamped, and told them to offer a burnt-offering. They did so. On the following morning they went on, and toward evemng they saw a village in the distance. They camped near by and hid their canoe. Early the following morning the young man put on his sparrow blanket, flew up, and ahghted on the branches of a tree beliind the house of the cMef of the village. Then the sparrow began to sing; and an nkl man in the cliief's house said, "O super- natural one, supernatural one! there are many more villages before you reach the place where you want to go." They started again, and reached the next village. The prince put on Ms sparrow garment, ahghted on the top of the cMef's house, and began to sing, "CHsguufs gut ginsai!" An old man who heard the bird said, "0 supernatural one, supernatural one! the country that you want to reach is very far awaj^." The prince's compamon made a burnt-offering in every place where they camped. They started agam, and reached another village, and, sitting on the top of the chief's house, he began to smg, as he had done before in the villages that they had passed. The same answer came from the mouth of an old man, who said that there were many more villages before they woukl reach there. They went on, and passed many villages. Finally they came to a large village; and the prince put on Ms sparrow blanket and began to sing, as before; and an old man in the cMef's house said, "O super- natural one, supernatural one! there are only three more villages before you reach there, but it -mil take a month to go from one village to the next one." They traveled on and on. A month passed, and they reached the next village, larger than the preceding one. The prmce put on Ms sparrow blanket and began to sing, as before. Then the old man in the cMef's house said, "O supernatural one! there are only two more villages before you reach there, but it takes a month to go from tMs village to the next one." They started again, and at the end of a month they arrived at the next village, larger than the other two. The prince put on Ms spar- row blanket and ahghted on the cMef's house and began to sing. Then the old num in the cMef's house saiil, "O supernatural one! 310 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. anx. 31 there is only one village more before you reach there, but it takes a month to go from here to that village." They went on again, and at the end of the following month they arrived at the last village. The prince put on liis sparrow garment and began to sing, seated on top of the chief's house. The old chief said, "Come down to me, supernatural one! I will give you advice as to how to obtain the lif(^ arrow. You might perish between here and Cliief Gutginsa"s village." So the prince went in and sat down on one side of the large house. The chief asked Hm, "Where are your companions?" and the young man replied that they were in hiding behind the village. Then the cliief ordered his attendants to bring them to the house, and they went to caU them. The chief ordered his men to give food to the guests, and they did so. After they had eaten, the cliief said, "My dear prince, I have seen how patient you have been all along the way you came. I know you have met with many difficulties, and stiU you kept on going. Now, there is no other village besides tliis, and no land. This is the one corner of heaven, and there is only the air beyond. Therefore no living being can reach there, where Chief Gutginsa"s house is. Therefore let your young men remain here in my house, and I will go with you. Wear your sparrow garment, and I shall put on my hummingbird garment. Then we will fly to the air island where Cliief Gutginsa' lives, and we will borrow his life arrow until the time when your enemy shall have been destroyed. Then he shall take it back again. I received all your burnt-offerings that you made along the way." The prince decided to foUow his advice, and the cliief also told Ills companions to continue their offerings while they were away. He said, "We shall be back tomorrow evening." The next morning they started. Cliief Hummingbird flew first, and the Sparrow behind him. They flew upward under the clouds; and when they saw the air island before them, it seemed as large as a man's finger. They came nearer, and arrived there at the same time. Then the two birds flew into the house of Chief Gutginsa'. Now Chief Hummingbird said, "My dear, great cldef ! will you lend us your live, destroying arrow until this my brother has taken revenge on the enemies of his relatives ? Then you shall take it back again." Chief Gutginsa' gave his destroying arrow to Cluef Hummingbird. They flew back, and it was late in the evening when they came home safely, while the prince's companions were still making burnt- offerings. Chief Hummingbird said, "Keep this arrow in good order, and let nobody see it, lest the arrow should kiU some one; but if you want to boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 311 kill anything, teU your arrow the name of the enemy, of the man or of the animal you want. Don't leave it in the house, but put it in a box, and place the box on a tree, and don't go in to a woman as long as you keep the arrow. When you get home, invite some old men from every tribe, one at a time, and let them instruct you how to use it; but don't ask the old men how to use it, only ask them what employment they have had since they were youths, and each will tell you some curious story. Then stop them and send them out with some person until you find a warrior. You shall reward him amply, and he will instruct you how to use the arrow guldani, for that is its name." Thus spoke Chief Hummingbird. The following morning they started for home Chief Hummingbird said, "Keep the bow of your canoe toward the rising sun, but you shall not travel by canoe. Wear your sparrow garment and fly ahead of the canoe; and when you are tired, sit down on the bow of your companions' canoe. Then, after four days, you shall reach home; but if you travel in your canoe, you shall take a whole year to return." Now they started. ' The Sparrow flew ahead of the canoe, and the canoe went very rapidly; and whenever the Sparrow was weary, he aUghted on the bow of his companions' canoe to take a rest; and after being refreshed, they started again. Thus they went on and on, until after four days they arrived at home. Their relatives were glad to see them back safe. Tlie prince's father kept the tribe of the young man as slaves, and treated them badly. Sometimes he would kiU people of his son's tribe, and the young man was very much displeased to see tins. The prince's house was full of sldns of grizzly bears. One day he sent out his slaves to invite one of the old men of his father's tribe. Wlien the old man came in, he spread one of the grizzly-bear skins at the side of his house. Then they gave the guest good food to eat; and after the old man had eaten, the prince went to the place where he was sitting, and said to lum, "Just tell me what has been your employment since you were a young man." The old man smiled, and said, "Oh, why do you ask me? I am the man with whom every woman has been in love from my youth on." The prince replied, "That is not my desire. Go out, and take with you the grizzly-bear skin on which you are sitting." The old man went out, and took with him the grizzly-bear skin. The following day he sent and invited an old man of another tribe ; and when the old man came in, the jn-ince spread a grizzly-bear sldn on the side of the house, and the old man was made to sit on it. After he had eaten his evening meal, the prince went to the place where his guest was sitting, and said to him, " Wliat has been your emplojTiient ever since you were young?" Tlie old man answered, and said, 312 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 ' Wliy do you ask me ? I have done my best to meet a good-looking ndfe;" The prince said' "That is not my desire. Go out, and take the grizzly-bear skin on which you are sitting." The old man went, taking his grizzly-bear skin along. Then another one was invited ; and after this old man had eaten his meal, the prince went to him, and said, "Wliat has been your employment ever since you were young*" The old man repUed, and said, "Oh, why do you ask me? I have been married to many beautiful girls whom I have loved." The prince said, "Stop! That is not my desire. Go out, and take the grizzly-bear skin on which you are sitting." Long ago there were twelve tribes among the Tsimsliian, and only nine remain. In each of these tribes there was one old man. Finally one very old man of tlie tribe of G"it-la'n, named Wiludal, who was bUnd of old age, was invited by the prince. Wlien he came in, they led liim to the grizzly-bear skin that was spread on one side of the prince's house, and they gave him as good food as they had given the others. After the meal the prince went to where he was sitting, and questioned him. "What has been your employment ever since you were young?" Then the old man said, "Brmg me a bow and arrow. Gird my loins, and place the two large empty boxes yonder, that I may leap over them; then aim my arrow at a knot-hole." After he had said so, they led liim to the door. "Now shout!" said he. The people in the house shouted, and the old warrior leaped about. He did not turn his face after he had shot, but ran forward and leaped backward over the big boxes that had been placed there, to the same place from wliich he had started. He shot right through the knot-liole. Then he said, " Yalala! I shoot right through the eye." Now the prince was glad to receive good instruc- tions, and he rewarded the old man amply. Ho called lum in day after day until he knew how to hold his weapons. Now the young prince became rich. He invited all the chiefs of the tribes to his house, and gave away much property to his guests. Then he took his mother's eldest uncle's name, and his name was now Asagulyaan. AU the cluefs received his gifts gladly. Asagul- yaan was the name of the man who accompanied the young ]n-ince's father when they first built the weir between the towns, and who was killed by the prince's father. Therefore the chief who had killed the young man's relatives was ashamed, because his son loved his own relatives better than him. Therefore the chief tried in every way to entrap his own son, intending to kill liim; but his son knew his father's heart, because the supernatural being told him what liis father's thoughts were. Another time the young jirince sent messengers to all the tribes, invitmg all the cliief's princes, cliieftainesses, and princesses; and when all the head men of all the tribes were in his house, he said to BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 313 his guests before lie distributed his gifts/ "I announce that I am taking all my grandfather's greatness. I shall be the greatest head cliief." None of the chiefs replied. He said, furthermore, "I shall make my sister great among the chieftainesses. I give her the name Ya°l, wluch means 'eyes blinded by the sun;' and my old mother shall keep her own name, Bidah" Then he gave his great gifts to his guests — costly coppere, slaves, canoes, elk skins, boxes of grease, boxes of dried berries, horn sjjoons, raccoon skins, and all kinds of goods. Then his father was still more angry with his son. Before he left his son's house, he said to his attendants that he would kill his own son after the feast was over. The reason why the father was angry was that he himself was the head chief among the Tsimsliian at that time. When the feast of the new cliief, Asagulyaan, was over, there was no trouble among the people in all the tribes of the Tsimsliian in the old towns at Mctlakahtla. It was midwinter. Then Asagulyaan took liis live arrow and went over to his father's village secretly at night. He crept up to Ids father's house at mid- night; and when he came to the smoke hole, he took up his Uve arrow, and said to it, "Go through the heart of the cluef who killed all my relatives, then come back to me tomorrow!" Then the arrow went right into the heart of the cliief, who died there, and the arrow remained there the whole night. iVll the people in the house of the chief were quiet. When the sun rose up high in the sky, one of the chief's beloved wives went to call him. She took the mat off from her husband's face, and, behold! he was dead. The end of an arrow appeared over his heart. Then she cried out, "Oh, dear chief! who killed you?" Then the whole chief's tribe came in, and they saw the end of the arrow in his heart. So they took the arrow from the chief's heart and passed it around to look at it. They saw that the head of the arrow was like that of a reptile, whose eyes twankled when any one looked at its face. They saw that the teeth of the arrow were like dogs' teeth. After the chief's people had examined the arrow, it flew from tlieir hands through the smoke hole, and said " Guldana!" and therefore the people call the living arrow "guldana." The chief's people went to every village and inquired who shot the chief in Ids house, and all the villages answered that they had nothing against the great chief. Therefore they came back home late in the evening. Then the whole tribe of the chief singed their hair with fire, as was the custom among the people when a great chief died ; and the whole tribe blackened their faces with charcoal, great and small, ^ It is the custom to lift a costly copper above tile head of a great chief to conJirm his words. 314 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 high and low. Before tliey buried tlic chief, they invited all the cliiefs of the tribes, and every tribe took their own chief in their canoe to the dead chief's village, and a nephew of the dead chief handed his goods to all the chiefs in their canoes on the water. This was the voung man who succeeded to his uncle's place. He would lift up an elk skin before each clxief, and when Ufting it up he woidd call out the chief's name. Wlien all the cluefs had received their presents, they remembered the young prince Asagulyaan. They called him by his nickname; and when they lifted up a small elk skin for him, the successor of the dead cliief said, "The son of Bidal." Then the small elk skin was passed from one canoe to another, until fuiaUy it reached the canoe of the young new chief. Then he stood up in his canoe, threw the small elk skin into the water, and said, "Is tliis common elk skin given to call out the name of Son Of Bidal?" and his companions paddled away from the place. Then the nephew of the dead chief said to his people that that slave had killed his own father. After this all the chiefs went to their own villages. On the following morning a great multitude of ])eo])le assembled in front of the house of ^Vsagulyaan, and the whole beach was covered with people. There was a large rock in the middle of the sandy beach, and a long ladder was standing in front of the carved house rcacliing to the roof of Asagulyaan's house. Another ladder reached the roof from the interior. Before the young cliief went forth to fight against his enemies, the people in his house were shouting, and eagle down flew upward through the smoke hole. Then the young cliief came out through the smoke hole, wearing on his head a chief's headdress set with abalone shells, and wearing his dancing-garments, his dancing-aprons, leggings, and rattle. He held his bow in one hand, liis rattle in the other. Then he ran down the long ladder in front of his house, and, leaping here and there, ran right down to the beach, where the people were waiting for liim. He jumi)ed over the large rock in the middle of the sandy beach, and then he let liis Uve arrow go. He ran backward, and jumped backward over the large rock, and ran up the long ladder in front of his house. Then the live arrow went through the hearts of the people; and when the arrow was weary, it returned to its master; and the young chief took it and wiped it, and put it into his box, and the beach in front of his house was fuU of dead people. The stomacii of the live arrow was filled with men's blood. On the following day another multitude of people came against him. Wlien he was ready, all the people in Ms house began to shout. They beat their wooden drum and clapped their hands, and the young cliief BOAS] TSIMSHIAIC MYTHS 315 came up, bird's down rising before he appeared through the smoke hole. Then he came down from the roof of his house on the long ladder which stood in front. He leaped here and there, jumped over the rock, ran among the crowd, and let go his living arrow. Then the arrow said, "GuMana!" Then Asagulyaan ran back, jumped backward over the rock, and never turned his face from his foes. Then he ran up the long ladder and down through the smoke hole. His arrow killed many people. Then it returned to its master, who took it, and saw that its stomach was full of blood. He wdjied it and put it back into the box. Now the new chief, Nes-wa-ma'k, invited all the tribes to fight against Asagulyaan; but the tribes decided to fight him by themselves, each on one day. They all agreed to do so. On the following day one tribe set out to fight him, and they were almost all killed by the arrow of Asagulyaan. As far as the arrow went, everybody was killed, and few people escaped. Each tribe went to battle day by day, but they all failed. Now Wlludal told Ms nephews and his sons-in-law and also his grandsons and his brothers-in-law to assemble in his own house, and gave them advice. He said, "My dear men, not one of you must join these people who fight Asagulyaan, else you will be destroyed with them; for .Vsagulyaan is a supernatural being; he is not a man. Therefore I tell j'ou, don't go there! His arrow is alive, and will devour every one who comes up against him." The young men, however, would not believe what the old warrior had told them. On the following day they all went to battle as to an amusement, for some people had told them that Asagulyaan was like a bird running rapidly down on the beach. So they went with them; and while all the crowds of peoi)le were on the beach in fi-ont of liis house, the shouting in the house, the beating of drums, and clapping of hands, began. Down ascended from the smoke hole, and then the young chief came up there surrounded by a mist of feathers. He ran down the long ladder right down to the beach, jumped over the rock, went down a little fartlier, and then he let go his arrow. He ran backward, as before, and jumped over the rock backward, climbed up liis long ladder, and went down through the smoke hole. Then his arrow devoured as many people as it could. Now all Wiludctl's relatives were killed; only one little grandson remained with him. Therefore Wiludal's sorrow was great, and he mourned for many days. He was the one who had taught Asagulyaan how to hold liis weapons in battle. He said to his grandchild, "I will go and kill Mm because he has slain all my relatives." Then the strong man laughed at Mm, mock- ing him, and said, "Now this is the kind of man to kUl Asagulyaan. Don't, you old blind man! Stay at home! You will only hinder the people who will fight with him." Nevertheless he said, "I shall surelv shoot him." Yet thev scorned him. 316 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann. 31 Now, when all the tribes were giving battle, Wiludal said to his grandson, who led him by the hand, "Put me behind the rock over which lie always leaps, and point my arrow at the center of the smoke hole. Then, when you see the mist of feathers coming out of the smoke hole, teU me, 'Now shoot!' Then I wiU shoot him." So his grandson watched the smoke hole. After a httle wliile they heard shouting and boating of drums. The mist of down rose, and then the grandson said, "Now shoot!" Then the old warrior used all his strength and shot. He turned to his fellows, and said, "Ah, all! I killed him. I hit his eye." Some of his fellows beUeved what he said, and others still mocked him. Wiludcll hit -\sagulyaan through the eye. The arrow came out at the back of Asagulyaan's head, and all his brains came out. He fell off from the top of the ladder which was placed from the inside up to the smoke hole — fell to the ground, and died right there. Therefore his sister took off her brother's dancing-garment and dancing-aprons, leggings, and rattle. The headdress was broken to pieces. Therefore they took a wolf helmet of the prince, and she wore it. Then another shout went up. The mist of down rose again, and she came out through the smoke hole, ran down as quicldy as her brother had done, with her brother's bow in her hand. The crowds did not know lier. She lea])ed over the rock; and when she passed a little farther down, she let go her arrow. Then she ran, turning her face toward the house where she had come from. She did not do as her brother had done, who ran backward when he turned, and kept his face on his enemies. On the way she became weary, and ran like a woman. Therefore the multitude knew tliat she was a woman; and they all shouted, and said, " Ha, a woman !" and all the people pressed on them and fell on them. A few children tried to run away, but the multitude destroN'ed them. The woman wore her brother's })araphernaha, and ran away from them around the island. She took off the prince's wolf's helmet and threw it away, and it became a rock, which may be seen up to this day; and her footsteps may still be seen on the rocks where she walked, up to tliis day. The people of this tribe are scattered among aU the other tribes. They have not had a village since that day. The Uve arrow, as soon as the woman let it go, went off howling, and flew to its home, saying while it was flying, "Guldana!" Everybody saw it filing swiftly through the air toward the sunset. It has never returned since tliat time. Wiludal was first of all the warriors of tlie Tsimslaian, better than Asagulyaan, for he was very old, and nevertheless he hit .Vsagulyaan's eye. Therefore all the i)eoj)le honor liim up to this day. Tins stoiy was kept by tlie Wolf Clan. boas] tsimshian myths 317 53. The Pkince and Prince Wolf' In the time of oui* forefathers, animals would sometimes have a woman or a man for wife or husband. There was a great prince, the son of a great cliief, who had his home in the old town of Metlakalitla, and three young men were chosen to be his fi-iends. He had a beautiful wife, whom he loved very much. The prince was an expert himter. Almost every day throughout the year he went hunting with his tlu-ee friends. Some- times they would stay away a month and a half. Then he came home, and would stay two or three days in the village. Then he would go out again. He went all over the country and became rich. His father and his mother were very old, and his name spread all over the country, also all the animals knew the fame of his name. He would always go about hunting, and liis wife always wore new garments of marten skin and sea-otter sldn and skuis of other ani- mals. She had notliing to do or to eat ( ?) at home, but she wore nice clot! ling, and many princes were well pleased to see her, but she loved her husband most. All the princes tried in every way to seduce her; but they could not do so, for she was very proud and would not talk to any one. She always told her husband what the other princes said to her. She showed her husband a new garment that her mother-in-law had made for her. The prince loved her very much. Therefore she told him all she had in her heart. The young prince went out again, and he told Ids beloved wife how many days he would be away from home. Then he went. As soon as he had gone, liis wife took a walk with her girls around the lake behind the village to refresh herself; and while she was there with her maid, she said to her, "Go and pick cranberries for me! I wiU wait for you here." She had done so many times before. As soon as her maid had gone, a good-looking .young man came to her, and she smiled when she saw him. Then the 3'oung man smiled at "her also. He came to the place where she was sitting. Now the priacess was very much in love with him. Then the young man asked her, "May I sit by your side ?" — "Yes, do sit down near me!" She pointed to the place by her side, and the young man went up to her. Then she embraced him, and the j'oung man kissed her; and while they were there, the girl came back, her basket filled with cranberries. She saw her mistress embrace the good-looking j'oung man, and said to her, "Here are the cranberries!" Tlie princess rephed, "Just put them down there and go and get some more ! ' ' The maid went away ; and while she was gone, she lay with the young man. After a while the maid came back to her, and said, " I have fdled this basket t\\'ice. Let us go back before dark, lest some misfortune befall us!" ' Notes, pp. 759, 858. 318 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etit. ANN. 31 Then they walked down with the young man. He wore a garment with cloven feet and an armoi- ^dth ears of wild animals. Before they arrived at the village, the young man embraced and kissed her twice, and she said, "Will you come to me tonight or some other time?" — "Yes," said the young man. "How long is your husband gomg to stay away?" — -"He wall stay away for a month." — "Then I will come every night." Xow they parted and went then- ways. The same night he came to her house, and he did so several nights. The princess ordered her maid not to toll any one, and her maid promised that she would not tell any one. Now the young prince was unlucky. He always missed when he shot, and he wanted to go back home. Therefore he went home; and before he reached the village he said to his tlu-ee friends, "Let us wait here until night comes, for we have no game!" So they camped at the end of the village, waiting until night came. About midnight they went secretly along the beach in front of his father's house. He said to his friends in the canoe, " I will go up to the house alone, and I will see what has happ"ened to my wife." So he went alone. He pushed the door-flap aside gently and went to the bed of his wife's maid. He woke her gently, and asked, " Did au}* one come to m}' wife while I was away ? Don't conceal it from me ! I will kill }'ou if you don't tell me the truth! Now tell me!" Then the maid said, "Yes, master! As soon as you left, my mis- tress called me to take a walk around the lake, as we used to do many times when j^ou were gone. I left my mistress and went to pick cran- berries. When I had filled my basket with berries, I went to the place where she was sitting, and I saw a young man, good-looking likt^ you, who emljraced her. She sent me to pick some more berries, and I went and filled another basket. Then when I came to her, I forced her to go home before dark. We went dowia, and before we went to our house the young man asked her to let him come the same night, and she agreed, and he has come ever}' night until now." Then the prince went back to his friends in his canoe. He told his thi-ee friends, and they Avent secretly mto the house to Ixis mas- ter's wife's bedroom, and killed the man who was l3'iug in his master's bed. They cut his head off, and in the morning they saw the garment of the one they had killed. It was covered Avith cleft feet of deer and cleft feet of mountain sheep, and his armor was covered with long ears of reindeer and long ears of red deer, and on his hat he had a wolf's tail. The prince kept the body of the young man, together with the head, in a box behind the house; and he took all the garments, the armor, and the hat for his crests. He was not angry with his wife, and still loved her, because he received these costly crests thi'ough her. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 319 Then the old chief called all his wise men, and showed them these garments, the armor, and the hat. The wise men said, "The young man who has been killed is a prince of the Wolves;" and the wise men said, "Moreover, my dear prince, build a fort! Let all our young people build a strong fort, lest the cruel wolves come and devour our wives and children!" In the same night a cry was heard at one end of the village, "Oh, my child, my child, who ate the deer whole! Only give me your brother's adultery garment, that I need! Oh, my child, my child, who ate the deer whole! Onlv give me your brother's garment, that I need!" All the people in the village did not sleep that night, for they heard the mother of the man that had been killed cr3'ing through the vil- lage. Before daybreak she ceased her wail, and all the people of the village, 3'oung and old, went out to get logs, and before evening they came home bringing the logs. In the night the wail came again at the other end of the village. "Oh, my child, my child, who ate the deer whole! Only give me your brother's garment, that I need! Oh, my child, my child, who ate the deer whole! Only give me your brother's garment, that I need!" The mother of the slain one went around the vUlage throughout the night, wailing, "Oh, my child, my child, who ate the deer whole! Only give me j^our brother's adulteiy garment, that I need ! Oh, my child, my child, who ate the deer wliolc ! Only give me your brother's garment, that I need!" Before day- light she left. Then all the people of the village began to build a fort. They made a double waD around it. The women and children gathered stones in the fort, and they built a sidewalk over the top of the wall, and all the people moved into the fort. As soon as evening came, they heard wolves howhng in the woods behind the village, at one end of the village, and at the other end; and howhng of wolves was heard on the other side. Then they came from aU sides, nearer and nearer, and all the wolves stood around the double fort. Then the mother of Prince Wolf said, "Only give me your brother's garment of cleft feet, my dear, else we shall eat all of your people tonight!" The prince replied, " I wiU ]iot give you your son's garment, I wiU keep it myself!" and the mother said, "And where is my son's body? Give it to me!" The prince did not reply a word. She repeated, "Give me my son's body, or I will devour A'our people!" -\11 the wolves began to gnaw at the walls of the fort; and when the first wall almost fell, then the people went upon the wall and threw stones dow^^ at the wolves, and many were killed. On the foUowing morning all the wolves from every dhection assembled, and the outer wall fell, but the second wall remained. 320 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ieth. Ann. 31 Again the Mother Wolf said, "(xiYe me my child's body!" The priace repUed, "No, I will not give it to you; I will keep it iu good order, because I made a mistake in killing him. Therefore I will keep his body, his cleft-foot garments, his long-oar armor, and his wolf- tail hat. I will keep them all and I will give a great feast; and I will take his name, because he is my l^rother." Then the Mother Wolf began to howl, and sang her own mourning- song. She sang the song of the cleft-foot garmcnvt, and the song of the long-ear armor, and the song of the wolf-tail hat. All the wolves were very quiet. After she had sung her song, she said, "You are mj' son. Today I will take you; and you shall take my brother's place, because he was a great prince among the animals, and all the animals of the wood honored him. They shall honor you also, and you shall have your brother's place; and when I die, my words shall be accomplished." Then all the wolves made a great noise, and they ran home howling. Now the great prince gave a feast. He mvited all the tribes that lived in the channel of Metlakahtla; and when all the guests were iu, the great prince had much property piled up. Then he came out from the inner room, wearing his brother's adultery garment of cleft, feet. He sang a song, and he went back into the inner room. Then he came out again wearmg the long-ear armor, and he put on his wolf-tail hat. Then they sang the armor song and the wolf-tail hat song; and after he had given away all his property to his guests, he took his new name, the name of the prince whom he had slain the other day. His name was Ate Tlie Wliole Deer. He was a very successful hunter in every way. The Wolf Mother always helped him when he was hunting. One time after he had given many feasts, his father and his old mother died, and the prince was lonely. In the evening the Wolf Mother came into his house, and said, "I have come to take you to my house for a while." Then the prince went with her; and when they arrived at her home, he saw many animals in the house. The Mother Wolf said to her attendant, "Go out and call all the wild animals! I will show them my adopted son." They went, and all the wild animals came in — panthers, grizzly bears, black bears, white bears, wolverenes, and many others; and when all the wild animals were in, she said to them, "I am glad that you have all come to my feast. I will show you my adopted son, who has taken my owi\ son's place. You shall honor hun, and you shall not hurt him, and I will give my brother my two daughters to be his wives." Then she fed her guests with all kmds of meat and all kinds of taUow, and she gave them all kinds of fresh salmon to eat, and so on. The prmce loved the two ghls who had become his wives, and the two girls loved him. He had not been there many days before the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 321 Mother Wolf died; and he was verj- sorry, for he was aloiie among the animals. He always went himting with his two wives, and obtained all kmds of animals, and his two wives were very strong. If he missed a shot, his two wives would run after the animal that he had missed and catch it. Therefore he was a great hunter, greater than the beasts of prey. Often he would give a great feast to the wild animals. Many years had gone by, and he was thmking of his own home. Therefore one day he said to his two wives, "I must go do\\^l and visit my home." His two wives went with him. Before they reached the village he said to his wives, "Stay here for a while, until I coine back to take you down!" Then he went to the village alone; and when he arrived there, he went to his father's house. He entered, and the people did not know him, for he was very hairy. He sat do'wn at the end of the large fire, at the side toward the door. A great chief was sitting at the head of the large fii-e, with his wife. He said to his yotmg men, "Ask the man there where he comes from." Then the two j'oung men went to him and asked where he came from. He replied that he was the son of the great chief of that house. Therefore the new chief ordered him to come and sit with him at the head of the fire. He arose and sat down at the right-hand side of his cousm the new chief. Then the new chief sent his slaves throughout the village and called all the people. He embraced his cousin and wept with him; and when all the people were in, he said to them, old and young, "This is my cousin whom we lost many years ago and whom we thought to be dead, but he is still alive, so let us have a good time with hmi tonight!" He said to his old people, "I will dance for my cousin the great prince." Then all the people had a gi-eat celebration. The prince told the chief his cousin that his two wives were stayhig far behind the village. He said, "I will go up and bring them down." Then he went -with his other two younger cousins, and he took them down to the house. They were sitting dowai at their husband's sides, and they were given all kinds of food to eat. Then the new chit^f gave each of them a costly garment. He gave the prince a dancing-garment, a marten garment, and to the wife who was sitting on his right side a sea-otter garment, and to the one who was Sittmg on hij left side a marten garment. Then they were all happy. Every mornmg, while the people were still asleep, the two wives would be awakened by the smell of something. Then they wakened their husband and told him that they smelled some annuals near the village. They caught them and brought them home, and he invited the people almost every day to give them fresh meat. His cousin the new chief loved him very much, and all the people of the village loved hmi. One daj- he and his two wives went to 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 21 322 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 bring all theii' goods dowii to the new chief's house. They were going to have their home there. The young wives of the great prince had each two chUdren at a time. He had many children. The elder wife gave birth to six pairs of twins, and the other wife gave birth to thj'ee pairs of twins, so that he had eighteen children in all. They were skillful hunters, the girls also. Now the time for his end came, and he called all his children, and said to them, "If you return to your own home, do not hurt my people when you see them on the mountains; and if you marry some of these people, do not go back home!" The children promised that they would not return to theb own home; and the prince's days came to an end and he died. His eldest son was married to one of the daughters of another chief, and the rest of his children all married. The girls also married some of the prhices. Only two of the children returned to their own home. Therefore the wolves are afraid of human beings up to this day. 54. The Ghost Who Fought with the Great Shaman' In olden times many different tilings happened among the people. Some were good and others bad, and some were funny. And so it is with this story of the ghost and the great shaman. In a village on Nass River there was a chief who had an only son. When the boy had growai up to be a youth, ho had four friends who were of the same age as he. It was the custom of princes to choose some good and wise young men to be his friends; and so it was with this prince. Every day they went into the woods and built a small hut, to which they used to go every day. The prince pretended to be a shaman, and his four friends were his singers. Tiiey made a skm drum, and had a board on which to beat time; and so they went to their hut day by day. Then- parents did not know what they were domg. Soon after they had had their breakfast in the morning, they went to their little hut, and played there all day until evening. At dusk they came home. They did this day by day and month by month and year by year. Fmally, when the prince was full grown, one day they went in another direction to hunt squirrels. Before evening they came home; and before they reached there, they passed by the gravej'ard a little behind the village, on the bank of a brook b.ehind the town; and as they were passing by, they saw one of the coffins open. The young prince said, "Shall I go into that open coffin there?" His friends asked him to desist; but he did not pay any attention to what they said, and jumped into the open coffin. He lay do-«Ti in it; and as soon as he lay down there, he was dead. Then his four friends were very sorry. They stood around the coffin, weeping. 1 Notes, p. 859. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 323 Before dark one of the young men went home, and three staid there. Alter a while another of the young men went home, and two staid there. .Vfter a while stiU another one went home, and one, who loved the prince most, still remained. When it was very dark, this young man feared that the ghosts would come and take him. Therefore he ran down to his house; and aU the young men, as soon as they reached their home, forgot what had happened to them and to their prince in the gravej^ard. Late at night the chief, the father of the prince, and his ^vnfe, inquired for their only son. Then the prince's friends remembered what had happened as they were passing the gi'aveyard, and how the prince had insisted on lying do^vn in the open coffin. Therefore the chief ordered his great tribe to light their torches and to go to the graveyard on the same night. Therefore all the people lighted their torches of pitch wood and maple bark and torches made of olachen. Tliey set out for the graveyard, and found the body of the prince Ijnng in the open coffin. They took it away and earned it down to the chief's house. There were many people. They placed him on a wide board in front of the large fire in his father's house. The prince's heart was stiU beatuig. Therefore his father asked all the shamans from the other tribes to come. He told them what had happened to his son ; and he said that he wanted to have his only son come back to life, and that therefore he had called them all. Thus said the chief, and promised them a rich reward if they could restore his son to life. So the}" began to dance. Each of the shamans put his charms on the dead prmce; and finally, when the various charms had been put on him, he came back to life. The shamans had been working over him for four days and four nights. Then each received his reward, as the chief had promised before. Now the prince had become a great shaman, because he was filled with the charms of the different shamans, and because he had pre- tended to be a shaman ever since his boyhood; and his four friends were his attendants, and always went before him. After a short time one of his father's people died — the head man of his father's tribe. Then the prince said to his father, "I will go and restore him to life." The father said, "My son, can you do that?" The prince put all the carved bones around his neck. He put on his crown of grizzly-bear claws and put on his dancing-apron, took his rattle in his right hand and the white eagle tail in his left. He black- ened his face with charcoal, and strewed eagle down on his head. Then he went mth his four attendants, and went to the house where the dead one was. AU the people of the village came to the house. 324 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 In the evening the prince began his shaman's songs, and his attend- ants' songs followed. After the first song, he stood at the end of the large fire, and said, "This man's soul is now in the village of the Ghosts, and my supernatural h(^lper says that I shall take liis soul back again to his body from the village of the Ghosts. Bring me a new cedar-bark mat, and let all the people in this house beat time on a plank, and thus help my attendants, and let them sing as loud as they can imtil I come back!" Then aU the people did as he had wanted them to. Tiien he put on the now cedar-bark mat and started in the dark of the night. Everybody in the house was singing. Thej^ beat the skin drum and beat the boards mth sticks. Now the shaman prince went to the graveyard; and when he had arrived there, he saw a quiet river, and the viUage of the Ghosts on the other side. There was a narrow bridge across tlio rivei'. He went across, and ran as fast as he could, his supernatural power leading him toward the chief of the Ghosts. The shaman entered the chief Ghost's house, and there he saw the soul of the dead man sitting in the rear of the house. The chief of the Ghosts was sittuig by his side, and all the Ghosts were assembled in the house to see the newcomer. The shaman went right ui, and saw the soul of the one who had just died sitting there. Then the shaman prince took him bj' the shoulders, and said, "I wall take you back to your body;" and he went out of the house of the chief of the Ghosts. The prince came back to the house in which the dead body was while all the people were singing. He entered, and said that he had taken the soul of the dead man and brought it back again. He kept his left hand closed, and rattled with the rattle which he held in liis right hand. He went around the fire four times, following the course of the sun. Then he went toward the body of the dead man, and jiut the soul of the dead body into it. As soon as the soul went into the body, the one who had been dead sat up. He had come back to life. Then all the people were astonished to see what the shaman prince had done. Tlio news of the prince's success soon spread over the whole country. After some time another relative of his father died while the shaman prince was absent. When the prmce came home, he saw that his father grieved. He asked him, ""What makes 3'ou so sorrowful, father?" and they informed him that one of his father's nieces had died three days before. So the prince ordered his people to assemble; and when all the people were in, the shaman prince went, as he had done before, and brought back the soul of his cousm from the town of the Ghosts. Then all the A'iUagers round about spread the fame of the shaman prince, and of his ability to bring back the souls of dead people from BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 325 the town of the Ghosts. "When any one died in some other ^-illage, they sent for him, and offered him great reward if he should bring back the souls of tlie dead. He did this for a long tune, and no one was dying in all the villages, because the great shaman was among the people. Therefore all the Ghost-town people hated the shaman prince, because no souls of the dead came to the Ghost town. Therefore their hatred of the prince increased greatly. Therefore they assembled and held a council, and determined to try to kUl the prince. They all agreed to cut off the ends of the bridge when the shaman prince should come again to get the soul of a dead one. As soon as the council of the Ghosts ended, they went and took the soul of a man. Two days later the man died. The shaman prince, however, knew that the Ghosts had held a council against him. His chief supernatural power had told him so; and his super- natural power had said to him, ''Go and bring back the souls of your people. If you are afraid of the Ghosts' council, you shall surely die; but if you do as I order you, I will protect and guard you; but remember, if you disobey mv orders, a dreadful punishment awaits you." Then the shaman pi-ince assembled all his people, and ordered them to wait until he should come back, and to sing all his songs while he was away. Then all liis people kept on smging. Xow the shaman prince wont on his waj- until he arrived by the bank of the river that runs in front of the Ghosts' town. He went to the bridge, and his supernatural power carried him across. He went to the house of the chief of the Ghosts, who takes the souls of the dead first. All the souls of the dead go first to the house of this great chief. Therefore the shaman prince went right to it. He went in and snatched the soul of the dead one from the cold hands of the cruel Ghosts. Then he ran out quickly, and the Ghosts pursued him over the bridge. He had almost arrived at this end of the bridge that had been cut by tile Ghosts, when both his feet went dovm into the water of the river, but his body fell on the dry land. He arose again, and ran dowm as fast as he could; but before he reached his father's house, he feU down and began to groan. Now, the people in the house heard him groaning. They took then- torches, and, behold! tlie shaman prince was lying there. They took him in and placed him on a wide plank m front of the fire. Then his supernatural power came to him. The people in the house saw that part of his foot was badly scorched, and the hearts of all the people who were in the house failed them. As far as the water had reached on both of liis feet \vhen he fell at the end of the bridge uf the Ghosts, his flesh was burned and scorched. The river was the 326 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 Boiling-Oil River. No one gets out of it who drops into it. T\\e shaman had falloii into it. Ilis supernatural power said to him, "Ai-ise, and run around the fire, following the course of the sun, four times. Then you will soon get better." His feet were ver\' sore, but he tried to do what his supernatural power had told him. He ran around the fire once, and twice, and tliree times, and four times, and his feet were healed. Now, when hLs feet were healed from iheu- burns, he had more power than before. He went often into the Ghost town and brought back the souls of the dead; and although men or women had been dead two, three, or four days, still the shaman pruice went to the Ghost town and ])rought their souls back. Then the Ghosts hated him very much. They held another council, and wished to kill the shaman prince; yet they had no power, because the prince's supernatural helper told him what the Ghosts had planned m then- council. The Ghost town became smaller and smaller, because not one soul of a dead person was commg into the town, for the shaman prince was always commg to the town, and often din-mg the day some Ghost fell and dropped into the burning river; and he died there, which is the second death, ami he became a fisher; and everj^ old Ghost dropped from the bridge and became a salmon. The chief of the Ghosts hated the shaman prince very much. Now they held another council to entrap him, and they decided to let their chief pretend to be sick and to call the shaman prince. They all agreed to this. The following night two tall men came to the house of the chief, stood in the door, and called the shaman prince to discover what aUed the chief of the Ghosts. The prmce told the two messengers that he would go to examme him the following night. The two messengers went; and the shaman mvited all the people of his father's tribe into his house, and told them that the Ghosts were ready to fight with them. He said, "I shall go to see their chief, who pre- tends to be sick because they want to kiU me. Therefore be you also ready for the battle against them tomorrow night. Let the people m eveiy house gather urine mixed with poison, and nasty things mixed in, everythmg that is bad; and as soon as the evenmg comes, stand firm and tlu^ow the fluid behind your house, so that the Ghosts can not come down to take you away. Some of them will be killed by your mixture." Thus said the shaman prince to his people. Then all the people did what he had said; and when they had pre- pared the mixture on the following evenmg, the shaman was ready. He went to the Ghosts' town, into the house of the chief. Then he BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 327 saw the great chief lying down in front of his large fire. He was groaning when he saw the shaman prmce coming to his house. Now the prince sat down at the foot of his bed, looking into the eyes of the chief who pretended to be sick. The chief ordered his attend- ants to bring forward his box, and so his attendants brought up the box containing his rattles. Now we will go back to the people of the village. As soon as the priuce left them, following the invitation of the Ghosts, all the Ghosts went down to the prince's people and shot them with their arrows, and all the men of the village threw the fluid behind theu' houses. Then the Ghosts could not come right down to shoot them, because Gljosts are afraid of uruie mixed with poison. The arrows of the Ghosts were dried nettles. The prince, who was m the house of the chief of the Ghosts, opened the box of rattles which they had given to him. lie took out the first rattle, which was a skuU, and the handle was a backbone. Next he took out the dancing-apron, which was set with bones of a skeleton, which hung all round the bottom like fringe. Tliii'd, he took out the crown, which was made of dead men's ribs. Now the prince took the dancing-apron; but before he put it on, he blew water from his mouth into the hollow of his right hand and rubbed it on his loins, then he put it on;- and before he put on the crown of dead men's ribs, he blew water into the hollow of his right hand and rubbed it around his forehead. Then he put on the crown of ribs. Agam, Vjefore he took the skull rattle he blew water from his mouth into the hoUow of his right hand and rubbed it over his arms. Now he was ready for work. He heai'd a noise outside the house. The people were saying, "All our arrows have failed ! They have all come back to us ! " Now the prince started; and his supernatural power said to him, "Run four times around the chief who pretends to be sick!" The shaman prince did what the supernatural power said to him. After he had run about fom* times, his supernatural power said to him, "Now kick the gi'ound at the head of the chief who pretends to be sick!" He did what his supernatural power had told hun; and as soon as he kicked the ground, he jmnped another way. At once the earth opened and swallowed up the chief of the Ghosts. Tlie earth swal- lowed him up, and this was his second death. The supernatm-al powers of the prmce took him and dropped him into the burning river which runs in front of the Ghost town. Then the shaman prince walked down safely to his own village. Now he had still more power than he had l)cfore. He had double what he had before. (It was kno\vn among the people in those da^s that dead men were very dangerous to shamans.) 328 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 Now his fame spread all over the country, and all his companions staid wth him wherever he went. He became very rich, for all the sick people whom he healed paid him. Every year he went ai'ound from place to place. Once he came into a village, and saw a crowd of people standing on the beach weeping, and ever3'ljody looking very sad. He inquired of some one who stood near by, and the young man told him that one of the princesses was drowned in a river. Then the shaman prince said, "If you will bring the body to me, I will cure her." This happened in the fall, when the river was flooded. This was the time when the young princess was drowned. They searched for her body, but in vain, and tlie father and mother whose only daughter she had been were very sad. They searched all the year round until the next spring, when they found the girl's skeleton caught by a branch at the l)ank of the river. The people took the bones up to the house of her father. Now the chief who had lost his only daughter sent for tlie shaman prince to cure her who had been drowned the precedmg fall. There- fore the shaman prince went there. He wore all the things that he had taken from the house of the Ghost chief. As soon as he came in, he saw a skeleton laid out on a mat. All his companions sat dowai, ready to sing. Then the shaman prince started a song; and while they were singuig, the shaman prince's supernatural power said to him, "Sprinkle ashes over the skeleton four times, and it shall be trans- formed into flesh. After that take your eagle tail and fan her, then she shall come back to life." The shaman prince did what his supernatural power told him. While the song was proceeding, the shaman went to the fire and sprinkled the hot ashes over the skeleton of the princess. Then all the dust stuck to the bones and gathered on the skeleton. He did so four times, as his supernatural power had told him. Then the bare bones were covered with flesh and skin, but there was no life in her. Therefore he took his eagle tail and fanned the body. Then she came back to life, and all the people were surprised to see her; and the chief, the father of the girl, paid him much property — slaves, costly coppers, canoes, and all kinds of goods. When all his fellow-shamans perceived that lie was greater than all the others, they held a secret council, intending to entrap him; for he was a great power, and able to cure any kind of disease and to revive the dead. Therefore his fellow-shamans agreed to invite him. On the following day they assembled in one of the shaman's houses and called the shaman prince. They were trying to kill him there. One of his supernatural powers was helping him, and warned him. He went across the river and entered the house of liis enemies and sat down. When the food was ready, his supernatural power spoke BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 329 to him, and said, "This is dried human flesh, nevertheless eat it." At midnight he felt sick. Then ho called all his relatives, and said to them, "My relatives, I am going to die. After I have been dead for a year, I shall come back to life, provided one of you will come and stand imder ray cofRii to catch me. If you should fail to do so, and if you should be afraid of me, none of you shall be left. Now, who will volunteer?" Then all his relatives were speechless. Finally one of his nephews replied, "I will catch you." Thus said his nephew at the end of the shaman prince's speech. He asked for his dancing-apron, and his crown, and his rattle, wliich he had taken from the house of the Ghost chief. He ran around the fire four times, following the course of the sun. At the end of the fourth time he asked for a coffin. They brought to him the square box. Then he went into it and died, wearing his apron, his crown, and rattle, which he had taken from the house of the Ghost chief. Now they placed the box on the branch of a largo tree just behind the house. His companions watched the coffin night after night. At the end of one year those who w^ere watching the coffin heard a great noise there. Then all the relatives of the shaman prince remembered the prince's last words before he died. Therefore they assembled under the coffin. It was open, and they saw the shaman prince in the form of a queer-looking ugly owl. They all fell to the groimd hke dead, for they were much afraid. One of liis com- panions, who had always been with him from the time when he first became a shaman, tried to catch liim, but the owl refused to let him do so. When all his relatives had recovered, his nephew tried to catch him, as he had promised to do before his imcle's death. He went toward the large tree; but when he looked up, he fell back, being afraid. When the queer-looking ugly owl saw his nephew fall to the ground, and when he perceived that all his relatives were afraid of him, he spoke to them: "Not one of you wall be left, nor one of the shamans that killod me. I shall take you all to the village of the Ghosts, and also all the shamans that killed me. I will make them my slaves in my house in the Ghost town, for the Ghosts took me to be their chief in their town. Only my companions who have always been with me wherever I went while I was among them, and who desired to catch mewliilel was sitting here, they shall succeed to all my supernatural powers. I will help them and look after them right along." After he had spoken these words, the queer-looking ugly owl suddenly fell back into the box, and the cover of the box replaced itself. 330 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. an-n. 31 On. the following morning the people of the village went back to the burial-place, and a strong young mail climbed the tree. When he came to the coffin, he opened the box, and there was nothing in it; only the box was full of eagle down. After a while the enemies of the shaman prince died one at a time, and his own relatives also died one bj' one in the same way. Then the shaman prince had come to be a chief in the Ghost town. He was the head chief there; and while he was there, all the souls of the shamans who had tried to kill him came to tlie Ghost town. He punished them in the burning I'iver that flows in front of the Ghost town. He cast their souls into it, and they died a second death. The second death of Ghosts is their transfer into cohoes salmon. Then the chief of the Ghosts guarded all his people, and all the souls of his relatives; but his four companions who had alwaj's been with him while ho was alive among men became shamans in his place. They always went to the town of the Ghost chief, and they often talked to him, and the Ghost chief helped them whenever they wanted the souls of some one who had died or some beloved one; and the Ghost chief ordained that if a person had been dead for four days, then the shamans should have no power to put the soul Imck into the body. So these four shamans did what the Ghost chief told them to do, and the four shamans told the people what they had been told. Then the people imderstood it, and the four men worked among the people as the Ghost chief wanted them to do. They worked many years. Once upon a time these four shamans went to the house of a great chief whose yoimg, beautiful son had died, and the whole tribe were mourning over the dead prmce. After four days they invited these four shamans in to brmg the soul of his dead son back. When the four shamans came into the house where the dead boy lay, they saw his beautiful body. They also saw how sad the parents were, and they told them that they would soon bring back the soul of the dead boy. However, the four days had passed. They went to the graveyard, as they were accustomed to do, and came to the Ghost town. The Ghosts met them on the way and smeUed of them. They said, "You have a very bad smell." They went to the chief's house. The chief was very angry with them because they had broken his orders. Therefore he said, "You shall not return to your people; you shall stay with me, for you have broken my order." Therefore the four sorcei'ers never came back again. They also stay in the Ghost town. Then- bodies were found m tlie graveyard, and the people took them down and buried them. That is the end. bois] tsimshian myths 331 55. Great Shaman ^ In olden times there were in this country a great many shamans who were Uke supernatural beings among the people, and who, tlirough their magic, worked wonders among them. Everybody was afraid of their supernatural powers. They could heal the sick and punish those who did not believe in them. They would help those who paid them much, and kill those who were agaiast tliem. Now, there were three men in one tribe. They lived at K-lax-g*ils River, on the south side of the Skeena River. Tliey talked day by day of the power of the shamans and how they obtained their power One of these men said to his friends, "I heard of a deep pit down on this side of Skeena River, where some people went down and obtained then- power from the supernatural bemg in the hole." Therefore they all decided one day to go down and see the pit. One day they took a canoe, and the tliree went aboard. They started from K-lax-g"iIs by canoe, and before dark they reached the deep pit. There they waited until the following day, and in the night they offered food to the supernatural being in the pit. Early the followuig day they all went up to where the great pit was. When they arrived there, they found a deep pit at the foot of a steep rock in a cave. They called the cave Cave Of Fear. Nobody except great shamans can enter it. Now, these men did not know what to do. Therefore one of them said, "Let us take a cedar-bark rope, and we will climb down!" So they took a long cedar-bark Ime. They tied one man to the end of it, knd two let him down gently. As they were letting him down, and when he was halfway down, the man who was tied to the end of the line shouted, "Haul me up again, haul me up again, lest I die!" The two men who were standing at the mouth of the pit pulled as hard as they could ; and when the man came up agam, his body was red from the stings of uisects, and he told them that when he was halfway down the pit a great swarm of insects came and stung liim. Then the second man tied a rope around his body, and they let him down the pit. Wlien he was halfway down, the swarm of buzzmg insects attacked him. They stung his body so that he cried out louder and louder, and those who were standuig at the mouth of the pit hauled hun up again; and when he reached the surface, behold! his body was bleedmg. Then the thu-d man, the steersman of the canoe, tied the end of the cedar-bark Ime around his body. They let hmi down gently, and he went right down to the bottom of the dark pit. He did not feel the stings of the insects. There was thick darkness down below, and he groped along the bottom. The lino was still tied to his 1 Notes, p. 859. 332 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. Ann. 31 body. While he was groping about there, he heard a noise Uke the rolling of thunder in the bottom of the great pit. It i-esounded again and again. Then a great door opened on the east side of the bottom of the pit, and, behold! a hairy young man stood there, who inquired of him why he had come to the pit. The man rei)Iied that he had come because they were in need of a great shaman. So the hairy man invited him in. The door which had opened looked like the sun shining tiu-ough a window. The steersman went in there. Inside there were not many people, only a great chief sitting in front of a large fire. He wore his crown of grizzly-bear claws fdled with eagle down. Two live rattles were on the ground on each side, and he wore his dancing-apron. When the man came into the house, the chief did not look at liim. The man went in and sat down by the side of the great Ihe. No one spoke to him. After a while another door opened on the east side of the house, and a young shaman came in with his crown of grizzly- bear claws on his head, his a{)ron tied around his waist, and a rattle in his right hand, an eagle tail in his left. Then the boards for beating time ran in tlu'ougli the door like serpents, and each laid itself on one side of the large fire. Then weasel batons ran along behind the boards. The young shaman began to sing his owm song; and as he shook his rattle, the weasel batons began to beat of themselves, and a skin drum ran ahead and beat of itself. Then a great many diamans came out, and each took his own supernatural power out of his mouth, and put it into the mouth of the visitor. When they had all done so, the great chief who had been sitting by the fire stood up and stepped up to the man, \nxt his hands on him, and rubl)ed his eyes four times. Then he went back to his place and sat down, and all the shamans were gone. The man did not see where they had gone to, but they all vanished from his sight. Suddenly he was again in complete darkness, and he felt that the line was still tied around his body. He shook it, and shouted, and they pulled him up. Then the men went back to their own town; and when they had gone halfway, the man in the bow of the canoe fell back ui a famt, but the two others poled up the river. Before they arrived at home, the man in the middle of the canoe fell back in a faint, and the man in the stern poled the canoe up to their home. The two men who had fainted vomited blood as a sign that they had obtained supernatural power, and they became shamans. Only one of them had not obtained supernatural power, and no dream had come to Mm. He was still waiting. After a long while these two men went about and healed the sick. Now, at the end of the summer the supernatural powers took the man away from home. Nobody knew where he had gone. At the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 333 end of four days he was found lying on tho floor of his house, and around him terrible wliistling was heard. No one went near him. He was alone in his house singing and ready to work. Therefore lie called all the people into liis house, and he told them how he had entered the house of the supernatural power in the pit; and he said, "They have given me great powers to do what nobody else can do. I will bring back to hfe the dead." The supernatural power had given him the name Only One. He did wonderful work among the ])eo])le, liealing them, reviving the dead; and his fame spread through all the villages round about, and many sick people were anxious to see him. Otlier shamans tried to kill him with their jjowers, but he destroyed them all; and not many people died in his time, because the diseases were afraid of him. Every day he was caUed into another village by rich and poor, and he came to be very wealthy. Some shamans, however, were jealous of him because his supernatural power was stronger than theirs, so they sought how they might kill him. He did aU his duty among the sick people, and those who were sick loved him. One day a canoe came in front of his house. It was sent by a chief in another village to call him, for the chief's son was very sick. Only One's supernatural power told him that the prince was not sick, but that they wanted to kill him and his supernatural power. Then the great shaman called all his attendants. They took a large canoe and went down the river; and when they arrived, all the people of the village went into the chief's house. Only One had on his crown of grizzly-bear claws and his apron; he had his Uve rattle in his right hand and the white eagle tail in his left. He put around liis neck the ring set with bones representing various kinds of animals. He went up to the house with his attendants; and as soon as he came in, he stood over the sick one, and asked him, " How long have you been sick?" He rephed, "Not many days." — "You pretended to be sick. Therefore from this time on you shall never be well again your whole life long. " The chief ordered his attendants to give them to eat. Therefore they spread the mats on one side of the large fire, and they served them mth food. Then the chief ordered his attend- ants to bring water. They were to bring water from an old rotten canoe. The young men went; and before they came in, Only One's supernatural power told him that they were bringing water mixed with urine. Wlien the young men came in, the chief asked them to give water to the shaman first. They did as they were ordered; and when the shaman took up the bucket, he stood up and said to the young man who brought it to him, " Drink this water yourself or you will die right here. Go and drink your own urine!" Then this 334 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGV [eth. anx. HI young man was very much ashamed, and he died right there. Then the shaman went back to liis home by canoe. They were not very far from the village they had left when Only One said, " I will take that spring of water with me to my own house. " So they went ashore to where the spring of water was — the spring of the rotten old canoe. He carried it in his grizzly-boar garment. He went down to his canoe, and the spring was dried up. He took it along up river. Before they arrived at their own town, they camped. He went up and opened his grizzly-bear garment and put the new spring there. It is still there. Not many days passed before a large canoe came from another village, from G'it-qxa'la. They were sent by another shaman wlio was very sick. Only One went there with his attendants ; and when they arrived, the Git-qxa'la men tried to kill liim; but they could not do it, for Only One's supernatural power foretold liim what they were going to do to him. When they had gone up to the house of the sha- man who said that he was iU, he entered, and saw a man who was very sick. The sick person was very tliin. He was almost only bones. Then Only One knew what made him sick, for one of his supernatural powers had been placed in the bone of a coq^se. Only One took it out from there, and the sick man's supernatural power recovered, and the sick shaman also revived. Therefore the sick shaman paid him well. Before Only One left the village, the cannibal dancer invited Irim and all liis attendants, and they cooked seal for them. They cut up the seal skin and blubber in a long line from the foot to the head of the seal, and they cooked it ; and tlu-ee cannibals took care of one box in wliich the seal was being cooked, but the box of which the three men took care contained the meat of dead people. They thought that when the great shaman should eat flesh of the dead people, he would also die, and all Ms supernatural j^ower would flee from him. Before they brought the boiled seal to them. Only One's supernatural power came to him and told him that they were ready to give liim the flesh of dead people. He said, " You shall eat it, and I will help you and take it out of your left side; and after you have eaten it, give each of them a ])iece." Now they were ready. The three great men took a long j)ointed staff, and each had a piece of meat at the end of the staff. They placed this before Only One, and the great shaman opened liis mouth and swallowed a piece at a time; and after he had eaten the three pieces, he stood uj> quickly, opened his left side, and rubbed it, and the end of the ])iece of meat of a corpse which he had eaten came out. He took the end and ])ullcd it out. Then he went to the three men who had each given him a piece. He stood before the first one. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 335 and said, " Now, great shaman, open your mouth and eat this !" The man opened his mouth and ate slowly. Only One pulled out the other piece and gave to the second man, saying, "Now, great shaman, eat tliis !" Then he pulled out the last piece and gave to the last one, and he said, "Now, great shaman, open your mouth and eat this meat of a corpse!" and after he had done so, the tliroo men died right there. Then all the jieople were afraid of him. Only One's fame was spread over all the villages. Many years passed, and he was always wandering about doing liis work. One winter while he was seated in his house, one of his supernatural powers came to him and foretold that three messengers would come in the evening from another chief, Bagus,' whose son had been sick for a long time. "There is not a shaman who can cure lum. You shall go with them, and I shall be ^vith you and help you, but do not leave your chamber-vessel. Take it along when you go ; and as often as you feel that you are almost unconscious, take some of the urine in your mouth and blow it into the air above your head, until you arrive in the house of the cliief Bagus." Late in the evening the great shaman called all his nephews, and asked them, "'Who will go with me tonight when the messengers come to take me away from here?" One of the young men said, "I will go with you, uncle." When all the people of the village were asleep, about midnight, the messengers came in. Only One awoke when they came. They called him, and he went down with them. Only One saw a new canoe on the beach. The}' all went aboard, and Only One was ready. He wore his crown of gi-izzly-bear claws, and he held his live rattle in his right hand, and his root-basket chamber-vessel in his left. He also wore his apron. Then the thi-ee messengers said, "Lie down in the canoe ! " but he did not do so, because his supernatural power told him to keep awake, lest he die, because these messengers were dangerous anunals. Before daylight they reached the front of Chief Bagus's town. While they were on then- way, and before they reached the town. Only One felt that he was losing consciousness. Then he took the urine out of the basket and blew it into the air, as his super- natural power had ordered liim, and his heart became strong agam; but the three men put then- hands to then- noses because they could not endure the smell. Twice these three men tried to make Only One unconscious, but on account of the smell they were in great fear of him. They were afraid they would die before the}' reached home. As soon as the canoe touched the shore, the shaman jumped ashore and walked up to the house of Chief Bagus, led by the three messengers. He entered there, and the sick prince of Bagus lay there; and an old shaman was seated by the foot of the prmce, holdmg his rattle in his hand. * Kwakiutl, BekIus ("man of the woods"), a being supposed to take away hunters (see p. 476). 336 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 Only One stood by the sick prince's head, and he saw an arrow right between his ribs. Cliief Bagus, sitting in the rear of his house, said to hun, "My dear Only One, I ask you to cure my sick son." Only One went toward the sick person, took the end of the broken arrow, and pulled it out, and he rubbed the wounded side of the prince Bagus, and the prince was cured and arose. The great chief was glad to see that his son was cured. Only One wanted to go back home in the evening, and the chief promised to send liun home in the night. Only One went to the old shaman and asked him how long he had been in there. He told liim that Chief Bagus had invited him when he was young, but that now he was very old, and that also part of his body had become stone, and that therefore he could not go back home. He told him that many shamans had tried to heal the prince, and that they had all failed, and that the chief had tin-own them into a lake of blood, and that they were still there. In the evening Only One went out with the Prince of Bagus; and the prince caught one child that was playing outside, and gave it to Only One to be his supernatural power. So he took it, and placed it in his long hah-. He went down to the beach and boarded the same new canoe, and the same thi'ee men paddled away toward his home. As soon as the canoe touched the shore, the sun rose, and the canoe and the three men who took him home were transformed into a log of drKtwood. Only One lived many years after tliis; and it is said that he never died, but that he was taken by the supernatural powers into then- home in the deep pit. 56. Story of the Ghost' Long ago there were many people in the various villages among the Indians. A large village of tlu-ee rows was situated on G'its lEmga'lon River, and a great many people were in that viUage, who shouted when the geese were flying over the village. When they shouted, the geese would fall down to the gi-ound and die. They were very healthy, and had a gi'eat chief and cliieftainess, who had an only son, whom they loved much, and all the people of the village loved him much. The prmce was called Brown Eagle. The only kind of food he ate was sahnon-dip ( ?), and everybody m the village knew that he only ate salmon-dip; therefore in summer everybody cut out the sahnon-dips and sent them to the chief's son. They did this for many years, and everybody loved him tenderly. It came to pass, when this prince had grown up to be a young man, that he became sick. He was very ill, and it was not many days before he died. Then all the people mourned for liim. His father ' Notes, p. S60. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 337 and mother mourned rery much for liis sake. After four days had passed, they put his body m a cofFm and placed it on the burial-place, and every mornuig his parents burned salmon-dips on his gi-ave.' After two or three months thej^ buried him. The gi-eat chief called his gi-eat slave, and ordered him to run out and tell his tribe to move away from the old village site; therefore the gi-eat slave ran out and shouted, and said, "Move away from the village site, people!" Therefore the people moved from their old home, for they were ordered to do so by the great cliief, and they built theu- new village. They had been there for two years, and still the parents of the prince were in deep sorrow. One day some young women assembled, and one middle-aged woman was with them. Thej' were going to dig fern roots, and went up to the old village and camped near the burial-place; and while they dug for fern roots, they saw a large com- pany of young men, who had followed them, and who helped the women digging fern roots. Late in the evening the young women told the young men to dig holes and to throw in red-hot stones, on M'hich they were going to cook the fern roots. Therefore the young men dug a large hole in the gi'ound and burned many stones in it ; and when the stones were red-hot, they took the ashes from among the hot stones, placed wet moss over them, and placed the fern roots on top in good order. Then they covered them over with more wet moss. They covered the hole with earth and ashes, which they piled up high. Then they built a large fu'e on top, and the young women prepared supper. Fii'st they served dried salmon with salmon-dips. Then the young men felt very happy; and one very fooUsh youth said, when he found a salmon-dip, "Here! I found a salmon-dip, which was Brown Eagle's best food." Then they all shouted and laughed. "Here, here!" they said; and one of them said, "Let us see if he will not come from his gi-ave when we call him, and we will hft the sabnon-dips and feed him." Then all the young men agreed. One of them took up several sahnon-dips, and said, "Brown Eagle, come down and eat these sahnon-dips, which were your best food whde you lived in years gone by!" Tlien the middle-aged woman stopped them, and said, "Don't speak like that to the dead prince!" but all the 3'oung men repeated it. The young women were all afraid, but the J'oung men lifted theu* voices and shouted, "Come down. Brown Eagle, and eat your best food!" Again the middle-aged woman said, "Don't, don't! It is improper to mock the dead." 1 In olden times it was the custom that when a prince or rich man, or a chiertaine.ss or princess, or some- body who was dear to them, died, they cut the corpse and took out the bowels, stomach, heart, liver, and lungs; and when the body was empty, they put shredded red-cedar bark into it, and they kept the body for a long while. They burned the boweLs, stomach, heart, liver, and lungs immediately after taking them out. Therefore they did this with the prince— Henkt W. Tate. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 22 338 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. A:iN. 31 While they were Lmghing and joking and making merry around the large fire, the middle-aged woman took her two grandchildren and said to them, "Let us hide under the fallen tree yonder, lest misfortune come upon us if we stay with these foolish young people here!" so they crept away and hid under the fallen tree. Before they reached there, they heard a terrible noise proceeding from the old burial-ground, and a dreadful mourning voice, which said, "Let me have it!" Then the old woman took her two grand- children, put them undia- the log, and spread her mats over them. She herself went back to where the young people were. Then all the young men stopped their joyous singing and shouting, and terror came into their hearts. The old woman said, "Now, young men, call him again!" but they were all silent. Behold! the Ghost was coming — the skeleton of Brown Eagle — with arms stretched out in front, and saying, "Let me have it!" His head was just the skull, with dark, empty eye-sockets. The young women were veiy much frightened, and the young men as well. Now some of them ran into the large fire, and were burned there ; and when the doleful sounds of the Ghost were coming nearer, the rest of the young people ran to and fro, feeling full of fear. They all tried to escape, but the Ghost took their breatlis, and at last they all lay dead aromid their large fire. Only the old woman and her two grand- chikh'en were saved out of the many young people. Early the next morning the old woman arose and went to where she had hidden her two grandcliildren. She called them, and went iii'st to the large fii'e. There they saw many dead bodies lying around the fire. Many of them were scorched in the ashes. Tlaen they went down to the new village and told thestoiy to the people. Therefore the parents of all the young people went, and arrived at the place; and they saw the bodies of all the young people lying around the ashes, some of them scorched by the fire. So they all wept over them and carried them down to their new village. The wise men said to the parents of those who were dead, "Call all the shamans, and let us hear what they have to say!" So they called them all into the house where the dead bodies laj', and they put all the bodies in good order. Then all the people of the village came in. When the shamans were working with their supernatural powers, a new shaman said, "Let us have a great war with the Ghost, because the souls of these young people are living in the house of the chief of the Ghosts! Tonight all the Ghosts will assemble in their chief's house. Therefore let us go there before that time. If we do not get them tonight, then all our young people will be dead for good." Therefore all the shamans consented, and before dusk they put on their armor and took their weapons; and they went forth from the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 339 house where the dead were, to go and fight with the Ghosts. They marched up to the burial-ground very quietly, while the attendants kept on singing in the house, beating the skin drums with theii- drumsticks. ^Mien the shamans arrived at the burial-place, the new shaman said, "Now, my dear friends, two of you shall enter at each rear corner, and two at each front corner, of the house of the Ghost chief, and I will shout outside of the house. Then all the rest of our friends shall shake their rattles, and the bones with supernatural power which liang around your necks." Then the four shamans in the house of the Ghosts shall shake theh" rattles and the bones on their neck-rings, and then all of us will enter; and when all the Ghosts run out, each of us will take the soul of one of the young people." After the new shaman had finished his speech, he walked around the grave four times, following the com'se of the sun. He was shouting louder and louder; and when the four shamans in the house of the Ghost heard the shouting outside, they began to shake their rattles and the bones on then- neck-rings, and all the shamans who stood near the grave shook theirs also; and when the Ghosts heard the noise of the bones around the shamans' necks and their rattles, they ran out of the house, but the souls of the young people remamed inside the house of the chief of the Ghosts. Then all the shamans rushed in, and each took the soul of one of these young men who had died the night before, and whose bodies were scorched in the fire. Tlieir souls were about to run out with the Ghosts, for they were really dead. Then the shamans went down to the house where the bodies of the young people were, while the attendants were singing and beatmg the skin di'ums. Then all the shamans came in and did their work. Then the new shaman said, "Now, friends, let us return the souls that we have to the bodies to which they belong!" and each shaman put the soul of a young person into his body, and the young people awoke, like persons who have been asleep. They went to theu' homes, but they were not yet like living beings. Tlierefore their parents paid the shamans agam to take off the ghostly quality from these young people. The shamans worked over them for four days, and then life came back to them. The people said, therefore, that no young people. should go about alone, mthout their parents. That is the end. 57. The Man Who Bound Up His Wrinkles' There was a shaman who lived on a little island outside of Inver- ness, at the mouth of Skcena River. He had a little house on the little island; and he used to make arrows, which he sold among the 1 Notes, p. S60. 340 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axx. 31 tribes. His arrows were very valuable because they were handsome and had pretty feathers. He was a very old man, and there were wi'inkles all over his ugly face. He used to go into the chief's house, and sell his nicely feathered arrows. The old man was known to aU the cluefs and all the people, who bought his arrows. Some time in whiter one of the head chief's daughters was missing, and they could not find her. Every year they missed one or two princesses in everj^ village among the Tsimshian; and they did not know where they had gone, although they would go and search for them among the tribes. Now, when all the princesses were gone, the last princess went with her two maidens into the woods behind her father's house. Before the}^ had gone very far, a good-looking young man came out of the woods and met the princess. His blond hair was tied at the back of his head. He smiled at her, and the princess looked at him and also smiled. He said to her kindly, "What are you going to do, and where are you going?" She replied with her gentle voice, and said, "I am just taking a walk." — "Shall I go with you?" said he. She smiled, and said, "If you like, come." Then the young man walked by her side. He asked the princess to leave her two maidens behind, and to go with him farther on. Therefore the princess said to her two maidens, "Stay here a while until we go a little farther on!" Therefore the two maidens staid there, whdo they went on. They sat down, and the good-looking young man said, "Shall I take you to my father's house?" The princess said, "Yes, if you desire to -do so." They went on their way, and came to the place where his canoe lay. It was a nice Uttle canoe, and there were many good, warm garments in it. "Now, my dear," said the young man, "lie down in the canoe, and I will jmddle along until we reach my home. Then I will wake you up." She did as ho told her, and ho paddled along until evening. There was a thick fog. Then the man called the princess, and she arose and saw the thick fog. She went ashore, and the young man guided her up to the house; and when she went in, she saw a nice little room full of all kinds of expensive garments, abalone ear- rings and everything that is costly. A little later the young man came in and said, "Lie dowai here, my dear! I will bi-ing you to my father's house tomorrow! I must go back to my canoe and tie up the anchor-line." Then the princess made the bed ready and lay down. After a little while the young man came in. The prmcess put her hands around his head and pressed it toward herself. She loved him very much.' On the following raornmg they slept until very late. The princess had her right hand under his head around his neck. When she awoke from her deep sleep, she opened her eyes, and saw an ugly- BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 341 looking old man on hor right side. She rubbed her eyes. Then she recognized hun as the WTinkled old man who always came into her father's house and sold him nice arrows. Then she began to cry. Finally the old man woke up. He saw her weepmg, and asked her, '"Why are you so sad?" — "Oh," said the princess, "I was thuiking of my poor father, who would be missing me!" — "Don't cry so!" said the old man, looking at her ^^^th his ugly face. "You can go back there easily. It is not very far. But lie here a little longer!" She was still crying, but he compelled her to lie do\\ai with him. She obeyed because she was afraid of him, but her heart was full of sorrow on account of her doings. Xot many days had passed when he said to her, "Go with me to that rock yonder! We will gather some nice feathers which I need for my arrows, and then I will take you back to your father's house." On the following day he took down his little canoe. The princess went aboard first with her hand basket, which he had taken along. The old man paddled along toward the grass}^ rock; and when he reached there, he said to her, "Go ashore on that grassy rock!" The princess arose and jumped out of the canoe. Then the old man pushed his canoe off from the grassy rock, and said, "Now, I leave you on that bare rock, and you shall die there, you bad, common woman!" The princess screamed and asked him to take pity on her. She said, "My dear, don't leave me alone on this bare rock!" But the old man said, " Xo, I know that you hate me." The princess rephed, "Xo, I love you very much, my dear husband! Come, take me off from this bare rock! Take pity on me! You shall have my body. I will let you have my father's slaves or his costly coppers. I know you are a good shaman." The bad^ shaman, however, did not listen to the princess, but laughed at her and mocked her. He asked her to do various shame- ful things; and she did so, because she was afraid that he might leave her. In vain she did evorytliiug her husband wanted her to do. She cried very loud; and before the bad shaman \oit the grass}' rock, he shouted to heaven. Then the princess ceased her crying in order to hear what the old man said. He shouted four times. Then he paddled away quickly from the bare rock The princess looked up, and she saw numerous birds coming down from above. She ran to and fro on the bare rock, crying. She went down to the beach, trying to find shelter. She found a small cave near the water and hid in there. Then all the birds of beautiful feather remained sitting on the rock a short time and flew up again to heaven; and when the princess came out again from her hiding- place in the cave, she saw the beautiful feathers of the heavenly 342 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN, 31 birds lying on the rock. She gathered them all, and she also saw bare bones on the rock and hand baskets. Now, the princess knew that tliis bad old man had killed all the princesses who had been lost year after year. She wept again, sitting there all alone. Four daj's passed, and early in the morning she saw a canoe coming down from the little island where the bad shaman lived. Therefore she hid in the rock on the l)each, and she put some seaweed on her head. She heard the. old man sing a canoe-song. He seemed very happy. He reached the place where the princess was in hidmg on the beach, and tied his line firmly around the solid rock. Then he went to the top of the rock. The princess crept out of her hiding-place, went into the canoe, cut the line with her little woman's knife, and pushed the canoe off from the rock with all her might. When the canoe was a little way off, the old ugly man looked back, and he saw his canoe on the water with the young princess in it. Then he said, "Is that .you, my dear wife? I came to take you back to your father's house. Come ashore, and take me with you! Ever since I left you I have not been able to sleep. I have always been thmking of you, my dear wife! Do come asliore and take me!" The princess replied, "No, I will not take you, for you are fooling me, and you intended to kill me. Besides, I saw all the bare bones of the princesses on the bare rock. There you have killed them, 3'ou bad shaman ! I will give your flesh to the birds of the air, and your h&ro bones shall lie on that rock!" Then the old man cried bitterly, and said, "Take pity on me, take pity on me, my good child! Come and take me with you! I won't deceive you." The princess in the canoe, however, said, "I will shout and call down all the birds of heaven and give them your flesh, as you did to my fellow-princesses on this bare rock!" and then she shouted as the old man had done. She shouted four times and paddled away from the rock. When she had gone some distance and looked back, she saw that the heaven-s were darkened by numerous birds. They went dowii to the rock where the old man was and devoured Irini there. She paddled away, and in the evening she arrived at her father's town. She went in and sat do^vn by her mother's side. Her mother looked at her, and said, "Is that you, my daughter?" — "Yes, mother, I am still aUve," said the princess. "Where is my father?" — ^"He was invited by some of his .own people who wanted to comfort him, for ho was in deep sorrow while you were goiie." Then some one ran and told the great chief that his daughter had come home, and all rushed out and assembled in the chief's house, BOiS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 343 and the princess began to tell her story — what had happened to her, how she had been deceived by the old shaman. After she had told her story, she wept. Then she said to her father, "Invite all the cliiefs of all the tribes who lost their daughters." Then the father of the princess sent a messenger to all the tribes, and they all came in at the right time; and after the cliiof had given them to eat, he said, ''The prmcess my daughter was lost a few days ago, and she came back last night. She shall tell you what has become of your lost cliildren." — "They were all killed by the bad shaman who had his house on tlie little island outside of Sliding Mountain. He took me away from my two maidens and transformed hiuLself into a handsome young man to deceive me. When I first met liim m the woods, he told me that he would take me to his father's house. I myself, as well as my two maidens, saw that his hair was blond and tied at the back of his head. He was more beautiful than all the young men, and so I consented to let him take me with him. When we came to his canoe, I saw that it was full of costly garments, and he told me to lie do\vn in it. I did so, and at midnight we arrived at his home. It was foggy when we went to his house. On the follo\ving morning, when I awoke from my sleep, I looked at his face, and saw that it was wrinkled. Then I recognized him, and knew that he had come from time to time to my father's house to sell his beautiful arrows. He told me his name was The Man Wlio Bound Up His Wrmkles At The Back Of His Head. After two or three days had passed, he said to me, 'I will take you to the grassy rock to comfort you, and you will see nice feathers there, and weshallfind beautiful abalone shells.' So he took me to the grassy rock; and when I left the canoe, he took Ms pole and pushed liis canoe from the rock, and told me that he would leave me alone on that bare rock. I screamed and cried from fear, and asked liim to take me to my father, and I did everytliuig ho wanted me to do on that rock. I pleaded with him in vain. He called me a common bad woman, and last of all he sh(iuted to heaven after he had said that he would give my body to the bu'ds of the air. Then he shouted four times, and, behold ! all the birds descended to the rock to devour me ; but I hid under a rock on the beach, and he paddled away with all liis might. Then the whole rock was full of birds. Soon they went up agam, and I walked about the rock. There I saw all the bare bones of human beings, and hand baskets by their sides; and I wept much, for I knew that the bad man had killed all our lost prhicesses. After I had staid four days on the bare rock, I walked about on that rock, and saw a canoe coming dovai from the little island, and I saw that he was commg to gather the beautiful bird feathers. I hid on the beach and put seaweed over my head. He arrived right in front of me, and was singing his merry canoe-song. He came ashore with the 344 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 canoe-line in his hands, and tied it firmly to the rock. When he has- tened to the top of the rock, I cut the line and pushed off the canoe from the rock. lie looked at me, and said that he intended to come and take me home, but I paid no attention to what ho said; and I shouted, as he had done. lie was anxious to stop me, but I shouted four times, and I saw the birds of heaven descend to the rock when I paddled away from it." Thus said the prmcess, and all the chiefs wept. On the f(jllowing morning all the tribes went with the pruicess to go to the grassy rock. Before they reached there, the princess asked them to let her fath?r go first. He went ashore first ; and after he had gathered beautiful feathers, all the other chiefs came ashore. They picked up their daughters' hand baskets, gathered their bare bones, and took them home. On that day there was great mourning on the island by the jjarents of those princesses who had been lost. They saw the bare bones of the bad shanuin there, and every one who passed them threw stones at them. The father of the jirinccss went to the little island and took from the house of The Man Who Bound Up His Wrmkles At The Back Of His Head all kinds of costly garments and all kmds of arrows and feath- ers, and abalonc shells of all kuids ; and when they came home, the chief returned to his fellow-chiefs their children's garments, and he gave them ten beautiful feathers with each garment, and the princess was honored by all the tribes on that day. 58. TuE Brothers Who Visfted the Sky' Three brothers went up the mountains to hunt. They lay downi to sleep, and when they awoke they saw the stars above so near that they could touch them. They found that they were on a flat rock which had arisen liigh above the ground. They had nothing to eat and no water to drink. The eldest one spoke. "What shall we do ? Let us cut ropes from the skins of large mountain goats and climb down to the ground ! " But the youngest one replied, "No, let us wait! Per- haps he who took us up while we were asleep will take us l)ack in our sleep." They followed his advice and lay dowTi to sleep. Suddenly the youngest one heard a voice, saying, ' ' Take a round pebble and hold it in your mouth ! " It was the daughter of the Sun who was speaking thus. He followed her order; and when he awoke on the following morning, he saw his brothers lying there dead. In his dream he had seen that they left him and tried to climl) down to the ground. Since they had not praj-ed, they had perished in the attempt. Then the young man prayed to the Sun, the Moon, and the Stai-s. He put his arrow into the crack of the rock, tied a roj^e to it, and climbed down- He got back safe. 1 Translated from Boas 1, p. 290— Notes, p. 861. boas] tsimshian myths 345 59. Six Hunters ' Six men went out hunting. Tliey kept their provisions in a small hut made of fir twigs. In the evening*, when they came back, they found that a squuTol had stolen them. They became angry, caught the squirrel, and threw it into the fire, so that its tail was burned. Then they lay down to sleep. On the following morning they found them- selves, together with their six dogs, in a deep pit, and luialde to climb out of it. Since they were very hungry, they killed one of their dogs and threw it into the fire to roast it. Suddenly they saw the dog alive on top of the pit. Wlien the men saw this, five jumped into the fire. Only one, the son of a chief, waited patiently for his death. Suddenly he saw the others standing on the rim of the pit, and he asked them to go homo and to request liis friends to help him out. In the evening ho laj- down to sleep. Suddenly he heard a voice, and saw a Mouse, who asked liim to follow her. He arose, and the Mouse led him into a house, in which he found an old woman, the SquiiTcI. She said, "It is fortunate that you did not jump into the fue, else you would be dead. All your companions are dead now. Wlien you wake up in the morning, take the narrow trail that you will see. Do not take the wide one." The following morning, when ho awoke, he found himself in the forest, and saw the l>ones of Ms companions lying on the ground. He took the narrow path, and arrived at home. When he told his adven- tures, the people became angry, and resolved to kill the squirrels. They caught all of them except one female, and killed them. Then the only surviving Squirrel wept, and cried, '"After four days your whole town shall be burned ! " and so it happened. Only the house of the young chief was spared. 60. The Land Otter ^ Wlien a person capsizes, the Land Otter people catch him, and he himself is transformed into a land otter. Once upon a time there was a man who claimed that even if he should capsize, he would never yield to the Land Otters. One day when he was traveling with his sister his canoe capsized. He swam ashoro, and saw a fire, which seemed to move away from him all the time. Ho did not follow it, but started a fire where he had gone ashore. While he was sitting there warming his back, he heard a canoe. He just turned around, and immediately looked back toward the woods. The canoe came ashore, but he did not move. The people came up to his fire. Immediately he got up, went down to the canoe, and thi'ew all the paddles into the fire. Immediatelj' these were trans- ' Translated from Boas 1, p. 304.— Notes, p. 861. • Translated from Boas 1, p. 290.— Notes, p. S62. 346 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY (eth. Ann. 31 formed into minks, which cried pitifully. The jieople disappeared, and their canoe took its true shape. It was an old log of driftwood. After a while the Land Ottoi-s matle another attempt to get hold of the man, but in vain. One evening, while he was seated Ijv the fire, he heard the voice of a woman, saying, "My dear, don't be afraid! I am your friend. Hero I have food for you. Trust me!" Immediately a woman stepped up to him and gave laim fish and seaweed. Although he was verj- hungry, he did not eat. The voice called him by name, and promised to bring him food regularly, saying, "Don't look at me, just look at the dishes! " but he looked straight in her face, and siiouted, "Eat it youi-self, you Land Otter!" The woman continued to ask liim to accept the food, but he did not yield. Every evening he heard her voice.. One day it seemed to him that the voice was like that of his sister who was drowned when his canoe was capsized. Ho questioned her, and she replied, "Yes, I am your sister's ghost." Then he thought, "I ought not to 1)0 afraid of my own sister." and accepted what she offered to him. The food did not d" him any harm. Then he began to hinit seals, which he killed with his club. Nevertheless he contin- ued to be on his guard, for ho was afraid of the Land Otters; and he made up liis mind that if a canoe should arrive, he would fust burn the paddles and knock a hole in the body of the canoe, in order to make sure that the visitors were not Land Otters. Finally, after he had been away for a whole month, a real canoe came and took him home. Thus he was saved. 6L The Deluge' At the end of our ancestors' time the people lived on Skeena River, as I have told in another story, in a place named Prairie Town; and most of the people were clever, good hunters, and brave war- riors. One day some himters left their home and went toward the east. They came to a great lake named Lake Of The Beginning. This was the lake of Skeena River. When the hunters reached there, the waters of the great lake began to rise, and the lake overflowed. The waters ran down the Skeena River, and almost all the villages on the river were swept by the currents. The hunters looked on, and, behold! a great whale' rose to the surface of the lake. The water of the Lake Of The Beginning rose because the great whale came up. It had gills like a fish, and four fuis in a row along the back, like the fin of a killer whale which is near its spouting-hole. When the great whale went down, the waters subsided. The next year two brothers of the same village started and went to the Lake Of The Beginning to get supernatural power. The elder 1 Notes, p. 862. - Hakluia'q. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 347 one went out into the water; and when the water reached above his knees, he went down to the bottom of the great lake. Then the water rose agam as before, and the great whale came out. The younger brother remained on the shore. He saw the waters rishig higher and higher; and the Skeena River was flooded again, for the water of the great lake rose liigher than ever. As soon as the man had gone down, he saw a large house at the bottom of the lake. He entered; and no one was in there, but a large fire was burnuig in the middle of the house, and he liimself sat do^v^l on a mat which was spread by the side of the fire. After he had been sittmg there for a while, the door opened suddenly, and, behold! a flash of lightning came in. This happened four times. Thunder was rollhig four times. It was a terrible thunderclap. After it had thundered four times, it began to hail, and it was terrible hail. Soon after tliis a large Grizzly Bear came out from the carved screen in the middle of the rear of the house. The Grizzly Bear came toward the man who was seated on*the mat by the large fire. The Grizzly Bear stood in front of hun, and said, "Open my back!" Thus spoke the Grizzly Bear to the man. The man did so, and the Bear had become a carved box. Then the Thunderbird came from behuid the carved screen. The Thunderbiid came up to the man, and said to him, "Take me and put me into the box!" The man took it and put it into the gi'izzly-bear box, and the Tiiunderbird became a drum, and the lightning was his red ocher. Then Living Eyes came forth from beliind the carved screen; and after a wliile, behold! a verj- large animal came in at the door, which they call at this time Mouth At Each End. It came toward the man, stood in front of him, and said, "Take me and put me into the box!" A Cuttlefish also came, went toward the man, and said, "Take me and put me into the box!" The man took both of them and put them into the grizzly-bear box. At last the Living Eyes came in. It was the hail. It was a baton. It also went toward the man, and said, "Take me and put me into the box!" The man took it and put it into the carved box. Still no living person was to be seen in the house. Then he started for home; and the live Grizzly Bear said to him, "Your name shall be Mouth At Each End." The man came ashore with the Grizzly Bear walking by his side. The man had been in the depths of the Lake Of The Beginning quite a long while. His brother had been waiting for hmi since the water began to subside, after it had risen and overflowed the banks of Lake Of The Begmnmg. He had been waituig there for twenty days. He was himgi-y, and sat down at the foot of a large spruce tree and died of starvation. Then the martens came and ate him. They ate all the 348 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etu. ann. 31 flesh of his body, and devoured it; and only his bare bones were left where he had been sitting. As soon as his brother, Mouth At Each End, came ashore from the lake, he looked, and, behold! his brother's skeleton was lying there at the foot of a large spruce tree. Then the bi'other who had just come from out of the water cried because he saw his brother's bare bones lymg there. He went toward them and tried to restore him to life. He took up some earth and rubbed it with his hands over the bare bones of his brother, in order to restore tlie flesh. Soon the bare bones became covered with ilesh agam, but they had no skin. Therefore he took a small root to make sinews, and Mouth At Each End danced around the body with his supernatural powers. Then he took up moss and rubbed it over the flesh, and it became skin. Thus he made him alive again ; and he made his brother a shaman, and gave him the name Devoured By The Martens. Mouth At Eacli End caught the martens which had eaten liis brother's flesh, and put the live martens into his brother, and he gave him a vessel of biood t8 be his supernatural power. They went home with the live Grizzly Bear, who walked down with them. As soon as they came to their house, Mouth At Each End was able to cure all kinds of diseases, and he was able to heal per.sons who had died suddenly. Then all the supernatural beings ui the mountams heard that Mouth At Each End had a really great supernatural helper, and tried to kill him. Mouth At Each End, however, knew about it, and was ready to fight with them. As soon as one of the supernatural powers or a shaman came secretly to kill liim, the shaman Mouth At Each End sent his supernatural helpers Mouth At Each End and Cuttlefish, who killed those who tried to murder their master; or, if a shaman came through the water. Mouth At Each End and Cuttlefish would go uito the water and destroy him; or, if a shaman with liis super- natural helpers came overland, the Grizzly Bear would fight him and destroy him ; or, if a supernatural power came up flying through the ah, Thunderbhd and Lightning with Hail would destroy him. Therefore the supernatural beings from all parts of the world could not kiU this shaman, Moutli At Each End. At last two gi-eat shamans came along in their canoe. We caU these hermaphrodites. Two of them were m one canoe. Then Mouth At Each End sent down his supernatural helpers. Mouth At Each End and Cuttlefish, and the two shamans sent up theh super- natural helper, which was Blood. Thus the supernatural helpers of Mouth At Each End were kiUed by the Blood; and both of them died. Mouth At Each End and Cuttlefish, and the shaman Mouth At Each End also died. Only his brother, Devoured By Martens, remained. He sent forth his own supernatural helpers, Blood and Martens, who killed the two BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 349 shamans in the canoe; and he took his brother's grizzly-bear box and the Thimderbii-d drum, Lightning, and Hail. His brother, Mouth At Each End, went home to the bottom of the lake, and Devoured By Martens was left alone. He conquered all the supernatural powers all around. Many j^ears had passed, and there was a great famine m the winter. Then the people of Devoured By Martens came up to him, and said, "You have really supernatural power. Try to get some provisions for us!" So this shaman lay down on one side of the fire, and asked his friends to cover him up with a cedar-bark mat, and he began his supernatural song: Wil q!ala-llal ha°u, wil q!ala-llal ha°n La ma°kla naxno'xsut ndatlaJ q!ala-llam ha°nt.' Every li\'ing fish, every living fish, My supernatural power told me where every lixang fish is now. On the following day all his relatives started. The}- went aboard their canoes and went dowTi the river. They had long boards in then- canoes, and tied four canoes together, putting the long boards across. The shaman lay down on these planks, which were painted red, and covered himself wdth a mat. These four canoes on which the shaman was lying went down fh-st, and many canoes followed. All along the way he repeated the same words, "Every hving fish, every living fish," and they went down the river. The shaman said just this one phrase, "Everj" living fish, every living fish." He was teUing his people where every living fish was, pointing with his finger down river, until they came down to the mouth of Skeena River. Then the shaman said, "Way out at sea." The}- paddled along, and soon they came near Stephens Island, where there is a good place for camping on a sandy shore. The shaman said, "This is the place that my supernatural helper has pointed out to me." They all camped on the sandy shore: and the shaman said to his people, "Go and bruig down crooked branches of red and yellow cedar." His people went and fetched crooked branches. Moreover, the shaman said, "Make hooks out of them," and they did so. They obeyed the shaman. "Let the women make fishing-lines out of red- cedar bark," and the women made fisliing-lmes. They measured off sixty fathoms for each fishing-hne. Moreover, he said to them, "Go, ye women, and brmg do^\Ti thin spruce roots and spHt them!" They did as the shaman had said. Then the shaman also said to the men, "Go down when the tide is very low. Then you will find a kind of fish under the rocks, with eight legs and a round head, with ^ It is not quite certain from Mr. Tate's MS. whether these are the words sung, or a speech made by the shaman. It seems probaljle, however that the words are those of the song. — F. B. 350 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 eyes on the neck. Bring it up and tie it to your wooden hooks for bait." The men did as the shaman had tokl them. After thej' had done so, the shaman told them to hiunch their canoes to go out fishmg, so they went. The shaman was standing on the beach, and dii-cctcd them. The shaman wore all the clothes of his supernatural helper. Devoured By Martens put on a bear skin for a garment, lie had on his dancing-apron and his crown of bear claws. lie painted his face red mixed with charcoal. lie had a rattle in each hand, and eagle down scattered all over his body. Then the shaman said again, "Every living fish, every living fish;" and his people had to repeat what he said, "Every living fish, every hvmg fish!" The shaman repeated this three or four times. Then they (the peopltO went, and th(^ shaman remained standing there on the beach, pointilig in the dnection toward which they were to go. Ho said, "Go a little farther to the open sea, and you will find them." They went on, and the shaman was still standing on the beach. Then he said, "Pull up your fishhig-hnes!" Thej' hauled up tlieu- fines, and all the hooks were fidl of halibut. The people were afraid of them because they were new to them. Fhially a shaman told the people to take the hahbut into theh" canoes. They took them ashore and cooked them, and Devoured By Martens was the first to eat of them. His supernatural helper told him that, halibut is good food. So the starving people obtained the hahbut. Now, they were all satisfied, for they had every living fish, as the supernatural power had told Devoured By Martens. This is the first time tliat the people of Skeena River reached the sea, and the fu-st tune that tliey learned how to catch hahbut at the bottom of the sea. They built a new villager there, and did not return up Skeena River. This is Devoured By Martens' dancing-song: 1. Wola lia, a wila ha, o o, wila ha haa. Hiyu wila lia, o o, wala ha Dedi tsal ua-nExno'xsie uJ sil-hahalai'de. 2. Wi-tsamtH hi! lax-ha', ye, lat ts!ElEm-ga'°t Wi-spA-uExno'x tslEm-si'-tla", ya. 1. My supernatural being will devour other shamans (?). 2. There was great lightning in the air, when the great supernatural being took me into the Lake Of The Beginning. 62. The Cannibal ^ (This is a great story of which the people were much afraid. They had four dances, which were very curious and important, — the Can- nibal, who ate dead persons; the Dog Eater, who ate live dogs; the Destroyers, who broke up houses, canoes, and boxes; and those who ' Notes, p. 863. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 351 threw hot ashes over the heads of the people. They say that the gi-oat supernatural beings from the mountains took some one and taught him how to act.) There was a young prnice in a village of the G'it-q !a'°da whose name was Gather On The Water. One winter, when the tune had come for liis dance, his father called the companies of Cannibals to let his son join them. Therefore one day these people took the young man, took hun around the village, knocked at every house, and, after they had been to every house, all the men shouted, and said that this young man had gone up into the au' or that the supernatural power had taken hhn away to his home hi the mountains. They deceived many common people. These dancers were chiefs and princesses, and all the head men, old and young. They took this young man anel placed hun in the trunk of a large tree secretly. They put a long ladder against the tree and sent the young man up. He went up the tree and entered a small hut. Then they took the ladder away from the tree, uitendmg to come back at the end of ten days. The young man staid on the tree; and the first night when he was there, some one came up to his hut, and asked liim, "What are you dohig in there, young man?" He replied, "I am a dancer." Then the visitor laughed at hun, and said, "That is not the way of yom- dance for the dancer to stay on a tree. W^ait until I come again! I will show you the ways of a true dancer." So he went away. After he had been away a short time, he came back with a dead child; and he said to the young man who hved in the hut on the tree, "Now open your mouth and eat this dead chUd!" The young man was afraid. The person who held the dead child in his arms said again, "If you don't do it, I will eat you right here!" Therefore the young man opened his mouth and swallowed the dead child's body whole. The supernatural behig asked him, "Do you feel satisfied now?" The young man replied, "No, I do not feel that I ate anything." — "Now come with me," said the supernatural being. They flew down to the village, and the supernatural being said to hun, "Now shout and catch one of the people!" Then he shouted, "Hop, hop!" caught one of the young men, and ate him as a cat eats a mouse. Thus he did to the young men; and he acted hke the supernatural being, wliicli was glad to see that he had eaten a whole man. Then they went back to the tree; and the super- natural being said to him, "Whenever you feel hungry, take a person and eat liim in front of the village." Then the being went away. The people in the village always heard a terrible whistle on the tree behind the village, and everybody noticed that before he came down he shouted twice, and then he would fly down and kill some one in front of the village, and everybody was afraid of him. His 352 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii, ann. 31 fame spread all over the clilFerent villages, and all the Cannibals gath- ered and tried to kill him. All these companies of dancers gathered in one house; and they prepared a mixture of poisonous herbs, urine, and other bad things, and they began to sing. While they were singing, they heard a cry from the tree. Then they heard a noise on the roof of the house in which they were. He was coming right down into the house where they were assembled, and caught a person in the house. Then they threw the mixture over him and caught him. They were pouring the mixture into his mouth, and they made a heavy ring of red-cedar bark mixed with white for him, and they gave him a large grizzly- bear skin to be his garment, and they put a red band of red-cedar bark on each leg, and rings of red-cedar bark on each hand; and everybody was glad because they had tied him hand and foot. Wliile he was sleeping, a terrible whistling was heard in his hair, although there was nobody with him. They watched over him for four nights. Then they did not give him any more medicine, and they all went to sleep. Now the great Cannibal threw off all his cedar-bark ties around his neck, and the large grizzly-bear skin, and the cedar-bark bands that were on his feet and on his hands. Then he shouted and caught one of the men who was holding his foot- bands of red-cedar bark, and he ate him right there. Then he flew up to his house on the tree, and the noise of the whistles struck terror to those in the houses. He came down twice every day to catch people, and he ate them, and he went everywhere to devour people. Then the chief said, "Let all the people of the village move tomor- row!" On the following morning they moved, leaving the young man behind; and he flew to every place, caught people, and devoured them. Once he flew away, and alighted on a very high mountain on Nass River. Then he ran down, and saw a fish lying on a sandbar at low water. He started a little fire at the foot of a large tree, gathered some fuel, and roasted the fish by the fire. Then a super- natural being came to him, and asked him, "Wliat ai-e you doing here?" He replied, "I am roasting fish." The supernatural being said, "This fish is not fit for you to eat. Are you not ashamed of youi"self? Is that the way of dancers? Fly away to yonder place on the large tree!" Then he flew back to his own place. He continued to eat live people as well as the bodies of the dead, and all the villages were in great distress on account of him. They held a council in order to determine how to catch him. They made a large trap of wood; and in the night, after they had finished the trap, the companies of dancers assembled. They sang and beat time on their wooden drums, and beat with sticks on planks. He came UOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 353 down from the roof riglit iiito the house, and the trap shut and he was caught there. Then they all went to hmi, caught hkn, and threw the medicine over him, and they invited all the companies of their village and all the various companies assembled at the appointed time. They brought slaves to feed the dancers; and as they all came there, the dancer came forth and they gave slaves to him. He ate them all. Now his stomach was full of the flesh of many slaves, and he was satisfied. Then they put a large grizzly-bear skin on him, and a large ring of red-cedar bark on his neck and one on his head, and red-cedar bark rings on his hands and on his feet; and at the end of four days, in the morning, they beat a wooden drum and beat their sticks on the planks with thundermg noise to drive away his supernatural power; and he went out alone, walking down to the beach; and at low water he sat down on a large round rock, his face toward the village, and everybody came out to see him. Then the tide rose, and the rock on which he was seated was floating on the water; and when the tide went out, the rock grounded at the same place where it had been before. When the sun set, he walked up to the house where all the people were assembled. As soon as he came in, they all ran up to him. They took a heavy pole, threw him on the ground, and put his neck under the pole, trying to kill him; but the supernatural power came and helped him and delivered him from theu- hands. He escaped, and he would always come down to the village; but he did not take so many people as he had done before. He just killed some one, but did not eat him. Many years passed, and he still lived on the tree. After two generations had passed, his voice ceased. That is the end. G.3. Origin of the Cannibals ' Once upon a time there was a mountam-goat hunter. 'WTiile he was huntmg he met a wliite bear, which he pursued. Finally he came near enough to shoot, and he hit it. The bear, however, ran on, and fuially disappeared in a steep rock. After a short time a man came out of the mountain, approached the hunter, and called him in. He followed, and found that there was a large house in the moimtain. Tlie person who had called him asked him to sit dowai on the right- hand side of the house. Then the hunter saw four companies of people m the house, and saw what they were domg. In one corner were the Me'°la; in the second corner, the No'Ieih, who ate dogs; in a third corner, the Wl-halai'd, the Cannibals; and m the fourth one, the SEm-lialai'd. The first group and the last group were very much afraid of the other two. The hunter staid in the house for three davs, as he thought, but m reality he had been away for three years. Then I Translated from Boas 1, p. 304.— Notes, p. S63. 50(i33°— 31 ETH— IG 23 354 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. akx. 31 the supernatural being sent him back, and ordered him to imitate all that he had seen in the mountain. The White Bear took tlie hunter back to his home, and put him down on the top of a tree. There the people saw him. He shd down the tree on his back, attacked a man, and devoured him. Then he attacked another one, tore him to pieces, and ate him; and thus he killed many people. Finally the tribe succeeded in overpowermg him, and they cured him by means of medicine. Wlien ho had quite recovered his senses, he taught them the dances of the four companies that he had seen in the mountain, and since that time the people have had the Cannibal dance and the Dog Eaters' dance. 64. Story of the Wolf Clan' The Wolf Clan originated in ^Vlaska. Tlie Tahltan of the upper Stikine River had a great war. Two chiefs, Gus-xg"ain and Lagunus, were killed. Then their nephews and six brothers belonging to the Wolf Clan fled from their enemies. Two of tliem went across the mountains to Nass River, while four went down Stikine River by canoe. The four brothers who went down the river arrived at a place where a large glacier obstructed the valley, and where the river ran tlirough under the ice. Then they sang a mourning-song and entered the ice cave expecting to be drowned. They passed through safety and went right down the river. Before evening they arrived at the mouth of the river, and saw the smoke of a village. They were afraid that the people might kill them: therefore they camped there, waiting for the night to come. The villagers, however, had watch- men stationed on the river, who had seen the canoe coming down: therefore they sent their Avarriors in two canoes to fight the four brothers. Those, however, spoke kindly to them, and tliey were invited into the chief's house. There they told the chief that they were fleeing from tlieir enemies; and when they said that they be- longed to the Wolf Clan and gave the names of their uncles, the chief of the Stikine said that he wanted to take that name: there- fore he gave a great feast and took the name Gus-xg'ain. Later on a war broke out among the Stikine people, and some of the Tahltan brothers fled to Tongass, where they settled. . After some time liad elapsed, another war broke out, and one of them fled to the Tsimsliian: therefore there are not many people of the Wolf Clan among the Tsimshian. The two brothers who had crossed the mountains to Nass River found the people encamped above Portland Canal. The chief of the ^This story of the origin of the Wolf Clan was obtained after all the preceding matter was in type. It belongs to the group of stories 51-53 (pp. 297 et «<}.). It is the last story written by Mr. Tate before his deal h.— Notes, p. 863. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 355 Nass tribe took them into his house and asked them where they came from and where they were going. The two brothers told him that thoy had fled because their two uncles had been slain. They told liim, furthermore, that thev" belonged to the Wolf Clan. Then the Nass chief claimed them as his relatives. He made a great feast and took the name Gus-xg'ain. He took the two young men to be his nephews. Supplement: Three ^YAR Tales (1) FIGHTS between THE GI-SPA-X-LA'°TS AND THE GIT-I)zi'''S In the great tales of the olden times some very sad things occurred, and some that were funny. There were two tribes — the Gi-spa-x-la'°ts and the Git-dzl'^s — and these tribes were very expert warriors. In olden times it was custom- ary for a great chief to take a princess fnim each tribe to be his wife. Some had as many as sixteen or eighteen wives. So it was with Chief Dzeba'sa. He had many wives. His first wife's name was Gan-dE-ma'xl, a princess of the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts; and liis second vnie was called Xdze°dz-yu-wa-xsa'ntk. She was a G"it- dzi'°s princess. He had manj^ other wives besides these, but the names of these two great women were perpetuated through all gener- ations. Gan-dE-ma'xl was seated at the right-hand side of Dzeba'sa; and the other one, Ndze°dz-yu-wa-xsa'ntk, was seated at his left-hand side; and many women were at the side of Gan-dE-ma'xl; and so it was with the other princess, Xdze^dz-yu-wa-xsa'ntk. The first wife of Chief Dzeba'sa had three children. Her eldest son's name was Hats !Eks-n!e'°x; the second son's name was Xbl-ye'lk; and her daughters' names were Xes-pdl'°ks, Wl-n!e'°x, Lu-xsmaks. The eldest son of Dzeba'sa's second ■wife was Gaina; her second son was Gagayam n!e'°x; her third son, Gauga'"!; and her youngest son, Wi-g\\"ina'°t; and they had one daughter, whose names were BElham n!e'°x (Abalone Fin), Wa-naga, and Dzl'ek. When these children were grown up to be men and women, the old chief Xes-balas of the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts ched; and the elder son of Dzeba'sa's first wife, Gan-dE-ma'xl, succeeded Ms great old grand- father, whose name was Nes-balas. Before he became the new chief of the G'i-sjm-x-]a'°ts, las father made him great among liis fellow- chiefs as well as among aU his brothers and sisters of his house. Therefore aU the tribes of the Tsimshian honored him, and his name was famous all along the coast. Then when his own tribe took him, they held all kinds of dances and gave man}- feasts every year. He was greatly honored by the Tsimshian. He had many costly coppers, many slaves, and many large canoes from different tribes, expensive garments, dance-garments, garments made of sea otter, black fox, 356 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 marten, and wolverene; and his wife had many kinds of provisions. His owTi brother, Xbi-ye'lk, still loved him. The eldest son of Dzeba'sa's second vcUe succeeded to his uncle's name, Txa-dzi'°kik; and before he went to his own tribe his father the great chief made dances in his honor, but two less than for his eldest son, because the great chief said that he was his second son. Therefore the young man was angry with his father; so he left his father and went to his own tribe, who gladly received him. He invited his own brave men to his house, and he said to them, "I want to let you know what is in my mind. I will slay Nes-balas becaase he is highly honored bj- sill the Tsimshian tribes; and my father the gi'eat chief also honors and loves him most. He called me his second son." Then aU the people were silent; and one of the mse men said, "No, if you slay him, then all the tribes ■will be against us, and our tribe vn]l be destroyed in war," and all the brave men said the same. Nevertheless tliis young man was not friendly to his brother. There- fore he made a great feast, to which ho in%ated all the Tsimshian tribes; and he said to all his guests that he would be the first to be called at every chief's great feast; and he gave away many costly coppers, slaves, canoes, elk sldns, and all kinds of property. After he had given this great feast in midwinter, his great father made a greater feast, and invited all the tribes, also the ne^hbors of the Tsimshian; and he gave away nmch property, expensive coppers, large canoes, slaves, elk skins, a great number of oU-boxes, pairs of abalone ear-ornaments, and a great many horn spoons; and the great chief announced that his name should be the first to be called in the chief's feasts; and he took one of his expensive coppers, and some one lifted Nes-balas, and they took the copper from him and placed it l)efore him. Then his younger brother, Chief Txa-dzl'°kik, ran out during the feast, where all the chiefs of the TsimsMan and of the other tribes were assembled. These were the Git!ama't, G'it-la'°p, and the Bellabella tribes and others. When they had all received their presents from the great chief Dze])a'sa, every chief of the tribe was glad to have his valuable presents. Only one chief, Txa-dzi'°kik, had run out full of wrath. His people took Ms canoe, and they went back to his own house. Now they were ready to fight with his elder brother. Therefore, when all the tribes were returning to their own homes, Txa-dzl'°kik sent his two caiioes full of warriors, and lay in wait at a little bay on the way; and while the other canoes were passing by, these two large canoes lay hiding in the little bay. After all the other canoes had passed, and they had waited for a long time, at last two large canoes loaded with all kinds of property came along slowly. The people were BOAS] TSIMSHIAX MYTHS 357 singiiig as they were coming along. At that time a chief -vroulcl ahvays be ready to put on his armor. The chief was seated on a bux in the center of his large canoe, and he was looking all around; and as soon as he saw the two canoes coming toward them, Nes-balas took up his bow and arrow. When he saw his brother standing in one of the large canoes, he asked him, ""What do 3'ou mean that jou are coming against me?" Txa-dzi'°kik answered, "I come against you in order to Mil you right here." — "For what reason ?" — "Because my father has honored you more than me, therefore I wih slay you." As he was saying this, Nes-balas shot his arrow, and the arrow entered Txa-dzl'°kik's left eye, so that he fell back in his canoe; and Jill Xes-balas's warriors cUd their best shooting the waniors of Txa- dzi'"kik. The people in one of the latter's large canoes were all killed, and many of his men were wounded. One of Nes-balas's first •ft-iyes was killed. Txa-dzi'°kLk's men fled. This was the beginning of the war between these two brothers, the sons of one man. One year after the fight, on their way home, Txa-dzi'°kik died, and his 3-ounger brother, Gaini,, succeeded him and took his name. He inyited all the chiefs of all the tribes, and he made a great feast in order to make himself great; but the Tsimshian chiefs would not come to his great feast because he had not invited Nes-balas first. Therefore all the Tsimshian chiefs were not present at this great feast. This made him eyen nKjre sad; for the chiefs of all the Tsi m shian tribes loved Nes-balas more than him, because Nes-balas used to give great feasts and was very kind to aU Ms fellow-cMefs and to every- body. Therefore they lovetl Mm. They said that he was a real prince because he loved the poor and honored his fellow-cMefs. Every day some of the hunters of the TsimsMan tribes would bring him fresh meat, and in return the cMef gave them valuable garments. He was also often invited by the cMefs of the various tribes. There- fore he was much favored in the eyes of all the people. One day a canoe arrived in front of Nes-balas's village with a message from Txa-dzi'°Mkj who invited Nes-balas. The latter sent out one of Ms warriors to say that he would not go to their master's feast unless he would send to every TsimsMan tribe and strew feathers on every cMcf's head. Therefore Txa-dzi'°kik's men went and told their master what CMef Nes-balas had said. They went back and told Mm what Ms elder brother had said. Then Txa- dzi'°kik said that he would kill Mm. So they set out secretly at night to ambush Mm. At rmdmght they arrived at the village. The same night hunters who had been out in two canoes were in Nes-balas's house; and late at night, while those who were waiting to kiU the cMef were at the foot of the ladder leading ud to the cMef's 358 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 house, the hunters caught them. They took hold of the young man, Chief Txa-dzr°kik. They asked the new chief what he was doing there, and he told them that he intended to slay the great Nes-balas. Therefore they took him into the house of their chief, and they told Nes-balas what he had said. Then the great chief told them to take the men outside and to bring in their heads. The huntei"s obeyed. They slew them outside and brought in their heads. Then they put each body on a pole, and hung their heads in the smoke hole. They took their canoe and put it up stern dowTiward. Then all the tribes learned that the men who sought the life of the great chief Nes-balas had been killed, and war broke out between them. The G"i-spa-x-la'°ts killed the three brothers, Gagayam n !e'°x, Gaina', and Gauga'"!. Only one boy remained alive. His name was 'Wi-gwina'°t. At this time the great chief Dzeba'sa had died in his old age, and Gan-dE-ma'xl also died, and Dzeba'sa's nephew succeeded to his place. Nes-balas's sister took her mother's name, Gan-dE-ma'xl, and the youngest brother of the thi'ee jirinces that were slain suc- ceeded Txa-dzl'°kik. Then Chief Nes-balas made a great feast for the chiefs of all the Tsin^shian tribes, and announced that his sister would take her mother's name. She was a great dancer, and had a new song. These are the words of her song: Good weather is following a hard frost, heavy rains and storms. This meant that they would not have any more fighting between the brothers; and they invited all the noble women; and the mother of the three brothers who had been killed was present at the feast. She heard the words of the song, and took a little comfort because she knew now that her last son would not be slain. After some time the young chief went with four companions in his canoe to hunt ducks around the Island of Metlakahtla. This young man was Txa-dzi'°ldk. He intended to Idll Nes-balas; but he could not do it, because Nes-balas had n^any friends who watched over him and protected him. The boy's heart was not right toward him. After a while Nes-balas became sick, and it was not many days before he died. Then all the Tsinxshian tribes lamented, but the tribe of Txa-dzl'°kik was happy. Their young chief invited the young men to have a game in his house every night, and they had a good time, shouting and laughing because the great chief Nes-balas had died. Many days had passed after the mourning of the tribes. The younger brother of Nes-balas, Xbi-ye'lk, succeeded to his place. He also took the name Nes-balas, gave a great feast, and invited all the chiefs of every tribe. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 359 Before all the chiefs had come to his feast, some one told the new chief Nes-balas that Txa-dzr°kik's tribe were making merry in his house, and that they were full of joy every night, and that they mocked the great chief Nes-balas; and all the wise men of Nes-balas assembled, and decided to kill the young chief while they were feasting. Others, however, said that they would kill him after the feast, in order to avoid an uproar if this should be done while all the people were assembled at the feast. Therefore they waited until the feast was over. The new chief Nes-balas was kind, like his elder brother, and soon all the chiefs were very friendly toward him. The day after the feast, when all the chiefs had gone home, a large canoe was seen passing through the Straits of Metlakahtla. The people in the canoe were singing, and stopped in front of Nes-balas's village in order to invite him to Txa-dzl'°kik's house. Then the whole tribe of the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts went. Txa-dzi'°kik mocked the new chief when he was coming to the feast. After this feast to Nes-balas and his people, the chief Gul-qa'q of the G'itlanda' invited Txa-dzfkik and also Nes-balas to his house. Nes-balas came as soon as he could, and they waited a long while. Then Nes-balas said to his nephew, "I will go home," and they went out just when Txa-dzl'°kik's canoe was coming. Nes-balas's people were going back, and they met near Ghost Island (Lax-ha-l!i- t!a' bsba'lx); and Txa-dzi'°kik's men said to Nes-balas, "Did you come against us, you coward chief?" and not a word was said by Nes-balas's men. They went away laughing. Then Nes-balas's warriors took six canoes and went back the same night to lie in wait for Txa-dzi'°kik near Ghost Island. When it was nearly mid- night and the moon was shining, a canoe-song was heard proceeding from the village of Gul-qa'q, and some words in their song were "coward chief; " and as they passed the place where the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts were waiting, Chief Txa-dzi'°kik lacing seated on a large box in his canoe, one of Nes-balas's warriors shot him through the temple, and he fell back into the water. Then the six canoes pursued them on the way back to their home. Nes-balas's men cut off the head of Txa- dzi'°kik, and they hung his body on a tree. On the following morning a great number of canoes of Txa-dzi'°kik's tribe came to make war, because their master's head was in Nes-balas's house; and there was a great battle on that day between the tribes of these two brothers, and Txa-dzi'°kik's people were driven to flight that day. There was a great slaughter of Txa-dzi'°kik's men. Txa-dzl'°kik's old mother was weeping, walking along the street; and she said, "My son, my only son left to me, made a mistake, for they said in their song that good weather would follow the dark 360 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 storm-clouds;" and as she was weeping bitterly, she died of a broken heart, because her three sons had been slain, and her last son's head was in the house of Nes-balas. Many years passed, and the two chiefs still hated each other. Many chiefs who had these two names did the same; but I do not want to talk too long. I will make it short. Now, this will be the last dreadful war. The new Dzeba'sa had five sons and three daughters. The eldest son was Hats teks-n !e'°x ; the second, Wowo'lk; the third, BElha'; the fourth, Xbi-ye'lk; the fifth, Hais. The girls' names were as follows: the eldest was Maxs; the second, Wi-n!e'°x; the tliird, Pda'lEm ha'yetsk. These princes and princesses were honored by all the tribes of the Tsimshian. There were other princes and a princess, the children of Chief Sa°ks ' and of his wife Ndze°dz-ha'utk, the sister of Ndze°dz-yu-wa- xsa'ntk. She had three soils and one daughter. The name of her eldest son was Ilaimas; the seccmd, Wi-ha'°; the third, Wi-gwina'°t; and the name of her daughter was Dzagam-txa-n!e'°x. They were of the same rank as Dzeba'sa's children, and IIats!Eks-n!e"'x suc- ceeded to Nes-balas; and Haimas succeeded Txa-dzl'°kik, but ho did not take his name, because his head was in the house of another clan. Therefore his father gave him the name Haimas. He assembled all the members of the Raven Clan from all the Tsimshian tribes while his father the great chief Sa'^ks was still alive, and they settled on the island Lax-gaya'un, and they gave the name "WutslEua'luk to the new village which was given to him by Ms father. There are many wonderful stories about this chief Haimas, but I will make it short. All the people of Wuts !En-a'luk were very brave — men, women, and children — for their chiefs were very brave men; so they taught their people to be brave, as they themselves were. So it was with Nes-balas and all his brothers. His people were also brave, and they continued to hate one another. Haimas tried to beat Nes-balas in every way and to be above him; but he could not succeed, because Nes-balas was very kind to all the Tsim- shian tribes, and they loved hina much. Nes-balas had manyslaves, — men, women, and children, — costly coppers, and elk sMns, and aU kinds of expensive garments. He had many wives. He had also many brave warriors. Haimas was married to a young woman, the elder daughter of Nes-y!aga-ne't, the niece of Nes-balas; and the elder daughter of Maxs, the sister of Nes-balas. Haimas loved this princess, his wife, very much, but he continued to hate his wife's uncle. Haimas had many slaves, — men, women, and cliildren, — expensive coppei-s, large ^ A G^ispawadwE'da. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 8()1 canoes, and many expensive garments, and also expensive things. He had many hirge boxes full of war-knives with handles inlaid ^\'ith abalone shell and handles carved with crests ; and he always went to the Tlingit country to make war, and he took many captives and destroyed a great amount of property of cUfferent tribes all around the Tsim- sliians. His fame was spread all over the country round about; and his heart was proud, because he always vanquished all liis enemies. Yet he clung to his purpose to take revenge on the enemy of his dead relatives. One time, when the people were ready to move to Nass River, Nes-balas moved first, according to their old custom. He had two large canoes loaded ^\ith all kinds of provisioas, and many men slaves. The great chief took a good-sized canoe. Four wamors accompanied him, and six slaves paddled. They camped at a cer- tain camping-ground, and buUt a special house for the chief's camp. They put up his large beam which they carried in the large canoe, put boards against it, and covered them with red-cedar bark. xVfter the house was finished, he invited the chiefs, and they came to his camp. Haimas and all the people camped a little behind Nes-balas's camp; and the latter sent a message to him to invite him and all his people. They came as soon as possible; and when they were all in, Haimas looked around, and noticed how large the beam of Nes-balas's camp was, and he was envious when he saw it. After this they went up to Nass River. Haimas's canoe was faster than Nes-balas's canoe, and he camped first at K-numa's. His men put up his camping-hut; and when Nes-balas arrived, Haimas sent his men to invite him as well as all the other tribes. Nes-balas looked around in Haimas's house, and he saw that the beam was tliicker than his own beam. After Haimas had danced his welcome dance, the food was served; and Nes-balas's slaves built their mas- ter's camping-hut, and Nes-balas's beam was longer than Haimas's. On the following morning Haimas moved, for he was ashamed because his beam was shorter than Nes-balas's beam. Nes-balas moved on the same day. His men took down the long beam and put it on top of the load in the canoe. Haimas took down liis beam and put it on tojj of the load in his large canoe; and as soon as they started out to sea, the heavy timber rolled down on one side of the canoe, and the canoe capsized, and Chief Haimas's wives were almost ilrowned. Then Haimas was much ashamed because Nes-balas had seen how his canoe was capsized by his own beam. Nes-balas next camped at K-wams. There he had his men cut down a thick tall yoimg spruce tree to build his camping-house. They ]nit on the boards and the bark roof, and on the following morning he n^oved. He left his new green spruce beam. Soon Chief Haimas arrived at the same place. They took his boards up 362 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 first and tried to put them across the place, but they were entirely too short. Then he thought that he would kill Nes-balas during the fishing- season; and when all the people had arrived at Nass River, and while during the fishing-season they were using their fish rakes to catch fi.sh, Haimas's sister, Dzagam-txa-n!e'°x, was very ill. She was a beautiful woman, and one of the TlLngit chiefs hiul married her. She had left liirn because he had many wives, and they had bewitched her. Therefore her digestion was disturbed. Therefore Haimas put her alone in one place. In the night four men who had been out in a canoe came secretly and looked thi'ough a knot-hole; and they saw that Dzagam-txa-n!e'°x's bowels were cUsturbed, and the young men were laughing. They went away secretly in their canoe, went among those who were raking in fish; and whUe they were there one of them said, "Oh, Dzagam-txa-n!e"'x's bowels are disturbed!" So aU those who were raking fish shouted, "Oh^ Dza£ram-txa-n!e'°x's bowels are disturbed!" Then the j)roud chief was very much ashamed. He wanted to find out who had started to mock his sister, Dzagam-txa-n!e'°x. They said that Nes-balas's people had done so. Therefore he invited his whole tribe — men, women, and children. He made a very large fire; and he said to his attendants, "Dress my sister nicely. Take my best danchig-blanket and my costly headdress set with abalone sheUs!" and all his attendants did what he had said. Then he said, "Now take one of my good wide boards and let her sit on it!" and his attendants did as he had asked them to do. They took the plank on which the princess was sitting, and burned her ahve in the large fire. Then he said, "Nobody shall weep for her." And when the princess was consumed, he s])at into the fire, and said, "As I destroyed my poor sister, thus I will destroy Nes-balas and all his warriors and all his brothers." Then all his people agreed. On the following day they dug a long wide deep ditch inside the door of his house, right across it; and when they had fuiished the ditch, they sent a messenger to Nes-balas and to his warriors and all the princes. Before it was dark, in the evening, Nes-balas came with all his people and his brothers and the prmces of his tribe. They arrived in front of Haimas's large square house; and before they came ashore, the people of WutsiEn-a'luk went forth and had a dance on the seashore. Each of the warriors of the Wuts!En-a'luk had a war- knife in his right hand. After they had danced a while, they called them ashore; and the brother-hi-law of Nes-wa-ma'k, the second chief of the G-i-spa-x-ia.'°ts, came down and called this man to his own house, in order to jirotect him agamst harm. The people in the house were singing, beatmg drums, blowmg whistles, and there was an uproar in the chief's house. Two grizzly- BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 363 bear skins were hung up at the door — one outside, and the other one inside. Two of Haimas's warriors stood outside of the door, and two others inside. The two men outside would lift the grizzly-bear skm, and those who stood inside had each a war-club in his hand ; and when the great chief Nes-balas came in first, these two men who hfted the grizzly-bear skin outside shouted, "Now the great chief goes in!" Then, as he went in, they dropped the grizzly-bear skin behind him, and those who stood inside lifted the other skhi which was hung up inside; and as the great chief's head passed through the door, they clubbed him, killed him, and threw his body into the deep ditch which they had jjrejiared. Tliis was done to all the princes and warriors; and when the ditch was full of dead bodies of Nes-balas and his princes and his warriors, the last man, whose name was Gik, heard groans through the uproar that was in the house. He ran away, and arrived among Gul-qa'q's remaining people. They took their canoe and went to Nes-balas's peo])le to bring the news. He said that he had come from Haimas's feast, that he had shut the door of his f easting-house, and that he had destroyed all the chief's prmces and warriors. He said, "I am the only one who has escaped." Therefore aU the tribes assembled — the G'i-spa-x-h\'°ts, G'itlanda', G"id-wail-ksE-ba'°, and the G"i-lu-dza'r. And they went against the Wuts !En-a'luk, and there was a great battle on that day; but the people from up the river fled before the tribe of Wuts!En-a'luk, because no warrior was left among them, and they had no chief to command them in battle. Few of the Wuts ten-a'luk were killed, but many of the peojjle from up river were slain, and many were wounded. The battle raged for many days. Then all the people of the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts were in mourning because they had no chief, only Nes-wa-ma'k. Nobody would go to liim, because he had not rescued any of Nes-balas's family. Therefore the G'i-spa-x-l^'°ts would not go to him. Three days after the battle Chief Ilaimas came with four large canoes loaded with his warriors. They stopped in front of Nes-balas's fishing-camp, singing in their canoes, and hapjiy because they had gained a great \nctory over their enemies. Therefore they mocked them; and as they arrived in front of Nes-balas's camp, they stopped there; and one of Haimas's men said, "Who will come to my great clrief, Cliief Ilaimas, for he has won a great victory over his ances- tors' enemy ? Who will stand up against him ? All the tribes that made war against him are his slaves and in his power." Then one of Nes-balas's nephews, the eldest son of Wi-n!e'°x, the chief wife of the new Dzeba'sa, the boy named Hats!Eks-n!e'"x, who was about ten years of age, was lifted up by one of Nes-balas's war- riors, and said, "I shall stand up against Haimas. Don't speak proudly before me!" Then Haimas laughed at the little boy, and his 364 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 men took ten of the late Nes-balas's people who were captured in the battle a few days before, and cut off their heads right before the ene- mies' eyes. Then they tlu"ew them into the water. Therefore Ilaimas's people were shouting; and Hairaas took one of his costly coppers and threw it on the water, shouting, "Now, child, come, and let us throw away valuable coppers!" Then all the Tsimshian tribes assembled at tliis place to see who would win. Therefore the remaining G'i-spa-x-lS,'°ts shouted, and one strong man represented the young prince. He took down a very large expensive copper and threw it down on the beach, and said, "It costs four small Tlingit coppers." Then the people in the canoe shouted, and Ilaimas took a copper much larger than that of Prince Hats !Eks-n!e'°x. He threw it on the water, and said, "This copper is larger than yours ; " and while the G"i-spa-x-l§,"'ts were waiting a while, all the Tsimshians were shouting and laughing and clapping their hands, and they said, "Haimas's valuable copper is swimming on the water! Behold, that wooden copper is floating on the water!" Then the young prince threw away another valuable copper, and said, "It is worth many mountains fuU of wooden coppers." He said this in order to mock the great chief Ilaima-s. Then all the Tsim- shian were glad to see that Prince Hats !Eks-n !e'°x had beaten Haimas. The value of two great coppers were not paid back by the Wuts Ieu- a'luk to the G"i-spa-x-lS,'°ts until this day. Therefore the chiefs of all the Tsimshian tribes encouraged the G"i-spa-x-ia'°ts. Now, Haimas was wandering about in the country to hide some- where, because he was afraid of his enemies, and because he was ashamed that his wooden copper that was like a copper was floating on the water in front of the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts's camp on Nass River. The whole tribe of Wuts !En-a'luk went with their proud master. In the foUomng ^vinter the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts gathered together all the princes and princesses of the family of Nes-balas — three boys and two girls, the children of the great chief Dzeba'sa; and two boys, the chil- dren of Nes-lo'°s, the great cliief of the G'idzExla'°I tribe; and also two girls. Other princes were the children of the great chief Gadunaha'" of Tongass, three boys, and three girls, very beautiful princesses; and six boys and tlu-ee girls, the children of the great chief Nes-y !aga-ne't, the uncle of Chief Ilaimas. This was the father of Nes-balas's niece, the wife of Chief Haimas ; and many others were the children of several chiefs from all the tribes. In that winter, while the G'i-spa-x-lfi.'°ts gave a great feast to all the tribes, they took all their princes and princesses and gave them all the princes' and princesses' names. The eldest son of Dzeba'sa, Hats!Eks-n!e'°x, succeeded Nes-balas, and the fathers of these princes and princesses helped in the great feast given in honor of their children. This feast ended after fourteen days. Many cop- BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 365 ])crs were given away, many slaves, and many large canoes, and all kinds of valuable things. iVfter this feast the great chief Dzeba'sa gave a great feaat for Ms son Nes-balas, and so did the fathers of all the other princes and princesses. Then all the Tsimshian tribes were glad because the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts had new chiefs. Many years had passed by. Ilaimas had not come back once. Rince he had slain all the chiefs of the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts in his house, he had never shown himself among the Tsimshian chiefs, and no chief remembered Mm in any feast. Now, after many years had passed, beff)re the people were moving to Xass Kiver, Ilaimas made a village at the mouth of Nass River, at G'in-go'li, to prevent the TsimsMan from going up Nass River to fish; and the TsimsMan, therefore, did not move to Na-ss River. The new chief Nes-balas invited all the tribes to make war against the Wuts !En-a'luk on Nass River. All the cMefs agreed to do so. The G"it-dzl'°s moved, and the G'it-cixa'la, and they camped at K-quma'wut; and the G"it-dzi'°s went right on and camped at K-lgu-sgan-ma'lks. This was above Haimas's new village. On the follo^\-ing day one of Haimas's brothers-in-law, a G'it-cjxa'la prince named Watk, went across to G'tn-go'li to visit Ms sister, one of the great cMef Haimas's wives. Six young men accompamed Mm; and when he arrived at G'tn-g5'li, at Haimas's village, they were invited in. So they went in. These men were very much afraid. They were asked to sit down on a vddc tMck board. Watk had Ms small dagger hanging around Ms neck; and Haimas pointed at the small dagger that was hanging around his brother-in-law's neck, and he said to one of the men, "Let me have a look at my brother-in-law's dagger!" Then Ms brother-in-law took off the small dagger from Ms neck and handed it to the young man, who gave it to Haimas. The great cMef took it, and said, "Oh, my brother-in-law is a warrior! — jSso you going to kill any one with this dagger?" The chief was laughing when he saw the dagger, and he said to one of Ms warriors, calling Mm by name, "Take tMs dagger and throw it intf> the fire!" Sns who had followed him in the beginning called also each one man with a cane and a canoe, and they put them down before the chief. (The meaning of Nass Gowagani is that when the people from all the places are hungry — men, birds, water animals — all come up to Nass River, because plenty of food is there iri the springtime, which makes people happy, so that no one remembers the hardships of winter, and they all enjoy taking the olachen which arrives, and all are satisfied. Therefore the great prince of the Tlingit wanted this to be his name.) This is the end of the Tlingit and Tsimshian wars, which lasted for many years. Since that time they have never been at war again, until now they are very friendly and brothers in Clirist. (3) WAK BETWEEN THE HATOA AND THE G'I-SPA-X-l1'°TS In former times there were many wars. After a great war between the Tsimshian and the Tlingit, when the Tsimshian moved down from Nass Eiver, the G'i-spa-x-h'i°ts were the last tribe to move from Nass River; and when they had reached a place called Lax-a'us (Sandy Shore), they camped there. This is between Rose Point and Motlakahtla. Early on the following morning, when the tide was very low, a voice was heard from below, warning the sleepers that their enemies were coming: therefore all the chief's warriors awoke from their sleep and were ready. Then a crowd of war-canoes arrived in BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 381 front of the camp, and a great battle was fought that day. There were more Ilaida than Tsimshian: therefore the G"i~spa-x-Ux'°ts were van- quished by them. Many of them were killed, and many taken away as captives. Chief LEg^e'^x's sister (Wl-nle'^x) and her eldest son (Hats!Eks-n!e'°x) were taken captive with the other men and women and childi-en. Half of LEg'e'°x's tribe were Idlled off by the Haida, who took them to Queen Charlotte Islands. The other half of the tribe moved up Skeena River in order to dry salmon and other winter provisions. They camped below the canyon at Gat-aus (Sandy Camp). They staid there the whole summer, drying salmon and other provisions; and early in the fall they moved their village a little farther down, to Ts'.uwa'nxlEm gal-tsla'jj (Cape Town), where they used to live in the fall. All the people of the village were sorry on account of those members of their families who had been taken captive. Chief LEg'e'''x never spoke a word; but he was still crying for his sister and her son, who had been taken away into captivity with the rest of the people. One day a great warrior came to the house of Chief LEg"e'°x, and said to the chief, "My dear chief, why don't you say anything about your beloved sister and your nephew, who have been taken captive? Call all the tribes, and say that they shall go to Queen Charlotte Islands to make war on the Ilaida." Therefore the great chief arose from his bed, and said, "Run to all the houses in the village and call all the warriors!" Then the young men ran from house to house to call all the people to the house of the great chief; and when all had come in, LEg'e'°x said to his people, "I want to go to Queen Charlotte Islands on account of my sister and my nephew and my people's wives and children, and on account of some of my people." He ordered liis young men to take one box of oil to the front of the fire. They did so; and the chief said, "Who \viU be the first to bring back my sister and my nephew, who have been carried into captivity ? Let him come forward and dip his fourth finger into the oil, lick it off, and take a vow!" Then a warrior came into the chief's house. He stepped forward, dipped his fourth finger into the oil, and put it into his mouth, to show the others that he would be the fii'st to die at the great chief's command in battle, and that he would not break his vow. His name was Qanas. Then the chief said again, ' ' Wht) ^^ill be the next bravo man to come forward ? " Then two men came forward, and they also took the vow before all the people that they would be second in battle; and so did all the other j^eople of the great chief. They dipped their fingers into the oil, licked it off, until the large box was empty. The last two men broke the empty box and threw it into the fire. 382 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 They said, "I will take the vow that I will burn the empty villaj:;e as I bum this empty box." Then all the people uttered their war-cries four times. This was the custom before they went to war. Then the chief said a<^ain, "I invite the people of the canyon to go to war with us." Therefore he sent a messenger to the G"its lala'sEr, whose chief was Nes-dzakagul, and who belonged to the same clan. Tliis cliief went with all his wamors to the village of Chief LEg"e'°x, who told him that he wanted liiin to accompany them to Queen Charlotte Islands. The other chief agreed, and Chief LEg'e'^x ordered a box of oil to be brought out, and they followed the old custom. They opened the box of oil; and Nes-dzakagul came forward to where the box of oil was, and he said to his own people, "Who will come forward first and be the first to die for the sake of our sister Wl-n!e'°x and of her son Hats!Eks-n!e'°x and all the rest of our people?" Then one man of the Eagle Clan named Yaas said, "I will be first to open the bows of the Ilaida. I will give my life for the sak(^ of my ma.ster's sister and his nephew." He dipj)ed his fourth finger into the oil. Then two more came forward, and all the rest of the people; last of all, two young men, who took their clubs, and said that they would break the houses as they were breaking the oil-box, and that they woidd burn the village. After all the warriors had taken the vow, they shouted four times; and after four days had passed, they were ready to start. The great LEg-e'°x sent one of his friends to the G'inax'ang*i'°k, and he promised to pay him a certain amount if they should com(> liack safe. This man went ^\^th them secretly, for he was afraid of his people. His name was Anamlk. He behmged to the Raven Clan. He was their guide across the sea to Queen Charlotte Islands. Then they started down Skeena River. They passed all the vil- lages of the Tsimshian along the river, and the Tsimshian encouraged the great chief; and when they passed the last village of the G"id- wul-g'a'dz, they said when LEg"e'°x's many canoes passed in front of their village, " What are you doing ? " They replied, "Oh, yes!" but the people of this ^-illage made fun of them, and said, "Don't kill Wl-suqans! Take him alive, and we will pay you when you come back!" The warriors, however, did not reply anything, and their guide led them directly to Queen Chariotte Islands. Now I -ft-ill turn back to the Haida who had taken the Tsimshian at Sandy Shore. When they arrived on Dundas Island, at the point Lax-gulwal, they camped there; and before they began to eat, they tied their captives hand and foot. Then all the men went around the fire, and Wi-n!e'°x sang her brother LEg'e'°x's mourning- song with all her strength. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 383 Sdl'lda,* one of the Haida chiefs, recognized the tune while he was eating. He threw his wooden spoon into liis dish, spit into the fire, and called one of his two warriors. "Go to my canoe and bring my copper!" They did so, and he said, "Bring the woman that sang the mourning-song from the canoe of Chief Wi-ha'°!" The two men went dowTi, untied the shackles of LEg'e'''x's sister, and Chief Sdi'lda asked her through an interpreter what her name was and to what clan she belonged. She said, "My name is Wl-n !e'°x and Nes-pdl"*ks. I am the sister of the great chief LEg'e'°x, and the head wife of the great chief Dzeba'sa. " Then all the people were silent when the great princess had spoken. She said, "This is Dzeba'sa's young son." Then Chief Sdi'lda said, "I want to buy my sister from Wl-ha'", the great chief;" and two of his men lifted one of his coppers and took two slaves and many valuable things; and Wi-ha'° said, "Leave her son with me!" but Sdi'lda said, "I do not want my nephew to be captive in anoflier clan's house. I shall return them to my brother LEg"e'°x. I should be ashamed if you should keep the boy in your house. Give him to me!" Therefore Wi-ha'° gave the boy to Sdi'lda, and also one slave, who accompanied the boy. They then left Dundas Island and went to Queen Charlotte Islands. When they reached their home, the great chief Wi-ha'° invited all the Haida cliiefs, and spoke to them, saying, "I will go to the tribe of Chief LEg"e'°x and atone for the people whom I have killed; and I will return the people whom we have captured, because I do not want to have war with him, but I want to make war on Sa^ks." Therefore all the Haida chiefs agreed to do so in the following summer. One day one of the nephews of the old Haida chief Wl-ha'" wanted to marry Wl-n!e'°x. This prince was to succeed Wl-ha'° when he should die; and the G'ispawadwE'da went to Sdi'lda and gave him a wedding present. Then Chief Sdi'lda allowed him to take her, together wdth many elk sldns, sea-otter garments, and many kinds of provisions. In the same summer all the relatives of Wi-n!e'°x's husband moved to the north side of Lax-wau (Sandbar?), to a brook that runs down in the middle of the bar. At that time salmon were in the rivers. Many people were camping there, and the young chief loved Wi-n!e'°x very much. All the Haida were scattered away from the village. Now let us tui-n again to those people of LEg"e'°x's tribe who had gone to make war against the Haida, and who staid at the point Lax-gulwal. Every morning Anamik went out and looked at the sky to observe the wind, and looked at the clouds. One day after he had looked at the clouds, he said to the chief, "Arise! There will be good weather today." Then all the warriors were ready; and I Swanton 2, p. 275: Ste'lta, chief of the T!51k!a Eagles. 384 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY leth. ann. 31 their guide said, "Let every one jjiit on his spruce-root hat; and if any one has no such spruce-root hat, k>t him close his eyes as long as we are passing through the sea, else he will become blind." Then they started. The sea was calm; and late in the evening they reached the south side of a sandbar near a point, and they buUt a fort there. On the following day they finished the fort, and all the old men were kept inside. When the sun had nearlj^ set, all the young warriors went to search for the Haida ^iliage. They walked about in the woods. One man named Qanas was among these young men; and when the sun set in the west, they heard the noise of a stone ax in front of them. One of the warriors said to his fellows, "Let us wait here! I will go on alone." They staid there, and the man went on alone to sec where the noise came from. When he came near the village, he heard the Haida speaking very loud. The warrior concealed himself in the bushes, ^nd saw a tall man striking his slave with a piece of wood, and the poor slave lay there almost dead. The Haida man took up a larger piece of wood ■Bnd struck him again. Then the warrior shot him with his arrow, and he fell down dead. He went to the place where the slave lay half dead, and asked him, "How are you V Theslave opened his eyes and saw the man of his owai tribe. He arose, and said, "This was my master." Then the other one said, "Go down to the village and tell all our people — men, women, and chikh-en — not to sleep tonight, because we are going to burn the village before daybreak. Where is Princess Wi-n!e'°x? Is she here?" The other one replied, "Yes; she is married to the nephew of the great chief Wl-ha'°." — "And where is the boy Hats!Eks-n!e'°x?" — ''A chief of the Eagle Clan, Sdi'lda, is keeping him in his house as a free boy, but Chief Sdi'lda is not here. He has gone to his own camping^ound." After this conversation the slave went down to the village. His name was Sa-g'iba'yuk. He was one of LEg'e'°x's people. He whispered into the ears of all the captives that LEg'e'°x's wamors had come to burn the village before daybreak. Wi-n!e'°x heard this also, and she was ready to leave. At mid- night the G-i-spa-x-la'°ts warriors came up and killed many Haida, and some of the Haida came out and fought against them, and there was a hot battle. Then all the captives ran away to their people, and the battle was being fought the whole day. The men in the fort looked into the distance along the sandbar, and, behold! the battle was being fought on the beach of the sandbar. Then another gi-oup of warriors came out of the fort. They ran toward the Haida and shot them with their arrows, made of g-am wood. These arrows can not be broken. BOASJ TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 385 One great man, Qanas Ijy name, the first one who had licked the oil from his fourth finger in LEg"e'°x's house in the war feast, was a strong waiiior. His arrow passed through two men when he shot. Now the Haida were subdued by the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts, and one of the brothers of the chief who had married Wi-nle'^x was shot by the enemy. He ran to his brother, who was seated in his house with his wife Wi-n!e'°x. The chief tried to break the an-ow of giam wood, but he coiild not do it: therefore he called his wife, and asked her, "What kind of an aiTOw is tliis?" Wl-n!e'°x replied, "This tree grows neither here nor in my home in Metlakahtla. It grows only way up Skeena Rirer. It is the tree of the people who live in the mountains far away. They are i>eople who are able to run very fast. Tell your people to run away and save themselves." Therefore the young chief ordered his men to flee; but before they left, the chief put his own dancing-blanket on his wife, Wl-n !e'°x, and gave her four of his coppers. He put the four coppers around her to defend her against the weapons of the enemy, and the chief escaped. When the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts entered the houses, they saw Wi-n!e'°x sitting between fourvaluable coppers, and two men-slaves by her side. She said to her people, "Take these four valuable coppers, and give them to my brother." The men did so, and they destroyed every- thing, and made many Haida women and children captive. They captured also a great old chief named Wi-suq^ns. On the following day they were ready to start home. They had many heads in their canoes. They broke up the new canoes of the Haida and burned the ^'illage. The great chief LEg"e'°x gave each man a slave. He had nine cojjj^ers, and gave two coppers to his fellow-chief Nes-dzakagul; and Chief LEg'e'°x gave forty elk skins to their guide Anamik. So they started across the sea; and when all the canoes approached Dundas Island, the man who served as the guide of the canoes said, "vShout to all the canoes, that they may keep close together, because there is going to be a strong wind." There- fore they kept together and they paddled hard. Then a southerly gale began to blow, and they came ashore at the point Lax-gulwal. There they camped for a few days and started again. They arz-ived at the mouth of Skeena River, and began to sing their war-songs. They put up many heads on poles; and as they passed the village of the G"id-wul-ga'dz, the people of the village shouted to them, railing at them, and said, "People of Gi-sj)a-x-la'°ts, what village have you destroyed?" They replied, "Git-lelguiu." The people told them that they had taken Wi-sQqans alive. Then the people in the village raised their wai'-cry; and then* chief, Las, took a copper under luis right arm, broke it, and tlu-ew it dowTi on the beach. Then all the war-canoes stopped in front of the village and uttered their war-cry. Chief LEg'e'°x broke one of his coppers and threw it 50G33°— 31 ETH— 16 25 386 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 into the water against that village. Th(>n the people ashore shouted again. Their chief brought down another copper, broke it, and threw it down on the beach. Then they shouted in the canoes, and another chief broke another copper. The people, on shore took up the shout, and their chief came out with the stern-board of a canoe under his arm. He thi'ew it down on the beach, and said, "I am going to buy the copper next summer for the Haida." Then LEg'e'°x's warriors shouted again. The great chief broke another copper, and now they were silent in the village. Therefore Nes-dzakagul's canoe paddled away from the place in front of Las's village, and they sang a mocking song: "O Las! verily, you are ashamed ! You are named Las ! for you threw away in front of your village a copper stern-board of a canoe." Then the war-canoes took up the song one by one and paddled away. The men in one of the last war-canoes sang while thi'owang the drip- ping water off from each paddle, "You shall be the last one among all the chiefs, because you are not able to throw away coppers as the high chief has done." Then all the warriors went away, and passed the town of the G'it-dzi'°s. The noise of drums was heard, and some of Nes-y!aga- ne't's men stood on shore to call the great chief LEg'e'°x. He thanked Chief Nes-y!aga-ne't for his kindness; and he added, "Wait until I come down again to accept your invitation. I will come from my own house to your house, and I will stay several days with you." Then the great chief LEg"e'°x took one of his male slaves and pre- sented him to Cliief Nes-y!aga-ne't, and so they left there. Then they arrived at G"inax'ang-i'°k, and the noise of drums was heard. Some men came dovsTi to the beach to call Chief LEg"e'°x to Chief Sa^ks's house to welcome him because he had come back safe. Then Chief LEg-e'°x thanked Chief Sa°ks for his kindness, and he promised to come down some day to have a good time. They went on, and arrived at the village of the G'itlanda', whose chief was Gul-qa'q, LEg"e'°x's own nephew. He sent do-svTi his own son to invite the great Chief LEg"e'°x to his own house to welcome him after his safe return. Chief LEg'e'°x ordered all his companions to go to his nephew's house, and the warriors went up. After Gul-qa'q's welcome dance two of his men lifted a copper, and said, "These are the feathei-s, chief; these are the feathers, chief; these are the feathers." Then they laid the copper down before LEg'e'°x to welcome him; and this was the first good meal that the warriors had had since they had left their home; and they drank as much water as they could, for since they had left home they had eaten only a little food twice a day and had taken water only twice a day throughout the whole time. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 387 They spent one day in the village of LEg^e'^x's nephew. Thi^ cap- tive chief Wi-suqans had come up with Chief LEg'e'°x, and they placed him on one side of Gul-qa'q's house. They ate together out of one dish, and Nes-dzakagul was seated on one side with his own people. Chief LEg"e'°x took Anamik up with him to his home. On the following day they went on, and arrived at the village of the G"it-la'n. Their ch'ums were heard, and some of the men came down to the shore to invite Chief LEg'e'°x to Nes-lagunus's house. The chiefs thanked him kindly, and promised to come down later on and spend some time with him. So they went on again, after he had given presents to Chief Nes-lagunus, as he did with all the tribes that invited him. They went on, and arrived at their own house, singing their war- songs ; and as they came ashore, Chief Wi-suq&ns died of the wounds that he had received in battle. Chief LEg'e'°x's head wife, however, KsEm-g'a'mk, paid those who buried the captive chief Wi-suqans, because he belonged to her clan, the G'ispawadwE'da. LEg'e'°x fulfilled liis promise to liis fellow-chiefs who had invited him after his return from the war on the Haida. There are many things cormected with this; but I am not writing those here, only about the time when Chief vSdi'lda sent back Prince Hats!Eks-n!e'°x. He came up when the Tsimshian were on Nass Kiver, fishing. The following spring Sdi'kla had taken one canoe, in which he came with all his nephews; and he gave one largo canoe to Prince Hats!Eks-n!e'°x, with ten male slaves. These two canoes came across the sea from Queen Charlotte Islands. Before they arrived at the mouth of Nass River, they stopped at the foot of the high mountain Katsan; and Chief Sdi'kla said to HatslEks-nle'^x, "Don't let your uncle cut off my head to be given to another clan!" Then the prince's heart was full of sorrow on accountof what Sdi'kla had said; and Sdi'lda said again, "O nephew Hats feks-n !e'°x ! don't let your ungle cut off my head and give it to another clan, lest they mock me." And after he had said so three times. Prince Hats!Eks-n!e'°x said, "I shall not allow him to do so." So they went up. The people were learning one of LEg"e'"x's songs in his house. Many men and women were practicing, for the great Chief LEg"e'°x was about to invite all the tribes and their chiefs to remove the stain of captivity from his sister. While they were all singing the new song, some one came rushing in at the door, and said, "Listen to me! Two large canoes fuU of people are lying outside." Then all the people in the house stopped singing, and some one said that the people in the canoe spoke Haida. Then Wi-n!e'°x said to her brother LEg'e'°x, "Sdi'kla has come to bring my son." Then the great chief said, "Beat the drum and 388 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [£th. ann. 31 invite my brother Sdi'ida!" So they beat the drum; and two men ran down to the beach, and said, "Come in and warm yourself, chief!" They repeated these words twice. Then the two canoes came ashore, and LEge'°x said, "Let all my people run down and take off my brother Sdi'lda's cargo!" This was in accordance with the old customs among chiefs. So all the young men ran down, took the two canoes whUe the strangers were still aboard, lifted them up, and put them down outside of the great chief's house, so that the two great canoes broke to pieces. The Haida were afraid, and all went in. They were placed on one side of the great fire, and their whole cargo was broken up accorfling to the commands of the great chief. When everything had been brought in, the great chief wore his. dancing- blanket and his headdress and a rattle, and he danced the welcome dance for his relatives who had brought back his nephew from cap- tivity. After they had danced, they lifted one copper, ten boxes of gi'ease, and two large BellabeUa canoes, and two bundles of carved paddles, and other expensive things. They served food; and after the meal, Sdi'ida also danced. After he had danced, one of the Haida lifted two large coppers and ten slaves, and put them down before LEg^e'^x's seat; and Chief Sdi'ida said, "You shall have one of my names, Sanaxat." On the following day Sdi'ida was ready to go home; and Chief LEg"e'°x said to his tribe, "Let each man give one box of grease to my brother chief! " So all of LEg'e'°x's men gave one box of grease to Sdi'ida, and they loaded two large canoes with grease. The number of boxes given to Sdi'ida by the G^i-spa-x-la^ts tribe were seven score and ten. There were only five Haida men in each large canoe. Wi-n!e'°x sent down five of her own. slaves, and five more slaves were given to Sdi'ida by one of LEg"e'°x's nephews, five by LEg'e'°x's mother, Gan-dE-ma'xl, a high chief taiuess, the wife of old Dzeba'sa. Ten more slaves were given by Chief Gul-qa'q of the G"it!anda', and ten more were given by the new Dzeba'sa, the father of Hats !Eks-n !e'°x, who had maiTied Wi-n!e'°x. There were in all thirty-five slaves; and many elk skins and valuable robes, dried berries, and soapberries were given to them; and they went down from Nass River, and two canoes followed them to protect them against danger. They went across the Haida Sea; and w^hen they saw the point of Sandbar, LEg'e'°x's two canoes returned to Nass River. Many times the Haida of Masset tried to make war against the Tsimshian, but they failed for many years. The last time^ of all was when the Hudson Bay Company put up a post at Rose Island (Lax-lgu-gala'ms). When they had finished the fort and they had made a garden around it, a white man named ' See a Haida version of the following in Swanton, Haida Texts and Myths, p. 384. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 389 Mr. Kennedy or Dr. Kennedy, an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, was maiTied to Chief LEg'e'°x's eldest daughter, named Su-da'°l. Not many Tsimshian made their home in Port Simpson. They were still living in the old town Metlakahtla. Only the great chief LEg'e'°x himself was camj^ing at the fort with all liis people. They used to camp there on their way from Nass to Skeena River and from Metla- kahtla to Nass River. In olden times the people cleared their land with stone axes. When the Hudson Bay Company first came, ihey built the fort at White Point (Ma'ksgum tsKiwa'nql) on Nass River, the point that we call Crabapple-Tyee Point (K-lgu-sgan-ma'lks). In the same year when the fort was finished cm Nass River, ilr. Kennedy was mai'ried to Chief LEg^e'^x's eldest daughter. Th(>y lived there nearly two years. It is very cold on that point in mnter. Sometimes they lacked fresh water, and some of their workmen froze to death: there- fore Mr. Kennedy asked his wife to speak to her father. When the season of olachen fishing came, and all the people hail come up from Metlakahtla to Nass River, Mrs. Kennedy invited her father into the fort, and said to him, "Father, give a small piece of land to Mi-. Ken- nedy, for I almost freeze to death here. Some men were frozen to death last winter." Then the great chief was speechless. He said, "I am afraid lest my child be froz<>n here next winter." Then Chief LEg'e'°x said, "My dear cliild, I have no land. This land belongs to all the tribes of the Tsimshian. Only my camping- place on Rose Island, where there are a few houses besides my own large house — I can lend this to your husband for some time." So she tt)ld her husband what her father had said; and the white man said, "Yes ; I do not want to take land, but we will trade on it for a short time." Thus spoke Mr. Kennedy. They moved down the same summer, and in the fall of the year they moved all their property down. A year after they had finished the fort and the fences for the garden, they brought down the body of Simpson, who had died at Crabajiple-Tree Point. This was in the spring or summer. When all the Tsimshian moved down from Nass River for olachen fishing, they assembled at Rose Island Camp. Now we will return to our enemies, the Plaida. One day early in the summer the Haida came over to trade w4th the Tsimshian and with the Hudson Bay Company. Many hundreds of canoes came, and they camped in front of the Hudson Bay Company's potato fence on the seashore. The Haida built their little huts on the sand on the shore; and the Tsimshian were encamped on the other side, west- ward, and all around Rose Island. A Haida woman was trading with a Tsimshian woman, exchanging olachen oil for dried halibut. She was to give five pieces of dried halibut for one measure of oil. 390 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY iF/rii. ann. yi All the Tsimshian aud llaida women were busy trading. One of the daughters-in-law of the g;reat chief LEg'e'°x was trading with a Haida woman; and the chief's daughter-in-law said to the woman who was buying her oil, "These pieces are too small. Exchange them for larger pieces. " The Haida woman was angry, and the prin- cess filled her measure again. The Haida woman took another small piece and gave it to the princess; and the princess again said, "I want to exchange it for a larger one." Then the Haida woman snatched the halibut from her hand and flirew it in her face. There- upon the chief's daughter-in-law left her fish oil and walked back to her home full of sorrow. Her father-in-law lay sick in the rear of his large house. He saw his daughter-in-law coming in weeping. She went right to her bed. Therefore the great chief said, "What ails you, my daughter-in-law?" She was weeping when she entered the house. He told one of his men, "Go and ask her what has happened." One of the head men went and asked her what ailed her; and she told him that a Haida woman had struck her face with dried halibut. Then the man told the cliiof that one of the Haida women had struck her face with dried halibut. Therefore the great chief said to his head man, ' ' Run out and tell all the Tsimshian tribes that I want them to shoot the Haida with their guns." So the man ran out and said, "The great chief wants all the Tsimshian tribes to shoot the Haida!" and all the Tsimshian people shot the people in the Haida camp in front of the Hudson Bay Company's fences. The Haida also shot the Tsimshian. Many Haida were killed, and some of the Tsim- shian were wounded. The battle lasted for two days and a half and two whole nights. During the battle of the last night the Haida dug up the ground in their own camp and piled the bodies of their dead around it; and they all gathered on one side — men, women, and children — to defend themselves. Their bullets and powder were all spent, so they sheltered themselves behind the wall of dead bodies. On the third morning, very early, the shooting of the Tsimshian sounded like the rolling of thunder. They had surrounded the Haida camp. Their canoes were on the water, and their warriors were on the hills on all sides. Now we will return to Mr. Kennedy. He said to his wife, "Go and tell your father, bring him my words : tell him that many Haida have been slain, and I want my workmen to bury those who have been slain." Therefore Mrs. Kennedy walked over the sidewalk of the fort and waited. She saw a young man pass by, and said to him, "Go and tell my father that the Haida are almost gone. Many have been killed; and Mr. Kennedy says that they shall be buried before they decay." The young man ran to Chief LEg-e'°x's house, and said, "O chief! your daughter is standing on the fort, and she says that nearly all the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 391 Haida have been killed. She wants to stop your people and not to shoot any more; and Mr. Kennedy wants to bury, them before they decay." Then the great chief said to the young man, "Go out and tell all the Tsimshian tribes to stop shooting!" So the young man ran out and said, "0 people of all the Tsimshian tribes, stop shooting! This is what the great chief LEg'e'°x has said." So all the Tsimshian stopped shooting; and the people from the fort came out, and first dug out a ditch inside the potato fence to serve as a graveyard; and after they had finished digging two long ditches, they carried the bodies of the Ilaida and buried them, and they kept the Ilaida from further harm. They worked one-half of the whole summer day just thromng them into the ditch. They fUlcd both ditches with the bodies of men, women, and children, and they covered them over. Only a few of the Haida remained. Therefore some of the Ilaida chiefs sent word to LEg"e'°x, the great chief, that they wanted to make peace; and the chief asked aU the Tsimshian tribes, and the people consented to make peace with the Haida. Then the chiefs also agreed to make peace, and LEg'e'°x sent word to the Ilaida chiefs, and told them that all the Tsimshian chiefs had agreed to make peace between the Tsimshian and Haida. The Ilaida went down, they took bird's down and blew it up toward Chief LEg'e'°x's village as a sign of peace; and the people in LEg'e'°x's house were shouting, and went out. They took one of Kluna's nephews and carried him on an elk skin into the chief's house. Then the Haida shouted and entered LEg'e'°x's house. They took up one of LEg'e'°x's nephews and took him to their own camp; and one of the Tsimshian chiefs, Saxsa'^xt, invited the Haida to his house, because he was very friendly to them. On the following morning a few of the Haida took down their canoes to go to Saxsa'°xt's house for a peace dance. The great chief K!una took down his large canoe, and they shouted as they lifted LEg"e'°x's nephew on an elk skin. They took him down to their canoe, as the old peace customs required. Two other men went with LEg'e"'x's nephew in the Haida canoe. Then the Haida became suspicious and talked among themselves. First one canoe went away, then another one, and stiU another one, and they went out toward the sea. Then some one began to shoot again at one point, and another one began, and all the Tsimshian were shooting at the men in those canoes. A large canoe, in which LEg^e'^x's nephew was, went out toward a rock just out of the village. They shouted and lifted the elk skin on which the prince was sitting and put him on that rock, and his two friends jumped into the water and swam ashore. So the Tsimshian took their canoes and pursued them. All of the people in one of the large canoes were slain; and they pursued them to Dundas Island; 392 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Leth. ANN. 31 and many canoes were left on the way, and a about hunting put up temporary camps at night, preferably under large spruce trees (97, 166, 261). A sea hunter's camp is referred to on 135. A traveler sacrifices every night in camp, in order to secure success (164). Canoe travelers camp m the evenuig (268, 270), and let a girl keep watch while they sleep (257). Travelers who come to visit a town land near by, turn their canoe upside down, and camp before sho^^^ng themselves (235). People on their way to Nass Eiver camp and build Uttle sheds (172). A person who happens to fall in with travelers asks for permission to stay in their camp (95, 1.121). Traveling girls stop at a hunter's camp (153). BOAS] DESCEIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 409 When women who are out berrying go into camp, they may be visited by young men, who cut firewood for them (1 67) . The campers keep up a roaring fire (167, 1.73). The}' use skimk-cabbage leaves for dishes (68,89,261). Plating and Gambling Cluldrcu phiy house ia a liollow log lying on the beach (253, N 102) ; boys play being shamans (322) : young people amuse themselves swimming in the lake and playiug on the beach of the lake (154); they play baU with bat and ball (N 95). In the eveniag they come home from play (155). Boys go out to play in the momiag (246). The people go playiag in the evening (254, 257, 292, 1.213). Cliil- dren walk about on the street (235). They also amuse themselves catclimg f;sh (1.243), hunting squirrels (322, N 211), and they play with young animals captured ahve (see p. 445). People contest in throwing sliug-stones (299, N 138), and have shooting-matches (69, N 19).' ' Man}' men pass their time gambhng. Generally tlie game played with a set of gambling-sticks^ is referred to (157). The gamblers sit on the beach (74) or in a house in which tliey assemble day by day (207). They paint their faces to secure good luck (217). Some men play until they have lost all their property (101). They will gamble away even their wives and parents, although it is not clear ' The following games were described to me on Xass River (Boas 1, 1895, pp. 5S2-5S3): Leha'l: The guessing-game, in which a bone ^vrapped in cedar bark is hidden in one hand. The player must guess in which hand the bone is hidden. Xs3n: Guessing-game played with a number of maple sticks marked with red or black rings or totemic designs. Two of these sticks are tramps. It is the object of the game to guess in which of the two bundles of sticks, which are wTapped in cedar bark, the trump is hidden. Each player uses one trump only. Mats&'n: About 30 small maple sticks are divided into four or five lots of unequal numbers. After a first glance one of the players is blindfolded, the other changes the order of the lots, and the first player must guess how many sticks are now in each lot. When he guesses right in 3, 4, or 5 guesses out of 10 (according to the a'n"eement of the players), he has won. GOnl: A ball game. There are two goals, about 100 to 150 yards apart. Each is formed by two sticks about 10 feet apart. In the middle, between the goals, is a hole in which the ball is placed. The players carry hooked sticks. Two of them stand at the hole; the other players of each party, six or seven in num- ber, a few steps behind them toward each goal. At a given signal both players try to strike the ball out of the hole. Then each party tries to drive it though the goal of the opposing party. Let.': A ball game. Four men stand in a square. Each pair, standing in opposite comers, throw the ball one to the other, striking it with their hands. Those who continue longest have won. Smenis: A hoop is placed upright. The players thro^ at it with sticks or blunt lances and must hit inside the hoop. Madd': A hoop wound with cedar bark and set with fringes is hurled by one man. The players stand in a row, about 5 feet apart, each carrying a lance or stick. When the ring is flying past the row they try to hit it. Halha'l: Spinning top made of the top of a hemlock tree. A cylinder 3J inches in diameter and 3 inches high is cut; a slit is made in one side, and it is hollowed out. A pin 2^ inches long and a quarter of an inch thick is inserted in the center of the top. A small board mth a wide hole, tlirough which a string of skin or of bear guts passes, is used for winding up the top. It is spun on the ice of the river. The board is held in the left and stemmed against the foot. Then the string is pulled through the hole with the right. Several men begin spiiming at a signal. The one whose top spins the longest wins. ' The sticks, 50 or 60 in number, were made of bone or maple, and each was painted with its own mark. Each has a name (157, note). 410 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann. 31 what tliis means, since the relatives certainly rotaLii their liberty (207). Visitoi-s are invited to gambling-games (217) or the people visit a neighboring village to gamble there (1.215). Quarrels and War ' There are many references to individual quarrels, murder, and revenge. Families that are on bad terms do not camp together when moving back to their permanent village (241). Wars and war customs are often mentioned. The people of some villages are describetl as wealthy and warlike (1.193). A liattle on the ice of the river is described in 1.199; and a general war, in 1.217. In a battle between two clans all the men of one side are killed (307). The town of the vanquished people is bm-ned (1.199). Insult is revenged bj' a person secretly entering the house of his enemy, where he cuts off his head (318). Incidents of murder for revenge are men- tioned repeatedly (222, 1.195, N 221). A man who suspects another one of being the lover of his wife, comes home secretly, waits behhid the houses until late at night, and then enters to see whether his sus- picions are justified (1.195). The Beaver conquers the Grizzly Bear by inducmg him to jump into a swamp, in which he is drowned (111). Jealousy between hunters is given as the cause of quarrels. One man tells that his companion clubbed him, threw him downi a cliff, and cut him, because he had been unsuccessful in hunting, while he liimself had killed much game (97). The same idea appears in the tale of Txa'msEm and Cormorant (92). When a tribe or c Ian resolves to make war on another one, a war party is organized (258) . Scouts were sent in advance (196). Such a party may be organized by one generation to avenge the defeat of their ancestors (258). People who have to stay over night in a strange house guard against secret assaults (142, 150). When people fear attack, they build forts. On 319 it is stated that a fort is built with a double wall. The women and children gather stones in the fort, build a walk over the top of the wall, and all the people move in. The walls are evidently made of posts. When an attack upon a village was expected, children and women were sent to a secure place (165). In individual struggles a woman might also be hm't (1.197). Quite exceptional is the appearance of a woman as warrior (316). In war, open attack was resorted to in extreme cases only. In ordinary defense and attack, ruses and strategy were resorted to. On 143 we read of ten men defending themselves by brealdng off the snow from the mountain, and thus causing an avalanche, that overwhelms their pursuers. ^Vhen a victory has been gained, the people shout for joy, and sing the war-song of their clan (259). The heads of the slain enemies are 1 The information found in the war stories, pp. 35o et seq., is not contained in these notes. BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF TUB TSIMSHIAN 411 cut off (1.195) and hung up over the door of the house (1.197). Al'ter the head has been cut off, the scalp is removed and kept as a trophj' (259). At the same place another custom is described, but not very clearly. The warriors cut down the bodies of the slain enemies on each side, and pull down the skin between their legs. The decapi- tated bodies are put up on poles (152, 259) . The poles, with the bodies attached to them, were sometimes put up in the corners of the house (14G, 151). The bodies of the slain enemies are thrown behind the house. The chief has to pay his tribe for losses sustained m war (430). When a man has been killed accidentally, the murderers may atone by the pajnnent of property for the loss they have mflicted, in accord- ance with the rank of the murdered person (172). Social Organization The tribe is divided into four exogamie groups of maternal descent. These are the G'ispawadwE'da, the Ganha'da, Lax-k"ebo' (Wolf), and Lax-ski'°k (Eagle) . The four groups are, of course, assumed to be known. Clan relationship, position, and property are inherited by a man from his maternal rmcle. Property transmitted m this way consists of crests, lullabies or mourning-songs, clan-songs (note on 1.219-221), names, hmitmg-grounds, bathing-places (.308"), sea- lion rocks (N 109). A woman recognizes warriors of her clan by their war-song (259). It is interesting to note that in one case at least a man makes over his hunting-gi'ound to his son (244). In one case distinctive characteristics of the clans are referred to. When visiting the home of an ocean-being, the G"ispawadwE'da, who have the killer-whale emblem, are able to swallow seals whole, while the Eagles can not do it (2S7). The clans existed before the Deluge, when all the Tsimshian tribes lived at T!Em-lax-a'm (Prairie Town). TMien the people were scat- tered after the Deluge, the dans were thus continued wherever they went (1.251). On the other hand, a rather obscure statement m the Gau'o story has it that the children of the Sky Being, who were sent back to the earth with their crests, made war upon all the tribes, and compelled them to adopt the clan system (1.217). A number of stories tell of the origin of crests, or are given as clan stories. These are as follows: G'ispawadwE'da: G-it-na-gun-a'ks (285). The fom- chiefs and the Grizzly Bear (292). Gau'o (1.193, N 221). ilotten Feathers (N 234). The Grouses (N 229). Story of the G'ispawadwE'da (297). 412 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ieth. axx. 31 Ganha'da: The water being who married the princess (272). The story of Part Summer (278). Explanation of the abalone bow (284). Story of GunaxnesEmg'a'd (1.147). Story of the Ganha'da (285). Eagle Clan: The driftmg log (253). The story of Asdilda and Omen (260). Explanation of the Beaver hat (270). Little Eagle (N 169). Wolf Clan: Tsauda and Halus (297). Story of the Wolf Clan (p. 306). The prmce and Prmoe Wolf (317). Story of the Wolf Clan (355). There are two types of clan stories — one telling of the marriage of a woman of the human race with a supernatural being; the other basing the acquisition of crests on the individual experiences of a person, or of a whole group of clansmen. The tales of the firet class are almost all of one type. They tell of a woman who marries a supernatural being, and who, later on, returns with her children to her father's house. The supernatural being pre- sents her with gifts, such as a name, magical objects, wealth, etc., for their children, more particularly for their son. She gives them to the son when he is gro^vn up. Ordinarily no mention is made of the transmission of these gifts to later generations or to the reten- tion of the name given by the supernatural being. It seems to my mind that these stories imply that the gifts, which are always formally transferred to the young man in a potlatch, are gifts made by the husband's family to the wife's family, and become family property, and will be transmitted by him to his sister's sons. There is, how- ever, hardly ever any mention of the existence of sisters. There are even cases in which it seems unlikely that there are other children, because in one case at least (243) it is said that the woman who had had a supernatural husband does not venture to marry again. The tales leave lis in the dark in regard to this important point. In one case we even find that the supernatural being gives his powers to his son, who in turn transmits them to his own son, together with his himting-ground (243 et seq^., 1.81, 1.143). It is true that in the case of cousin marriage, such as was customary among the chief families, a man's property would eventually be inherited by his son's son; but this does not explain the condition referred to here, since the supernatural beings, in their relation to human beings, do not follow the system of cousin marriage, but rather BOAS] DESCKIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 413 establish an entirely new relationship. Neither is there any definite statement that the supernatural beings and animals that marry human beings are divided into clans. We only hear of the Iviller Whales and Eagles that they are divided into four clans, like the Tsimshian (135, see p. 457). The sacredness of the clans is so great (1.219), that the idea probably did exist that the supernatural beings who married human beings belonged to the proper clan, but this is nowhere stated exphcitly. Some of the tales of the second class imply the existence of the clans before the events of the tale occurred. In other words, they do not explain the origin of the clans, but only the acquisition of their privileges. This appears most strikingly in the story of the G"it-na-gun-a'ks, where we hear that four hunters go out, — thi-ee belonging to the G'LspawadwE'da, one to the Eagle Clan, — who then receive from the supernatural being Xa-gmi-a'ks gifts that become clan property (285 et seq.). The Eagle Clan, on their escape from Alaska, acquire through an adventure the Beaver crest (270 et seq.), and m the story of Asdikla, the man whose family receives later on songs and crests owing to the adventures of a woman, wears the Cor- morant hat of the Eagle Clan at the very beginning of the story (260). The Wolf Clan also existed before they acquh-ed their crests (.354). In a strict sense, neither the stories of the first type nor those of the second type are origm stories. All of them explain rather the origin of clan propert}'. Examples of the origin of clan property from the father-in-law of a woman who has married a supernatural bemg are the foUowurg: Gau'o's daughter is taken up to the sky by the son of the Sky, and has by him four sons and two daughters. The Sky Being gives the eldest one the rainbow crest; the second, the moon; the third, the stare; the fourth the mythical bird Lax-6'm (Boas 4.284). In another version the eldest is given the moon; the second, the stars; the third, the rainbow; the youngest one, the Lax-6'm in the form of a man (1.213). In the Nass version only the Lax-6'm is mentioned, this being the house with thi-ee doorways ornamented with skulls, which is given to the eldest one. This version mentions, besides, a head-ornament inlaid with abalone shells, given to the eldest one; for another one, a head-ornament of skins; for a third one, a bow inlaid with abalone. All had blankets made of white weasel skins (N 224). In the version 1 .215 it is definitely stated that this was the origin of the G'ispawadwE'da; and this is repeated in the Nass veision, in which thi-ee brothers go to T!Em-lax-a'm and become the ancestors of the G"isg'aha'st, a branch of the G'ispa- wadwE'da. According to present customs, this impHes that the descendants of the two sisters of these brothers form the clan. It is not stated, however, what became of the sisters. It is also inter- esting to note that the Sky chief gives houses only to the brothers, 414 TSIMSIIIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann, .-fl not to the girls, who ordmarily did not own houses. Whatever the further descent may have been, the crests were first given by the Sky chief to his son's children. In the Asdi-wa'l tale (1.71 eiseq.) the supernatural being Hats tena's, or in another version (Boas 4.286, and 1.14.5) Il6° or Hu", in Nass Houx (N 225), gives supernatural gifts to his son. Later on this son, who has first taken the name Waxaya'°k, then Da-huk-dza'n, gives these supernatural gifts to his son (243, 1.14.3). The lake-being Dzaga-di-ia'°, the father of GunaxnesEmg-a'd (1.1 05 et seq.), gives bow and arrows, an otter club, and a copper canoe, as well as his son's future name, to his wife for their son. Later on the young man invites all the sea monsters, who come to his potlatch wearing their crests, and he then takes the name Y!aga-k!une'''sk, which "staid among his relatives" in the Raven Clan. A rather characteristic story, although not a clan story, strictly speaking, is that of the Otter prince who abducted a woman. His wife returns to her father, taking her Otter son along, and the latter is so successful a hunter that her father becomes very rich (171). Here belongs also the story of the girl who is married to a Spider man, and whose mother is taught by him the art of making nets (1.58). In another tale a giil marries the Devil's-Club (Fatsia Twrrida), and her son obtains gifts partly from his father, partly througli his own exploits. In this tale it is stated that the young man married his uncle's daughter and had a son; but nothing is said about the transmission of his powers, which, according to the customs of the tribe, should have been given to his sister's son (172 et seq.). In the tale 243 et seq. vre learn of the son of a supernatural being who is taken back by his mother to her father, but nothing is said about the transmission of his powers. In the tale of the water-being who married a princess (272), a giil is abducted by a water-being. A son is born to them, and then the young woman's father-in-law asks a river to send her a daughter. Eventually the children return to their mother's tribe, where the young man takes his uncle's place, but retains the powers that he had re(^eived from his father. He invites the sea monsters to a feast in two houses he has built, and receives from them the carving of a starfish covered with abalone shell for one house, a bullhead with live (hildren on its back and abalone shells in the eyes and fins for the other one (277). The idea of the gifts of the father-in-law to his son-in-law's family (presented, however, through the daughter to her husband) seems to me to appear with great clearness in the tale of Tsauda, who gives the secret of copper-working in this manner to his son-in-law (300). Following are a number of stories of the second tjrpe: A chief kills the sea monster Haklula'cj, and takes her for his crest His nephews marry and obviously inherit the crest. BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 415 Of a similar type is the story of Deserted One (225 et seq., Boas 4.300), called in the Nass dialect Little Eagle (N 109), who obtains his name (and evidently also his Eagle crest, although this is not stated) from the eagles whom he feeds. In the story of the Princess and the Mouse, the second husband of the Princess, a Haida, is taught by her Mouse children the Mouse dance, which is then learned by all the Haitla tribes. Nothing indi- cates here that the dance is confined to one clan (232 et seq.). A woman who has married a Bear returns with her Bear children, but eventually they are sent home to the Bears, after having been asked to give success in hunting to their uncles (2S4). The acquisition of crests through adventures of an individual is also described in the story of Asdilda and Dl°ks (260 et seq.). A princess who survives the destruction of her village hears the mourn- ing-song of the being who had annihilated her people; she sees another being named Dzi]a'''gans, who carries a cane with a live frog and a live person on the frog at the lower end, a live eagle at the upper end, and wearing a spruce-root hat painted green. On her travels she sees a blanket glittering like stars (266), a supernatural halibut, and a supernatural eagle. All of these become her crests, wloich are transmitted to her children. When the Eagle Clan escaped from Alaska, they had as their crest a carved stone eagle, which was lost on their travels (270). Later they met a supernatural halibut that killed some of their people; then later on a beaver with copper eyes, copper eare, teeth, and claws, whose moiu-ning-song they learned (272). The man who catches the live abalone bow with the design of the Raven takes it for his crest (284). Here belongs also the story of G"it-na-gun-a'ks, of the four men who are taken down to the house of Na-gun-a'ks and receive from him their crests. It is interesting to note that three of these men were G'ispawadwE'da, one an Eagle (287). The crests given to the former are the house carving, consisting of two killer whales with noses joined together (it is called Dash Against Each Other), and another house carving, representing green seaweed, a killer whale hat covered with horns, a seaweed bhmket, and a copper canoe. The crests given by Na-gun-a'ks to the Eagle Clan are Na-gun-a'ks's hat, representmg a sea-apple hat with a human figure in the center and a box inlaid with abalone shell (288-289). The tale of the Grizzly Bear, who is treated kindly by a chief and in return gives him liis clan privileges, belongs here also (292 etseq.). The crest here described (296) is a Bear mask with abalone shells for ears, eyes, and teeth, or, as more fully described on 294, a Grizzly- Bear hat, red leggings, and a bow, a Mountain-Goat hat, one dish carved in the shape of a frog, one in the shape of a mountain sjiring. 416 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [Exn. ass. 31 Later on he received, in addition to these, a mountain staff. AH these had songs belonging! to thorn. A few of the stories are of a mixed type and refer in part to the descent of the ancestor, in part to his exploits. Hero belongs, for instance, the story of GunaxnesEmg^a'd, who is the son of a supei- natural being, but transmits the name Y!aga-k!une'°sk that he has taken at a feast (1.191). Here may also be mentioned the story of a man who killed the Wolf prince ami took his crests — a blanket witli < loft hoofs of deer and sheep, an armorset with ears of reindeer and other wild animals, and a hat with a wolf's tail (317) — who, however, was later adopted by the mother of the Wolf whom he had murdered, married two Wolf sisters, and whose children lived in part among the Wolves, in part among the people, and established the crests and a friendship be- tween wolves and man. Here we have apparently a c onti-adic tion, for the man is given the place of the wolf whom he had killed. Therefore his sister's cliildren should inherit his place. It is not stated that the children whom ho had by his Wolf \\'ifo, and who staid with the ])eo])lo, inherited his crests; but, according to their descent, they must have been Wolves, although the Wolves themselves would then have had different clans. In short, it seems difficult to reconcile this story with the present organization of the tribe. The stories telling how a shaman receives his powers are quite similar to the crest stories of the second type. Tliis may be seen, for mstance, on 347, where a man is given the Grizzly Bear, Thunder- bird, a being called Living Eyes (the hail), one called Mouth At Each End, and the Cuttlefish; or in the story of the man who obtained power from the squirrel (N 211). In a few cases the encounter with a supernatural being results not only in the acquisition of crests, but also in the establishment of what seem to be clan taboos, or relations between clans and animals. Na-gun-a'ks forbids his proteges to kill fish (288), a friendly relation is established between the Wolves and the people of the Wolf Clan (322). We may perhaps mention here also the promise to assist their uncles, made by the young Bears, the children of a woman who had been carried away by the Bears (284). In one story of the first type a somewhat analogous incident occurs. There the descend- ants of the supernatural being are given the power to work copper and the taboos of this kind of work (306). On the whole, however, this feature is not strongly developed. Names are acquired in the same manner as crests, and are given by supernatural beings to their grandchildren or obtained in an indi- vidual encounter. Thus in 273 a male supernatural being calls his son's son Coming Do\^^l The Useless River; this refers to the name of the supernatural being himself, and therefore can not possibly belong to the maternal family, since the child's mother was of human BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 417 descent. Later (278) it is mentioned that this bo^-'s sistei' takes tlie name Killer Whales Are Eeady To Go Up, which name, in all prob- aliility, also belongs to the supernatural beuig. The same is appar- ently the case with the children of the son of the Sky and of a human princess, who receive their names and crests in heaven (1.213). On •306 Tsauda's daughter's husband is said to have taken the name of liLs great-grandfather, Around The Heavens. Here it is not quite certain whether it is meant that he takes the name of a member of his own clan or not. Tsauda also gives the heavenly name Moon to his daughter, whom he gives to his father-in-law as a substitute for his lost daughter. The name is therefore not one belonging to the girl's clan. Here may be mentioned also the case of the super- natural bemg of the lake, who gives to his son the name Gunaxne- sEmga'd (1.165). Nothing is said about the provenience of this name, which either may belong to the supernatural being or may be a new name. Later on this man takes the name Y!aga-k!une'''sk, which is transrnitted to his relatives; that is to say, to his mother's relatives, who belong tothe Ganha'da (1.191). In the story of the man who killed the Wolf prince, and who is adopted by the mother of the Wolf whom he had killed, he takes the name of the dead prince (320). It would appear from this that all these new names were given by the husband as presents to his wife's family. The GispawadwE'da name Nes-nawa (295) was received, to- gether with a number of crests, from a Grizzly Bear on whom a man haf's children dress in beautiful valuable garments. A prince who goes out fishing wears a valuable cormorant hat (260), and princes dress in marten garments (193). The intimate relation between a chief and his children is indicated by the fact that a princess who is in danger ofl'ers all her father's wealth to a shaman in order to be rescued (341). At another place she says to a person whose help she asks, "My father's property shall be your property, my father's canoes shall be your canoes, my father's slaves shall be your slaves, my father's coppers shall be your coppers" (1.157). I have discussed on p. 425 the relation of the father to his children: and we have seen that in cases where the prince acts in a way imbe- 1 Whenthedaughterofapersonofrani was able to walk, her parents made a small hole in her lip. All the men and women of the girl's clan were invited, and the child's mother would give all her property to her husband's sisters, ^^^len the child was gro^Ti up, tlie lip-hole was enlarged. The highest chief- l^iiness had the largest lip-hole and largest labret as a sign of her high rank. Girls who had no librct iverc called slaves (299). 432 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Tetii. axx. .11 coming to a membor of tho uobility, ho may be deserted b_y his father. This happens when a prince, instead of catching salmon, makes arrows and feeds the eagles with the salmon that ought to be stored for winter use (225, N 169), and when another one is voracious and greedy (60). Although the prince and the princess should marry according to the wishes of their parents, they often follow their own inclinations (see p. 420). A prince is married secretly to a Lake Woman (155); and a princess who marries a Mouse Man is put into a box wliich is sent adrift on the river (233). There are many tales based on clandestme marriages of princesses. When scolded by his father, the prince may leave his paternal home. In this case he tells his slave that he will leave his father's house (193, 208). Friendship between the prince and his slave is often referred to. When the prince and his slave are deserted, the prince generally first looks out for the needs of his slave before attend- ing to his ovm needs (N 173). The social position of chiefs' daughters is very high, and they were carefully guarded by their parents. The bed of the princess is over her parents' bedroom, so that access could be had only from the parents' bed (161, 232, 297); her maids have their beds under hers (297). The chief bars the door of his house every night to protect his daughter (161), She is watched by her parents, brothers, and maids (161). She must not go out on the street in the daytime (297) or when other people are about (161, 297). She has a number of companions (1.147) or maids (340), who watch over her. Ten com- panions are spoken of on 297. When a girl goes out, she is accom- panied by her maid (161, 232). On 318 the princess orders her maid not to let the people know what she is doing. While she is asleep the people keep quiet (162). She goes to bed early and rises late (161, 232). The parents are very particular whom she shall marry, and often do not want her to marry at all (161, 177, 232, N 229). On the other hand, the girl resents this restraint and wants to marry (297). The Prince and Ms F7-iends.- -Four boys are selected among the noble people of the village to grow up with the prince as his friends (173, 187, 322). Three friends are spoken of on 260, 307, 317. Good boys were selected as his companions (322). The relation between the prince and these youths is very intimate. In 154 we hear that a prince and his friend sleep in one bed. The prince and his friends go limiting together (317); they travel together (173,284, 303); they go out together to get a supernatural arrow (308), go to the house of Chief Pestilence (187), and set out to get the supernatural coj)per (303). When men go out hunting, there are generally four men in a canoe (75, 135, 171, 260, 285). BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 433 A prince's friends make a fii-e for him, and after the meal take away his dish (N 190). In cases of danger the friends will always stay with the prince. Thus they stay under his coffin (203). In cases of trouble there is generally one companion who does not want to leave his friend. A boy's companions leave him one after another (323); the friends watch by the body of a prince, and leave him one by one. The last one is unwilling to leave the body (203). The friends of a princess who has some difficulty iu carrying her berries home leave her one by one, until finally the last one, who is unwilling to leave, is sent back by her (279, 1.149). When a young man sets out on a dangerous expedition, his friends insist on accompan_\nng him, until he finally sends them back (165). The young man who visits the house of Chief Pestilence leaves his friend at a brook, making the most dangerous part of the journey alone (187). A youth who sets out on a dangerous expedition is accompanied by two friends and a slave. First the two friends are sent back by the Mouse Woman, who gives advice; then the slave is told by his master to wait (N 129). Council. — Matters of importance are decided in a council of wise men. Thus, when a flash of lightning proceeds from a bundle tlu"owii down on the floor of the chief's house, he calls his wise men and asks them to explain the significance of the event (219). When a chief finds out that wise people are starving and a Gull has given meat to ojie of his slaves, he sends messengers to call the wdse men, in order to ask them what they think (230). A chief is m'ged by his people to take a wife, and when he agrees the wise men take counsel and choose himters to search for two women whom the chief is to marry (179). When a young man has obtained crests, his father, the chief of the village, calls all his wTse men to consider with them what to do, and upon their advice builds a fort (319). When a number of trav- elers have lost a princess out of their canoe, a meeting of the wise men is called, who conclude that a supernatural being has taken her away (273). When a number of young people have been killed by a ghost, the wise men assemble and suggest to the parents to call in the shamans (338). In the same way, when a girl has been hm-t, her father calls together the wise men and asks them what he shall do to cure his daughter. They advise callmg in the shamans (82). When a young woman requests her father to send food to her hus- band, he calls in the wise men, who advise hun to do as she requests (184). When a chief's grandchild is crying all the time, the chief calls his wise men to tell hun what the boy wants (61). We also hear of coimcils of shamans who want to kill a rival (328) ; and when the animals try to arrange the seasons, they call a meeting of all the animals, large and small (106). AVlien the Ghosts are 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 28 434 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann-. 31 troubled by a very successful slmnian, they all assemble in council and determine to kill him. It would seem that in these last cases councils of the whole tribe are referred to (325). Messengers ' and Attendants. — Attendants are sent to act as mes- sengers (163), to watch a grave (215), to put fuel on the fire and to spread mats for visitors (296), to call visitors to come down to the fire in the middle of the house (286) , to give fat food to guests (98) , to prepare a meal for guests who are expected (179), and to feed the guests (110). At a feast they are sent by the chief to see what kind of food his wife's relatives have sent him (184). The chief's "men" bring douTi his property from the sides to the niiddlf! of the house (233). The chief's messengers have to perform many duties. As just stated, his own relatives, his attendants, or slaves (see p. 430) may act as messeng(^rs. Young men and women are sent in two canoes to take the chief's wife to her father and to act at the same time as messengers (181). Messengers are sent out in four canoes to look for a deserted boy (N 160, also 230, N 180). A shaman is called by thi-ee messengers (335). Messengei-s are sent to invite people (132, 275), to call the people to the chief's house (321), to ask for help in taking revenge (135), to request a girl in nuirriage for a chief (179, 298). Slaves. — The miserable condition of slaves is referred to (59). They live in the corner of the house (229). A slave-girl who enters a house sits down at the end of the fire (N 189). Wealthy people have many slaves (161) ; and the son-in-law of a chief is not allowed to work, because the chief has many slaves (209). They carry food (59), take animals up from the beach to the house (227, 302, N 172), they are sent to get firebrands for starting a fire (1.197), they start the fire in the house (209), and attend to the cooking (59, 85). They take care of children (216), give them to eat (59), carry crying chil- dren about in the house (61). They are sent out to pick crabapples for the chief! ainess (240), or the chief tainess goes out with her slaves or maids to pick berries (317). When the people go out olachen fishing, a slave-woman sits in the stern, while the other slaves manage the bag nets (229). Children who go out traveling are accompanied by six slaves (268). In war they are sent out as scouts (196). A chief sends out his slave as messenger to see what causes a noise outside of the house (286). At other times the slaves are sent to call the people to the chief's house (193, 321). They go as messengers to investigate the fate of a deserted boy (N 180). A slave traveling with his chief goes ahead of him and announces his arrival (72) . He ' See also p. 438. BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 435 sptniks in behalf of the chief (74) ; and when his master is visited by members of the tribe from which he has been taken, he serves as interpreter (255). A supernatural being who wants to many a girl sends his slave to woo her (298). When the tribe has to shift its camp, the slaves are sent out by the chief to give the order (230, N 145, N 162, N 171, N 184). The relation between master and slave is often described as one of great friendliness, the master taking good care of the slave. In one story it is told that a slave who has been maltreated by strangers goes to his master's house to complain (286). Stories are quite numerous in which we hear of a noble person being deserted with a slave. A chief, his nephew and slave, are deserted (119). A boy deserted with a slave procures food for the latter ,(227; see p. 444). Slaves are given as a present to the chief 's son-in-law (209). Another chief buys a slave as companion for his son (192), and at the same place the love between the slave-boy and his master is described. A prince who wants to leave his father's house tells the slave of his intention (208) . A slave-boy who does not want to desert his master, the prince, is ordered by him to sta\^ at home, and he cries bitterly when the prince leaves (193). Afterward he tells the cliief that the son, his friend, has left his father's house (207). When a totem-pole was put up, a slave was killed, and buried under the pole (259). A man kills liis wife's maid because she lies to him (307). Slaves are described as standing in fear of then- master (1.179). Slaves may be sold or given away as presents; they are counted among pieces of valuable property (see p. 436). WTien the members of one clan make war upon another clan, they rescue the slaves of their own clan who had been captured at a pre- vious time (259). Property. — While the possession of what is called rich food (see p. 406) was essential for maintaining the dignity of the family, the jMovisions themselves were not counted as constituting wealth. Wealth is obtained by seUing provisions for other kinds of goods, which, after they have l)een accumidated, are distributed in tho pot- latch. It seems that the ordinary road to wealth was tlirough suc- cess in sea hunting or in land hunting. In a great many cases we ai'e told thi\jb the successful hunter who has accumulated a great deal of food sells it for jiroperty. Elk skins are most commonly mentioned among valuable objects. Following is a list of objects ofl'ei'cd in exchange for food: Elk skins, marten earnients, i^ea-nlter garments, canoes, raceoon skins, and all kinds iif property (211). Elk skins, spoons made of elk antler, slaves, large coppers, houses full of elk skins, thousands of raccoon skins, and horn spoons (243). Elk skins and all kinds of goods (212). 436 TSIMSHIAX MVTHOLOUV (k'h. ANN. 31 Elk skins, slaves, canoes, abalono shells, many IuiiuIiimI sroicti- of raccoon skin:-, sea-otter garments, marten garments, dancing-blankets, mid all kiii. 4.'')1. In other cases people become wealthy by their shamanistii^ art, for which they are well paid (328). A chief who has to pay for losses sustained in war giv<'s in tAcliaiige coppers, slaves, largo canoes, elk skins, etc. (119). When canoes are sent on a visit, they take along as jjresen's either food (235) or property, such as coppers and slaves (256). A trilx^ that make their escape after having been vanquished m war tak<' along all their property — coppers, elk skins, marten garments, etc. (271). Buying and selHng of goods arc referred to a few times with- out a special statement as to the character of the purchase medium. Tims we read On 268 of the piu'chase of a canoe. KOAS] DESCBIPTIOX OF THE TSIMSHU.N 437 Trading-expeditions are refeiTed to in N" 19(3, where the people go inland to trade red ocher for weasel skins. On p. 362 the custom is described of destroying life and 2iroperty in order to regain a loss of prestige sustained by some act that is con- sidered shameful. In this sense must be understood the act of a chief referred to on 2.S3, who has his daughter, who married a I\Iouse Man, sent adrift in a box lined with ten coppers, many elk skins, mart*n blankets, and expensive garments. Here may perhaps also belong the reference to a girl who is put into a pit lined with costly garments and coppers at a time when the tribe was exjiecting a, dis- aster sent as a punishment for the acts of tlie chief's son (204). Visitors and Festiv.\i,s The reception of visitors and formal feasts are elaborated on a -similar plan, and I shall therefore describe these together, beginning with a simple visit, and ending with a great potlatch. When a traveler arrives at a village, the chief sends out a messenger to call him into the house, and he is given to eat (142, 194, 292, N 113). A hunter arriving at a village is called into the house and fed (94, 1 79) . A chief walking in front of a town is called in by the head chief and treated to rich food (72, 98). When a man looks into the last house in the village, the occupant, a woman, calls him in, snulmg; and when the chief learns of his arrival, he is taken to the chief's house, where he is given to eat (146). A traveler who reaches the house of a lonely old woman is called in and given to eat (127). A chief sends out four messengers to invite a visitor (235) . The visitor should be given good food. Wlien a slave-gu-1 who arrives as a visitor is given salmon-backs, she resents this as an insult and leaves (N 188). In a tale of the town of the Mice, no strange human being is allowed to come near; but finally the husband of the mother of the Mice is permitted to visit the village, and four messengers take him in (237). Travelers who are not certara of a friendly welcome hide beliind the houses, and one of them shows liimself on the beach (254). The visitor may be called in by the people who happen to see him first (85, 95, 121). If the visitor is an important person, he may also send his own messenger to amiounce his arrival (63, 72). Then the people come out to meet the stranger (72). When entering the house, he should wait in the doorway until c aUed bv the chief him- self (188). ^^lien the visitor is led into the house (208) , a good new mat is spread for him by the side of the fire, and he is invited to sit down on it. This is a very common incident in all the tales (85, 94, 108, 226, 236, 254, 296, N 230). A grizzly-bear skin is spread for the visitor to sit on (153). The mats are, of course, not always specifi- 438 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY ( irni. anx. .-il cally referred to (G3, 92, 279, 1.129, 1.151). Somcniiuos the guests stay on the platform of the house until the meal is ready, and are then called do-n-n to the fire (286). The chief himself is seated in the rear of the house (108, 321). Noble guests are seated at his side (324) or on his right-hand side (321). The chioftainess sits next to the chief (218), one wife on his right, the other one on his left (N 194, N 205). The child for whom a feast is given sits in the rear of the house (60), taking, obviously, a position quite different from that of a guest. A princess, on the other hand, who is welcomed with gi-eat ceremony and carried into the chief's house on a wide plank, is placed by the side of the fire (211). A hunter who retm-ns with his game, puts it dow^\ on mats spread out on the ground, and gives it to his father-in-law (1.95). The meal that is served has been described before (p. 406). \Mioii food is prepared for the guest, he smiles to express lus plesisure (94). All social events are celebrated by feasts, often accompanied by distribution of property. A man gives feasts to his uncle's people (274). A successful hunter, on his return, gives a feast to all the people, builds a large house, and IxTomes a head chief in his genera- tion (154). A successful fisherman invites all the Tsimshian tribes to a feast (171). Another one gives a feast to the chiefs almost every year, so that his fame spreads all over the world (291). Still another one gives many feasts to all the tribes (242) . A chief sends a messenger (N 77, see j). 434) to invite his own tribe to a feast, and to ask the consent of his people to give a feast to all the other tribes. Then he sends out messengers (180, 183, 290). On their arrival, the messengers are called into the chief's house, where they are fed (132). The messengers return and announce the accept- ance of the invitation. Sometimes the date set for the great festival may be as many as two years ofl". Then the chief's people and related tribes will gather, and, in the interval, make the objectsneeded for the festival (275). When they are ready, messengers are sent out again to invite the people. On the appomted daj^ the guests arrive* (290). Before they reach the village they dress up in their best clothing, paint their faces red, and cover the hah- with eagle down (257). They stay in then canoes in front of the village while the people assemble to meet them (210, 290). The head chief invites them to come ashore (290). The chief's people then come out of the chief's house, dancing and singing, to welcome the visitors, and go back. Then the visitors, are led into the chief's house. If there are several tribes, each tribe is assigned a seat by itself (183). When the guests are seated, they sing and beat time on planks and on a wooden drum (63), and the chief dances in their honor (63, 321), or his people dance (224), wearing their crests (132). The guests wear BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 439 their crests (290). Then slaves or the chief's attiMidants serve food to the guests (183, 224, N 193). After the feast the guests take the remainder of the food home (250, N 207). In a great intertribal feast the dishes and the remam- der of the food are thrown into the fire (277). It is said that the guests who come from other villages take food home in their canoes (ISO, 183). ^Vfter the meal is over, the chief announces the object of the invi- tation — to proclaim a wonderful experience of his tribesmen (101), to announce the return of a lost daughter (343), to celebrate the supposed return to life of a deceased daughter (267), to show his daughter's son whom ||he daughter brings when returrdng after a long absence (242), to welcome a returned male cousin (321), to tell of adventures (151), to celebrate a marriage (299, 1.171), to show his bride to the tribe (ISO, also 1.111), to welcome guests (109), to show guests to the people (287) , to test the strength of his nephews (118), to prepare the body of a dead child (58), to take a name (274, 312, 1.83, 1.123), to proclaim a crest or take a position of high rank (267, 284, 290, 294, 312-313, 320), after the death of father or mother (N 186), or to deliberate over matters of common concern (106, N 76; see p. 431). A chief invites his own people in order to ask them to gather food which he intends to send to his daughter who is mar- ried in another village (182). During a famine a chief invites all the tribes in order to feed them (160, 183). Great festivals are given when a man takes a position. A prince, for instance, sends messengers to all the tribes, and invites chiefs, chieftainesses, princes, and princesses, and announces that ho takes his mother's uncle's greatness. Then the presents are givcui awa}* (313), wliile lie holds a copper on his chest (232) or head (N 164).' The host sings while he stands by the pile of property (N 104). In N 199 the guests sing. Then the goods are distributed. j\f ter the food has been served, the chief gives away his presents, which represent very great values (232, 313, N 194). These are brought downi to the middle of the house (233, 294, N 164, N 193, N 198) and distributed by the host's uncle (N 164). All kinds of property (see p. 435) are given away; and every guest receives his share, the chiefs more than people of lower rank. Thus it is said that a widow gives each chief one bundle of salmon, and divides one bundle between each married couple (160). During a famine the presents consist of various kinds of food (213, 231). At the same time food is sold to visitors for property which may be distributed at the same festival (213). The ocean-bemg Na-gun-a'ks, who has received presents from his human guests, distributes them among his guests at a festival to »In a note (313) it is also stated that he stands before the people, holding a copper over his head. 440 TSIMSHIAN MVTllOI.OCY [kth. ANN. 31 which all the ocean-beings havc^ been invited, and in return gives his human visitors a number of crests (287-288) . Visitors who come to a village after slaying a sea monster are called to the chief's house, tlie people dance for them, and they are feasted. Then the nephew of the visiting chief announces that his micle wishes to marry one of the village chief's relatives. The old people choose one of the village chief's wives, and the whole village gives property to the yoimg couple (224). A chief invites the sea monsters, feeds them, gives his presents, and in return requests the two most dangerous ones to take j)laces where they will not imperil canoes (277). The Mountain-Goat tribe send messengers to invite a whole tribe to a great festival, and ask them to erect a village near their own, in which to live during the festivities (132). A chief who receives gifts of food from his daughter's relatives (N 231) or from his wife's relatives (Kobin) distributes them among his guests. A man who gives many potlatches liecomes a great cliicf (1.189, N 194). When the son of a daugliter married among strangers comes to live with his mother's father, all the tribes are invited, so that they may know him. On 171 one tribe has been forgotten, who then kill the youth because they do not know him. When a chief of High rank is not invited to a f(^stival, his friends wiU not come either (275). Marriage and Death Marriage. — The normal type of marriage, as described in the tra- ditions, is that between a young man and his mother's brother's daughter. Thus a deserted boy marries his youngest uncle's daugh- ter (231), or his uncle's younger daughter (17C); a motlier requests her daughter to marry her cousin (244) ; a princess marries her cousin (234, 238, 244). Evidently this narrow restriction of marriage often found resistance. This is expressed by the characteristic type of stories of a girl who refuses to marry her cousin (166, 186). In one case it is even said that the girl hates lier cousin whom she is to marry (166). Very pecuMar is the remark (185) that a prince is to marry his mother's brother's daughter in order to inherit his uncle's house. This sounds as though the recorder considered this marriage essential in order to secure the succession. This, however, was cei-tainly not the old condition of affairs. On 154 it is stated more loosely tiiat a prince mariies one of his father's relatives, meaning by this, obviously, one of the father's clan. In several cases a girl adopted by a man is described as marrying one BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN • 441 of his sister's sons (267). Evidently the story of a girl marrying among the Ilaida belongs to the same class (255). The idea that a person must marry outside of his or her clan under- lies also some of the marriages to supernatural beings. Chief Peace gives his daughter to a visitor (209), another princess marries the son of the Black Bear (279), and a prince marries two Wolf sisters (320). The incident told on 260, in which it is stated that a prince mairies a neighbor's daughter, is interesting, because this implies that the neighbor's wives must have belonged to different clans, or more probably, that the heads of two households in the same village belonged to different clans. More general statements referring to the marriage of a chief's son to a princess were quite common (as 207 and 123). Clandestine marriages are evidently reflected in the numerous tales of supernatural beings who marry girls over whom their parents watch carefully (161, 166, 172, 192, 232). The same is said in regard to a widow's daughter (84, 158). The incident that parents will not allow their daughters to marry because none of the suitors are good enough for them, or because of their love for their daughters, appears vpry commonly (297). The mariiage of the girl, if not automatically determined by her marriage to her cousin, may also be decided upon by her brothei-s. Thus, in a family consisting of a number of brothers and one sister, the brothers give away their sister in marriage to a himter (1.121). After a clandestine marriage the young man gives marriage lues- ents — three coppers to his father-in-law, three to his wife's uncles, and four to his own uncles (1.171). The wife's mother brings mar- riage presents to her son-in-law, who distributes them (N 1 98) . The wife's father gives only a little property to his daughter when she marries a chief and is taken to his house and ^^Uage, promising, how- ever, larger gifts for the following winter (180). In one case a chief agrees to marry a woman selected for him by his tribe (179). Ordinarily the girl accompanies her husband to his house (123, 160, 162, 167), although it happens very often that the young husband visits his wife secretly before he takes her back ' ' is parents' house. In ahnost all the tales relating to the marriage between a girl and a supernatural being the girl follows her husband to his father's house, and the further development of the tale tells of her return (162, 167, 177, 298, .303, 1.151, 1.213). Death. — When a person died away from home, the body was wrapped in a new cedar-bark mat and carried to his father's house (305). The descriptions of the disposal of the body seem to be quite contra- dictory, suggesting tliat several methods of burial were in use. It is told (58) that the intestines were taken out of the body and burned 442 TSIMSIIIAN MVTUOLOGV [btii. ans. :'.l behind the house, wliile the body was kept in the liouse. IncitU'iituUy, on 3;->7, where a burial is described, Mr. Tate says that iu oklou times it was the custom when a prince or rich man, or a cliieftainess or a princess, or somebody dear to them, cUed. for the bowels, stomach, heart, liver, and lungs to be taken out and bunKul inuneiUately. When the body was empty, it was Idled with red-cedar bark and kept for a long time.' At the same place it is told that the body was deposited in the burial-place after four days. On 214 a woman asks that her body shall not be burned, but that it be put into a lai^e box, which shall then bo placed on a tree. The funeral p>Te on which a body has been burned is mentioned (2(JG). In the description of the funeral of a shaman (329) it is stated that he is placed on a l)rancli of a lai-ge tree behind the house. At another place (203) we learn of tiie burial of a ])rinco, who is placed in a grave-box, which is erected on four strong poles in order to protect it against wolves. Burial of bodies of people who died through magical influences is meutioneil on 264. A woman who has l)e(ui kJlledis buried in the house (1.1G3), and the body of a murdered man is treated in the same way (1.197). The boxes in which boihes are deposited are tied up (73). In this case, where a man pretends to be dead and asks to bo put into a box, there can obviously bo no cremation of the body or of part of the body. After the body had been placed on the burisd-ground, generally on a tree or on posts, the peojile would watch under it. Thus we are told that a cloief watches for two days under the body (215); in another place, that the people watch a shaman's body a whole year (329). The mourners singe their hair and blacken their faces with charcoal (313). They do not eat (218). Blackening the face with charcoal during the mourning-period is mentioned also on 261. When a chief died, the whole tribe had to go into mourning in this manner. In one case the cliief orders that as a sign of mourning all the fires in the house be extinguished (1.197). The mourners would go out waihng early in the morning. Generally" women are described as going tlorough a formal wailing. A mother wails for her children (233); a girl, for her brothers who had disappeared a year before (289) ; a chief and a chieftainess wail every morning under the body of their son in the house (58) ; the chief weeps for two nights imder the coffin of his wife, (215) which has been put up in the branches of a tree. Generally the wailer would go to the beach (233) or into the woods. In the first outburst of weeping, after a 'death had occurred, the people would try to go into sohtude. Thus, after a dead man has been brought to the village, his widow goes into the woods weeping (305); after the destruction of a whole vUlage, the 1 The opening of the stomach and taking out of the intestines is also referred to on N 232. BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 443 surviving girl goes away weeping (266) ; a girl weeps for her brother on tlie shore of a lake (272). In another case early every morning a woman goes with her child to wail in the woods, where the bodies of her brothers he (217). Mourning and weeping are very generally spoken of as occurring after the death of the eldest brother (1.141). Parents moui'n for the death of their son for two years (337); widows weep at tlie death of their husbands (148); a father walks about crying after the death of his son (N 87) ; a man cries for the loss of his nine brothers (148) ; a chief weeps for a long time after the death of liis wife (215) ; a tribe mourns for the dead chief (258, 1 .197) ; the Wolf mother wails while she demands her son's garments and body from the slayer (see 319; also 125, 1.73, 1.107, 1.133, 1.135, 1.199). On 233 it is told that a father sets his daughter adrift in a box, and the whole tribe mom'ns the loss of the princess. Sacrifices are offered at the grave. Thus a widow gets her dead husband's tool box to burn it (1.137), and parents burn a boy's favorite food on his grave (337). After a death had oct^urred, the people would sometimes move (73,337). There is no particular mention of the singing of mourning-songs during the funeral, but these songs play a very important part in the tales. They are called either "mourning-songs" or "cradle-songs." These are mentioned particularly in the stories relating to the acqui- sition of crests. We find, for instance, the mourning-song of Omen (264-266), the mourning-song of Beaver (271), of the Bear (283); another one of the Bear (294, 295), of the Wolf (319, 320), of the abalone bow (284). After the death of a person of rank, a great festival was given by the person who took the name of thedeecased (see pp. 418, 419). In one case a shaman had killed many noble girls, vmtil finally one par- ticxdar girl succeeded in killing him. Tlien her father gave a feast to the parents of aU the dead girls, returning to them then- garments which he had recovered, together with presents of beautiful feathers (344). Ethical Concepts and Emotional Life Ethical Concepts. — In the following notes I have collected remarks on what is considered good or bad behavior, and on expressions of the emotional life of the people. A young chief should be merciful (226, 293) and gentle (154), Idud to the people (154). The princess has a gentle voice (340), and it is proper that she shoidd not eat much (60, 192). Chiefs who had these equalities were loved by the people (207, 336). Princesses were loved by their girls (253, 273). The people were proud of their chiefs (292). A cruel chief is ashamed because the people loved his son, who was kindly and merciful (312). Princes should be industrious, so as to become skillful (114). 444 TSIMSUIAX MVTHOLOUV [etii. ANN. 31 Pity is often described as a lovable quality. Tlio jxiople cry for pity (259). A youth takes pit}' on a goat that is maltreated by children (132), a prince is rewarded because he feeds the eagles r(^:ularly (225 et seq., N 169 et seq.), and a cliieftamess shares her last sahnon A\'ith a stranger whom she pities (293). A mother comforts her sorrowful daughter (238), and the people try to comfort their be- reaved cliief (58). The modesty of a hunter is rewarded, who, in an encomite.r with a supernatural being, ascribes to him success in hunting (95) . Humility seems to have been appreciated, as appears in the tale N 189, in which a ]>rince is rewarded because he takes ]iity on a slave- girl, whom he asks to sit down next to himself in the rear of the house. The poor inaltreatcnl boy receives supernatural help and succeeds in a contest. II(* shoots the white bear, being as quick as a fly (X 143); and althougli the people ridicule him, he ^\ins (N 139). The poor boy who does not show his strength is a favorite theme (117, N 151). Poor people should be humble, and, when entering the house, not walk proudly up to the fire, but keep along the sides (219). Patience and persistence in pursuits are rewarded (310). Noble people should be abstemious and eat little. A heavenly boy eats very Httlo (59); a piince eats very httle (225, N 169); a hunter is warned not to eat too much, in order to avoid danger (149); a deserted princess refuses to eat (N 152); a deserted boy neither speaks nor eats (X 149, X 173) ; a deserted boy and a cliief's daughter fast (N 146); a visitor eats little only (153). In one tale the advice to eat little may have been given to keep the himter active and fresh (149); but in most cases it is evidently proper behavior to eat little, and a means of attaining success. A woman who has been abducted only chews fat (177). Here belongs also the restraint of noble people duiing famines. Noble youths only chew a Uttle fat during a famine (192, 225), and a noble family eats but very little (250). Correspond- ing to this is the degradation tlirough greed. A hungry princess who cUps off oil from the surface of the sea vnth her fingere is despised (231), and Raven's greed makes his father so ashamed that he deserts him (N 37) or sends him away (61). Children are indidged and given what they ask for (61). It is seldom that any restraint is demanded of them, as when a child is asked not to cry so as not to waken enemies (X 91). Only children that are to be trained to obtain supernatural power ai-e subjected to severe trials (see p. 451). The badness of people is also often described. In several talcs it is said that in olden times the people were foolish and careless (1.243) ; that they were proud and overbearing on account of their great num- bers (161). Sometimes it is simply said that people were happy in olden times because they were numerous (278). The people in Prairie BOASl DESCRIPTIOX OF THE TSIMSHIAiST 445 Town showed their overbearing by killing slaves and doing inmiy \\-icked tilings (1.243). People should not be too warlike. This is indicated by the uneasi- ness felt by the Sun chief on account of the many wars waged by his grandchildren (1.219). On account" of their warhke character he takes them up to heaven. Unrestrained vengeance for insults is not commendable. Thus the warrior who takes revenge on all the people of a hostile clan is killed (306 et seq.). The plot of the Gauo story (1.193 et seq.) is largely based on tliis idea, wliich, however, is treated chff erently in the story of the Wolf Prince (317 et seq.) in wliich a man forgives liis faithless wife after killin g her lover and is adopted by the lover's mother. FooUsh people turn out of the house an old woman who comes to deliver a message (X 123). Heaven resents noisy play on the street at nighttime (125, N 95) and is annoyed by wailing (58). Heaven punishes those who make fun of him. During a snowstorm a man held up a salmon to the sky and cried, "Shame on you for letting it snow every day!" This act was punished by snowstorms that con- tinued into the summer, while round about the weather was good (250). A boy who makes fun of the stai-s by saying, "You little twinklers, you must feel cold ! " is taken up by the stars and punished (N 86). The overbearing pride of a man who has married a beautiful woman is punished (299) ; and a girl who shows her pride by kicking a snail and making fun of it is visited by the snail, who comes in the form of a youth, and is then compelled to marry him (161). The irascible husband who scolds his wife is punished by losing her (139) . The irascible person who burns a fs'og, and teai-s his hat because it drops into the water four times, is punished, and contrasted with his friends who take the frog out of the fire and throw it into the bushes, and who take the torn hat out of the water (261). Animals should not be scolded (278). The Grizzly Bear takes revenge because he is called Drop Jaw (N 117, N 209) ; aBear, because a girl says that its dung is disgusting (1.147). Particularly reprehensible seems to be the maltreatment of animals and of poor people. We have a number of stories in which we hear about people who are punished because they maltreat animals, chil- dren who play with the kid of a mountain goat (132), others who play with trout (1.243), men who play with a bullhead (291), a prince who throws a frog into the fire and throws it back when it tries to jump out (261), and a cliief who tears off the fins of a fish (285). Indiscriminate slaughter of animals is not commendable (108). A chief who pretends that he wishes to feed his nephew and then takes away his food is appropriately punished (226) ; and another one who treats a stranger in the same way is punished for his cruelty (293). 446 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn. Ml A slave-giii feels insulted because she is iiiv-ited into a house and given salmon-backs instead of good food (N 188). A woman who with- holds food from her l)lind husband and, when she believes that he has been killed, sings happily instead of intonating the appropriate mourning-song, is punished (249). It is not right to make fun of people. Those who make fun of a poor boy (N 143) are put to shame by his prowess. A prince who makes fun of his awkward brother (N 196) is punished. The people wlio make fun of a mourning woman whom they trip are killed (218); and a girl who induces her cousin, who loves her, to cut his hair and his cheeks, and who afterwards gives him a nickname, loses her life (186). People who make fun of a dead person are killed by his ghost (.337). Faithlessness of husband or wife is equally reprehensible (213, 214, 1.111, 1.193). Even a woman who objects to lier husband's taking a second wife finds support among the supernatural beings (238). The old mother-in-law who gets impatient because her son's chil- dren, who romp about the house, throw her to the floor, and calls her daughter-in-taw a slave from a foreign country, is the cause of her grandcliildren going back to the home of their mother (267). When a hunter steals the game of his companions, nobody speaks to him after the return of the party to the house (99). Miracles should be treated with respect, and it is reprehensible to make light of them (74) or to disbelieve miraculous events (219). Emotional Life. — The people are very ready to give expression to their emotions. Whenever an unexpected event happens, there is excitement in the whole village (236, 289). When there is any cause for joy, they shout and clap their hands' (119, 137, 211, 218, 283, 300). On the other hand, danger and disappointment cause them to cry. Children and men cry for fear (254, 286). A man cries for fear, because he is unable to avoid danger (1.105). People cry for pity (259) , when insulted (256) , for sorrow (266) , for hunger, or for pity with their hungry children (158, 193, N 122), for homesickness (209). A blind man cries because he is maltreated by his wife (248). A woman goes into the woods to weep for son-ow (234, 236, 238). Men who are in great danger are silent for fear (289) . Danger produces great fear (74, 289, 325). Children are afraid when they hear people speaking the Haida language (255). They are afraid of ridicule (308). Disappointment of any kind makes them downcast. In this state of mind they will sit in the house staring into the fire (207), or they will sulk and lie in l)e(l (207, 209). Sulking men go into the woods 1 Correspondingly, the killer whales strike the water with their tails (137). BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 447 (101) and threaten to commit suicide (248). A chief who is downcast takes courage when his ^\^sc men give him advice (220). Homesickness overtakes those who stay away from then- village for a long time (209, 1.109, 1.115, 1.133, 1.143, 1.15.5, 1.165, N 105, N 203). They are easily depressed by a feeling of loneliness (242). The death of relatives and loss of property make the people sor- ro\vful. We hear very often about the sorrow of people at the loss of their children (254). The chief of the Sun is sorrowful because his slave has been killed (1.99) ; a sorrowful man is described as sitting with his back to the fixe (170) ; and a woman in her sorrow wishes to die (218), while a man threatens to commit suicide (248). A curious phrase occurs very often, saying that people who are fidl of sorrow go out of the house to refresh themselves (272). In 1.105 a man who is threatened with death goes out to cry. One of the emotions that are referred to frequently in the tales is shame. The plot is very often founded on this emotion, Mhich is brought forth by the most diverse incidents. A chief is ashamed because his daughter married a Mouse (233): a man, because his younger brother, who had been poor before, is wealthy, and gives a potlatch (N 198) ; a chief, because his poor nephew wins a contest (N 145); three brothers, because their younger brother, who had been ridiculed by them, proves to be stronger than they (119). A chief is ashamed because his wife's relatives present him with poor food not fit to be given at a feast (185). Failure at attempts on the life of enemies is a cause of shame (334, N 134). A princess is ashamed because her husband does not take her along on a trading- journey (N 196); a woman, because her husband is unsuccessful (299) ; a man, because he does not succeed in imitating his rival (91). A girl is ashamed because she has overeaten and has soded her bed (154); a boy, because his hungry cousin dips gi-ease up from the sur- face of the water (N 1S5). People are ashamed because they are made fun of. In one place a man is given the nickname Am'ala', said to mean '"dirty" (117). In another place (302) an unsuccessful fisherman is asked, "Did you catch leaves ?" A girl makes fun of her lover by causing him, first, to cut his hair, then to cut his cheeks (187). • A young man is invited and offered good food, but, at the moment when he is about to take it, it is taken away from him (226). All these are given as causes of shame. Scolding is very often given as a cause of shame. A woman and her children are scolded as slaves (234, 284). A gambler is scolded by his wife, who, in a fit of anger, throws the food into the fire. AH tliis makes him feel ashamed (207) . People who have been made ashamed are liable to leave the house and the village. Thus girls who have been scolded run away (153): 448 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ktii. ax.v. 81 cluldi'cn scolded by iheii' inothor leave the house (127); a scolded gambler leaves the village (208) ; a scolded woman refuses to go back home with her husband (140). Here may also be added remarks on beauty of the body. Long hair (181) of reddish color (140) , or long dark-yellow hair (189) , blond hair and a soft skin (78), are enumerated as traits of beauty. The chieftainess has also long, slender fmgcrs (229, N 183). Religious and Magical Practices Taboos. — In former times there were a great many taboos. Hunters should not waste the meat of the game. Momitain goats punish the people who leave the bodies on the mountains, so that the bones decay and are scattered about (134). The taboo requires that bones and meat shall be biu-ned (132). It is told in the same tale that the people repent, and heap up all the bones of the goats, the moat, and the sldns, bm-n them and walk around the fire (13.5). At the same place it is stated that the peopk^ did not speak badly of animals of any kind, and that the burning of the bones had the effect that the animals would recover from theu' sickness, while the sickness would grow worse if the bones remained scattered on the ground. The same idea is brought out in the injunction requiring part of the body of the salmon to be thrown into the fire (202). This is explained on 195, where the salmon child that had been killed is transformed into a small spring salmon. When the bones are burned, the child comes back to life; but smce by mistake an eye, and later on a rib, have not been burned, the child has a sore eye and a sore rib. It recovers, however, when these parts are found and thrown into the fire. This idea is also given as an explanation why water must be drunk after eating salmon. It serves to revive it (195). This injmiction is said to refer only to fresh salmon (202). Hunters are instructed in a general way to count the days (224), or, more particularly, to count four days. That means that the}' have to keep taboos during these days (173). During this time they must fast and wash. They must eat the bark of devil's-club (Fatsia horrida); and after having done so for four days, they must bathe and dive in a brook. One particular boy, the son of the Devil's- Club, is instructed more in detail in the following way (173). He must not wash his body for twelve months. Then he is told to dive in a stream twelve times, and every time after doing so he is to go back to the village. He is forbidden to get married as long as he wants to obtain riches, because, if his wife should not be true to him, he would haTe bad luck. As long as he '' counts the days in the months and years" (that is to say, as long as he keeps the taboos), his father teUs him he will be blessed; but if he should go after women, he will BOAS] DESCEIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAX 449 be poor. Without any doubt, the general injunction of sexual restraint was binding upon all hunters. Taboos of hunters are also referred to on 199, -ffhere we read of the brave men who know how to fast in order to catch animals, and who have eaten medicine in order to obtam power. The hunter should close his eyes when "something bad" passes in front of him, lest he lose his eyesight (248). During the first salmon-run a great many taboos seem to have been enforced. The whole tribe is instructed to keep taboos until the spring salmon stop runnmg. Old women are ordered to work on salmon nets, but no young woman is allowed to touch the twine. The old men are ordered to make new poles for bag nets, and they are expected to fast diu-ing this time (199). There are a considerable number of special taboos referrmg to certain animals. It is not allowed to throw stones at wild ducks in winter, lest a heavj" snowstorm should set in (2.52). The bear taboos are very complicated. The bear himter must live by himself and fast for twenty days. During this time he must take a bath every second day. After every bath he must lie with liis wife, or, if he has no wife, with some other woman. Then he must put away the mat on which he has been sleeping and use a new mat. During the whole period he must keep away from his wife (280). After the bear has been killed and before it is skinned, the hunter puts his knife at the bear's chest and sings the bear's mouxning-song. When the skin is dried and the heart of the bear is roasted, another song is sung. Red ocher is put on the back of the skin, forming a line running from the head to the tail, and red ocher is put under the arms. It is said that when the sldn of the bear creaks while drying, it signifies that the bear feels chiUy and that the people must add fuel to the fii-e (283). Porcupines must not be smoked out of then- dens in whiter (108). After a porcupine has been kdled, the meat must be dried in a good fii-e and eaten before winter. The bones must be thrown into the fu-e to protect the porcupine agamst sickness. Young people must not eat the heads of young porcupines, lest they become forgetful (110). The first salmon of the season must be treated in a certain way. For the G"its!ala'sEr the following taboos are prescribed: The head of the first salmon must be cut first, then the tail. The tail must not be broken off, but it must be cut right thi-ough with a mussel-sheU knife. No stone or bone blade must be used, lest a thimderstorm set in and bring disaster (205). In the same place it is said that the first salmon of the season must be eaten fresh (200). Dried spring salmon must not be kept more than one season (198). The following description of the capture of the first salmon of the season at G'its'.a- 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 29 450 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [kth. ann. :il la'sEr probably also refers to the customary taboos: 'Wlien the first salmon has been caught, four old shamans are called to the fisher- man's platform. They bring along a new cedar-bark mat, bird's- down, rod ocher, and the other paraphernalia belonging to a shaman. They spread the cedar-bark mat on the platform; and the shaman fisherman puts on his attire, holdmg the rattle in liis right hand, the eagle tail in his left. The shamans take up the mat at its four cor- ners and carry up the salmon (in the same way as a guest is welcomed) ; the fisherman shaman going ahead of them, shaking his rattle and swinging his eagle tail. The salmon is carried to the chief's house; and all the young people who are considered unclean are ordered to leave the house, while all the old people enter in front of the proces- sion. All the shamans of the village dress up and come in, following the salmon. Inside, the salmon is placed on a large cedar board, and the shamans march around it four times. Meanwhile the singers sit dowTi in their proper places around the house, and the fisherman shaman calls two old shaman women to cut his salmon. They take up their mussel-shell knives, wliile all the people keep quiet. They call the salmon by its honorary names — Chief Spring Salmon, Quartz Nose, Two Gills On Back, Lightning Following One Another, and Three Jumps. Then they cut along the lower side of the salmon and take out the stomach (201). While this is told as an incidentin the capture of the Stxlmon chief, it seems very proba])le that this represents one of the customs relating to the captureof the first salmon. Particular customs are prescribed for the roasting of the first olachcn of the season. A frame must be built of elderberry wood, the space between the eldorbony sticks being about three finger- widths, the length being that of the fore arm. The olachen is placed on this frame. Then the person who roasts the olachen puts on a hat of spruce roots and a cedar-bark mat, coat, gloves, and wraps a blanket around the knees. A fire is started under the frame, which is kept going until the olachen is done on one side. When they are turned over, the person must say "Lawn!" Then the other side of the fish is exposed to the fire. When one of the fishes bursts, they must say, "Oh, oh, some more olachen are coming up!" ' (67). Children must not make much noise playing on the street, for those who disobeyed this command were taken up to heaven and died (126). A woman with a newborn child is isolated (156). Adolescent girls must live in a hut by themselves (N 96). It seems probable that the girl saved in a pit lined with valuable blankets and coppers (264) was also isolated because she was adolescent. On 305, 306, we learn about the taboos relating to copper. It is believed that living copper exists near the head of Skeena River. ' See also Boas 1, 1888, p. 847. BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 451 It is believed that this copper hves in the form of salmon in the brooks. It must be treated in the following manner: It must be caught only by descendants of Tsauda's daughter. As soon as the salmon copper is caught, it must be thrown into a fire. The fumes of the salmon make the people who catch it rich, while they would kill any one who does not belong to that particular family. The secret of the salmon copper must not be told to any one. Those who catch the salmon copper must chew gum of the white-pine bark and rub it over their hands and faces before taking the copper. Another individual taboo is mentioned on 291. A number of men who have been taken down into the house of the supernatm-al being Na-gun-a'ks are instructed that they must not touch any live fish. They find all the fish they need floatmg dead on the water. When they break this taboo, they are killed by the supernatural being. A supernatural arrow given to a person is handed over with the instruction that it shall be kept in good order and that nobody must see it. It must not be kept in the house, but put into a box which is to be placed on a tree. The person who owns it must keep away from women (311). Purification. — Great strength and supernatural power may be obtained by boys who bathe in cold water and who are then whipped (116). Their strength is then tested by their ability to puU up trees (118) or tear out branches of trees (117). Purification for success is mentioned at other places (163). In N 197 a supernatural woman washes a man in four deep water-holes until clean and beautiful. In N 155 it is also said that a boy who has obtained supernatural power is very white. A prince tries to gain success by batliing in a brook in the woods (308). Children, in order to grow up well, should be washed rogularty (58, 61). Another means of purifica- tion was the drinking of a decoction of devil's-club, wliich was re- sorted to before a potlatch, but also at other times (1.165, N 37). The purification of the Wolverene is described (175, 176). The Wolverene tries to keep the secret of his purification, and teUs the hunter who threatens him, first, that he uses devil's-club bark in his bath every morning and that he eats some of it, next that he eats roots of floating plants and their leaves, then that he eats a small piece of blue hellebore root and rubs it over his body while bathmg in the morning. After this, he says that he eats skunk-cabbage roots and rubs his body with them while bathing in the morning. Finally he tells the man that he is using rotten fern (176). The purification for bear hunting is described in some detail (280 et seq.). Sacrifices. — In order to obtain success, sacrifices are ofl^ered which are supposed to go to the home of the supernatural beings (273). The offerings are burned (164, 309). Food, fat, tobacco, bu-d's- 452 TSIMSHIAN MYTH0L0<;Y [eth. ANN. 31 down, and red ocher are sacrificed for success (1.139). A sacrifice of fat is demanded (245). A man who runs away from his pursuers sacrifices by throwing back his off'erings (1.185). Ofl^erings consist of fat, eagle down, red ocher, tobacco, food, blue paint, and lime of burnt clamshells (163). Red ocher, eagle do^^^l, and elk skms are also mentioned (241). Grease, crabapples, cranberries, dried berries, elk skins, coppers, garments of sea-otter skins, marten garments, abalone shells, canoes, and slaves are sacrificed (273). Coppers, fat of mountain goat, tobacco, fish oil, crabapples, cranberries, red ocher, and eagle downi arc mentioned as presents to a supernatural being (287); and tobacco, fat, and other good things are thrown into the water as presents to a supernatural being (1.187). G'ilks-ats!a'ntk, the slave of the Killer Whales, is given tobacco (1.181) ; and the same personage (called here G'ix'sats'a'ntx'), the slave of the Stars, is given tobacco, red paint, and sling-stones (N 90). In 1.177 a crane is given a present for making a beak ; food is offered to a supernatural being (331). The Mouse Woman always asks for ear-ornaments as a sacri- fice. These are thrown into the fire (194; see p. 460). The super- natural beings are grateful for sacrifices (273) . In some of these cases ofl'erings appear rather in the form of pres- ents given at a feast (287) . Protection against supernatural bemgs may also be obtained by means of objects that act upon them like poison. In 1.173 hellebore andurinearementioned, which destroy Killer Whales (1.187). Ghosts are also poisoned by "urine and poison and everything that is nasty" (326). Beating of drums and sticks tends to drive away undesirable spirits (353). CuERENT Beliefs A man dies when an owl flies over his head (250) . A woman chokes when looked at while eating (1.161). An absent hunter feels that his wife has been killed (1.163). A man whose wife is faithless has bad luck (1.193) in himting (318) and in gambling (78). If a person lies down in a coffin, he wiU die at once (322). When a raven turns over while flying, and utters the cry "Ould'ge gag dze el ban," it is a sign of approaching misfortune (71). A dream in which events are seen comes true (264). After a misfortune the people desert their village (264). The contents of the stomach of the porcupine pull porcupine (luills out of the skin (110). In the same way as supernatural beings have powers not possessed by human beings, so human beings and things belonging to men have powers not possessed by supernatural people. Human beings are invisible to the Salmon people (204). When a man pulls tight the BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 453 cedar-bark neck-ring of a Salmon Man, the latter does not see Mm, but believes that he is suffocating (204). The arrows of a hunter are invisible to sea lions, who believe them to be diseases (1.131). The chief of the Spring Salmon is sick, because he is kept folded up and dried in a box for more than one season. When the salmon is taken out and unfolded, the chief gets better (194). The slave, of the Killer Whale is vmable to i-epah- his wedges, but a human being who visits him puts new points on them (1.179). Bears are led to believe that the copper bracelets which a girl tlirows on the ground are her excrements (1.151). It may be mentioned here also that the son of the Sun is unable to fly up to the sky when a woman whom he cari'ies opens her eyes and looks about (1.211), and that a supernatural woman when looked at cannot swallow (1.163). Actions are repeated four times. Raven asks four times for fish (62) ; a prince loses his hat four times (260) ; four times Beaver dines with Porcupine (N 76) ; and the Sun tests his son-in-law four times (1.89 etseq.). By shouting four times supernatural beings may be caused to appear. Thus a supernatural being comes up from a lake when a man shouts four times (156). A frog is induced to appear in the .same manner (129, N 146). Shouting four times brings dow^n the birds from heaven (341). Shouting four times produces rain (167). In one case geese that fly over a hut are killed by shouting (336). Mythical Concepts The World. — The world is supported by a man named Am'ala', who lies on his back and who carries a pole on which the world turns.' It is told how the person who in olden times supported the world became tired, and how he called Am'ala', who liad obtained supernatural power from a supernatural being, and later on by over- coming a mountain. The supernatural being took from his chest tlie pole on which the world turns, and moved it over to Am'ala"s. chest. Am'ala' is accompanied by his slave, Avho, in order to strengthen him, rubs his back once a year with the oil of wild ducks. It is said that the oil has nearly been used up, and that as soon as Am'ala' dies, the world will come to an end (121). The same story is referred to, although obscurely, in N 116. The sky is a beautiful open country (1.87). It is reached through the hole in the sky (60, N 88), which opens and closes. In order to pass through, one has to count four times; and when it opens the fourth time, it is possible to fly through the hole rapidly. The sky may also be reached by means of a ladder which extends from the mountains up to the sky (1.85). Another person reached the sky by ' It may be that the sky Is meant. 454 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. anx. 31 means of a chain of arrows. He shot one arrow, whicli hit the edge of the hole in the sky; the next arrow liit the nock of the first one; and by continuing this way a chain was made, along which he ascended (N 88). After reaching the sky, the visitor finds himself on a trad which leads to the house of the Sun chief (1.87). In this house the Sun lives with his daughter. The son of the Sun is also mentioned (218). Near the house is a spring (61). The stars are the tribe of the Sun chief (1.91), and the various constellations live with him. Among these are mentioned the Kite (1.91), the Dipper, Halibut Fishing- Line, the Stern-Board in the Canoe, and the Old Bark Box (1.109). The Sun's daughter is the Evening Star. On leaving the sky, the traveler comes to the edge of a flat prairie, whence he may slide down on the rays of the sun, which reach dowTi to our earth (1.109). The earth is flat, and, as stated before, turns around on the pole supported by Am'ala'.' It is surrounded by the ocean, and on the edge of the ocean there is a large whirlpool (N 104). At this whirlpool live two men. One of them is named One Leg, who consists of one- half of a body; and the other, Hard Instep (N 105). There are several countries on the other side of the ocean. In one of these lives Evening-Sky Woman, who is said to be very wealthy (N 193). Anotlier country on tlie otlier side of the ocean is that of Spring Salmon. In the village of the Spring Salmon is the house of the Dan- cing Herrings (205). On the way from the country of the Spring Salmon to Skeena River there are a number of other towns occupied by other kinds of Salmon — the town of the Silver Sahnon, of the Steel- head Salmon, of the Humpback Salmon, Cohoes, Trout. The houses of the Cohoes are decorated wath designs representing hooked noses, those of the Trout with stars (197). Early in the spring the Spring Salmon send their scouts to Skeena River and to Nass River. The leaves that fall into the water from the cot- tonwood trees are the salmon of the Spring Salmon. If the scouts return and tell that the salmon (that is to say, the cotton- wood leaves) are in the river, the Spring Salmon start. On their way to Skeena River they pass the town of the Silver Salmon, whom they tell about the arrival of the salmon in the rivers. The Silver Salmon promise to follow within a few days. When they go a little farther, they meet the Steelhead Salmon coming back from the rivers, because their tribe moves very early in spring. After this they pass the town of the Humpback Salmon, to whom they also report the arrival of the salmon, and they promise to follow a little later. The Dog Salmon, who are next notified, promise to leave after the Hump- back Salmon have started; while the Cohoes Salmon say that they 'Seenote, p. 116. BOAS] DESCEIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 455 will not start until lato in the fall. Finally the Trout requests the Spring Salmon to wait for them, and the Trout go along with them. When they reach the rivers, the Salmon separate, each going to his own river (197). There is also a country beyond the sea inhabited by dwarfs who are at war with the birds (N 111). The house of the being who supports the world is also described as situated on the other side of the ocean, in the southwest (121). Another village beyond the confines of our world is the house of the Air (309) . On the journey to this place a great number of villages must be passed, which are one month's travel apart. The house of the Air can be reached only by a person wearing a bird garment; which enables him to fly there. The name of the chief of the village is Gutginsa'. He owns the live arrow which has the head of a reptile and which kills the enemy when the owner lets it go. Chief Peace is said to live on an island away out in the ocean. He is a powerful supernatural being, and we hear about the man-iage of his daughter to a human being (207). The Winds live in the four corners of the world. The North Wind is highest in rank. He is followed by the South Wind, East Wind, and West Wind. North Wind is hated by the others because he makes the world pale m winter, while the other winds wish the earth to be gi-een. North Wind has twin children. South Wind has four sons and one daughter. West Wind and East Wind have each two children (12.3). At another ])lace it is said that the Winds all live in the city of the Air. The daughters of the Wmds marry a number of men of supernatural origin, and the characteristics of the Wmds are accounted for by these marriages (131) . The town of South Wind is mentioned in a quite diflerent form in another tale, which relates Txa'msEm's war with the South Wind (80). At still another place the Winds are counted among the beings of the sea (274). The Ghosts live in a village of theu" own on the other side of a river, which is crossed on a bridge (325). The chief lives in a house in the middle of the village, and sits in the rear of the house. The river is the Boiling-Oil River; and if a Ghost falls in, he dies a second death and becomes a echoes salmon (330) if old, a fisher (326) if young. When a person dies, he crosses the river and is led into the house of the chief of the Ghosts, who asks the newcomer to sit by his side. The Ghosts sometimes make war upon the people, in which case they shoot them with nettle arrows (327) and kiU them by taking away their breath (338). The people defend themselves by throwing poisonous fluid over the Ghosts (326). When Ghosts are called, they may appear and attack the people (338) . When the chief of the Ghosts is swallowed up by the earth, he dies a second death (327). 456 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 Somewhere on the outskirts of the world is the house of Chief Pes- tilence and his daughter. In the house live maimed persons,' who sit on each side of the fire. Persons who are afBicted by disease may go to him, and may bo restored by a bath in his bathtub (188). At one place the trail to the house of a supernatural being who evidently lives on the outskirts of the world is described. His house is protected by burning mountains that can not be passed. Under the mountain a trail passes, which itself is considered personified, and the ends of which are each in charge of a Mouse Woman, who may lead the visitor under the mountain to the supernatural being (N 127). The origin legends deal largely with the feats of Txa'msEm, the Raven, who was born on Queen Charlotte Island (sec p. 468). The Animals. — One set of stories, quite different in character from the Raven cycle and from other stories that are widely spread among the coast tribes, relate to the condition of the world as it was before the Deluge, when the Tsimshian lived in Prairie Town at the head of Skeena River, before their migration to the seacoast. At that time the animals lived also at Prairie Town, and in their councils and thi-ough their acts gave to the world the present form. Following are the data that may be obtained in regard to animal society of that time : The Grizzly Bear was tyi-annical and overbearing; the Dogs, imper- tinent and stupid; while the Porcupine was the wisest of all the animals. The Grizzly Bear maltreated Porcupine, and threw him into the fire, therefore the hair on the backs of all porcupines looks as though it had been singed (1.239). The Porcupine has power over the weather, and by his song can produce a clear sky and cold (1.230). In 1.233 his song first produces lightning, then cold. Porcupine's playground is a large spruce tree (1.227). Wlien he is angry, he strikes the fire with his tail (N 77). The contents of the stomach of Porcupine's wife are a remedy that removes porcupine quills from the body; and the leaves that ho chews, when rubbed on the face of a person, make him beautiful (110). The Porcupine is the best singer among all the animals (110). Beaver's playground is a lake. TVTien he is happy, he strikes the water with his tail (127, N 75) and dives (1.233). The animals, and their villages and houses, are also mentioned many times in other tales. Renowned hunters are knowni to the animals (245). It seems that these live, comparatively speaking, near by. On 162 it is said that the houses of the supernatural beings are not far away. A trail leads from the Bear village (1.155) and from the Snail village (162) to the houses of the people. The villages of these beings are situated at the bottom of deep valleys with precipitous, impassable sides (102, 141, 145, 164). 1 Probably homosexual individuals, erroneously called hermaphrodites, are meant. BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 457 Txii'msEm's present abode is described as situated in a deep valley located on a plain. A trail leads downi, and he lives in a hut below. He has two monsters for hunting-dogs. Game is plentiful on the sides of the valley (102). The Ealler Whales have four clans, whose crests are on their dorsal fins. The Eagle Clan has a white line in the middle of the dorsal fin : the Wolf Clan hiis a dorsal fui long, like a wolf's tail ; the Ganha'da have a short one, like a raven's beak; and the GispawadwE'da have a flat, short dorsal fin with a round hole in the center (135). On 138 it appears as though the Ravens themselves formed a Raven Clan. On 182 the house of the Robin is described. On one side of the house is a large room filled with snow and ice. On the other side is a room with, hills full of salmonberries and other kinds of fruit; while flowers are budding on the green giass, and the birds are singing. Hummingbirds are flying about among the flowers. In the rear of the house is a beautiful river filled with ail kinds of salmon. On one side of the house is winter: on the other side summer. On p. 180 we hear about the Sawbill Duck. The daughter of the Sawbill Duck chief has braided hair, ornamented with white shells, hanging dowTi her back. The house of the White-Squirrel chief and his daughter is desciibed in N 211. The house of the Mountain Goats is located in the middle of a great plain on top of a mountain. A shaman is dancing around the fire, trying to see the futm'e, while the other Goats are beating time on planks; one is beatmg the drum in the corner of the house, and the shamans are singing. In his dance, the Goat jumps over the fire, followed by a little Lamb (1.93). The people of a certain village are invited to visit the Moimtain Goats (132), whose village they see on a prairie. Thoy are invited to a dance, in which the hosts wear headdresses and blankets of mountain- goat bait. Then they perform a dance in which a beautiful moimtain is made to appear in the middle of the house. A one-horned Moimtain Goat appears on the moimtam, jumpmg about. T\'lien the Goat kicks the front of the house, the floor breaks down, and the house proves to be a great mountain, and the visitors are killed by a landslide, except one who sits behind the house post, winch is in reality a spruce tree. The Bear village is described several times. The men go out to get s:dmon (279, 1.153); the women gather driftwood for fuel (1.153) and pick berries. When a male Bear's fishing-line or when a female Bear's carrying-strap breaks, he or she is killed by a hunter. After a few days, however, they return to the village. The old Bears say that the lines break because they are not made of cranberry bushes. In the fall of the year all the Bears assemble, and each announces in which den ho is going to sleep in winter (280). They gather food for the winter, and go to their dens when they hear the thunder (281). 458 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 The Otter chief and his village (167); the Mink village (177); the house of the old Raccoon Woman and of her granddaughter (127); the Mosquito village, the chief of which has a crystal proboscis (143); the Snail village, where some of the people appear in the form of giant snails warming their backs by the fire (162); the Bear village (1.151): the Mouse village (237); the village of the Killer Whales, who abduct a woman (1.173 et seq.) — appear in the traditions. In 1.129 we hear about a man who has been deserted on a sea-lion rock and is taken into the house of the Sea Lions under the rock. The Sea Lion sends a Mouse to call him, and he notices it disappearing under a bunch of grass. When he pulls out the bunch of grass, he sees a ladder stretching down into the ground. He enters, climbmg down the ladder, and sees that the Sea Lions whom he had shot are sick, the shamans of the Sea Lions being unable to see his arrows. He cures them ])y pulling out the arrows, and is then sent back in the canoe of the Sea Lion chief — a sea lion's stomach, which is tied up, and is drifted to the shore by the wind. After he has used the canoe, he tics it up again, and it drifts back to the Sea Lions. A visitor to the aninnds may learn from them their tlances and songs, and is given instructions how to treat the animals. The dances and songs of the Mice are thus acquired by the Haida (237). A hunter obtains the good will of the Porcupine by refraining from killing it (148). He gains the love of the Bear Woman by touching her belly (148) or fallhig against her privates (N 203). Of somewhat different type arc other references to supernatural animals. Thus the Red Bear who is pursued by a hunter kicks the mountain, thus creating a deep gorge (1.85). At another place we hear of a Red Bear which runs down the ice, and, being pursued, kicks it to pieces, and thus drowns his pursuer (177). The Mountain Sheep pursued by a hunter Jumps down from a cliff and produces an earth- quake (245). Here may also be mentioned the animals who are called in to marry the daughter of a widow, and who describe their powers. In 1.199 the Wren shows how he flies about the hunter, the Hummingbird picks the hair off people's heads, the Sparrow sings at the dawn of day and wakens the sleepers, the Robin brings the summer by his song, the Mockingbird brings bad weather by his song, the Bluejay foretells good luck to people who go pickhig ber- ries, the Eagle picks out the eyes of his enemies, the Squirrel climbs trees and scatters pine nuts and thus frightens the people, the Rab- bit frightens the people by opening his eyes, the Porcupine strikes his enemies with his tail, the Marmot foretells the weather by looking into the sun, the Land Otter drowns his enemy by diving with him, the Beaver cuts trees and throws them upon his enemies, the Wolf kills his enemies with his teeth, the Grizzly Bear tears them with BOAS] DESCBIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 459 his claws (1.199-'_>11). The Bh'd Of Good Luck holps people by his song (1.79). Animals are also grateful for benefits bestowed upon them. The Eagles who have been fed by a boy during the summer give him food when he is deserted by his tribe (227, N 172). In some cases animals are mentioned that are members of the tribe, slaves, or attendants of supernatural beings. The Codfish is the slave of an ocean-being (240). The man who tries to recover his wife finds at the bottom of the sea a Beaver (1.175), whom he helps in cutting trees. In return the Beaver protects him against his pursuers. He finds the Blind-Geese Women, whose eyesight he re- stores, and who in turn help him by scattering their down, which fills the eyes of the hostile Killer Whales. The Goose Woman appears as a friendly being in N 2.34, warning a person against dangers. Otter and Mink Woman are described as servants of the Killer Whale and wives of G ilks-ats!a'ntk, a slave of the KiUer WTiale. They scent enemies that visit the KiUer Whale village. The Ci-ane Woman is the watchman of the Killer Whale and is bribed by a visitor, whom she hides under her wings (1.177). The village of the Killer Whales is at the bottom of the ocean. A Killer Whale with three dorsal fins is described as a special friend of a person who had benefited him (1.187). Wlien the Iviller Wliales have stolen a woman, they try to trans- form her into a Killer \Miale by fitting a wooden fin on her back (1.177). This fui is made of wood cut for the purpose. The Owner Of the Lake has Wolverene Woman for his wife (1.161). When she eats, she bolts down whole seals; but when she is looked at, she chokes. The Wolverene appears also as destroying the traps of a hunter, whom she deceives by refusing to tell liim the right kind of taboo that she is usLiig (175). A supernatural Lake Woman is the subject of a tale (155). She gives to a woman the power to make every one rich who sees her; to a man, to be always successful in gamblmg. The supernatural Wliale that has its house on the bottom of the lake near Prairie Towm is described (347). It has gills Hke a fish, and four fins in a row along its back hke a IviUer Wliale's. A number of times supernatural animals hving in lakes are men- tioned. On 272 a Beaver with copper eyes, copper claws, copper ears, and copper teeth, is described; and in N 147 we hear about a Frog with copper claws and copper eyebrows. Both of these animals are caught by the people, who obtam wealth through their help. The skin of the frog is removed, and later on worn by the captor, who thus acquires the power of the supernatural animal (N 150). The skill is not taken to the house, but kept hung up on a tree (N 154)' 460 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 Filially the boy is unable to remove the skui again, and becomes him- self a supernatural frog (N 165). Travelers meet a beautiful young woman, who, when they try to take her into their canoe, jumps away as a frog (261). Another supernatural frog that Hves in a lake is mentioned (129). When cedar bark containing the breath of people is pushed into its mouth, the people die. In 1.161 it is said that the hce of a supernatural being were frogs. The Mouse appears a great manj^ times as an old woman who warns a human being against the supernatural beings whom he visits. The regular form of this warning is that the Mouse Woman asks the visitor to throw liis woolen ear-ornaments into the fire. She takes them out by magic, and then asks the visitor whether he knows where he is (109, 160, 162, 167, 168, 179, 194, 208, 273, 279,286, 1.129, 1.131, 1.151, 1.1.55, N 87, N 127, N 1.36). The Mouse Woman as guardian of a trail and adviser (N 128), and the Mouse as messenger of the Sea Lion (1.129), have been referred to before. Supernatural Beings and their Feats. — Supernatural beings appear very often in the form of a flash of hghtning. The son of the Sky is so described (1.211). The arrival of a supernatural being is announced by four hghtning flashes and by four claps of thunder (347). Lightning proceeds from liis leggings and moccasins (218). Sometimes it is merely stated that supernatural beings appear as sliining youths (58, 95, 117, 239, 297, 298), or they appear in shining light (305). They sliine like the sun (239) or have garments like tongues of fire (1.211). There is also mention of a supernatural woman shining like light (76). Generally these supernatural beings appear for the purpose of marrying a girl. They also appear in order to help the ur.fortunate and poor (N 138). Additional instances of tliis kind, in which the supernatural being is not described in detail, are found in 158, 172, 177, 298, 1.73, 1.77, 1.79. A super- natural being who is the personification of devil's-club is said to have a skin that burns Hke nettles (172). Another one is described as having a hairy body (332). Still another one, the Bear, has rough palms (192). The snail has a skin as smooth as glass (161). They are jealous, and it is dangerous for a person married to a super- natural being to marry again or to have a lover (155). Supernat- ural beings who leave mankind after having lived among them are apt to be transparent, hke a cloud (213), or they disappear sud- denly (309, 1.79, 1.81, 1.115). When their friends are in danger, they appear to them (1.105). A yoimg woman (besides her grandmother, the only survivor of her tribe) has six supernatural children — five boys and one girl. The first one originates from her tears (or the mucus of her nose); the others, from objects that she puts under her blanket. They are Crab- BOAS] DESCEIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 461 apple Tree, Sloe Bush, and Spruce, who origmate from wedges made of these kinds of wood; Mountain, who originates from a whetstone; the girl is called Knife, and origmates from a knife (N 96). In their contest with the Magical Feather they assume the forms of the objects whose names they bear (N 99). In the parallel Tsimshian story these cliildren are Mucus, Grindstone, Crabapple Tree, Feather, and the girl Knife Hand (125). A great many supernatural beings are associated with mountains and dangerous rapids. The supernatural beings of mountams in general are referred to in 1.1 89; those of a particular rock on 239, of a bay 273. The monsters identified with dangerous places in the sea are spoken of (222, m 1.189). In former times these upset many canoes, because they desu-ed to take the dried berries that were carried in them (274) ; but at a feast given by one of their own number they promised to desist. In another feast two of the most dangerous ones are asked to move out of the canoe passes (276). "VATierever they appear as guests in a house, they come on a flood and foam. At the same place it is said that this flood covers the whole village exc'ept the houses of their hosts. They enter the house, bringing with them a flood of water (287). To this class belong also the giant devilfish (1 35), and the monster halibut wliich swaUows people (271). Among these may perhaps also be counted the Owner Of The Lake, caUed Floating Across (1.157). The Was is a monster that is not described in detail. Self-moving canoes have a Was head at each end (N 106). In the version Boas 4.275 the slaves who make Txa'msEm greedy are called Was At Each End. He appears also as protector of a shaman (348). In early times copper was hangmg on a mountam near Nass River. A son of the Smi hit it with a sling-stone and caused one part to go north to Alaska, another east to the head waters of Skeena River, where it became the live copper (300). Hak!ula'q was fu'st a lake woman who married a young man. When their child was taken away by another man who deceived her, it killed all the people by plucking out their eyes (154). Then the woman wont into the sea and became the monster Haklula'c^. A child of Haklula'q was floatmg between two islands, and by raising high waves and gales she killed every- body who tried to take the child (221). It is not certain whether this monster and the woman mentioned befoi'e are the same. Among evil beings that live m distant parts of the world, I mention the shaman women, referred to in 151 : Ivnife-Hand Woman (N 234) ; the Mosquito chief, who has a crystal proboscis, and whose heart, which has eyes and mouth, does not die after his body has been killed (145) ; and the blind cannibal who catches people in his bag net (127). The great slaves of supernatural beings are mentioned, particularly Slave Dn-m-Belly, whose stomach is used in place of a drum (X 125). 462 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann. 31 The Killer "Whale and the Stars have a slave called G'llks-atsla'ntk (Gix'sats'a'ntx- in the Nass dialect), who has the power of swelling up enormously and obstructing the trail (X 90, 1.183). Supernatmal beings are able to perform a great many magical feats either for benefiting mankind or for doing harm. The Sun, who wants to kill his son-in-law, owns a magical tree, the bark of which falls down when struck with an ax and kills the people who try to fell it (1.101). He tries to bake his son-in-law in an oven (1.103). When a supernatmal being kills his enemy by cutting off his head, body and head rejoin mitU poison is mixed with the parts of the body (1.163). When supernatural beings want to capture a visitor, they cause all the openings of their house, smoke hole, and door to close (128). When a supernatural being who returns over the ocean to her home, or on the rays of the sun to the sky, looks back at her husband, who follows her, his support gives way. Hefallsinto theseaor down to the ground and is killed (213, 1.113). A monster causes an island to roll over (223) and creates whirlpools (224). The supernatural being Sleep, by means of his magic power, raises a moimtain and transforms his comb into a thicket, which obstructs the fhght of a couple that try to escape him (N 235). The food of supernatural beings is dangerous (160). The first kind of food that they offer to a visitor is poison; the second may be par- taken of without danger (167). Salmon that Bears offer first is the stomach of a man ; crabapples offered first are decomposed flesh and eyes (279). On the other hand, supernatural beings have many powers for benefiting people. They procure food for those M-hom they prote(^t. They appear as providers (172,2.39,242, 1.77, 1.161). A supernatural being promises good luck to two women if allowed to marry one of them (1.79). He appears to his wife to gi^-e her adviee (173). A prmce is successful because he hiis married the daughter of a super- natural being (304). A supernatural being tells a man the evil plans of his enemy (312). When a pereon has been killed by drowning or by fallmg to the ground from a great height, the supernatural being opens a hole in the floor of his house and fishes up the bones with his bag net, and then proceeds to resuscitate the dead person (214, 1.99). The dead are revived by swinging a plume over the hotly (127, 130, 1.113, N 234). It is said that with the first motion of the plume the bones come together (127) : with the second, sinew and flesh come to be on the bones; with the third, the skin appears; and with the fourth motion the hero asks the four Winds to breathe on the bodies and to restoi-e them to life. Others are revived by swinging over their bodies the heart of the person who killed them (145, 150, 1.163); by jumpmg four tunes over them (134, 188, 189, 220); by stepping over the body (1.101) after the bones have been laid out in BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 463 order (1.103); by sprinkling the face with the cold water of life and slapping the cheeks (30.5) ; by sprinkling ashes over a skeleton four times and fanning it with a shaman's eagle tail (328) ; or by singing over the skeleton that has been laid out on a mat and covered with another mat that has been painted red (N" 214). The Salmon Woman (Bright-Cloud Woman) restores her husband's eyesight by washing his eye-socket (77). Persons who are sick may also be cured by being boiled in a bathtub imtil their bones are perfectly clean. Then the bones are laid out on a mat and revived in the manner just described (188, 298). A person who has been revived rubs his eyes as though he had slept (151). A man who has been resuscitated has a beautiful white skin (1 SS). Blindness is cured by a supernatural being by removing blood and rubbish from the eyes (248). Animals revive when their flesh and skin are burned (N 21.5). The supernatural beings are capable of making children grow rapidly by putting their feet on the children's feet and pulling the forehead (273, 1.81; see also 173). They flatten out mountains so that the hunter may pass them easily (103). Pur- suing Snails cause a rock-slide (165). The supernatural beings are able to make short the distance from their home to the human villages (209). They travel over the smface of the water, following the " belt of water," that is, a tide-line (213). A being of supernatural power thai is sent out to cut firewood just touches the tree and makes it fall into pieces of the right length (1.101). Supernatural beings come to marry people, to visit them, or to take them home. Here belong the nimierous marriages with super- natural beings. When all the people of the Squirrel chief have been killed by the himian beings, the Squirrel chief takes into his house tlie man who has slain them. The Bear Woman who marries a man is the subject of the tale in N 203. She accompanies her husband to the village of the people, whom she frightens by gathering berries in her stomach instead of using a basket. Marriages of this kind are those of the chief who marries the Robin and the Sawbill Duck (179 et seq.), and of the princess who marries the Mouse who came to her room every night (232). It is a charac^teristic trait of many tales of this kind that animals that have been insulted send messengers to take the offender (gen- erally a girl) to their village, where she must marry a man, the son of the chief of the offended animals (see p. 749). Thus a girl is made to marry a Snail (162); another one, a Bear (279, 1.151). Wlien the woman is taken to the village of the animals, she is left standing outside, and the chief asks the ty]iical question, "Did you get what you went for?" Then she is taken inside. The same happens to a hunter who is taken to the sky. He is induced to pursue the slave of the Sky chief, who has taken the form of a white bear by putting 464 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [fth. ann. 31 on a bear skin covered with ashes (1.87). In the same manner the chief of the Sqvnrrols sends liis ihiuijhter to call a youni^ man who has killed all the squirrels, and she leaves him standinj^ outside (N 212). The son of the Sun flies up to the sky with his wife and his mother- in-law (1.211, N 223). In heaven his wife conceives from the rays of the sun, which strike her every morning through a chmk in the house (N 224). A year in the house of a supernatural being seems to the visitor like a day (188). Therefore people who wait for the return of a person who has gone to the house of a supernatural being are foimd dead. Only their skeletons remain (ISS). In one tale it is said that the visitors did not know how long they had been in the house of the supernatural being: but probably here also it is meant that they thought they had been there one day, while they had been there a whole year (287). A person who has supernatural power escapes in the form of bird down from a woman who causes all the openings of her house to close (128). The canoe of the supernatural people comes to take away a man (208). Magical words enable a man to escape from a mountain. He says, "On the thumb," "On the sand," and, repeating these words, gets down safely (134). When the Porcupine throws himself down from a high tree, he shouts, "Vessel of moss!" and falls on the ground without hurting himself. When the Beaver shouts, "Stone!" he strikes the ground and almost dies (1.231, N 81). Magir said to him, "Go on anil lly out to sea, so that all the people may see you" (224). Old snails that go down to the beach when the tide is low stick to the rocks, and become chitons (166). Cliitons and various kinds of shellfish also originated from the fat of the supernatural snails, that had taken away a princess and were killed by the people. Since this happened on Beaver-Tail Island, chitons are found there plentifully (165). A woman who had been scolded by her husband, and who for tliis reason staid in a lake in which she was swamming, became the Beaver. Because the woman had brown hair, all the beavers have brown fur. The woman's apron became a beaver tail. Since the woman was the first beaver, all the lieavers are females (141). The Bullhead used to be a well-shaped fish. Once upon a time Raven called him, intending to catch him; but since the fish kept at a distance from Raven, the latter stretched out his hand and closed his fingers in the direction of the fish's tad, saying, "You shall have a tliin tad, only your head shall be large and thick." This is the reason why the bullhead has its peculiar form (71). The Cockle was one uf a war party that accompanied Raven when he made war against the South Wind. Since he did not succeed, Raven broke him. For this reason cockles are broken and eaten (80). Salmon originated when Bright-Cloud Woman, whom Raven had married, put her toes into the water (76). Mosquitoes originated when the body of the chief of the people of the Mosquito village was burned. His ashes were blown about and became small mosquitoes (145). The Snag is a man who jumped out of a canoe into the sea, saying that he intended to become a snag (302). Certain peculiarities of animals are also accoimted for in talas. The Devilfish is afraid of the Raven. This is accounted for in two different ways. When a Raven gave a feast to the sea monsters, he trans- formed them into rocks ; but when he uttered the magical words, the devilfish jumped into the sea and escaped. For this reason, when the people cry "Caw!" like a raven, the devilfish dies at once (100). If the people wait imtil the monster is at the surface, the imitation of the voice of the raven is of no avail (138). The second explanation is based on the story of a war between the Killer "Whales and the Giant Devilfish. When the Killer Whales of the Raven Clan attacked the Giant Devilfish, they succeeded in killing him, and therefore the devilfish of the present time is afraid of the raven (138). The animals sleep in dens during the winter, because at the coxmcil when the seasons were instituted tho Porcupine told them to do so (108). All the animals are afraid of Porcupine, because at the same BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 471 council he struck thorn with the quills of liis tail when they insulted him (108). The Dog is the enemy of the Porcupine, on account of the events m the council held by the animals, in which the Dogs wanted to have forty days in each month, while the Porcupine showed that the Dogs were wrong (115, 116). Porcupine has only four toes, because in the counc^il in wliich the seasons were arranged, after he had spoken, he bit off liis thumb in his rage on accomat of the stupidity of the large annuals (107). The Dog's thumb is dislocated, because, in his quarrel with the Porcupme during the council, the Porcupine struck it with liis tail. The Raven has no intestines, because when hunting one day he was misuccessful, and took out part of his owai intestines in order to bring them to his children (96). The Gulls have black-tipped wings because Raven at one time threw them into the fire (67). The Cor- morant is black on account of his adventure with Raven.' The Cor- morant can not speak because Raven tore out his tongue when he stole his halibut (93). Branches of trees creak because a supernatural bemg put his mother-in-law into a tree (1.211). Wolves are afraid of human beings because a man that killed a Wolf prince was then adopted by the Wolves, married Wolf women, then returned with liis children to his own tribe, and sent back his children, the Wolves, to the mountains, ordering them not to hurt their relatives (322). The Tomtit is the chief of the birds, because, when Raven tried to ol)tain sea eggs by means of a sinew rope, the tomtit's sinews proved to be strongest (63-64). Little Grindstone, one of the sons of the woman who was the sole survivor of the people taken up to the sky, ate of the berries growing on Skeeiia River, and was transformed into a mountain (N 234). Flint originated when the wife of a supernatural being who was in gi'eat danger on top of a mountain did not understantl his request to sacrifice. She was then told to melt fat and to eat it. After she had done so, she lay down across an old log, broke apart, and her body was transformed into Ihnt. The supernatural being and his dog were transformed into stone, which may still be seen on the mountain (246, 1.145). The passage to Nass River was openeil by throwing sling-stones against an obstructing mountam (300). The dangerous whirlpools and tide-rips on canoe passes were removed at a festival, in which a chief requested the monsters living at those places to change their domicile (276). According to another talo, they were removed when Raven transformed all the sea monstei's mtorock (100). > Probably this is an error; and It ought to be, the raven is black, because he flew away through the smoke hole and was blackened by soot (93). 472 TSIMSUIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann, 31 A sandbar originated when gravel was thrown out of the eanoe into the sea (170). A sandbar with hirge rocks originated when a strong man threw down a mountain, breaking it to pieces (120). When a raven flew across the sea fi-oni Queen Chark)tte Islands, he threw a few stones into the sea, which became resting-places. They still exist in the form of large rocks that are way out at sea. The rocks near the village Xlen are the sea food which Sawbill-Duck Woman brought to her husband, and which by mistake was thrown out of the canoes into the sea (185). The rocks on the shore-line on one of the islands at the mouth of Nass River originatetl when the Frogs that had made fun of the Haven were driven down liver by the wind, and were wrecked on the island which they tried to climb. They were frozen to death and became stone (62). The I\jller 'WTialos that pursued a man whose wife they had carried away, and who had recovered her, were transformed into stone when the hero throw hellebore and urine into the sea (1.187). When a hero moved a supernatural plume against a mountain and obstructed the passage, the mountain melted down, and the molten rock may still be seen (N 234). A canoe that had been pulled ashore and turned upside down was transformed into a hill, and tho load in the canoe was transformed into rocks (235). In the beginning the fingers of man had eyes and mouth. Because Raven scorched his fingers in the house of the Seal, tho fingers have assumed their present form. In former times people did not eat with their mouths only, but their fingers also ate (91). Cripples exist ho- cause at the time when a plume took up the people to heaven and lot their bones fall down on the plain, the skeletons were put together in a wrong way and revived. For this reason some men have no beards because they have women's heads; women have whiskers because they have men's heads; and people limp because they have legs belonging to different persons (127). The different languages originated when the people were scattered after the Deluge (1.251). At the same time new chiefs originated in all the different towns (1.253). In the beginning canoes would always capsize at Cape Fox; but since Raven showed the way, passing this place on a driftlog, canoes do not capsize when they cross there in stormy weather. It is known that driftwood bm-ns well, because Mouse Woman advised the girl who was taken away by the Black Bears to use driftwood for fuel (1.155). Because Raven used rotten hemlock wood for smoking salmon, it is known that this kind of wood is serviceable for this purpose (89). The art of making nets is kno\vn because the son of Spider Woman married a girl and taught her mother the art (159). Girls have no say about their marriage because a girl made fun of her cousin, whom she was to have mari-ied. The yoimg man was BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 473 made beautiful in the house of Chief Pestilence; wjiile the girl was maimed by him, and finally died (1S8-191). Girls are not allowed to go alone into the wooils, because a jjrincess who did so was carried away by an otter (172). Yoimg people are not allowed to go out alone, because a number of yoimg jjeople made fun of a ghost and were killed by it (3.36 et seq.). Evidently these last two explanations are merely a special expression of the idea that young people should bo accompanied by older people, who may protect them against supernatural beings, strangers, and against their own mclinations to act improperly. Shamanism Shamans may bo initiated ])y various kinds of supernatural beings. One shaman is initiated by the Squirrel-;, who take him to their home in a tree, where his skeleton is finally found hanging. The body is spread on a mat covered with another mat, which is painted red and covered with bird's down, sacrifices are brought, while the young man's parents leave the house. TMicn the people sing over the body, the man revives and becomes a powerful shaman (N 213). Another shaman is initiated by a supernatural being that lives in a deep cave called the Cave Of Fear, wliich only shamans are able to enter. He is let down by means of a cedar-bark rope, and on his way down is stimg by great swarms of insects. At the bottom he finds a hairy yoimg man, who leads him through a door shining like the sun, into a cave where the supernatural being that gives him power is seated. From the east side of the house a supernatural being enters, accom- panied by attendants. They take their supernatural powers out of their mouths, and put them into the mouth of the visitor. Finally the cliief of the house lays liis hands on the visitor and rubs his eyes (331 et seq.). Still another shaman receives his power by gaining a victory over the Ghosts (327). iVnother one is initiated in the bottom of the great Lake Of The Begimiing, near Prairie Town. In the lake he finds a large house, and a fire burning in it. There are four flashes of hghtning accompanied by thunder-claps. Next a Grizzly Bear appears, who is transformed mto a carved box; then, a Thunderbird, who, at his own request, is put into the box and becomes a drum, the red ocher on the drum behig the hghtnhig; next a bemg called Living Ice, which is the hail; and finally a large animal called Mouth At Each End, and a Codfish, appear. All these are put into the box, and the Grizzly Bear gives the shaman his name, Mouth At Each End. He has then obtained shamanistic powers. This man's brother is waitmg for him on the banks of the lake. He dies there of starvation, is eaten by martens, until only the bones are left. The shaman restores him to life by rubbing earth with his hands over the bones, by putting in new sinews made of roots, and rubbing moss over the whole. Then his brother revives, and becomes 474 TSIMSIIIAN MYTHOLOGY Ieth. ann. :U a shaman, who is called Devoured By Martens. The martens that have eaten liim are put into his body, and he receives a vessel of blood, which is to be his supernatural power (34S). Another shaman is taken away by the supernatural powers. After four days ho is found lying on the floor of the house, and wlaistHng is heard around the body. When he recovers, he has obtained great power (332, 333). The shaman TsEgu'ksk" is taken to the house of a supernatural being at the bottom of the sea, called G'it-k-staql. This being gives him a song, a club in the shape of a land otter, and a small box, the hd of wliich is carved in the shape of a whale. He also gives him a cham- ber-vessel made of wood. His club is capable of cutting the ice. The box may assume the shape of a killer whale, and also cuts the ice (N 231). Novices into whom supernatural powers enter faU back in a faint, except the strongest ones. Vomitmg of blood is a sign that a person has attained supernatural power (332). Hostile supernatural powei-s may overcome even strong shamans. Thus we hear of two hermaphrodite-shamans overcoming others by moans of thoir helper blood (34S). There are male as well as f canalo shamans. A hostile female shaman is mentioned on 151. She kills people who enter her den by poisoning them. A female shaman is said to be most powerful of all the shamans of a village (163). It is the duty of the shaman to cure the sick, who in return love him (333). On 331 we aro told that the shaman heals the sick, punishes those who do not believe in him, helps those who pay him well, and kills his enemies. He is able to see things that happen in the country of supernatural beings. Thus a shaman seas what is going on in the house of the Sprmg Salmon. He sees them start on their journey up Skeena River, and knows that they will arrive eight days after the broaking-up of the ice (199). Shamans are able to see the whereabouts of lost persons. A female shaman points out the house of a SnaU to which a princess has been taken (163; see also 169). A great shaman finds a lost prince (198). A dying shaman foretells how he will come back to life (329). He is forewarned of impending evil by his protecting power (328, 329), and in all his work he is helped by the powers (348). The Diseases are afraid of a pow- erful shaman (333) , and he is hated by the Ghosts (326) . A practicing shaman wears a crown of grizzly-bear daws on his head, a ring set with carved bones aroimd his neck, and a dancing-apron. He has a rattle in his right hand, and a white eagle tail in the left. His face is black with charcoal, and he wears eagle down in his hair (323). At another place the description of his attire is the same, but it is said that he has red paint on his face (198). Another one wears a ring of red-cedar bark (83). The bones of his neck-ring are de- BOAS] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 475 scribed as representing various kinds of animals (333). Another shaman is said to wear a bear-skin blanket besides the dancing-apron, and it is said that his face is painted red mixed with charcoal. He has a rattle in each hand, and eagle down scattered all over his body (350). Shamans of the Ghosts use a skull for a rattle, the handle of which is the backbone. The dancing-apron is set with the bones of the skeleton hung around the bottom like a fringe, and the crowni is made of dead men's ribs (327). A powerful shaman has live rattles, the crown of gi'izzly beare, and the dancing-apron (332). Live rattles are mentioned also on 335 and in N 124. The powerful shamans who have live rattles have also birds to beat time and smg for them (N 124). The boards for beating time run into the house like serpents and lay themselves down on each side of the fire. Weasel batons run along behind the boards and beat of themselves. The skm drum rims out and beats itself (332). The shaman has four attendants (323), and the playmates of a boy who becomes a shaman become his attendants (323). When curing the patient, the shaman sits at the foot end of the bod and looks into the eyes of the sick person (327, 335, N 124). When he sits at the head end of a supernatural being that has been shot, he sees the arrows that are invisible to all except himself (336). Then he runs aroimd the fire four times, followuig the couree of the sim (326), and he smgs his song (83, 332). On 323 the body of a person who is nearly dead, and who is to be treated, is placed on a ^vide board in front of the fire. A shaman is called in to treat the sick chiefs and princes (82). A shaman who tries to obtain food for the people is placed on a platform connecting four canoes. The planks are painted red; and after the shaman lies down on them, he is covered with a mat (349). He works over a sick person for four days (323). \Miilo he is singhig, he performs the dance of his supernatural protector, the dance of the SquiiTel (N 213). The shaman of the Mountain Goats also performs a dance (1.93; see also 133). He uses the eagle tail to fan the breath l)ack mto the body (328). Wlien the soul of the ])atient has left the body, the shaman goes to recover it (324, 339). He catches the soul in his left hand (324). If a person has a wound, the shaman is able to close it by rubbing over it (336). For this purpose magic words maj^ be used (S3). The skeleton of a dead person may be laid out, and a powerful shaman is able to resuscitate it (328, 348). Wlien there are many sudden deaths in a tribe, the shamans may go to make war on the Ghosts in order to recover the souls of the deceased (338). If a shaman is sick, he may be cured by another shaman (334). 476 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 If the shaman disobeys the orders of his protector, he may ()-i) mention another tribe, the Qo'qaitx. As I imderstand it, the exogamic groups were present iu all these villages. Among all these tribes the members of these groups have the privilege of using designs rej)resentuig certahi animals or other objects as then* crests, and m many cases they clami a supernatural relationship to the animals, which may therefore be said to be the totems of these groups, iu the nari'ower sense of this tema. It is important, however, to know that the priacipal crest animal and the animal from wliich the group takes its name are not always the same. Thus the Raven side of the Ilaida has as its priucipal crest the killer whale, and on the Eagle side of the Haida the beaver is as important a crest as the eagle. Furthermore, not all the members of each group have the same crest; but among the TJingit and Haida there are a considerable number, among the Tsimshian a small number, of subgroups, each of which has a number of crest animals of its owii. In a great many cases the acquisition of these crest animals can be traced by historical or semiliistorical traditions; and we know that iu some cases crests have been obtained by gift from friends among foreign tribes or have been acquired in war. Often among the Tlmgit and Haida, and also among the Tsimshian, their acquisition is explained by a myth which belongs ojdy 1 The notes on the Bellabella are from Boas 1, 1SS9, p. 825. < Ibid., p. -129, line 3t; p. 422, line 12. - See Boas 8, p. 471, line 11; p. 424, line 33. » Ibid., p. 43S, lines 30, 32. •Ibid., p. 431, lines 26, 34. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 31 482 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Teth. ann. 31 to one of the subdivisions of the laro:cr group. It is therefore evident that in such eases the animal name of the grouj), and the erest of the subdivision of the group, are not equivalent. The subgroups among the Haida and Tlingit are tlu'oughout local in chara<'ter. They were evidently at one time village communities consisting of blood relatives; that is to say, of a number of people related or supposed to be related by maternal descent. Such a group of peoj)le have their own local traditions, which in many cases have the form of crest traditions. Similar conditions prevailed among the Tsimshian, among whom, however, the number of local subgrou]« seems to have been rather small. Although such a village was the property of a subdivision of one group, necessarily a considerable number of individuals of the oppo- site group must have lived in the same village as husbands or wives, as the case may have been. It is ])robable that in this way the present conditions origmated, the recent villages consisting of a number of house groups uiliabited by different branches of the groups. In the following notes I shall describe the organization of the Tsimshian. Tsimshian is spoken in tliree princi[)al dialects: 1. Nlsqa'^, on Nass River. 2. G'it-ksa'n, on the head waters of Skeena Kiver ( = People of Skeena River). 3. TslEm-sia'n, on Skeena River and including tlie closely related cUalects south and west of Skeena River ( = inside of Skeena River) . The Tsimshian projser embrace the following tribes: 1. TslEm-sia'n, on Skeena River. 2. G"its!Emga'16n, below the canyon of Skeena River. 3. G'itslala'sEr, on the canyon of Skeena River. 4. G"it-qxa'ia, on the islands outside of Skeena liiver. 5. G'it-q!a'°da, on GrenvUle Ciiannel. 6. G'idEsdzti', northwest of MUlbank Sound. These are considered half BeUabella.i ' The Tsimshian have nh\o. towns: 1. G-i-spa-x-la'-'ls 1 ,p , x G. G-it-dzi"'s=' (Raven). 2. G-itlanda'^ | ^^"^'^^ 7. G-id-wul-g'a'dz | 3. G-max'ang-i'°k (Bear). 8. G'i-lu-dza'r (Bear). 4. G-it-la'n (Raven and Wolf). 9. G-inada'°xs^ ■ | 5. G-idzExla'°l (Raven). > Publications of the American Ethnological Society, vol. m, p. 225. 2 Two additional Eagle towns, G-id-wul-kSE-btt'o and G'i-spa-x*4'l, have become extinct. 3 Two additional Raven towns, named WutslEn-a'luk and' G-id-gadQ, Jiave become extinct. * The list given here is contained in Mr. Tate's version of the Gau'o story (Pubs. Amer. Ethn. Soc, vol. m, p. 223) and in the story of the Deluge (ibid., p. 247). It occur? also on p. 275 of the present volume. It agrees with the list obtained by me from another person in 1888, except that the latter contains (he additional name Gid-wul-ksE-ba'". My list of 1&88 agrees with the one obtained by Aurel Krause in 1.8S2 (Die TUnkil-Indianer, p. 317). He mentions one tribe that I have not identified, the Kltrau-ai-ijcs (G'it-gawa'yiks?). On p. 275 the G-id-wul-ksE-ba'" are mentioned in place of the G'itlandi'. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 483 The G'itsIala'sEr have two towns: 1. G'i-lax-ts!a'ks, ou the north side of the river. 2. G4t-xts!a'x}, on the south side of the river. For a long tijiie all the Tsimshian proper assembled in wmter at MaxlE-qxa'la CNIetlakahtla), where each gi-oup inliabited its own village site. Durmg the fishing-season they lived m their separate towiis on Skeena River and on the coast. It seems probable that at an earlier time the Tsimshian lived on the ujiper course of Skeena Kiver. According to their o\\i\ belief, they lived then in the village T!Em-lax-a'm. Like the two sides of the Tlmgit and Ilaida, each of the four exogamic groups of the Tsimshian is not a homogeneous unit, but is comi)Osed of a number of subdivisions, each of which has its own traditions ami its own jirerogatives. The Eagle group, Gaiilia'tla group, and G'ispawadwE'da group, have each three divisions; the Wolf group has no subdivisions. These divisions and their principal crests, so far as ascertained, are as follows: 1. Eagle group. Lax-skl'°k. (a) Gun-hu'°t, "runawaj-s" (from Alaska). (b) G'it-lax-wl-yl'a (from the upper course of Skeena River). (f) G-its!6'x (halibut crest; from Bellabella [G-idEsdzu"^]). 2. Wolf group. Lax-k'ebo (from the Tahltan). 3. Ganha'da. ((/) Ganha'da (raven crest; from inland?)- (h) TsQnadate (starfish crest; from Alaska?). (c) Lax-se'^la, "on the ocean" (bullhead crest; from Cape Fox). 4. G'ispawadwE'da. (a) G'it!Em-lax-a'm (grizzly-bear crest: from T!Em-lax-fi'm). (b) G'it-na-gun-a'ks (killer-whale crest; from China, Hat [G-idEsdzu']). (f ) G'it-ksE-dza (fireweed, Epilohium; descendants of Gau'o) . Mr. Tate has given me the following information in regard to the groups to which the Tsimshian villages belonged: G'ispawadwE'da (Bear group). Crests: Grizzly bear, killer whale, Lag-adil(?). Git-qxa'la. G-inax'angi'°k (3).» G-iiiada'°xs (9). Crests: Grizzly bear, fireweed, mountain sheep. G'id-wul-g-a'dz (7). G-i-lu-dza'r (S). ' The numbers here given are those of the Tsimshian villages enumerated on p. 482. The G-it-qxa'la do not belong to the Tsimshian proper. The other villages without number are extinct. 48-i TSIMSHIAN mythology: [eth. iXN. 31 Lax-ski'°k (Eagle group). Crests: Eagle, beaver, luilibut. G-i-spa-x-la"'ts (1). G-it!anda' (2). Gid-wul-ksE-ba'". Gi-spa-x'a'l. Ganha'da (Raven group). Crests: N!a'°gEm-sa-g6lil^ (scalp witli fins), abalone bow. G-idzExlii'°l (5). ■ Crests: Raven, starfish, abalone bow. G-it-dzi'-'s (6). WutslEn-a'luk.' Crests: Raven, starfish, frog, bullhead. G-it-la'n (4). Lax-k"ebo' (Wolf group). Crests: Wolf, grizzly bear, crane. G-it-la'n (4). The G'it-la'n are the only village community that include two groups, the Raven and the Wolf. The organization of the Nass divisions is quite similar to the one found among the Tsimshian. According to information collected by me in Kinkolith m 1894, the following subdivisions are recognized : = 1. Eagle group. Lax-skl'°k. (a) G'isgaplEna'x. (6) Lax-lo'°kst. (c) G-its!a'°q. ((?) Lax-tslEme'lix', "on beaver." 2. Wolf group. Lax-kcbo'. (a) Lax-t!ia'q}. (b) G^it-g'ig'e'nix-. ((■) G-it-wul-nak!e'l. 3. Ganha'da. (a) Gid-x-(i!ad6'q. (6) Lax-se'°la, "on the ocean." 4. G'ispawadwE'da. Gisg'aha'st, "gi'ass people." These totemic divisions were di.^tributed over four old towns — Lax-ci'al-ts!a'p ("on the town"), Andeguale', G'it-wunkse'ik, and Git-lax-da'miks. According to my informants, principally Chief Mountam, none of the other modern villages of the Nisqa'^ formed a recognized division o£ the tribe. The subdivisions of the tribe were represented, according to these informants, as follows: I There is no information on the crests of the G-id-gadu. 2 Boas 1, 1S9.=>, p. 570. BOis] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 485 Lax-q'al-ts!a'p. Ganlia'da jjroup : Ganlia'da, G'id-x'qiado'q. Wclf group: Lax-k'ebo'. Eiigle group: Lax-skr°k, G'isgaplEna'x. Andoguale'. Gauha'da group: Lax-se'°la. Wolf gi-oup: G'it-gig'e'nix". G'it-wuiikse'lk. Wolf group: Lax-t!ia'ql. Eagle gi'oup: Lax-lo'°kst. G'ispawadwE'da group: G'i-g'idia'st. Git-lax-da'miks. Gauha'da group: Lax-se'°la. Wolf group: G"it-wul-nak'!e'l. Eagle group: Lax-skr°k, Lax-ts!Eme'lix'. It seems to me that these groups, wliich are based entirely on information secured in the new village Kinkolith, need corroboration, particularly their peculiar distribution and the apparent appearance of the same name as a group name and as that of a subdivision. ' It is remarkable that only the GispawadwE'da appear here confined to one single ■s'illage, Git-wiinkse'ik: that the Eagle group occurs in all except Andeguale', the Ganha'da group in all except G'it- wunkse'lk, while the Wolf group is common to all of them. From the same source I learned that the G'it-wunllvo'l, on the upper Skeena River, whose dialect is said to be intermediate between the Xass and G'it-ksa'n dialects, are considered a separate tribe, and have the Ganha'da and Wolf groups. Chief Mountain gave the following, avowedl}- incomplete, list of G'it-ksa'n villages and groups: Village: Git-wunga' (Doi-sey, Kit-win-gach). Ganha'da and Eagle. Village: Gidzig'u'kla (Dorsey, Ivitze-gukla). Ganha'da and G'isg'aha'st. Village: Gispa-yo'ks (Dorsey, Kish-pi-yeoux). Ganha'da and Wolf. Village: G"it-an-ma'k"s (Doi-sey,- Kit-an-maiksh). It appeal's from these data that there are two intercrossing divis- ions among the Tsimshian tribes — one a tribal division based essen- tially on village communities consisting of clan fdlows; another one a subdivision of the exogamic groups according to their provenience. Some additional data are available which explain these relations among the Tsimshian proper. 1 Dorsey. p. 279, does not mention the first and second of the Nass villages, but has the following in addi- tion: Kit-aix, Lak-ungida, Kit-lak-aous, Kis-themu-welgit, - Dorsey, pp. 27S, 279, has, in addition to these, Kish-ga-gass, Kaul-daw, Kit-win-kole, the last identical with the tribe Git-wunlkoT. 48G TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [kth. \x.s. 31 The Giin-hu'°t of G'itstemgri'lon are considered the descendants of Tlingit Eagles, who were vanquished hy Ravens, and emigrated. In 1888 I was told m Port Essuigton that this emigration occurred six generations ago, that is about 1740, and that it was a consequence of continued wars. It was said that these j^oople man-ied a number i)f Tsinishian men and women, among whom the names of Gataxa'x and Astoe'ne are mentioned. For a considerable time they continued to speak Tlingit, but were finally assimilated by the Tsimshian. On p. 270 the mythical story of their exodus is told. According to this tale, they settled first on Nass River, but later on spread and lived among the G'itslEmga'lon, Gi-spa-x-la'^ts, G"it!anui't, and in other places. The Wolves are said to liave come from vStikine River, and they are considered as descentlants of a group of Tahltan who fled from their country and settled partly on the coast of Alaska, partly on Nass River, and partly on Skeena River. Their story is told on p. 354. According to the table given on p. 483, all the members of the Eagles are derived partly from the Tlingit, partly from the G'idEsdzu', partly from the Athapascan tribes at the head of Stikine River. This last statement was not made explicitly by Mr. Tate, but it is implied in his remarks about the G'ispawadwE'da. The Ganha'da are also all foreigners, — one group derived from the interior, a second one from northern Alaska, a third one from Cape Fox. Mr. Tate's notes do not make it quite clear whether the sub- group Ganha'da originated in the interior. lie simply says "from across the mountaiias," which may also mean Nass River. The sub- group Tsunadate he describes as coming from Alaska. It is possible, however, that the notes in regard to these two groups may have to be exchanged. Among the GispawadwE'da, the first group. (Mt'.Era-lax-a'm, are considered true Tsimshian, while the others are considered descend- ants of the G'idEsdzu'. I am not quite clear in regard to the descent of the third gi-oup. If they are really considered the descendants of Gau'o, they would seem to be a subdivision of the first group. At one place Mr. Tate says that the clan took the name G'ispawadwE'da (meaning "going to another") from the Gau'o story, that before that time they were called "Grizzly Bear." I do not know, how- ever, whether I understood his statement rightly. Taking this in connection with the oft-repeated statement that the people of T!Em-lax-a'm are the original Tsimshian, it might almost seem as though, in the opinion of the Indians, the tribe had con- sisted originally of this group only, and that the other groups had developed by accretion. I should like to repeat, however, that Mr. Tate's notes do not make it quite clear whether the G'it-lax-wl-yl'a of the Eagle group and the Ganha'da of the Raven group are not also by origin Tsimshian. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 487 Attention may also be called to the similarity of thenameGanha'da for the Raven group, and that of the Tlingit Kaven familj-jGanaxA'di, to which I have already referred ; and to the name of the subdivision, Tsunadate, of the Ganha'da, wliich has undoubtedly the appearance of a Tlingit name, and suggests the name of the river Chunah ( = Tcu'- nax), which empties into Behm Channel. This derivation might seem uncertain, since the d o{ the ending -date, can not be derived from tliis name. Similar forms occur, however, in other Tlingit names; as, for instance, in the parallel form GanAxte'di for GanaxA'dl. It would seem, on the basis of the data here given, either that the older form of social organization of the Athapascan, Tsimshian, Haida, Tlingit, and perhaps also of the Bellabella, was based on a threefold division, or that the first tliree tribes developed a tliird gr( )up, that took a somewhat exceptional position. Considering the claim of the Tsimshian that the wolf was introduced among the tribe at a late date, comparatively speaking, it seems certainly interesting that the Wolf group, according to my informant, is missing from the B(>llabeUa, although this is contradicted by Professor Farrand. On the other hand, the event can not be quite recent, since in most of the myths the four exogamic groups are considered as entirely equiva- lent. Thus, in the tale of "The Giant Devilfish," ' the four groups are spoken of as characteristic of all the Tsimshian as well as of the Killer WTiales; and in the Deluge legend 1.250 they are noted. Further inquiries among the Tlingit and Loucheux may perhaps enable us to answer tliis important question more definitely than we can do now. Some of the "tribes" are evidently the result of a breaking-up of older communities, made necessary by their increase in numbers. It is told that when a village became too large, the head chief would assign part of his people to his nephew, who would set out and found a new village, which would naturally embrace only members of his own exogamic group (see p. 509). On the precedmg pages I have given a list of the tribal divisions, towns, and exogamic gro\ips. These divisions are termed by the Tsimshian as follows: The people of the whole country are designated by the term gad, wliich simply means "people" without any special reference to social divisions. Thus we find the expressions nE-g'a'dEsgE K-sia'n (" the people of the Skeena") 1.70.2;^ lu-q.'a'gan txan.'l g-at ("it killed off all the people") 1.70.21; ns-g-a'dEsga qal-fs.'a'pgE (" the people of the town") 1.214.22. ■No. 13, p. 135. " Keferences such as 1.70.2 refer to Tsimshian Texts, J^yblicaliou.'^- o/ flu Amtricari Ethnological Socifly, iir. 488 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn. r.l The people of one town are culled ts.'ap ("a txibc"): oda txan!l'° nE-l-SE)iv-ts.'a'psga ssm'a'g'itga ("then all the tribeswomen of the chief") 1.220.21. The term "town" is derived from tliis: qal-fs!ap (perhaps "where the tribe is located"). The prefix gal- designates here primarily the houses as opposed to the peo])le living in them, althoxigh the com- pound term is also used quite often to designate the people them- selves: Ic'.E'rEltga w^^gal-tsla'pga ("there was a town") 1.242.1; in the same way 1.192.1. On the other hand, we have ksfEind'sa gal-ts'.Epts'.a'p ("there are nine tribes [or towns]") 1.222.2.3; ada wd'°nta txan.'l' gu'''p!Eldaqal-ts!Epts!a'pga° ("then the [people of the] two towns obeyed") 1.196.14; nda'vult sagaif-ga'irvnfga SEm'd'g'itga nE^wi-ts!a'ptga° ("then the claief called [the peoples of] his great town together") 1.198.7. The villages are also called wul-dzox ("camping-places") without special reference to the social relationships • of the inhabitants : ada'wult Tc!ul-g!a-da'ult asga fxan.'l' wul-dzExdzo'gat (" then they went about among all the camps") 1.210.18; amet Ja-he'°ldE na^g-a'dsfigat Jc.'E'rEltga vul-dzo'itga" ("if the people of a village [camp] refused") 1.216.20. Any kind of a group of people is called wvJ-na-f!d'l ("a company, society"). The exogamic groups (1.216.33), the secret societies, the families (207.26; 234.7), are designated by this term. Collectively the exogamic group is designated by the term pfax: . . . ha-dzExdzd'gafdzE da lEp-na'hsgEsga n-lEp-ptd'°xtga° (". . . they are ashamed to marry in their own exogamic group") 1.218.19; iF.p-dEda' li'°mi mEla-l-.'E'rElda ptd'°xtga° ("every exognmic group has its own songs"); nin!i'° wul Jti-SE-tld'tgE wul-na-t.'Elt.'d'la, pta'xdat G'ispavm- dwE'da . . . ("this was the beginning of the companies, the exogamic group G'ispawadwE 'da" . . . ) 1.214.18. The members of tjie exogamic group are relatives, and as such term one another wula'isk ("relatives"), plural vmlwula'isk: Nin.'i'gan- SEmg'iddd'ixsga wulald'm vmlwula'isgEm . . . ("therefore the law of relationship is very sacred") 1.218.28. In the translation of the tales I have throughout used the term "clan" to translate the Tsimshian term ptd°x. In the present dis- cussion of the social organization, in which it seems important to avoid all ambiguity, I have used the term "exogamic group" in its place. The organization of the Tsimshian as here described does not seem to me to make it advisable to use the term "phratry" for these divisions. Neither are the subdivisions sufficiently well marked to be called "clans" m contrast to the larger exogamic divis- ions. In the present discussion I have employed the term "clan" only in those cases where the members of a particular family group, in then" characteristic quality as a part of the exogamic division, are referred to (see p. .500, footnote). BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 489 Terms of BelationsMp. — The followiiisi' tables illustrate the system of relationships : ' SELF MALE REMOTEST ANCESTOES LESS REMOTE ANCESTORS TO SIXTH GENERATION ANCESTORS OP FIFTH AND FOURTH GENERATIONS GREAT-GRANDPARENTS GRANDFATHERS GRANDMOTHERS Aunts; one of these may Man's fathers Man's mothirx T'licles; one of these viay become mother-in-hiw become father-in-law ! ' Cousins Females; one of these ^fales; some of Brothers Self -Vrmhers of fraternUy of may become wife; oth- these may become opposite sex ers, sisters-in-law l>r"thers-in-law I Cllildren Nephevs {or nieces); some of these may become sons-in-law or clai/ghters- in-Iair I GRANDCHILDREN | GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN The table for the female is quite analogous, except that tiie terms for "woman's father'' and ''woman's mother" must be substituted for the terms given before. Owing to the matrihneal descent, the table for the generation of the self and her cltildren takes the follow- ing form: SELF FEMALE Cousins Sillers Self Member of f rater n ilij of Females; some of these ^lales; one of these may become sisters-in- may become hus- law band; others, 1 brothers-in-law opposite sex Nephews or nieces; Children some of these may be- come sons-in-law or daughters-in-law 1 The terms in small capitals may belong to one's own or to another exogamic group; those in italics, to one's own exogamic group; those in roman, to the exogamic group of the father. Males and females imder one brace belong to the same generation. Vertical lines indicate descent. Only descent in llie 'female line is indicated. 490 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [ISTH. ANN. 31 o 6 O s B5 M Eh z s CO a c < ,.M.M. a -g- V rt idS "b ' i? S •5' o. I S" X 'i rt bo z ■ t- o z o a o u fi 2 3 5 S ft 3 s lenerution: )f father's clan jf mother's clan en of mother's clan . . . en of father's clan .... ^ ^ ■? 2 a o o s fe p. g s >! 1 s =^ c o (^ 2 S H 3 o g "w5 -J" g c SB : ±: (-. = *' 3 - S £ ■5 S Si -^ .= S 2 a 2 2 BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 191 1 1 1 ^ o 1 1 Ih P CJ 1 1 , 11 a s III 3 Ij ^ ~ 1 1 n „ 1 1 Cl£. ^ ^ ^ 1 -^ \ &c tm 1 -1^ 1 1 ^' 1 1 1 44 1 1 1 ^ II 1 ^ - 1 I - i '1 Children's generation: Son Jof self or of a mem. of Daughterlfratemily of same sex. Child of mem. of fratem. of opp. sex. ChiliUin-liiw 1 c B c t i 1§ p. 5^ «.a S ° 4= *- o ^ S . g - O ~. M .2 492 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. :!1 I liave omitted the Tsimshian terms Ieoi (''remote ancestor"), garv-tsal ("ancestor to the sixth generation"), ts'.Em-ai ("ancestor of fom-th and fifth generations"), from the comparati\'e table. I am not certain of their exact phonetic form, since they are contained only in Mr. Tate's records. It is a characteristic feature of the Tsimshian system that all terms of consanguinity and affinity in the speaker's own generation are reciprocal. In tliis respect it differs fundamentally from all the other systems of the North Pacific coast. Among the Haida only tlie terms of affinity are reci]3rocal, while an^ong the Tlingit only one of these terms is reciprocal. Setting aside the reciprocal terms of Tsimshian, there are no tcrn^s that extend over several generations, like tlie word for "women of father's clan oi father's and own genera- tion" in Haida (sqdn).^ Tlie only terms that embrace individuals of different exogamic groups are those for grandparents and grand- children, those for more remote generations, and the terms for "parent-in-law" {niz, "child-in-law"). The term for "child," wlicn used by the man, designates a person of another clan; when used by the woman, a person of the same clan. The same is true in tlic case of the Haida and TUngit. A woman's "nephew" belongs to another clan, while the man calls by the same name a member ot his own clan. There is some imcertainty'in regard to these terms, but it would seem that in Tlingit and Haida distinctive terms are used l)y the man and woman to designate "nephew" and "niece." The reciprocal terms of TsiuLshian differ from the reciprocal terms of the interior of Biitish Columbia, in so far as they are well developed witliin the family group in tlio narrower sense of the term, whde in most of the other languages that contain terms of this type they express remoter relationsliip. The separate ternxs used by the woman for designating "father" and "mother" are never used with the tliii-d person pronoun. In this case the terms used bj' the man are always employed in reference to the woman also. Parents collectively are either called dsp nEg' atk ("one's people") 240.6, or gor-nEg-a'tk 254.8, according to grammatical form; or thej' are called dE])-nEgwd'°d ("fathers") 1.54, line 4 from end, and dEp-nd'H ("mothers") 154.19. The contrast between the system of relationship of the three northern tribes and tlnit of the Kwakiutl appears clearly from the following tables: ' See pp. 490, 491. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 493 3 s & 5^3 5 S 03 j3 ":t o - ;^ K (B o = c 3 -j^ 0> t! « W .- - - C3 C C S j5 ? S § S ^ o =- 2 ^ -a c 6 g^ =a^i p "o ^ Ji'wTJ'^oajooa;^'^ -^ V. S o a; ;3 ^ ID ^-T t: o X C 'OQ 9 c S c j^ >- -c -5 j; -. ^ -■ p I ? -"H 1 " "^ ^ 2 ^ 03 CO .:^ m .a ^ ^.^ ^ w' i^ SSfH:^Sp;;,W 494 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 J H P 2 a 3 S X ~ t; « -3 ^ r.i -^ ■-r "^ ^iT •3 g •a ^ ^1 C3 R a S a s S a = 5 "ago ^ ° ° "S o 0) to S -^ 32 C3 -^ a) " 2 a) t; o -ry ^ d ■a 3 d d % s. to d o ^ ■ CO ;i, ' i s s ■Odd C* GJ iS rt d o ja >- t. ^ =3 O O S Ph a 5 -r- ^ O ^ X ' d "3 'Oi d rr -t; It!: d ~ -o 5> 9 I a i d S o ■^ X d -c 2 rt Q-i It" en '^ X" s § S = & 3 f= d '^ " X fcH X f 'a; S -- 5 s a £ o d S P -^ . ^ o - r ^ S 0. ■< a s ^ i: d^ o" 5* -- o cr o ^ — _i3 isi « -a S a^ to Ph S ■a " !s o .=° -2 -= a X X Cj X ■--SI ^ a x ^ ■« ^ IH * d -^r- d ;-< a 2 W s: M ?: BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 495 Tlie tables show that Kwakiutl does not distinguish between maternal and patei-nal lines. The terms for "father" and "mother," and the terms for "aunt's husband," and "uncle's wife," which are dei-ived from them/ designate the real father and mother; viz, the stepfather and stepmother. The terms for "uncle" and "aunt" refer equally to the father's and mother's fraternity. The terms for the descendants are analogous. The term for "child" and the derived term for "stepchild" designate one's own cliildren, or the nephews and nieces after a levirate marriage. The term for ' ' nephew ' ' and "niece" embraces all classes of uncle's and aunt's children. The use of a separate term for the ' ' member of a fraternity of opposite sex" indicates, however, that this relationship is conceived as dis- tinct from that of members of the fraternity of the same sex. There is, however, no extension of this distinction over the offspring. The foUowang passages substantiate the Tsimshian terms: dEp n-%a'°tga their father's father 1.214.13; also 242.20 ■n^ia'°l his mother's father 169, line 4 from end dze9dz mother's mother 128.21; 234.28 nEgwd'°d father of boy 156, line 5 fi'om end; also 245.16 {nEgwd'°dEt, 3d pers. possessive; father of girl 185, line 2 from end; 189.25; also nEgu'd'''du my father, said by girl 188.4) dbl my father, said by girl 123.18; also 1.88.5, 1.156.26 iiE-hi'°p uncle of man 116, line 2 from end; 154, line 3 from end uncle of woman 185, line 2 from end; 255.9 nd mother of boy 127.26; 169, line 5 from end {ndt, 3d pers. possessive, mother of girl 153.14; 232, line 13 from end) nai mother of girl, nai'u 158, line 12 from end ; naii 171.3 nE-kl.'a father's sister, said by girl 166, line 3 from end lams daughtor-in-law 166.9 mother-in-law 168.8 son-in-law 1.96.11 father-in-law 209.20; 1.96.10 waik man's brother- 116, line 3 from end; 142.29 the plural e.xpresses the reciprocal relationshi]! of lnolhers 124.22 Igauk woman's sister 153.24; 259.20 ^£mWl' man's sister 123.22; 124.20; 216, last line woman's brother 123.31; 216, line 3 fi-om end Ixad' male cousin of woman 166.21; 186.6 female cousin of man 238.18 male cousin of male 321.28 ri ai-s husband 123.5; 139.29 wife 122, line 2 from end; 131.5 q!ala'ii man's sister's husband 140.19 wife's brother 140.18 dzus husband's sister 157..30; 1 .152.31 hJdths man's brother's wife 148.22 wife'ssisler 154.21; 303.10 sl^s man's sister's son 185, line 14 from end man's sister's daughter 222, line 3 from end luMfa'en man's grandson 171.13 man's grandchildren 236.9 woman's granddaughter 128.4; 234.30 '0W-, stem oiomp ("lather"); nb-,stcm ot abE'mp ("mother"). 2 The terms "brother," "sister," "c(5usm," must be tmderstood iu their Tsimshian sense. 496 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. an.n. 31 Social Bank. — Among the members of the tribe the chief and tiie nobiUty take a jjrominent position. The cliief is called SEm'ag'id, pi. SEmg'ig'a'd 116, line 9 from end. This term contains the elements SEm- ("real"), g'od ("persons"), and an maknown element -a. The plm-al means "the real, the eminent people." The chief tainess is calleti sig'idEmna'x, pi. sig'idEmhd'nax, probably from SEin-gid-Ein- hana'x ("cliief woman"). The term, on the whole, is used to desig- nate the rich man of noble bii-th who is respected by the people, and designates high rank. A great chief is called wl-SEm'd'g'id ("great chief"), or l!a-sEm'd'g-id ("head chief"); for instance, Ada l-.'a- SEm'd'g'it a txan.'i' SEm-g'ig'a'dEin Ts!Emsia'nga° ("He became a great chief among all the Tsimsliian") 1.188.2. In his ])osition as leader of the people, whose commands must be obeyed, he is called mid'n ("master") 224, line 9 from end. In this sense there is only one master in a town, while there may be several chiefs (see p. 429). Tlie chiefs and then families are of noble birth, and as such are called SEmg'ad vml-na-t.'d'H ("chief company") 234.7. More fre- quently a person of noble birth, entitled to become a chief and master of a town, is called Igu-wd'llcs, pi. k!abE-wd'lks{" nobleman," " prince"), and the whole family may be c&Ued wul-rui-t!d'°l IdabE-wd'lTcs ("noble company") 234.30. Another term is used to designate a person of noble bnth, Igu- yd'^ks 1.72.18; 1.114.20. This term is never used for people of the very highest rank, but seems to apply rather to chief's relatives who are to occupy minor positions in the tribe. The prince's {Igu-^d'lks) companions seem to be taken from this group. I have also found the term lt:k!ag'a'd used for people of noble birth. People without relatives or ancestors are called wa-d'ien {wa- diganai 236.24). On accoimt of then lack of comiections they can not ordinarily attam to high positions (see 234.31). The chief is assisted in his social obUgations by the attendants (sEl-wa'lJcs) 188.15; 208, line 3 from end; 217, line 9 from end; 233.14. The literal translation of this term is "prince companions." At other places these are called d"lks 1.132.18. The warriors are called aZx ("braves") or wvl-do'g'itk ("warriors") 266. The chief's attendants were the men of liigh rank, and theu' posi- tions were hereditary. The four exogamic groups were represented among the attendants of a great chief. This may possibly be a more i-ecent development wliich occurred after the time when different exo- gamic groups began to be rejjresented in the same village. The old men of the group of attendants were the chief's advisers or coun- selors.' They staid much of the time in the house of the head chief, 1 .\ccording to older informatiou which I obtained in 1888, and which expresses the same facts as those stated above, nobody who does not bear a high name, or who is not a member of a secret society, is allowed to participate in the deliberations of the coimcil. The mother's brother represents his nephews, who have not yet obtained high names. Women are admitted only when they are heads of noble families. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 497 and deliberated with him upon matters of pubUc interest. Before a pothitch the chief had to obtain the consent of these counselors, who had to assist him by contributing to the outlay- Loans of this kind were refunded to them at the proper time. The nephews of the counselors work for the chief. The}' go hunting and perform house- hold duties, as described on p. 429. The warriors were also men of high rank. There were generally a few head warriors of liigh position, such as the chief's nephews or the nephews of the head attendants. In case of war the warriore would twit one another on accoimt of their rank, and a warrior of high rank might demand that he fight with a person of equal rank. It would have been a reproach if no adversary of ec^ually high position could be found. Great warriors were humble m theu" bearing toward their own tribe, and were loved by everybody. The companions of the prince and princess (that is, of the son and daughter of the head chief), who are mentioned so often in tales (see p. 432), were nephews and nieces of the principal attendants. They always belonged to the same exogamic group to which the prince or princess belonged. It was the custom to assign to a head cliief's son or daughter four noble comjianions of the same sex, and, besides, a slave-boy or a slave-gu-1. These companions, or, as they are often called, "friends," were slightly older than the prince or the princess. Tlie boys would accompany the chief's sou on hunting-expeditions, at feasts, and whenever he left the house. The companions of the princess had to teach her to make baskets; one would comb her hair, wash her face, and pamt her; another one would be in charge of her clothmg; and they had to accompany her whenever she went out. The slaves assigned to them had to do all the menial work, or, as Mr. Tate expresses it, " they had to assist the companions." In the conditions foimd in Tsimshian villages in later times, the distinction of rank between the head chief, nobdity, and people of low rank, was obviously very great. The head chiefs selected among their nephews the one who was to succeed them; or the head chief of one exogamic group would select among his sons one whose rank he would raise by the proper means to such an extent that he would occupy the head position in another one (see p. 356). The nephews and nieces of the head chief, and the descend- ants of the whole group of women belonging to this gi'oup, formed the nobihty. Among these also a difference of rank may be observetl, dej^endent upon the renown of the name held by the individuals. The rank of the name was determined by the deeds of valor or ostentatious display of wealth of the last few bearers of the name. The name and position might also lose 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 32 498 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 its standing by defeat in war or display. Xn example of this is con- tained in the story of the war between the Gi-spa-x-la'°ts and the G-it-dzI'°s (pp. 355 et seq.). In this account it is told that the Eagle group discarded the name of their head chief, Nes-balas, when the last head cliief of that name was killed and his head kept in the house of the Ganha'da; while the Ganha'da discarded the name Txa-dzi'^ik for the same reason. The former substituted the name LEge'°x; the latter, the name Haimas. The expression used here is that the name was discarded because "it was in the house of another exogamic group." Willie the lines between the highest nobility and the lower members of nobihty are well fixed at any given moment, it is quite evident that a. certain amount of change must always have taken place. By right the descent was always determined by blood relationship in the maternal line; but, owing to warlike deeds and newly acquired wealth, individuals that belonged to the nobility but liad the position of attendants evidently ])ushed forwai-d into the head ranks from time to time; and it seems also plausible that some of the people of low ancestry may have pushed theu" way into the higher ranks. It appeai-s, however, also very clearly that when cliiefs became poor, their noble descent was remembered for a long time, aiid that, on the other hand, common people who assumed high positions were con- sidered as intruders. The social advancement of poor boys is an ever-recurring theme in Tsimshian tales. I am under the impression that the rigidity with which primogeni- ture is regarded, at least theoretically, among the Kwakiutl, does not exist among the Tsimshian. Among the Kwakiutl on Vancouver Island a sharp distinction is made between the line of first-born . children and the lines of later-born children, and in theory oidy the former are entitled to high positions. The same phenomenon may be observed among the Kwakiutl, liowever, as we found among the Tsimshian; namely, the tendency for people of younger lines, or even for those whose relationship to the nobiUty is not known, t6 push their way into liigh and important positions. This is facilitated among the Kwakiutl by the custom of acquiring position from the father-in-law, so that a person of lower rank may obtain a high position by marrying a woman of loigh rank. Among the Tsimshian, class prejudice was very strong; and Ml-. Tate repeats over and over again that chiefs' nephews must not marry the nieces of attendants, and that the nephews of attendants of high rank must not marry the nieces of common jjeople. In short, all marriages must take place among members of the same social rank. In some passages Mr. Tate even goes so far as to state that princes must not speak to common people. Those who are kind to the common people are praised for their humihty. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 499 The chief seems to have been able to wield almost autocratic power, provided his personality was strong enough. He always decided when the trbe were to move, and when to begm fishing and other operations in which the whole tribe were concerned. The cliief has to carry out the decisions of the council; more par- ticularly, he has to declare peace and war. His opinion must be asked by the tribe in all important events. He decides when the winter village is to be left, when the fishhig begins, etc. The first fish, the firet berries, etc., are given to him. It is his duty to begin all dances. He must be invited to all festivities; and when the first whistles are blown in winter, indicating the beginning of the dancing- season, he receives a certain tribute. People of low rank must not step up directly to the chief, whose seat is in the rear of the house, but must approach him going along the walls of the house. Captives taken m war became slaves, who stood entirely outside of native societj'. They were the absolute property of their masters, who were allowed to kill them, sell them, or to give them their libert}-. Children of slave-women were also slaves. It seems that members of one of the exogamic groups would not keep as slaves members of another tribe belongmgto their own group (or to one considered as identical with it), but this is not certain. Wlien a chief dies, the chieftaincy devolves upon his younger brother, then upon his eldest nephew, and, if there is none, upon his niece. The chief's four counselors become the counselors of his successor. Wlien a woman becomes a chief's successor, she also takes his name. This happened quite recently when a girl sixteen years old assumed the name of the highest chief among the Tsimshian, LEg-g'^x. When she died childless, her younger brother took her place. If a chief's family dies oiit, the noblest man of the subdivision of the exogamic group concerned becomes chief, provided he can raise his rank sufficiently by attaining wealth and by his largess gcs, traditions, songs that belong to the same — is inherited first by the nephews; if there are none, then by the deceased's mother or aunt. A woman's property is inherited by her children. When a man dies, lus widow keeps her chilch"en and her own personal property; while the personal property, as well as the family property of the deceased, goes to his own family. On pp. 426 and 427 I have stated that the evidence of Tsimshian mytholog}' shows that children grew up in the houses of their parents, and that the newly married couple lived with the young husband's parents. For this reason the children in a village that was the I See also pp. 429 el seg. 500 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 property of one clan' would have belonged t-n another village, and chiefs' sons had to move away to the village of the uncle whom they succeeded. Instances of this wiU be found in the war story on pp. 355, 356. Thus the married woman and her children would, in case of cousin marriages, return to her own father's village, an incident that occure with great frequency in tales. When a woman dies, her children n^ay be brought up in their father's house; but when they are grown up, they return to their own relatives, i. e., their mother's family. Parents did everything for their children that might advance their social standing. By appropriate ceremonies, to be described later, they gave the names that expressed their advancing standing, they perforated their ears and the septum of the nose. Girls were given the labret. They also let the child take a position in the ceremonial societies which would entitle them to a position in the higher social ranks of the tribe. Wlicn a family is likely to die out, the fallicr is allowed to adopt one of his daughtei-s, who then receives a name belonging to his crest. On this occasion a great festival is given. A man can not adopt more than one child at a time. Thus Mr. Tate adopted his daughter, who thus attained the legal status of his sister, and to whom he gave his mother's name, X-ts!Em-m^ks n!exln!e'xl ("^Yl^te In Center Of Killer Wtales"). His own mother's father adopted him, and gave him the legal status of a sister's son, transmitting his name to him. While he is by birth a member of the Eagle group, he became then a member of the GispawadwE'da, and henceforth could marry onlj* a woman of the Wolf or Ganha'da groups. Crests and OtJitr Clan^ Property. — The clans have crests like those of the Haida and Tlingit. These are called SFMlai'duks (that is, "symbols," "marks," "signs") 135, line 4 from end; but the proper term for a crest is dzaplc. When explaining the crests, Mr. Tate says, "Wliatever the clans saw on their early migrations, when they escaped from their enemies and endured the gi-eatest hardships, — the strange animals they saw, the birds, heavenly bodies, monsters, supernatural beings of the mountains and of the sea, anything that seemed important and unusual, — that they took for their crests." A discussion relatmg to the origin of crests has been given on pp. 411 et seq. Connected with these crests were crest-gongs, mouining-songs, lullabies or cradle- songs, songs for clan festivals (potlatches), songs of victory, and special songs belongmg to chiefs and princes.^ Mayne ^ states, ' " Clan " is here used in the sense that it may designate either an undivided exogamic group or one of its subdivisions that is characterized by the same crest and other property, and is assumed to be descended from one ancestral group. 2 Canoe-songs, some dancing-songs, love-songs, and songs sung after the killing of animals, were not clan property. > Mayne, p. 258. BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 501 according to Duncan, that it is forbidden to kill the crest animal. He says, "The Indian will never kill the animal which he ha-s adopted for liLs crest, or which belongs to him by birthright. If he sees another do it, he will hide his face in shame, and afterwards demand compensation for the act. The offense is not kilhng the animal, but doing go before one whose crest it is." Frazer,' who quotes this passage, comments on it, stating that no other writer refers to it, and seems to imply that it may have been overlooked by others. I have never been able to got evidence from the Indians regarding this point. ^ In our tales there is no indication that any animal was taboo for certain persons, excepting the reference to the G'it-na-gun-a'ks tale, in which the men were forbidden to kill fish (see p. 451). On the con- trary, the implication in many cases is that the animals slain may become commemorative crests. I sent a copy of Mayne's statement printed above to Mr. Tate, with the request for information. His reply shows that the idea was so far from his mind that he did not even understand its meaning. On account of the importance of the subject, I give here his reply: "As to your question about crest animals, yes, some animals are not eaten. Meat and tallow of the grizzly bear are eaten, and its skin is used. Wolves are not eaten because they eat corpses; eagles are not eaten, but their down is used; ravens are not eaten, for they eat unclean things. Most of the crests, are not eaten, but some are used for food; but when a hunter's days are fuLfiUed [i. e., after his fasting], he mast kill the first animal he sees in order to become successful. In olden times, people were not allowed to make fun of any animal, large or small, bird, beast, fish, or creeping animals." ^ It is quite obvious that the thought that an animal could be taboo because it is a crest animal did not even occur to Mr. Tate. At another place he reverts to my question, which evidently troubled him, and he says: "Some animals are not eaten by the people: "Grizzly bears are not much eaten, because they kill people. " Wolves are not eaten, for they eat corpses. " Iviller whales are not eaten, for they eat people. "Frogs are not eaten, for they were people before the daylight was liberated (see p. 62). " BulUieads are not eaten, for they were touched by Txa'msEm (see p. 71). "Starfish are not eaten, for they have no meat. "Dogfish are not eaten, for they are of no use, only their eggs are good. "Cormorants are not eaten, for they are dumb. "Ravens are not eaten, for they eat eyes of corpses. ' Totemism and Exogamy, m, p. 311. - See Boas 1, 1889, p. 819. = See p. 445. 502 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. a.\.\. 31 "Eagles are not eaten, for they eat corpses. "Supernatural devilfish are not eaten, for they eat unclean things. " Fish with head at each end are not eaten, for they are terrible ' monsters. "Lizards are not eaten, for they are ugly. "Cranes are not eaten, for they eat unclean things. "Weasels are not eaten, for they eat mice. "Supernatural halibut are not eaten, for they ate princes of the Eagle group (see p. 271). "Jellyfish are not eaten, for they are poisonous. "Monster crayfish are not eaten, for they sting. "This is all I remember about crests that are not eaten.'' I conclude from these remarks that these taboos have nothing to do with the idea of respect to be paid to the totem animal. Leonhard Adam ' interprets the present lack of respect shown to the totem as a decline of totemism since Maj-ne's time. This view is quite untenable, since neither the tales nor the views surviving among the older generation give it any siipport. ' It seems to me fairly clear, from all the evidence that has been given, that the crests are primarih' symbols without any deep religious significance. Furthermore, most of the crests are not species of animals, plants or heavenly bodies, but higlily specialized forms in which these beings are used as crests. This is expressed in the lists that m ill lie found below, in which M'e find, for instance, "the beaver," ])ut also "the food of the copper beaver." Nothing shows the correctness of this view more clearly than the fact that crests of this kind may be taken away from a clan in war. Mr. Tate tells the following incident of tliis kind: "Dzeba'sa, the head chief of the G'ispawadwE'da of G'it-qxa'la, owmed the crest 'scalp with fins' (n!a'°gEm sa-go'lik), which was worn as a cap. In a war Chief Nes-l6'°s of the Ganha'da killed one of the Git-qxa'la chiefs and cut off his head, keeping the scalp on it. With it he obtained the war-song belonging to it; and since that time both have been the property of Nes-lo'°s. "The crests were not the property of the whole clan, but the head chiefs had the right to use all the crests of the whole exo- gamic group. These head chiefs were Dzeba'sa of the G'it-qxa'la (GispawadwE'da), LEg"e'°x of the Gi-spa-x-la'°ts (Eagle group), Nes-h6'°t of the G idzExla'°l (Ganha'da), and Nes-Iagunus of the Git-la'n (Wolf group)." If a su])ordinate chief used a crest name or other clan property without the consent of the head cliief, trouble arose. The offense ' Leonhard Adam, p. 209. POAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 503 led either to war or to a potlatcli contest. ^Ir. Tate mentioned that at one time the Chief Saxsa'°xt of the G'id-wid-g'a'dz (seep. 509), a G'ispawadwE'da, and younger brother of Dzeba'sa, had taken the name Nes-qaihim bfilha ("abalone on heart of grizzh* bear") without asking his elder brother's permission. He used the name in a pot- latcli. Dzeba'sa came to the Gid-wul-g'a'dz village accompanied by his people, and cast away three coppers from his canoes. Then Chief Saxsa'"xt's people shouted. A man dressed in the skin of a grizzly hear came out of his house; the bear stood on its hind legs. On its chest was seen an ornament of abalone. It walked down to the beach, took. up in its mouth a large copper that had been placed in the water, then walked up a large slanting pole, and threw the copper down to the canoes of Dzeba'sa. Mr. Tate says that at the present time there are onlj^ a few old women who remember the crests, and from these the following lists have been obtained : ' Crests of th e Eagle Grmip 1. Eagle (x-skl'°k). 2. Beaver (sts!a°l). 3. Halibut (txa'o). 4. Devilfish Gia-tsla'lt). 5. Hawk (x-sk'a'msEm). 6. Dog-fish fins (n!a'°gEmq!a°t). 7. Tree gnawed by beaver (gam-nagagask). 8. Weasel garment (gus-mi'ksll). 9. Cormorant hat (galk-hauts). 10. Glittering garment (gus-lEklfi'°k). 11. Monster cra^vfish (gibE'rElk). 12. Whale's body (txa-gatk). 13. Standing beaver (lie'tgEm stslal). 14. Over ten eagles (maxlE-kpI'°lEm x-skl°k). 15. Food of copper beaver (wuna'im mEsI"'n stslal). 16. Half beaver, half grizzly bear (xbi-sts!al-mEdT'°k). 17. Sea grizzl}' bear (niEdi'^gEm ts!Em-a'ks). 18. Supernatural spring salmon (nExno'gEm ban). 19. Dzila'^gans's cane (q!a°ts Dzila'°gans). 20. Stone carving of eagle (x-skI'°gEm lab). 21. Whirlpool(n-tgu-le'lbEksk). 22. Four-tailed haUbut (xgan?). 23. Burning ground (}eqwn-y6'°b). 24. Woodpecker (sEm-gl'^k). 25. Sliding people (lam g'ad). 26. Summer without care (neskw6i-sii°nt). 1 1 have queried here those Tsimshian words that are unfamiliar to me. 504 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [BTH. a.nx. :!1 27. Drinking in the dark (ala-aks). 28. Eagle's nest (n-lu'^lgEm x-skl'°k). 29. Hauhau head (t!Em-ga'usa hauliau). 30. Eagle's claw (la'xsEm x-ski'°k). 31. Two-headed monster (lagax-wa°s) . Houses of the Eagle Group 1. Eagle house (x-skI'°gErQ walb). 2. Raised foundation (ha-l!i-t!a'm walb). 3. Squirrel den (spE-da'sx). 4. Beaver house (gauda sts'.al). 5. Lake house (wil'lbEra ts!Em-t!a°). 6. Nest of woodpecker (n-lu'lgEm sEm-gI'°k). (Note. — In a list written about seven years ago Mr. Tate men- tions eagle, beaver, haUbut, frog, devilfish, weasel, whale, as crests of the Eagle group. In the recent list the frog is not mentioned at all. The weasel appears as a weasel garment; the whale, as whale body.) Crests of the Wolf Group 1. Wolf (giba'u). 2. Crane (gasga's). 3. Grizzly bear of snow (Nvil-ma'dEmtk mEdl'^k). 4. Standing bear (he'tgEm sa'me). 5. Deer-hoof garment (gus-na°q). 6. Wolf hat (qla'idEm giba'u). 7. Wolf-tail helmet (dalEm tslu^b? giba'u). 8. Bear hat (qla'idEm sa'me"). 9. Victorious arrow (hawa'lEm gulda'na). 1(). Crystal nose (tslagaxla ?). 11. Flying monster (gigum wax ?). 12. Running from ? (galksi-wu°t ?). (Note. — A list written about seven years ago contains the follow- ing: wolf, crane, white grizzly bear, dripping snow. The last of these is not mentioned in the new list.) Crests of the Ganha'da 1. Raven (ga,°q). 2. Bullhead (q!aye'°t). 3. Frog (gana'u). 4. Stai-flsh (gama'ts). 5. SeaUon (tli'^bEn). C. Abalone bow (bElha'°m ha-k"da'k). 7. Fins of buUhead (lialopsEin q!aye'°t). S. Raven spread out (wU-ba'lga ga°q). BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 505 9. Scalp \vith fiiis (u!a'°gEm sa-go'lik). 10. Dog of heaven (ha'°sEin lax-lia'). 11. Lizard (ksPlk). 12. Fat of bullhead (ye'°Em qlaye'^t). 13. (A bii-d) (asi-vva'1-g'ad). 14. Supernatural starfish (nExno'gEni gama'ts). 15. Joining sea lions (ua-gogo'°t t!r°bEn). 16. Jellyfish garment (gus-wagawa'x). 17. Bird dog (ha'°sEm asi-wa'1-gad). 18. Weasel helmet (dalEm mi'ksil). 19. Spring-of-heaven (n-lgaqa). 20. Long-nosed giant grizzly bear (nahe'ngan). 21. Copper canoe (xsam mEsi'n). 22. White bear (mEs-6'1). 23. BulUiead hat (qIa'idEm q!aye'°t). 24. Spring-of-heaven hat (q!a'idEm n-lgaqa). 25. Canoe boards (ktsa°ks). (Note. — ^A list written about seven years ago contains the follow- ing: raven, starfish, sea lion, bullhead, frog, shark, scalp with fins, abalone bow. The shark is not mentioned in the new hst.) Crests of the GispawadwE'da 1. Grizzly bear (mEdi'^k). 2. Killer whale (n!axl). 3. Sun or Moon (gamk). 4. Rainbow (ma'xi). 5. Fireweed (has). 6. Red evening sky (bi'°ltsEk). 7. Star (bia'ls). 8. "Flying children" (hadaaha?). 9. "Horn cover" (txa-tgu-n!a°xs = fins all over). , 10. A sea monster (wil-mls). 11. Mountain-sheep hat (galk-ma'ti). 12. Red leggings (mEsa pla'xs). 13. Forked man (q!aedEk-gad). 14. Green seaweed garment (gus-dadzit). 15. Scalp with fins (n!a'°gEra sa-go'lik). 16. Abalone chest (mEsxa'tem bElha')- 17. Cahn (tek'Sn). 18. Ladder of revolving slabs (gan-na'xsEm dl°). 19. Killer whiiles joining (nagogo'°t n!a°xl). 20. Ti-ee of ktslEm'a'us (gauEm kts!Em-aus). 21. Thunder (ga-libU'bEm lax-ha'). 22. A monster bird (asi-wa'1-gad). 23. Turning head, a wooden figure (hgi-di'l). 506 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [kth. anx. 31 24. Grouse (mExme'x). 25. Caterpillar (xtsena'su). 26. Mouse in stomach (lu-wuts!e'°n). 27. Tree with moving raven on top (sgan-hagu'ha). 28. Grizzly-bear hat (galk-mEdi'°k). 29. Burning olachen oil (lag\va-q!;1'wutse). 30. Browu-headcd duck (nii°k). 31. Grease of precipice ? (raagazxgan?). Houses of the O'lspawaduu/da 1. Copper going up the river (wil-nl'siltk ha'yatsk). 2. Ashamed to walk to the rear (na-wusEn-dzox). 3. Ancient liouse in tlie bottom of the sea (wa'lp al tslalaks?). 4. Spring of water in heaven (ksa-n-lgaqa). 5. Bow-wood platform (dagEm sa-hakda'k?). 6. Raven in the bottom of the sea (ga'gEm tslEm-a'ks). f (XoTE. — A list \vritten about seven years ago contains the following: grizzly bear, killer whale, sun, moon, stars, rainbow, snow, grouse, raven in water, red evening sky, mountain goat, mountain sheep, wild fuchsia. Among these, snow and mountain goat do not appear in the new list.) The various groups had also names for their canoes, coppers, the cluef's large wooden spoons, stone pots, war-knives, and for the dishes used by the chief tainess. None of these have been recorded. The crests were used on the houses, house poles, etc., particularly also as tattooing, facial painting, and for various kinds of head- ornaments, helmets, and armor. On plates 1 and 2 reproductions of two old views of houses at Port Simpson are given, which will show the appearance of tlie carved poles about the middle of the nineteenth century.^ Plate 3 represents a number of poles of the G«its!ala'sEr, after Emmons 3. In feasts the Eagle group would wear carved headdresses repre- senting the eagle or beaver. Their facial paintings represented eagle nests or eagle wings. The Wolf group would wear wolf-tail hats or hats representing the crane or winter grizzly bear. They used for their facial painting the crane nest and the wolf's-ear hat. The Ganha'da used carved hats represent mg a sea lion, bullhead, and a scalp with fins attached to it. They painted their faces with designs representing the starfish, the spread bullhead, frog, and the spread raven. ' I am indebted to Mr. G. T. Emmons for calling my attention to the fact that these plates were pub- lished in the Coast Pilot of Alaska (flrst part), 1869. by George Davidson. The originals in my possession bear, however, the date 1854, which ha.s been removed from the lithographed issue in the Coast I'Uot. •:p^ BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT PLATE 3 (Altrr I ;. T. Kiinnou*;) HOUSE-POSTS AT GITS!ALA'SER BOis] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 507 The G'ispawadwE'dii used hats representing bear and killer whale. They pamted iheh- faces with designs representing the rainbow, sun, and moon. In war, members of the Eagle group would wear an eagle lielmet and a beaver armor, or a weasel helmet and halibut armor. Mem- bers of the Wolf group would wear a crane helmet and dripping-snow armor, or a grizzly-bear or wolf-tail helmet and a white she-bear armor. Members of the Ganha'da used a raven helmet and stai-fish armor, or a frog helmet and bullhead armor. Members of the GispawadwE'da would wear a grizzly-bear helmet and killer-whale armor, or a mountain-goat helmet and moon or snow armor.' The groups had each their own traditions, from which they derived the right to use their crests, and other privileges. A li^t of these has been given on p. 411. Names were the strict property of these groups, and ordmarily a boy would be given the name of his mother's mother's brother (mean- ing by " brother" a male of the same family and of the grandmother's generation); a girl, that of her maternal grandmother (meaning by this term all the females of that generation and family). The names used by the group difl'er according to the group to which an individ- ual's father belongs, and are descriptive of some of the character- istics of the crests of the father's group, although tlie names are the property of the mother's group. This would mean that in each group there is a separate set of names used in cases of intermarriage with any particular one of the oilier three groups. I tried to obtain a corroboration of this statement from Mr. Tate with new examples; but he merely rephed to my query that the statement is correct. In the available names I can not readily recognize ref- erences to the father's clan.- Mi'. Adam-' has misunderstood my statement, if he assumes that the name belongs to the father's clan. What I have been told is that each clan owns names, that these refer to other exogamic groups, and that a name oivnrd by the mother's clan, and referring in its meaning to the father's exogamic group, is selected. I have collected the following names: 1. Names belonghig to Eagle group: (a) Father belonging to Wolf group: DEm-de-ma'ksk (will be white). Female. (h) Father belonging to Ganha'da: Wa-n-lo'°tk (without nest), ifale. 1 In the description of headdreases, helmets, and armor, I have enumerated only those mentioned by ray informant, Mr. Tate. There were obviously others in use. • See footnote 1, p. 500. ' Adam, p. 207. 508 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. a.nn. 31 1. Names belonging to Eagle group— Continued. (c) Father belonging to G'ispawadwE'da: Xbi-ye'lk (said to be contracted from Xhi-lil-haTduWq, half-hairy sea monster). Male. HatslEks-nle'^x (dreadful fin). (The prince of this name is always the successor to LEg^e'"^.) Wi-bo' (great noise [of killer whales]). Female. Wi-n!e'°x (great fin). Female. LEg"e'°x (chief of mountains ?) Head chief of G"i-spa- x-ia.'°ts. Gan-dE-ma'xI (ascending a mountam with a costly copper). Female chief. Maxs. Female. 2. Names belonging to Wolf group: (a) Father belonging to Eagle group: Sagait-gaga'i (having wings of one color). Female chief. 3. Names belongmg to Ganha'da: (a) Father belonging to Eagle group: Nes-yu-la"'ps (grandfather havmg stones). Male. Nes-wa-ksi-na'°lk (grandfather without breath). Male chief. Lax-lp6'n (on the whale). Female. Ndze°dz-t la'loks (grandmother?). Female chief . Ndze°dz-le'°lks (grandmother watching). Female chief. L!i-t!am lax-da'u (sitting on ice). Female chief. (b) Father belonging to G'ispawadwE'da: Haimas. Wl-gwina'°t. WutlE-da'u (great pieces of ice Ifloating at Kuw&'k]). Male. Wi-ha'° (great air) male (said to mean " copper sucked down into water"). Na-bo' (making noise at each other). Female. Dzagam-txa-n !e'°x (all along fins) . Female. 4. Names belonging to G'ispawadwE'da: (a) Father belonging to Ganha'da: Bayuk (said to be contracted from Sio'p TcHba'yuk, flying in front of house early in the morning). Fe- male chief. (6) Father belonging to Eagle group. Hail (many in beaver's house?). Male, head chief. KsEm-ga'mk (sun or moon woman). Female chief. BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 609 The follo\fing names of chiefs were given to me by Mr. Tate. They are arranged in each tribe according to their rank. Eagle group: G"i-spa-x-la'°ts (1) : LEge'^x, Nes-wa-max, Nes-bahis. G'it!anda'(2): Saga-gwait (man) and SEm'a'gidEm hana'x ( = chief woman). G'id-wul-ksE-ba'": Gul-cia'q (man) and Ndze°dz-gwe'dz (wo- man). G'i-spa-x'a'l: Gap-ligi-atda'l (man) and Wi-nle'^q (woman). It is said that one LEg-g'^x, when the Eagle group had In- creased in numbers, divided his tribe and gave the names of his three nephews and of three of his sisters, as stated here, to the chiefs of the three other towns which were then estab- lished as equal units, although they remained under the head chief, LEge'°x. Wolf group: G'it-la'n (4): Nes-lagunus (said to be a Taldtan name), Leguni'sk. These two chiefs are given as first and third in rank, the second and fourth positions in Git-la'n behig held by Raven chiefs. Ganha'da: GidzExla'"! (5): Nes-ho°t, Nes-l6'°s, Ylaga-giuiu'sk. G-it-dzi'°s (6): Nes-y!aga-ne't, Galksak, Wa-magwatk. Wuts!En-a'luk: Nes-y!aga-ne't, Haimas, Wi-ha'°. G-it-la'n (4): Nes-wa-ksi-na'^lk, Wals.^ GispawadwE'da : Git-qxa'la: Dzeba'sa, Sa'°ks, Xes-waxs. Ginax'ang-i'°k (3): Sa°ks, Txa-gaxs, Ala'lEm lax-ha'. G-inada'°x3 (9): Nes-waxs, Sa°ks. Gid-wid-g-a'dz (7): Saxsa''^t, Las, Nes-daux. Gi-lu-dza'r (SU Nes-nawa, Nes-lgu-nak, T!Em-naq. These names corroborate what was stated before; nameh", that the first three of these villages belong together, and that the last two form a separate group. As mentioned before and indicated in this list, certaii: names are considered as belonging to the highest chiefs only, in whose families they were hereditary. Thus the highest in rank among all the Tsun- shianchiefswasLEg-e'°x,thechiefof theEaglegroupofGi-spa-x-la'°ts. His family alone had the right to perform certain ceremonials corre- sponding to the highest secret societies of the Kwakiutl. Tradition says — and it is undoubtedly correct — that an Eagle woman of the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts tribe eloped with a G"it lama't chief (the tribe of 1 See above, under Wolf group. 510 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 Kwakiutl afEnity inhabiting Gardner Channel), whose family as- sumed membership in the highest ceremonial society. After her return to Skeena River, the woman was given the name Gan-dE-ma'xI ("ascending the mountain with a costly copper"). From her the privilege descended in her family. The name LEg-e'°x is said to be a G-itlama't name (perhaps from la "to go," -eg-a "bohmd" ?1. The chief of the tribe took it after the previous hereditary chief's name, Nes-balas, had lost its standing, because the bearer had been killed by a chief of a Raven clan and his head put up in the house of the latter (see p. 362). The LEge'°x family intermarries with' the head chief's family of the G'ispawadwE'da. LEg'e'°x marries the head chief's sister named KsEm-g-a'mk. The head chief of the G'ispawadwE'da, whose name is Hail, on the other hand, marries LEg-e'°x's sister Gan-dE- ma'xl. Their son, before assuming the name LEg-e'°x, has the name Hats!Eks-n!e'°x. The head chief's family must therefore have mbrcd for a long time. 'TheGit landa' chiefs arcsaid to be relatives of thoseofGi-spa-x-lii'°ts, to share their privileges, and bear the same names, the one LEg'e'°x excepted. I have also been told that the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts had tlie privilege of trade with the G'it-ksa'n, which they maintained suc- cessfully against the Hudson Bay Company until the latter purchased it m 1866. The Git-cixa'la are considered higher in rank than any of the tribes of the Tsunshian pi'oper. They have the same secret societies as the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts and G"it!anda' have. They acquired them through intermarriage from the Git-la'"p and Bellabdla. Still jnore recently the Haida acquired them from the Git-qxa'la. The LEg'e'°x who ruled about one hundred and fifty years ago (the sixth back from the year ISSS) had his figure painted on a vertical j^recipice on Nass River, a series of coppers standing under his figure. Since that time the place is called Wtl-gilEks-txal-t!a'mtk ("where s''lf on written"). Seven generations ago Nes-wl-ba'sk ("grandfather great wind"), a chief at Metlakahtia, had his figure carved on a rock on an island near that village. He lay down, had his outline marked, and the carving completed in a single night. The Git-q!a'°da of Grenvillo Channel are said to be subjects of the chief of the Gid-wul-ga'dz. They have to pay a tribute of fish, oil, berries, and skms every year. The G"it-la'°p are said to be subjects of the chief of the G'it-qxa'la. Although names have a definite rank, the social standing of a name might increase or decrease according to the vu-tues of its bearers. Each person had different names as his social position was advanced in the course of his life. The clnld would have insignificant names; while a successful elderly man would have a liigh name belonging to BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 511 his exogamic group and family, iirovitled ho was entitled to such a name bj' descent. Names were bestowed in the following manner: A few days after the birth of a child, or even before the child was born, its father or maternal uncle would gather property and food for a potlatch' and feast. Property was distributed. During the feast the father took the child to the house of his wife's uncle. There the father would call on one of his own uncles or liis owm brother to proclaim the child's name. This person took the child in lus arms, and said, "Call his name So and So" {0. dEtn am-dyas gina-gvndu) . Then the father gave a valuable piesent to his own maternal uncle or brother who had proclaimed the name, — a slave, a large canoe, or a costly garment. When the child was about two years old, its father or uncle would give another feast and potlatch, during wliich the father took the child to his wife's uncle. The boy's hair was tied on the crown of his head with the skin of one of the crest animals belonging to the child's maternal uncle. At one place Mr. Tate mentions that for a child of the Eagle group a weasel skin was used. Then the father of the child called again upon one of liis own relatives to proclaim the child's new name. For this sei"vice another valuable present was given. When the boy came to be a youth, a similar performance was gone through, and he received some more crests, such as a hat, and a new name. The method of bestowal of crest and name is the same as in the preceding ceremonies. Wlien the youth came to be a man, his father or uncle gave another great feast to all the Tsimshian. This is called potlatch (yd°]c). Now the father of the young man put a painted garment on his boy w"hich had the crest of the boy's mother's clan. His body is painted red. He carries in his hands a paddle carved Mitli his father's crest. A story explains the painted garment, and a song belongs to it. After the story of the painted garment had been told, they sang the songs. After two or three songs, one of the father's relatives was called up. He put his hand between the young man's shoulders and pro- nounced his name. Then the young man was promoted to a position near a chief, which was called sa-dzihaa. Later on the wide of the young man might give another great feast. Wliile the guests of the prince's maternal uncle were assembled in the house, the prince came in by himself, wearing his crests, and brought in all the goods which he had — slaves, canoes, elk skins, costly coppers — and he was now promoted to the next higher position. Wlien a man finally wants to take a chief's name, and if his father is dead, he requests a relative of his late father to announce his new name. This service is paid in the same way as before, and the amount is paid at a feast given to the whole tribe or to several tribes. ' See p. 537. 512 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY I eth. anx. .".i At this time an elk skin, painted red on botli sides, is spread ont while the new name is announced. It will be noticed here that the father's group always proclamis the new name of a person. There are other services which the father's relatives have to render: They tattoo hands or body. They carve the masks and other parajdiernalia for use in the potlatch. They support the dancer. The women of the father's group wash I he body < if a deceased person and wail for him. The men of the father's group prepare the coffin and the grave. Among special customs relating to the support of dancers, I learned about the following from ^Ir. Tate: Wlien Chief LEge'°x of the Eagles of the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts, in a festival, wore the Frog hat (see p. 267), and the cane with one frog on top, two others on the sides, two of his father's relatives stood by his side and held the hat on his head. When he wore a Beaver hat (see p. 272), one man of each of the four exogamic groups would help hold it , to show that LEg'e'°x was the highest in rank among all the clans. Every important event in life was celebrated by a feast and pot- latch, and all gifts made according to custom were paid by presents. When a child eats fresh berries for the first time, its mother gives presents to the father's relatives. When a man makes a small canoe or a bow for his maternal uncle's son, his uncle pays him well. Wlien a man's wife receives provisions from his female relatives, she pays them. Those who attend to the funeral of a person are paid by both father and mother of the deceased. Wlien a man gives to his sister's son or daughter one of the lullabies of the clan, he is well paid for it. Children are educated with great care, and particularly the children of chiefs are guarded jealously. Chiefs' sons are taught to be proud of their descent, to be active in acquiring wealth as a means of maintain- ing theu- social position, to be lavish in their distribution of food and property, to observe scrupulously all the prescribed taboos, and to refrain from unseemly noise. Chiefs' daughters were brought up with a number of gud com- panions (p. 432). Chastity was one of the prime virtues of girls. In order to protect their daughters, the parents would let them sleep in a bedroom over their own bed, the only access to which was by means of a ladder leadmg up from their own bedroom (p. 427). As an additional precaution, a slave-woman might be made to sleep right at the foot of the ladder. The girl must not go out when there were any young men on the street, and never alone, but only accompanied by her girl friends. BOAS I TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 513 In order to gain strength and puritj^, young people, particularly boys, had to bathe in cold water. Wlien a young man advanced in social standing, the time would come for him to acquii'e supernatural helpers. These were also hereditary in the various exogamic groups, and belonged to certain families, not to the group as a whole. Every person who had supernatural helpers had several names — one common name, and sacred names belonging to his various helpers. The latter were used in ceremonials in which the helpers appeared.' Mr. Tate has recorded the following names: Chief's name Dzeba'sa (Ganha'da; Git-qxa'la) . LEg-e'^x (Eagle; G-i-spa-x-ia,'°ts). Sa°ks (Q-ispawadwE'da; G'iua- x'ang-I'°k). Nes-ho'^t (Ganha'da; G'idzEx- la'°l). Nes-y!aga-ue't (Ganha'da; G'it- dzi'os). Saga-gwait (Eagle; G'itlanda'). Nes-lagunus (Wolf; Gnt-la'n). Sax s a ' " X t (G ' i s p a w a d \v E'd a ; Gid-wul-g"ii'dz). Nes-nawa (G'ispawadwE'da; G'i- lu-dza'r). Nes-waxs (G ' i s j) a w a d w e ' d a ; G-mada'°xs). Sacred names Dilogil (Boilmg Words), SEm- nExno'x (Great Supernatural Being), Hadagusa, Haialilaqs. Txa-g"a'xsEm lax-ha' (Heaven Body), Hanatana, Ga-guliks- gax. Man-ks-ga'gum lax-ha' (Who Was the Fh^t To Go Up To Heaven), AlalEm lax-ha', Dzagum-ax . Nahengan (a monster), Gulgum lax-lia', Wax-ha-l!i-sa'. LEks-ts!uwa'nEm lax-ha' (Alone Top Of Heaven), Wa-ts!Em- mo' (Without Ears), Gasq. Uks-ya'l g&mk (Went Out To Sun), Gam-wi-na-wa'xs, Gul- danu'n. Ale'st (Lazy), N-Igo'lgul gaimk, KsEm-gasgo'us. LEgEl-gulagum lax-ha' (Crack Of Heaven), Lu-na-gisEm gad (Changmg Mind), Hunting-Ca- noe. Mala (Moving Quickly), Gwila- gaxsdo'x, Wi-g'a'd (Giant). Txa-la'ksgum lax-ha' (All The Lights Of Heaven), Txal-ks- ga'gum lax-ha' (Fhst Of Heav- en), Lgu-wa'lksgum n!e°xl Prince of Killer Wliales). 50633°— 31 ETH— IC -33 1 See pp. 546 £t seq.. 514 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [i:th. an.n. 31 Every individual had to acquire every supernatural helper through an initiation. With the acquisition of the helper, the individual was supposed to have attained also certain powers, which could be "thrown" upon or into other people. The helpers and powers were represented by carvings — the helpers, by masks, some- times with attached blankets; the powers, by small mechanical figures that could be closed, and, when thus carried, hidden away. By pullmg a string or pressuig a peg, the figure would open and appear as a bird or other figure, accordmg to the form the power was supposed to have. Then it was "thrown;" that is, it was closed and hidden agaui, and the spectators were made to believe that it had flown away from the hands of its owner and was exerting its powers. Masks and carvmgs were kept strictly hidden from those who were not entitled to use them. They were only exhibited at ceremonies. There is apparently a curious anomaly in the use of these hereditary powers; for, according to Mr. Tate's notes written at intervals several years apart, it would seem that the chief did not initiate his nephew, but that he might initiate his son, or even young people that do not belong to his own family. The matter is not. by any means clear, and I will quote here ^Ii\ Tate's own statements in English. The following notes were written in reply to my questions relating to this subject: Dilogil was the chief supernatural helper of Dzeba'sa. Wlien any chief made a great potlatch, and the people were assembled in his house on the evening preceding a great distribution of property, this helper of Dzeba'sa was called to initiate a candidate. The mask would appear, and the people would sing its song. At the end of this song it would disappear again, and Dzeba'sa, dressed with his head-mask, the puffin-beak apron, puffin-beak leggings, and with a ceremonial blanket, came forth. The song- leader started the dancing-song, and the chief danced, jerking his head with the beats of the wooden drum, so that the eagle down would fly out of the hollow recep- tacle formed by the top of the headdress. He accompanied his dance with the rattle. Before the end of the dancing-song, the chief caught his supernatural power above his head and closed his hands over it. Then the people clapped their hands, beat the drum, and shouted. When they stopped, Dzeba'sa shouted, "Ohi!" to which the Tpeo^Aeieplied, " Houstst!" Thiswas repeated four times. Then Dzeba'sa walked up to one side of the door, where the children of the chief's family (that is, the nephews and nieces of the host) were sitting, and threw his siipernatural power on one of the children. At once the whistle of Dilogil was heard among the children. Then the chief's nephews ' paid Dzeba'sa for his dance, saying, '' Your supernatural power walked over these costly things, sir, " This speech was repeated four times. Then the people would call for Txa-g-a'ksEm lax-ha', the supernatural helper of LEg^e'^x, to initiate several of the young people. This helper was used only for youths of high rank. . When LEg'e'°x gave a great potlatch among the Tsimshian, his people would call for the supernatural power Man-ks-ga'gum lax-ha', who belonged to Chief Sa°ks, to initiate the young people, > I believe the host's nephews are meant. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 515 A number of years ago, when describing the use of the chief's rattle, Mr. Tate wrote about this subject as follows: This rattle is used in the " throwing-<:lance, " in the house of some other chief, and after each dance he received pay. It was also used in a dance in the house of a member of his own tribe. In describing the potlatch, he says : On the fourth night all the different chiefs are assembled in the house of the head chief to perform what is called the throwing-dance. Then each chief of each tribe dances by himself with his own mask. The first chief, after the dance of his own mask, will dance with his dancing-garment and his carved headdress inlaid with abalone, wearing his dancing-apron with the bills of beautiful puffins, leggings of the same kind, and carrying the welcome rattle. Then, while the chief's own people are singing, and while he is dancing, he catches his supernatural power in the air and goes towards the child of the chief, holding the supernatural power between the palms of his hands, and throws it into the chief's chilil or into his niece or nephew. Then all the chiefs who are guests have each one night for their own tlirowing-dance. Each has the name of a supernatural power, besides his own chief's name. So, when they call one of these chiefs to dance, they call him by his sacred name. The dances end when it is nearly daylight, and then all the princes and princesses have supematiu-al powers and have become dancers. Therefore after four days have passed and all the children have dances, their father kills some slave or gives away much property or breaks a costly copper. The head chief pays each chief who performed the throwing- dance with three or four elk skins. If there are seven or ten children in a chief's family, then each of the visiting chiefs performs his dance seven or ten times, once for each of the children. (See also pp. 54G et seq.) Comparative Notes on the Social Organization of the TsiMSHIAN In the numerous cUscussions of totemism published during the last few years much has been said about the 'American theor3"" of totemism, — a theory for which I have been held responsible conjointly ^vith iliss Alice C. Fletcher and Mr. Charles Hill-Tout. This theory is based on the idea that the clan totem has developed from the individual manitou by extension over a kmship group. It is true that I have pointed out the analogy between totem legend and the guardian-spirit tale among the Kwakiutl. and that I have suggested that among this tribe there is a likehhood that under the presstu'e of totemistic ideas the guardian-spirit concept has taken this particidar line of development.' Later on ilr. Hill-Tout - took up my sugges- tion and based on it a theory of totemism by generaUzing the specific phenomena of British Columbia. In a similar way Jliss Fletcher ^ has given a wider interpretation to her observations among the c 1 Bastian- Festschrift, Berlin, 1896, p. 439; Report on the North- Western Tribesof Canada (Sri&i j4s.5o- ciationfor the Admricement of Science, 189S, Reprint p. 48); see also Report on the North- Western Tribes of Canada, 1.889, Reprint pp. 24 et seq.: "The Social Organization and the Secret Societies of the ZwakiutI Indians" (Report U. S. National Museum for 1S95, Washington, 1S97, pp. 332, 336, 662). 2 Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, 1901-02, vol. vn. sec. II, pp. 6et seq. ' Tlie Import of the Totem, a Study from the Omaha Tribe (Salem, Mass., 1897). 516 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. :u Omaha. Mr. J. G. Frazer ' and Eniilo Dui'klioiin - both discuss my argimients from this point of view. Their iiitorprotatiou of my remarks is undoubtedly founded on their method of research, which has for its object an exhaustive interpretation of ethnic phenomena as the residt of a single psychic process. My own point of view — and I should lilce to state this wnth some emphasis — is a quite different ono.^ I do behevo in the existence of analogous psychical processes among all races wherever analogous social conditions prevail; but I do not believe that ethnic phenomena are simply expressions of these psychok)gical laws. On the contrary, it seems to my mind that the actual jjrocesses are immensely diversi- fied, and that similar types of ethnic thought may develop in quite different ways. Therefore it is entirely t)pposcd to the methodological principles to which I hold to generalize from the phenomenon found among the Kwakiutl and to interpret by its means all totemic phenomena. There are two reasons that determine me to take this position. The first is that the ethnic phenomena which we compare are seldom really aUke. I agree with the view of Doctor Goldenweiser,^ who holds that the specific contents of totemism aio quite distinct in character in difterejit totemic areas. Common to totemism in the narrower sense of tlie term is the view that sections of a tribal unit composed of relatives or supposed relatives possess each certain defuiite customs which differ in content from those of other similar sections of the same tribal unit, but agree with them in form or pat- tern. These customs may refer to taboos, naming, symbols, or religious practices of various kinds, and are in their special forms quite distinctive for differertt totemic areas. There is no proof that all these customs belong together and are necessary elements of what Doctor Goldenweiser calls a '"totemic complex.'' Since the contents of totemism as found in various parts of the world show such impor- tant differences, I do not believe that all totemic phenomena can be derived from the same psychological or historical sources. Totemism is an artificial unit, not a natural one. I am inclined to go a step farther than Doctor Goldenweiser does in his later publications. I consider it inadvisalde to draw a rigid line between totemic phenomena in a still more limited sense, — namely, in so far as the characteristics of tribal exogamic sections deal with the relations of man to animals and plants, — but believe that we shcndd > Totemism and Exogamy, iv, p. 48. • 2 Les formes SliSmentaires de la vie religieiise, pp. 246 et seq. > "Tlie Origin of Totemism" (Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxin, p. 392); "Some Traits of Primi- tive Culture" (ibid., xvn, 1904, p. 2.')1); Psychological Problems in Anthropology, Lectures and •\ddresses delivered before the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy in celebration of the Twentieth -Xjmiversary of Clark University, Worcester, 1910, pp. 125 et seq.; see also The Mind of Primitive Man, pp. 174 et seq. * " Totemism, an Analytical .Stnily " (.hmrnal of A mcrican Folk-Lore, xxm. 1910, pp. 179 el seq.). BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 517 study all the customs connectedly, in their weaker form as well as in their most marked totemic forms. The second reason that seems to me to forbid generalization is that certain mental conditions may bring about the development of analogous forms arising fi-om distinct sources. Tlius I do not feel convince* I that the substratum of Haida, Tlingit, and TsLmshian totemism must have been the same. On the contrary, there seems to be evidence showing that their beginnings may have been quite diilerent. Still, historical contact, and the effect of the idea of privilege attached to position, seem to have molded the totemic customs of these tribes and of their southern neighbors, so that they have a-ssumed similar forms. We call this development from distinct sources "convergence," no matter whether the assimilation is brought about by psycliic or by historical causes. In order to state my position in regard to the theoretical problem definitely, I have to add a tliird point. Wundt ■ and Durkheim ^ use the term ''totemic viewpoint" in a sense quite different from the one that I am accustomed to connect with it. While they do not dis- regard the connection between social group and totemic ideas, they lay stress upon the identification of man and animals; that is, a characterLstic feature of totemism in the most restricted sense of the term. This idea occurs in many other aspects of the mental life of man, — in his magic, art, etc. Neither is this view an essential part of the totemic complex in its widest sense. It seems to me that if we call tliis the basis of totemic phenomena, one trait is singled out quite arbitrarily, and undue stress is laid upon its totemic association. It appears to me, therefore, an entirely different problem that is treated by these authors, — a problem interesting and important in itself, but one which has little bearing upon the question of totemism as a social institution. Their problem deals with the development of the con- cepts referring to the relation of man to nature, which is obvioasly quite distinct from that of the characterization of kinship groups. The only connection between the two problems is that the concepts referring to the relation of man to nature are apphed for the purpose of characterizing social, more praticularly kinship groups. I am hiclined to look at tlie totemic problem as defined before in a quite different manner. Its essential feature appears to me the association between certain types of ethnic activities and kinship groups (in the widest sense of the term), in other cases also a similar association with groups embracing members of the same generation or of the same locality. Since, furthermore, exogamy is characteristic of kinship groups, endogamy of generation groups or local groups, such essential feature comes to be the association of varying ty]3es of ethnic 1 Volkerpsychologie, vol. n, part 2 (ISOtJ). pp. 2:i8 tt scq.: Elcmente der \'olkeipsy(liolOi;ie, 1912, pp. llii ft scq. - I.es formesel^raentalrcs de la vie religieuse. » 518 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY | kth. axn. HI activities with exogamy or endogamj-. Tlie problem is how this con- dition arose. Tlie recognition of kinship groups, ancl with it of exogamy, is a imiversal phenomenon. Totemism is not. It is admissible to judge the antiquity of an ethnic phenomenon by its universality. The use of stone, lire, language, is exceedingly old, and it is now universal. On this basis it is justifiable to assume that exogamy also is very old. The alternative assumption, that a phenomenon of universal occur- rence is due to a psychic necessity that leads to it regularly, can be made for the kmship group, not for the other cases. When exogamy existed in a small community, certain conditions must have arisen with the enlargement of tlie group. The size of the incest group may either have expanded with the enlargement of the group, or individuals may have passed out of it, so that the group itself remained small. In those cases in which, perhaps owing to t!ie ever-recurring breaking-up of the tribes into smaller units, cohesion was very slight, the exogaiuic group may always have remained restricted to the kinship group in tlie narrow sense of the term, so that there must always have been a large number of small co-ordinate independent family groups. A contlition of this type, wliich is exemplified by the Eskimo, could never leail to totemism. On the other hand, when the tribe had greater cohesion, the consciousness of blood relationship may well have extended over a longer period; and if the idea of incest remained associated mth tlie whole group, a certain pressure must soon have residted from the desire to recognize at once an individual as belonging to the incest group. This may be accomplished by the extension of the significance of temis of relatiousldp, by means of which the membere of tlie incest group may be distinguished from the rest of the tribe. Many systems of relationship include such a classification of relatives; but \vith mcreasing size of habitat or tribe, this form must also lead to tlie passing of individuals of unknown relationship out of the incest group. The assignment of an individual to the incest group is easiest when the whole group is given some mark of recognition. As soon as this existed, it became possible to retain the incest or exogamic group, even when the family relationsliip of each individual was no longer traceable. It is not necessary that such an assignment should be made by naming the group. Common characteristics, Hke a ritual or symbols belonging to the whole group, would serve the same piu-pose. It will readily be seen that here the elements of totemic organizatioiT are given. Wherever miilateral descent prevails, either paternal or maternal, it must also follow that the number of distinct exogamic groups woidd be small, since the extinction of lines of male or female descent brings it about that there is a continual reduction of distinct units, unless this tendency is counteracted by new accessions or by a B04S] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 519 subdi\'ision into new lines. In small social units the reduction would continue until only two exogamic units are left.' Among the data on the laws of exogamy, all these lines of development are represented. If the theory outlined here is correct, we must expect to find a great variety of devices used for the purpose of cliaracterizing exogamic groups, wliich must develop according to the general cidtural type to wliich the people belong. It is obvious that in such cases, when the chai'acteiization of the group is due to the tendency to develop a distinguishing mark, all these marks must be of the same type, but different in contents. It does not seem plausible that distinguishing traits should belong to entirely distinct domains of thought; that one group might be recognized by a name, another one by a ritual, a tliird one by crests or emblems. The fundamental principle of classifica- tion as manifested in the mental hfe of man shows that the basis of classification must always be foimded on the same fundamental con- cepts. We may conclude, convei-sely, that the homologj' of distin- guisliing marks of social ch\-isions of a tribe is a proof that they are due to a classificatory tendency. From these general remarks let us turn to a consideration of the totemic systems of the Northwest coast. . The terms expressing the system of relationship of the Tsimshian differ in some important points from those of the Haida and Tlingit (see pp. 489 et seq.). It is particularly noticeable that among the Tsimshian even more than among many other tribes with dan^ organi- zation certain terms are not coirfined to the mem])ers of one clan. This is true particidarly of all generations from the grandfather up and from the grandchild down, and also for the terms for parents-in-law. The two terms "child" and "nephew," when used by the two sexes, designate members of different clans. The mother using the term "child," and the father usmg the term "nephew," designate a member of his or her own clan. The father iising the term "cliild," and the mother using the term "nephew," mean a member of another clan. Sinular conditions prevail in other tribes with clan organization, as among the Iroquois. Tliis indicates the importance of the family luiit quite aside from the clan relationship of individuals, and corroborates the observations made before in regard to the pereonal relations be- tween fa^^lier and child. In order to understand the development of the modern social system of the North Pacific coast, it is necessary to determine the relations between the systems of the Tsimshian, Haida, and Tlingit. When we compare the list of Tsimshian crests with those of Haida and Tlingit crests, the G ispawadwE'da appear clearly as the equiva- lent of the Haida Ravens and of the Tlingit Wolves, as incUcated by the following hst of the more important crests : 1 Fahlbeck, Der Adel Schwedens. ^In the sense of the "vrhole exog.imic group, but including therefore its subdivisions. 520 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY fETH. ANN. :U Tsivisliian ( G-ispawadwK'da) 1. Grizzly bear I 28. Grizzly-bear hatj 2. Killer whale I 19. Killer whales joining/ 46. Raven in bottom of sea 21. Thunder 4. Rainbow 3. Moon 7. Star Mountain goat Haida (Ravens) Grizzly bear Killer whale Ts !Emas Thunderbird Rainbow Moon Star Mountain goal Tlingit ( Wolves) Grizzly bear linier whale Thunder Mountain goat There is also a close con-espondence between certain Tsimshian and Haida Eagle crests and the Tlingit Raven crests. Tsimshian (Eagle ft) 1. Eagle House 1. Eagle house 14. Over ten eagles 20. Stone carving of eagle 28. Eagle's nest 30. Eagle claws 2. Beaver 13. Standing beaver 15. Food of copper beaver 7. Tree gnawed by beaver House 4. Beaver house House 5. Lake house 12. Whale's body 3. Halibut 9. Cormorant hat Haida (Eagles) Tlingit (Ravens) Eagle Beaver Whale Halibut Cormorant Beaver Whale For the other two exogamic groups the correspondences are not so clear. Some of the Tsimshian Raven crests correspond to Haida Eagle crests. Tsimshian (Ganha 'da) Haida (Eagles) Tlingit (Ravens) I. Raven Raven Raven 2. Bullhead 7. Fins of bullhead 12. Fat of bullhead Sculpin 23. Bullhead hat 4. Starfish 14. Supernatural starfish Starfish 3. Frog Sea. lion Frog Frog Sea hon BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETi' 521 The sea lion, devilfish, and probably the white sea bear of the Tsimshian Ganha'da belong to the Haida Ravens. WoK and bear of the Tsimshian Wolves belong to the Haida Ravens, and the former to the Tlingit Wolves. The follo\ving table contains a summary of the distribution of crests among the three northern tribes. The asterisk indicates pres- ence of the crest. Tsimshian Haida Tlingit Gisp. Wolf Eagle r.an. Raven Eagle Wolf Raven Nex. Grizzly bear * _ — ^ * * Killer whale « _ _ _ * _ * _ Thunder * - - - if. - * — — Mountain goat * — _ _ * _ * Raven in sea * _ — — * _ (*') Rainbow * — — » Moon * — — _ * — Star •. * _ — * — (*). (*) Flicker * <*) — Wolf _ * _ _ * * Black bear * - - * , - Eagle - - C*) — * Beaver , _ * _ Whale — _ — _ ^ * Hawk _ _ — — (*?) , * Halibut — — _ * Weasel _ _ (*) Cormorant - - - — Raven _ * * * Frog — — — * _ — * Sculpio — — _ * _ — (*2) Starfish — — — * (*2) Sea lion * * —^ * _ Sea bear (7) — — — * * _ Evening sky * — _ * Devilfish — _ * _ Shark — — — * ' 1 * — ■ — 1 Gonaqade't; I am not certain of the identity of this crest and of the raven in sea. 2 Occurring as a house name. It appears here clearly that we may distinguish five groups of correspondences. Tsimshian G'ispawadwE'da Wolf Eagle (Gun-hu Eagle Raven 'o ■t) Haida Raven Raven Eagle Eagle Eagle Tlingit Wolf Wolf Nex'A'di Raven Raven 522 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. axx. :U The crests of irregiilar distribution are few as compared to the typical series. Much of the confusion in the treatment by the three tribes of clans characterized by certain crests is due to the fact that the Tsimsliian Raven corresponds to the Haida Eagle, and that the Haida Eagle and Tlingit Raven correspond to both the Ganha'da (Ravens) and Eagles of the Tsimshian.' Accordingly the Tsimshian Eagles and Ganha'da are considered as Haida Eagles, and in most cases as Tlingit Ravens; the Tsimshian G'ispawadwE'da and Wolves, as Haida Ravens and THngit Wolves; ^ the Tlingit Nex'A'di correspond to Tsimshian Eagles. If we may rely on tradition and on the evidence of the crests, we shall have to con- clude that the Gun-hu'°t division of the Tsimshian Eagles were Tlingit Nex'A'di. The Tsimshian tradition tells of a war between a Ganha'da and an Eagle village on Copper River, Alaska. Since these two clans correspond to the Thngit Nex'A'di and Ravens, only these two clans can be meant. Furthermore, the Gun-hu'°t are said to have possessed only the Eagle crest at the time when they started from Alaslca, while they acquired the characteristic Eagle crests of the Tsimshian — beaver and hahbut -during their travels. The crests which they acquired during this time are property of the Tlingit Ravens. The Haida and Tsimshian Eagles have much in common. Even one of their clan stories, called in our series " Asdildah and Omen," by the Haida "The story of the town of DjI'gua," is found among both tribes. Both stories begin with tlie destruction of the Eagle town of Dji'gua (Dzi'g^va) on Queen Charlotte Islands by Djila'quns (Dzila'gans) and the rescue of a i)rincess. They lead to her marriage to a Tsimshian chief. The Tsimshian version tells that the man was a chief of the G'id-wul-g'a'dz (GispawadwE'da), and reports the return of some of her children, including a girl, to Queen Charlotte Islands, while another girl staid among the Tsimshian. According to the Haida version, the chiefs of the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts and of the Gitlanda' (namely, LEg'e'°x and Saga-gwait) are the descendants of tliis woman among the Tsimshian.^ The statement made by the Skidegate and Masset, to the effect that two of the Eagle crests of the Haida (namely, beaver and weasel) were obtained from the Tsimshian, corroborates the contents of our story. The Wolf story, p. 354, agrees with the original tale of the Kake division of the Tlingit. Swanton ascribes the tale particularly to the Raven family Qa'tcAcli, while, according to the correspondence of clans, it should belong to the Wolf families. 1 T^!Ets!a'ut Wolves correspond to the Sanya Wolf family Te'qoedi; their Eagles should therefore correspond to the Nex'A'di, although they might possibly correspond to the KIksA'dl. 2 See Swanton 2, p. 06. ^ During the past century the sister of each LEg'e'ox married Dzeba'sa, a G'ispawadwE'da, and chief of 'he Git-qxa'la. BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 523 The Ijax-se"la divisi(jn of the Ganlia'diX M'ould correspond to the ICilcsA'di of Sanya. The two divisions have the sculpin crest. The subdivision Ganha'da may perhaps correspond to the Tongass GanAx^'k.'di. It is also interesting to note that the Haida Raven crests -gi-izzly beai", mountain goat, raven in sea, and moon — are said to be of Tsim- shian origin. Thus a native origin is assigned to all the important crests of the Haida Raven side, so far as thej' are not based on sea ani- mals. The Tsimshian GuspawadwE 'da fall clearly into two groups, — an inland group mth land-animal crests, and a coast group vdih sea- animal crests. It would seem likel}'. tlierefore, that the Haida Ravens corresponded, first of all, to the seacoast group, and that the identifi- cation with the inland groups de\"e)oped later. The fact that a definite group of the Haida Ravens lack the gi-izzly-bear crest is also in favor of this theory. If the Tsimshian are right in their opinion that their ancestors, more particiilarly the G"ispawadwE'da, lived inland in the ancient to^vn of T!Em-lax-a'm, then the sea-animal crests must necessarily be more recent than the land-animal crests, and the G'it-na-gun-a'ks group woidd represent a comparatively speaking late development among the Tsimshian. Swanton has suggested that the Haida Ravens may be the ancient Haida, and that the exogamic groups may have developed owing to the unmigi'ation of a foreign element, who formed the Eagle group.' In regard to the Tlingit he suggests a similar theoiy, and thinks that the Ravens may lie a foreign element among the Tlingit.- It might seem that the Tsimshian tales give countenance to the view that one of the exogamic groups represents the central body ai-ound which the newcomers clustered as new units. In our discussion of the division of the exogamic groups (]>. 486) it has been pointed out, that, according to tradition, part of the G^ispawadwE'da are apparently the only di^^sion of the tribe that constituted the ancient Tsimshian. The question arises whether we shall adopt a euhemeristic explana- tion, and consider the legendary history of the clans as reflecting historical facts. I believe the data do represent actual occurrences. I am very doubtful, however, whether the facts would justify us in assiuning that the coming-together of these different groups led to the formation of the exogamic groups. The stories themselves do not 1 Swanton 2, p. 104. 2 Swanton 4, p. 407; .see also John R. Swanton. "The Development of the Clan System and of .Secret Societies among the Northwestern Tribes" (American Anthropologist. JJ. s.. vi. 1904. pp. 477 it seq.). incidentally I would say that I do not consider Swanton's hypothesis of the splitting-ofl of the Bellacoola from an Interior Salish tribe as likely. The Bellacoola dialect is closely associated with the coast dialects of Salish stock. To mention only two points, it shares with them the development of grammatical gender, which is absent in the dialects of the mterior. and it has in common with them certain terms relathig to the sea. Linguistically it is quite necessary to assume a close i«lation between Bellacoola and the other coast dialects. 524 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. A^i.N. rsi prove this point. During the warlike past of the people some of the old, native divisions, which the strangers joined, may very well have disappeared. Furthennore, it does not follow from the tales that there may not have been other accessions to the tribe which are not recorded in legendaiy history, because thei-e were no chiefs of Hgh' standing among the arrivals. The absence of old Tsimshian groiips among the Ganha'da, Eagles, and Wolves, may therefore be due to the accident that the native divisions became extinct. It is certainly worth while to know that in some of the tales it is implied that the cxogamic group to which the newcomers belong was present among the Tsimshian. In the tale of the Wolf group it is explicitly stated that the fleeing Tahltan joined the Wolf group on N"ass River. On the other hand, it may be said that the appearance of exogamic groups in these tales may simply be due to an anachronistic introduction of modern conditions into ancient times. The most definite statement of the origin of the exogamic groups is contained in the Gau'6 story 1.214.18-21. On account of the importance of the subject. I will =^ve here a literal translation of the passage: Nin.'i''' wulM-SE-t!a'tgE wulnor-t'E It.'a'la pta'xdat;^ G-ispavmtwa'da That being the beginning the companies exogamic groups; the G-ispawadwE'da lax-Tia' vmla wa'tglga"; dil glk lEMa'xs ptaxt, G'ispaivutwa'da, the sky where they came from; and abo the various exogamic groups, the GispawadwE'da, dil Lax-x-ski'°lc, garil Ganha'da, ada Lax-g'ihu'°t. and the Eagle group, aud the Ganha'da, also the Wolf group. That means: "This (namely, the coming-down of the four houses of the four heavenly brothers and of their two sisters) was the begin- ning of the exogamic companies; the G'ispawadwE'da come from the sky, also the various exogamic groups, — the G'ispawadwE'da and the Eagles, and the Ganha'da and also the Wolves." Later on it is said that the brothers traveled about "to make the exogamic groups" {asga dEmt dzabE ptcfxt) in evex-y village 1.216.19, and "they tried to make the exogamic groups" (ada g'ikt hd'°l dEmt sar-na-pta'°xtga°) 1.216.22. It is also stated expressly ^ that the four groups existed in TlEm- lax-a'm before the Deluge 1.250. In this passage the four groups, which are mentioned by name, are called "crests" (dzapk); and the members of each are called "relatives" (vmlvmla'isk) . The uncertainties of an euhemeristic explanation are brought out very clearly by the attempt to reconsti-uct the history of the Xorth- west coast tribes solely on the basis of their traditions. Swanton has shown that the Haida tales indicate a native origin of the Raven side. The most important c^haracteristic of these tales is the sys- ' The punctuation given here is better than that adopted in the original. ' See p. 411. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 525 tematic way in which all the Raven families have been brought into one genealogical series. The Haida Eagles, on the other hand, show much more obscure relationships, and there are many cases among them that refer to an influx of foreign elements. From this Swanton concludes that the Eagles may be by origin a foreign tribe that became an exogamic unit. In support of this view he points out that most of the supernatural beings are considered as Ravens, although supernatural beings of the Eagle side occur near all Eagle villages, and also that most of the important ancient villages of the Haida are Raven villages. For the Tlingit, Swanton finds a preponderance of tales accounting for the origin of all their famUies in the south. This decides him to place the ancient habitat of the Tlingit east of Queen Charlotte Islands, at the mouth of Skeena River. If we treat the traditions of the Tsimshian in the same manner, we have to conclude that the main body of the G'ispawadwE'da are by origin an inland people, that the Eagles came from Queen Charlotte Islands and Alaska, the Wolves from the Taliltan, the Ravens from the TUngit, and part of the G'ispawadwE'da from the islands north of Bellabella. Excepting the inland origin of the G'ispawadwE'da, these data contradict the conclusions drawn from the Haida and Tlingit evidence. The Tsimshian view of the inland origin of some of the ancestors is to a certain extent supported by the internal evidence of their my- thology. In fact, many years before I knew that the Tsimshian held any such belief, I had expressed the conclusion that the Tsimshian must have been an inland tribe.' Most of the Tsimshian subgroups derive their origin from Tlingit subgroups and from the Tahltan. They place these tribes in the north. Therefore we shoidd have to conclude that the Tlingit occupied the whole northern coast at the time when these subgroups were established among the Tsunshian. The Eagles, who, according to Swanton's data, were foreigners among the Haida, would also be foreigners among the Tsimsluan; and the Raven side (viz, their Tsimshian equivalent), that represents the ancient Haida, would also represent the ancient Tsimshian. The only definite conclusion that can be drawn is that the exo- gamic groups have grown up by accessions, and that perhaps one or another may have been added to the ancient Tsimshian groups. For linguistic reasons this seems plausible for theGanha'da of the Tsim- shian, because the name of the group itself is not of Tsimshian origin. The tales relating to the origin of these divisions impress me as a projection into the past of modem experiences regarding the accession ' Boas 4, p. 347. 526 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ans. 31 of new elements to old exogamic groups. There is no convincing proof of the existence of a period without clearly defined exogamic units. I think the data discussed before (pp. 486 et seq.) are rather in favor of the assumption that the twofold division of the Ilaida and the apparently twofold division of the Thngit are of recent origin, and that in former times there were at least three well-defined exogamic groups among them. A detailed comparison of the three trihes brings out a few new points that may be useful for a better understanding of the historical develop- ment of the "sides" and nf their subdivisions. The crest legends in our Tsimshian collection do not give any indication of the view that the members of an exogamic group are considered as descendants of a single ancestor. On the contrary, the multiple origin of the groups is always dwelt upon. The Tlingit crest legends have the same character. The crests themselves have been obtained by a variety of incidents, and there is no attempt to derive the subdivisions of each side from a common ancestor. Only among the Ilaida Ravens do we find a marked tendencj' to weave together into one genealogy all the branches of the side. jVinong the Eagles this tendency is present, but not so marked. There are a number of stories relating to the origin of Eagle families that stand entirely outside of the genealogical series to which the othei-s belong. The systematic development of the Haida genealogies is the more remarkable, since it presents a curious contrast to present conditions, in which each division of the exogamic groups is quite independent of all the others; while among the Tsimshian, who have no tradition of a genealogical connection, the privileges of the whole group are concentrated in the hands of a single ?hief regardless of its division into subgroups. • I think the difference in the treatment of the crest legends should be explained as due to a dift'erent direction that poetic imagination took among these three tribes. Possibly the idea of a single origin may be an old underlying Haida idea, that later on shaped the crest tales. It may also be a new tendencj^ based on the presence and social importance of the two opposite sides that were considered as two groups of relatives. Since the contents of the crest mythology are very much ahke among the thi-ee tribes, I am inclined to consider the modem Haida forms as due to a change in the arrangement of the tales, and can not recognize in it a safe proof of an origin of Haida exogamy by a combination of two distinct tribes. The significance of subdivisions of the tribe becomes mtich clearer when we compare the Tsimshian conditions with those prevailing among the other tribes. In one respect there is great similarity between the principles of division prevailing among the Haida and ' See p. 527. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 527 those prevailing among the Tsimshian. A famih^ bearing a certain name, characterized as a section of an exogamic group, and owning certain crests, occurs in several villages. The family is therefore a division of the exogamic group that intercrosses the division of the tribe into village communities. Groups like the Gun-hu'°t, Lax- se'°la, etc. (see p. 483), correspond to the Haida families, while the villages (see p. 482) correspond to the village communities. From the Tsunsliian we have also some definite information showing how new villages have sprung up. Thus the Eagle chief is said to have subdivided his tribe because the village became too large. The Raven families of Haimas of the G'it-dzl'°s founded the viUa. 377 ct scq. 542 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 Mayne (pp. 263-265) tlescribes the ceremonies of a lesser feast according to Duncan : They are very particular about whom they invite to their feasts, and, on great occasions, men and women feast separately, the women always taking the precedence. Vocal miisic and dancing have great prominence in their proceedings. Wlien a person is going to give a great feast, he sends, on the first day, the females of his household round the camp to invite all his female friends. The next day a party of men is sent round to call the male guests together. The other day a party of eight or ton females, dressed in their best, with their faces newly painted, came into the fort yard, formed themselves into a semicircle ; then the one in the center, with a loud but clear and musical voice, delivered the invitation, declaring what should be given to the guests, and what they should enjoy. In this case the invitation was for three women in the fort who are related to chiefs. On the following day a band of men came and delivered a gimilar message, inviting the captain in charge. These feasts are generally connected with the giving away of property. As an instance I will relate the last occurrence of the kind. The person who sent the afore- mentioned invitations is a chief who has just completed building a house. After feasting, I heard he was to give away property to the amount of 480 blankets (worth as many pounds to him), of which 180 were his own property and the .300 were to be subscribed by his people. On the first day of the feast as much as possible of the property to be given him was exhibited in the camp. Hundreds of yards of cotton were flapping in the breeze, hung from house to house, or on lines put up for the occasion. Furs, too, were nailed up on the fronts of houses. Those who were going to give away blankets or elk skins managed to get a bearer for every one, and exhibited them by making the persons walk in single file to the house of the chief. On the next day the cotton which Imd been hung out was now brought on the beach, at a good distance from the chief's house, and then run out at full length, and a number of bearers, about three yards apart, bore it triumphantly away from the giver to the receiver. I suppose that about (iOO to 800 yards were thus disposed of. After all the property the chief is to receive lias thus been openly handed to him, a day or two is taken up in apportioning it for fresh owners. When this [sic] done, all the chiefs and their families are called together, and each receives according to his or her portion. If, however, a chief's wife is not descended fi-om a chief, she has no share in this distribution, nor is she ever invited to the same feasts with her hus- band. Thus do the chiefs and their people go on reducing themselves to poverty. In the case of the chiefs, however, this poverty lasts but a short time; they are soon repleni.shed from the next giving away, but the people only gi'ow rich again according to their industry. One can not but pity them, while one laments their folly. All the pleasure these poor Indians seem to have in their property is in hoarding it up for such an occasion as I have described. They never think of appropriating what they gather to enhance their comforts, but are satisfied if they can make a display like tliis now and then; so that the man possessing but one blanket seems to be as well off as the one who possesses twenty; and. thus it is that there is a vast amount of dead stock accumulated in the camp doomed never to be used, but only now and then to be transfen-ed from hand to hand for the mere vanity of the thing. There is another way, however, in which property is disposed of even more foolishly. If a person be insiilted, meet with an accident, or in any way suffer an injury, real or supposed, either of mind or body, property must at once be sacrificed to avoid dis- grace. A number of blankets, shirts, or cotton, according to the rank of the person, is torn into small pieces and earned oft. boas] tsimshiax society 543 Religion In the religious beliefs of the Tsimshiaii, Heaven plays an important r6le. He watches the acts of mankuid, and sends down helpers called riExno'x. Practically any natural object may be a riExno'x, but in tales the most important ones are shining youths, strokes of lightning, and animals. The term UExno'x designates anything mysterious. It is the supernatural helper as well as the whistle used in dances. It is the being prayed to for help, as well as the sleight- of-hand trick of the dancer. Heaven rules the destinies of mankind; has taught man to distin- guish between good and bad, and given religious laws and institutions. Heaven is gi-atified by the mere existence of man. He is worehiped by offerings and prayer, the smoke rising from fires being especially agreeable to him. Murderers, adulterers, and those who behave foolishly, talking to no purpose, and makmg noise at night, are espe- cially hateful to him. He loves those who take pity upon the poor, who do not try to become rich by selling at high prices what others want. His messengers, particularly Sun and Moon, must be treated with respect. Man makes himself agreeable to the deity by cleanli- ness. Therefore the people must bathe and wash their whole bodies before praymg. For the same reason they take a vomitive when they wish to please the deity well. The juice of the devil's-club {FaUia liorrida) is particularly effective. They fast, and abstain from touching their wives, if they desire their prayers to be successful. They offer everything that is considered valuable — eagle down, red paint, red-cedar bark, food, elk skin, lines, etc. The offering is burnt. The Tsimshian do not always pray to Heaven directly, but far more frecjuently to the helpers. Thus they pray in a general way to the nExno'x — Nexuo'x, UExno'x, SEin'a'gid, SEm'd'g-id, gam-gd'dEn! A'yEn fin xs-payd'usTcsEnlE'rEnt. NExn6'x,gam-gd'den! ("NExno'x, hexuo'x! Chief, chief! have pity upon us! else there will be nobody to smoke under you! Nexiio'x, have pity upon us!") Or, praying for fair weather, they say — Nexuo'x, riExnd'x, SEm'd'g'ixl, SEm'd'g'id, gam-gd'dEn! tgi-ne'" wal lE'rETitnE-SE-g'a'dEnt. Man-sd'ha si'^nt, ada mE-t!d ts.'dnt! ("Nex- n6'x, nExnd'x! Chief , chief ! have pity upon us ! Look down and see what those under you whom you made are doing! Pull up thy foot and sweep off thy face!" ') The following is a prayer for calm weather: Lu-SE-g'a na--lcsE-nd'lgEnt, SEm'd'g'id, dEm v:ijl g-a'hsEt ("Hold in thy breath, chief, that it be cahn!") ' "Pull up thy loot" is equivalent to "stop the rain;" "sweep off thy face," to "take away the clouds." 544 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 Before eating they buru food. Having done so, they pray — Wa, SEm'd'g'id, dKin ga'ben gwa'a xplyd ga'hErm°, da wd'l mdnd gwa'a,dawd'lmdndgwa'algErane'''. Gl'''nEm! ("Here, chief ! Here is for you to eat, part of our food! It is all that b left us, it is all that is left us ! Now feed us!") In the same way the woman in the legend prays — Wa, wa, wa, gl'°nEm, liadzEua's! (" Now, now, now feed us, fortu- nate one!"') The dead go to a place similar to that of the livmg. Our summer is their winter, our winter their summer. They have everything — fish, venison, and skins — in abundance. Ideas relating to the future world are told in the traditions recorded on pp. 322 et seq. The following tale explains the ideas of the Nass tribe regarding the future life:- "Once upon a time the G'ispawadwE'da IdUed Adina'k-, the chief of the Wolf group. There was a young man in the same town who happened to walk toward the graveyard chewing gum. There he saw a man approaching hini, who wore a robe of marten skins. When he came nearer, he saw that he was no other than the dead chief. The youth wished to run away, but the ghost overtook him and asked him for some of the gum ho was chewing- The youth did not dare to hand it to him, and just pushed it out of his mouth. The ghost took it and turned back. The youth went home, and after he had told what had happened, he fell down and lay there like one dead. He had a perforated stone for an amulet, whicTi he wore suspended from his neck. It was to insure him a long life. His friends washed the body and put clean clothing upon him. Mean- while the ghost carried his soul away. They followed a broad trad, and came to a river. The young man got tired of waiting, and yawned. Then he heard a noise in the town. A canoe came across to fetch him. He went aboard, and was taken to the chief's house. He was sick, and the chief ordered him to be laid down next to the fire. The chief called four shamans, who were to heal him. They tried to take his heart out of his body, but they were unsuccessful. They said, "His breast is as hard as stone." This was because he wore the amulet. Finally the chief said to the shamans, "Let us give up our efforts. Ho is too powerful; we must send him back." Then he was takoa back to the canoe, and sent across the river. He returned the same way which he had come: and when he entered his house, life was restored to the body." Mayne states, according to Mi\ Duncan, the following (p. 29.5): The Tsimsheeans, I find, believe in two states after death: the one good, and the other bad; the morally good are translated to the one, and the morally bad are doomed 1 Name of a bird, a nEino'i (see Boas 13, p. 73). ' Boas 1, 1893, p. 582. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 545 to the other. The locality of the former they think to be above, and that of the latter is somewhere beneath. The enjoyment of heaven and the privations of hell they understand to be carnal. They do not suppose the wicked to be destitute of food any more than they were here, but they are treated as slaves and are badly clothed. WTiat is very strange, they Imagine that as the various seasons leave them they ad- vance to the abode of the wicked. For instance, when the fish get out of the reach of their nets, they suppose they are then becoming the prey of the wicked beneath. The idea they entertain of God is that He is a great chief. They call Him by the same termaslhey do their chiefs, only adding the word for above — thus, shimayeti3"chiei," and lahkah "above;" and hence the name of God with them is Shimayet Lakkah.' They believe that the Supreme Being never dies; that he takes great notice of what is going on amongst men, and is frequently angry and punishes offenders. They do not know who is the author of the Universe, nor do they expect that God is the author of their own being. They have no fixed ideas about these things, I fully believe; still they frequently appeal to God in trouble; they ask for pity and deliv- erance. In great extremities of sickness they address God, saying it is not good for them to die. Sometimes, when calamities are prolonged or thicken, they get enraged against God, and vent their anger against Him, raising their eyes and hands in savage anger to Heaven, and stamping their feet on the ground. They will reiterate language which means "You are a great slave." This is their greatest terra of reproach. If a special object is to be attained, they believe that by a rigid fasting they can compel the deity to grant it. For seven days they have to abstain from food and from seeing their wives. During these days they have to lie in bed motionless. After seven days they may rise, wash themselves, comb the right side of the head, and paint the right side of the face. Then they may look at their \vives. A less rigid form of fasting extends over four days only. To make the ceremony very successful, their wives must join them. If the wife should not be true to the husband, the effect of the fasting is destroyed. The following behefs and customs are connected with their religious ideas and ceremonies. Twins are behaved to control the weather; therefore they pray to wind and rain, "Calm down, breath of the twins!" Whatever twins wish for is fulfilled: therefore they are feared, as they can harm the man whom they hate. Tliey can call the olachen and salmon, and are therefore called SE-vn-lid'n ("making plentiful"). The olachen is called ImlEma'tk (' ' the Savior") . Certain ceremonies are prescribed when the first fish are caught. Tliey are roasted on an instrument of elderberry wood, consisting of a rod about a yard long, to which a short crossbar is tied near the butt end and which serves as a handle. Another short crossbar is fastened to the rod about one foot from its end, and a siitgle twig is fastened to each of the outer entls of this bar. These twigs are bent over and tied to the ' SEm'i'g-id lax-ha', " the chief of the sljy." 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 35 546 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. an.n. 31 central rod near its tip. The man who roasts the fish on this instru- ment must wear liis travehng-attlre — mittens, caj^e, etc. Wliile it is roasting, they pray for plenty of fish, and ask that they may come to their fisliing-gi-omid. When the fish is timied round, aU cry, "Lawa'!" The fire must not be blown up. In eating the fish, they must not cool it by blowing, nor break a single bone. Everything must be kept neat and clean. The rakes for catching the fish must be hidden in the house. The fish must not be left outside, but stored in boxes. The first fish that they give as a present to their neighbors must be covered with a new mat. When the fish become more plen- tiful, they are doubled up and roasted on the point of a spit. After that they are treated without any further ceremonies.' Secret Societies I have treated the secret societies, in so far as my knowledge allows, in a general discussitm of this subject;^ but I will give here a few additional notes that were sent to me by Mr. Tate, and which cor- roborate and expand some of the notes previously published. It will be remembered that there are four of these societies — the Cannibal Society (O'lala), the Dog-Eater Society (No'tem), the Destroyer Society (Wi'nanal), and the Fire-Thrower Society (Me'°la). It seems to my mind that there is clear evidence that these societies were introduced from the south, particularly by intermarriage with the BellabeUa. The names of the various societies are of BeUabella origin, and the tracUtions relating to their acquisition state that they were acquired through inti^rmarriagc^ with the BellabeUa tribes, and introduced among the Tsimshian, and later on among the Haida and Tlingit, particularly through the family of Dzeba'sa. Mr. Tate \vrites in regard to Dzeba'sa's society as follows: "Dzeba'sa and some of his own tribe belong to the Cannibal So- ciety, Mhose supernatural protector is liaialilaqs. (Hai'alila means hteraUy ' ' making well," and is the term used for the spirit of pestilence among the Kwakiutl tribes. This spirit occurs also in the tradition told on p. 185. The ending -qs is the BeUabella form indicating a female of a certain tribe or people. The whole may therefore be translated as 'pestilence-woman.') When the supernatural power of the society is thrown into a young man, he disappears, and stays for eight days in the graveyard, where his whistle is heard. Before this period of seclusion is ended, he appears suddenly on the top of some house, on the street, or in some other place near the viUage, and takes another person to the graveyard to make iiim a dancer. When the eight days are over, early in the morning, he comes down from the graveyard, carrying a body in his arms, and eats of it in sight of aU I Further details will be found on pp. 448 el scq. ' Boas 5, pp. 0,')I-660. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 547 the people. He is surrounded by all the other members of the Cannibal Society. He carries the corpse so that the shoulders rest oil his left arm, while the right supports the thighs. He is naked, and he bites pieces out of the body of the corpse. \'\Tien the decayed matter runs out, he licks it up. Then the other members of the Cannibal Society lead him to the house which has l)een set apart for their use during the dancing-period. There they sing, and the whistles are heard in the house. Wliile tlie singing is going on, the novice runs out of the house, followed by his attendants. He goes from house to house, and his attendants put their hands into his mouth to feed him (that is, they allow him to bite pieces out of their hands and arms). Finally he returns to the house of the society, and they begin to sing again. He wiU run out of the house three or four times a day: and nobody in the village dares to eat much, because the people are afraid of him. "On the evening of the first day the chief invites in all the people. When all the guests are in, the members of the Cannil)al Society enter, blo\\'ing their whistles. When they arri\-e at the door, the women enter first, wearing on their heads rings made of cedar bark dyed red, mixed with unch'ed cedar bark. Their hair is strewn with eagle down, and they wear blankets, which are just held together by leather strings at the neck. Wliile they are coming in, they hold up their blankets to hide their faces from the fire. Then they stand on one side of the house with their backs towards the fire. After that the men come in. Thev carry a long plank, and each has a baton with which he beats time on the plank. One man carries a wooden drum on his back. He is followed by the ch'unimer. " In the rear of the house there is a large curtain stretching from one corner to the other. Then all the terrible whistles are heard behind the curtain. These are the whistles of all the various dancers. Sud- denly the dancer's voice is heard by the people. Then the curtain is drawn, and the novice appears, carrying the corpse and eating it before all the people. His eyes are rollirg wliile he is chewing. At the end of the first song he disappears behind the curtain. Then the second song begins- -the marching-song of the dancer. He leaps around the fire, his one hand stretched upward. All his attendants surround him, and his whistles are heard among them. When the singers mention the name of HaiaHlaqs, the dancer gets excited, and tries to catch some one to be his prey. Therefore all his attend- ants, men and women, put their hands and arms into his mouth, and allow him to bite them. This is to prevent him from attacking the people. At the same time some wide boards are put up in front of the people who do not belong to the society and who sit at the sides of the house. Then the attendants take the no^^ce out of the house. 548 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 "The hands of ahnost all the attendants are wounded, because the novice bites them. After four days the}' are paid fur this. On the fifth night after this, it is announced that the novice will show himself again, this time in the house of the Cannibal Society. This house has been specially prepared. A long pole covered with red and white cedar bark is erected in front of it. This is to indicate that the breath of the novice has supernatural power. Wlienever the novice utters his cry, the pole is turned round. When the time comes, some one runs out, shouting, and says, 'Now let all the crowds come into our house ! ' All the people enter, and the family of the novice spreads some new mats over the heads of the people, so that they may not be seen by him. Then they begin to sing, and the novice comes forward, wearing his grizzly-bear skin, a large twisted ring of cedar bark dyed red (about sixteen inches in circumference, deco- rated with two rows of abalone shells) around his neck, and a mask representing a bird with a beak about twelve feet long. This mask is supported by two princes belonging to the same society. Three skulls are attached to the beak. The novice goes around the fire, and two or three women of high rank dance before him, turning their hands round and round. He cries in a very high pitch ( ?).' After he has gone around the fire, he goes back into his room, which is separated from the main rooni by a beautifully carved screen. At the same time all the whistles are heard in the room. A few hours after this the marching-song of the Cannibal is started. The drum is beaten in a five-part rhytlm:i,- and he comes forward and dances. This time he wears no mask, only around his neck a heavy ring of cedar bark dyed red, on his head a ring of cedar bark about six inches wide, and on his hands and feet bark rings about four inches wide. While he is dancing around the fire, some one says, 'Now get ready!' and all the people who are covered bj' the matting make ready to run out. As soon as the singers mention the name of Ilaialilaqs, he becomes excited, throws olf his grizzly-bear skin and his rings, and rushes against the people. Then his attendants take hold of him again and allow him to bite them, men as well as women. During this time the people rim out. After four days more, the members of the Caimibal Society make another pole hke the first one, and place it above the door of their house, and they stretch a rope ( ?) ^ thirty or forty feet across the street to keep the people away from the door of their house. If any one should walk under this rope outside of their hall, they catch him, take him in, and kill him, if he does not join their society. If he is not killed and does not promise to join the society, one of his relatives will die in his place. ■ This passage in Mr. Tate's description is not quite clear. VIJ J /! J J /I etc. 3 This passage is not quite clear. It may be that a pole is stretched across the street. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 549 "iVf ter four days more, xevy early in the morning, the members of the company sing for nearly two hours. At the end of the songs they continue to beat their drums and planks for a little while. Then they pause and beat again. This is repeated foux times. The fourth time they beat a little longer, and end with four sharp raps. Then the novice comes out of his room, wearing his grizzly-bear blanket and his cedar-bark ruags. This time his head-ring is mixed with white cedar bark. He goes down to the beach accompanied by ten princes; and they sit down there, their faces turned towards the village. They sit there for half a day, although it is winter. When they arrive, all the people go in, each into his owii house, and the members of the society go back to their own house. They take away the pole, and the novice is hidden in his room. There he stays for nearly a month. Then the other people may re-enter the house. When those who hve there and do not belong to tlie society eat food, they alwaj's throw a spoonful on the fire, saying, 'Now, great supernatural power, eat this food first!' If they do not do so, the supernatural power of the novice becomes angry, and the whistle begins to blow, and the voice of the novice is heard. Then all his attendants assemble around him. He comes out of his room and goes about from house to house, as before. "He also becomes excited if any one mentions the word 'ghost.' Then he will go back into the woods and come back, as before. Therefore the common people do not use the term 'ghost' or 'dead people,' but speak of them as 'ripe sahnonberries,' so that the supernatural power may not get excited. "After a month the novice invites the members of his society, and they announce that the screen shall be removed. Then he sits among the people. His wife sits beside him; but he never utters a word, and must not talk to Ms wife. He just looks into the fire the whole day long. He weai-s neither shirt nor moccasins, only a grizzly-bear skin. After twenty days more he invites all the members of his society. Tlien they announce that he may whisper to his wife and to other people, and it is also announced that his cedar-bark rmgs are to be made smaller. JiSter another twenty days he invites the members of his society, and gives them much food and jjropertv. It is announced that his red cedar-bark rings are to be made still smaller, and that he may wear shirt and moccasins, and that he may ►talk louder to the people. "At the end of the winter montlis tliey say that he is free of aU taboos. In the springtime he invites all the members of his society, throws away all his cedar-bark rings, then the common people are free to talk to him and to mention the word 'ghost,' and to dance freely." 550 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axn :;i According to Mr. Tate, the Dog Eaters belong to LEg-e'''x. The name of the supernatural power is Hanatana; the name of the society, No'lEm. He describes the ceremony as follows : "The supernatural power comes down to the roof of the chief's house with great noise. It passes through the roof while the whistles are sounding, and the chief falls flat to the ground. Blood streams out of his mouth, because the supernatural power has gone straight to his heart. Tlien the whole society assemble around him, and the_v cany him from house to house. Finally they are supposed to blow him into the air by shouting. Tlien they aU go to their own house. "The chief has now disappeared, and after ten days he goes down to the house of some chief in another tribe. Each time he does so he catches two or tliree dogs, and then goes back into the woods. After ten daj^s more he a])pears in his own village, shouting, "Ewumdm mam, mam, gap, gap, gap, gap!" a terrible whistle is heard, and the people of each house give him one dog. If there are no dogs in a house, the people give him five elk skins in place of the dog. After he has gone through the A'iUage, he goes back to his home in the woods. Each night he comes down to some house, for he is hungry for dogs. "After ten days he appears on the beach in front of liis own village. A large eagle takes liim tliere. He appears very early in the morning. He is quite nakeil. Then the whole Dog-Eater Society asseml^le in then own hoase and sing thek songs. Mter two songs, they come out — men, women, and cliildren — with wooden drums, and carrying a plank, on wliich time is beaten. They sing wliile they are going down to the beach. A liigh prince carries a live dog in liis hands, gomg in front of the rest of the memliers of the society. When they come to the. novice, he looks at the society, and the prince throws the live dog at Imn. He catches it before it falls down, tears its l)ack, and eats it before he goes up to the %dllage. B}^ tliis time the large eagle has vanished. Then he goes up to the village surrounded ])y the members of liis company, who are singing. Before he enters the first hoiise, he catches a dog and eats it. Thus they go from house to house, and in every one he catches a dog. Then they take liim to their own house. "After several hours he comes out again and catches some more dogs. This is repeated several times during the day. "In the evenmg they borrow some chief's house to show that the novice has come back. Then all the people assemble; and when they are all in, they have a performance similar to that of the Canni- l^als. Tlae novice eats a dog, which he carries on his arms. His face is smeared with dog's blood, and his mouth is full of dog meat. Then they go back to their own house and put up a pole as a sign to warn away the common people. BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 551 ''After four days the society calls the people to their own house. "Before this time the chief of the Dog Eaters has mvited all the chiefs and princes from every tribe that belong to the same society, and they come on this daj^ one by one. They enter the house through the roof, not through the door, and ever}- one catches a dog when he arrives. "If a person loves his dog, ho puts a ring of cedar bark, red and wlute, arotmd its neck, and the owner gives some food to the Dog Eaters. Then they will spare the dog. " Wlien the Dog Eaters are all assembled m tlieh house, the chiefs antl piinces of each tribe sing each his own song, and each Ijeats his own dnim. All these songs are sung at the same time. No common peo])le are allowed to enter the house. Two or three hours after the singing some one rans out and calls all the ])eople. They all enter; and as they sit down on the floor, they are readj- to ran out at any moment. Now the Ddg Eaters begin to sing; and the great chief goes out firet with a mask on his head rej)resentmg a bird ^^'ith a veiy long biU, about twentj- feet long. Four dogs' heads are attached to the bill. On toji is a special comjiartment covered with dogs' heads. These are the heads of the dogs which he has eaten during his initia- tion. Each chief and each prince has his own mask. After the song they all go to their room, which is screened off from the rest of the house. Then another Dog-Eater's song is simg, and they all come forward, carrying a dog or jiart of a dog. The chief Dog Eater enters last, carrying a large dog, and during the song they all eat of their dogs. "Some females belong to this compan}-. They also apjiear without blankets, but they wear a skirt woven of red and white cedar bark. "After they have eaten the dogs, they come out again, wearing grizzly-bear blankets. The singers sing a marching-song, and the chief dancer goes around the fire, his hands first stretched upward. The chiefs, princes, and j)rincesses ai'e all dancing: When, in the song, the word 'dog eater' is uttered, they all get excited. If this happens while the dancer appears \\'ith the mask on, the dog heads begin to howl, and all the chiefs and princes begin to shout. Drums are beaten, and dogs are heard to howl. Then all the comcgion people ran out as quickly as possible. If any one mentions the word 'dog' by mistake, they also become excited; therefore the dogs are called 'beasts of the field.'" Mr. Tate says about the Destroyer dance, which is called Wi'nanal, that it is fit only for young people, not for old people, because they need much strength in breaking houses, canoes, and boxes. The protector of this dance is Txa-g'a'xsEm lax-ha'. "The sujiernatural power of this dance suddenly comes ujion the eldest son of Chief LEge'°x, whose name is Sa°ks. He is the nephew 552 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. an-\. :!1 of Chief Dzeba'sa, and liis successor: therefore his father made a high position for him, and gave him his first supernatm-al power, Txa-g"a'xsEm lax-ha'. "While the prince is walking on the beach, the supernatural power suddenly comes to him, takes him by the head, and drags him along with great noise and blowing of terrible whistles. Then all the mem- bers of the society assemble on the beach and sing songs. After two songs they give a great shout, and say that the ])rince has gone up to the house of Chief Sun. Thereujion LEge'^x kills one of his slaves or sets him free. While the novice is away, the voice of the slave is heard night and day in the woods. This continues until ten days are over, when the novice is expected back from the sky. Veiy early in the morning, after ten days, a great swan is seen coming from the sea, carrying the novice on its back. At the same time the whistles of the swan are heard. Then the whole society gather in their house, and they go out in two canoes t« meet him. Long boards are put across the canoes, forming a platform. They take a wooden drum along, and sing aU the way "ndiile they are going to meet the novice. Slowly they draw nearer and nearer to the swan which carries him. When they reach the swan, they take the novice off from its back, and the swan disappear from the eyes of the people. Only its voice is heard among the whistles. Its voice is that of Txa-g'a'xsEm lax-ha'. Then the people in the canoes sing again and turn back. One of them warns the people on the beach, shouting, 'Be careful, because the great supernatural power has taken him away!' As soon as he has spoken, the voice of Txa-ga'xsEm lax-ha' is heard among the people. They all run awaj', and the members of the society land. The novice jumps ashore, takes a club, and breaks the house doors, boxes and canoes. Then he goes to the houses of the chiefs of other tribes; and one wiU give him a lai^e good canoe, another one a beautifully cai-ved box, and others large carved wooden dishes and other expensive things, to break. Finally he goes back to the house of his society. " On the same evening he announces to all the people that there will be a performance in the house of one of the chiefs. When all the peo]ile are in the house which was selected by LEge'°x, the father of the novice, for the performance, the voice of the novice is heard by the people. The sound of many whistles is heard afterwards; and he strikes the walls of the house, shouting, "Hi, M, M, hi!" The women of the society come in first, with red-cedar bark round their heads, twisted red-cedar bark rings around their necks, and they stand on each side of the house. When they are all in, a song begins ; and the uovice wall« arormd, carrying a club on his shoiilder. The women are walking to and fro, each group on their own side of the fire, each carrj-ing a clapper, which they shake in the right hand This clapper is held between the second and tliird fingers; and whdo B0A3] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 553 it is being shaken, tliey hold part of then- loose l)lanket under the clapper (?). If some woman should break one side of the clapper, she must pay the novice, or the initiation performance is repeated.' If she does not do tliis, she wUl die. After this is over, the members of the society go back to then- house. They put up a beautiful pole above the door, indicating that no one may go past. For four days the novice w'dl nm out from time to time and break one thins or another. After the foiu- daj's are over, the niembere of the society announce that they wiU have a performance in their own house. Before tliis the novice had mvited all the princes and prmcesses who belong to the same society. The}' assemble on the appointed day; and when the time has come, each prince comes with his whole com- pany from each of the varioiis tribes; and when they assemble, they break whatever they can lay theu- hands on in LEg-e'°x's village. On the same night the performance is held in the house of the society. The people sit all round the house ; and when the fu-st song is simg, the prmces and princesses wlio are membere of the Society come out first, last the novice. The niask of the novice represents the swan. Each of the other princes and princesses has as his mask the head of some animal. One has a niask representing the frog; another, one representing a serpent, the sun, and so on. " Wlien the second song is sung, all the princes and princesses come forward, wearing bear skins, and rings of red-cedar bark aroimd their necks and on their heads. They carry on their shoulders clubs of different form. The club of the novice represents a beaver tail; others have clubs representing the fins of Idller whales; others, the bni of a crane, the sunbeam, or a raven bill. "Wlien the singers pronounce the word 'Wi'nanal,'^ all the mem- bei-s of the society become excited, and they try to break somethuig in theii- house. Then everybody rushes out. On the following day the great chief gives a feast, wliich all the members of the society attend. He gives them m\ich property, and every one retiu-ns to liis own house. They spend four days in the house of the society. After this each goes to his own house, singing his own song. After foiu" days more the father of the novice (that is, LEg'e'°x) invites all the chiefs of the different tribes, and reftmds the value of what his son has broken in each one's house. At the same time he gives them a great feast. Aft white people met the chief Dzeba'sa on the ship, they made the mask with stone axes and beaver-tooth knives. Many chiefs who had used the masks have died. Man-ls-ga'cium lax-ha' (Who Was The First To Go Up To Heaven) is supposed to Hve in heaven, and he is called upon to open the sk}^ and to let the power of the sky come down and initiate the chief's chilch'en and nephews. Kahengan is said to be a ver}' strong animal wliich hved before the Deluge. It is similar to a grizzly bear. Wa-ts! em-mo' (Without Ears). — When he enters, the people call him by name four times, but he does not pay any attention. One chief after another approaches him and asks him to dance, but he does not reply. Finally one chief says, "I wiU see if he has any ears." Finally a young child of high rank calls him. Then he answers, "Haie," a chief's word meaning "yes." Then all the people shout, clap their hands, and begin to beat the drums. It is said 1 T do not know whether the children or nephews are meant hero. According to what has been said on p. 514, possibly the children are really meant. 556 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ANN. 31 that this supernatm-al power is used for all children of high rank in all the tribes, in order to impress upon them that they shall not answer any one quickly who should offend them. Ale'st (Lazy). — When the supernatural power Ale'st is called, he does not rise, because he is lazy. Therefore one of the chief's own relatives goes ttf lift him, but does not succeed in doing it. Other chiefs take poles and put them imder him, trj-ing to lift him up. After many misuccessful efforts a whistle is heard outside. The song- leader takes his cane and starts his song, and a masked person comes in carrj-ing a beautiful cane in his hands. He holds one end of the cane in his left hand over his loft shoukler, and puts down the lower end with his right hand. Thus he walks around the fire four times. Then he goes towards Ale'st, and puts his beautiful cane under him, trying to Uft laim. As soon as the luasked person does so, aU the people imitate his actions. When he stoops down, thoy stoop do^vn; and when the mask blows its whistle, aU the people utter a soft a; and when the masked person bends backward, they do the same, uttering softly e. The mask repeats its movements four times, and so do the people. Then Ale'st arises, and the masked person strikes the ground mth his cane four times, and at once all the whistles are heard. Afterwards the chief sings Ids solo, as described before. LEgEl-gulagum lax-ha' (Crack Of Heaven). — When LEgEl-gulagum lax-ha' is called, the ciu-tain is witlidrawai, the song-leader begins the song, and the chief appears wearing the mask. He goes around the fLre foiu- times, and then stops at the same place where he came out. Suddenly the face of the mask parts, and each side of the face hangs down; only the middle part of the face remains in position. Then the face closes up again. This is repeated four times. Tlio fourth time the mask opens, "it makes the large house crack. One side of the large house moves backward from the other. It goes with the half of the large lire, and the whole congregation is still sitting on both sides. The roof is asunder, and the largo beams go backward. This' is the great wonderful enchantment among these chiefs in the Tsimshian nation. It is not often shown, only in the house of the great chief LEge'^x." ' When the mask closes the last time, the house comes togetlier again slowly. Lu-na-gisEm gad (Changing Mind). — When Lu-na-gisEm gad ap- pears, one mask representing a man stands on the right-hand side of the house, that of the woman on the left-hand side. The two masks have one song, because they belong together. As soon as the name of the mask is mentioneil in the song, the faces of both of them change. The man's mask becomes a woman's mask, and the woman's mask a man's mask. This is repeated fom* times; and while this change in the mask goes on, ' ' the people of the chief's tribe change 1 1 quote here from Mr. Tate almost literally, because the description is not clear. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 557 their faces also. Men have women's faces, and women have men's faces, diu-ing the singing. This is the work aiul the power of IjU-na- gisEni gad." ^ MdJu (Moving Quickly). — When this supernatural power is called, the chief jumps up anil says, "Now cverj-body must move." Then aU the people j\mip up and shout " Whoo!" That means "go ahead!" They sit down again. The chief sings his solo, accompanied by his rattle antl one whistle of Mala. Then the mask comes out. Its eyes move around wliile the wearer is walking around the fire. Txa-ld'ksgum lax-ha' {Xl\ The Lights Of Heaven) . — When this power is called, the chief sings his solo. The whistle of the mask is heard. The chief swings his rattle, and the drum is being beaten quickly. At the end of the solo the chief is hid(Uui beMnd the curtain; and when the ciu'tain is -withiLrawn and the singing resxmied, the chief comes forward with his face blackened with charcoal made of cedar, wearing on his head a representation of the ears of a grizzly bear with long hair on top. He also wears a grizzly-bear blanket, dancing- apron, and leggings. He shakes liis head going aromid the fire, while the drum is being beaten. "The song of this enchantment is very hard beating (all the time). Some beats are two at a time, and some beats quick as the rolling of thimder; and the chief's head moves according to the beatuig of the drum. These people sing louder than any one else among the Tsimshian." ' The chief goes around, look- ing sharply into every face. When he reaches the front of the large fire, he takes up something from the ground and hides it imder his grizzly-bear blanket. After he has gone around the fii-e, he shows the people the representation of a large piece of quartz about eighteen inches long. At the end of the song he tlu-ows his song into one of the princes. Txal-ks-ga'gum lax-ha' (First Of Heaven). — This is the first super- natural power that is called in the ceremonial of initiation. They call it with the words "Great power Txal-ks-ga'gimi lax-ha', open the powers of heaven for the supernatural helpers of these great chiefs!" Then this chief sings his solo, walks towards the door of the house carrying a beautiful cane in his right luxnd, which is given by the chief who invites all the other chiefs. Then he walks slowly around the fire, uttering a long shout, "OM!" When he reaches the place from wliich ho started, he stands there and takes a rest, while all the people shout, "Hi, hi!' ' Duiing this time the chum is beaten and the people clap their hands, entUng their shouts with four raps and short cries of 'III, hi, hi, hi!' ' Then the chief starts again, walks aromid the fire as before. This is repeated fom' times. After the last time, he raises his face to Heaven, opens his mouth, and shouts, wMle he is turning arovmd four times where he stands. Then the people take 1 1 quote here from Mr. Tate almost literally, because the description is not clear. 558 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY , [bth. ann. 31 up the shout, with, the beatiug of the drum and the clapping of hands. This is repeated four times. The chief now sings, "Hu'iitgul lax-haya!" That means ' ' This is the call from Heaven." ( ?) After ho has danced, he says, ' ' Now the supernatural powers of heaven are ready to come down." Shamanism The loftier ideas centering in the beUef in the power of heaven and the etliical concepts connected with it are only a small part of the rcUgious behefs of the Tsimsluan. More important in their daily life was their belief in shamanism. Mr. Tate writes in regard to this subject as follows: "When a person is sick, then the wife or the husband of the sick one will offer much property to the male shaman to treat the patient. Then the male shaman assembles all his shaman friends, sometimes ten or eighteen, and they all go to the house where the sick pei-son is. One of them canies a large bag in which the shaman's imple- ments are kept, and another one carries a round skin drum con- sisting of a hoop over wliich a drumhead is spanned on one side, while on the opposite side two crossing skin straps are spanned which form a handle. Then they all enter, and sit down on one side of the house, the shaman at the head of the patient. He opens his bag containuig the rattles and takes out his rattle and dancing-apron first, the crown of grizzly-bear claws, and the figures of various kinds of animals made of bone or stone, also a small leather bag containing red ochcr, wliich he puts on his face; and he hands the ocher to his companions, and all paint their faces. The shaman also puts eagle down on liis head, and hands it to his companions, and they all do hkewise. Then he puts on his apron and his crown of giizzly-bear claws, hangs the figures of animals aromid his neck, and takes liis rattle in liis right hand. Then he takes out his small vessel, and some one pours cohl water into it. The shaman, who is naked, dips the fingers of his left hand into the cold water, puts the fingers into his mouth, and blows the water on the bare body of the patient. He only wears his apron. Then he begins to work. He calls upon all his supernatural helpers, saying, 'Save him, save him!' and his companions repeat what he has said. They all beat time with the batons wliich they have in their hands, and the drummer beats his drum. The shaman repeats this four times, and the singers do the same. Again he dips his fingers into the cold water and blows it over the body of the patient. Then the shaman sings his fu'st song, and his partners sing with him. They beat their batons, and the drummer beats his drum. While the first and second songs which the shaman has given out are being sung, be works around the patient, shaking his rattle, wliich he holds in his right hand. His eyes are closed, and liis left hand is raised, with the palm toward the BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 559 patient. Thus he dances around the fire. A female shaman is seated at the foot of the patient, wearing her crown of grizzly-bear claws. She also wears a necklace of carved figures of animals, has a rattle in her right hand, which she shakes hghtly. Her eyes are closed, and she also holds her left hand raised toward the patient. Thus they continue through six or seven songs. Then the shaman rests and tells liis vision. If he tells the people who called him that the patient will get well, they are glad; or if he has to say that he can not be cured, the relatives of the sick one give him more property. Thus he comes with his party every day. "If the patient dies, the shamans return everytliing that they have received from the relatives of the sick one. "If in his vision tlie sliaman saw the soul of the patient close to a body in the graveyard, the relatives of the sick one in^^to more than eight or ten shamans to come with the principal one, and also two or four female shamans. They start to work early in the everdng. All the male shamans put on their crowTis of grizzly-bear claws and wear their dancing-aprons and their necklaces, and have the rattles in the right hand. Thus they march around the fh-e in the house where the sick person lies. The four female shamans sit down, two on each side of the patient — one on each side of the head, and one on each side of the feet. They also wear then- crowns of gi-izzly-l)oar claws, and each has a rattle in the right hand. Wlule the male sha- mans are marching around the fire, the female shamans shake their rattles which they hold in the right hand, and hold a white eagle tail in the left hand with wluch to fan away the disease. Thus they try to bring back the soul of the sick one from the dead body in the grave. The ten male shamans have their faces blackened M-ith char- coal. They are dressed only with their dancmg-aprons. After they have finished marchuig around the fire, all the male shamans go out ; but the singers remain in the house, singing, and tlie four women continue to fan away the sickness. Then the male shamans go to the graveyard, leading four lads, each of whom holds a torch to light the way. Wlien they reach the graveyard they stand around the place where the corpse is. They continue to rattle, and at a given signal they aU strike the ground with their rattles. The females remaining in the house also strike the ground with their rattles. The singers keep on singing a tune which moves in a four-part rhythm. Then the principal shaman drops his rattle, takes up the soul of the patient in both of his hands, which he holds close together, and goes back from the grave with closed hands. The second man takes one rattle in each hand, and all the rest march along behind them. Tlie man who has caught the soul gives a signal to the four women before he enters. All those who had been to the graveyard march aroiuid the fii'e four times, as they did before they went out. Then the princijial 560 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 shaman puts the soul of the patient on his own liead to give it strength. After four days the soul of the patient gets better through contact with the head of the principal shaman. Tlien he assembles all his comjjanions. Tliey dance around the patient, and finally the leader takes the soul of the sick one from his own head and puts it on the head of the patient ; and lie orders all the people who live in the same house where tlie sick one is to keep silent for four days, else the soul might fly away and the patient might die. "Sometimes the soul of a sick person is swallowed by a shaman. No one must pass behind or in front of a shaman while he is eating, lest liis soul be swallowed by him. Therefore all the people are afraid of both male and female shamans. "The sign that a person's soul has been swallowed by a shaman is that his nose is bleeding all the time. WTien a shaman sees in a vision that the soul of a sick person has been swallowed by another shaman, the two are called to sit down by the side of the patient — the. one who swallowed the soul at the foot end; the other one at the head. And while the shamans are singing, the one who is to cure the patient strikes the back of the shaman who has swallowed the soul of the sick one with his rattle which he is holding with his right hand, and he strikes his stomach with his left hand. lie strikes hard and moves both of Ids hands upward until the shaman who has swallowed the soul opens his mouth. Immediately the other shaman throws away his rattle, puts both hands into the mouth, and takes out the soul of the sick one. Then the other shaman vomits blood. The shaman who is about to cure the patient puts the soul on Ids own head, and after four days he returns it to the patient, who then recovers. "Wlien a shaman believes that a disease is going to \'isit a village, he will sing his song at midnight to warn his or her people of the coming of the disease. Thus they invite in all the people of the village; and when they are in the house, the shaman opens his rattle-bag, takes out a small leather bag filled with red ocher, and passes it around among aU the people in the house to paint their faces — men, women, and children. After all the people have pamted then faces, tlie shaman takes a dried sea-lion bag filled with eagle down, and passes it about among the people to put the down on their heads." Mayne (pp. 289-295) prints the following description of shamanistic practices given to him by Mr. Duncan: I am led to conclude that these medical practitioners are, for the most part, those who have themselves been visited with some serious sickness, and have recovered; or else have been, at some time in their lives, exposed to great peril, but have escaped uninjured. For instance, if a man or woman is taken in a fit, and remains motionless for so long that they are concluded dead, should such a one ultimately recover, that is BOAS] TSIMSHIAX SOCIETY 561 the person who is regarded as competent to deal with diseases; for it is believed, that, during the period of unconsciousness, supernatural power and skill were vouchsafed them; and also, by their recovering, it is concluded that they have successfully resisted the effects of bad medicine, or the evil workings of some malevolent being. Still I do not mean to say that all their doctors arise from these circumstances, but mostly so. I believe that any slirewd or eccentric man may, by fasting, successfully prognosticating, or otherwise acting so as to excite the superstitious reverence of the people in his favor, secure a footing in this lucrative profession. Next, as to the means employed by the doctors to recover patients. Fur pains in the body they employ a bag of hot ashes, after first placing a damp cloth on the skin. If the patient is afflicted with a pain in the head, they strike him on the place with small branches of the spruce tree. For wounds they have a salve, but they seldom use it except in bad cases; the most ordinary method is simply to place a quantity of gum over the lips of the wound to keep them closed. For most of the diseases which afflict them, they have some herb or decoction which they give as a counteractant. But the chief thing relied upon and resorted to, in case of failure of other means, is incantation. The instrument used is a rattle, generally in the shape of a bird or a frog, in the body of which a few small stones are placed.' This is whirled about the patient while a song is sung. Occasionally the doctor applies his ear, or his mouth, to the place where the pain or disorder chiefly rests. It is also very common, at this stage, to make incisions where the pain is felt, or to apply fire to the place by means of burning tinder made of dried wild flax. If relief follows these measures, the doctor asserts that he has extracted the foul substance that has done the mischief; which substance is supposed by them to be the bad or poisonous medicine some e\dl-disposed one had silently inserted into the invalid's body. At such an announcement made by the doctor, the patient, and the patient's friends, overjoyed at his success, liberally present him with such property as they have got. If, however, a relapse ensues, and the invalid dies, the doctor returns every particle of the property he has received. When no relief follows the first trial, a more furious attack is made another time. If stiU without effect, there is but little hope of the patient's recovery. Another curious matter connected with these operations is that when the doctor has got pretty warm in his work, he boldly asserts that he can see the soul of the patient, if it is present. For this he shuts his eyes for some time, and then pronounces his sentence. Either the soul is in its usual place, which is a good sign; or it is out of its proper place, and seems wanting to take its flight, which makes the patient's case doubtful; or else it has flown away, in which case there is no hope for the invalid's recovery. The bold deceiver does not even hesitate to tell the people that the soul is like a fly in shape, with a long curs'ed proboscis. This people ascribe nearly all their bodily afflictions, and most deaths, to the secret working of malevolent persons. This being the case, when any person dies — if of any importance amongst them — and especially if suddenly, the friends of the de- ceased fix upon some one as the cause, either a slave, or a stranger just arrived in the camp, or, more probably still, a person with whom the deceased has lately quarreled. \\'hoever the victim is, however, whether man or woman, nothing short of his or her life will satisfj' the bereaved persons. They believe in two ways an e^dl-disposed person may effect his purpose. One is by placing some bad medicine in the meat or drink of his -idctim, or, if sick, by persuading the indi\'idual to drink a poisonous draught. The other way is by magic, and this is by far the most common method they suppose. In this case they say that the deadly substance is transmitted from the hand of the destroyer to the body of his victim, without the latter ha^-ing any perception of the event. . . . 1 1 have seen these rattles made of the bills of the horned puffin, three or four dozen being strung together. — M.IYXE. 50633°— 31 ETH— IG 30 562 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 If one Indian is vexed with another, the most effectual way of showing his displeas- \irc, next to killing him, is to say to him (what would be in English), " By and by, you ivilldie." Not unfrequently the poor \-ictim thus marked becomes so terrified that the prediction is verified. When this is the case, the friends of the deceased say that they have no doubt about the cause, and therefore (if they are able to meet the contest which may ensue) the prognosticator, on the first opportunity, is shot for his passionate language . The young man named Clah, whom I have had to assist me in Tsimshian, only a little time before I came, shot a woman, because by some silly expression she excited his belief that it was owing to her e\dl influence a piece of wood, which was being carried by some Indians, fell from their shoulders and seriously hurt one of them, a relative of his. Now I hear that this woman's son (although Clah has paid him oO blankets) is watching his oi)p()rtimity to revenge her death. Thus is the stream of murder fed from time to time. Shaniaiiistic practices are also resorted to for the purpose of obtaining an ample food supply. Mayne (p. 259) writes in regard to this: It is common enough for an Indian living by his wits to circulate a report, some weeks before the commencement of the lish or berry season, that ho has had a dream of a large crop of berries, or influx of salmon to some particular spot, which he will disclose for a certain present. He will then go through various ceremonies, such, for instance, as walking about at night in lonely places; taking care that it shall be publicly known that he is "working on the hearts of the fish" to be abundant during the coming season. His supposed influence over the weather and the inclination of the lish are so readily credited that he will in all probability command large prices for his pretended infor- mation and intercession. A canoe's crew will often give a third of their first haul to the "fish-priest" to propitiate him, and ensure good luck for the rest of the season. The prophet of course takes care to send them to a place where fish are generally found in abundance; and, even should they be unsuccessful, it is easy for him to a.ssert that they have done something to offend the Spirits. The habits of the fish themselves, perhaps, tend to the prevalence of such superstititious fancies; as they will often quit particular places altogether for a season, or for several years. Old women, also, often obtain much influence from the profession of second-sight and the power of foretelling births, deaths, marriages, famines, etc. Dreams are generally used as their machinery for these purposes. They also claim more than tlie gift of prtjphecy, and insist that they can prevent people they dislike from sharing in the success of the others, and in many ways influence their lives. It is not uncommon to see these old witches communicating their dreams to the tribe; men and women standing by with open mouths, and impressed wonder-stricken faces. Among the Nass tribe quite similar notions in regard to shaman- istic powers prevail. Those were described to me as follows:' In roph^ to my questions reganling the acquisition of super- natural lielpers and the powers of the shaman (halai't), "Chief Mountain," who is nowadays a regular attendant at church, gave me the following account of his o-\vn experience. Only a man whose father was a shaman can become a shaman. When he himself was a youth, the supernatural beings {uExno'x) were pursuing him all the time. One day a beautiful girl appeared to him, antl he fainted. ' Boas 1, 1895, pp. 580-581. BOAS] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 563 She taught him her soug, which enabled him to make the (dachen come in spring, and which is as follows: Lawe'l wul hiixha'k!uxl ak'3 al qig'e'wuJ Behold "Where meet the waters on the beach. G'id-wul-g'itfa'mk" \^^li-16-d'a't qat cak'. (Peopleof warm place) where is heart olachen. That is, "Behohl where the tides meet at G"id-wul-g-ig-a'mk" are many olachen." She wanted to have intercoui-se with him. One night she took him through a fire, and after that time ho was able to handle fu-e wnth impunity. When she loft him, he saw that she had an otter tail. Her name was KsEm-wa'tsq ("Land-Otter Woman")- She is a helper of the Eagle group. When he gave a festival, lie danced with the mask of this helper. He was covered with otter skins, and wore claws o^ copper. He moved around the fire like an otter, crying, "Uhuid'!" This ceremony is called the SErii-halai'd. Later on he saw four other supernatural beings, who had the shape of wild-loo Idng men, who wore bear skins and crowns made of the claws of bears. They taught him to foresee sickness. At one time the G'it-xade'x disbeheved his power over fire. He asked them to build a large fire. He threw an iron hoop into it, moistened his liands, and covered his face, hair, and hands with eagle down. Then he stepped barefooted over the glowing embers, took the red-hot hoop, and car- ried it through the fire without burning liis hands or his feet. He added that a few years ago he repeated this experiment; but as he failed and burnt his hands and feet, he gave up his supernatural lielper and became a Christian. He also added that many who pre- tend to be shamans have no supernatural helpers at all. They can not cure or foresee disease. ^Vlien he was called to cure disease, the four supernatural men appeared to him and helj>ed him. The}^ told him to draw the breath of tlie supernatural being's out of the body of the patient. Other shamans suck the disease out of the body. His helpere pointed vxxt witches to him, and enabled him to see ghosts. A few years ago a number of shamans were dancing in a house. Wlien he onterexl, he saw a ghost dancing among them, and foretold at once the death of one of the shamans. Indeed, after a few houi-s one of them died. The shaman wears stone and bone amulets, and does not cut his hair. His appearance is the same as that of the Tlingit shaman. Distmct from the art of shamanism is witchcraft. I collected the following data among the Nass tribe. . Witchcraft is practiced by people called Jialda'wlt. They steal a portion of a corpse, which they place in a small, long, water-tight box. A stick is placed across the middle of the box, and thin threads 564 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 aro tied to this stick. Tho piece of corpse is placed at the bottom of the box, and part of the clothing or liaii- of the person whom tho witch desires to bewitch is tied to these strings. If it is in immeiliate contact with the bod}', the pereon will die soon; if it is hung a httle higher, he will be sick for a long time. If hau' is put into the box he will die of headache; if part of a moccasin, his foot will rot; i*" saUva is used, he wiU die of consumption. If the pereon is to die at once, the haldd'wit cuts the string from which the object is sus- pended, so that it drops right on the corpse. This box has a cover, and is kept closely tied up. It is kept buried under the liouse cr in the woods. iVfter the witch has killed his enemy, he jnust go around the house in which the dead one is lying, following the course of the sun. iifter his enemy has been buried, he must lie down on the grave and crawl around it, again following the course of the sun, and attired in the skin of some animal. If he does not do this, he must die. Therefore the people watch if they see any one performing this ceremony. Then tliey know tliat he is a witch, and he is killed. He is not tied and exposetl on the beach at the time of low water, as is done by tho Tlingit. Wlien a corpse is burnt, the witch tries to secure some of the charred remains, and uses them for painting his face. This is supposed to secure good luck. The witches sometimes assemble in the woods, particularly when dividmg a body. Then they cover their faces with niiisks, so that a person who should happen to come near may not know them. If any one should happen to see them, they try to catch him and make him a haldd'wit also. If he refuses to join them, he is kiUed. Once a man by tho name t f Q'am-wa'sk"e was caught in this manner. He pretended to accept, and was given a mask. They made a song and sang while he danced — Yagaho'de ba'lEqe, WU-wula'ns Q'am-wa'sk'e; that is, "The ghosts run to the beach on account of the winds of Q'am-wa'sk'e." He emitted wind while he was dancing. He danced, hidden behind the trees. Then he turned his mask round so that it was on his occiput, and matle good his escape. He reached his house, told what he had seen, and the witches were killed. The similarity between this method of witchcraft and the e'qa of the Kwakiutl ' is striking. As in olden times cremation was prevalent, tho witches tried to secure bodies of persons who had died by accident before they were foimd by the friends of the deceased. They sold them among the other witches. ' Boas 1, 1890, p. 612. IV. co:mparatr'e study of tsbishiax mythology IXTRODUCTOEY The present collection contains a series of tales all of which are considered by the Tsimshian as myths, and I have used the term in this sense. The Tsimshian distinguish clearly between two types of stories — the myth {ada'ox) and the tale {ma'lEslc). The latter is entirely liistorical in character, although from our point of view it may contain supernatural elements. The incidents narrated in tlie former are beheved to have hapjiened during tlie time when animals appeared in the foi-m of human beings. While ordinarily the dis- tinction between the two ij^es of tales is quite clear, there are some cases where' the interpretation might be doubtful. In the myth animals appear as actors, and vei}" often incidents are mentioned which describe the origin of some feature of the present world; but incidents of a similar character are not by any means absent from the tales. This is j^articularly true in those cases in wliich animals appear as individual protectors and in which a supposed revelation is used to explain certain customs of the people. Nevertheless the fact that incidents of such a tale are an individual experience relating to the present period set it off clearly in the mind of the Tsimshian from mythological tales. I presume, however, that in course of time historical tales may have been embodied in the groups of myths. Similar distinctions are made by all the other tribes of the North Pacific coast. I mention here only the terms nu'yatn of the Kwakiutl, ilclanam of the Cliinook, and spEfa'M of the Tliompson Indians, wliich designate myths in the sense here given as opposed to tales belong- ing to the present period. It should be remembered that in the mind of the Indian it is not the reUgious, ritualistic, or explanatory character of a tale that makes it a myth, but the fact that it per- tains to a period when the world was chfferent from what it is now. It seems to my mind advantageous to adopt this objective defini- tion of myth as felt by the natives, rather than any of the many defuiitions based on a subjective standpoint. If it should be ob- jected that by doing so I extend my inquiry over and beyond the domain of myths, as defined l)y various groups of investigators, I may point out that I am discussing tales which at the present time form a unit in the mind of the Tsimshian, and that this justifies their treatment as an objective unit. In the present chapter I intend to present a comparative study of the Tsimshian myths here recorded, based on the data heretofore collected among other tribes of the North Pacific coast. I have made 565 566 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY fETH. ANN. 31 a comparison more particularly with the Tlingit, Haida, and Kwa- kiutl tribes, whose mytliologj^ has been studied and published in some detail. I have not attempted to carry through the comparison in detail over other parts of the continent. The followang abbreviations have been used in this chapter: Tribes Ts Tsimshiaii N Nass Tl Tlingit Tit Tahltan Tsts Ts'Ets'aiit Kai Kaigani M Haida i if Masset Sk Haida of Skidegate Hai Haida H Heiltsuq or Bellabella BC Bellacoola Ri Rivers lulet Ne Newettee K Kwakiutl Nu Nootka Co Comox Se Seshelt Tribes Cow Cowichaii Na Nanaimo Sts StSEO'Us Squ Sqiiamish u Uta'mqt Car Carrier Chil Chilcotiii Sh Sluiswaj) Ntl Thompson Lil Lillooet Quin Quinault Chin Chinook Kath Kathlamet Wish WLsliram Till Tillamook Esk Eskimo Tlie sources are indicated in the following way. Abbreviations or names for tribes, without number, refer to the Bibhography on pp. 39 et seq.: Ts References to the present paper N Boas 7 Tl Swanton 5 Tit Emmons 4 Tsts Boas 14 M Swanton 3 Sk Swanton 1 Kai Swanton 2 H ap Appendix I to this paper. BC Boas 15 Ri MS Unpublished material. Nu ap Se U Chil Sh Lil Quin Chin Kath Anvik Ten 'a Appendix I Ic Hill-Tout 4 Teit 3 Farrand 1 Teit 4 Teit 5 Farrand 2 Boas 16 Boas 17 Chapman 1 Jette 2 thi: s paper. The books most frequently quoted are inchcated by the foll()wiiig niim])ers, and refer to the Bibhography on pp. 39 et se(i: 1. Boas 13 2. Lutke 3. Erman 4. Krause 5. Boas 4 6. Beans 7. Petitot 8. Swanton 2 9. Boas 12 10. Boas 8 11. Boas 9 Tales given by various informants, published in the same sources, are distinguished by letters, a, I, c, etc. Sources for passages taken from various versions are given at the end of the respective j)assages. Wliere, on accoiuit of the introduc- tion of variants, there might be uncertainty as to the extent of the quotation, the beginning and end of the passages are indicated by an asterisk or bracket. Variants of passages are placed in brackets. BOAS] COMPAflATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 567 1. THE RAVEN AND TRANSFORMER MYTHS OF THE NORTHWEST COAST The Raven Myth The incidents composing the Raven myth have a very wide distri- bution on the North Pacific coast of America. They may be traced from the Asiatic side of Bering Strait eastward and southward as far as the southern part of Vancouver Island. Among the Haida these tales are comprised under the title "Raven Traveling." Before entering into a discussion of the special forms of the tale, I will give a list of the component incidents, begimiing %vith those common to most of the tribes of the North Pacific coast area. A summary statement of these is given here : ORIGIN TALES (NOS. 1-17) 1. Origin of daylight Ts 60; Ts 5.276; Na 10; N6 21, 36; Tk 3 T16 81, 82; Tl 4.261; Tl 5.311; Tit 117; Kai 238; Mb 308 Ska 116; Hai 6.25; H 5.232; H ap 884; BC 63; BC 5.241 Ria5.20S; Ri& 5.209; Nu 5.105; Nuap888; Car 126; Chill4 Kodiak 85: Ten' a 304; Anvik 9; Esk Nelson 461 ; Ne 5.173 Ne 9.233; Ne 10.393; Cow 6.25; Na5.55; Squ Hill-Tout 3.545 Chehalis Boas 191; Puget Sound; Lil 300; Loucheux Fort McPherson;Esk Boas 205; Esk Nelson 483 ; Asiatic Esk 431; Chukchee 155. 2. Raven threatens to let out the dayhght Ts 61; Ts 5.276; Na 15; N6 23; Tla 5; Tlh 82; Tl 4.263; Tl 5.313; Hai 6.27; Ma 329; M&310: Skall7; Hai Dawson 1.151 B; Hap 885; Nu ap 891. 3. Raven breaks up the moon and puts it in the skv Tl 5.313 ; Mb 311 ; Ska lis. 4. Origin of fresh water Nb 25; Tla 4; Tib 83; Tic 4.259; Tld 4.260; Tl 5.313; Tl 6.27; Kai 235; Ma 318; Mb 293; Ska 115; Hai Dawson 1.150 B; H 5.232; Ri 5.209;. Ne 5.174; Ne 9.225; K 9.167; Nu 5.108; Nu ap 892. See also Ts 65, 69; N6 17; K 10.322. 5. Originof olachen Ts65; Ts6.29; Na27; N&32; Tla 13; Tl 4.263; Ska 117; Hai Dawson 1.151 B; H ap 888: Ne 9.2.35; Till 144. See also Ts 63; Tl a 11; Tl & 93; Tl b 103; Kai 236; Ma 320; Ma 326; M 378: Sk 255; Sk 192. 6. Origm of the tides Ts 64; Tla 9; Tib 120; Tl 5.313; Mb 303; SkcZ 128; Hai 5.308. See also H 5.232; Ri 5.215; Ne 5.175; Ne 9.229; K 5.158; K 9.493 ;K 10.278; K 11.88, 94; Nu Swan 65. 7. Raven makes war on Southeast Wind Ts 79; Ska 129; Skgr 143; Ne 5.186; Ne 9.227; Ne 10.350; K 9.494; K 11.98; Nu 5.100; Nu Swan 92. 8. Origin of lire Ts 63; Na 31; Tla 11; Tib 83; Tl 4.263; Tl 5.314; Ma 315; Sk/1.35; Hai 6.31; H 5.241 ; BC 62; Ri 5.214; RiMS; Ne 5.187; k 9.494; Nu 5.102 [2 versions]; Nu ap 894; Nu Sproat 178; Co 5.80. See also K 5.158; Naa 5.54; Na6 5.54; Sts 5.43; SquHilJ-Tout 3.544; Chil 15; Car 125; Lil 301. 568 TSIMSHIAlSr mythology [eth. ANN. 31 9. stone and Elderberry Ts 62; Ts 5.278; Na 72; Tla 18; T\b 81; Tl 5.319; Kai 2.36; Ma 319. See also Ri 5.214; Kai 238. 9a. People originate from a clamshell Ma 324; Sk 320; Ilai Daw- son 1.149 B-150 B; Hai 6.30. (See p. 633.) 10. Raven paints birds Tla 6; Ska 127; Skcl28; BC 5.241 ; Neo 9.233; Nc6 9.287; Co 5.64; Fraser Delta [Cliilliwack] Hill-Tout; Kath 44; Quin 92; Chippewayan 7.350. 11. Petrel makes fog Ts 68; N6 16; Tla 10; Tl 4.260; Kai 235; Co 5.77. 12. Raven carves salmon out of various kinds of wood BC 5.242; Ri 5.209; Ri MS; Ne 5.174. 13. Raven marries the dead twin Ri 5.209; Ri MS; Ne 5.174; Ne 9.217; K 9.491; K 10.323. 14. Raven obtains salmon fi-om Salmon Woman Ts 76; Nt 32; [Tla 14]; T16 108; Tl 6.31; Mh 303; Mr 330; Ska 126;BC94; BC 5.246; Ri 5.209; Ri MS; Ne 5.174; K 5.159; K 9.491; K 10.329; Chil 18; Sha 637; Shh 743. 15. Raven abducts the daughter of the Salmon chief BC 94; BC 5.242 [2 versions]; Ri 5.210; Ri MS; Ne 5.175; Ne 9.217; K 9.169; K 10.330; [Chil 16]. See also Tl 12, 116. 16. Raven gets the soil Ne 5.173; Ne 9.223. 17. Origin of the months. See p. 728. INCIDENTS BASED ON EAVEN'S VORACIOUSNESS (NOS. 18^0) 18. Raven is made voracious Ts 59; Ts 5.275; N& 36; Tla 17; Uh 306; Skg 141 [IV'Iasset]; Ska 123; Ne 5.171; Ne 9.211. 19. Raven kills the spring salmon Ts 67; Ts 5.277; N& 52; Tla 5; T1&85; Tl 4.264; M& 298; M 347; Ska 112; Ne 5.176; Ne 9.213; K 9.141; Co 5.73. See also Nez Perce; Lil 325. For other versions see pp. 675, 676. 20. Why crows are black Na 30; N6 34; Ska 113; Tl 4.265. See also Tla 5; Tift 85; M& 299. 20rt. Wliy Raven is black Tla 4; Tl 4.261; Tl 6.28; also N6 64; Tl 5.314. See also Quin 92; Wish 99. 21. Raven tears out Cormorant's tongue Ts 92 ; Ts 5.277; N6 43; Tla 7; Tl 4.266; Tl 5.317; M6 .300; Ska 117; Sk/ 134; BC 5.244; Ne 5.176; Ne 9.215; K 10.291; Nu ap 902; NuSproat 181. 22. Raven goes fishing with Grizzly Bear Ts 87; N& 56; Tla 6; Tl 4.265; Tl 5.317; M&311; Ne .5.176; Ne 9.215; Nuap900. See also Sk/133; Sh 752; Kutenai 87. 23. Raven kills Pitch Ts 86; N6 58; Tl 4.265; Mc 337; Ri MS; Ne 5.179; Ne 9.215; K 11.180; Co 5.64. 24. Raven's beak pulled off by fishermen Ts 74; N6 50; Tla 8; T16 84; Tl 5.314; Kai 8.238; Ud 338; Ska 125; Ne 5.172; Lou- cheux 15. 25. Raven makes Bullhead's tail thin Ts 71; N6 37; Tla 18. See also Ne 9.207; Ne 11.223; Co 5.6.3. BOAS] COMPAEATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY. 569 26. Raven takes hair-seal from children, who play ball with it Ts 75; N6 42; Tk 5; T1& 92; Ma 321; Mh 298; Sk« 127, 129; Hai 5.309. See also Co 5.79. 27. Raven is swallowed by Whale Tla 12; TI& 91; Tl 5.315; M& 294; Skd 131; Skfirl45; Hai Dawson 1.152 B; Ne5.171; Nu 5.101; Coffl 5.74; Co& 5.75; Cow 5.51 ; Esk Nelson 464. See also U 282. 28. Raven steals the Whale Ts 71; Tk 13; T16 91; Tl 5.316; Skd 131; Sk^ 145; Ne 5.172; Esk Xclson 465. See also Ska 125: BC 91; H 5.233; Nu 5.106. 29. Raven travels with Eagle Ts 72, 73; Ts 5.276; N6 39,40; Tl 5.314, 315; Ma 314, 328; M& 296, 297; Mc 329; Skd 131; Sk/ 135; K 5.159; K 9.159; K 11.131. See also Tla 9; Tli 107; U 234. 30. Raven and Eagle gather red and black cod Tla 17; Tlh 121; Sk(Z 128; Hai 5.309; H 5.232. 31. Raven pretends to be a woman Ts 75; Tlh 114; Tl 5.319; Ma 322; Mc 333; Md 338, 341; Skd 132. 32. Bungling host. For references see pp. 694 et scq. 33. Raven marries Hair-Seal Woman Ske 131; Co 5.77. 34. Raven visits the Shadow Town Ts 85; N& 60; Tib 92; Tl 5.316; Mo 312; Mc335; MdUO; Sk/134; BC 93; Chin 181; Till 31. See also Sh 5.8; Takelma 39. 35. Raven kills the Deer Ts 88; N6 63; Mc 336; H 5.233; BC 92; BC 5.245; Ri 5.212; K 9.492; Nu 5.105; Co 5.77. See also Tla 9; Tib 107. 36. Raven steals salmon eggs M& 306; Mc 332; Ska 126. 37. Raven steals his sisters' berries BC 5.243; Ri 5.210; Ri MS; Ne 5.177; Nu 5.107; Co5 76; Lil 317. 38. Raven's gizzard is torn out Tla 14; [Co 5.74; K 9.143]. See also Kath 87; Takelma 52. 39. Raven kills the seals Tib 107; Se 51 ; Squ 5.57. Compare also No. 33, p. 702. 40. Raven pretends to be dead K 10.286; Co 5.73; K 9.135, 139; Sts 5.33; Chil 17. AMOROUS ADVENTURES (NOS. 41, 42) 41. Raven burns his sister's groins Mb 304; Ska 127; H 5.232; H ap 883; BC90; BC 5.243; Ri 5.211; Ri MS; Ne 5.178, 179; K 5.160; K 9.493; K 10.287; K 11.170; Nu 5.108; Co 5.71; Chil 17. See also K 11.180; Co 5.78. 42. Raven deserts Master Fisherman on a lonely island Kai 234; M6 301; Ska 130; Skg 143 [Masset]; Skd 130; Hai 5.309. MISCELLANEOUS ADVENTURES (NOS. 43-48) 43. War with the Thunderbirds H ap 884; Ri 5.211, 214; Ri MS; Ne 5.179, 206; Ne 9.241; K 9.493; K 10.299, 308; K 11.180; Nu 5.103, 104; Nu Sproat 177; Co 5.82, 83; Sts 5.34 570 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 44. Arrow of the supernatural being Ts 94; BCa 5.245; BC6 45; Nu 5.105; Cow 5.46; Chil 33; NezPerc6 23; Ojibwa 49, 215. 45. Raven invites the sea monsters Ts 100; Tic 5.317; M 316, 364; Ne 5.181. See also Ts 1.189; Ts 5.293; Tla 16; T16 170; Ts 639. 46. Wren kills the Bear Tla 17; Sk 362, .363; N 117; BC 5.256; Hap 888; Ri 5.212; Nu ap 891; Chin 119; Quin 126; Ntl Teit 3.331, 342; Lil 312. 47. Raven pulls off arm of a chief Sk/136; Co 5.78; Chil 23; Wasco 281; Loucheux, Fort McPherson. 48. Raven is tied in a box and kicked into the sea Tla 12, 17 ; T16 121- There are only a few adventures of this series that appear to have any kind of regular connection. Among these may be mentioned Ihe widely distributed tale of liow Raven kills the spring salmon (No. 19); how he uses the spring salmon in order to trick the Bear and induce him to cut off part of his body and kill himself (No. 22) ; how he cuts out the Cormorant's tongue in order to prevent him from tclUng of the way in which Bear met his death (No. 21). These incidents are not always told in this connection, but it is quite striking that in a number of versions they are placed near together. We find them arranged in this way in one of the Nass versions (N6) and in two versions from Newettee; in part, also, in the Masset version M6 and in the Tlingit versions Tl« and Tl 5. In other cases, however, the tales do not even stand near together in the whole series of adventures of the Raven. Another group of tales, which has a very definite connection in the Mink legend, does not form a definite unit in the northern Raven tale. Among the Kwakiutl we find the incident of Raven burning his sister's groins (No. 41), the obtaining of pitch (No. 23), and the war against the Thunderbirds (No. 43), closely connected.' In the Raven cycle of the Tsimshian, Haida, and Tlingit, the connection between the first and third of these elements is generally retained, while the second one does not appear in connection with this tale. Among the Kwaldutl the war against the Thunderbird appears not only in this setting, but also as part of the Woodpecker tale.= The stories of the attempts to obtain the salmon for mankind also form a group among the southern tribes (Nos. 12-15). ^imong the Tsimsliian, Haida, and Masset, only one of these incidents occuis; namely, the one telhng of Raven's marriage with Salmon Woman and of her disappearance with the salmon which she had created (No. 14)- In the southern group of tribes it is told how Raven first tries to carve a salmon of wood , but is unsuccessful. Then he revives a dead twin, whom he marries, and who, through her supernatural power, causes the salmon to appear. He oft'ends her by scolding the salmon, and thus causes her to vanish, together with the fish — the incident retained in the northern tales. Finally he makes a thu-d attempt to obtain salmon by abducting the daughter of the Salmon chief. This ' Seo pp. 707 d seq. 2 See p. 711. BOAS] COMPARATTVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 571 tale is in part related to the GunaxnesEmg'a'd story as discussed on p. 835. The incidents of the arrival of Raven at the house of the Salmon chief are about the same as those of the arrival of Gunax- nesEmg'a'd at the house of the luller 'VMiales. The tale of the Eagle and Raven gathering black cod and red cod respectively is closely related either to the tale of the origin of the tides, or to that of the Deluge, after which the fish were left dry on the beach. This connection is found in two Tlingit versions (Tla, T16), in the Haida version Skd, and in the BeUabella version H 5. .Still another gi-oup of tales are those of Raven and his companion, which are combined here in one group (No. 29), but which consist of a number of distinct elements, some of wliich occur also without this connection. In some cases the tale of Raven kilhng the Deer is made part of the tale of Raven's companion. In that form Deer is induced to cross a chasm, falls down, and is eaten by Raven. Setting aside these minor groups, I am under the impression that no order can be brought into the northern Raven tradition. The remaining incidents of the Raven tale have been recorded only once or twice. The very large number of these incidents, which are scattered through the tales in a most irregular maimer, shows clearly that in none of the cycles as recorded is there any prescribed sequence of incidents. The disconnected character of the single adventures makes it very probable that no such regular sequence ever existed. The gi-eat variety of individual incidents that compose the Raven myth from the regions where it has been most fully recorded suggest that there has been a tendency to incorporate m it any tale that would fit into the series of adventures. Thus point appears also quite clearly in our Tsimshian series. The tale "How Raven makes the Princess Sick and then Cures her" does not form ordinarily a part of the Raven cycle, but it belongs, rather, to the Coyote tales of the Southern plateaus. On the other hand, the story of the magical arrow of the Wolf family (p. 306), the story of Pluclving Out Eyes (p. 154), the meeting of the wild animals (p. 106), Sucking Intestines (p. 214), not to mention the complicated tales included in the Tlingit version T\b, have been made part of the Raven legend among the various tribes of the coast, although many of them occur also independently. ^\Tiilo in the Transformer tales of the Kwakiutl and of other tribes farther to the south a fairly definite sequence is preserved by the sharp localization of the tales which refer to a series of places that the Transformer visited on his travels from north to south or in other directions, no such regularity has been observed in the northern group. Among tlie various versions recorded, the Tlingit tale Tl?> takes an exceptional position, because the narrator has embodied in it a very large number of short explanatory tales that do not appear in any of the other Raven cycles, and also a series of very complex tales which 572 TSIMSHIAK MYTHOLOGY tETii. ann. 31 form independent units among the neighboring tribes. Some of these are family tales, and evidently do not belong to the Raven cycle. I will give next a list of the explanatory tales contained in the various versions, but occurring only once or twice. 49. He finds a clam containing people Ma 324; Sk320; Hai6.30; Hal Dawson 1.140 B. 50. The Beaver has a lake behind the screens, of his house; Raven rolls \ip the lake with salmon trap and salmon and the house, carries it away, and unroUs it in the country of man Ska 113; Skg 145; Hai 6.28. 51. Raven tells sticks to burn forever, but is unsuccessful Mb 294. 52. He puts a woman under the world to supjiort it, and causes lier to make a deluge, durmg which the people save themselves on mountains Tla 16. He drains a beaver pond, catches a beaver with a hook, and uses the ])eaver's humerus as a support for the earth Tla 20 (independent of the Raven story in Sk 190; according to a note on Sk 1 10, it forms, however, the fourth one in the series of Haida myths, the first one being that of "Raven Traveling"). 53. He sends young birds to get drinking-water, wliicli he calls cat.'h! Tla 19.' 54. He places a woman witli long breasts at the head of a creek Tla 19. 55. Raven At Head Of Nass River says that after death bad ])eoj)le are to be animals, good people are to live above T16 81. 56. Raven claims Sculpin as his younger brother who was drowned; Scidpin disclaims this, saying that he is very old, and is trans- formed into the Pleiades T16 106. 57. Halibut fishermen refuse to ferry Raven across the water; he extends his cane toward them, and they become a constellation T16 107. 58. He makes the West Wind, calls her Q!axo', and says that she shall be his son's daughter and that slie sliall not hurt peojile Tla 19 (in the abstracts Tl 419 it is said that he placed the West Wind on top of a mountain) . 59. He makes South Wind and North Wind; when the South Wind climbs a rock, it never ceases to blow; he makes a house for North Wind, with something like icicles hanging down on the sides; North Wind's backside is white, therefore the moun- tains are w^hite with snow Tla 19. He lives with North Wind at Taku ; North Wind is proud because he is shining with something like icicles T16 89. 60. Raven causes the water of Nass River to turn back N 15. 61. He uproots dangerous animals on the beach; he gives to people sea food and animals of the forest Tla IS. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 573 62. Ra^'cn stamps the ground in the four corners of his father's house, and the four northern coast tribes appear M 305; Ska 122; Skg 141; Hai 6.33. 63. After the Dehige, during which Raven saves himself by sticking his l>eak through a ck)iul while some people escape on top of the mountains, he tells them to throw stones backward over their heads; from these a new generation arises Hai 6.32. 64. Raven carries a man to an island inhabited by women only Hai 6.32. 65. He borrows Screech Owl's })eak and replaces it by the crooked nose of the Devilfish Sk/ 135. When Eagle complams that Raven has given a present to every bemg except himself, Raven twists Eagle's beak Hai 6.34. 66. He imlls Bluejay's head long Ska 129. 67. He transforms a flicker feather into flickers Ska 130. 68. He throws away two of the ten arms of the Devilfish Ma 319. 69. He tells crows to caw at sunrise Ma 324. 70. He caTises the woodpecker to live in trees Ma 325. 71. He makes half-alive stuff by throwing semen down on the beach Kai 238. 72. Bird is given red cheeks at Raven's feast Ts 5.277. 73. Squirrel's face is rubbed so that the hair comes oft" Ts 5.277 (see also H 5.233, Ne 5.176). 74. Raven says devilfish is tough, therefore it loses its fat Tla 18. 75. He makes the quills of Porcupine out of yollow-cedar bark, and makes the Bear afraid of them Tla 19. 76. He ties something around the head of the chim, and calls it man's privates Tla 20. 77. He transforms the dog into an animal because the dog tries to imitate his actions and is too quick Tla 20. 7S. He gives foin- pebbles each to Grouse and Sea Lion; they can miderstand each other T\b 85. 79. He tells the Land Otter to live on a point of land and to save drowning people; people returning from the Land Otters be- come shamans T16 86 (liere follows the Land-Otter story T16 87). 80. He lives inland with a giant Cannibal who is married to the Black Pine T1& 92. 81. Origin of mosquitoes. He lives with a giant, TsA'maya, who, in order to kill Wolverene, disguises liimself like a bear and is cari'ied home by Wolverene; Raven, in the shape of a ])lackbird, gives him a small speai-, with which he wounds Wolverene's foot, the seat of his life; Wolverene revives every time he is killed ; finally they burn him, and his ashes become mosquitoes T16 92. 574 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann. 31 82. He transforms drowniug boys into sea ])irtls T16 135. 83. Raven is the grandchild of Mouse, therefore the mouse is always eating Tla 19. 84. In olden times roots grew already cooked in the ground Tla IS; Mb 295. 85. Raven's blanket floats away horn him; he goes ashore and throws it on bushes; it becomes Behis hracteosum Tla 19. 86. Raven transforms a person into a celery plant Tla 20. 87. When he is crossing Kaisrui TTarbor on a log, the West Wind blows; he tells the rock to open, escapes into it, and spears the Wind; therefore it is alwaj's calm at that place Ma 322. 88. By thro^\■ing bilge-water out of the canoe he makes the water muddy whei'c herring spawn Ska 128. 89. His f easting-house is a cave Avith rocks in it; the rocks were boxes in the house T\b 118. 90. His ^\^fe's semng-basket is put ashore and becomes a rock Tla 19. 91. He pulls up persons, who become mountains Skf 138. 92. He throws calcined shells away; they become white rocks Sk/ 137. 93. Birds gather cedar bark, whldi is transformed into stojie Ska 127. 94. Raven calls a place HaUbut Place Sk/ 138. 95. He calls a place Salt Stone Sk/ 138. " 96. He spears bad weather; his spear becomes a white streak on a rock Sk/ 138. 97. He puts an eagle-tail feather into a certain place, wliich is nanuvl accordingly Sk/ 138. 98. He eats Liklia'o, and calls the place Ptdled Off With The Teeth Sk/ 138 (a general note that Raven named places is found Tla 20, \u 5.105). 99. He strikes rocks with his head, and the holes may be seen uj) to tliis day Sk/" 138. 100. He makes a water-hole with his l)ill Ma 329; Skc 138. 101. When traveling with his cousin, he catises the canoe to reach its destination with one stroke of the paddle; thus he makes travehng easy Skc'138. 102. Raven gives to a man who asks for water a verj' little only; the man falls down and forms a long point of land Sk^ 146. 103. He throws a hair-ribbon upon the sea and walks over it Ska 118. 104. His house timbers are transformed into stones Kai 8.237; M6 295. 105. He splits rock by kicking it, being angry because Killer Whales, whom he calls, will not stop M6 295. 106. He transforms waves into mountains M& 296. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 575 107. He transforms a digging-stick and a screen into stone (see No. 158) Kai 8.237; Ma 315. 108. He becomes angry with a Whale, kicks the ground, herrings come out, which he transforms into hiunan beings; he tells them to establish a town Ma 318. 109. He transforms himself into a woman and stays on the trail to the inland tribes; people become strong by cohal)iting with her; she has a small round well; v.hen people drink of it, they become strong Ma 318. 110. He makes Masset Inlet by dra^ving a line ^\^(h liis finger Ma 321. 111. He digs a hole through a treeless impassable promontory; when people go through it, they will not be sick Ma 325. 112. Raven flies mth the Geese; they drop him, and he sprinkles do-wi\ sand, which becomes Rose Spit Kai 236 (see Xo. 179). A sandbar is created in the same manner M 326. 113. Raven transforms a killer whale into stone Kai 8.237. 114. He makes a harbor b}' making his canoe move backward in a semicircle Kai 8.237. 115. He pushes liis sister out of his rock house and transforms her into stone Kai 8.237. 116. Raven cuts a canyon with a shell knife Tl 5. 310. 117. By rocking his canoe he makes the sea rough near Sitka Tla 13. 118. He tries to make a place like Xass River, but the Clams prevent it, drowning his voice by their noise Tla 15. 119. He transforms into stone two brothers who are crossing Stikine River Tla 15. 120. After the Deluge the people die of cold; some are turnetl into stone; the fish left on the mountains are turned into stone Tla 17. 121. He transforms a whale and canoes into rocks; these are near the place where he lulled the beaver (see No. 52) Tla 20. 122. Raven puts liis cap on a rock Na 14. 123. He tells a rock that it is covered -wath pubic hair, meaning the algae growing on it Tla IS. 124. He tries to make privates of females of liark and leaves; fiiially he gathers them on an island Tla 16. When going to find the privates of females on an island, he asks various birds to accomjDany him; none can do it; he places the drawing of a toadstool in the stem of the canoe; then he gets one for his M-ife and one for his sister Ska 126. 125. He tells the Tsimshian to hurry, therefore they are indiLstrious Ska 112. 126. From a chief's daughter he obtains a charm to make people good-looldng ; he induces her to part mlh it by making her believe that she has soiled her bed and that he will tell on her (see No. 4) Sk/ 137. 576 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 127. He sees Ninstints people perform magical feats, therefore there are many sorcerers among them Ska 112. 128. He makes hmnan beings of rotten wood, and causes them to limp l)y making their limbs of different lengths Kai 8.237. 129. He makes hermaphrodites Kai 8.238. 130. Raven wants man to have the privates on the forehead; his intentions are defeated Xu 5.108. 131. He invites little people to a feast, lets them sit on a bear skin; they call the places without hair swamps ; he shakes the skins over the lire, and the little men become pujnls of eyes Tla 18. 132. He creates the various races of man Tla 19. 133. He teaches the people their mode of life (feasts, slavery, sha- manism, death rituals, halil)ut fishing, making of fish traps, seal-spears, canoes, salmon-hooks) T1& 84. 134. He institutes war by telling peo])le to fight T1& 85. 135. He shows the people a charm enabling them to get home when out canoeing Tla 19. 136. Raven teaches river taboos, forbidding that sea animals be called by their right names Tib 89. 137. He teaches the Chilkat how to make storehouses for salmon and how to trade with the inland tribes T\b 89. 138. He teaches the use of tobacco T1& 89. 139. He does not come at once when invited to a feast, and is then ignored by the host; later on ho gives a feast and institutes the feast customs T16 117. 140. He learns how to make nets BC 5.246. 141. Raven learns how to cook olachen Ts 66. 142. He teaches ceremonials BC 97. 143. He gathers herring spawn on hemloc^k branches Ts 774; Sk/" 135. 144. He fijids the first abalone shell, makes it into an ear-ornament, and shows it to the people Ma 313. 145. His child dies, and he forbids people to laugh; Greatest Laugher disobeys, therefore people soon cease to mourn Ma 313. 146. He takes a girl to be his sister, and when she is menstruant he places her behind a cedar board Ma 314; Kai 8.237. 147. He causes his sister to gather Crow's hair-seal; he himself gathers sea eggs; therefore the former are not eaten, the latter are a favorite food Ma 317. 148. He says canoes shall not capsize; but when two large waves come, he rides on shore on the first one, and is capsized by the second one, therefore people capsize Ma 326. 149. He assembles the Tsimshian and establishes their clans Ma 323. 150. He digs a lake and a river running out of it; he ordains that canoes shall always upset in that river Ma 325. 151. He gives a feast to supernatural beings Tl 5.317 (see also p. 581, No. 224). BOAS] COMPABATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 577 It appears from this list that some phenomena of nature, many characteristics of animals, forms of land, and some customs, are explained by these tales. Besides these, the various incidents of the Kaven tale contain many adventures which refer to the voraciousness of Raven, and which describe some of the tricks that he tries to plaj-. In the fol- lowing is given a list of these: 152. Sea Lion becomes Raven's brother-in-law Sk/ 133. See also Mc336 (No. 173). 153. Raven kills his brother-in-law, the Mallaril Duck Ma 328. 154. He eats the sea anemone Skf 134. 155. A person harpoons seals; Raven can not see any; the other one Ijulls a blood clot out of Raven's eyes, but puts it back again, leaving him as before Ska 115. 156. Shrew's single piece of dried fish, single cranberry, and single crabapple form an inexhaustible supply of food M6 299. 157. Raven has a chilil by Mink Woman and lets it die Tl 5.319; Ma 313 (see No. 145). 158. Butterfly eats the roots that his sister has dug (see No. 107) Ma 315. 159. Raven takes halibut shoulders from his sister, who has turned into stone Ma 320. 160. He kills fish bj- throwing a stick at them; tries to string them up, and asks Owl to help him Ma 320 (undoubtedly identical withTs 63, Tlall). 161. He calls the Butterfly out to sea Ma 327. 162. He pretends a canoe is splitting, for this reason refuses to go on board, stays behind, and eats the provisions of the canoe owners Ma 327. 163. He marries Sea Gull Kai 8.233. 164. Raven's wife, Sea Gull, dies; he finds a tree with drops of pitch, and believes it cries with him; he thinks huckleberries have blackened their faces to mourn with him Tla 10; Kai 8.233. 165. He tells a crooked tree that it evidently has a crooked mind Kai 8.233. 166. He calls bis brothers-in-law the Sea Gulls, who are scared when he croaks; the Porpoise, who is among them, understands him, and says that Raven is not spealdng angrily; they enter the house; he lets his servants, the Sandpipers, dance; the Porpoise interprets to the Sea Gulls all that he says, which makes him angry; he returns the visit Kai 233. 1G7. Raven calls the Salmon, and the Porpoise interprets what he is saying N 69. 168. He kills the beavers by croaking over them. Therefore there are no beavers on Queen Charlotte Islands Kai 236. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 37 578 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. ann. 31 169. Woodpecker's salmon become pitch Hai 5. SOS. 170- Raven's wife is Woodpecker; he steals her pitch and sticks to it; he is glued into a box, sent adrift, and rescued by Gull, who spits fat on his face; on account of this adventure lie is black Tl 5.314. 171. Two women are supported by a log which goes out fishing every morning and returns Avith fish tied to its branches Tl o.317. 172. He gets fat hanging out of Deer's nose 1)}' wiping it off Tla 8. 173. He kills the Killer Wliaies by putting canes into tlieir necks; he tells them not to look while he is doing so ; the last one looks and escapes Tla 12: Tib 11 G. See also Mc 336 (No. 152). 174. He steals a self-acting club, which refuses to act for him because it does not know him; he breaks it Tla 15. 175. He induces the Ground-IIog people to throw out their provisions by making them believe it is spring Tla 15. 176. He tries to marry a princess, but his companion the bird TsAgw&,'n tells the people that Salmon Woman (see No. 14) has deserted him; therefore he ordains that TsAgwa'n shall always live alone Tib lOS (this is continued as the story of a woman who marries an old man, and later on is carried away by the Ducks. 177. He lives in Fish Hawk's house, and lets the Hawk do all the workT16 116. 178a He tries to live with another bird, and lets him do all the work T16 117. 179. He marries among the Goose people, flies along with them, dis- likes their food, kills a Goose, and is deserted by them (see No. 112) Tib 117; Kai 8.236. 180. He steals crabapples K 9.213. 181. He is driven away by the feasters Ne 5.177. 182. Raven is fooled by his host, who gives him a red-hot coal instead of food Ne 5.177; Ne 9.241. 183. Raven soils his sister's house ; when she goes to clean it, he steals her clams Ne 5.178. 184. Raven lets Raccoon dance; he tells him to sing a long song; when he gets angry, he paints him with ashes H 5.233. 185. Raven visits a man who lives in a swimming-house and fishes halibut; he carries him across the water and throws him from his back into the sea; then he goes into the house to get halibut, but the owner causes the house to sink and almost dromis Raven BC 5.244; LkungEn, Hill-Tout 7.348. 186. Raven meets a mother and daughter, marries the young woman, and pretends to be building a canoe; meanwhile the women feed hun Ts 84. BOAS] COMPABATrVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 579 187. Raven and the Wolves. Raven visits Chief Wolf; the Wolves go a-hunting and bring quantities of food Ts 94. Raven leaves the Wolves and- retiu"ns after some time, wounded; Tomtit takes him to the Wolves' house ; the Wolves scent his wound; when the Wolves go a-hunting, they throw down mountam sheep; Raven hides them; when the Wolves dis- cover the theft, he puts on his Raven garment and flies away Ts96. 188. Raven drifts to Cape Fox with the tide, therefore canoes do not capsize in stormy weather when crossing Ts 100. 189. Raven visits the Salmon chief, who kills his four boys; they are transformed into salmon; when the bones are thrown into the water, ,the boys revive; Deer hides a single bone from the chest, and therefore one of the boj's has no blanket pin (see p. 773) ; Raven and the animals carrj^ the cliildren away in their canoe, which moves quickly away propelled with the magic paddle; the salmon overtake them and Deer kills them; then Raven sends the salmon to the various rivers K 10.346, 190. He teases the Spider Crab and is drowned by it Ts 70; Skd 128 [by Devilfish Ne 5.176]. 191. He crawls into a child's skin at Rose Spit Mb 304; Ska 110, 118. 192. He transforms excrement into men, who melt by the fire Skd 132. 193. He causes Fern Woman to reach out for olachen that he has in his canoe, and tears out hair from her armpit ; her sons cast stones with a tin-owing-stick and break Raven's paddles; the last stone passes through a knot-hole in the last paddle, and he gets away Ska 117. 194. He sends people to get food for a feast which lasts ten years Ska 123. 195. Myth-telling contest with Qingi, who asks Raven's companions to tell a story; when they say they do not know of any, Qlngi asks them to relate "Raven Ti-aveling," which makes Raven ashamed; they then tell about incidents relating to the de- struction of Qiugi's people and make him ashamed Ska 124. 196. Ho inquires of a woman who is weaving baskets for his cousin; when she does not answer, he threatens to knock out her labret; then she says that his cousin is on the foui'th point of land in front of a shell on which she is drawing Sk/" 136. 197. Raven marries Djila'qons, who appears in the water near Bella- bella; she sinks whenever he approaches her, until he uses a wide pea-shell as a canoe; he takes off her dancing-ornaments and wipes her body; he gives her Beaver's house (see No. 50) Ska 115. 198. Heron makes a canoe; Raven pretends to help him, but cuts thi'oush the canoe -MJ 300. 580 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. an.n. 31 199. When shellfish go to war, they are poisonous Mb 307. 200. Raven gives liis sister in jnarriage (Gau'o type, see p. 850) Ma 316. He calls animals to bo his companions (Gau'o type) Tla 9. 201. A witch steals Raven's breath (see p. 736) Tl .5.318. 202. Raven meets the One-Eyed Giant; he carries a salmon eye, and pretends to take out his own eye and to put it back; thus he induces the giant to tear out his eye; then he kills him; after this he has a knife-throwing contest with the giant's wife; he flies up; the knife passes under him; Iw kills the giant's wife Tl 5.318 (this is preceded by No. 211). Skate antl Raven have a knife-throwing contest; Skate turns its narrow side to Raven; Raven is hit Nu 5.107. 203. Raven and Tree call each other names Tla 20. 204. He causes "fat on the sea" to sink by striking it with his paddle Tla 20. 205. He visits the Fish people, whoso houses are dcscribetl T1& 84. 206. Killer Whale tests him in a sweat-house; ho saves himself by holding ice in his mouth T1& 89. (See p. 806.) 207. Raven has a diving-contest mth travolei's who take away his wives; when Raven dives, he hides near a rock, pointing his beak out of the water Co 5.79. (See p. 812.) 208. Raven's daughter is induced by Crow to oat sea eggs; Crow tells on her, and she is deserted by her father and his people Ne 5.180. 209. Raven marries Haiahlaqs, and deserts her because they have no children; then he marries Tslu'mqalaqs; their eldest son paints rocks with red color, and ordains that when the color is bright there will be plenty of food H 5.234. 210. Raven quarrels with Eagle because the latter roosts above Raven II 5.234. 211. Petrel and Raven have a shooting-match; Raven uses birds in place of arrows Ts 69; N 18; Tl 5.318. 212. Raven believes ho has found a beautiful dancing-blanket, which turns out to be moss Ts 72; Na 70; N6 38. 213. Raven exchanges the chief's abalone club for one of rotten wood N44. 214. Raven enslaves the Stump that has eaten his meat N 68. 215. Raven loses his nose ornament and induces Mink to dive for it RiMS; Ne 5.173. 216. Raven takes the form of a deer, is taken aboard by the people, and makes a princess sick by kicking her in the stomach; he pretends to bo a shaman and cures the princess; he induces the people to leave, and eats their provisions Ts 81 . (See p. 722.) 217. Raven (Great Inventor) suspects that his wife, SawbUl Duck, is not true to him; she goes out diggii^g clams; he sends Raven to watch her. Raven discovers that Younjr Raccoon and Rac- BOAS] COMPABATIVE STUDY OP TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 581 coon are her lovers; Great Inventor pretends to be sick, liis wife gives him clams, and he finds that the juice looks milky, and says that he can see by this that his wife is not true to him; Great Inventor pretends to die, and is buried; Sawbill . Duck passes his grave, and when she tells him that she hves with Raccoon, he revives; he has become a great shaman K 9.135; K 9.492; K 10.282. 218. He spoils a person's property, is thrown into the water, and falls on a rock (see p. 629) Mh 296. 219. Creation of land Ma 293. 220. He makes a house for himself and lives alone Ma 293. 221. He says Qeng" will adopt him Mb 304. 222. He is turned out by Qeng'^ and makes his thigh sore Mb 306. 223. He takes his uncle's place, makes a deluge, and flies up into the sky Mb 308. 224. He invites the fishes at night; in the morning he lets dayhght into the house, shouts, and they become stones Tl 5.317; Ma 316. 225. He causes the birds to fight against him; asks his sister Siwa's for her war-belt; he means her belt; he lets himself faU down, and crawls into the house without being hurt M 332. In the version T1& a number of independent stories appear incor- porated in the Raven tale: (A woman visits the ghost countrj^ T1& 82.) (Story of a Cannibal T1& 89. ) (Fire Drill's son T16 94.) (The Dog children Tib 99.) (The Wolf arrow Tib 122.) ((3au'6T16 124.) (The woman who marries the Bear T1& 126.) (The woman who marries the DeviUish Tib 130.) (Garbage Man Tib 132.) (Origin of secret societies T1& 133.) (Men who become shamans bj' sleeping among driftwuod T16 134.) (Raven helps a man to win in gambUng T1& 135.) (He learns a dance from the Grouse T1& 139.) (Story of men who are transformed into land otters and ducks Tib 142.) (People are told they will die successively, each at one point of land T1& 144.) (Child carried away by Man With A Burning Hand T16 145.) (The bo}^ who became strong T1& 145.) (The monster devilfish T1& 150.) (Origin of the woodworm crest T1& 151.) (The shaman called by the Land Otters T16 152.) 582 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY' [Exn. ANN. 31 I l)elievo this summary of incidents proves clearly that the Raven legend as a whole can not be considered as a well-organized cycle. So many versions have been recorded, that, if the single incidents which occur — particularly in the Tlingit and llaida series — were old and widely distributed parts of tlie Raven legend, they would be expected to appear in other forms of the tradition too.' I believe a clearer insight into the character of the whole cycle may be obtained by determining tlu; popularity of the various incidents according to the number of records made among various tribes and from various narrators. In the table on p. 583 are given the number of versions that have been recorded from eacli tribe. Naturally, when telling myths to a collector, the natives will tell those first with which they are most familiar, and which appeal more strongly to their im- agination. In this sense the table will give us an impression of the popularity and relative importance of the various incident of the tale. In a number of cases the character of the tales changes materially among the different tribes, as will be more fully illustrated in our discussions on pp. 621 et seq. Strongly aberrant types of tales that are not connected with the Raven cycle are indicated in the table by placing such versions in parentheses. I have grouped all the Tlingit tribes together. Masset and Kaigani form a group by themselves. The Skidegate has been counted sepa- rately. Tsimshian and Nass form one group; Bellacoola, Ilaida, and Rivei-s Inlet, another group by themselves; and the Kwakiutl tribes south of Rivers Inlet have been grouped together. In a study of this table it must be borne in mind that while the material for the Tlingit, Masset, Skidegate, Tsimshian, and Kwakiutl, is very full, that collected from the Bellacoola, Bellabella, Rivers Inlet tribe, Nootka, and Comox is much less exhaustive; so that further research might give us additional material for these tribes. These five tribes are represented principally by the records published in my "Sagen" (Boas 4). Besides this, I have used a manuscript collection from Rivers Inlet collected by me in 1897, the Nootka and Bellabella tales given in Appendix I to this paper, and the material contained in my discussion of the mythology of the Bella- coola (Boas 15). ' I have recently had an opportunity to discuss this matter with Mr. Shotridge, an educated Indian from Chilkat. He claims that among the Tlingit the Raven legend, so far as it refers to the creation, follows a regular sequence. Upon closer inquiry, he said that everything had to be created in definite order, — day- light before the world became inhabitable; water before fish could be produced: and so on. In answer to my question regarding the order of the other incidents of the tale, he claimed that they were told only to offset the serious parts of the tale, in order to entertain the listeners, and that there was no particular order in which these were told. BOiS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 583 Origin Talrs The stealing of daylight . . . . Liberation of the sun The breaking-up of tlie moon . . f(a) Origin of fresh water , . . . \(b) Water in roots of alder trees . Origin of ohichen Ua) Origin of the tidesj ,. War on Southeast Wind ((a) Deer Origin of nre}^^^^.^^ \(a) Stoue and Elderberry Origin of deathr,^ „, ,,. , , [(0) The u ren s request . The painting of birds The origin of fog Salmon made out of wood Tile revived twin creates salmon . . . . The offended Salmon "Woman Abduction of the Salmon ^^"omiln . . . Origin of soil Origin of the months Inciilents Bfised on Raven's Voraciousness Origin of Itaven's ^■o^aciousness Haven kills the salmon Why Crow and Raven are black Cormorant's tongue torn out The killing of GrizEly Hear ... .... The killing of Pitch Raven's beak torn off Transformation of Bullhead 26. Stealing of seal from children, who jilay ball with it ((a) Raven travels with Eagle. Raven swallowed by whale Raven steals whale («) Raven creates or takes a slave, who disobeys him (i) Slave eals food offered to Raven (c) Raven pretends to die, slave steals food id) Raven kills slave Raven gathers poor food; his companion, fat food . . . {(a) Raven pretends to be a woman (6) Raven kills and eats the seal (including Nos. 33 and 39) Bungling host Visit to Shadow Town [(a) Raven kills Deer w ith hammer 1(6) Thrown into chasm Raven steals salmon eggs Raven steals sister's berries Raven's gizzard torn out Raven pretends to be dead (1) + 1 1 4 6 3 3 l' 3 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 l + (2) 2 Ts. 1 2 1 1 1 1 I 2 BC. Nu. 2 (1) + 1 1 7 5 2 Co. 584 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETn. ANN. 31 Amorous Adventures 1(a) Raven and the girls . . 41. He burns his sister's groinsr,^ „ , . , [(b) Ravens sou carried away 42. Master Fisherman deserted Miscellaneous Adventures 43. War with Thunderbirds 44. Arrow of supernatural being 45. Invitation of sea monsters Tl. M. Sk. Ts. BC. Nu. Co. The name of the Raven changes from tribe to tribe. Wliile among the Tlingit the name Yel is used throughout, the Ilaida, although identifying the being with Raven, call him NAfiki'lsLas ("He Whose Voice Is Obeyed"). The Tsimshian also identify him with Raven, but they call him Txa'msEm. Among the Bellacoola T always heard the name Raven used, except in so far as he is identified with the ancestors of certain village communities. The Bellabella and Rivers Inlet tribes use the name He'mask'as ("Real Chief"). In Rivers Inlet, however, a second name, K!wek!waxa'we^ ("Great Inventor") also appears. This name seems to be used from here southward as far as the most southern Kwakiutl tribes. In northern \'ancouver Island the two names, ME'skwa ("The Greedy One") and O'^meal (perhaps related to o'^nia, "chieftainess") appear. Among the southern Kwakiutl, Great Inventor or O'^mcat is considered the elder brother of the animals, and among the Kwakiutl proper the myth develops in such a way that Great Inventor appears as the chief of the village of the Quadrupeds, while the Birds with their chief live in another village. The tale is localized in the old home of the Kwakiutl atQa'logwis ("Crooked Beach"). The Nootka call him Qo"icin''mit', and localize his home at Yuquot, in the Mowa'tclath'' territory. In the region of the Gulf of Georgia, and extending northward as far as Bellabella, the Mink legends replace to a great extent the Raven tales. We have seen, however, that the Raven tale extends southward as far as the most southern Kwakiutl tribes. In frag- ments it may be recognized even still farther south. The essential traits of the Mink tale seem to me quite different from those of the Raven tale. In our discussion of the introduction to the Raven tale we shall see that there is apparently a close relation between the first incident of the Mink myth (his ascent to the sk}") and the beginning of the Raven tale, in so far as both may be interpreted as Deluge legends. The exploits of Mink are, however, quite distinct in char- acter from those of the Raven. Most of them deal with marriages of Mink and various kinds of beings and of his amorous jiropensi- ties — a trait that is not so prominent in the northern tales. Never- BOAS] COMPAEATn^: STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 585 theless there is a considerable amount of confusion between the two cycles, as may be seen from the list of incidents common to the Raven tale and to the Mink tale that is given below. The Mink tales, more particularly the amorous group, are also related to the Coyote tales, but I shall not enter into this subject here. INCIDENTS IN MINK TALES 1. Mink and the sun H 5.2.34; H ap 885; BC 95; BC 5.246; Ri 5.215; RiMS; Ne 5.173; K 5.157; K 9.12.3; K 11.80; Sts Hill- Tout 5.345. See also BC 69, 102. 2. He marries Kelp K 5.158; K9.127; K 11.117; Co 5.71; Sts 5.44. 3. He marries Frog Woman K 5.158; K 9.129; K 11.119. 4. He marries Diorite Woman K 5.1.58; K 9.131: K 11 . 1 22 [Barnacle Co 5.71]. 4'. Kwa'tlyat' marries the Pitch Nu 5.100; Co 5.71: Sts 5.44. 5. Mink wants to marry Sawbill-Duck Woman K 9.131 ; K 11.124. 6. He is deserted by his wife K 9.133. 7. He makes war on his friend Land Otter K 5.158; K 9.157, 494; K 11.127; Co 5.72; Xtl Teit 2.59; U 2.34. 8. Mink recognized as father of a child K 9.495; Nu 5.108; Co 5.73. 9. Mink kills the sons of the Wolf K 11.103 [son Co 5.75]; Se 57; Squ Hill-Tout 3.543. 10. He marries the princess of the spirits K 11.113. 11. Deer and Sawbill-Duck Woman K 11.135. 12. Mink and the Starfish Woman K 11.144. 13. Mink tries to make a mountain K 11.161. 14. He marries Fog Co 5.71. 15. He marries the Eagle Co 5.71 ; Sts 5.44. 16. Mink and the women Ne 5.172; Nu 5.108; Co 5.72. 17. Mink and the Holothuria Co 5.74. IS. Mink uses his grandmother's vulva for bait Co 5.74. See also N 121; Sk .362; Sk 363. 19. Mink and the hornef^nest Nu 5.109; Till 142. 20. Mink fights with the ghosts K 5.158; Xa a,' h 5.-54; Sts 5.43; (Lil 302).' 21. Mmk and the seal K 9.147. 22. Mmk gets sea eggs K 5.159; K 9.1.37; K 11.140. INCIDENTS COMMON TO MINK AND EAVEN TALES 23. Mink gets tides Ri 5.215; K 5.1.5S; K 9.493; K 11.88,94. See No. 6 in Raven list, p. 567. 24. Mink gets fire^ K 5.158; Na«, h 5.54; Sts 5.43; (Lil 302). See No. 8 in Raven list, p. 567. ■ See No. 24, below. = The type of story of the Nanaimo.Lillooet.and Fraser Delta tribes is similar in form to the story of the origin of the tides among the Kwakiutl Ne 5.175; Ko.loS; Ne 9.229; K 9.493; K 10.278; K 11.88, 94. 586 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [etii. anx. 31 25. Mink and Salmon Woman Ri 5.209; K 5.159. See No. 14 in Raven list, p. 508. 20. Mink swallowed by Wlialc Ne 5.171. See No. 27, p. 509. 27. Wolves steal Mink's gizzard Co 5.74 [musk-bag K 9.143]. See No. 38, p. 569. 28. Mink pretends to be dead K 9.135, 139; Co 5.73; Sts 5.33. See No. 40, p. 569; No. 217, p. 580. See also Wish 105. 29. Mink burns his sister's groins Co 5.71. See No. 41, p. 509. 30. Mink loses his nose-ornament Ne 5.173. 31. Steelhead salmon. See No. 19, p. 508. 32. Mink makes a slave. See No. 29, p. 569. 33. Southeast Wind. See No. 7, p. 567. 34. Bungling host. See No. 32, p. 569. Transformer Myths Stiil another cycle, that of the culture hero, extends northward as far as Bellabella. INTRODUCTIONS OF TRANSFORMER TALES Like the introductory parts of the Raven myth, those of the Trans- former or culture-hero tales show considerable variation. Among the Kwakiutl the Transformer, who is called Q!a'neqe"'lak", and his brother, ai-e sent down from heaven (in Dawson' 20; Ne 5.194) and are adopted by Heron and his wife the Woodpecker (Haiali^lak", Dawson 20), who owai a salmon weir. \Mienever the latter come home with sahnon, they shout, "Enemies are coming!" The children discover this, and kill and transform the old people (Ne 5.194; Ne 9.187; Ne 11.185; Dawson 20, 21). Among the Cliilcotin the Transformers are the descendants of the dog who married a girl. The dog Lendix"tcux is recognized bj^ the girl as her lover })y the marks of her hands, which she covers with white paint, and which she presses on his back. She is deserted by the people. Raven insults her, but Magpie pities her. She gives birth to tliree pups, that play about in human shape when she is absent, while on her return they put on their dog blankets. She burns the blankets, and they remain boys, while the old dog succeeds in put- ting on part of his blanket. He becomes a being half dog, half human. The boys become expert hunters. The people return, and they give food to Magpie; whQe Raven is punished for his mahce. Then the boys and the old dog set out and begin their work as trans- formers (Chil 7-9). The tribes of the delta of Fraser River relate that the Transformers are children of the Black Bear (Sts 5.19; Sts Hill-Tout 5.360). This 1 G. M. Dawson, Notes and Observations on the Kwakiool People of Vancouver Island (Trant. Roy. Soc. f)/ Canada, vol. V, Section II, pp. 1-36. Montreal, 1888). BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDV OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 587 introduction is used also by the Lower Thompson Indians (U 218), and has been recorded as far east as Lytton, at the confluence of Fraser and Thompson Rivers (5.16; Teit 3.317). It is also referred to as belonging to the Lillooet of Fraser River (Lil 350), while most of the Upper Thompson Indians (Teit 2.42, Plill-Tout 1.195, Ntl Teit 3.315) and the Shuswap (5.1, Sh 644) lack this part of the introduction. Since most of the inland tribes state definitelv that these Transformers came from the coast, it seems plausible that tliis introduction belonged originally to the region of the Fraser River Delta. The tale itself has a wide distribution and is often not con- nected with the Transformer cycle. Examples are K 5.10S ; K 1 1.15 ; Co 5.81; Ntl Teit 2.69; Lil 322: Sh 681; Kath 118; Takelma 117; Klamath 118.' The Shuswap version, referred to before, shows certain indications of a relationship to the Chilcotin introduction. In the version 5.1 it is stated that a woman threw medicine on her three sons, who attained magical power; while the oldest one, whom she missed, became a dog. In both these versions the Transformers use a magical staff in their exploits (see pp. 610 et seq.). Among the Quinault and Chinook a quite different formula is used as introduction. A woman is carried away by a Grizzly Bear. She has a son and a daughter. The Bear kills her brothers, except the youngest one, who burns the abductor and his son in their house. The brothei-s are revived, and on their way home they bathe in a lake. There tlio sister is transformed into a lake-monster. The daughter marries a chief.- Bluejay induces her to laugh, in consequence of wliich she becomes a cannibal. Her twin sons discover what she has done, and punish her. They ])ecome the Transformers (Chin 17; Quin 81). Among the Comox (5.63), Cowichan (5.45), Squamish (5.56), and Puyallup of Puget Sound,' no introduction has been recorded. In all these cases there are a number of Transformers. Among the Kwakiutl, Nootka, Quinault, and Chinook, they are twins. The Bear children of the interior, referred to before, are brothers, although in the related stories of the interior they are sometimes described as friends. jVmong the Comox the Transformer, who is called Kumsno'ol ("Our Elder Brother"), is accompanied by Raven, Mink, and a bird, probably the Woodpecker. All along the Gidf of Georgia the Trans- former is called Xiils, or, in reiluphcated form, Xsxals (Sts HiU-Tout 5.360). By the Nitinath he is called Alis (Globus, liii [1888], 157). In the Nootka introduction recorded by George Hunt (Nu ap 908), the Mucus Boy (see p. 734), who visits his father in the sky, becomes the Transformer and is sent down to our earth. In the Nootka ver- sion 5.98 no introduction lias been recorded. ' A. S. Gatschet, The Klamath Indians (Contribitfions to Xorih A mcrkan Elhnolngy, vol. n. Pt. 1 1. 2 The Quinault version begins here. ' Boas, "Zur Mythologie der Indianer von Washington und Oregon" {Globus, vol. Lxni. p. 154. 1.S93). 588 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. asn. 31 The following list gives the general character of the introduction as recorded in various areas : 1. Q la'neqe^lak" and his brothers come down from heaven Ne 5.194; Ne 9.187; Ne 11.185. 2a. Woodpecker has two wives, Grizzly Bear and Black Bear; the former has no children; the latter, three sons and one daughter Sts 5.19. 21. Red-Headed Woodpecker has two wives, Grizzly Bear and Black Bear; each has four children U 218. 2c. Magpie has two wives, Grizzly Bear and Black Bear; each has four sons Sts Ilill-Tout 5.360. 2d. TEmth'psEm has two wives, Grizzly Bear and Black Bear; each has four children Ntl 5.16. 3. Xiils comes down from heaven Cow 5.45. 4a. Four brothers Xais travel about Squ Hill-Tout .3.518 [Xais comes dowTi from heaven Squ 5.56]. 46. Four brothers travel inland from the sea. Lake Lillooet, Lil 350. Ac. Three brothere Qoa'qlqal come up the river Ntl Teit 2.42. 4(Z. Fom- Transformers Qwo'qtqwal come up from the sea; Nicola Valley, Ntl Teit 3.315. 4e. Four brothers and a sister called A'tse'mel come up from the sea Ld 292. 5. Xone', no origin tradition, Puyallup, 154.^ 6. Xone'xone, no origin tradition, Chehalis, 155.' 7. Le'esa (four brothers) and Kwclaa'llst, who is their aunt's grand- son, live at Kamloops; three of the brothers are given power; one becomes a dog Sh 5.1 ; Sh 644; also Dawson ^31. 8. The sons of the Dog who had married a girl become the Trans- formers, and travel, accompanied by their Dog f atlier Chil 7-9. The following special mcidents are mentioned in various versions: 9. XExals, after a stay inland, comes down to Harrison Lake Sts 5.19; Sts Hill-Tout 5.360. 10. The youngest brother is the canoe in which the older ones travel Squ Hdl-Tout 3.518. 11. The youngest is carried on the back of the elder brothers U 220; Ntl Hill-Tout 1.198; Ntl Teit 3.315. 12. The Transformei-s travel with Mmk Sts 5.19; Sts Hill-Tout 5.360; Ld 292. 13. The youngest one wears a beaver cap Sts 5.19. In connection with the present discussion it is not necessary to follow out the details of the introduction, wliich has no inner relation to the following Transformer tale. > Globus, vol. ixm, 1893. - George M. Dawson, Notes on the Shuswap People of British Columbia ( Tram. Roy. Soc. Can., ISOI, Section II, pp. 3^4). BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 589 TRANSFORMER SlYTH OF NORTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND The most characteristic incidents of the Transformer legend of the Newettee division of the Kwakiutl are the encoimters with ancestors of tribal subdivisions. Many of these have the form of contests, in which the ancestor is proved to be as powerful as the Transformer. The latter is throughout represented as unable to overcome the powers of the sacred winter dance. He represents the powers of the secular Sli mm er season. In a few cases the ancestors are transformed by bim into stone or rivers. Most of these incidents are very brief. Follow- ing is a list of those that have been recorded : 1. Q !a'ueqe-lak" meets He'Hg'iliqalaand Lo'lEmaga atQ la'las .5.196; 9.199; 11.210; 11.195; Dawson' 21. See also 9.193. They throw their wiiiter-dance power [woodworms 11.210] at each other [they have dentalia on their fire 11.210]. Q la'neqe^lak" is afraid, and passes behind them 5.196; 11.195; 11.210: therefore there is a trail behind Q la'las 11.210. In 9.199 the same incident is referred to. It is simply stated that Q la'neqMak" saw the red-cedar bark and woodworms, was afraid, and passed behind He'Ug'iliqala. [X man shakes a blanket liUed with diseases at him; he faints, and then passes behind, Dawson 21; see also 9.193.] 2. Qla'neqe^lak" meets O'-'meal at Ge'^ya [XudzExsta'^e 5.196] 5.196; 9.207; 11.222. They point with th^ir first (fourth 11.222) fingers at each other, and each has a hole through his head. They are afraid of each other 5.196. They were of equal power 9.207. [O'^meiil had the hole in his stomach; Q!a'ne- qe^lak", between his eyes. Q la'neqe^lak" is afraid of O'^meiil 11.222.] 3. He meets Lexya'lik'a^layn and his sister ^naxnai'sUaogwa at Xusbalis; the two dance ihe winter dance; he is afraid, and passes by 5.197; also mentioned in 9.195. 4. He meets Kwe'xag'ila on the moimtain XusE'la, wearing the grizzly-bear mask and dancing the fool dance 5.197. 5. He meets Ha'yihk'a^ve at LE^la'd in Hardy Bay 5.197; 9.195; 11.223; 11.224; 11.196. See also 9.207;" 11.229; Co 5.6.3.— 11.227; K9.453; K 10.100; K 9.480; K 5.167; 5.182. Ha'j'ilik'a^we dances, wearing a mask and an ermine headdress. Qla'ne- qe^lak" lets the waters rise, but is unable to harm Ha'yilik-a^we. He throws him into a fire, but Ha'yilik-a^we sinks into the ground. Since Q !a'neqe-lak" can not overcome him, they become friends. He fills his river with salmon 5.197. [He sees Ha'yilik-a^we dancing with a large head-ring, is afraid of him, and passes behind him 11.196.] [Ha'yiUk-a^we pushes a stick into his left side and lets the skin close over it. Q !a'neqe^lak" is unable to find this "sickness," and he is thus beaten by Ha'yilik-a^we 11.224.] [After passing Ha'yilik-a^we, he sees him in his canoe, singing a sacred song. Ha'yUik-a^we is thrown into the water and becomes a perch 11.223; 11.229.] In 9.207 the same story is told, but the name of the ancestor is not given. The person who is dancing in the canoe and singing is called the perch, and says that he has the greatest power of throwing supernatural powers into people. (See also p. 568, No. 25.) Hai'alik-a^we is also mentioned in 9.195. I See p. 686, note 1 . 590 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eih. ann. 31 The Comox incident of the Transformer's meeting with a shaman, who says that he is merely enjoying the fine weatlier and is then thrown into the water and transformed into a fish with stout body and thin tail, is presumably identical with this tale Co 5.63. The incident of Q !a'neqe^lak"'8 meeting with Ytx-a'gEme^, as told in 11.227, isidentical with one of the versions of his meeting with Ha'yilik'a^we. When they meet, Ylxa'gEme^ is first transformed into a young sawbill duck, then he is retransformed into a man. Next Q la'neqe^Iak" is transformed in the same way. Then Q la'neqe^lak" makes a deluge, which does no harm to Yix'a'gEme^'s iiouse, the smoke coming out of the water. According to one version, Yixa'gBme^ also makes a deluge in return. Q !;Vneqe^lak" becomes afraid of him and passes. The saro^ incident is recorded in the QIa'mtalal tradition K 10.100; K9.4.53. QIa'neqMak" meets Chief QIa'mtalal. Assoon as he looks at him, the chief's pile-driver falls into the water; but, owing to the chief's magical power, comes up again. QIa'mtalal calks his house, because he knows that Q la'neqc^lak" is going to make a deluge K 9.453. The same story is told of Ma'leleqala, who built a house of large trees and calked the o])enings wth clay. During the deluge he remained safe inside. After the water had subsided, his brothers hauled in drift-logs, wliich became their tribe, ^^^len Q la'neqe^lak" meets him, he wears a head-ring of red- cedar bark, and is told that he shall be the first to receive red-cedar bark in the winter ceremonial 9.480. Tlie incident of the flood is also told of Ila'yilika^we without express refer- ence to Qla'neqe^lak". It is said in this version that the deluge lasted for a whole year, and that the raven Klweklwaxa'^we caused the flood to subside K 5.1G7. At another jilace in the O'^meiil tradition a contest between Ha'yilika^we and O'^meiil is told of, in which they point at each other with their fingers. Ha'yilik'a^we makes a hole in O'^meiil's head, while the latter makes a hole in Ha'yilika^we's chest. Then O'^meiil produces the flood, which leaves shells on the roof of the house. Ha'yiUka^we throws these through O'^meal's stomach, a feat that O'^meal is unable to imitate. He makes, however, another flood, while Ha'yilika^we causes the smoke of his house to pass through the water. Tlien they throw each other respec- tively with the double-headed serpent and trees, and finally become friends 5.182. 6. Q M'neqe^'lak" meets Xate'tsEn 9.3. Analogous to this is also the meeting between Q la'neqMak" and Xate'tsEn. They treat each other to meat of the double-headed serpent. Then they transform each other unsuccessfully into fog and a crane, each resuming human shape immediately after the transformation. Next they race on Xate'tsEn's playground, running first up a mountain, then down again, and then jumping into the canoe. Q Ia'neqe^lak'''s belt comes off, and he falls into the water. Xate'tsEn believes that he has vanquished him; but Q la'nc'qe^lak" comes up again, and transforms a beaver and the watchman of Xate'tsEn's salmon weir into stone. 7. Q la'neqe^lak" meets Tsla'qame^ K 10.167-171. Q la'neqMak" meets Tsla'qame^, and they try their powers. He points at him with his finger, and a hole appears under the eyes of Tsla'qame^. He heals himself, and performs the same triik on Qla'neqMak". The Trans- former asks his companions to cut off the head of Tsla'qame^. They do so, and he comes back to lite. The Transformer orders his companions lo cut BOAS] COMPABATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 591 open the belly of Ts!a'qamO^ and to take out his intestines, but he revives. He is thrown into the fire, and they can not kill him. They tie a stone on his neck and throw him overboard into the sea. He comes up again and walks back to his house. Tsla'qame^ tells Q la'neqe^lak" that he will not be able to kill him. Then Q la'neqe^lak" takes part of the neck-ring of red- cedar bark that Tsla'qame^ is wearing, and takes it to the house of the Sal- mon. This has the effect that frogs come to be in Tsla'qame^'s stomach. He takes them out and puts them on a rock. S. Q !a'neqe^lak" meets Ma'tag'ila 5.197. He meets a large bird, which takes off its dress and becomes Ma'tag'ila. They become friends, and he creates salmon for Ma'tagila in the river Tslfi'lxut in Hardy Bay. 9. Q la'neqMak" meets No 'mas 5.107. He meets No'mas, the ancestor of the La'witslis, who was the first one to use fish-lines made of kelp, which are employed in halibut fishing. Q la'neqe^lak" makes friends with him, and creates salmon in his river. 10. Qla'neqrlak" meets NomasE'nxelis 5.196; 9.207; 11.195; 11.221. He meets NomasE'nxelis, who sends his son to Xu.sba'lis. Q la'neqe^lak" transforms him into a large stone on Hope Island. The grass on top of the stone is his hair. NomasE'nxelis's son had a house, in front of which a totem- pole was erected. Q la'neqe^lak" tears it out and throws it into the sea 5.196. The same incident is briefly referred to in 9.207. In 11.195 it is merely told that Qla'neqe^lak" sees the children of NomasE'nxelis throwing wood- worms at each other and wearing large head-rings of cedar bark. For this reason he is afraid and passes them. In 11.221 the same incident is repeated. It is stated that Q la'neqe^lak" transforms NomasE'nxeUs's tribe into stones; that NomasE'nxelis himself became a small island in the Bay of Newettee; that NomasE'nxelis's children were performing the winter dance, throwing harpoons at each other, and that for this reason Q la'neqe^lak" was afraid of them. 11. Q la'neqe^lak" meets the ancestors of the Nimkish K 5.134; 11.228. They give each other fat of the double-headed serpent to eat, but are unable to poison each other. Then Q la'neqe^lak" tries to transform them succes- sively into ducks, mountains, kingfisher; but every time they regain their human form. Tliey are also unable to transform Q la'neqe^lak". One of these ancestors takes the name Gwa'^nalalis. He thinks that on Q !a'neqMak"'s return he may be transformed into a stone or a tree; but since stones are liable to break, and trees liable to decay, he wishes to become the Nimkish River. Then Q la'neqe^lak" transforms him into a river, in which salmon go up. He throws away shellfish. For this reason there are no shellfish near the mouth of the river 5.134. Gwa'^nalalis lies down on his back, and, according to his wish, is transformed into a river 11.228. 12. Q!a'neqe%k" meets Ma'leleqala, who is blind 5.199; 11.225. By letting him dive four times he restores his eyesight. Then he names him 11.225. In 5.199 it is said that Ma'leleqala was sick, and that QJa'neqe- ^lak" cin-ed him by passing his hand over his body. Finally he gaxe him salmon. 592 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etu. an.v. 31 13. In the version 5.197 it is also stated that he met the ancestor of a number of other tribal divisions, but no details of these meetings are given. A few longer stories are embodied in the Transformer legend, which I do not need to give here in detail. Most of these refer to marriages between the Transformer and the daughter of an ancestor, and will be treated at another place, in connection with the discussion of the Test tlieme (p. 794). The most important of these stories are the following : 14. He marries the daughter of Gwa'''nalalis 5.197; 9.195; 11.196; Dawson 21. 15. His encounter with Qa'mxulal 5.199; K 11.3. 16. His marriage with the daughter of Dza'wadalalisK 9.455; K 10.94; 11.229; K. 5.135. [In the last-named passage the story is told of G'l'i, the son of Gwa'^nalalis. This, however, is probably a mistake, since Q la'neqe^lak" is often called G'l'i.] Nu ap 909. As incidents of the Dza'wadalalis story appear a number of transformations. All of these are supposed to have taken place on Q!a'neqe^lak"'s journey up Knight Inlet. 17. In return for a warning he gives to a man mussels or fish K 5.135; K 9.456; K 9.457; K 10.94; 11.230-232. At LlEkwe'te he throws tour mussels ashore, aiul ordains that there shall always be many mussels 11.230. ."Vt G'io'x" he is kindly received and puts mussels and roasted salmon [fish 9.4.56] into the water 10.94. At the same place he throws roasted sockeye salmon into the water, which are given to the _La' wits lis 11.231. At Ha'nwade he throws boiled salmon ashore 9.457. At A'x'atbe^ he puts mussels and roasted salmon into the water 10.94; 11.232. 18. At Qwa'xEm he is not received so kindly, and for this reason he places poisonous clams on the beach K 5.135. 19. In Lalcmaxa'es he throws a piece of whale meat out of his canoe. It becomes stone K 5.135. 20. At Alert Bay he throws his clothmg out of the canoe K 9.456. It is transformed into the numerous islands between Vancouver Island and Knight Inlet. He throws his comb on the mountains, and it is transformed into trees. 21. He throws something out of liis canoe, which becomes the deer K 9.456; K 10.94; 11.229. At Da'qos he is unkindly received by the people, whom ho first transforms into birds, then into deer 10.94; 11.229. 22. At Qlwala'd a person teUs him that when trying to marry Dza'wadalahs's daughter he lost his hair and his face was cut. This person is transformed into a mountain K 9.457. • BOAS] COMPAEATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 593 23. He meets the Geese K 9.457; 10.95; 11.233. See also H ap 883. At A'snak' !a he meets people digging roots. He lands at l la'qwaxstelis, where Geese and Ducks are steaming roots. They are blind, and scent him. He inquires what they are steaming; and they tell that they have no roots, but something that Raven eats, in their wooden kettles. He spits on their eyes and restores their eyesight 9.457. In the versions 10.9.5, 11.233, he takes away the food of the old women who scent him, and then restores their eyesight. They are Geese, who then give him ad\'ice. The same story is told as an incident independent of the Transformer marriage by the Bella- bella, H ap. 24. He meets the Ducks 5.202; 9.203; K 10.95: 11.215; 11.234; Dawson 20. See also Ts 1.175; Ts 4.275; M 498; Sk 33S; Hai6.73; BC5.263; K5.135; Nuap907; Nu 5.118; Co 5.65; Se 44; Na 5.55; Sts5.38; Sts Hill-Tout 5.354; Ntl5.18; Sh711; Chir46. The same incident is repeated at Cbalis 5.135; at Gu'myade 10.95, 11.234, In this case the blind women are Mallard Ducks. This incident occurs also separately in 5.202 as part of the Q !a'neqe^lak" tradition, but not incidental to his journey up Knight Inlet. In the same way it occurs in Dawson 20. where a number of women are said to cook eel-grass. After tlus follows the story of the Transformer's encounter with Dzii'wadalahs's daughters and his contest with his father-in-law. In 9.204 and 11.215 it occurs independently, the women cooking the roots being Mallard Ducks. The incident of the blind women who are identified as birds occurs in many different combinations on the North Pacific coast. A group of tales of this type will be found discussed on p. 842. These versions belong to the Haida of Skidegate and Masset, to the Tsimshian, and to the Xanaimo. In another comiection the story occurs in the delta of Fraser River and among the Thompson Indians. A youth meets two bUnd sisters roasting roots. AMien the one passes a dishful to the other, the youth takes it away from her. The sisters say, "The son of the brother and sister who burnt themselves must be here." The boy is on his way to marr\' the daughter of the Sun, and they give him ad\'ice Sts 5.38. The same is told of the youth who went in search of a new head, Sts Hill-Tout 354. Among the Comox the incident occurs in the stor\' of the young man who made a chain of aiTows and went up to marr\' the daughter of the Sun. Two brothers who have gone up to the sky meet a number of blind women sitting around a fire, boiling some kind of plant. The elder brother steps on the blanket of the woman who is distributing the food, and the younger one takes away the fUled dishes, ^^^len they find out that there is somebody there, they request that their eyesight be restored. The brothers chew roots and spit on their eyes. The women regain their eyesight and fly away in the form of ducks. The elder brother retains the one whose blanket he is hold- ing, and obtains ad\-ice from her. In this case, as in the stories treated on p. 843, the next person met with is the Crane, who also assists them Co 5.65. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 38 594 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. axs. 31 Among the Nootka the story is told of the Mucus Boy, who makes an arrow- chain, goes up to the sky, and finds the Snail women in their house, who are roasting clover roots on stones. They are blind. He takes away their roots. He restores their eyesight by rubbing their eyes, and they advise him how to obtain the daughter of the chief of the Sky Nu 5.118. The Nootka have the incident in a story of a visit to the sky Nu ap 907, Among the Kwakiutl the story belongs to the Dza'wadalalis tale, and has been referred to before K 5.135. The Bellacoola tell the same story of a boy who flies up to the sky in the form of a plume. There he meets a number of blind women who boil roots. They smell the young man. He spits on their eyes and restores their eye- sight. They are the ducks. He takes away their keen sense of smell, throws them down, and ordains that they shall be used for food BC 5.263. Among the Seshelt the incident has been recorded in a somewhat composite story, which contains certain elements of the Coyote tales. A man sends his son to climb a tree which stretches up to the sky. Tlius the youth reaches the sky land, and meets two blind women who are i)reparing food. He takes it away three times; and one of the old women askshim if he is her grandson. He pvits medicine on the eyes of the women and restores their eyesight Se44. Coyote's son meets two old women, the Grouse, in the sky. The one says, "I smell something bad." He becomes angry and throws them away. They become birds Ntl 5.18. A similar incident told of a blind man forms part of the Wa'walis story BC 5.258, Chil 46 (see p. 848). It will be seen from tliis list that in the majority of cases this incident is placed in the sky. In the GunaxnesEmg'a'd story it is placed on tlie bottom of the sea (see p. 842). 25. He reaches a blind woman who is maldng a canoe K 9.458; K 10.96; 11.235; Sts Hill-Tout 5.343; Sts 5.29; Sts Hill-Tout 5.354; Squ HiU Tout 3.542; Lil Hill-Tout 6.187; U 284. Her child is in a cradle. He pinches it and makes it cry. This causes the woman to cut through the sides of the canoe. He restores her eyesight. In the preceding list I have not enumerated the incidents that refer to the Transformer's brother and a few explanations of natural featm-es and transformations into rocks that form part of the legend. 26. He kills the double-headed serpent 5.195; 9.193; 11.192. After leaving their parents (see incident 1, p. 588, also p. 586), Q!a'nec|t-^- lak" and his brother meet a double-headed serpent, which Q la'neqe^lak" kills. He uses its skin [dorsal fin 11.192] for a belt; its eyes, for sling-stones 5.195; 11.192. They meet the thunderbird eating a double-headed serpent. QIa'neqeMak" takes the serpent's back as a belt, the eyes as .sling-stones 9.193. 27. At Klwa'^ne^ (Cape Scott) he kills four whales, using the ser- pent's eyes as sling-stones 5.195; 9.193; 11.193; Dawson 20. He carries them ashore by their tails. Their backs and blow-holes may still be seen 5.195. He kills two pairs of whales with his sling, using the eyes of the double-headed serpent as sling-stones, and then telling the serpent to come to life in order to kill the whales 11.193. He kills whales for his younger brother. Dawson 20. BOASJ COMPAEATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 595 He makes a house of small sticks for his brother [of dirt 9.193; of toilet- sticks 11.192], sprays water on the house, and it becomes large 5.195; 9.193; 11.192. Then he begins his migrations, on which he meets the ancestors of the various subdivisions of the tribes. 28. He returns to Klwa'^ne-' 5.199; 11.207; Dawson 20, 21, After marrying the daughter of Gwa'^nalalis (incident 14), he returns to K'.wa'^ne^, where he finds his brother dead, and revives him by means of the water of life 5.199. In 11.208 he uses the chamber-vessel of Gwa'^niilalis's daughter, in order to revive his brother. The incident is also mentioned in Dawson 20, 21. 29. He carves men who become ahve 5.199. 30. He marries the daughter of a cliicf in the htnd west of the ocean 5.199. 31. He kills the water monster 5.196; 9.201: 11.217; Dawson 20; Co 5.64; Chil 46; BC 5.258. See also Takelma' 39. At Go'se^ he finds a deserted village, in which a girl is the only person alive. The others have been killed by a water monster. Q la'neqe^lak" requests the gii'l to get water for him, and makes her go, notwithstanding her objections. He gives her his belt made of the double-headed serpent to wear. She is swallowed. The serpent comes to life and kills the monster. The body of the monster bursts open, and the ancestors of the Koskimo come out. They first walk in "a one-sided manner," but are set right, Dawson 20. A boy alone sm-\-ives. AMien he is swallowed, Q la'neqe^lak" causes the serpent to come to life, which kills him. The bones of the Koskimo are vomited up by the monster, and are sprinkled with the urine of Q !a'neqe^lak"''s wife 11.217. An old man, Xau'efsa, and his granddaughter, live in the last house of the village, ^^'hen the monster has swallowed the girl, Q la'neqe^lak" beats time, and causes the serpent to come to life. They are revived by means of the water of life 5.196. In 9.201 only a child is alive. The bones of the Koskimo are put together in the wrong way, and therefore some of them limp after being revived with the water of life. The Comox have an analogous tale. The only sitrv-ivors are an old man and his grandson, who drink fish oil in place of water. The Transformer covers his body with red-hot stones, goes down to the water, and when the monster, which has the form of a devilfish, touches him with its suckers, these drop off. Tlie Transformer cuts it up, throws it about, and transforms it into squids. The stomach is transformed into a stone; the head becomes a whirlpool near Cape Mudge 5.64. Among the Bellacoola the same story occurs as part of the Wa'walis tale. Wa'walis enters a house in which a blind man is boiling deer meat. Wa'walis restores his eyesight by spitting on his eyes. The people of the village have been devoured by a sea monster. Wa'walis sends a slave to get water. The slave is devoured by the monster, which Wa'walis kills by moving his staff towards it. He takes out the bones of the people and re- vives them BC 5.258. It occiu-s in the same connection among the Chilcotin Chil 46. J Edward Sapir, Takelma Te.xts (Cnivcrsity of Pcnnsi/ivania, The Museum, Anthropological Puhlica- tions, vol. n). 596 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 32. He meets Mouth Body 5.202; 9.205; 11.220r| 11.249; Dawson 20, 21; Co 5.63. A person covered with mouths rolls about on the beach. Tlie Transformer passes his hand over the body, and only one mouth remains (all versions). This story occurs also among the Comox. The Transformer changes him into a stone 5.63. In the version 11.249 a story of the marriage of Mouth Body with a chief's daughter is added. 33. A depression in a bowlder at Klwa'^ne^is Q!a'neqe^lak"'s foot- print 5.202; Dawson 20. It is said that his other footprint is on the island Hc'tas (Cox Island) 5.202; Dawson 20. Other stones are shown as his eyes. If sand is thrown into the right one, an east wind will spring up; if thrown into the left one, west wind 5.202. To put the foot into his footprints brings misfortune or death, Daw- son 20. 34. A hole in a rock at K!wa'^ne^ was made by Q la'neqe^lak" 5.203. Ho threw many people into the hole, and for this reason blood comes out of it up to this day. 35. A stone at Newettee Bar is a person transformed by Qla'neqe- ^lak" 5.19G.' 36. QIo'mg'ustaEls of the Xo'yalas and his attendant are trans- formed into stones 9.335; 10.378. 37. Qla'neqeHak" obtains fish 5.194; 5.202; 9.191; Nu ap 908. See alsoBC 5.261: Co 5.93; Lil 297, 354, 355; Lil Hill-Tout 6.202; Squ Hill-Tout 3.534; Ntl Teit 2.52; Ntl Teit 3 367; U 231 (also Ntl 5.17; Wish 141; Wasco 261). Q la'neqe^lak" and his brother are reborn by Dza'dzaxwitElaga (Olachen Woman), They borrow her blanket, dip a comer into the water, which at once is f^ill of fish. The mother then returns into the fish country- 5.194. Q!a'neqe4ak" bets Dza'dzaxwitElaga's blanket against the lance of the bird Ts!ats!o, and loses. Tlie bird dips the comer of the blanket into the water in Knight Inlet: therefore there are great quantities of fish there 5.202. Ts !ats!o plays with Dza'dzaxwitElaga. She wins his blanket. Q la'neqe^lak" forbids her to go to the beach. She asks him to call the herring, and he allows her to go down to the beach, and calls the herrings 9.191. QIa'nexenax" comes down from heaven wearing a blanket in which he carries salmon and olachen. He puts all the olachen and two salmon of each kind into the river of Knight Inlet: hence olachen run only in this ri\'er, and there are all kinds of salmon, Nu ap 908. On Fraser River this incident occurs as part of the story of the deserted boy who exchanges his blanket for that of the Sun. When the Sun blanket is dipped mto water, shoals of fish appear Co 5.93. The Sim places the fringe of his robe in the water, and a fish is caught on each tassel Lil 297. The Sun gives to the boy his robe and teaches him how to make fish traps Lil 354. The Sun gives to the boy his blanket made of ' This may be identical with No. 10, p. 591. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 597 mountain-goat wool, and tells him to dip the fringe four times into a lake. Each time he does so some kind of fish becomes very numerous. Then he teaches him how to make fish traps Lil 355. The Sun gives to the boy his blanket, and tells him that when a corner is put into the lake there will be at once shoals of trout. The deeper the blanket is dipped into the water, the more fish there are Lil Hill-Tout 6.202. The Sun gives the youth his blanket, and tells him that when he dips the corner into the water there will be shoals of herrings. If he should dip too large a part of the garment into the water, the fish would choke the river Squ Hill-Tout 3.534. The Sun purchases the blankets and gives in return valuable presents Ntl Teit 2.52, Ntl Teit 3.367, U 231. The Sun gives the boy a lucky bow in exchange for the blankets Ntl 5.17. A deserted boy is given plenty of fish by the daughter of a water spirit. The many-colored magpie blanket is mentioned here, but it is not definitely stated that the fish was received in exchange for this blanket, Wish HI. The same story is told in another version, and here it is mentioned that the magpie blanket is exchanged for a mountain-sheep skin, Wasco 201. The magical blanket occurs also in a Bellacoola story 5.261. 38. In the Nootka version we find the general statement that the Transformer gives to the tribes their languages, and that he distributes berries, sheHiish, and fish 5.98. TRANSFORMER MYTH.S OF THE WEST COAST OF WASHINGTON 1. At Neah Bay the Transformers find dogs, which they transform into men who become whalers Quin 84. They do not suc- ceed in making them talk the Quinault language. He teaches the people at Neah Bay to fish, Quilleyute, Farrand MS. 2. At Quilleyute the same happens. The men are also given dip-nets for smelts. They do not succeed in making them talk the Quinault language Quin 84. At Quilleyute the Transformer changes two wolves into people, and tells them that poor peo- ple are to have each one vnie; chiefs, several, Quilleyute, Far- rand MS. 3. At Hoh River he finds miserable people, who have only dip-nets. He helps them, Quin 84. At Hoh he finds people walking upside down, carrying their heads between theu' legs. He sets them right, Quilleyute, Farrand MS. 4. At Queets River there were no people. He rubs cuticle off his arms, which he transforms into people. He gives them nets and sahnon-spears, Qutllejnitc, Farrand MS; Qum 84; Chin 20. 4'. Coyote meets a man whose feet are tied together, who moves bj" turning somersaults, and who stands on his head. He sets him riglit. Wish 25. 5. The Transformer is swallowed by a monster Quin 84; Chin 20. See also Kath 107. Kwemo'leLen (one of the Transformer brothers) sees the tail feathers of an eagle floating in Raft River, goes to get them, and is swallowed by a monster. Misp' (the elder Transformer brother) throws hot stones into the river until it boils, spears the monsters, and finds his brother in the largest one. He 598 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. anx. ru ran not re^-ive him, and transforms him into a durk Quin 84. The younger brother shoots a double-headed swan. AMien he swims out to get it, he is swallowed by a monster. The elder brother throws red-hot stones into the lake, makinjj the water boil, ^^^len the lake is dried, he cuts all the monsters, and finds him in the last and smallest one. He blows water on his brother and revives him Chin 20. This incident is also found in another connection in Kath 107. 6. At Quinault he finds people provided with all kinds of implements and weapons Qum 84. The Transformer ordains that lilue- back salmon, shall be caught at Qumault Chin 20. 7. At Copalis he sees a man walking upside down on his hands being pulled into the water by lice. He is turned right-side up, and a comb is given to him Qmn 85. 8. At Copalis River people walk tipsido down, and have only small flounder-spears and short digging-sticks. He turns them right-side up, and tells them that they shall always dig clams and live on small fish Qum So. 9. At Oyhut he finds people walking upside down, with short dig- ging-sticks, and using their heads as hammers. They are turned right-side up and given stone hammers Quin 85. At Oyhut he transforms two dogs into people, Quilleyute, Far- rand MS. 10. He meets a person who dances, paddle in hand, in his canoe, in order to catch floiuiders, whicli jump into the canoe while he is dancing. He gives him a dip-net, and shows him how to catch flounders Chin 20. 11. He meets a person whose house has no roof, and who shoots the rain. He shows him how to build a house Chin 20. 12. He teaches man how to paddle Ne 5.202. Although this tale has been recorded from Newettee, it belongs distinctly to the present group. A man paddles with arms crossed over the back; a woman, with arms crossed over the chest and the paddle held imder the arms. He shows them how to paddle. 13. Pie carves man and woman out of wood, and brings them to life by breathing on them Nu ap 913. 14. They kill the monster woman Chin 21; Quin 82; Se 49; U 252; Lil .370. A monster woman kills children by swinging them and throwing them down a cliff. The Transformer asks her to let their dogs fight. Her dog's name is Head-Eater. Their dog is called Flint-Eater. The_ latter cuts off the head of the monster woman's dog (see No. 3, p. 611). One of the Transformers asks to be thrown down. He tells children who stand below to say, "Return to the land!" Then she swings him and throws him down. He is not hurt. He revives the children below who had been killed by the woman. He takes her by the hair, swings her around five times, and throws her down. The children stone her and cut her to pieces. Her hair is thrown inland; her legs, south of Columbia River; her ribs, up the river. There- BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 599 fore the inland people have long hair; the tribes south of Columbia River, strong legs; and the inland people, handy legs Chin 21. They meet an aunt who swings children and dashes them against a rock. The elder brother nibs the younger one's face with a plant to make him look pale. The woman wants to swing the younger one, but the elder one asks to be taken in his stead. He orders the children down below to shout, "Go and come back ! " He lands on his feet. Then he throws his aunt and kills her. In her belly are found the bones of children whom she has eaten. Some he revives, but others he can not revive. Therefore some people die today. The same incident is repeated. Next they meet another aunt who plays with children, who are required to walk slowly towards a stick. ^Mien the child laughs, the woman kills and eats it, Tlie Transformer wins, kills the aunt, and frees the children. They meet another woman who kills children pretending to tattoo their chests. She can not pierce the skin of the Transformer, who kills her Quin 82. A similar incident is recorded in the Eagle and Owl storj- recorded by Hill- Tout Se 49. Eagle and Owl marry two sisters. Eagle mames the elder one. His son is Frog. Owl marries the younger one. His son is a human being. The husbands are captured by a female ogre, Yanexemekwon. The women search for them, and after various adventures reach the house of the ogre. She plays with them sliding down a mountain wliich ends in a precipice. The sisters fasten themselves by means of a magic line, and when they reach the ])recipice spit out red and white paint, which the ogre mistakes for blood and brains. The story then continues with the killing of the ogre (see pp. 762 et seq.). The same story is told by Teit. In one version collected among the Lower Thompson it is told that the two girls marry Owl and Eagle. Owl's child is a Frog. The husbands are taken away by an ogre, Xe'niax, with whom the women have a fight at the edge of a cliff. The Frog child always pushes back the women when they are about to fall. Finally the Frog throws down Xe'niax, who, however, is not killed U 252. In the Lillooet tale the husbands are Horned Owl and Golden Eagle. The son of the former is the Deer; the daughter of the latter. Frog. The husbands are taken away by the ogre KomakstI'mut, who challenges the women to slide down a mountain. The v. omen spit out red and white paint and escape Lil 370. 15. The Transformers become stone at the mouth of Colmnbia River Quin S.5. A few talcs are common to Vancouver Ishind and Washington, anti have even penetrated up the Fraser River into the interior. These refer principally to the creation of animals. 16. Origin of the deer H ap 883; Ne 5.200; Ne 9.201; Ne 11.211; Ne Dawson 20; Co 5.64; Nua 5.98; Nuft ap 912; Squ 5.56: Squ Hill-Tout 3.518; Cow 5.46; Puyallup, 155;' Sts Hill- Tout 5.361 ; U 227 ; Quilleyute, Farrand M.S ; Quin 84 ; Chin 20. Among these the story of the origin of the deer is by far the most widely distributed . Seventeen versions have been recorded . The essential incident of this story is the meeting between the Transformer and a man who is grinding his knife on a stone. On being asked what he is doing, he replies that he is ' Globus, vol. Lxm. 600 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth.ann.31 sharpening his knives in order to kill the Transformer, who then examines the knives, pushes them into the head of the man, tells him to turn around, puts the dust of the whetstone on his rump, and transforms him into a deer. (He makes two cuts in the man's head, out of which antlers grow, and smears his rump with the dust, Ne Dawson 20.) In the Nootka version Nua the man is told to shake his head and to put his hands on the ground. In Nu6 he puts the shell knives in the deer's head, and slaps it on each side. Then Deer is sent to the woods. In the Cowichan version the man is making arrows with shell points. In one Squamish version (5.56) he is sharpening shell knives. Nothing is said about the use of the dust of the grindstone. In the Squamish version recorded by Hill-Tout he makes arrows. The Transformers pull his ears long, pull his arms out, push one of the boneg on which he is working into his feet, then they clap their hands and make a noise like a deer, upon which the transformation takes place. The deer runs too fast, and is called back. Tlio Transformers knock the hoofs of his hind legs together several times, clap their hands, and send him off again. In the Puyallup version the bone is also pushed into his legs. In the StsEc'lis ver- sion recorded by Hill-Tout the man grinds bone on a rock. His legs are struck with a grizzly-bear skin and he becomes a deer. Among the Quinault the man is grinding shells for knives. He gives three to the Transformer, who claps one on each side of the head for ears, puts him on all-fours, turns him round, and fastens one behind as a tail. He tells him to run into the woods, but to look back from time to time. Therefore the deer behave that way nowadays Quin; Chin; Quilleyute. Among the Uta'mqt the man is grinding a stone knife, which is put on one side of his head. 17. Origin of land otter, mink, marten, bear, and raccoon II ap 883; Ne 5.200; Ne 9.203; Ne 11.213; Nu ap 910. Analogous to these are stories of the origin of land otter (Ne 11.213; Nu ap 910), marten and bear(Nu ap 911), mink (Ne 9.203; Ne 11.214; Nu ap 913), and raccoon, who makes a spear with rings (Ne 5.200; Ne 9.203; Ne 11.212; Nu ap 910). In all of these the Transformer pushes a sjiear, with which the person intends to kill him, into the enemy's rump. The Bellabella data contain no details H ap. 18. Origin of the beaver Nil 5.98; Nu ap 911 ; Quilleyute, Farrand MS. Related to these is also the story of the origin of the beaver, who was a man who was preparing a broad-bladed knife to kill the Transformer. The knife is made into its tail. 19. Origin of the Woodpecker U 226. To this group belongs also the origin of the Woodpecker, who is a trans- formed man who is using his adze. 20. Origin of the Crane Squ Hill-Tout 3.519 (see No. 65, p. 605); Ne 5.201; Nu 157;' Co 5.64. See No. 67, p. 606. The BcUabella version contains a few peculiar elements : 21. Q la'neqe'lak" passes his hand over the body of the semi-human KiUer Whale, who becomes a man and a member of the Killer- Whale Clan H ap 883. 22. He creates the dog and gives it to man H ap 883. 23. He names people and animals H ap 883. ' Globus, vol. mi (1888). BOAS] COMPAEATIVE STUDY OF TSIJISHIAX MYTHOLOGY 601 A prominent incident of these Transformei' tales relates to the readjustment of sexual organs. It is common to the Kwakiutl, Nootka, and Fraser Delta tribes. 24. Q la'neqe^lak" (Xiils Sts 5.2.3) removes the sexual organs from the forehead to their present place Ne 5.202; Xe 9.205; Ne 11.216. See also Xua 5.10S; Xu6 ap 913; Dawson 20. 25. Xiils removes sexual organs of a woman from her chest, and makes new ones, first of bird-cherry ( ?) bark, then of deer smew Sts 5.23. See Xo. 70, p. 609. TRANSFORMER MYTHS OF THE GTJLF OF GEORGIA AND FR.\SER RIVER Parallel to the tales of the encounters between the Transformer and the ancestors of tribal divisions are the numerous incidents of the transformation of ancestors and other individuals into plants and animals, which are characteristic of the tribes inhabiting the coast of the Gulf of Georgia. 1. At Male the Transformer meets PapqEltEl, is burned by sparks, goes to the river, where he is pulled down by the devilfish, until, at the request of the Transformer's sister, he is restored. PiipqEltEl is transformed into flag Sts 5.19. 2. Petx'El is an old man w^th red hair. He is transformed into a small snake Sts 5.22. 3. A man hides a rattle belund his back, and is transformed into a rattlesnake Sts 5.22. 4. An old man who does not want to travel is transformed into a fish that does not go down to the sea Sts 5.23 5. An old man with wliite hair and long nails, who poisons people by means of his excrement, is transformed into a newt whose excrements are jjoisonous Sts 5.23. 6. A man eating raw fish is transformed into a fish hawk Lil 296. 7. A thief is transformed into a bluejay Cow 5.46. 8. The Transformer makes elk, bear, and ducks Cow 5.46. 9. Q'e'seq of Qua'mitcan becomes a lake-being, and trout are created in the lake Cow 5.47. 10. Aiuwiilux of Pa'plv'um becomes a mountain goat Sts 5.27. 11. lalEpq'e'lEm, the ancestor of the LEq'amEl, covers himself with wood-ashes and becomes a sturgeon Sts 5.25. 12. SqEle'j'il of Ma^xui and son become beavers Sts 5.25. 13. QalE'tsEmEs of Qua'antEl has a daughter, who marries first the hammer, then a dog. QalE'tsEmEs is transformed into a badger Sts 5.25. 14. By clapping of hands the shaman Sqc[acj[ is transformed into a bird Squ 5.56. 602 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. anx. .U 15. The Transformer paints all the bu-ds and blackens Raven, who wants to be made beautiful Co 5.64; ChiUiwack, lower Fraser River, HUl-Tout.' 16. A man who whistles and makes a spear is thrown into the water and transformed into a whitefish LU 295; Ntl Teit 3.331. A man with small mouth and big stomach is transformed mto the fish spa'ltsEp Sts 5.22. 17. The Transformers are afraid of a shaman, who is then thrown into the water and transformed into a codfish Ne 11.223; Ne 9.207; Co 5.63 (see pp. 589, No. 5; 685). 18. The brother of a shaman on Harrison Lake is transformed into a seal Ntl Hill-Tout 1.215. One of the most characteristic traits of the Transformer tale around the Gulf of Georgia and in the adjoinmg parts of the interior are transformations of individuals into stones of remarkable shape. In this respect there is a certain similarity to the Raven tales Nos. 89-93, 96,- of our hst. Thej- differ, however, from the northern tales, in so far as in almost all cases individuals, and very often ancestors of vLUage communities, are transformed. Following is a hst of incidents of this kind:^ 19. People look at the Transformers through cracks m rocks and are transformed into stones. Among these are mentioned a Swan stone, a Hat stone, a Whale stone Sts Hill-Tout 5.360. 20. Tso'lsiK, who is spearing seals, becomes stone Sts 5.24; Sts Hill- Tout 5.361. 21. People cooking salmon-heads become stone. The boiling water is transformed mto Harrison Hot Springs Sts Hill-Tout 5.361. 22. Two novices are transformed into stone Sts Hill-Tout 5.361. 23. Waves of Harrison Lake are transformed into stone Sts Hdl- Tout 5.361. 24. Nose, arms, heart, of a shaman, become stones Sts Hill-Tout 5.361. Sx'ai is given blood to smoke; and liis tongue, stomach, arms, leg, head, become stone Sts 5.21. 25. One Leg, whose harpoon is stolen by the Transformers, is changed into a stone which controls the wind Sts 5.23. 26. Skaiya'm (the wolverene) is transformed into stone Lil 294 (see No. 64, p. 605). 27. T'exxilii'tca, the ancestor of the Tc'ilexue'uk, is first transformed into a wUd carrot, then into a salmon, a mink wearing a feather, and finally into a stone Sts 5.26. 1 Hill-Tout, Report on the Ethnological Siirvej- of Canada (^Report of the 7M meeting of the British Asso- cialionfor the Admnccment of Science, p. 308, Belfast, 1902). 2 See p. 574. 3 The various tales belong to the dilTerent village communities of Fra,ser River, but happen to have bcsn recorded among the StsEe'lis and .Squamish. They have been indicated accordingly, although not quite properly, Sts and Squ. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 603 28. Qulte'meltx, the ancestor of the SqaueUtsq, is transformed into stone Sts 5.27. 29. Xii'latca, the ancestor of the PEla'lx, is transformed into stone Sts 5.27. A "witch" of the PEla'lx, and her basket contain- ing urine, are transformed into stone, PEla'ix, Sts Hill-Tout.' 30. Aulte'n, the ancestor of the Siyit'a in Sxuha'mEn, catches salmon, deer, birds, in nets; lies down on his back with legs drawn up, and is transformed into stone (the elk into a star Sts 5.20; see . No. 61, p. 604) U 227; Sts 5.20. 31. Man whose feet sink into a rock, and his footprints, are trans- formed into stone U 227. 32. Woman giving birth is transformed into stone U 22S. 33. Gamblers are transformed into stone U 228. 34. Two friends, one of them running up hill, are transformed into stone Cow 5.45. 35. Bathing woman and man on shore are transformed into stone Cow 5.45. 36. The Transformer's canoe, and stake to wliich the canoe is tied, are transformed into stone Cow 5.47. 37. Qoa'lawaisit makes fire to burn the Transformer, who hides in wood. The Transformer escapes, and Qoa'lawaisit is trans- formed into stone Co 5.63. 38. Three men at Fort Douglas are transformed into stone Squ Hdl- Tout 3.523. ' 39. A sturgeon commg down hill is transformed into stone Squ Hill- Tout 3.523. 40. A whale is transformed into stone Squ Hill-Tout 3.523. 41. Two men in a canoe are transformed into stone Squ Hill-Tout 3.523. 42. Man holding a spear is transformed into stone Squ HiU-Tout 3.523. 43. A man and his wife are transformed into stone, Chilliwack, Lower Fraser River, Hill-Tout.- 44. A group of men in Nicola Valley are transformed into stones Ntl Hill-Tout 1.213. 45. A shaman on Harrison Lake is transformed into stone Ntl Ildl- Tout 1.215. 46. Coyote carrying fish is transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.43. 47. Coyote's lodge and sweat-lodge are transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.44. 48. Coyote's kettle is transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.44. 49. Parts of Coyote's body are transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.41. 50. Hunters are transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.44. 51. Elks are transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.44. 1 Hill-Tout, Report on the Ethnological Survey of Canada (see footnote 1, p. 602), p. 400, =Ibid., p. 367, 604 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 52. A pack of fir branches is transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.45. 53. Children tobogganing down a mountain-side are transformed into stone Ntl Teit 2.45. 54. A woman roasting a hare is transformed into stone U 221. 55. Coyote's tracks are transformed into stone, Nicola Valley, Ntl Teit 3.316. 56. Bad men are transformed into rocks Ntl 5.16. 56a. The Transformers change people into fishes and stones, leave their footprints in rocks, and create springs Ntl Teit 2.42, Related to these are some cases of transformation of geograph- ical features : 57. The Transformers create the falls of Bridge River Ntl HUl-Tout 1.215. 58. The Transformer makes the tides alternate in Seymour Narrows Co 5.64. 59. At Q'o'djomcn the mountain Ko'kuanan is induced to move aside Co 5.63. 60. The Transformers make a river-channel tlirough a swamp Lil 295. 60a. The Transformer beats out the brains of one of his brothers and throws them mto Fraser River, which since that time has been muddy, Kwa'ntlEn, Fraser Delta, HiU-Tout.' There are very few transformations mto constellations. These seem to be confined to the upper Fraser River Delta. They are characteristic of the southeastern Sahsh tribes on the Columbia River, where they occur in the folk-lore of the Coeur d'Alene. 61. An elk pursued by a man and a dog is transformed into the Dipper Sts 5.20. See No. 30, p. 603. 62. A number of crying children are transformed into the Pleiades Sts 5.21. Another group of incidents belongs to the Fraser River Delta. 63. The Transformers and Mink meet a dangerous woman (LExyiles, Stsa): this is a stone located above StsEe'lis Stsa 5.24; Sts& Hill-Tout 5.360; Lil 292. See pp. 614, No. 12; 773; 809. Her vagina is set with teeth; and when Mink tries to cohabit with her, she bites off his hand. On the following day he tries to hide his hand Stsa, 5; Lil. The sister of the Transformers kills the woman Lil. [Mink steers badly with his left. LExyiles is transformed into stone. \\Tien water is sprinkled on it, it begins to rain Stsa.] [Mink warns the brothers not to enter her house (this is e\'idently an error). His hand is bitten off, the brothers notice it Sts6.] I nm-Tout (see p. 602, (ootnotc 1), p. 414. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 605 64. The Transformers visit Sx'ai in Sk"tsas Stsa 5.21; Sts6 Hill- Tout 5.361; LU 293. See also Lil 294; Lil Hill-Tout 6.185; Sts 5.30; U 283. The person is. called Sx'iii in Stsa, S'cxei in Lil, a shaman in Sts6. They have a contest in urinating. The shaman urinates across a mountain Sts5. [AMien they arrive, Sx'ai puts on his bear-skin clothing and his snow- shoes. Tlie sister remains behind. They have a urinatiug-contest. The brothers can not reach the top of the mountain, while Sxiii reaches across and thus creates the river that runs from Silver Lake to Spuzzum Stsa.] Next they induce Sx'tii to accompany them in his canoe down the river. The Transformers call the east wind. It gets cold; the canoe fills with ice, and is upset. The brothers go back to their sister's camp. Sx'ai escapes by the help of his snowshoes Stsa. [The old man pac^dles them in his small canoe down to the lake. They say that a monster is under the canoe; he says that it is the shadow of the mountain. They say that there is a man imder the canoe; he knows it is his own shadow. Mink jumps into the water, but fails to frighten him. Mink assumes the form of a weasel and is again unsuccessful. S'cxei says that he can kill it with his paddle Lil,] Sxiii rubs some wliite earth between his hands, and snow begins to fall. He looks in the direction whence the Transformers come, and the trail lengthens; so that they are almost frozen when they reach their sister, who restores them with hot oil. Sx'ai runs home quickly on his snowshoes Stsa. [\\'hen they first reach his house, they talk to S'cxei as though he were a child. They propose a race up a mountain. S'cxei then causes a fall of snow and runs home quickly, while the Transformers reach home with diflBculty Lil.] [The shaman puts on his bear-skin coat, leggings, and hat, swallows bird down, and whistles, in order to bring north wind : therefore it is forbidden to whistle on the lake. The down blowing out of his mouth becomes snow, and the Trans- formers are hardly able to go on Sts6.] S'cxei also wins a race on the beach at S'a'ta by making it oppressively hot, so that the Transformers become exliausted Lil [they go to S'a'ta Sts6]. Tlie Transformers ask S'cxei to go with them up a moimtain to gather cedar withes. The sister throws on him paint which she used in her matiu'ity ceremonies, and he becomes stone Lil. [They let him smoke and put menstrual fluid obtained from their sister into the pipe. They induce him to swallow the smoke, which kills him. They tear out his tongue and stomach, and tear off his arms, legs, and head, which become stone Stsa.] [His nose, heart, and arms become stone. If the heart-stone is not treated with respect, there is wind on the lake Sts5..] Here seems to belong also the transformation into stone of the old woman Skaiya'm, who assumed the form of a yoimg man and married two girls Lil 294; "Lil Hill-Tout 6.185; Sts 5.30; U 283 (see No. 26, p. 602; also p. 861). 65. The Transformer teaches man ho-vv to catch fish Sts Hill-Tout 5.362; Lil 294; Ntl Teit 3.318; U 227; Squ Hill-Tout 3.519. A man [named Stsop, who Uves halfway up Lillooet Lake LLl] who lives at Fort Douglas uses the frame of a dip-net [or two sticks Lil] with which to catch the slime of fish. [He wipes it off with grass, and then boils it together with a certain kind of grass Lil.] He wipes the slime into a basket, in which his wife boils it, mixed with roots and berries. Tlie oldest of the Transformer brothers pulls out hair of his leg [Ijelow the knee Lil], which becomes ms'tsEl or Indian-hemp (?) [Indian-hemp Lil]. He teaches him how to spin it and make a net. He tells him to dip the net into the water twice and take a 606 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. anx. .".l salmon each time, wliich he has to carry in his cajic. Tlie Transfoimers shoio them how to cut, dry, mid cure the salmon, and forbid him to cure any until after the first four days of the run Sts. [One of the Transformers changes him- self into a salmon and goes into the net. The others show the man and his wife how to cut and boil it and eat it mixed with cedar barh. Tlie bones are thrown into the water; and the Transformer, who had become a salmon, resumes his human shape Lil.] [At Yale a man who has a wife and two children tries to catch salmon with a sharpened jjole. He scrapes off the slime with his fingers.' TTie Transformers show him how to mahe a net and boil the Salman Ntl, Lytton.] [At Tsaxali's, above Yale, people catch salmon holding boys by their feet over the water, their heads hanging down. The boys then catch the salmon with their hands. The Transformer scratches a rock with his finger-nails, and each scratch brings a new thought into the heads of the people. They learn how to make twine and nets and how to cut and cure salmon. He shows them the fishing-places, wliich are used to this day. The scfatches in the rock may still be seen. The Transformers meet a man who appears to be fishing with a double-pronged fish-spear. He merely rubs liis spear against the fish, bringing up a little slime, which he wipes with moss into a basket. They show him how to spear salmon. The man resents their interference, and they punish him by breaking his spear in two, putting the halves into his legs, and pushing the spear-point up his nose. They pull his neck, clap their hands, and he becomes a crane Squ. Evidently the last of these versions, if told correctly, is a combination of the present story with a transformation story of the type discussed before (see pp. 599 et seq.). 66. The Transformer teaches man how to roast floimdcrs Cow .5.47; Sts Hill-Tout 5.371. The Oowichan tell that the Ts'a'mes (Songish) at Victoria would expose flotmders on spits to the sun in order to roast them. The Transformer teaches them the use of the ILre-drill and the use of fire for preparing food. Cow .5.47. This storj' seems related to the preceding group; it recalls, however, also a StSEe'Lis tale. S'kwam, who has been fisliing flounders, is met by his son, who dances down to the beach, and then puts the flounders on spits in order to roast them. One of the Transformers shakes the bones out of the boy's body and acts his part. S'kwam recognizes him, and causes him to be choked by a fishbone. The boy and the Transformer are then restored to life Sts. Tliis tale is closely related to the "skin-shifter" tales, that are not known to me as incidents of this Transformer cycle, and occur rather as part of the Coyote myth (see p. 870). They are known, however, in the northern parts of the coast too (see Sk 13fi, 160; Sts Hill- Tout 5.349; U 2.39, 242, 266; Ntl Teit 3.309; Sh 676, 694; Wish 111; Till 137; Coos 151 [169]; Takelma 161). 67. The stolen harpoon Tl 22; Sk 267; BC 5.247; Ne 5.201; Co 5.64, 65; Stsa 5.23; Sts6 5.24; Ntk 5.16; Ntl6 Teit 2.42; Ntlc Nicola, Teit 3.315; ^Wd HiU-Tout 1.210; U 221; Chil 10; Sh 5.13; Loucheux 7.33. See also Squ Hill-Tout 3.519, and Chil 14; Sh 5.3; Teit 4.467; Sh Dawson 31. The distribution of the tale of the stolen harpoon is some- what wider than that of those previously discussed. Fifteen BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 607 versions have been recorded. It occurs among the Xewettee, Comox, Fraser River tribes, Thompson Indians, and Chdcotin, as part of the Transformer cj^cle. The Bellacoola and Shu- swap tell the story, but it does not belong to the Transformer myth. The essential contents of tlie story refer to a fisherman who owns a valuable harpoon, which is taken away by a Transformer who assumes the shape of a fish, allows himself to be harpooned, and breaks the harpoon-line. Later on he assumes human shape, and returns the harpoon-line to the fisherman. Crane is fishing in Seymour Narrows. Q, la'neqe^lak" tries to assume the form of a salmon, and after several attempts is surcessful. Crane harpoons the salmon, which swims away with the harpoon. Q la'neqMak'^ resumes his human shape, and wears the harpoon as an ear-ornament. He visits Crane, who recognizes his harpoon, and makes the Transformer swallow thin slivers of bones, which he can not dislodge. Crane promises to cure him if given the harpoon. He shakes Q la'neqMak" so that the bones drop out. Q la'neqe^lak" puts the harpoon into Crane's nose, and transforms him into a bird, his wife into a woodpecker Ne 5.201. The same tale is told by the Comox Co 5.64.' A similar story is told of two youths who assume the forms of fish and are caught by Crane. The theft of the harpoon is missing, but it ex-idently belongs to the story Co 5.65. I collected two StsEe'lis versions of the tale. Xiils meets Pa'lax'il [One Leg] in StsEe'lis, where he is fishing. He steals and returns the harpoon- point, as described before, and says that there shall alirays be plenty of salmon at StsEi'lis. He transforms One Leg into a stone that controls the wind Stso 5.23. In another StsEe'lis version the Transformers wish to land at One Leg's house. He denies permission. Then one of them assumes the form of a salmon and steals the harpoon. Next follows a repetition of the incident of the Sx'iti tale (see p. 6051, in which the trail that the brothers have to take is made long by looking along it. Cold is produced, and they almost freeze to death, while One Leg reaches his home with two strides. Then follows a contest in fishing with dip-nets, in which the Transformers catch as much in one haul as One Leg gets in three. One Leg is given the Transformer's pipe to smoke, and is thus transformed into stone Sts5 5.24. The corresponding Thompson tale contains a number of distinctive ele- ments. The giant Xaaxa' [Tcui'sqa'lEmux Ntl6; a cannibal U] is fishing at Neka'men [at Zixazix (slides) below Spuzzum Ntl6; at M.ud Slide, four miles below Spences Bridge U]. The Transformer assumes the shape of a salmon and carries away the [copper Ntlc, I'] harpoon. Later on the Trans- formers ■v'isit the giant's house [they are given a small basketful of food, which they are unable to finish Ntl6, U]. They return the harpoon-head. Then they go up the mountain, and by kicking the ground cause a rock- slide, which does not harm the giant Ntla. To avoid it, the giant jumps across the river Teit 2, note 125; Ntlc. This is repeated four times Teit Ntlt. In the Nicola version the Transformers cover their bodies with birch bark before assuming the shape of fish. The giant has a two-pronged spear with copper barbs. His -wife is the Short-Tailed Mouse Ntlc Teit 3.315. ' It seems to me that the version given by Hill-Tout 3.519 as obtained from the Squamish is a com- posite account of this tale and of that of the fish-slime (see p. 60.5). On the whole, mixed tales of this type are not common on the coast; and either there may be a misunderstanding in the versions, or they may not have been well known to the narrators. 608 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. anx. :U Jstld is a version from Lytton. The Transformers meet a one-legged can- nibal, who spears men's shadows with a copper-headed spear. He assumes the form of a trout and carries away the point. After assuming human form, the Transformer throws the magic spear-point into the water. While the cannibal is looking for his harpoon, the Transformers cause a rock-slide. Then they enter the cannibal's house and transform him into a bluejay, taking him by the head and shaking him. This is the reason why the blue- jay has a feather tuft. The caanibal's wife is transformed into a mountain grouse NtW Hill-Tout 1.210. In the ChUcotin version the fisherman is the Sea Gull, who allows people to cross a river on his leg. They drop off and are drowned. The Trans- former takes away the harpoon, as told before, and promises to restore it if the Gull is willing to build a sweat-lodge for him Chil 10. The Haida (Sk), Bellacoola, and Shuswap (Sh 660) tales are not related to the Transformer cycle. In the Haida tale a boy who has married Geese maidens meets the half- bodied Master Hopper, wlio is spearing silver salmon. The boy takes away and later on returns the spear-head in the manner here described Sk 267. In the Tlingit version four brothers go up to the sky and steal the harpoon of the half-bodied man Tl 22. Kolaia'ns has a hook which is attached to a line made of hair. Maq Iwa'ns transforms himself into a salmon, breaks the hook, and takes it away. Then he visits the fisherman, shows him the hook, puts the parts together, and returns it BC 5.247. The Woodpecker and other birds decide to steal the harpoon of the fisher- man. Several birds assume the form of salmon, but the fisherman pays no attention to them. Finally Woodpecker is harpooned, breaks off the point, and carries it away. The fisherman visits the Woodpecker, and the harpoon is returned to him and exchanged for a blanket set with red feathers Sh5.13. An analogous incident is also referred to in a Loucheux tale. The wan- derer meets a fisherman, assumes the form of a fish, but when harpooned changes into a mass of mud 7.33. The Transformer tale of the Shuswap retains the incident of the rock-slide and of the magic food, without any reference to the theft of the harpoon. The Transformers kick a rock-slide down the hill in order to overwhelm Tkumenaa'lst 5.3. [The Transformer Le'esa and Tukimine'lst cause a rock- slide to fall down on Kwilie'lt, the son of the Hog Fennel, Sh Dawson 31.] [They kick the rock-slide down on Kwelaa'llst, their aunt's grandson, who had been sent to warn them Sh 647.] In Sh 5.3 the incident of the food contained in the little basket is also retained. In Chil 14 the root man K'olEpi is sent to warn the Transformers, but is unable to speak. These inci- dents are all more closely related to the story of the end of the Transformers (see p. 615, No. 17). 63. The Transformers quarrel Sts 5.23; Ntia 5.16; Ntl& Teit 2.43; Ntlc Nicola Teit 3.316; NtW Hill-Tout 1.204; U 221. In the evening they camp. The youngest one lies down and puts on his beaver cap. The waters begin to rise. The others have to flee, while the yoimgest one remains near the fire Sts. At Ca'nExanEnEmax they quarrel. The eldest brother throws the head-band of the youngest into the fire, but is unable to bum it. Then the yoimgest one makes a flood Ntlo, 5; IT. After a dispute between the brothers, the youngest makes a flood. The elder ones make the mountain Ca'nExanEUEmax in order to escape Ntlc. One morning BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 609 the youngest boy doea not want to arise, and the others leave him. Then he makes a tiood. The smoke of his fire is seen comins; out of the water. The flood retreats XtW Hill-Tout 1.205. 69. Coyote's wife is a knot-hole Sts 5.23; Ntk Teit 2.44; Ntl6 Nicola Teit 3.316; Ntlc Hill-Tout 1.209; NtM 5.17; U 222; Lik 309: Lik 357; Sh 652. The Transformers meet Coyote, whose wife is a knot-hole. Tliey make a new wife for him out of cedar bark Sts. The Transformers throw Coyote's wife into the fire. When he calls her, she answers from the fire, but he refuses to pull her out Ntln. They meet Coyote at Teze'la. His wife is a knot-hole, which the\' bum, Nicola, Ntl6; Lil6. Tlie Transformer Cawa finds that the Coyote people had knot-holes for their wives Sh 652. The Transformer brothers go to the house of a man who has for a wife a block of wood with a hole in it. They throw the wood on the fire to keep them warm. The man returns and finds his wife biu'ned to ashes. In place of the block wife the Transformers give him two beautiful women trans- formed from Cottonwood and alder logs. The former has white, the latter red, hair, face, and body Ntk. The Lillooet tell the same storj' independently. A man has a branch with a knot-hole for his wife. A woman goes to the house, observes what is going on, bums the branch, and becomes the wife of the man Lila 309. Instead of the knot-hole wi^es, they give to the Coyote two wives, — one made of birch; the other, of alder Ntlo; of cotton and alder: therefore the one is white; the other red, Lytton, Ntlrf; Nicola, Ntlt; IT. He makes women of Cottonwood and birch, Lytton, Ntlrf; of cedar bark, Sts. The woman made of alder wood is short; that of cotton wood, tall U; Lil5. The one had red skin and dark hair; the other, white skin and light hair. Therefore the Indians have some dar!:, some light complexions Lilfc 357. This story may be related to that of the wooden wife (see p. 744). 70. The Transformers teach men not to cut open then- \\-ives Ntla Hill-Tout 1.205; Ntl?. Lytton, Teit 3.318; U 222; Sh 652; Lil 294; Chil 11. Generally this story is told of Coyote. Whenever one of his wives is about to give birth, he cuts her open. In one version (Ntlo) it is told that he would always marry his daughter when .she was grown up, and kill her when her child was to be bom. The Transformers show Coyote how to attach bird- cherr\- bark to the child. The bark breaks. Then they show him how to take the neck sinew of the deer U; Ntl6. In Hill-Tout's version the man is not identified with Coyote. In the Shuswap version the Transformer Ca'wa teaches the Coyote people not to cut open their wives. Tlie incident is placed in the Thompson Indian countrj'. The Lillooet and Chilcotin do not identify the man with Coyote, but with the fisherman referred to in No. 67. In the Lillooet version the reference to sinew is omitted, and the man is transformed into stone. In the Chilcotin version the reference to the bark and sinew is omitted, and the present procedure at childbirth is instituted. With this story the incident in the StsEe'lis tale 5.23 (see No. 25 p. 601) should be compared (see also an Eskimo tale, p. 829). 71. Xe'LxElEmas, the ancestor of the XEla'I, takes the form of a river monster. The Transformer faints, and is restored by him Sts 5.28. A few tales that do not belong to the Transformer cycle are em- bodied in it in our versions from the Fraser Delta. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 39 610 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. SI 72. The Transformers and the Sahnon Women. The Transformers meet two Salmon Women who own a weir whicli pre- vented the salmon from going up the river. They own five boxes containing wasps, flies, mosqiiitoes, wind, and smoke. The Transformer makes a wooden dish, which he throws into the water, and causes the river to break the dam. The Transformers let out the insects, wind, and smoke. Tlie two women are transformed into rocks Ntl Hill-Tout 1.207. This story belongs properly to the Coyote cycle. In Ntl Teit 2.27 it is said that the Trans- formers broke the weir which belonged to Coyote. 73. The Transformers cross the river in a canoe made of horse tail U221. 74. The cannibal tries to boil the Transformers in a kettle Ntl Teit 3.316 (see p. 808). 75. The Transformers make a spring, which becomes a training- place for girls Ntl Teit 3.316. 76. Why the LiUooet go trading east and west. The Transformers take a rest at the source of the stream that empties into Anderson Lake. One of them travels south, the other one east. They bring back various kinds of trade material. For this reason the Lillooet do the same. One of them stamps his foot on the rock. The footprint marks the tribal boundary between the Upper and Lower Lillooet Lil 29G. 77. The jealous husband. Swan, and his wife Crane, live on Lillooet River. Swallow, who passes by, tells that his wife has died. He has put her on top of a tree and left her there to die, because she had a lover. Swan takes her down. She is trans- formed into blackberries; and Swan ordains that Swallow shall become a bird and search for his wife Sts .5.21 (see p. 849). 78. The modest hunter and the arrogant hunter Cow 5.46 (see No. 44, p. 716). TRANSFORMER MYTHS OF THE SHUSWAP AND CIIILCOTIN The following group of tales does not seem to occur on the coast, but is known principally in the region of the upper Fraser and Thompson Rivers, among the Chilcotin, and partly among the Kutenai and Thompson Indians. 1. On his travels the principal Transformer carries an arrow-flaker [a pole Chil 11], with which he kills monsters Sh 645. 2. The Transformers, before starting, are warned against dangers Sh 645, 647; Chil 14. Tlie mother of the Transformers warns them against monsters, but forgets to tell them about the adolescent girl, which causes their final transformation Sh 645, 647. Their mother forgets to warn them against the bear Chil 14 (see also No. 17, p. 615). 3. The Transformer kills the Grizzly Bears Sha 645; Shh 5.2: Ntk 5.16; Ntl5 HiU-Tout 1.214; U 223; Chil 13. The Transformers -sasit the four cannibal Grizzly Bears and Coyote. Le'esa becomes a dog, with arrow-points for hair, spear-points for teeth, and a knife UOAK] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 611 for a tail. The brothers lead him. Coyote claims the dog ashis. The Bears ask the brothers to play with them around a tree the bark of which has been stripped off, and kill them. Coyote goes near the dog, and is cut by its hair. The Grizzly Bears play with the dog and are killed. The Dog resumes its human form, jumps over his brothers, and revives them. The Transformer ordains that the Grizzly Bear shall eat berries and kill man only occasionally ShaG45. The Transformers go to the house of Grizzly Bearand Coyote. They cover Le'esa with knives. In a pole-climbing contest the Bears kill the brothers. Coyote touches the Dog and bleeds. The Dog climbs the pole with Bear and cuts him in two. He jumps over his brothers and revives them Sh6 5.2 (see also No. 20, p. 812). One of the Transformers assumes the shape of a dog. The brothers marry. A black bear comes to their \dllage and kills the brothers. The dcg jumps over it, and the bear breaks in two. Then the dog jumps over the people, and all break to pieces. He revives his brothers by jumping over them Ntlo 5.16. The youngest of the Transformers becomes a dog. He is covered with stone knives, and his tongue also becomes a stone knife. They visit a village inhabited by people. They are put into different houses; and while they are asleep, their arrow-points are exchanged for pine needles. AXTien going into the woods, they are attacked and killed, except one boy, who runs back. A girl who loves him lets the dog loose, who kills the people and revives his brother's V 223 (see p. 742). He assumes the form of a dog. His tail is a double-bladed knife. His ears and claws are small knives. He \'isits a village in which the people keep bears, grizzly beai-s, wolves, rattlesnakes, as dogs. They arrange a dog-fight, and the Transformer Dog kills all the animals. The people attack them, and are also killed. Then he resumes his human form, transforms the peo- ple into ants, and the animals into normal animals, Lytton, Ntli Hill-Tout 1.214.1 A bull and cow moose are substituted for the grizzly bear in Chil 13. They race with their visitors, who are killed by the dust they raise. The moose run on each side of the visitor. The Dog Transformer co\-ers himself with arrow-points; and while he is racing, these fly out and kill the moose. He revives them with his magic staff and tells them not to kill men. 4. The Transformer kiUs the elk monster She 5.2; Shh Dawson 32; She 646; Ntla Hill-Tout 1.203; Ntl6 Teit 3.304; Chil 10. An elk straddles the river at Savona's Ferry, and kills people by swallowing them. The canoes pass through its body, while the crew is retained and killed. Le'esa alone goes down the river on a raft, which is swallowed. The raft passes through. He starts a fire in the stomach of the elk and squeezes its heart. It begins to sway. \Mienhecutsoff the heart, the elk dies. Then the brothers cut the body, and Le'esa comes out. The brothers eat all the meat Sha. After being swallowed by the elk, the Transformer stabs its heart with his "implement," cuts his way out, and says that elk henceforth shall not kill people Shi. At the outlet of Kamloops Lake the elk stands with his back upstream. The canoes pa,ss through it, the crew is killed inside, Le'esa comes down on a board which passes "through the elk. He spreads out the elk by means of his arrow-flaker. The elk begins to stagger, and dies when he cuts off the heart. The brothers skin it She. A moose swal- lows the Dog Transformer, who has tied boughs in his hail-. He cuts the ' Coyote's dog, which is covered with arrow-heads, is mentioned in another Thompson tale (Teit 2.30 >. 612 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ibth. ann. .il heart, and starts a (ire iu the stomach of the auimal, which dies. The Dog children skia it and make animals out of pieces of the body. The brain L'- used for making frogs Chil. The Transformer assumes the shape of a hum- mingbird, flies into the elk at the back, and comes out of its mouth, thus causing it to fall dead. He sits down on the antlers of the elk in his human form, Lyttou, Ntla. In Nicola Valley this story is located iu the Kalispelm country, and is told of Coyote. The elk stands in the middle of a stream. Coyote transforms himself into a piece of wood, is swallowed, makes a fire in the stomach of the elk, cuts its heart, and eats it. Ue transforms the body into a common elk Ntl6. The incident of people being swallowed by a monster, ^vhose heart they cut or whose bod}' they tear, occurs in many othei' connections iu tliis area; for example, U 282, Ntl Teit 3.349, Wish 41 , Wasco 267, TakclmaSl. It has also been treated iu connection with the Raven tale (pp. G59, 687, 718, 868). 5. TheOriguiof arrow-stone Sha 645; Sh& Dawson 35; Kutenai 105.' Two old women [Grizzly Bear sisters ShaJ who live on Cache Creek possess the arrow-stone. The Transformer makes therii fight, and the slones fall off their bodies. They say that if he liad asked them for the stone, he would not have fotind it necessary to make them fight SliH, b. A similar story is known to the Kutenai. 6. The origin of tobacco Sha 5.3; Sh6,c646; Ntl Teit 3.304; Chill2. The Transformers reach the tobacco tree. One branch of the tree swings about and kills people. Le'esa cuts it off with his stick and throws it into the river. He uproots the tree \^•ith his stick Sh«. At Pesma'menex the Transformers find the poisonous tobacco tree. Le'esa wants to smoke its leaves. He cuts down the tree with his arrow-flaker and smokes, and ordains that tobacco shall not kill people Shb. According to another version, the tobacco tree falls on persons that approach it. Le'esa lets it fall on his arrow-flaker She. Wien it falls, ho jiuts his staff under it ChU. In Nicola Valley a parallel story is told of Coyote. The shade of the tree kills people. Coyote makes a stone pipe, plucks off leaves, and smokes them. He transforms the leaves into tobacco Ntl. 7. He kills the big-horn sheep Sha 5.3; Sh6 647; Kutenai 101.- On a mountain at Buonaparte Creek there is a mountain goat that kills people. At the foot of the Tnountain there is a dog that also kills people. Le'esa wants goat tallow to mix it mth tobacco. He kills the dog %vith hLs stick, and ordains that men shall use it. He kills the goat with his stick, and ordains that it shall be eaten. His brothers take all the tallow, and leave none for him Sha. He wants to eat meat of the ram, and kills it with his flaker. He transforms it into an ordinary big-horn sheep. Out of its horn lie makes a spoon Shi. .^Jnong the Kutenai he transforms the sheep and ob- tains from it the aiTow straightener. 8. He kills the beaver Sh 648; Sh 661, 662: Ntl Hill-Tout 1.204; Chil 13. He attacks the monster beaver with his spear. After tying white bark around his wrists [painting them white Sh 648], he is dragged under water. His brothers search for him in rivers and dig trenches. Finally they pull him 1 Franz Boas. Kutenai Tales. Bulletin 50, Bureau of Amer. Ethnologry, p. 105. - Ibid., p. 101. BOisJ COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 613 out. P.eavei' is trausforrawl iulu an ordinary animal ISh 648. He ties white bark in hLs hair before spearing the beaver, and is dragged under. The Dog children follow him, and find the beaver dead . The dog had been swallowed . and had cut the heart of the beaver. Fishes are naade of the beaver flesh Chil. The eldest brother wante to eat beaver tails. The youngest drinks the beaver lake empty, and kills the beavers as they run out of their holes. He asks for the beaver eyes, which he wears as a head-ring Xtl. — In another connection Bluejay ties white bark around his wrists and ankles and attacks a lake monster Sh 661, 662. 9. He kills the marmot (bush-tail rat) Sha 64S: Shh 5.1: Ntl Teit 2.46; Chil 12. The Transformers go to kill the marmot. Le'esa kills two young ones and puts them into his belt. The Marmot is in the habit of killing people by letting the door of his house cnish them. Le'esa keeps the door open with his arrow-flaker, and transforms the marmot into an ordinary animal Sho. He follows the woodchuck into its hole, which he spreads by putting hLs lance across. He slays it with a hammer hanging down from his wrist. The brothers eat all the meat. He transforms the monster animal into a wood- chuck Shb. In the Thompson version there is a long introduction telling how the Bush-Tail Rat was in the habit of stealing ]iro\ Lsions, and excused himself by saying that his younger brother, the Long-Tailed Mouse, gave him provisions. A fight ensues, in which the people are killed. The Rat moves away, and then follows the story referred to here Xtl. The Dog Trans- former wants to make a tobacco-pouch. He enters Marmot's house, and finds inside a woman weaving a basket. A\Tien the stone door begins to close, he holds it up by means of his staff, jumps out, but when he pulls out his staff, his little finger is squeezed off. Therefore (he fourth Jinger is short Chil. 10. Encounter with a skunk Sha 649; Shh Dawson 35: Ntl Teit 2.45. Tlie Transformer kills Skunk, whose bag he empties into a lake. For this reason the water of the lake is discolored Sha. Skunk, who kUls people, discolors a lake by squirting his fluid into it. The Transformers change the monster skimk into an ordinai-y animal Ntl. Skunk, who is married to Short-Taile:i and of the Shuswap is the occurrence of a number of different Transformers or groups of Trans- formers and of contests of their strength. Among the Thompson Indians we find a second transformer, the son of the Hog Fennel. 1. Hog Fennel Ntla Teit 2.42, 45; Ntl6 5.16; Ntlc Hill-Tout 2.564: NtM Teit 3.319; U 224; LUa Teit 2.95; LUb 350. In'Ntlo this man Kokwe'la is said to have come from LiUooet, transforming bad people into stones. On meeting, the Transformers test their powers, but prove to be equally strong, Ntl Teit 2.42. They meet Kokwe'la (Ciokoe'la) a .short distance below Lytton, try to overcome him, but instead they are defeated Ntli 5.16. They camp together one night, and the place where they lay may still be recognized by the marks of their bodies. After going down Fraser Eiver 1 See Ntl Teit 2.f)l: Teit, Shuswap 625, 73S; also Ts "2,S. G16 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ikth. anx. 31 as far as Kanaka Bar, Kokwe'la returned. Wherever he went, hog-fennel Rrew up Ntlo Teit 2.45. Hill-Tout gives an account of the storj- as heard in Lytton. Here the mother tells the boy that his father was drowned, then that he fell from a tree when trying to take a hawk's nest, then that he had fallen over a preci- pice. The hog-fennel plant twines itself around his feet. He trains to become a shaman, and in his dream learns tliat he is the son of tlie Hog Fennel. Ho sets out to look for the tribe to which his mother belonged, meets people who are watching a game of ball, in whic h he joins. He hits the legs of one of his opponents, and lie is then called Hog I''eunel. He goes fasting again, and becomes a powerful shaman. Then he meets the Trans- former brothers, and they test their [jowers. He makes with his fingers three small holes in a rock, causes them to be filled with soup, which the brothers can not empty. When he shakes the brothers, they find that they can eat some more. However, they can not empty the holes. He, in his turn, empties thera quickly. According to the Lillooet version Lil6 and the present version, tliis happened at Nka'ia, below Lytton Nile. Kokwe'lahii'it, the child of the Hog Fennel, asks his mother who hi.s father is. She says first that the rock, then the trees, last the water, killed his father. He trios to shoot them, but they tell him that they are not guilty. He leaves; and wherever he goes, the hog-fennel jdants shake their leaves and cling to his legs. A Catfish calls him by name, and he transforms him. Having learned who his father is, he kills his mother. In another version he transforms her into stone. He visits a village where Frog wishes to mairy him. The people marry him to another girl; and Frog, in revenge, jumi)8 on his face, where he remains. The child of Hog Fennel is made the moon. The Frog may still be seen in his face U 224. It will be noticed that in this version the encounter with the Transformers is omitted. The end of the tale is oiclinarily an independent story. It would seem that the Hog-Fennel Transformer is not an essential j)art of the Transformer tales of the Lower Thompson Indians. In the Nicola Valley version he is described as a man of large stature and great strength. He quarrels witli liis companions, and then the peojile reproach him with his descent. According to some versions lie begins to travel in company with the Qwa'qtqwaL. A little above Lytton he ha.s a contest with them. The brothers are imable to produce a spring, while, when he kicks the ground, water flows forth Ntlrf Teit 3.319. The Lillooet version is almost identical with that of the Lower Thompson. A girl marries the Hog-Fennel Root; and her son, Tsu'ntia, becomes the ancestor of the Upper Lillooet. .\ number of boys quarrel with him, and he changes one of them into a cattish. His mother tells him that his father wa.s drowned. When he threatens to shoot the water, it informs him that it has never seen his father. She gives other evasive answers, and he finally throws her into a lake. Then he begins to travel, and transforms people into animals, fishes, and rocks. He also changes the features of many parts of the country. Below Lytton he meets the Qoa'qtqwaL, who were coming up the river. They try to transform each other, but are unsuccessful. He gives them a small dish of food, which they are unable to empty. When they try the same experiment, he empties theu' dish quickly. They lie ilown to sleep, and the marks of their bodies may be seen to this day. Tlien UOASJ COMPAKATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 617 follows a story of a fabulous people, the ilesceiidants of Tsii'ntia's mother, who had been throwu into the lake Lila Teit 2.95. A slightly different version is told in Lilt 350. The girl was going to kill her son, but the people told her to rear him. The person whom he transforms into a catfish is the father of the children with whom he is placing. On asking his mother about his father, she tells him first that the water, then that the rock, killed him. He transforms the people who had mocked him, one into a grizzly bear, one into a wolf, one into a marten, others into birds and fishes. Aft#r this follow his contests with the Transformer brothers related before. Tsu'ntia ])laces a rock before them, and water gushes out of it. WTien he is traveling about, the hog-fennel plants twine themselves around his legs. In this version there follows a curious incident telling how the Transformer brothers and Tsu'ntia meet at the edges of the earth, where they tell him that in one country the powers were so strong that they could not produce any transformations. They tell him to stop the sun. He does so, and every- thing begins to bum. Tlien he makes the stm move again, and the earth cools off. 2. Ca'wa. Probably corresponding to tliis talc we find among the Shuswap the story of the Transformer Ca'wa flvamloops), Samp (Eraser River), or Spelkamulax (North Thompson) Sh 651. Starting from Churn Creek, he travels over the country. He reaches a lake where people catch frogs instead of fi.sh. He gives them a net, and teaches them to catch fish. He reaches a country where people who fall asleep are believed to be dead and are buried. He tells them that people sleep during the night and wake in the morning. Next follows the incident in which he shows people that they do not need to cut open tlie women when about to give birth (see p. 609). He reaches the Coyote people, who have knot- holes for their wives, and he gives them real wives (see p. 609). These last two stories have been discussed before in connection with the Transformer cycle. 3. Old One Ntlr; Teit 2.49: NtlJ Teit 3.320-328; U 228; Sh«. 642; Shh 746. Besides these two types of Transformer tales, there is a very vague record of Old One. Coyote tries his strength with Old One moving the rivers and moimtains. Old One has greater strength, and Coyote retires to a house of ice in the extreme north. When he turns over, it is cold weather. Coyote and Old One are expected to return and bring back the dead Indians. In a contest with a boy, in which they try who can stay under water longest. Old One is thrown into the upper world, whence he is expected to return among clouds of tobacco-smoke. Old One transforms a man into a swan Ntki Teit 2.49. Among the Lower Thompson there is a similar v;igue tradition of a great chief who came from above, who punished bad people and established the villages. He transformed the wooden seats of some people near Fort Yale into stones. When the stones are rubbed, the weather changes U 228. In Nicola Valley it is told that Old One lives in the upper world. By throwing a round ball into the middle of an expanse of water he created the world. Then he came down and created trees and graso. Tlie Beaver is said to live next to him. There ar« a number of other creation tales referring to 618 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 him, which, however, I do not discuss here, because they diverge from all the other tales, and may in part be due to Christian influences. \Mien Old One migrates, he ordains that the females of man and animals shall bring forth yoimg. He transforms an old man into a fish, and he gives people the use of porcupine quills, eagle feathers, shells, and woodpecker's scalps for ornaments Ntl6 Teit 3.320 et seq. On the whole, I am under the impression that the vague stories relating to Old One are in part expressions of old mythical concepts, in part developed by recent biblical teaching. 4. Coyote. In the traditions of almost all these tribes occur encounters between the Transformer brothers and Coyote, who Ls the principal Transformer and culture-hero of the tribes of southeastern British Columbia and eastern Washington. Thus the brothers meet the Transformer Coyote, but are unable to transform him Ntl Teit 2.44; Nicola Teit 3.316. 5. The Transformers of the Uta'mqt. It is important to note that two characteristic transformations — that of the deer and of the woodpecker — which are parallel to the feats of the Trans- former of northern Vancoiiver Island and of the coast of Washington are told by the Uta'mqt of a Transformer distinct from the one who performed all the other feats in that area U 226, 227 (see pp. 601 el seq.). COMPARISON OF CULTtTRE-HERO TALES OF THE NORTHWEST COAST We may now summarize the results of this analysis, and give a brief characterization of tlie culture-hero tales of the Northwest coast. The most prominent and widely distributed elements of the north- em Raven myth are the efforts of Raven to still liis insatiable hunger and to obtain what is needed for his purposes. The origin tales and many of the other tales of the cycle tell, therefore, how Raven obtains by force or trickery an object that he wants, or compels a person to give up the exclusive control of a privilege. Thus he secures daylight, water, fire, the tides, the olachen, the salmon, the soil, and fair weather. Some tales of this class are explanatory in an incidental way, in so far as some act of Raven or of his antago- nists or companions brings about the conditions that exist now. The crow is black, the cormorant dumb, bullhead's tail tliin, on account of such incidents. Most tales of this class, however, are not explanatory. Among the numerous tales that are evidently not very popular and have only local importance, many account for modern conditions. They include transformations of dangerous animals (No. 61, p. 572); transformations of objects into animals, and trifling acts by which ani- mals are given their present form (for instance, Nos. 65-79, p. 573) ; the transformation of men, animals, and objects into stones (Nos. 89-93, BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 619 p. 574) ; the naming of places (Nos. 94-98, p. 574) ; the making of geographical features (Nos. 96, 99-123, pp. 574, 575). There is no connection whatever between the Raven myth and the social grouping of the people, except the vague statement, that is not found embodied in any version as an important- element, that Raven was the ancestor of the Raven Clan. This idea is certainly foreign to the Tsimshian. There is no mention whatever in the Raven myth of the ancestors of any of the local subdivisions of the exogamic groups. In this respect there is a fundamental difference between the Raven myth and the Transformer tales of Vancouver Island, the coast of Washington, and the delta of Fraser River, where the most important tales refer to meetings between the Transformers and the ancestors of village communities and tribal subdivisions. In the area of northern Vancouver Island the ancestors, many of whom are con- ceived as endowed with the powers of the winter ceremonial, prove themselves equal to the Transformer. Others are transformed by him into rocks or mountains, islands, or rivers. In still other cases he bestows on them food animals. This type of tale is common on Fraser River (Nos. 1-62, pp. 601-604), although there are also a number of tales (Nos. 63-68, pp. 604-608) in which the Transformer either is vanquished or has at least difhculty in overcoming the ancestor. On the coast of Washington the principal contents of the culture-hero myth are tales of his encounters with the ancestors of various villages, of the creation of food animals for their use, and of gifts of implements to the villagers. The close similarity between the Transformer myth of the Kwakiutl and the Salisli tribes wliich appears here, and their intimate relation to the village communities, corroborate my views, previously expressed, in regard to the recent changes in the social organization among the Kwakiutl.' The ancient paternal, or, better, bilateral family organization of the Kwakiutl tribe is also clearly brought out by the table of relationship terms given on p. 494. The whole southern coast region contains also, as part of the Trans- former legend, encounters with persons who are advised of the arrival of the Transformer, and who intend to kill him. These are changed into various kinds of animals. In form these tales are quite analogous to the meetings of the Transformer with the ancestors of village communities. Another point in regard to which the Transformer tale of this area differs from that of the north is that the Trickster tales, which play an important part in the mythology of aU these tribes, are entirely divorced from the Transformer tales. A few of these do occur in ' Boas 5.334. 620 TSIMSTIIAN MYTH0L0(;Y [eth. ANN. 31 the Transformer legem! of the Fraser Delta, but they are always iissigned to Mink, who is a companion of the Transformer, and who appears as trickster among the tribes of northern Vancouver Island. I have discussed the significance of this plienomenon at another place. ^ The Transfonncr tales of the interioi- sliarc witli tliose of the south- em part of the coast the dissociation of (he culture-hero element and of the trickster. The separation, however, is not so complete, because we are dealing here witli different sets of Transformer tales. The Coyote as Transformer — a cycle which I have not discussed here, since it seems to be foreign to the Pacific coast — shares witli the Raven cycle the lack of ilifl'orentiation between culture-hero and trickster; but in the southwestern interior of British Columbia we find, besides Coyote, various Transformers who are essentially analo- gous to the culture-heroes of Washington and Vancouver Island. Their function, however, is different. They transform the animals wliich were in ancient times monsters or caimibals into the useful animals of our present period. At tlie same time, transformations into stones are very numerous. There is, of coui"se, no relation to village communities, since these tribes are not organized in well- defined village groups. Botli tlie Vancouver Island and intei'ior groups may be contrasted with the northern group by the complete absence of aU mytlis relating to fire, water, sun, moon, etc., as parts of the Transformer legends. The Raven Mmr ok the Tsimshian The Raven myth of the Tsimsldan is the sky; and Raven put hia feet against the hat, hia beak against the sky, and finally pressed his uncle down, thus drowning him Kai 5.] He waited for the water to run off, then pulled his beak out of the cloud or sky Tl 4, T16 120, and prayed to fall on a piece of kelp Tib 120 [fell on kelp Tl 3, Tl 4; on a stone, where he hurt himself; this is the cause of all stclness Tl 2]. The water had receded to half the height of the mountains when he fell down T16 120. TYPE II. HAIDA (5 versions; Jla 293, 296, 308; Skr; 110, 118; [Skfc 110]; Skg 138' [see also 8.74]; Hai 5.306; Harrison ^ [cited respectively Ma, Ska, Sk6, Skg, 8, Hai 5]) The Haida version of the Raven legend is not as clear as that of the TEngit. As stated before, the Kaigani Ilaida tale wMch I collected in 18S8 (Kai 5.306) agrees in form with the Tlingit tale, and must be classed with these. We have one version of the Haida form of the story, obtained in 1900 by Swan ton, from members of the Skidegate group Ska 110; another one obtained by me in 1 897 from a member of the Rose Spit group Skgr 138; furthermore, we have Hamson's version from Masset,^ Dawson's very brief account (1.149B), and fragments recorded by me in 1888 from Slddegato Haida 5.30G. Swanton's Masset series M and Kaigani series Kai do not contain the begin- ning of the tale. Incidents of the introduction are, however, referred to M 293, 296, 308. In both its fullest versions the whole story is characterized by repetitions, which are obviously not (hie to fault)^ telling, but which must belong to il, since they appear in these versions as well as in some of the fragments. These must therefore not bo excluded in the reconstruction of the essential form of the tale. All the versions also lack in one ])oint or another in coherence. We shall discuss this feature later on. I will give, first of all, a summary of the essential elements in their most plausible sequence; Chief Hole In His Fin, of a town on Rose Spit, and his wife Flood- Tide Woman, had an infant son who cried, and would not be quieted mitil his father's sister. Ice Woman, took him on her arms, so that he could touch her breast. By supernatural means he made the people sleep, and laj- %\4th his aunt. At the same time the chief's nephew, Fm Turned Back, was the lover of Flood-Tide Woman. Therefore the chief sent his wife and son back to her brother, Great Breakers. 1 A Masyet version. 2 See narrison, Religion and Family among the Haida (Journal nf the A -nOnapahigiml InslituW of Great Britain and Ireland, xxi, 1S92, pp. 14-29). .50633°— 31 ETH— If) 4(1 626 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [etii. axn. 31 When they Uved in Great Breakers' house, the boy behaved badly, bangmg the door and soilmg the floor of the house. He mtended to seduce his uncle's wife, and prepared for this. First he desired to obtain a whale. His father and uncle were out in the shape of killer whales, getting whales, and he caused them to strand on the beach. Flood-Tide Woman tried to rescue her lover. Fin Turned Back ; but the boy let the tide rise and cover the killer whales, so that they were enabled to swim away. In return they gave him a whale. He watched the birds that came to eat of it, and shot a bufflehead, and then a bluebird. When ho put on the skin of the former, he was able to swim. When he put on the skin of the latter, he was able to fly like a raven. In order to gain the love of his uncle's wife, he obtamed gum from some women. He chewed it and gave some of it to his uncle's wife when she asked for it. This acted as a love-charm. She induced her husband to go sealing, and meanwhile the boy lay with the woman. Then it thundered, and by this sign Great Breakers knew what had liapj)oned. He put on his hat. A whirlpool rushed out of it, and the world was covered with water. Then the boy put on the sldn of the bufflehead and swam out; later, that of the bluebird and flew up to the sky in the form of a raven. He made the waters recede by kicking thsm, and then returned to the earth.' There he was adopted by the mountain Qi'ngi, and at a feast given there he was made voracious by eating scabs, and began his migrations.- Following is a detailed account of the various versions: The cliief of a town on Rose Spit was named Hole In His Fin Ska 118 [Dorsal Fin Lgangagin Skg]. His nephew was Fin Turned Back Ska 118 [Hole In Fin Ls;anxe1a Sk^]. The chief's wife was Flood-Tide Woman Ska, g, the sister of Great Breakers Ska [called Cape Ball in Sk Swanton 2; XAiikilsLa's Sk(/], They had a baby s See p. 625, footnote 2. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 631 Raven collected two large mounds of clamshells on the beach near Sisk and trans- formed them into two slaves. By throwing limpets at one of them he became a man, while the other became a woman. He lived at Rose Spit, and married the slave- woman. Since she had no children, he drove the couple away, and they settled in Skidegate. Obviously the tale of the clams refers to the incident in which Raven finds human beings in a clam, referred to in the version Ma 324. The slave and the slave-woman would seem to correspond to Raven's wife and his nephew, and the incident of their being sent away would correspond to the departure of the couple to the house of the woman's brother. It will be seen, however, that this uacident is repeated later on. Raven, being left alone, decides to obtain a wife in the sky. He flies upward, makes a hole through the wall of the heavens, and enters the sky. He assumes the form of a bear, and is taken into the house of the Sky chief as a playmate for the Sky chief's youngest son. The Sky chief had created sun, moon, and stars. One day Raven sees three bears ou the beach, assumes the form of an eagle, steals the sun, which happens to be setting at that time, and the fire-drill, taking each under one arm. Then he takes the child of the chief in his beak and flies down. The heavenly people try to piuBue him, but soon give up. The child drops out of Raven's beak and falls down into the sea. Raven carries down sun and fire-drill. When the child drops into the sea, the fish come to his aid and carry him ashore. For (his reason the hind of Jish that aided him. is numerous near Rose Spit, and their forms are impressed in the blue clay of that district. The child grows up in Raven's house, and has control of all kinds of animals. These help him. Raven keeps sun and fire-drill locked up, because he is afraid that his former slave will steal them. After some time the slave-woman returns, and Raven Lives with her again. The heavenly child makes love to the woman, and they escape, i.arrying away the box containing sun and fire-drill. On their way south they find a dead land otter. Then with the fire-drill he makes a fire, by which they cook the otter. At Cape Ball the heavenly youth sings some of his songs, which cause the sea to recede, leaving a whale stranded on the beach. He barred in the whale by means of a wall of stones, which may be seen up to the present day. The couple settle at Skidegate, where a daughter is bom to them. The parents refuse to let her marry, and finally tlie slave created by Raven wooes her. The slave-woman, the mother of the girl, tells the slave about sun and fire-drill. The slave enters the house through the smoke hole, steals the box, and breaks it. He breaks up the sun; the pieces fly up into the sky and become sun, moon, and stars. The slave escapes along the west coast, and shoots a chain of three hundred and sixty-five arrows up into the moon. These become the days of the Haida year. He climbs up and passes through the moon into the sky. He sees a woman bathing in a pond ; and when she comes out, he seizes her. Together they drop down into the sea. Raven sees them falling, goes to the slave's house, takes away the woman, and trans- forms the slave into a spirit that looks after the growth of every living thing. It is interesting to compare the fullest Skidegate versions with the Masset version recorded by Harrison. 63'2 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY iKTH. ANN. ;il Ska Raven finds a Hat rock in the watera. Flies up to the sky. Enters the body of a cliild in heaven. He gouges out the eyes of people in heaven. The people hold the child; it drops from their hands and falls hito the sea. The chOd (i. e., Raven) goes to a house m the bottom of the sea and is given the power to create land; he makes Queen Charlotte Islands and the mainland. (Break in story.) Raven enters the body of chief's child at Rose Point. The chief's son (i. e., Raven) makes love to the chief's sister; the chief's neph- ew makes love to the chief's wife. The chief's wife and her son Raven are sent back to her brother at Skide- gate. They find a sea otter, and Raven makes fire. Raven behaves badly in tlie house of his mother's brother. Whales strand. The child makes love to hi.s uncle's wife. Raven gets from his uncle's wife (he "white thing" that he owns. The uncle makes a deluge, and Raven flies up to the sky. He drops down, returns to his uncle, and is adopted by (Jingi. (Here begin his migrations.) M Raven finds a rock in the waters. He makes land. He creates man and woman of clamshells. He send.s thein to Skidegate. Flies up to the sky. Plays with a child in heaven. He steals the child, the sun, and the fire- drill. While Raven flies down with things, the child drops down. these The chUd is carried by fishes to Rose Point and grows up in Raven's house. The child makes love to Raven's wife. ' The chief's wife and the child who had dropped down from heaven escajjo; he takes along sun and fu-e-drill. They find a land otter, and the youth makes fire. Whales strand. Raven's wife and the youth have a daughter at Skidegate. The man whom Raven had created out of a clamshell elopes with the daughter and liberates the sun. The man who has abducted the girl makes a cliaiii of arrows and escapes to the sky. He takes a woman who is bathing in the sky and drops down with her. Shearing the myth of repetitions, wc may summarize the main incidents in the following order: 1. Raven is the child of Flood-Tide Woman, 2. Who is sent back to her brother by her jealous husband. 3. He makes love to Ms uncle's wife, 4. Wlio causes a deluge. 5. When the earth is covered by water. Raven flies up to the sky. 6. He returns. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 633 7. He is adopted by a man, and becomes voracious by eating scabs. S. He begins his migrations. In this order there is a lack of connection between and 7, for there is nothing in this tale that leads up to the adoption. We must add as incidents quite analogous to exploits made during his migrations — 9. The making of land. 10. The appearance of the ancestors of the Haida after the Deluge. The A^ai'ious tT^^pes may be summarized in the following forms: Sequence of incidents in — Ska &kg Sk 5 5 — — 6 — — 9,8 — — 1 11 2 2 — 3 3 3 — 7 — 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 (10) - - 7 — — 8 8 - — — 10 Swanton, in 8.7.5, places the event 10 after the second deluge (as told in Ska 110), although it does not so appear in liis version of the Raven myth. It would seem that the tale of how people originated from a clam- shell belongs also to the introductory part of the tale. All the rec- ords we have belong to Masset. One version has been recorded by Swanton in his Masset texts (Ma 324) ; another one was obtained by me from Chief Edenshaw of Masset (Sk 320) ; a third one was recorded by Dawson (1.149 B); and a fourth one by Deans (Hai 6.30). Raven heard a noise in a clamshell. When he opened it, he found one half full of human beings, the other half full of animals. He told the people to make a town, the animals to gj up the mountains. Since Queen Charlotte Islands were too small for all the animals, he sent some to the mainland . At the same time he pushed the islands apart with his feet Ma 324. Raven found a Cockle, and heard a noise inside. He found people in it, and made towns for them. From these originated a number of Haida families Sk 320. Raven married a Cockle, which gave birth tj six children. These were sexless, and he made them three males and three females Hai 6.30. Raven married the Cockle, which gave birth to a girl, whom later on he married. According to another version given at the same place, a man and a woman originated from two live Cockles. These became the progenitors of mankind, Dawson 1.149 B- 1.50 B. 634 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ANN. 3] TYPE III. TSIMSIIIAN AND XEWETTEE (aversions: Ts 214; Ts 5.272; N 7; Nea 5.170; Ne6 9.209 [cited respectively Ts, Ts 5, N, Nen, Ne6]) The third type is found among the Tsimshian and some of the Kwakiutl tribes. In the followmg abstract four versions have been utilized— one from Nass Eiver N 7, one from the Tsimshian 5.272 and two from Newettee (one obtained from the Lla'Llasiqwala 5.170, and another from the ^nagEmg'iHsala 9.200. Besides these, the in- troduction to the story appears as an independent story in the present collection, p. 214.' A chieftainess [of tlje Red-Bear Village of the Gi-spa-x-Ia'''ts at Motlakahlla Ts; at Ts!e'q6t Nea] had tlie chief's nephew (Ts) for her lover. In order to meet him easily, she pretended to die N, Nea, Neb. [The chieftaine.s8 died in midwinter before giving birth to her child Ts 5.] Before she died, she asked to be buried in a box on a tree N, and that her horn spoons, fish-knife, and marten blanket be put in her cofRn Net. She was buried on a tree Ts 5, N, Ne6 [a cedar at the mouth of Nass River. Ts5; on an island in front of the village Ts; on the burial-ground of the chiefs Ts 5]. For two nights the chief watched under the tree. Then he thought maggots were falling down out of the box. The woman, however, was scraping her horn spoon, and let the scrapings fall down. Every night after the people had gone to sleep, her lover climbed the tree and knocked at the box, saying, "Let me in, ghost!" Then the chieftainess laughed, and said, "On your behalf I pretend to make maggots out of myself" N, Ts. She came to be pregnant. A man found out what was happening, and told the chief, who asked his nephew to keep watch. When they saw that the report was true, they killed the man and the woman N. [A man who was silling with his sweetheart under the coffin saw and heard the chief's nephew go to her. He told the chief, who sent his attendants, with the order to throw down the coffin if they found the report true. They did so, and both were killed Ts. The people saw her lover coming out of the grave-housa, and told the chief, who sent a slave. He reported that the grave was open and the woman alive Nea. The slave saw what was going on, and reported to the chief. They opened the grave-box, and the woman was seen to be alive, although she kept her eyes shut Ne6. The chief then killed her with his knife, took out her child, and put it back into the grave Nea, 6.] Then her child was born, and lived by sucking its mother's intestines, Ts, Ts 5, N. The young men found that the child was alive when they came down from the tree. They reported to the chief, who ordered the child to be brought to him Ts. [The child grew up in the box Ts 5, N; the child grew up very quickly Nea.] [The slave dis- covered that the child whom the chief had put back into the grave was alive, and he took it to the chief's house. The child grew up and was called Qwa'qenit Ne5.] Children played shooting arrows in the woods Ts 5, N, Nea [in the spring TsS], andtheboy took them. [Finally they saw him coming from the grave Ts 5, N, Nea.] Suddenly a naked boy, shining like fire, appeared, and seized the arrows. They did not see what became of him; but finally one of the children peeped through a hole in its blanket, and, saw the boy come from the grave and return to it Ts 5. [Then the chief sent his nephews to watch. They caught the boy while he was walking about, and took him home N; the chief ordered the young man to place a bundle of arrows under a tree, and, when the boy came, to capture him and take him home Ts 5. The ' See also p. 781. BOJts] COMPABATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 635 chief sent a slave to see whether the boy was really alive in the grave, and ordered him to bring the boy home Nea .] The chief ordered the door and smoke hole of his house to be closed to prevent the escape of the boy. When he looked for his wife's body, he found it dried up Ts 5. The chief took a female slave to nurse the boyTs. The child grew up quickly Nea. The chief washed him to make him strong Ts 5. He was called Sucking Intestines Ts, N. [The boy would go often to the island to get chewing-gum from the spruce trees, and his uncle burned it for him. The slaves always took him over to the island to play. One day when they were burning gum, a flame of fire consumed the boy. The island is called up to this day Wliere She Pretends To Make Maggots Out Of Her.self. (Here the ver.sion Ts ends. It is in no way connected with the Raven myth. See p. 781.)] After two days the boy began to cry and would not eat. He asked another boy for gum that he was chewing, and then chewed and swallowed all the gum in the village. The boy who had given him the gum became his friend and companion. They went about together; and whenever they found a tree with gum on it, the boy would smear his body with it Ts 5. [Another boy of the village was his friend and constant companion Nea, Ne6. — Implied also in N.] The boys went about shooting birds, and finally siiot each a woodpecker Ts 5, Nea [a bird named g'itg'insa' and a woodpecker N. They put on bird masks Ne6] and flew upward Ts 5, N [to the upper world Ne6 to "our father" (this is not the proper term: it should be gVi "chief") Nea]. They came to the house of two kingfisher girls and began to peck wood. The girls said, "Is that you. Sucking Intestines?" He asked in reply, "Where is the hole of heaven?" They answered, " It is too far for you." The boys flew on, and came to the Mouse Woman. They heard her calling " X!" and when they began to peck wood, she said. "Enter, Sucking Intestines! " She set food before I hem; but he did not accept any, because he was still full of the gum that he had eaten, while the other boy ate. Then he asked, "How far is the hole of heaven?" She replied, "Four times it opens, four times it closes, count!" and then told him all that was going to happen in the sky. When they came to the hole of heaven, Sucking Intestines counted; and when it opened the fourth time, he flew through it. Then his friend tried, but he was caught in the hole Ts 5. [Sucking Intestines put on the skin of the g-itg-insa'; his friend, that of the woodpecker. As they flew along, the boy cried, "G-it, g-it, g-it g-insa- a-a-a'f ' ' and the woodpecker, ' ' Hau, haul ' ' They came to a town ; and some one said, "Sou of the ghost, it is not far where the heavens close." They flew on; and in every town which they reached, the people said the same to them. Finally they came to the hole in heaven, flew through it, and took off their skins. The boy's friend remained sitting near the hole N. They came to the upper world Nea.] The boy went on, and killed a duck {me'eq) and put on its skin Ts 5, and sat down near the well of the chief above N, Nea [of the sun Ts 5; of g-i'l the "chief" Net]. The chief's daughter came out N, Nea, Ne6 [accompanied by a slave Ts 5] to draw water Ts 5, Nea, N. She caught the bird [birds Nea] and took it into the house Ts 5, Nea, Ne6. [He transformed himself into the leaf of a cedar and floated on the water N (here the version N breaks off and continues as the tale of the liberation of daylight, see p. 641).] She took the bird [birds Nea] into her room, intending to keep it as a pet. Then the boy took off his skin and married her Nea. [Qwa'qenit took off his bird mask and married the girl Ne6. — In the night, when the girl was asleep, he took off his bird skin and embraced her. When she felt how soft he was, she remained quiet. He gave her some gum to swallow Ts 5.] In the morning, when the girl did not come out of her room, her father sent a slave-girl to call her. When she saw the young man, she was afraid, and told the chieftainess what she had seen. The latter informed her husband, who called his daughter and the youth 636 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 Ts 5. [The chief heard them talking, and asked hia daughter who was with her. Then he called them to come down Nea. — The chief called them Ne5.] The young woman warned her husband, saying that her father would try to kill him Ts 5, Nea. Her father made him sit down on the death-mat Ne6. [The floor was set with sharp spikes, which the youth pressed down with his feet Neo.] The chief made him sit down Ts 5. Soon the young woman gave birth to a child Ts 5, Nea, Ne6. When the child was born, it slipped out of her hands and fell down on some branches that were cbifting about in the sea Ta 5. [It fell into the sea Nea. She threw it down, and it fell into the sea Neb.] At this time the son of a chief of Metlakahtla had died, and he sent four slaves — two men and two women — to Q!adu' to get wood for cremating the body. They found the child and took it home. They gave it to the chieftainess, who adopted it by putting the child under her body, as though she had given birth to it. Its skin was very white Ts 5. [A slave of the father of Sucking Intestines who had gone out to get driftwood found the child and took it liome. The old chief gave it to his sister to bring up Nea. — A slave discovered the child on seaweeds aud gave it to his master Neb.] The people went to Nass River Ts 5. The child would not eat Ta 5, Nea, Ne6. (Here follows the story how he became voracious. This will be discussed later on.) Our presejit collection contains an entirely different introduction of the Raven legend, which I will give next. In the beginning the world was dark. At the south point of Queen Charlotte Islands lived a chief who had a son whose bed was over his own bed. The boy died, and his parents mourned for him. They took the intestines out of the body and cremated them behind the village, while they kept the dried body on the bed. Every day the chief wailed under the bed. One morning a shining youth was there, who said, "Heaven was annoyed by your constant wailing, so he sent me down to comfort you." The youth ate very little Ts 58. (Here follows the story how he became voracious.) Notwithstanding the difl'crences between the versions treated here as Type III, it is fairly clear that similar ideas underlie all of them. In the first form the child of a dead woman sucks dry her intestines, and has a sldn shining like fire. In the last version the intestines are removed from the body, which dries up, and from which proceeds the shining boy. Raven is Made Voracious (9 versions: Ta 59; T35.275; Nb ;i6; Tla 17; M6 306; Skg 141;' Ska 123; Ne 5.171; Ne 9.211) The introduction to the Haida and Tsimshian tales ends with the incident teUing how Raven was made voracious. The story is prac- tically the same in all the different versions. The supernatural child, which is the Raven, refuses to eat, and his parents or grandparents worry about it. They call the people together, and are given the ' A Masset version. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 637 advice to induce the cluld to swallow some scabs. After the cliild has done so, he becomes voracious and is deserted. The chief adopts the child that has been found by slaves adrift on the ocean. The child refuses to eat and takes only fat of deer and mountain goat and is making arrows to ])lay with. The grandfather invites the people to consult with them. An unknown person, Laxax-wa'se, passes by, is placed next to the boy, who is holding a piece of fat in his mouth. The visitor asks for a piece of salmon, roasts it, scratches a scab from his body, which he puts into the salmon, and wishes the boy to eat it. The boy swallows these scabs and becomes voracious Ts 5.275. A young man dies. His parents mourn, and his place is taken by a shining youth who comes down from heaven. lie refuses to eat, only chews a little fat. The chief's two slaves. Mouth At Each End, bring food and eat large chunks of whale meat. The parents discover that the youth is not their son, but has come down from the sky. The male slave tells him that they have eaten scabs from their shin bones, which makes them hungry. lie inquires whether eating is enjoyable, and says that he wishes to try scabs too. The male slave cuts off a small piece of whale meat and puts in a small scab. The slave-wife objects. The young man eats it and becomes greedy Ts 59. The girl who has swallowed a cedar leaf has a child, which refuses to eat. The grandfather calls two old men to chew food for the child. They chew salmon and grease. One of them scratches a scab from his shin and puts it into the salmon. The child eats it and becomes greedy N5 30. In the version Tla 17 we hear merely that Raven became greedy because ho ate the black spots of his owoi toes, and that he did this because he wished to become greedy. In all the Haida versions the incident occurs at a feast given by Qingi- Raven is adopted by Q^ng*. He acts like a noble person, who eats but very little. Qefig" asks his servants what makes people hungry, and they toll him that he must eat scabs four times. Raven does so and becomes greedy Mft 306. Raven is adopted by QiQg'. He is seated between Qifig' and his wife. He refuses to eat, and is chewing gum. Two Porpoise youths who stand at one side of the door eat ravenously. Raven wants to learn how to eat. The youths tell him reluctantly that he must bathe, scratch his skin, and eat the scab that comes off. Thus he becomes voracious Skg' 141 . After he has been adopted by Qtiigi, the latter invites the peo])le, and Raven refuses to eat. Two big-bellied persons come in. When they open their mouths, the people pour in boxfuls of cranberries. On the following day Qiiigi gives another feast. Raven goes to a place at the end of the town, where cranberries are being blown out, and stops up the holes. He asks the two persons why they eat so much. They tell reluctantly that in order to get greedy one must take a bath early in the morning, lie down, scratch off a scab that forms over the heart, and swallow it on the following day. Raven does so and becomes voracious Ska 123. An infant is found adrift at sea; is adopted by an old chief, whose sister nurses it. The child grows quickly, but refuses to eat. The chief asks the people for advice, and an old man tells him to send his people to catch sea fish. Then the old man cut.s out the stomach and gives it to the boy, who becomes voracious Ne 5.171 . A child is found adrift at sea. A slave wraps it up in his cape and takes it home. The child refuses to eat. An old man advises the chief to get two bullheads. The child eats them and becomes greedy Ne 9.211. 638 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [ETH. ANN. 31 COMPARISON OF THK THREE TYPES OF INTRODUCTION The principal contents of the three types of introduction may be summarized in the following manner: Type I Type II Type III Jealous uncle kills neph- Child of faithless woman is Child of faithless woman ews. His sister swallows taken to his uncle. born after her death is stone and gives birth to taken to her husband, a boy. Boy shoots birds, seduces uncle's wife. Uncle makes deluge. chews gum to seduce uncle's wife. Uncle makes deluge. chews gum to seduce daughter of Sky chief. Bov flies to the sky. Their child He marries the Sky chief's daughter. Their child drops down on kelp, is adopted, becomes voracious. is adopted, becomes voracious. Only the fiist of these versions has a consistent plot. In the two others the actions do not form a clearly intelligible series of events. In the third type no reason is given for Raven's flight to the sky, although the forms of analogous tales suggest that he wanted to marry the daughter of the Sky chief. There also appears no reason why he should marry her; for the girl, he himself, and his friend who accompanies him, seem to be introduced only to let the helpless chUd drop down into the waters. They do not appear again in the tale. Among the Haida (Type II) the lack of coherence is still greater. The principal peculiarity of this type consists in the weaving of the tale of the origin of land into the iiatroductory part of the myth. For the sake of clearness, I will repeat this series of incidents. In Ska the whole cycle begins with a scene representing the earth covered by water, and the events lead to Raven's fall from heaven, and his landing on drifting kelp. This sequence is identical with the Tlingit deluge produced by the jealous uncle, but the intervening incidents are more nearly related to the Tsunshian tale. In the Haida version the cause of the flood is not accounted for, and at the end the account of the creation of land is added. Later, however, follows another deluge caused by the jealous uncle, as in the Tlingit version, which ends in Raven's return to his uncle's house, whence he had fled to BOASl COMPABATIVE STUDV OF TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY 639 escape his uncle's Avi'ath. In Sk 8.75 and Sk 5.307 the ancestors of the Haida appear on the land after the second flood. The lack of cause for the fu-st deluge, which is in part introduced a third time in the mcident of Raven's adoption by Qingi — and the lack of coherence manifested in Raven's return to his uncle, from whom he had just fled — are the principal defects in the development of tills plot. The gi-eatest confusion, however, is mtroduced by the adoption ceremony, during which Raven's voraciousness develops. This is based in the third version on the incident that Raven is found as a helpless cliild, and taken up by the chief, while in the Haida version no reason is given for the adoption which is connected with Qingi's visit to Raven's uncle — a visit which is not connected with the preceding or the following part of the tale. It seems to me certain that the adoption incident in the Haida story can be due only to the hicorporation of the analogous Tsim- shian mcident. The settmg of the incident shows that we have here the Tsunshian story of the feast of the sea monsters (p. 718) introduced into the Raven story, and combined with the adoption of Raven, which is the most important feature of the Tsimshian Raven myth, because it accounts for Ms voraciousness. It is interesting to note here that the eye-eating mcident, which is so prominent in the Haida version, occurs also quite mdependently of the Raven myth in both Haida and Tsimshian tales. Although the Tlingit mtroduction to the myth seems most con- sistent, it lacks close relation to what follows. There is particular difficulty in all the versions relating to the origin of daylight. As will be set forth more fully presently, Raven transforms himself mto a small leaf, is swallowed by the daughter of the owner of daylight, and is reborn by her. Thus he is enabled to steal the daylight. In the Tlingit versions Tl the owner of daylight is identified with Raven At Head Of Nass River. Thus it happens that we have two conflicting hicidents. In one Raven seduces his uncle's (Raven At Head Of Nass River's) wife, an act which leads to the deluge and to Raven's flight to the sky and his return. In the other he revisits liis uncle, is reborn by liis uncle's daughter, and obtains the da^-hght. In the second tale no mention is made of the relationship between Raven and his uncle. In Tiff 3 the second incident opens the Raven tale. In T16 119 it is stated that he returns to Raven At Head Of Nass River. The owner of da}-light of the Haida is not identified with Raven 's uncle, so that the incident does not conflict with the introduction. In the Nass River legend X 7, which belongs to the third type, the boy fhes up to heaven and steals the sun, instead of being dropped down to earth. Later, however, N 36, he appears as the son of the woman who swallowed the cedar leaf, and who becomes vora- cious. No expUcit mention is made of his fall from heaven, but it is fah-lv certain that the tale discussed before is meant. 640 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ietij. ann. .il Apparently in none of the Raven tales does a close connection exist between the introduction dealing with the lover of the faithless wife, or her son, and the subsequent myth. There are, however, a number of analogous tales that make it clear that the person who survives the machinations of his jealous uncle is considered unusu- ally powerful. Here should be quoted the tales of the jealous uncle (Thngit Tl 198, Haida Sk 277, Kwakiutl Ne 10.365),^ in which the boy is finally set adrift on the ocean, and then, by means of super- natural powers, takes revenge on his uncle. Important for the interpretation of the Tlingit version is also the story of Lakitcine' Tl 99 (Laguadji'na Haida Sk 2ry2, M,376), which is a culture-hero story l)clonging to the Athapascan cj'cle. In all these versions the husband, whose wdfe has cliildren by a dog, kills these, except the last, by pressing them against his cape, which is set with spines, in the same way as Raven's uncle kills his nephews; and only one, whose skin is hard hke stone, survives The same idea probably underlies the incident of the THngit version, in which Raven is born invulnerable because his mother conceived him by swallowing a stone. Since most of the Dog-cliildron stories do not contain this element, I presume it has been introduced into tliis tale from the Raven tale. It would seem, therefore, that the essential idea contained in all the versions is the acquisition of supernatural power by Raven. In the Tlingit and Haida stories tliis power is manifested in the boy's contest with his uncle. In the Tsimshian version it is acquired by his heavenly birth. The latter form accounts also, in a way, for the boy's refusal to eat. As a heavenly boy he needs no human food; and when he is endowed with human qualities by eatmg scabs, the transformation is overdone, and, instead of eating like an ordinary human being, he becomes voracious. Common to all the versions is the initial scene after Raven's return from the sky, the world being covered by water. In the Tsimshian legend this is merely expressed by the fact that the child is found on a bunch of kelp in the ocean. It seems to my mind that this opening scene should be compared with that of the Mink tradition of the Kwakiutl (Ne 5.173; Kll.80; K9.123; K5.157; Ri 5.215; H5.234; BC 5.246; BC 95). In the Kwakiutl version it is told that a woman conceives when the rays of the sun strike her back. She gives birth to a boy, who ascends to the sky, where he visits his father. He carries the sun in his place, descends too low, and sets the earth on fire. Then his father takes away the sun from him, and casts him down. He falls into the sea, and drops on some kelp, where he is found. After tliis begin his migrations, which differ, however, in their general character, from the Raven legends, in that the central idea is the amorousness of Mink rather than liis voraciousness, while I See p. 813. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 641 the principal idea in the Raven cycle is his voracioiisness. Neither are any of the culture-hero traits retained by Mink. It seems plausible, therefore, that the opcnmg of the Raven and the Mmk tales is essentially a deluge myth which has been elaborated in different du'ections, but presents in all these tales the begiimmg of the present world. The loss of the deluge element in the Raven tales of the Tsimshian and Newettee (Ty]ie III) may be due to the occurrence of other deluge legends among these tribes: the deluge legend 1.243 of the Tsimsliian, the Mink talc of the Newettee. Among the Newettee, the Mink tale not only contains the element of the destruction of the world by fu-e, but refers also to that of all vege- tation, which is brought up by diving animals m the same way as the new earth is created after the deluge among the eastern tribes 5.173, 9.223. In the Tsimshian deluge legend also stress is laid on the destruction of all vegetation. These incidents emphasize the close relation between the Mink tale and the deluge legend. It would seem thus that the Raven mythologies of the area from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska open with varying types of elaboration of the mythological concept that in the beguming the world was covered by water, and that Raven began his activities after the waters had subsided, or that he caused the water to subside. Among the Tlmgit the elaboration of this incident is based on the jealous-uncle story. Among the Tsimshian the true deluge story remains apart from the Raven story; and we recognize the deluge idea only m the general setting of the beginrung of the tale. The Haida form is a mixture of the Tlingit and the Tsinashian forms. The Mink tale of the southern tribes gives also clear evidence showing that the beginnmg of our world was believed to be the destruction of an older one, fu'st by fire, and then by water. Raven's Adventures (1)' origin of daylight {Northern Form) (29 versions: Ts 60; Ts 5.276; No 10; N6 21,36; TIa3; T1681, 82; T14.261; Tl 5.311; Tit 117; Kai 8.238; M6 308; Ska 116; Hai 6.25;^ H 5.232; Hap 884; BC 63; BC 5.241; Ria 5.208; Ri6 5.209; Nu 5.105; Nu ap 888; Car 126;^ Chil 14; Kodiak 85;* Ten'a 304; Anvik 9;^ Esk Nelson 461). The world was dark [and when the sky was clear, there would be a little light from the stars Ts]. Raven [felt sorry for man T16] thought he himself rould not get food Ts. [The first daylight that had been obtained was not right BC 5.] 1 Numbers in parentheses refer to corresponding numbers in list of incidents, pp. 5G7 ei scq. 2 Stated by Deans to be a Tsimshian or Nass legend, containing, however, Haida names (see also Hai Dawson 1.151 B). 3 Father Morice, Three Carrier Myths ( Transactions of the Canadian Institute, v). * F. A. Golder, Tales from Kodiak Island {Journal of A merican Folk-Lore, xn). i A fuller account of the Ten'a version from Anvik has been published in Chapman 2, pp. 22, 109. 50633°— 31 ETH— 16 41 642 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 A rich man at the head of Nass River [Raven At Head Of Nass River TIJ; an old chief who lived where Nass River flows now, Ts, Ts 5, Ilai (i; a chief Tl 5, II ap, Kodiak; one man Chil 14; a single woman called Moon Woman M; ME'nis Rio 5; %a'laqamalis Ri6 5; there was a chief's daughter who did not want to marry, Anvik 8] kept the daylight for himself. Round bundles of various shapes and sizes hung about on the walls of his house Tla. [He had stars, moon, and sun in three boxes Tl 4, Hal 6; light was hidden in three bundles containing sun, moon, stars, Tit 117; daylight, sun, and moon were in a box suspended from a rafter Tl 5; the box hung on the roof of the house Chil 14; he kept the moon M6; daylight was in heaven Ts. Chief kept daylight in a box called tuox N6; vm Ts; ms, which looked like a wasp's nest Ts 5; Snxhad daylight in a ball called "daylight-receptacle" {nusxe'mla), which was suspended from a rafter of his house BC 5; something that gave a great light hung behind the chief, Anvik 10; three caskets on a shelf; it was light near the vUlage, Kodiak.] The chief had a daughter [apjiroaching womanhood Tit 117; four daughters BC 5; in H 5 called t.'e'd'd, which means "i)rin- cess"] and two slaves — Old Man Who Foresees All Trouble Of The World (Adawiil- ca'nak"!) and He Who Knows Everything That Happens (Liu'wAt-uwadji'gl-can). These two looked after his daughter. They watched especially to see that her water was clean TI/i. [The chief always examined her dishes Tl 4; the chief knew that Raven would come as a hemlock leaf, therefore he burned all the dried leaves around his house Tl 5; the daughter was always watched Tit 117.] Raven wanted to get the daylight, and knew where it was (all versions). [He remembered that light was in heaven Ts; he felt sorry for man T16.] He thought it would be difficult for him.self to get food Ts. [He thought he could obtain the daylight if he could become the son of Raven At The Head Of Nass River T16.] Then Raven traveled northward Ska. [He flew a long time Tl 5, Ten'a 304. He traveled a long time in the dark. When he was tired, he became a raven and flew. \Mien his wings were tired, he walked again in the form of a man, Anvik 8. He put on his raven skin that his father had given him, flew through the hole in the sky, and left his raven skin there Ts. He flew with his friend through the hole in the sky, left his friend there, took off his own bird skin, and went on No. Suddenly he saw a light, flew toward it, and emerged out of the dark. He hovered over the village, Ten'a 304. Gradually it became lighter, and he saw a village where it was light. He went among the people, but they were so many that they did not notice him. He saw a ceremonial hou.se and a dwelling next to it, over which a pole was set up, having a wolverene and a wolf at the end like a vane. Women who do not want to marry live in such houses, Anvik 9.] Then he went to a pond in front of the chief's house. [The eldest one of the chief's daughters used to draw water there BC 5; he wished the chief's daughter to be thirsty N6 21, Kodiak] The chief's daughter [wife Chil 14] came to draw waterat the water- hole [behind the house Ska. She made him sit down at the water-hole, and he a.-^ked her to marry him; but she refused, being afraid of her father. Then he wished that she should come down again. \\'hen she started with her bucket, the chief said, "^^^ly do you go yourself? I have many slaves." She replied, "They always bring muddy water" Tl 5; she came out dressed in marten skins, with a long ruff of deer fur, and went to get water, Anvik 9; she drank at the water-hole, Ten'a 304, Kodiak]. Then he transformed himself into a hemlock needle TIJ, Tl 5, BC 5 [cedar leaf Ts, Na,N6 21, 36; conifer needle Ska, Chil; tiny leaf. Tit 117; tiny spruce leaf Ten'a 304, Hal 6; down, Kodiak; grass Tl 4; piece of dirt Tla; fir needle Chil] and droi)ped into the water [on the rim of her bucket Tl 4. He became a spruce needle and fell into the meshes of the doormat. \Vhea the girl entered with her pail and lifted the doormat, the needle fell into the bucket, Anvik 9]. Hefloated on the water, and, when she dipped up water, he went into the bucket. [Twice she tried to throw out the leaf, but could not do so. Then he thought, "Drink it!" Ska. She tried several times to throw it BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 643 away, Tit 117, Anvik ' 24.] She swallowed it [felt it, but could not dislodge it Tl 4; it hurt her, Anvik 9], and she became pregnant. [Raven made himself dead to be reborn by this woman. She became ]jregnant M5.] Her father had her lie on beaver skins and other furs Tl 4 [copper plates and beaver skins Tl 5; a hole lined with furs Tla]. The child did not want to be bom there Tla [she could not give birth there Tl 5, Tla]. Then her father ordered the people to put moss in the hole, and then she gave birth to the child Tl 5, Tla. [An old woman took her to a mossy place in the woods Tl 4 ; T16 omits that the daughter could not give birth on costly furs, but states that she is placed on a layer of moss; in M6 he is bom out of her thigh.] Then the chief cut a basket in two and made a cradle out of one-half of it. Eicrsincethal time cradles of iMs type are vsedTlb. [Raven At Head Of Nass River knew what was the matter, still he asked his daughter what had happened. He asked Him WTio Knows Everj'thing That Happens, "\Mieredoes that child come from?" He replied, "His eyes look like those of Raven." Therefore he was called Raven. They named him Raven At Head Of Nass River T16. The child re.=embled a lit tie raven, An\-ik 10 ] His eyes were bright, and moved about rapidlv Tla [he stared with great eyes, Anvik 10]. The grandfather [chief and chieftainess Ts, No, 6] was glad Tl 4 [thought a great deal of him T16, Tl 5, Tit 117; and could refuse him nothing, Tit 118.— He quickly grew up, and his grandfather loved him, Hai G]. The boy was washed regularly No [and pulled by head and feet by his grandfather, in order to make him grow Ska; they washed hini and dressed him nicely. — His grandparents, uncles, and aunts cared for him, feeding him on deer fat only, Anvik 10]. He began to creep about [back of the people Tla]. The chief smoothed and cleaned the floor of the house for him Na, and let him play with everything T16, even with costly skins Tl 5. [He played with the bundles of light as a baby, Tit 118. When the child was old enough to walk, he dragged about the things in the house, and took them from under hi~ mother's pillow, Ten'a 305.] One day the boy began to cry. He did not accept anything that was offered to him, but pointed at the bundles Tla [boxes T14; box Tl 5]. Finally the grandfather feared that he might be sick, because he would not stop crying. [He took clo\vn the box and let him look into it T! 5. He took down the first box Tl 4. The boy pointed earnestly toward the shining thing. They thought he might want it, and put it near him, then he stopped crj-ing, Anvik 10.] The grandfather ordered his men to give him the bundle that hung at the end, which contained the stars. Then the child became quiet and played with it, rolling it about back of the people. Suddenly he let it go through the smoke hole, and the stars arranged themselves in the sky Tla. [He took it out of the door and opened it, and all of a sudden it was empty Tl 4; he rolled it about, became a bird, and flew away with it Chil] After this he cried for the second box. which contained the moon [l)ig moon Tlo], and the same happened [in T16 the moon is first mentioned]. Then he cried for the last one until his eyes turned around, showing different colors, so that the people thought he must be something other than an ordinary baby Tla. [After much crying, he got the last box, which contained the sun. He ran out with it in the form of a raven or in the form of a man Tl 4. He cried ''Gd!" and flew out with it Tla, put it under his wing Tl o.] After getting everything else, he cried for the daylight. His grandfather said, " Bring my child here," and spoke to him. "My grandchild, I am giving you the last thing I have in the world " T16. [As the boy grew older, he was not allowed to play with the bundles. He cried incessantly, until they were given back to him. Then he relea-ed the light from the bundles and threw it into the air, to take its place in the firmament Tit 118. — Once he took thesun from the southeast corner of the house to the middle of the floor, moved it about, and rolled it into the entrance passage. When the mother put it back, one of his uncles said, "T 1 Chapman 2. 644 TSIMSHIAN MYTITOLOOY [BTH. ANN. 31 think he ia crying for tho sun." The child said, "Yes." The niothor ga\o it to him, he rolled it about and out, lifted it out of the entrance, liecame a raven, and carried it home, Ten'a 305. — Even when he was quite large and able to go out, he cried for tho shining thing. He asked lo have a string tied to it and have it put around his neck. He ran with it into the woods, wished that they might forget it, and carried it home, sometimes flying, sometimes walking, Anvik 10.] Tlie Haida version is a little diileront in form. He cried, "Boo-hoo, moon!" Ska, M; and his mother said, "One talks about a thing beyond his reach, which supernatural beings own" M. Then she got tired, and stopped up all the holes in the house, also the smoke hole M, Ska [before open- ing the box wider to let the boy look in, the old man closed all the holes in the house, also the smoke hole Tl 5]. Then she untied the string from the box M [pulled out one box from another four times, and pulled out a round thing, then it became light in the house Ska]. She took the moon out and let him play with it. \Vhen she went out, the boy became a raven^ took the moon in hi.s beak, and flew about with it. Before she came back he resumed the form of a child M. After a while he cried, "Boo-hoo, smoke hole! " until she opened it. [First he was satisfied, but cried more until the smoke hole was opened completely Ska, M, Tl 5, Then he played with the box, using it like a ball Tl 5.] Then he flew away with it. A marten pursued him below, TaLatga'dAla above Ska. He carried away the moon in his armpit Ska. [When hia mother went out, he hold the moon in his beak and flew out. He sat down on the top of a house, cawing like a raven, and then flew away, holding the moon under his wing M.] ' The Tsimshian voreion contains still another incident. The boy cried, " Hamaxd'!" Na ["Hamaha'!" N6; "Hamal" Ts; cried for daylight- receptacle BC 5]. The chief did not understand him, and called his wL-^e men. One of these understood him, and .said, "The boy wants the sun box" Ts, Na, Ni. [When the child heard thiii, he stopped crying N6.] Then the chief took down the box and put it near the child, who patted it N6. He rolled [smoothed N6] it about in the house for four days Na. [On the following morning he arose from his mother's bed and played with it N6; rolled it about in the house Ts.] The chief forgot about it Ts, Na. [So rolled it about on the street, took it, and ran away with it N6; put it on his shoulder and ran away with it Na; after much crying he was allowed to play on the street with it, where he broke it and flew away as a raven BC 5.] Then he ran away with it, pursued by the hosts of heaven. He came to the hole in the sky, put on his skin, and flew down with it Ts, Na. 1 Dean's version (6, p. 25) is evidently incorrect. He tells that first NAfikilsLas begged the chief for the boxes, but that he declined to give them up. Then Raven assumes the shape of a handsome man, with whom the girl falls in love. At her request the chief gives to the youth the three boxes. Dean's version 6.27 is also evidently a confused account of several tales. Here Raven goes to the chief's house, takes the stm in his mouth, and wants to fly away. He finds the smoke hole closed: and some one, at his request, lets him out. The Tsimshian version given by Deans on p. 26 is also probably incorrect, as is indicated by the use of names belonging to diHerent languages in the same version. The beginning of the tale is practically the same as the ordinary version, telling how Raven went to the chief, who lived where the Nass River now flows, and who had light in three boxes. The first one is obtained in the familiar way. The old man first refuses to let the boy play with the bo,\; and when he cries, it is given to him. Then he rolls it about until he gets it outside, where he dashes it to pieces, letting out the sun. Then the story goes on: "Having he^ird that the old chief had gone up the river fishing for oulachans, he made for himself a false moon, and took a canoe and went up river to meet Settin-ki-jess (the old chief's name). While the chief was fishing he usually took the moon out of its box in order to give him light, because he always fished after dark. Before getting near to the chief's house the raven cawed and hid the false moon under his coat of feathers." He makes the old man believe that he has a moon, and later on stars, of his own, which induces the old man to lose all interest in the moon and the star box, which the Raven then opens and iets out the contents. The form of this tale is identical with the procedure followed by Raven in obtain, ing the ohchen. Practically the same version is told in Dawson 1.151 B. I presiune this is due to the fact that Dr. Dawson received his information from Deans, who accompanied him at least during part of his travels on Queen Charlotte Islands (see p. 663). BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 645 The old man's remark here recalls the uncle's remark in the Ten'a version. Evi- dently he alone understands 'n'by the child is crying. A peculiar conclusion occurs both in Tlingit and in Tsimshian. WTiile running away -B-ith the daylight, Raven At Head OJ Nass River said, "That old manuring Raven has gotten all my things! " Tin. fWTiile he Was carrj-ing away the box, a man said, "Giant is running away with the nKur," and thus he received the name Giant Na; a man said, "TxamsEm is running away with the max!" Nb 23.] The introduction in some of the Eskimo versions is quite different in character. Nelson 461 gives tlie following accoimt: Raven had taken away the sun and put it in a bag. He would let it out only for a day or two at a time. Raven's brother, who wished to secure the sun, pre- tended to die and was buried. Then he took his Raven mask and coat from a tree and went to a spring where the villagers drew water. Raven's wife came to get water and drank a little. Then he fell into the ladle in the form of a small leaf, which she swallowed. She coughed, but could not dislodge it. After a few days she gave birth to a boy, who very soon crept and then ran about. He cried for the sun; and his father, who was very fond of him, let him have it, but then put it back again. WTien no one was looking, he took it out, put on his Raven mask, and flew away with it. His father .shouted, "Don't hide it! " Then he tore off the skin covering from the sun and put it back where it belonged. In the Kodiak version the child cries until the chief who is asleep tells the people to let him have the boxes. In the first one is the night; in the second, moon and stars; in the third, the sun. He takes away the second and third, gives them to his people, and receives in return the house chief's two daughters (Golder). The version told by the Bellabella is closely related to the Tsim- shian, Haida, and Tlingit versions. A chief keeps the rays of the sun, rainbow, fog, and sun in four boxes suspended from a rafter. Raven transforms himself first into a small fish, then into a needle of a conifer. These are taken to the chief's wife in water, but she throws them out. He transforms himself into a berry, then hides in a clam, but the chieftainess does not eat either. Finally he lets himself drop into mountain-goat tallow, and the woman swallows him. After seven months she gives birth to a child. The child wants to play with the sun box. He creeps about in the house pointing at it. The people make toys for him, which do not satisfy him. He is given one after another the box containing the sun's rays, rainbow, and fog to play with, last of all the sun box. which he rolls about. He cries, wanting to play on the street, where he assumes the form of a raven and carries the box away H ap 884. Attached to this stor}' is the incident of Raven and the fishermen, which is characteristic of the Tsimshian versi.ons (see No. 2, p. 649). The version told by the Rivers Iidet tribe is closely related to those of the north. Raven, called here He'mask-as or K!wek!waxa'we^, goes to the house of ME'nis, the owner of the sun, whose daughter is Lata'q'ai'yugwa. He drops into the spring in the form of a leaf of a coniferous tree, and is blown aside bj^ the girl. He takes the shape of berries. She sees them reflected in the water, picks them, and swallows them. After four days a boy is born, who grows up quickly, talks after the first day. He begins to cry, and his grandfather makes for him successively, according to his request, a salmon weir, bow and four arrows, paddle and canoe of sea-lion skin. Then the boy asks for the box hanging on the rafter, which is first let down. Finally it is put into the bow of his canoe. He opens it, and it becomes daylight Ria 5. 646 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 In auothor version the owner of the sun is called %a'laganilis; his daughter, ^na'laii. K!wek!waxa'we^ goes with his sister Ai'x-tslEmga. He first transforms himself into berries; when she does not look at these, into a conifer leaf, which she swallows. When he ha?i the sun in hLs canoe, his sister cuts the line, and he takes the sun away Ri6 5 . In the Carrier version told by A. G. Morice,' Astas, the culture-hero, becomes a spruce needle, is swallowed, bom, rolls a barrel of water about (stress being laid on the rolling), and thus secures the water. Mr. Hunt has recorded the following version from the Nootka: Chief Gwawete of the Mowatclath" lives at Heltsaes. He keeps the sun in a box, and opens only one comer so as to have daylight in hus own village. Raven lives at Yogwat. He calls a council and decides to get the sun. He sits in the branches of a hemlock tree over the spring from which the daughter of Gwawete draws water. He drops in in the form of a hemlock leaf, is scooped up in the bucket, and swallowed by the girl. On the fourth day she gives birth to a boy. The chief recognizes Raven by his great nose, black feet, and long black claws. He threatens to kill him, but the child's mother protects him. After four days he can sit up. After four days more he walks about. He cries, wanting to play with a canoe. Then he cries for the chief's magic paddle, which is given to him notwithstanding the chief's objec- tions. Next he asks for the sun box. The chief gives it to his daughter. He does not give it to the child himself, because he hates him. The mother takes hold of the anchor-Une of the canoe, and the child cries until she lets go. He pushes off the canoe, takes his natural form, and moves away with one stroke of the paddle, ^^■hc■n he arrives at home, he lifts the box-cover a little, and there is light. Then he shuts it again and settles at another place, determining that people shall pay him to bring light into the world Nu ap 888. A Nootka version which I collected does not tell of the sun at all, but merely mentions the incident of the leaf in another connection. Kwo'tiath tells a woman who is wishing for a child to drink out of a bucket of water which he places by her side. He drops in in the form of a small leaf, which she swallows. She can not dislodge it. When he is inside, he says, "Swell up!'' He does not want to be born in the normal way, but finally is born like other children. He has a hole in his cheek, by which he is recognized. He grows quickly and runs away Nu 5. In Kai 238 and BC 63 we find merely references to the tale. {Southern and Inland Forms) (9 versions: Ne 5.173; Ne 9.233; Ne 10.393; Cow 6.25; Na 5.55; Squ Hill-Tout 3.545; Chehalis Boas 191;^ Puget Sound; Lil 300; Loucheux Fort McPherson') Farther south the Gull is described as the owner of daylight, and only the mcident of the sun being kept in a box is retained. O'^meal becomes the child of Day-Receptacle Woman (^na'laatsle), the Gull. He grows up quickly and asks for a toy canoe. He wants to paddle, and then cries for the sun box, which he puts in the bow of the canoe. Then he wishes the people to forget it, and steals it Ne 9. 0''meal hides in a log of driftwood in front of Day Owner's (^na'lanuk) house. The chief sends his daughter to bring up the driftwood. She lifts it, and O'^meal, who is hidden in it, embraces her. She drops it and takes it up again. He enters her womb, and after two days is reborn as a child, who grows quickly. He wants to play with the box in a canoe. ^Mien he has it, he cuts the line. The chief tells him not to open the box, but he lets out the sun. When he does not know how to make the night, the chief causes day and night to alternate Ne 5. 1 Tranx. Roy. Soc. of Cariada, x, 1893, Sec. H, p. 126. - Frana Boas, Znr Mythologie der Indianer von Washington und Oregon (Globus, Lxm, 1893). '^Ctiarles CamseU, Loucheux Myths (Journal of American FoJk-Lore, xxvm, 1915, p. 2\^). BOAS] COMPABATTVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 647 The G-a'p!enox version is the following: K!wexala'lag-ilis goes with Tsla'qaxsto- g\ri«Iak" to the Koskimo village Xude's, where Day-Receptacle Woman (%e^nalaa'ts!e- ^) keeps the sun. They go ashore. He goes inland and meets Squirrel, who advises him. He sends his friend back, enters the body of the girl, who feels squeamish, and after four days gives birth to a child, which walks the first day, speaks on the second day. After four days he asks for the box and for paddles, and, when he receives them, carries away the daylight. The girl's father rebukes her. When he opens the box, the sun goes up to the sky, and gives him a mask and other dancing-paraphernalia that were in the box. This is the origin of daylight and of o dance Ne 10. The following Loucheux tale from Fort McPhersou undoubtedly belongs to our series: Grizzly Bear takesthe sun from the sky and hides it in his medicine-pouch. Raven ia sent to recover it. He hides near Grizzly Bear's tent. The grandchild of the latter cries until he gets permis.sion to play with the sun, but is forljidden to take it outside. Finally the sun flies out, is caught by Raven, and put back in the sky.' Certain new elements enter into the following tales: — The Gull keeps daylight in a box. Raven wishes to have it, and wishes a thorn to enter Gull's foot. ^Yhen he tries to pull it out, he pretends not to be able to see. He asks Gull to open the box. ^Mien he opens it a little, he pushes in the thorn; and only when it is wide open does he pull it out. Thus daylight originates Na 5. In the Lillooet version Raven places hawthorn branches on the trail that led to Gull's canoe landing-place. Then he shouts that the canoe is adrift. Gull rushes down, and the thorns enter his feet. The story continues as before, except that Raven pushes the receptacle over and breaks it Lil 300. To this group belongs also the Squamish version Hill-Tout 3. •54.5. Sea Gull pos- sesses the daylight and keeps it shut up in a box. Raven, the brother of Gull, gets some sea eggs, eats them, and puts the shells in a dish. Then he spreads the shells on the doorstep of Gull, who steps on them and runs the spines into his feet. Raven offers to take them out, and asks Gull to let him have light in order to enable him to do so. Gull opens the box a little, and Raven pushes in the spines. Finally he throws the lid of the box wide open, and daylight comes out. In his distress the Gull cries " Fnnii!" and /or this reason they continue to cry that way. A certain kind of duck (Queenia) has the heavenly bodies in three boxes. He always keeps the boxes in his canoe when out fishing, so aa to have light and to pro- tect them. Raven drowns him, goes ashore, and opens the boxes and liberates the heavenly bodies Cow 6. I collected another story from the Lower Chehalis which is related to this one, but which in details resembles the Bluejay tales of the Quinault, Chehalis, and Chinook. The chief keeps the sun in a box. His daughter takes it out when she goes berry- ing, and opens it a little in order to see. The people hold a council in order to get the sun, and send Chief Kalixo, who takes the form of an old slave. Bluejay claims that he is his own slave, but his brother Robin does not recognize him. They take him paddling, and Bluejay claims that he used to paddle for him, which Robin denies. When the girl opens the box, he takes it away and runs home and opens it, then it gets daylight, Chehalis. Quite independent is a Nootka tale telling that Woodpecker's daughter marries the Sky chief. Their children are let down and bring the daylight box Nu ap 913. W. S. PhUhps, in his book "Totem Tales" (Chicago, 1S96), page 212, gives a version which evidently belongs somewhere on Puget 648 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ANN. 31 Sound. The tales in the book are so much mo(Hfied by the literary interests of the author that they must be used with great caution. Speow and Bhiejay climb up into the hole of the sky. Speow takes the form of a beaver. He is killed by the Moon, who enters the house carrying sun, stars, and a box containing the daylight. Eventually the Beaver revives, takes sun and stars under each arm, the daylight in the hands, calls his grandmother Bluejay to follow him, pulls up three pine trees, and climbs down. He drojis the stars, which scatter all over the sky. Below he opens the daylight-box and throws the sun up. The Moon pursues him, but the rope dangling down from the sky breaks, and the Moon falls down. It forms rocks with the form of a face on them. Speow throws the sun up every day, and shuts the light-box every night. {Other Versions) (4 versions: Esk Boas ' 205; Esk Nelson 483; Asiatic Esk' 431; Chukchee' 155) The Eskimo versions differ strongly from the typical talc, but nevertheless show dear indicatiojis of a remote relationship. The following was recorded from the Eskimo of Port Clarence, Alaska. Wiile the people were dancing in the .singing-house, the sun disappeared. They searched for it, following the seacoast. Wien their boots were used up, they put on new ones. One after another they came to five places, each of which teemed with game. While on the way from one to the next one, it was cold, and they found noth- ing to eat. The people in these places spoke languages that they did not understand. Nevertheless they learned from them that a woman called Itudlu'qpiaq, who lived in the fifth place, kept sun and moon. One of them entered her hut and saw her sit- ting in the middle of the house, her father in the middle of the right side, her mother in the middle of the left side. In each of the two rear corners was a ball. The mother of the girl advised her to give the small ball to the visitor, who, however, insisted on having the large one. Then the young woman kicked it out. The people tore it, and it became daylight Esk Boas 205. The sun has been taken away. The shamans are unable to recover it. An orphan boy mocks them. He learns from his aunt that the sunlight is being kept in the south. He assumes the form of a raven. He travels on his snowshoes, and after a while sees a ray of light. He reaches a hut. A man is shoveling snow, and each time he tosses it up the light is obscured. When near by, the Raven discovers the light, which appears like a huge ball of fire. The boy is taken into the house. Wliile the house owner is entering, he follows, seizes the ball of light and the snow-shovel, and flies northward. On his way back Raven breaks off pieces of the light and throws them away, thus making day, Esk Nelson 483. Still more remote is the foUowmg Eskimo and Chukchee tale: In the beginning there is no light. Raven offers to go and get it, but the Creator says he will forget his errand and eat excrement instead. Hare goes. He reaches the hut of the man who owns the sun, and kills him with his own hatchet. He enters the house, and the children want to eat him. He sees the sun ball, kicks it out of the house, and jumps after it. Then he dresses in skins the body of the man whom he has killed, and lets him down into the house. Then the Sun's wife and children recognize the body, Bogoras. ' Franz Boas, Notes on the Eskimo of Port Clarence. Alaska (Jaurnal of American Folk-Lore, vn). 2 W. Bogoras, The Eskimo of Siberia (Publications of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, rm). 3 W. Bogoras, Chukctiee Mythology (Ibid., \Tn). ' BOAS) COMPARATIVE STUDV OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 649 (2) RAVEN THREATENS TO LET OUT THE DAYLIGHT (15 versions: Te 61; Ts 5.276; Na 15; Nfc 23; Tk 5; T16 82; Tl 4.263; Tl 5.313; Hai 6.27; ' Ma 329; lib 310; Ska 117; Hai Dawson 1.151 B; H ap 885; Nu ap 891) This incident appears in the same form in the Tsimshian, Nass, and Bellabella versions. The Raven, who is called here Giant, carries the sun box down into our world. He goes down Nass River until he arrives at its mouth, and turns back. A Uttle way up he hears people catching olachen, and asks them to throw ashore some of their catch. They scold him. He threatens them, saying that unless they give him one of the fishes he will break the sun box. After asking in vain four times, he breaks the sun box, the north wind begins to blow, daylight appears, and the fisher- men, who are Frogs, are drifted to an island in the mouth of the river. They are frozen and become stone Ts. In Ts 5, which is told after an oral account given by Mr. A\". Duncan, the well-known missionary who has lived for a long time among the Tsimshian, Raven visits the Frogs, who live in darkne.ss. He ;isks them for some food, which they refuse. In order to revenge himself he resolves to procure the daylight. Then follows the story dis- cussed on the preceding pages. When Raven returns, he says to the Frogs that un- less they give him some food he will produce thedayUght. They scorn him, saying that the daylight is in the possession of a great chief. In order to convince them, Raven lets them see a little of the light from under his wings. The Frogs continue to scorn him. Then he lets go the sun, day comes, and the Frogs have to escape into the darkness. The Nass versions are quite similar to the Tsimshian form of the tale. Raven comes down with Logobola' at the mouth of Skeena River. He goes up Nass River until he comes to a place where ghosts whistle in front of him. This makes him afraid, and he turns back. There/ore the tides in Nass River change. Going up a little distance, he hears people catching leaves in their nets. Then follows the same conversation as before. After he has four times requested the people to give him food, he breaks the sun box, daylight comes out. and boxes are seen floating on the water. The fishermen are the ghosts Na. When he arrives at the mouth of Na.ss River, he hears people catching olachen. The people refuse to give him food, he opens the sun box, it becomes daylight, and large boxes are seen floating on the water. He shuts the box again, and the ghosts continue to catch olachen Nfe. The version told by Deans is undoubtedly distorted. After obtaining the sun, he tries to get the moon from the same chief. He makes for himself a false moon and goes to the chief's house. The chief, when fishing, usually takes the moon out of the box in order to have light Hai 6. The other inci- dents of this version have been referred to before (p. 644). Raven travels about and reaches a large town where people are fishing olachen in the darkness. He asks to be ferried across, and threatens to break the daylight box if they do not comply with his request. The people ask him whether he comes from Nass River, and in order to convince them he opens the box a little, and the daylight appears. The people quarrel with him. Then he opens the box, and the sun flies out. The peopU, who wear skin bkinkets, are transformed into the animals irhose siting they wear Tla. ' See footnote 1, p. 644. 650 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 After Raven has obtained the sun, he walks down along the banks of Nass River until he hears the noise of people catching olachen. At that time all the people of the world lived at this place. They were afraid that Raven would bring the day- light. He tells them to stop making noise, saying that else he will break the day- light box. They disbelieve him. In order to convince them he opens the box a little; and when they are not yet convinced, he opens the box completely, and there is full daylight in the world. The people become the animals whose skins they are wearing Tib 83. He meets people, and inquires whether they wish for daylight. They scold him. Then he opens the box, the sun appears, and the people scatter. They become animals Tl 4. He asks fishermen to give him some fish, and promises the daylight in return. They scold him, and he raises one wing and lets them see the moon, which he is holding under it. The people believe him, give him a few herrings, which at that time had no bones. Because they had disbelieved him first, he puts pine needles into the fish, which since thai time has many bones. The people are transformed into animals Tl 5. In all these versions it is specifically stated that some of the peo- ple become land animals, others sea animals. In Tl 5 the birds are also mentioned. The Masset version Mb is quite similar to the preceding forms. He sits on the banks of Nass River, where people are fishing olachen. He says that if they will give him spruce needles (meaning olachen) he will make daylight. The people scold him, and he lets them see part of the moon. The people then give him many olachen, and he puts the moon under his arm or wing. The transformation incident is here omitted Mb 310. Another Masset version is quite fragmentary. He reaches ^odjii'was in Masset Inlet. People are fishing for olachen, and he asks for some evergreen needles. They refuse to give him any. At that time there was no daylight Ma 329. He meets fishermen fi.shing with rakes on Nass River, and promises light in return for a fish. They do not believe him, and he shows them a small part of the moon. Then they give him several canoe-loads of fish Ska 117. In the BeUabeUa version Knight Inlet is sul)stituted for Nass River. He promises to open the box if the people will give him olachen, but they decline. He flies to Rivers Inlet and Skeena River, but nobody gives him anything to eat. Finally he opens the box on Nass River, daylight appears, and the people become frogs and water birds. At night a blanket is drawn over the sky in order to make it dark H ap 885. The Nootka version has an ending that is only remotely related to those here discussed. After Raven has taken possession of the sun, the people deliberate how to obtain it. During the council. Wren and Elk have a dispute, which belongs to incident 46 (pp. 570, 718). Then Wren suggests that the people shall catch an abundance of fish, clams and game, which is presented to Raven, who in return tells the sun to travel along the sky in the daytime. He opens the box-cover, and the sun goes up to the sky. From that time on the Raven is allowed to pick out his own food. He picks out the eyes of the fish, and parts of the clams Nu ap 891. BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN M-iTHOLOGY 651 (3) HE BREAKS VT THE MOOX AND PITS IT IN THE SKY (3 versions: Tl 5.313; Ub 311; Skn 118) When Raven puts the sun and moon in the sky, he cuts the moon iu halves, makes the waxing and waning moon out of one half, while he breaks up the other half, of which he makes the stars Tl 5. He throws down the moon, so that it breaks. He throws up one half, which becomes the moon; he throws up the other half, which becomes the sun. Finally he throws up the fragments, which become the stars M6. He bites off part of the moon, chews it, and throws it up, and says, "Future people will see you in fragments forever." He breaks the moon in halves, and throws first one half up into the air; then he throws up the other, which becomes the sun Ska. (4) RAVEN OBTAINS FRESH AVATER (19 versions: N6 2.5; Tla 4; T16 83; Tie 4.259; Tlrf 4.260; Tl 5.313; Tl 6.27; Kai 235; Ma 318; M6 293; Ska 115; Hai Dawson 1.150 B; H 5.232; Ri 5.209; Ne 5.174; Ne 9.225; K 9.167; Nu 6.108; Nu ap 892. See also Ts 65, 69; N6 17; K 10.322) Most of the northern versions of this tale are incomplete. The fuU story must be as follows: Raven causes the owner of the water to go to sleep, makes him believe that he soiled his bed, and by means of the threat that he will tell on him, Raven obtains permis- sion to drink. Ganu'k [the Petrel Tic 4; in Tl 5 and Ua, b, translated "Eagle"] lives in Deki'nu TI6 [misprinted Nekyinn in Tl 5]. At the same time he owns the tides Tl 5 [the owner is described as an old man in H, Ri; a chief N6; the Eagle Ma, M6; a woman at Bull Harbor Ne 9; a woman called Virgin Ne 9; one of Raven's sisters Ne 5; Crow at T!aci'^ Nu ap; according to Tlo, the cnvner of the water lived on Nass River]. Raven N, Tl, Kai, M, Sk [K!wek!waxa'we« K 9, O'^meal Ne 9, the Crow Nu 5], tries to get the water which the owner kept iu a covered stone vessel Tlrf 4, Tl 5 [in a hollow cut in the rock Kai 8; covered up Tla; in a box Tic 4, Nu ap]. [Raven calls a council, asks for a .'^mall mat, which he fills with excrements. He goes to Crow, and asks her for water, but is refused. He asks for permission to sleep in her house in order to get warm Nu ap.] He sits with legs drawn up on the water T15 [sleeps on it TW 4; he sleeps by it Tla]. \\'hen he is awake, his eyes are closed; when he sleeps, his eyes are open Tl 5 [when Raven enters, he sits 'B'ith the back to the fire asleep Ne 9]. Raven begins to tell stories until the owner of the water falls asleep Tld4, Kai 8 [he says, "Brother-in-law, how are you?" and tries to induce him to go out by telUng him what is going on outside Tla; he wishes him to sleep Tl 5; at night he sleeps with him Tlo; he calls up sleepiness Nu ap]. In N625, Tla, Tic, TW. Ne 9, K 9, and Nu ap. Raven makes him believe that he soiled his bed. [He puts dog dimg under the cover Tl«, Tic, Th/; dung K 9, Ne 9, Nu ap; he chews rotten cedar bark and makes him believe that he soiled his bed; he says he will get moss to wipe it N6 25. He threatens to tell on Crow, who then allows him to drink. He poms out the water, which becomes a lake Nu ap.] The owner of the water goes out to wash his blanket Tic 4, Tlrf 4. Then he drinks and flies away with the water. Eis trail may be seen at Ata, at the mouth of Stikine River Tl 5 [he flies away with the water N6 27]. The incident of the soiled blanket occms in another connection in Sk 137. 652 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 From Bellabcllii to northern Vancouver Island he uses another trick to deceive the owner of the water. Before going to the owner of the water, he puts ashes in his mouth Ne 5, Ne 9 [he takes cedar bark to wipe his tongue with Ri 5] He has the bladder of Klegilbala Ne 9 [the stomach of a sea lion H r,] under his blanket. He asks for water; and when the owner does not want to let him have it, he threatens to tell on him Ne 9, K 9. After he has taken a littlj, the owner takes away the water, but he shows his dry tongue H, Ri, Ne 5, Ne 9, K 9. He pours all the water into the bladder [blanket N6 2(i] and escapes [he takes the water in the folding canoe K 9]. When he goes to the owner of the water, he pretends to be an nUl man; he is given to eat, asks for water, and afterwards the story continues as given here U 5. In some of the Tlingit talcs the incident is introduced here explain- ing why Kaven is black. He alights on a pitch tree, and Petrel makes a fire under the tree. In the smoke he becomes black Tic 4. In the other versions Petrel tells the smoke hole of his house to close. Raven is held there and is blachened Tla 4, Tlfi, Tlrf 4.261. In Ne 9 the owner of the water is then transformed into a bluejay. After he has thus obtained the water, he creates the rivers. He spits out the water and first makes Nass and Stikine Rivers; last, little brooks Tla 4. [He spits out water, which is tracsformed into rivers Tic 4.2.V.), Tk/4.201, Kai 8; he makes Chilkat River first Ma; he makes Qala'n, the oldest brother of the rivers; then he makes all the rivers of Masset. Those which he made last are red M6.] He drops water and it becomes rivers H 5, Ri 5. He makes the rivers by urinating Ne 5, K 9 [the Crow makes rivers in this way Nu 5; he carries some of the water all round the world, and turns each drop into a river Nu ap]. The introduction to the myth of the creation of salmon (K 10) may be mentioned here. O'^meal orders the animals to make a ditch. Then he goes to a river, drinks water, and spits it out into the ditch, thus creating a salmon river. — In Ne Dawson 22 it is said tliat the Transformer stole water.^This is probably an error. Dawson's version is confused with the tale of the origin of the sun. Raven becomes the lover of the daughter of the sun owner, Setlinkijash, who also owns the water. He asks for a drink; and when the girl is asleep, he flies away with the water basket. The water that he spills forms the rivers. Only a few drops fall on the Haida country, therefore the rivers of Queen Charlotte Islaruls are small Hai Dawson. In a few cases passages are added in which it is told why rivers run m the way in which they run now. He fiew up Nass River and then turned back: therefore all rivers run into the sea Na 15, N6 27 [when he first makes the rivers, they run dry; then he paints them in a circle, so that the water flows back, and /or this reason they are always full Ma]. See also Ts 65. A Skidegate tale belonging to this group is quite different in type. Raven and Eagle first drink sea water. Eagle, however, carries a small basket fiilled with fresh water, and drinks secretly. Raven next fUes out and gathers root- sap. When Eagle tries it, he says it tastes of pitch. In the evening, wliile in the house, Raven makes a fire of hemlock branches, causes the lire to collapse, and thus BOAS] COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 653 frightens away Eagle, who leaves his water. Raven then carries the basket away pursued by Eagle, and in flying along spills it out Sko. The reference to the sap of the roots which occurs here and in the Tsimsliian version Ts65, 69, suggests that we have here a story wliich is closely related to another group of tales relating to the origin of water, all of wliich are remarkably obscure. It appeare that in some way the water was lost, and could be obtained only from the roots of alder trees. In some cases it is not clearly stated from what source the water was then obtained. The Tide Woman causes the water to disappear, and Raven can find water only at the roots of trees Ts 65. Lagobola' causes the water to disappear, and Raven can obtain only sap of the roots of alder trees N6 17. The water running at the roots of trees is mentioned also in Ri 5.209, Ne Bawson 23, K 9.167, Nu 5.108. (5) GIANT OBTAINS THE OLACHEN ^ (a) Origin of the Olachen (p. 65) (10 ver-sions: Ta 65; Ts 6.29; Na 27; N6 32; Tla 13; Tl 4.263; Ska 117; Hai Dawson 1.151 B; H ap 888; Ne 9.235. See also Kai 236; Ma 326; and Till 144) The essential point of the story is that Eaven is unable to catch the olachen or herring, while Gull can do so. Then he obtains a fish from Gull by means of a ruse. This single fish is then used for inducing the owner of the olachen or herrings to give them up. Raven smears his canoe and clothing with the scales of the fish which is obtained from Gull, and makes the owner of the olachen believe that he has succeeded in obtaining fish. This makes liim ilisgusted, and he lireaks down the barriers that hold the fish in his house. The details of this story are somewhat differently developed in the various parts of the country. Among the Tlingit the ruse used by Raven to obtain the fish from the Gull is to make Gull and another bird quarrel. Raven makes a stone house N [he makes a house Ts]. He sees gulls flying about Ts. He flies to G\ill, who lives at Yakutat. Gull says he catches herring because it is February Tl 4. [He meets Gull, and asks what month it is. Gull says Yadaqlo'l (eighth month). Raven doe.-i not believe Gull, and asks liim to get a herring. Since they did not agree in regard to the month, people up to this time differ about names of months Tla.] Gull bring.^ a herring and swallows it Tla, Tl 4. He goes to Crane on Nass River, and says that Gull calls him "Long-legged, long-necked fellow;" suggests that he knock down Gull and strike his stomach \vith his bill. He tells Gull that Crane speaks ill of him Tl 4, He goes to Heron, and says, "Gull calls you Big Long Legs Always Walking Upon The Beach." He goes back to Gull, and says Heron tells about him that he has a big stomach and gets red eyes sitting on the beach looking out upon the ocean for something to eat. He tells Heron that he always hits men of his size in the stomach Tla. He makes Gull and Cormorant quarrel Ska. The Skidegate version confuses here the tale with' the quarrel between Raven and Cormorant (see p. 678) . He tells Cormorant that ' Including the stories Giant gambles with Gull (p. 65), Giant learns how to cook Olachen, and Giant and the Gulls (p. 60). 654 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 people make him brace himself with his tongue against the ground when he is fighting. Thus he induces Cormorant to do the same, bites off his tongue, makes it into an olachen. In the Tsimshian, Nass, and Newettee versions the incident is brought about by a quarrel between Raven and Gull, which he inten- tionally brings about while they are gambling. He calL? Gull No, makes gambling-Hticks Ts, No. They gamble together Ts, No, Ne. Corneal (that is, the Raven) stakes hLs bear-skin blanket and loses. Then he says he i.s hungry Ne. They quarrel, and he throws Gull on his back Ts, Na. The Bellabella version is as follows : He tells Beaver that Sea Gull is slandering him, and induces him to hit Gull's belly. When Beaver doesso, the herrings come out, and Raven eats them H ap 888. The end is the same in all the different versions. He steps on Gull's stomach Ts, No [the Crane or Heron strikes Gull's stomach Tla, T14; he points at Gull's stomach Ne 9], and the Gull vomits the olachen Ts [two olachen No; the herring Tla, Tl 4, Ne 9]. Here begins the second part of the stoiy, how he tises the single olachen to liberate the rest. He makes a canoe of elderberry wood Ts, Na; lands in Kuwa'sk Ts. [He puts rocks into his canoe and goes to Qada