part 1
, page 31.
FIGHT BETWEEN THE KAIGANI AND WEST COAST HAIDA
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns.]
They had occupied Thin-fort. There were many black cod there. Then they saw portents. The black cod, the day after they were brought in, moved their mouths. And at one time a headless cormorant came there. [768] Some time after that, they say that [the children] who had a little fire in a cave below them and were picnicking there, ran out of it. Some small being with disheveled hair and a yellow-cedar-bark blanket over its shoulder came out of the cave. It was Supernatural-slave [769] who was among them, they say. Its belly was big, they say. Then they feared to play in the cave.
After that the rotten gills lying about groaned. Another day Tia flew over to the fort from the opposite side. He said “Tia, tia,” and blood spurted out of his neck.[768]
One day, while they were away fishing for black cod, they (the enemy) came upon them. These were the Kaigani, Sta′stas, and Middle-town people. Then they shot up at the fort. My grandmother was born among them. That was why they did not touch her people. [770]
One man then shot from the fort. When his ammunition failed they went up to the fort. They enslaved all of the Pebble-town people. And, going out to those who were fishing, they destroyed half of them also. Some escaped to Kaisun.
When the warriors started off they were told about a child of the Middle-gîtî′ns, [771] whose cousin was carrying her on her back. They would have taken her back, but were afraid. When they had recrossed her friends adopted her. [772] At the end of the following autumn they brought her back.
After that they sent word by canoe that they wanted to make peace. They (the West Coast people) then went thither. When they arrived at Tꜝē [773] no attention was paid to them. And, since their food was gone, they wanted to buy food from one who lived opposite. He was stingy, and they laid hold of him. Although he was a chief they enslaved him. They also fought the people of Tꜝē. And they killed many of them, and those they enslaved were many. The Pebble-town people made matters even.
And, after they had talked over where they should have a fort, they made one on the west coast. Two were staying at Kꜝiū′stᴀ. After some time had passed the Kaigani people came to make peace. When they stopped in front they began to shoot at them. When they fled they met the two persons [774] in a canoe. When they were going to enslave them they jumped into the water. And they swam over to an islet. They now fled in terror.
Some time after that they went to the Kaigani country to fight again. Then they destroyed some people there. They enslaved ten and killed many. And, while they were on the way back, the wind was strong, and they threw some slaves overboard. They did this to four. The Kꜝiū′stᴀ people then came to them. And they took the slaves away from them and split up their canoe. They then started home around by the West Coast shore. They went to Tcꜝā′ał. [775] They came to Lagî′nda, [776] where people were catching salmon. A single slave was with them. The chief finished sending food through the fire. [777]
WARS BETWEEN THE STIKINE AND SITKA TLINGIT
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns]
The nephew of Cēks lived at Sitka for the sake of some woman. He was killed there. Then all the Stikine people went to Sitka to fight. At that time they had a pitched battle there, and they destroyed many Sitka people. After that the Sitka people also started out to war.
At that time the eulachon were running into the Stikine. After they had filled the ground with holes they went out to get stones. They did not have the right kind of stones there. They had only whetstones. And, when they came from it, a man passed out by them to get some. His name was Daoł. [778] Then he gave them the following prediction: “They will kill me [and my family] when the tide is on the ebb, and I shall never come back.”
As soon as the tide was out they went out to fight. The warriors came upon him at the place where he was gathering stones. Then they took him into the war chief’s canoe. He had left his gun behind. They then made fun of him by telling him to do various things.
While they were talking to him the warriors (his friends) came into the bay. They asked him then: “One-who-is-always-mentioned, are you still alive?” “Yes,” he said. He also asked: “Did you bring my gun? Did you bring my knife?” “Yes.” “Give them to me.” They then got his things to him.
When he put on his cartridge box some one shouted: “Ixiâ′⁺ī, [779] One-who-is-always-mentioned has his weapons in his hands.” Then, forgetting himself, he shot. Straightway they all shot. And he also said that he pulled out his knife and kept striking them as he moved forward. They then destroyed the Sitka people. They stabbed those who there escaped to the woods. They said that two young fellows then came from watching for their enemies. They took them into Cēks’s canoe.
They then went away. On the next day they collected heads. Some of them got twelve. Others got ten. The heads were drying in the sunshine, looking like clothes drying on a line and bellying in the wind. Then Cēks, having called the people together, told them to stop fighting. He told them that they had destroyed the Sitka people.
By and by they let the two youths that they had enslaved go. They then ripped open the seams in a little, old, 3-fathom canoe. In it they started off. They also gave them a small paddle. They thought then that they would drown. In the summer after that they heard that they had escaped.
Some time afterward the Sitka people were coming to make peace. And they got ready for them. They thought it well to make peace [they said]. Then Cēks again called the people together, and they agreed to destroy them. They then talked over how they should preserve themselves from injury.
By and by the Sitka people came in many canoes. After they had danced for a while in front of the town they came ashore, and the dancers entered the house and danced there. Then property was given to them. They gave them four or two slaves apiece as blood money. After that they also danced in Cēks’s house. When nearly all were in they shut the door, and they killed those outside and threw their bodies over the cliff in front.
After they had killed all of those they crowded against each other near the door. They then quietly pulled out one after another, stabbed each one, and threw out the bodies. At that time a woman looked in through the smoke hole. She held a knife. She made the motion of cutting off heads. She said that they were going to destroy them. Those who were dancing paid no attention to her. After they had killed on for a while they began to discover it for themselves. But still they kept dancing. Although only ten were left they kept dancing. Presently they killed all. Six that they saved they let go home.
Some time afterward they began to visit back and forth. Once a great many went to [Sitka], and Qała′x [780] paid a great sum to the Russians. Then many canoes came there and, when all the Stikine people were inside the stockade, Qała′x began to fight them. And they destroyed the Stikine people.
Some time after that they became good to each other. They began visiting back and forth again. Then ten canoes came to the Stikine, and Yaqoa′n began to kill them. And they destroyed all of them. At that time they stopped visiting each other.
Some time after that Qała′x’s nephew was in love with the daughter of a Russian. For that the Russians killed him. They then killed the Russian’s son. They said that the Russians were going to fight them with Qała′x, and they fortified themselves. They built the walls out of big cedars. And they built the houses inside. They put flat rocks along the fronts and sides of the houses. [781] And, after they had lived there for a while, the Iron people [782] came in a vessel to destroy them. After they had shot at them ten times they called for Qała′x. When he answered they shot at him still more.
After they had done this for a while they came off to fight them in three boats. All had guns with bayonets. They came on land at once. And, after they had prepared for them in the house, they went out. They then shot at them. While the Russians were shooting by command they shot into them. They also threw out their cartridges quickly and shot again. After they had done this for some time they destroyed the Russians. Only those who had charge of the boats got to the ship. Then the warship sailed away. [Meanwhile] they strengthened the fort.
After two months had passed they came to fight them with two warships. They then shot at them from both sides. At that time they called to him: “Qała′x, are you still alive?” “Yes; I am not afraid of the cannon you use against me.” The cannon sounded then still more.
After some time had passed they went to get him. They then fought again with the Russians. They also destroyed those. At that time they took guns, coats, hats, and swords. After some time had passed, they (the Russians) brought property over to the winners. “Qała′x, are you yet alive?” “Yes; I am still alive. I won. Now it is all right for you to kill me.” When he said this, they raised the flags. They then gave him clothing, food, rum, and ammunition. They let him win. Many of the Russians were killed.
My informant heard this story from an old Tlingit from the Stikine. It is of peculiar interest as containing a native account of the struggle between Baranof and the Indians at Sitka. It differs from the Russian account, however, in so many particulars that it is evident that few real facts are preserved.
FIGHTS BETWEEN THE TOWN-OF-TCꜝĀ′AŁ-GÎTÎ′NS AND THE MIDDLE-GÎTÎ′NS
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns]
When I was still young I knew how to handle a gun. They went then to Dadag̣ē′ni. [783] The Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people [784] fought together there. They fought while they were drinking whisky. [785] At that time G̣ᴀla′-i’s nose was bitten off. Then they began to fight. They shot at each other all night, and they killed a great many there.
Some time after that another fight broke out. The grandfather of Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a [786] then owned two slaves. He went thither with them and a gun. Although we tried to stop them, they then went thither. They then fought there with them. They took the ramrod from one of the slaves who then held Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a’s gun. They went then to ask for it. He held it for payment he said. At that time they did not make a disturbance about it.
Some time afterward a vessel of the Iron people [787] came there. Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a then went out to it. While he was away Sitting-chieftainess went to Brave-in-his-belly [788] to get the ramrod. And they who were there pushed her down. Then Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a came ashore. The Iron people had given him all kinds of food. He brought a lot away. There was a great quantity of all sorts of things.
They did not say a word to Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a. After they got through eating I told him. But he laughed. He called Gax̣ī′łdia-i (one of his slaves) and told him to go out and make an announcement. Then Brave-in-his-belly also sent out to make an announcement. And after that they killed four slaves belonging to him. [789] And Brave-in-his-belly owned one slave. He killed him.
On the following day they gave him (Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a) a great amount of property—ten slaves, three hundred blankets, five big canoes, a great quantity of property. At that time he summoned the people. Slaves and property were given to the Middle-town people, [790] Earth-eaters, [791] Dogfish-house people, [792] People-of-the-house-where-they-always-have-plenty-to-eat,[792] Raven-house people,[792] People-of-the-house-that-went-away-discouraged.[792] They gave one [slave] to Unable-to-do-anything. [793] They gave one to Qołgî′t.[793] They gave one to Far-away,[793] to Qōta′n,[793] to Nasta′o,[793] to Tcꜝix̣ī′.[793] After that they gave to all the house chiefs.
On the day after that they sent for Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a, and on that day they twice called us in. After several families had called us in the Earth-eaters invited us. They had been giving us food for a while, when a noise arose in the direction of a canoe that they had given us. As soon as some one said that the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people had broken it up the Earth-eaters went thither. They told us then that we had better not go out. We all had guns. They told us not to go out. But still we stood together among them.
Then the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people stood in lines around the edges of the canoe, holding their guns ready. After they had quarreled for a while Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a came out, and a boy of the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people shot at him. I, too, at once shot one. They then shot into the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people. The dead bodies lay far apart on the ground. Some sat up. Some tried to squirm up from their buttocks [having been shot in the legs]. Four dead bodies belonged to the Earth-eaters. Two others they wounded.
They at once began again to shoot each other. Many more of the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people were killed. After they had given us food for a while they took us over to Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a’s house. When they got us in the sound of fighting ceased.
After that they also shot into our house. The house had three stockades. Not a single bullet reached the house. They shot at us from around the house while we ate. Early in the next day Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a called four families. And while they ate in the house the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people again began to shoot at the house. And after they had done this for a while we went down with our guns into a trench extending toward the beach. And, while the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people were shooting into the house from near by, we in turn shot at them. We killed two. And afterward we ran in through the doorway, one after another. We told of those we had killed. Then the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people went away.
And when they were done eating, he gave them all coats and good clothing. Early in the next day he called the Earth-eaters. Then they again shot at the house. They did not reach the inside. These also went away.
After that they began to shoot at our house. After they had shot at our house for four nights Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a told us to get up very early. And, after we were done eating, he had us wash our faces. He gave us tallow, and, when we had put it on our faces, [794] we painted them. He then emptied out a big box of clothing. And as soon as we had fitted ourselves we put it on. After that he emptied out black handkerchiefs. We tied them around our heads. He was a great chief.
After that we sang a song. After we had sung four times we went out to fight. We then began shooting at the four houses of the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people while the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people drew up around us from the woods. And, after we had shot at each other for a while, my gun became hot, and I put it into the water.
Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a stood on the top of his house all of this time. He held a large horn in his hand through which he talked to us. We then waved something white that he could see. He knew by that that not one of us had been killed.
After we had fought for a while, and when the sun was almost set, the Middle-town people and the Earth-eaters came to fight. They broke through the many Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people who were around us. They told us then to go home, and we went home. But they fought in our places.
When I came in they said that my breeches were bloody. I then felt there. The back part of my thigh was torn. I at once became faint.
Early in the next day they shot at us again. And, after they had shot at us for five nights, Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a told us to begin fighting again. When we first fought many of the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people were killed. There were also many wounded. And, after we had fought for a while, and evening was come, the Middle-town people and the Earth-eaters came and helped us. They let us go home. But they had a pitched battle in our places. Some time after dark they stopped shooting.
They shot intermittently at our house for more than a month afterward. They began shooting at our house just before daylight. One day we did not hear a gun go off. Then someone knocked at the door. “Open the door for me.” That was Djig̣ē′g̣as. “The Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people are gone.” They went away very early.
On the day following Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a gave property to the Earth-eaters. He gave them eight slaves, as blood payment for the four persons that had been killed, and three hundred and twenty blankets. Because Qołgî′t was very sorry on account of his canoe he gave him a young slave. He was very glad to have him. And he also had his canoe repaired. The day after he called them [to a feast].
After that they again came to fight with us. Then the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people shot at us for two nights. After they had acted toward us in this way for three months a ship of the Iron people came. Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a then told the Iron people about himself. Then they left us all kinds of ammunition.
After fifteen nights were passed they came after Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a. And then, too, the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people came to fight with us. After they had shot at us for two nights they went away again. They (the Iron people) then took Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a with them. His heart was not strong enough to go without me. So they took me as well.
We then started off. Some time afterward we came to Nass inlet. Two vessels lay there. Then they started to settle there. They put a stockade around the house, and the Nass people brought in cedar bark. They paid a blanket for the bark of two cedars to be used as roofing. [795] When the house was completed they finished the warehouse.
They began at once to buy furs. All sorts of people brought furs there to sell to them. During the whole time what was dropped upon the ground from the tobacco that they sold I put up into a sack. When my father came from Masset I gave it to him. And Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a gave him many blankets from the trading house. My father gave him a canoe. In it they went to the head of Nass inlet with property to trade. At the end of ten nights the 10-fathom canoe was full of furs.
At that time Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a threw chips into the water and shot at them. One youth then wanted the gun very much. And he asked how much it cost. They told him then that they would let him have it if he piled up furs to the muzzle as it stood on end. They then stood the gun on end, and they piled up beaver skins alongside it. And, when they reached the muzzle of the gun, they pressed them down. And when [the pile] got lower they piled on more. By and by, when it got even with the end, they stopped. And he also bought a longer one. And he gave six land-otter skins for the ammunition. He also gave six land-otter skins for a bag of bullets.
They then went away. After five nights were passed they returned. After they had lived there three years it was found to be too cold, and they removed to Port Simpson. There also I lived with them seven years. Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a lived at the house of the Iron people. After that he lived there all the time.
Here is all of this.
This story gives us an idea of what intestine conflicts were like among people on this part of the Northwest coast. Strife having arisen between the Tcꜝā′ał-lā′nas and Ya′ku-qe′ig̣awa-i, or Ya′ku-gitina′-i, to which latter family my informant himself belonged. The Raven families among the Kaigani joined the weaker, and apparently the aggrieved, party. The feud was not ended, however, until the chief of the Ya′ku-qe′ig̣awa-i went away to live with the white people.
FIGHTS BETWEEN THE TSIMSHIAN AND HAIDA AND AMONG THE NORTHERN HAIDA
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns.]
The Skidegate people went once to trade at Port Simpson [796] in sixty canoes. The Pebble-town people [797] also went there. And they traded with dry halibut. They lived outside. There a Tsimshian, who was with a white man, came to them. Sticks were given around to them (the Haida). And afterward he took the sticks back again. They planned to destroy them during the winter. That was why they counted them.
A woman of the Gîtî′ns’-servants [798] named Bufflehead [799] sold dry halibut to the wife of Lgiäx. [800] She said it was too small and she wanted to exchange it for more. Bufflehead then refused to give her more in exchange. And they threw the dry halibut at Bufflehead. She then threw the dry halibut in the face of Lgiäx’s daughter, and she went home crying.
Some one shouted, and I went out. They were throwing stones at each other. They gave each other a thorough stoning. By and by they stopped. And some time afterward a gun went off. Some one shouted: “They killed so-and-so.” Some time after that another gun went off. Another was shot. Then it stopped for a while. When evening came they began to shoot at us. All through the night they shot at the Skidegate people. During all that time they shouted out [the name of the person shot]. I was then without a gun, and I borrowed one. I held it and two cartridge boxes. They shot at the sail houses on the beach in which we lived. There was nothing behind which we could shelter ourselves. Then I dug a hole for myself in the sand and lay in it.
I then shot at some one who lay behind a log and was shooting, back from the sea. I shot off his hat. When I shot at him again I shot his gun away from him. He then ran away.
A hill lay behind us, from which they were shooting at us. I also began to shoot at those. They also ran away. After they had shot at us for five nights they stopped for a while.
Then the Tsimshian came to dance. They wanted to make peace because we had killed Lgiäx’s nephew. We also enslaved two women who were walking seaward from the town. By and by they started to dance. We then gave them some property. After this had gone on for a while they made the following arrangements. They said that we might go with them to Laqꜝalā′m. And we said that we would give them more property. We thought then that it was all right, and we went to our canoes. While a part of the provisions lay on shore the Tsimshian took the provisions. We then got into our canoes. I pushed my canoe off with the many which were there. When the canoes got away two remained. I then ran toward the fort at Port Simpson. [801] There was yet a crowd of Skidegate people there. And, while I stood there, two canoes with the dancers [802] in them were still there. Then the Tsimshian pursued. They shot into the canoes, pulled themselves close alongside, and in a short time they drifted along empty. Then, when the two that were there started off, I ran down from in front of Port Simpson house. I jumped into the stern. Then the two dancers[802] [in their canoes] paddled backward. I took a gun and shot them both. At that time I scared them. Those who first went off took their property. A south wind was blowing. Canoes drifted off empty.
They then shot much at us from Laqꜝalā′m. There was no gun in my canoe. After that they again shot at us. We then fled. During all that time the Tsimshian pursued us. That was a great disaster, though the story of it sounds well enough. They pursued us far out to sea. I was in my wife’s canoe.
When they got far out at sea they returned. They enslaved very many of the Skidegate people.
Then they (the Skidegate people) landed at ʟꜝg̣a′odana-i. [803] At that time a heavy rain set in. They called it “The-rain-upon-the-skins-of-dead-bodies.” And, when daylight came, I built a big fire. Then the wounded sat around the fire. On the following day, when we started off, a man of Those-born-at-House-point [804] was angry, because, he said, we went off first. Then he and I were going to shoot each other. They held us apart. And they went away.
And on the next day they stood crying in front of ʟꜝg̣a′odana-i. The Pebble-town people did not cry, however, because all of them escaped. Fifty canoe loads were destroyed. The weather was bad. And, while they lay there, the one who had quarreled with me came to me and pulled up his canoe alongside of ours. He then made peace with me. He gave me whisky. And, after we had sent food through the fire to those who had been unable to escape, we spent the night in our canoes. We remained awake. We were afraid. We thought that they might pursue us again.
And when day broke we went away. About noon they sailed over to Skidegate. They laid the blame on Bufflehead, who had escaped. They then asked her for property. Her husband was named Lū′g̣ot. [805] Then they began to give away property. He was about to make a potlatch. His house pole lay there for good. He gave the town all of his property.
Some time afterward Gudiqā′yiñao’s father came back. They had been unable to get away from Port Simpson house, whence they came. Before he could ask for blood money the Gîtî′ns’-servants came there, with paddles on their shoulders. They said that they had come to go to war for him.
Some time afterward a great many Masset people went to trade. They came to the Gyînxᴀngī′g [806] family. They say that there were sixty canoes. After they had been there for a while they started off. And, after they had traded, a Tsimshian shot at the canoes. The bullet then struck the canoe of a man of the Point-town family [807] named X̣ᴀ′na.
His son then seized a gun and shot into a crowd standing on shore. And he shot one down. They at once shot after them. They immediately started off. The Tsimshian chased them. They made them upset by shooting. They also destroyed them. They took them also for slaves. They also enslaved many of the Rotten-house people. [808]
At that time they destroyed a canoe at Laxanē′st [809] out of which two men and a woman escaped. Many nights afterward, when some persons came there for wood, they got away in their canoes. And in them they came across. They were saved.
Those in Port Simpson house who could not escape were afterward presented with a canoe by the Iron people, [810] who let them escape. Those also got home. Then, too, it was not a good time.
Gîtqōna′-i’s father went to Masset, and five families [811] banded together and began to drink sea water. During the whole time they practiced how they would fight. A cartridge box then caught fire, and a man was burned.
After they had drunk sea water for six nights they set out to war in ten canoes. And, when they reached the mainland, some stopped at Qꜝadō′. [812] After they had looked for enemies on the opposite side as well, [they saw] two canoes go out from Siwā′łins [813] after salmon.
They then quickly pulled toward them. They shot the man in the stern, so that he fell over into the water, after which they closed with the canoes. When they ran into them to fight they upset them. They then even struck them in the sea. Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′lîña killed three people at that time. The Tsimshian had killed his wife, of whom he was very fond. Four persons were in the canoe. They also destroyed two canoe loads which were farther off.
After they had watched for a while longer [they saw] three more canoes sailing along. They killed all the people in those. They took the heads of them all. After they had watched for some time longer two canoes came with sockeyes. They went out also to those people and killed them. On that day they destroyed seven canoes. On that day they killed twenty-eight people. They enslaved one brave man of the Tsimshian.
The Masset people were then happy. They went off singing songs of victory. And they came to Masset singing songs of victory, for they had made accounts even. But the Skidegate people did not come out even.
But Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′lîña’s canoe was unfinished. When he had finished it he brought over to his brothers-in-law at Gᴀsa′n [814] the news that their sister had been killed. His brothers-in-law belonged to the Sand-town people. [815] When he came they, too, raised their canoes. He also went with them. The Sand-town people went in four canoes.
They then began to watch Tcꜝidᴀlqꜝeda′-i. [816] After they had watched for a while four Tsimshian canoes came there. They then shot at them. They made them upset, and they enslaved six women. They killed many men. There Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′lîña got some slaves. He gave them to his brothers-in-law. Afterward they went home happy. They sang songs of victory as they came to Gᴀsa′n.
Three days later news came to Gᴀsa′n that one of the Yä′dᴀs [817] had been killed at Howkan. [818] The Yä′dᴀs then went to Howkan to fight, and killed six people there. And afterward the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people also went to fight at Gᴀsa′n. There they also killed many of the Yä′dᴀs. They then began to war upon each other. In all that time many were killed on both sides.
Some time afterward some of the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał [819] people went to visit one of their friends who had married in Masset. After they had stayed there for a while and were on the way home many of them upset. A chief named Voice-at-evening was drowned. In the winter his nephews went for his grave post. When it was almost finished the Yä′dᴀs came there to fight and killed five of the Town-of-Tcꜝā′ał people. The grave post lay there for good.
They at once began fighting again. Wherever they met they killed one another. They killed each other during many years. They did not make peace with one another. Some are still bad to one another.
Some time afterward news came that one of the Sqoā′ładas [820] had killed one of the Cod-people [821] at Kꜝiū′stᴀ. [822] He was a great chief. He had a house hole at Tꜝī′g̣ᴀn. [823] His nephews then killed a shaman, Tcꜝā′nūt, belonging to the Sa′gua-lā′nas. [824] They shot ten bullets into him. He was town chief. He owned the town of Qᴀñ. After they had shot him and had walked around him for a while one of his bunches of matted hair, which was lying on the ground, rose up and lay over his head. It went on in that way until all came to lie over his head.
When the Sqoā′ładas on the west coast heard that they had killed Gîtkū′ [825] they also went to war. They killed many of the Cod-people. They also enslaved one of them.
After that one of the Sg̣adjī′gua-ał-lā′nas [826] in Masset, named Kiłtcꜝāñ, invited the people. And he had a dance. He pulled out ten slaves that he owned in a string [holding each other’s hands]. After they had taken home food one of the Middle-gîtî′ns [827] named Łnē′kꜝî, shot one of the Cod-people in the arm from between the houses. Upon this his two younger brothers acted as if they were drunk. They killed there a chief, Gā′la. He belonged to the Ya′gun-gîtîna′-i. [828] He did not die at once. He died afterward. His entire family shot at once at the house of the Cod-people. They killed two persons.
For ten days and nights they fought in the town. No one had a fire. No one had water. When the chiefs’ wives, thinking that they would not touch them, went for water the Ya′gun-gîtîna′-i smashed their buckets with stones, and they returned. At the end of ten days the Ya′gun-gîtîna′-i suggested making peace. They then stopped shooting at the house.
By and by an old man, their uncle, came behind the town singing catastrophe songs. He belonged to the Cod-people. After he had sung for a while he made a good speech: “Chiefs, my brothers-in-law, the war trail and the feather trail came out together at Na-i î′ndjawa in the middle of the town. I went up by the war trail. I came out upon the feather trail. ‘What town is this? What town is this?’ ‘Chief, my son, this is the town of Gā′la, your father. You started up on the war trail which comes out in the middle of your father’s town. Your fathers were troubled [829] about you. You came out upon the feather trail.’” He also spake so: “Is it my father’s town? Is it indeed my father’s town? [I thought it was] some other.” [830]
They then started to dance. After they had been for two days in the woods, they were called toward the house. They came then and stood in a line in front of the house. They had their guns ready. Presently the Ya′gun-gîtîna′-i stood in lines opposite. They struck each other with their guns. They struck each other with their knives.
By and by the Cod-people picked up two chiefs [of the Ya′gun-gîtîna′-i]. [831] There was a great crowd of people. They picked them up and laid them upon a bed of feathers in the rear part of the house. Then two slaves were tendered as blood money to Those-born-at-Ya′gun. [832] And they refused them. They afterward tendered them two more. Those they refused also.
Then Tcꜝā′nut said: “Do I ask four slaves of you? My uncle is worth ten slaves and four hundred blankets. I will not dance.” There were many in the house. They did not pay any attention to the bad words that he gave them. [833]
By and by the Middle-gîtî′ns began rapping on the front of the house. They presently went in and got the dancers. They took them up. They then brought them into the house of the Middle-gîtî′ns because they had started the trouble. [834] They brought these in [to give to them property]. They (the Middle-gîtî′ns) gave them the four slaves. They also gave them a great quantity of property. They (the Ya′gun-gîtîna′-i) began to dance in the house at once.
At that time the Gîtî′ns [835] also gave property to them. It reached beyond their expectations. After they had danced for four nights the Cod-people came and got them. They also gave them six slaves as blood money. And they washed their faces and began to dance. Then the Skîtg̣a′oqao, [836] Middle-gîtî′ns, and Cod-people gave them more property. They gave them seven hundred blankets.
Then Tcꜝā′nut married his uncle’s wife, and they made him take his uncle’s place. And, when he kept staying away from his wife, the Middle-gîtî′ns talked roughly to him. After they had spoken to him for a while they told him to leave the house.
But on the next day his wife had him call in his friends. He called in all of the Eagles. After he had given them all kinds of food, and evening was come, they left him. On the next day he called in the Ravens. After he had fed them for a while it was evening, and they went home. On the day after that he again called in the Eagles. After those had gone home he again called in the Ravens. When eighty boxes of grease and berries had been used up he invited the Eagles to ten more, and they assigned while in the house the work on his uncle’s grave post. [837]
They went to get it. After they had been four days away they came home. My father carved the grave post at once. It was finished. He then raised it, and the potlatch was over. He gave away four hundred blankets, and slaves with them. They gave my father slaves and twenty blankets for carving the grave post.
After that Tcꜝā′nut quarreled with his younger brother. He asked him then why he had not evened accounts at the time when they killed his uncle. And his younger brother made him ashamed. On that night he shot one of the Cod-people through the smoke hole. Again they shot each other. After two days had passed they stopped fighting. And they gave a lot of property for [the one killed]. They made them feel good then.
WAR BETWEEN THE EGGS-OF-SKÎ′TG̣AO AND THE INLET-REAR-TOWN PEOPLE
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns]
They lived together in the town of Masset. In the fall they went up the inlet to dry salmon. They camped then on both sides of A′-în. [838] After they had dried salmon for a while some of the Eggs-of-Skî′tg̣ao went off in the night to hunt hair seal.
He (the leader) remained then during the night on one side of an islet. There, while he was trying to get a chance to shoot hair seal, a gun sounded from across the point. Then a boy who was in his canoe shouted like one who is shot. “Wa′nanî, wa′nanî; they shot me.”
One who was with him jumped off then. Then he asked: “Who did it? Who did it?” Instead of answering, they pulled away from him, and he shot toward them in the darkness. He shot the man in the bow, so that he fell into the water. He [839] then went home and told his friends.
Some time after that, during the night, the child came home crying. He told his friends what had happened. The Eggs-of-Skî′tg̣ao and the Inlet-rear-town people at once began fighting. They shot at each other through all the fall. Their wives being between the families (i.e., of different families), their sons got dog salmon for them. [840]
By and by they went away. After the men of both families had got into two canoes they fought in their canoes all the way down. But the women came behind in canoes. [841] And when they landed they fought each other again on land. They shot at each other there all night. There many of the Inlet-rear-town people were killed.
On the next morning they fought each other again. And, since the Eggs-of-Skî′tg̣ao landed at White-slope [842] first, the Inlet-rear-town people passed by in front. At that time they began to settle at Yan. [843] And they had a fort on an islet there.
After that they again began to fight each other. Then many were killed on both sides. They fought through the winter and through the summer around it. By and by, after they had settled at Yan, one of the Eggs-of-Skî′tg̣ao went over to them. Thereupon they stabbed him in front of the town. [844] Then they again went across to fight. They killed four of the Inlet-rear-town people.
Some time afterward a whale floated into the inlet. They went then to get it, and with the Inlet-rear-town people they jointly cut it up. One of the Inlet-rear-town people was killed there with a war spear. They started at once to fight again. They then again killed each other. At that time all the sharpshooters among the Inlet-rear-town people were destroyed.
Some time afterward a chief of the Inlet-rear-town people destroyed a whole canoe load of the Eggs-of-Skî′tg̣ao. The war began again at once. While they were still trying to kill one another, when I was yet a boy, there came a great pestilence, [845] and, when the people on the Haida islands were being destroyed, they stopped fighting. Then there was peace.
The first of these families was spoken of in “Story of the House-point families” notes; the second was one of several divisions of the Rear-town people referred to in note 6 to “Story of the Food-giving-town people.” My informant’s father belonged to the Eggs-of-Skî′tg̣ao or to a related family, hence his sympathies were rather on their side.
WARS WITH THE NISKA AND TSIMSHIAN AND CONFLICTS BETWEEN HAIDA FAMILIES
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns]
One of the Point-town people [846] lived in Nass. Word came that he had been killed there. Then the Point-town people started to war. After they had drunk sea water for a while they raised their canoes. In the canoes Skîlqē′xas [847] and Gia′ołins were the war chiefs. Presently they started. They had their town at House-point. [848]
They then went by way of the Tlingit country. They even traveled during the day. They discovered some dried salmon at Lᴀ′mas. [849] They (the Nass people) thought that they did not care about the man who was killed. After they had waited there until evening they went out early in the morning. They killed then many of the Nass people. They also took slaves. At that time Qogī′s ran after some. He ran quickly to some women who were sitting together. He started to bring out ten by the hair. He got only six of them out.
They got then all the heads of the Niska people. They got sixteen slaves for Gia′ołins, and they got thirteen for Skîlqē′xas. Then they occupied a fort at House-point.
After some time the Niska people came to fight in five canoes. That time they began to fight at House-point. Five of the Point-town people were killed. And one canoe load of Niska people was destroyed. They then went away.
And the Point-town people again went to war. That time they fought at Nass village. They enslaved ten for Skîlqē′xas. They also enslaved eight for Gia′ołins. They then returned to House-point, singing songs of victory.
And while they were living at Łi′elᴀñ [850] the Nass people came to House-point to fight. The town of House-point was empty then, and the Nass people burned the town. And the Nass people also seized the provision house [851] of Skîlqē′xas behind the town.
Then the Point-town people again went to Nass to fight. At that time they met four canoes below the town of Lag̣ᴀ′mkꜝida. [852] And they destroyed three. They again took some slaves that time. They came away to Łi′elᴀñ, singing songs of victory.
After they had lived there for a while, they thought the Nass people too powerful for them, and they moved to Masset. After they had lived there some time, the Nass people came to Łi′elᴀñ to fight. When the Nass people came upon it very early in the morning they found the town empty, and they burned it. And, when they saw the smoke from Masset, the Point-town people went thither to fight. At that time they had a pitched battle. They fought all day. Many were killed on both sides. Four of the Up-inlet-gîtî′ns [853] went to fight with them. Two of them were killed.
And, when they came back, the Up-inlet-gîtî′ns asked the Point-town people to pay something for them. They gave then one slave for the two men. And the Up-inlet-gîtî′ns went away and left the slave. That evening they killed two of the Point-town people. The Up-inlet-gîtî′ns began at once to fight with the Point-town people. Many were killed on each side. After they had fought all winter they talked of peace. They then gave many slaves back and forth as blood compensation. Then there was peace.
When summer came the Point-town people went to the Nass to war. After they had been unable to find an opportunity to do any damage for some time three canoes came along, and they pursued them. They killed all who were in them. But they were Tsimshian. They enslaved them.
On account of that the Tsimshian came to fight. Then they had a pitched battle with the Point-town people. At that time many were killed on both sides.
After that the Point-town people again went to fight. Some campers were then drying halibut at the mouth of the Skeena. They destroyed them all. They also took many as slaves.
After that the Tsimshian again came to war. At that time they took nine women as slaves out of four canoes in which the people had gone out to pick berries. They belonged to many families. They also killed three men. Some escaped to the woods.
Many families went at once to war together. They destroyed then many Tsimshian who were camping out. At that time they also enslaved a great number. Then they came to Masset, singing songs of victory. Then they did not come again to fight. When it was summer the Tsimshian came to make peace. And, while the whole town danced together, they gave them property. When that was over they wanted the Masset people to go across in their turn. Those also then went over to make peace. They also gave them a great deal of property.
The news then reached the Niska that they had made peace. And they also came to dance [without having sent word in advance]. When the Nass people landed in front of the town they shot at them. Many of the Nass people were killed. Part escaped, and some time afterward they came to fight. At that time many were killed on both sides.
Then the Point-town people also went to fight. They came to Lag̣ᴀ′mkꜝida. That time the Nass people won. They killed many of the Masset people. When they went to war the next time they killed many of the Nass people. And they killed a town chief named Sqatꜝî′n. The Nass people were very sorry on account of him. They wept and scratched their faces. The others returned singing songs of victory.
And when they went thither to fight again the town of Lag̣ᴀ′mkꜝida was empty. They then burned the town. They captured many boxes of grease.
When they returned Skîlqē′xas summoned the people. He said that he would send feathers to the Niska. Then some of them did not like it. And Gia′ołins also summoned the people. He said the same thing. Then all agreed. And they took over feathers to the Tsimshian. After that they carried them up to the Niska.
Some time afterward they came in ten canoes. They then carried the dancers into all the houses. At that time they gave them a great deal of blood money. They gave three slaves for the chief they had killed. At that time there was not a single slave left in Masset. They gave them all away as blood money. Then they went joyfully away. Some were dancing; some were singing canoe songs. At that time they also left feathers. They wanted the Masset people [to visit them].
They then also went over. They gave them a great deal of blood money. They had then a true peace with each other. The Nass people also told them to come and get boxes of grease, and they went over to get them. They [the Niska] then settled again in the burned town. The Nass people gave them boxes of grease.
And when they came home the Point-town people again fought with the Up-inlet-gîtî′ns. Five chiefs of the Point-town people were killed. After they had fought for a while the Point-town people carried over two copper plates to Qꜝayā′ñ. [854] There they threw them into the water. Then those, too, had peace with each other. They gave slaves back and forth as blood money. And they had women on each side marry with the opposites, because they feared that they would be angry again. Now there was peace.
Afterward, when they had been visiting among the Tsimshian for some time, one of the Rocky-coast-gîtî′ns [855] was killed among the Tsimshian. When they came to make peace on account of him they were so easy to kill on the coast that they destroyed them. Then they brought those [dead bodies] home also.
At that time some went behind the town of Masset to keep watch. And when the Tsimshian had almost got ashore behind Masset they shot at them. They drove the warriors away. Then the Rocky-coast-gîtî′ns went to war. They killed many Tsimshian.
Afterward, when the Tsimshian came to fight, they enslaved nine of the Masset people. Then all the families again started to make war on the Tsimshian. At that time they continually killed each other.
At one time, when they went to war and had approached some who were living in a lonely place, one came out on shore wearing a grizzly-bear crest. They then thought that he was all right. [856] They suggested making peace. The warriors returned. And the Masset people went to make peace. They then gave a great deal of property to the Masset people.
After they had started away they shot another Tsimshian. The Tsimshian then did nothing in return. They shot down the one who was going to take Lgiäx’s [857] place without his saying a word. Then he did not want his nephew to be killed for nothing and came to make peace. That time they gave a great amount of property to him. Then there was peace again everywhere.
At that time he (Lgiäx) felt very good and went to visit the Kaigani. After they had gone along for a while they fell into the hands of the Middle-town people, who were going to war upon the Niska. They then shot at each other. The Gîtsqoalʼâ′tcꜝî [858] they completely destroyed. Nine escaped along with Lgiäx to the woods. They also broke up five canoes. Part of the Middle-town people were also killed.
After two nights had passed the Tlingit came to him. During all that time they lived on the food which had been thrown overboard and had floated ashore. The Tlingit then carried news about Lgiäx [to his people]. And the Tsimshian went to get him in four canoes. Then he said that he was too great to be taken away. “Do you come after me because you think that our grandfathers ever got into strange canoes? Lgiäx does not get into a stranger’s canoe.” [859]
He then sent word to have food brought to himself. And, after they had started away, they made a 6-fathom canoe. When it was finished he came to his town. Then the house chiefs came and danced before him.
Some time after they prepared for war. They set out. At that time the Tsimshian destroyed the fort of Sidī′kun. [860] They enslaved many of the Middle-town people. They killed then many of the renowned men of the Middle-town people.
The Middle-town people began at once to eat medicine, and did so all winter. When summer came they went to war. At that time they killed or enslaved many Tsimshian. They went up directly [among the Tlingit] to sell them. They got a lot of ammunition and guns in exchange. Then they again fortified themselves.
Some time afterward the Tsimshian came against the fort. At that time the Middle-town people went out in their canoes. They shot at each other on the ocean. Only five of the Middle-town people were killed then. But many of the Tsimshian were killed.
And, after the Tsimshian had started off, they said that they would raise their canoes. On the very next day after they had raised them they went to fight. They enslaved then very many women who were out after berries. At that time they came to the fort singing songs of victory. They remained there then on the watch.
By and by the Tsimshian came to fight again. And again many were killed on both sides. Some time afterward they settled at Kꜝᴀgā′ni.
And, after they had lived there for a while, a 3-sail canoe came. The Middle people were going to destroy it then because a man of the Eagle side who lived with them had gone to Masset and had been killed there. One of the Middle-town people then came out to talk to the Middle-born. [861]
After it (the canoe) had approached the town for a while, the Middle-born got ready for it. And when the canoe came in front they upset it by shooting. The Middle-town people and the Middle people at once had a pitched battle outside. Some of the Salᴀ′ndas [862] who were neutral went to look at the canoe. Under it they found the owner of the canoe and his wife.
After they had fought and killed each other for a while they said that Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′liña [863] was killed. He was kept under some slaves, but still he was killed. Many also were wounded. When they told his grandfather, he said: “Be careful how you tell me that Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′liña is killed.” He thought he was too great to be killed. He went then to see him sitting up. Then he turned around quickly. There was a high cliff there. He was going to throw himself over, when they seized him. Afterward, as he went crying around the fire, he dashed himself against a [white man’s] anvil.
Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′liña’s elder brother, Î′ldjiwas, [864] was sitting at the time in front of his younger brother. They then stopped shooting one another. And Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′liña’s parents got ten slaves from the house of the Middle-town people. Then Î′ldjiwas asked the Middle-town people to stay awake with [the body of] Gî′tg̣ax̣ī′liña. Although they had just shot at each other, they were called for it.
Then they came in a crowd. They were afraid to enter. By and by they came in. They let them stay awake there. They were ten nights in the house. All the time they gave them food. And, after they buried him, they gave property to the Middle-town people to pay for the wake. After that Î′ldjiwas started to kill the Middle-town people. [865] Each time much property was given as blood money.
By and by Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a went off on a vessel. After that, when a vessel came with him and they went out to trade, Gîtkudja′os approached Î′ldjiwas to kill him. Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a said to him: “Take care, they are coming to kill you.” At that time Î′ldjiwas shot Gîtkudja′os alongside the vessel, so that he fell into the water. The crowd of people who were about then fled to their homes. When all had got in he went home. They then shot at him. He escaped into his house.
The Middle-town people and the Middle people at once fought together. Then they again gave a great deal of property to each other. Some time afterward a vessel again stopped there with Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a on board. He then remained there. After they had drunk whisky [866] one of the Middle-town people shot at Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a, but his gun missed fire. He, however, killed the Middle-town man. They fought again at once.
After peace had been made the father of Î′ldjiwas bought a pistol for him which was all silver. And, when he had it in his hand in front of the town, his father’s younger brother asked to look at it. At that time he told him that people could not be killed by it [but only wounded]. So he shot his father’s younger brother with it. And they again began fighting.
After that they also killed Î′ldjiwas. They wounded him. After he had remained alive for fifteen nights he held his gun loaded and said: “Now, they are coming down for me.” He then shot through the smoke hole. And he talked again. “I am going up, and I will throw down the planks that are inside his house. I will also throw down his burning coals.” Then he said: “Now, I am going up to be with him.” After he had finished speaking he was as those who go to sleep.
And, when evening was coming on, something made a slight noise in the air. Then something red fell out of the sky. It happened as he had said. [867]
Afterward Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a killed one of the Middle-town people, and they again had a fight. They again made peace with each other after one of the nephews of Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a was killed. After they had given property to him, Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a went away and settled among the Tsimshian. His nephews lived at Kꜝᴀgā′ni.
At that time a youth, Sg̣ā′gia, lived with Sg̣atcꜝîdā′łgîñ, who took care of him. Then he treated Sg̣ā′gia badly. Getting angry with him, he drew blood. And two nights afterward he killed Sg̣atcꜝîdā′łgîñ. He then took his three slaves. When he was going to kill his wife also she used good words to him. He went away in his canoe.
He then passed right by in front of Kꜝᴀgā′ni. He crossed the sea. He went to Tcꜝā′ał. [868] Sg̣ā′gia’s gun was heard to sound at Kaisun [869] as he came along. And, when he landed and stood among them, he related his adventure.
All that summer, while they were fishing for black cod, he kept a watch for war people. After they had caught salmon, they moved to Skidegate inlet.
When we camped for the night [we heard] a Tsimshian named Xagu′n of the Gîtgwî′lgiaodjî, [870] who had enslaved some Pebble-people, sing songs of victory in front of us.
Some who were returning home from Skidegate were enslaved by the Tsimshian. We then carried the news to Skidegate. At that time we started to live at Xā′na. [871] They then asked property of us on account of what we had done to the Tsimshian. [872] After that, when we were living at Kaisun, more news came. They said that some canoes had been destroyed in Skidegate passage. Part of the people were enslaved also. It happened to three families. They did it to the Gîtî′ns’-servants, [873] Those-born-at-Stasa′os, [874] and Those-born-at-Pebble-town. [875] The Tlingit were the ones who did it. When we came to Xā′na Those-born-at-House-point [876] asked property of us for some who had been captured. Then they first gave us property. After that we also gave them property. When we came to Tcꜝā′ał Those-born-at-Stasa′os also asked blood money of us. We also gave to them blood money.
After that the Ninstints people invited the people of Kaisun. The Kaisun people went thither at once. And, after they had been there for a while, they went after house planks. The Ninstints people went out also to fish near by. Some time afterward they discovered enemies. The Bellabella [877] destroyed or enslaved those who were out fishing. At that time the Bellabella killed many of the Ninstints people. They also enslaved many of the Sand-town people [878] of high rank. Then they at once stopped getting the parts of the house. Things went badly. We went away immediately.
FIGHT BETWEEN THOSE-BORN-AT-QĀ′GIALS AND THOSE-BORN-AT-SKEDANS
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo]
They were encamped in G̣a′ogîts [879] to gather fish eggs. Those-born-at-Qā′gials and Those-born-at-Skedans lived on opposite sides.
Once Koa′gians [880] won from Kusʟxa′s a large knife that his dead father had owned. And he refused to give it to him. They wrangled then with each other. Then Koa′gians went out and announced the day that they had agreed upon for fighting. On the appointed day they put on their armor. They used helmets, war coats, and gorgets.
Then Koa′gians asked: “Whom shall I use for my fighting skirt?” [881] And Sounding-property said: “You shall use me for your fighting skirt.” He was a youth. They even broke up their canoes to use the pieces as gorgets.
Presently, when they were ready, they approached each other in lines. Koa′gians acted as leader of Those-born-at-Skedans. Sounding-property protected him below his breast. And Qagi′t acted as leader of Those-born-at-Qā′gials. He, too, was a brave man, and he determined to fight with Koa′gians. As soon as they were all engaged in battle, Qagi′t speared Koa′gians, so that he fell. Then Qagi′t pulled him toward himself and stabbed him with a knife. Sounding-property also lay dead in front of him.
And, after they had fought for a while, Those-born-at-Skedans and the Town-of-Djī′gua [882] people were driven back. And they did not go near the place where they used to live. They went instead toward the woods. And Those-born-at-Qā′gials pursued them.
Then the great chief South-east [883] rested on two strong youths, and they helped him up the mountain. And he heard the Skedans people calling from behind: “They are taking your beaver.” But still he went away. South-east owned a beaver dish. That was what they meant when they called to him. [884]
While they carried him along he repeated: “My beaver.” And when they reached the top of the mountain all the men and women sat with him, and he began to weep for his beaver:
“𝄆 𝄆 Hī-ī-ī-ī-ī-ī⁺ 𝄇 𝄆 Wadīkâ′lᴀm tcâlī′-ī-ī-ī-ī 𝄇 [885] hī-ī-ī-ī⁺ 𝄇 hī-ī-ī-ī⁺, hī hī hī.” They then started away from there. And they came to Dju-î′tga. [886] And, when he saw the inlet open out, he sang another song:
“𝄆 Wâ yī′a hē ē ī ē 𝄇 I look upon it, xē ē ē ē
“𝄆 Wīya hī yē hē yē 𝄇 There is now daylight (i.e., the trouble is partly over). [887]
“𝄆 Wayī′a hē′ē ē ē 𝄇”
And after that they occupied Mountain-fort. [888] Then the women of Those-born-at-Skedans gathered a supernatural medicine. And, after they had collected it, they gave it to One-going-to-be-the-elder-Sqaa′n. [889] They put it then upon a charmed necklace, and they also put some upon a looking-glass. One-going-to-be-the-elder Sqaa′n then sent the charm over to Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn. [890] And she sent over to Tcinxā′da[890] the mirror on which she had put the medicine.
As soon as they reached Skedans Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn wore the charm and Tcinxā′da looked at himself in the mirror. They felt [the effects of] the medicine at once. Tcinxā′da’s face, which had been touched by a war spear’s point, had not healed. They went from Skedans at once to get wives. And a large number went along.
When they got near Mountain-fort they stood up. And they began to sing: “One will not even feel where he fell, ā′hiya.” [891] Then someone in the canoe repeated: “That is the way it will happen.”[891]
At that time Qꜝayū′s got ready for them. He said that they might get off the canoe, but perhaps he would not let them in. When they had gone ashore they entered the house. When [Those-born-at-Skedans] acted in an unfriendly manner, as if they were ready to do something, all escaped to their canoe.
And, after they had gone up the inlet some distance, they came to their brother-in-law. And he asked: “Say! brothers-in-law, why did you come up here?” And they said to him: “They almost destroyed us. We escaped by sea.” Then he said: “Come back then. I think they did it to you because I was away.” Then they returned with him.
When they fought at G̣a′ogîts they had killed his nephew. He called upon his brothers-in-law to go back because his mind was sick on account of it. So, after they landed at the fort, they killed them. They afterward made peace with each other. After that they ceased to treat each other badly.
The first of these families was the principal family at Skedans; the second, the ruling family at Kloo. The one was Raven; the other, Eagle. They were so closely connected by intermarriages that quarrels seldom arose between them, and the one narrated here seems to have been thought remarkable for that reason.
WAR BETWEEN THE PEBBLE-TOWN PEOPLE AND THE SLAVES
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o]
Sg̣agᴀ′ño [892] went from Tcꜝā′ał to visit Always-ready. [893] After they had gone along for a while on the sqā′djañ [894] they came to Songs-of-victory town. [895] And, when they came near the shore, Always-ready shot an arrow into the canoe. When he turned away he said: “Mine strikes in the way that it does when something is killed.” And Sg̣agᴀ′ño paddled back behind Fin island. Then they took things out of a box for the one who had been shot and put him in its place. And they fastened a rope around the box and came to the town again.
They then landed, and the town people carried up the things. With the rest of the property they brought up a big, heavy box. And, after food had been given to them to eat and evening was come, Sg̣agᴀ′ño’s companions went to a flat rock lying in front of the town and sat there. Then Sg̣agᴀ′ño, with two youths, went toward the upper end of the town.
They (the town people) then untied the heavy box. A dead man lay in it. Then all of the town people reached for their war spears. They ran down to the others, who were lying idly about, and killed all.
Then the chief looked behind him. And he started into the woods with the young fellows. At that time he shook this entire island. [896] On account of that they began to assume the name “Island-shaker.”
Then the two youths and Sg̣agᴀ′ño went away. Many nights passed over them. By and by they came to one who was making a canoe behind X̣i′das. [897] The youths wished to kill him. While they were talking Sg̣agᴀ′ño came to him. When he (the stranger) saw him he said: “Alas! he must have been doing as he always does.” [898] Then, without even putting away his tools, he went down before them. The man was a good canoe-builder, and he was a good bear-hunter. He then went in and spread out three bear skins for them, and his wife cooked food. And, when he had it set before him, Sg̣agᴀ′ño said: “Stranger, [899] I shall not eat this food. This ground might see me.” [900] Only the youths ate the food. He then let them go in a new 5-fathom canoe.
He gave them mat sails, paddles, and mats and food for the youths. Then Sg̣agᴀ′ño said to the man: “You had better not stay where the people of Sqā′ma-qꜝe-u [901] camp this summer. Stay near some sandy beach. When we return from fighting we will put off in front of you your friends who have been taken as slaves.” He then went to Tcꜝā′ał with the youths.
Then the Ninstints people began to live in a fort on the top of Sqas. But, although they were afraid, the one who gave his canoe to Sg̣agᴀ′ño lived toward the sea at Ga′-igᴀn-kun. [902] Then the people of Tcꜝā′ał went to war in successive parties. And they were on the water in front of the fort.
Always-ready then came out of the smoke hole, and he walked about on the roof wearing his armor. They shot at him then with arrows. They did not pierce him. He then went back and shot at them in turn. The next time they went to war they climbed up to the top of the cliff. They tried to roll down stones upon them. These did not come near the houses. The stones all skipped over the houses. And they again went home.
And, after they had held them besieged for a while, they were straitened for food. Then Always-ready told his brother-in-law to make ten bows for himself. And, after he had worked upon them for a while, he finished them. Fine feathers were fastened near the tips. And his brother-in-law gave them to him. He was glad to have them. Then he gave up the big cedar bow he always used in favor of these new ones.
The people of the town began to dislike him. His sisters and his brothers-in-law were affected with the same feeling, because, on account of him, they were always hungry.
One day his brothers-in-law came in from fishing. His sister gave him the white part of the belly of the halibut they had caught. On account of that he went out fishing with three persons. He took his ten bows with him, and he took his two arrow boxes. But he left his cedar bow behind.
And on the day after he went fishing, very early, they again came to fight. And, as he used to do, one came out on the top of the house and said “Ha-ha.” And when they shot up at him he went in. When they again shot down from the fort, one of the floating arrows stood on end in the water. They brought it in. From it hung a small stone. Then they handed it to an old man among them, and, after he had thought about it for a while, he said they did that as a sign that he (Always-ready) was out fishing. The ten canoes then started seaward.
Five went out on each side of Xē′na. [903] They looked for him as they went along, and, when they had nearly met at the end, they saw him lying out to sea. Then they went to him. When he discovered them he walked about in the middle of the canoe awaiting them. And when they got near him he took one bow. He broke it. He took another. He also broke that. When he had done that for a while he broke all ten bows. His brother-in-law who had made his bows for him had notched the rounded side of the bow under the feathers. All broke just there.
He then threw the broken pieces of the bows and the two arrow boxes into the sea. He did not scratch anyone’s skin. They were afraid of him. When he threw his arrows away they went to him. And they killed the three who were fishing with him, but him they captured.
He then got into Sg̣agᴀ′ño’s canoe. They felt too glad to know that they had taken him. Their minds were very good on account of him. After they had gone along with him for a while they encamped at a long sandy beach which is called G̣ᴀ′nʟ̣ī. [904] They there set him ashore. They sat around him on the beach. They had heard that he was brave, so they wanted to see him.
And, after they had looked at him for a while, they wanted to see how well he could shoot. They then stood up a stick on the beach, and Sg̣agᴀ′ño had something white hung upon it. They then gave him a bow and arrows. He did not like the arrows. They handed him then one with an iron point. And, when he had set the arrow on the bow, he turned around quickly to where Sg̣agᴀ′ño’s nephew sat behind him and shot him. He fell backward from the box on which he was sitting.
They bound him then and brought wood. And they built a large fire upon the beach for him. They then laid him down with his back to the fire. And, while the skin of his back was blistering from the heat of the fire, they picked up live coals and rubbed them upon his back. They asked him: “Always-ready, does it hurt you?” And he answered: “Ha-i, no. The one whom I killed just now hurts you. He went up before me. I shall go up after him.” [905]
He was then burned to death, and they looked at his entrails. One lobe of his liver (?) was short. That was why he was brave. They laid him then just back of the place where they were, at the edge of the grass. [906]
He was gone from among the families. The trouble then stopped. And they also put the chief’s son into a box and started sorrowfully away.
When he (Sg̣agᴀ′ño) ran into the woods at Songs-of-victory town, and after he reached Tcꜝā′ał, a woman of the family composed a crying song for him:
“Grandfather (i.e., Raven) shook the supernatural beings when he moved grandly.” [907]
The first of these families was the noted Raven family that owned Tcꜝā′ał, on the west coast of Moresby island; the latter, one of the most noted Raven families among the people in the Ninstints territory.
WAR BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF KLOO AND THE PEOPLE OF NINSTINTS
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo]
When they (the Kloo people) lived at People’s-fort [908] South-east [909] had two wives. One was a woman of the Sand-town people, [910] and one was a woman of the Pebble-town people. [911] He loved the Ninstints woman, because she was pretty. For that reason the Pebble-town woman wanted her to do something wrong.
Then she began helping her to do it and told her husband that she was receiving a man of the Town-of-Djī′gua people. [912] He then took her outside naked and whipped her. The-elder-Sqaa′n [913] loved her. And she said of the Pebble-town woman, too: “I know also about her lover.” Then South-east heard it, and he began whipping her also.
The next day both had disappeared. They did not know then whither the two women had gone. The news reached Tcꜝā′ał. [914] News also reached the other mother in the Ninstints country. One morning both mothers appeared together in front of People’s-fort. Both sang crying songs for their daughters. The Pebble-town woman and the Sand-town woman both sang one [as follows]:
“On account of this my child moved about. On account of this, when my child moved about, they ought to have heard the thunder, when my child moved about on the way home.” [915]
He then let them come into the fort, and he gave them blood compensation. He gave a slave to each of them, and he also gave a great deal of property to each of them. Then the canoes parted. The women went away satisfied.
When it was near summer he went to ask in marriage the younger sister of the Sand-town woman whom he had married. And he came to Many-chiefs at Sqā′djigît·awa′-i. And, after he had stayed a while with his brother-in-law, he went away.
Before he had gone far the mother of Many-chiefs said to him: “Many-chiefs, are you a man?” [916] He then became angry and took his gun and his paddle. Then they pursued South-east. And while they pursued him Many-chiefs was left behind. He did not have enough canoe men.
Then South-east got off. As he fled into the woods he stepped under a fallen tree, a small limb scratched his forehead, and a small stream of blood flowed out down over his cheeks. Then the Ninstints people all came to him. They encircled him. They waited for Many-chiefs.
One who was out of his senses said: “Why do you let him sit there? Even for the blood that is running down his face you will be in a predicament.” [917] He then shot him. The name of him who shot him was Skᴀ′ndal. And they did not kill those who were with him. Those they let go.
Half of the Town-of-Djī′gua people were at Łtā′na. The news had not yet reached them. And there there lived a man of Those-born-in-the-Ninstints-country [918] who was unmarried. He had just won in gambling three sea-otter skins owned by a man of the Town-of-Djī′gua people. His (the latter’s) name was Alder.
Then he (Alder) went out on Sg̣aalū′tꜝx̣ᴀs and ate medicine. There he spent the night with the medicine on his stomach. He came home the next day, and the day after that he began eating and drinking. His sister, West-coast-clouds, gave him birds’ eggs to eat.
He had just picked up one and was shelling it when some one came crying from a point at the end of the town. He then laid the egg down directly and stopped all of them, for they had started the cry.
Then Alder, with his younger brother, went out to a ship [to which the Ninstints man had gone]. [919] And he said to his younger brother: “I will kill him even if he has gone up on deck.” He was still on the water below, and he held his canoe against it on the starboard side.
They then went thither. They looked at him (Alder) while he was still far away, and they asked them: “Why are they weeping on shore?” Then he replied: “I do not know. After we got away from land, they wailed behind us. They mentioned something about a child falling into the water.” He deceived him in that way. And the Ninstints man was yet below them on the water, and he put the canoe alongside of his. His sea otters lay behind where he was sitting.
After he had remained beside him for a while he stabbed him. And he said: “The chief has been killed. They are bringing home his body.” He then took back his four sea-otter skins.
And, as soon as he had killed the Ninstints man, he went at once to Strait-where-no-waves-come-ashore. [920] He went for gunpowder and bullets which South-east had stored behind it. He also brought the news to Strait-where-no-waves-come-ashore.
Then Ginᴀ′skilas [921] set a Sand-town woman outside to kill her. And Alder stopped him. “Do not do that, chief, my nephew. You are of the same skin dirt.” [922] And he let her in.
He then went over to the storehouse, crossing to it on a trail. When he came out there Ninstints people were going away. And, when he came down on the shore and stood opposite them, they said to him: “Alder, do you not see that your leg has been cut off? [923] I wonder what you are going to use as weapons.” And he replied: “Yes, you have cut off my leg. I shall not have a single thing as a weapon. Yet two nights from now I shall have procured weapons by selling you as slaves.”
He then went away by canoe. He started at once with his younger brothers toward the south. And they concealed their canoe some distance down the inlet from the fort. They then went up into the woods. After they had gone along for a while Alder led them across a point covered with trees.
After he had gone inland he came to a storehouse. And, having thrown aside some skins and hides [924] stored there, [he came to] a box of sea-otter tails that was among them. They afterward went away.
They started to watch by the fresh water opposite the fort. When the tide rose high some people came singing from the fort. There were three young women and a man of goodly size.
They then began to shoot at them. They killed the man and one woman and enslaved the two others, and they went off in their canoe.
From the fort they heard his gun go off. They were in canoes in lines, awaiting him. He then went into the midst [of them]. And, when he came near, they moved apart for him. He passed through. He sang a fleeing song: [925] “Wahō-ō-ō hē-ōōō wahō-ō-ō hē-ō-ō-ō⁺.”
And after he had fled for a time one of the Ninstints men held his hand toward him with fingers outspread. [926] And he said: “I wonder to what place of safety Alder is paddling.” Then he answered: “Slave, Hemlock-bark-scraping-knife, chase me as fast as you can. Kill me as soon as you can.”
And, when they came up to the place where they had killed the chief, they talked one to another. They became frightened. “He is leading us to enemies near by; he is leading us to enemies.” They then went back away from him. And he easily escaped them.
He reached home and set ashore the two slaves for Ginᴀ′skilas. They took the two slaves to Skedans [927] to sell them, and traded them for guns and ammunition only. They gathered ammunition for war as one collects food.
Now for a long time the war went along slowly. By and by the war expedition started. After they had paddled along for a while they came near the fort in the night. There was no noise of talking at the fort, and they felt strange about it. And they let morning dawn upon them opposite the fort. And when it dawned they saw that the fort was empty, and they went to it. Nearly all of the property lay in the houses. They then burned down the fort. They burned the houses. They had no idea why the people had gone.
And, after they had started out of the inlet, they stopped at a large bed of kelp. All made themselves fast to the kelp with their paddles. Then Qꜝā′siêk [928] began to perform in a canoe as a shaman does. After he had performed for a while he began to whip the souls of the enemy. And when he pulled toward himself something he had seized in the air all the kelp broke.
Then all went on. After they had gone along for a while they saw smoke. And Alder landed in front of Songs-of-victory town. He went quickly then to the other side. When he had come to the other side he came out behind a man who was carrying along driftwood at the end of the trail. He shot him from behind.
The Ninstints people discovered their enemies at once. Many-chiefs held a new gun. Those left to care for the canoes then came round the point. After they had anchored their canoes one came running out from them (the Ninstints people). He had no gun. He held a spear. “The Town-of-Djī′gua people are always like that (i.e., cowards). Shall I stop before I get there?”
They at once ran together, shooting. The Ninstints people were driven back. The first time he fired the flintlock on Many-chiefs’ gun broke in two. Nothing could help him. When they went back Many-chiefs was wounded. He escaped with them into the woods. Very many Ninstints people were killed then. Not one was killed on the other side.
After they had gone into the woods after them for a while they came back. Then Ginᴀ′skilas stood in the place where they had encamped near a whale. If one had two slaves, he gave him one. If one had three, he gave him two. If one had one, he did not give it to him. At that time he became still more of a chief. In exchange for those slaves he had a house built. [929]
And, after the Ninstints people had gone along for a while in the woods, they lived in the mountains. Their kettles and all of their property had been captured. They steamed whale in things that they hollowed out.
While they lived there, before Many-chiefs’ wound was healed, he practiced how he was going to fight. He opened again his unhealed wound. He died there. They then started away and came out opposite Red-cod island. [930]
And those who had gone to fight went out again the next year to fight on account of South-east. At that time they did not know where they (the Ninstints people) lived. After they had gone along for a while they came to a reef lying out from the mouth of a strait.
There Smoke got off. When he looked seaward he dropped to the ground. He did so, because he saw fishing canoes.
On that day they had given to Kiä′nskina-i [931] the white part of a halibut. That was why he was out fishing. They at once went out from Kꜝîl [932] toward them, and they destroyed the people. Among others they killed the chief. They then seized Hemlock-bark-scraping-knife on the water. “Hemlock-bark-scraping-knife, when the chief was chased, did you not stop them?” “No,” he said. And they struck him on the lips with the short sinker strings that they held. They killed him with them.
They then skinned Kiä′nskina-i’s head, and were happy to have it, [933] and they returned home with it. They ceased to think about Southeast. They stopped warring.
A FIGHT BETWEEN THE XĀ′GI-TOWN PEOPLE AND SAND-TOWN PEOPLE
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo]
At the town of Xā′gi [934] a woman of the Slaves [935] went outside before she went to bed. She did not return. But instead of saying anything they kept the matter in their minds. They did not know from what town people had come to get her.
Some time afterward they discovered that she had been taken by a man from the town of G̣a′-idi [936] who had been in love with her. It was a man of the Sand-town people. They went then in a large canoe to demand the property which was given when a woman deserted her husband. And they came there at low water.
When the tide was well up he (the seducer) went out and played with his wife between the houses. He who had formerly had her as his wife was the bow man. And, when he paddled shoreward, he said: “Shoreward! Future people shall always remember me.” He then took a bow and two arrows and jumped off with them. And he ran up and shot his wife. Afterward he shot the man. At that time he escaped into the canoe. They went away and landed. The man’s mind was happy.
And Wada′ [937] thought his town was too great to have a woman taken out of it. Then she (his wife) said to her husband: “Make it all right with property.” He would not agree. He said they thought his town was common. By and by she told her husband to go ahead: “Make a stir about it. My children are clear of it.”
And the people of Chief-discovered’s town [938] said the same things to him that Wada’s wife had said. They could not stop him. He also thought that his town was too great. By and by they announced a fight. They cleaned their spears. They agreed upon a day on which to fight.
When the day at last arrived they came around Sqas point. [939] One in the town shouted: “It is becoming dry [with the number of canoes].” They landed at once at the end of the town. Then they went to the town of Xā′gi. The people of Wada’s town stood in lines on the beach awaiting them.
When they came together all the women went into the woods. After the lines had approached each other for a while they got within a spear cast, and one from Wada’s side shouted: “Bring on the spear-whetstones.” [940] One on the other side from among Chief-discovered’s people also said: “Ho, ho, you are not the only ones to have them.” They thought that they had called spears spear-whetstones when they answered. What they really intended was to call out ten persons who were reckless and brave.
As soon as they came down they began to spear the people of Chief-discovered’s town. At the very beginning Chief-discovered fell. Wada′, however, escaped.
The people of Common-town [941] came in front and looked on from their canoes. Only five canoes [of the Sand-town people] escaped. He destroyed the people of Chief-discovered’s town. After they had pulled the spears out of the slain they (the people of Common-town) brought their canoes in front of the people of Chief-discovered’s town and carried in the dead bodies. They did not wish to fight.
And the women came back. Wada’s wife, with her children, did not come back. Although they hunted for her body they could not find it. And the others carried up their dead. They did not, however, take up the body of Chief-discovered. The canoe was rolled about by the waves with his body in it. He floated about in the bilge-water. They treated his body in that way because they had lost so many friends through him.
These were both Ninstints families of the Raven clan. The former was named from an islet in Skincuttle inlet, which is said to have been the first land to appear above the waters of the flood raised by Raven’s uncle; see the story of “Raven traveling.” From this they claimed to be the oldest Haida family. The Sand-town people have been referred to in “Story of the Food-giving-town people,” note 4.
WARS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF NINSTINTS AND THE PEOPLE OF SKIDEGATE
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo.]
In the times before they had muskets the Skidegate people went toward the south end of the island to fight. The entire town, including both clans, went along and presently saw a fort on the landward side of Kî′ntcꜝuwit. It was named Standing-fort.
After they had been fishing from the fort for a while something talked with a woman who was cutting a fish. “Come, cut a little piece of fish [942] for me, younger sister.” They did not know what it was that spoke. This portent happened because the fort was going to be destroyed.
There was no way to climb up to the fort. They then laid a long pole up the side of it. They used that to climb up on. Presently the Skidegate people came in a crowd to the bottom of it. When they were ready to go up some one shouted down from it: “Do not kill me. I belong to the Cumshewa-town people. [943] I am here with them only for a short time.” They called to him then to come down. But he did not believe them and did not go down.
By and by they started up the ladder. When they got halfway up the ladder they poured whale grease down upon the ladder. They got up over it with difficulty. They killed all the men and cut off their heads. The rest [of their bodies] they threw down from the fort. The space around it was filled up. After they had destroyed them they enslaved the women and children.
And, when the war canoes started off, some young women and some young men who had gone after spruce bark came out on the shore at the time of their departure. They wished to go. They would not take them. And they went to the fort after they (the warriors) had gone away. And, while they were still some way off from the fort they heard a great sound of voices. And, when they arrived there, the air and blood rushing out of the mouths of the severed heads made a great noise. At that time the Ninstints people were destroyed.
Gᴀ′nx̣oat [944] and the people of his village went to war later. And after they had gone along for a while they landed. At that time the Ninstints people were at Djig̣u′n. [945] And a man of the Sand-town people [946] who had gone out from the town after something saw unobserved that enemies were in a certain place. And, after he had watched them for a while, he shot one. No one was about.
He then cut off his head. With that he brought the news to the fort. His name was Great-drum. Then the Ninstints people launched a large canoe. They did not know that the Skidegate people were lying in wait for them on the shore near the fort. After they had gone along for a while they shot at them. They upset the canoe.
Then Tasgie′n and Gā′da-kuła′ns got ashore with ammunition. Both belonged to the Sand-town people. They shot at the Skidegate people from behind rocks which leaned toward the sea along the edges of the water. As soon as it was seen from the fort that they had been upset they went to help them. Those were the Ninstints-gîtî′ns and the Sa′ki-qe′ig̣awa-i. [947]
Then they landed. And they came behind the Skidegate people. At that time Yū′wa-i came to Gᴀ′nx̣oat, who was taking a bath in the woods. He feared then to shoot him, he was such a great chief. Then he finished “night-picks-up-the-village” (his daily fast). [948]
Laginᴀ′ñdigūdañ also tried to help his sons by shooting. Then Yū′wa-i came behind the Skidegate people and shot one. He (the man shot) was all alone. He then cut off his head and put a string on it, and he came out with it at the end of the lines of Skidegate people. “Ho ho ho, ho ho ho, ho ho ho, Skidegate people, I am Yū′wa-i. I am eating you up from behind.” And, when the Skidegate people saw the head that he had on his back, even their sinews gave out [they were so discouraged]. [949]
The Sand-town people lost an advantage by their foolishness. Their new muskets and ammunition were sunk. Not long before a trading vessel had come there.
And before this, after things had been going on quietly at the [Ninstints] fort, Blown-away went out from the fort to fish. When he came back from fishing his gambling sticks were gone from the house. He then went to where they were gambling. He came to where his nephew was using the gambling sticks.
Then he scolded his nephew on account of them. And he (his nephew) threw the gambling sticks over a cliff. He then pulled his nephew down on one side and stabbed him repeatedly. And he ran toward the house. Then his (the murdered man’s) younger brother ran after him. When he had almost got in his younger brother also stabbed him twice in the abdomen. He, too, soon after was lying on the ground. A woman was also killed the same day.
Here is the end of the story about this.
WARS BETWEEN THE PEOPLES OF SKIDEGATE AND KLOO
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo]
In the days when they used arrows the Skidegate people went to Kloo to war. There they kept watch. Near by were some women alone, digging roots. Near where the women dug they had a large fire. They already had stones heated. Then they steamed their nettle roots. The warriors were peering at them from behind. And the nettle roots were cooked, and were cooked well. As they slipped the skins off they kept saying “Wᴀha-iwa′n.” [950]
And, when they had finished this, they came out to them. They enslaved the women. And, after they had brought them to Skidegate, they also owned the made-up word there that they had obtained on the expedition. They said “Ha-iwa′n” when they did anything. The Kloo people then learned that they had captured the made-up word. And four canoe loads of people went from Kloo to Skidegate to make war.
They then pulled up their canoes on the inner side of Gū′łga and concealed themselves there. After they had remained in hiding for a while three persons went by below them in a canoe. The one in the middle was light-looking and stout. His hair hung down loose.
They then passed behind a point. Then they launched one good-sized canoe and pursued them. And they saw that they were near. One of those in the bow then caught up a bow and shot an arrow over them. When it fell near the bow all three at once looked around. And they said to each other that it was Owner. [951] They came then alongside of his canoe and killed them all.
They took the head of Owner, and they did the same to those who were with him. Then they had their three heads stuck up on poles at Kloo. The Town-of-Djī′gua people made immediately another new word, “without-even-looking-back.” [952] And when the news of that reached Skidegate they, in turn, were ashamed.
After some time had elapsed the Kloo and Skidegate people began again to visit back and forth. Then the Skidegate people came to Blood-fort. And, having determined to kill them, Koagia′ns counted the people. They then destroyed them. Not even the skin was scratched on their own side.
And, after they had killed all, a youth was missing from among them. They then launched a canoe and hunted for him. He had jumped into the water. He sat close to the edge of the sea on the point on which the fort stood. They then found him. The Skidegate man begged for mercy. On account of that they called the place “Begging-for-mercy-cove.” And they killed him, too. Then a great quantity of blood ran in the fort. So they called it “Blood-fort.”
Some time afterward a woman of the Common-food-steamers [953] who was married among the Ninstints people brought over food to her friends in Kloo. They found Kloo empty. They were afraid because they had destroyed the Skidegate people at Blood-fort. They were all at Tꜝā′łdi. [954] It was then that she arrived.
They slept then in the woods near the town of Kloo. One of the two slaves who were with her told them to camp there [instead of on the beach]. And he also heard the sound of paddling. He said then to his mistress: “I say, let us go in over there. Some people passed here in the night in canoes.” But his mistress did not believe what he said, and they passed in on the south side of the island.
When they were going across the inlet they plainly saw some people launching their canoes at a good sand beach. And they (the strangers) chased them back. They then drove them ashore in terror. Her companions escaped to the woods, and she remained behind alone. She did not let them pull her in, but laid her head on the edge of the canoe.
And she said: “Hurry, cut off my head. I do not want to be a slave. I do not want to run away frightened either. Cut off my head quickly. Just here, my brother used to say, yours were easily cut off.” [955] She made a mark around her neck, and she kept talking. They then cut off her head. And all that were with her escaped into the woods.
They got the news at Tꜝā′łdi, where all were living. They were shut up there for a while as if they had been surrounded in one house. By and by the Skidegate people again came to war. Opposite to the place where they had drawn up their canoes some one was chopping down a cedar for a canoe. He felled it and went away.
Then they (the Skidegate people) asked the oldest of the warriors: “When you used to chop down a cedar how did you think about it during the night?” “I thought all night what one does when the woman he is in love with accepts him. He will come to it again very early.”
They then took three men over to it during the night. When he came there early in the morning, they killed him. Then they went over and got them. [956]
They then fell unexpectedly upon some who came out of Tꜝā′łdi by canoe. One drew himself up into a tree which bent over the water. He alone escaped. They killed the rest.
During all that autumn, until the very beginning of winter, there were enemies around them. They were never free from them.
Then the man whose sister had been killed up the inlet from Kloo could not get a canoe. By and by Ginᴀ′skilas [957] lent him a 5-fathom canoe without thwarts fastened in it. And he and his younger brother finished it. After they had finished it he (Ginᴀ′skilas) changed his mind [about lending it]. And Alder called out to his younger brother: “Kꜝwi′dᴀña-i, [958] cut off the cedar limbs from the canoe at once. If he says a word against it I will kill him.” He then cut them off. They took no notice of it. And he could not get a canoe.
All winter no one took a step anywhere. By and by one of them went out to sea for something, yet came back safely. They saw that spring was already beginning to come on. Then Alder and Grandson went to Skidegate to war together.
Those who remained behind felt that the earth was different. The ground shook, and the thunder rolled directly over them, and there were landslides. A woman of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o, Woman-too-dirty-to-be-touched, [959] owned four large clam shells, duck feathers, and duck grease. She laid them (the clam shells) down and put the duck grease into them. She put duck feathers along the edges. She sat talking to them: “Be careful, your duck grease might spill.” And it stopped. She believed it was stopped by her actions. [960]
The warriors arrived at Skidegate. Then they all (those left behind) got ready to move at the same time. They had their canoes loaded and anchored at the mouth of the creek. By and by, all started off together. That day they encamped at Xō′tdjix̣oa′s. [961] That night they remained awake. Amasa′n and his family acted as sentinels.
The day after that they went off again. And, after they had moved on for a while, they camped at Sqē′ługîts. The two who had gone to fight were also away. And, after having escaped from confinement, they ate anything, having mussels and things in the woods for provisions.
Ginᴀ′skilas then went out to examine a peninsula opposite the camping place. And a woman of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o, West-coast-clouds, and a slave also went out. And, as they went along, they met the [two returning] warriors. Two scalps hung out of the stern of the canoe. And they told her how they killed them.
“We found Skidegate empty. But still we did not go into the houses.” Then they came back [to the canoes]. They concealed their canoes at the seaward end of Skidegate. Afterward they went to look at Skidegate. They found there sixty boxes of grease, stowed away. They then broke them open with an ax. And the one whose sister’s head had been cut off, while she was still alive, in the same way cut off the heads of four youths who came after devilfishes.
And she went along before the fighters shouting. From the place where Ginᴀ′skilas had gone to make an examination some came along. And she shouted: “Ix̣iâ′⁺! Alder and Grandson found the town of Skidegate empty. Their canoes are full.” She went toward a large canoe coming toward her, telling the news. When she came near she recognized Gᴀ′nx̣oat’s [962] canoe, named Sea-gull canoe. [963] She at once paddled the canoe around, and they escaped to land. Alder and Grandson also landed there.
And Grandson’s canoe was carried away by the wind. But before the Skidegate people arrived Kī′dja-i [964] swam over to the canoe which was drifting away. And he did not care for the canoe, but he took the two scalps and swam ashore with them. He moved backward, sitting down with the two scalps in his mouth. “Now, Gîtî′ns, [965] I am glad to meet you.”
And the Skidegate people got off to fight there. The Kloo people also came near from Sqē′ługîts. They came together at once among the woods. Hu hu hu hu, there was a great sound of guns there. A man of the Skidegate-town people [966] and one of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o [967] used to be good friends, and the Skidegate-town man shouted to him: “Property-always-running-about, are you among them?” “Yes.” “Go home. When the Gîtî′ns become angry not even the grizzly bear can stand against them.” “Indeed, I will go home. I was born a grizzly bear from my parents, who are grizzly bears. They had me at the front [in war].”
After they had fought there for a while Amasa′n and a Skidegate man shot at each other over a thin rock at the edge of the woods, and they kept it up. Behind Amasa′n were two persons, one of whom held a spear. He asked for it. They refused to give it to him. He said that he would run over to the Skidegate man soon after he had shot him. [968] They did not give him the war spear.
Then they fought there. After they had fought there for a while, and evening was coming on, Tā′-iłgwai fell. He was wounded. On the other side Gidagā′ñgu also fell. They then called out to each side to stop. [969] They then ceased shooting at each other, and the Skidegate people got into their canoes. And the Town-of-Djī′gua people also got into their canoes when it was very dark.
When they (the women) escaped to land in fright Flood-tide-woman went up among the mountains. When it became dark she went down cautiously toward the place where they had camped. She was within a month of giving birth to a child.
When she came near she heard some people laughing. And she (a woman among them) recognized the voice of Gwai′îs. “Uncle Gwai′îs” [she said]. And he answered: “Ā′waiya, [I thought] they had taken you.” She (Flood-tide-woman) had come to the one with whom he had been in love. [970]
And after they had camped there for a while one day, when the sea was smooth, they went away. They looked at an island which lay seaward from them. Half of them refused to use it. The rest wished to use it. The place was good for houses, but there was no water. They remained there all the day.
And they went away from it to Qꜝo′nakoa fort [971] and landed there. All said it was good. It was a good place to keep canoes. Then they built little houses at the fort. When they were finished they began living in them.
Before the stockade and houses were completed one of the Peninsula people [972] who had married a woman of the Common-food-steamers brought over news to his brother-in-law. He brought the news that Î′ldjiwas [973] had his canoe dug out in the rough. He had done that in order to go to war.
Before he brought the news three persons in a canoe were fishing with floats. It was raining in the inlet where they were. And, while they had the canoe turned bottom up over them, the Skidegate people quickly turned over the canoe and killed them.
He (the Peninsula man) stayed all night at Qꜝo′nakoa fort and went off the next day. When evening came his smoke [was seen] rising from an island lying seaward. [974] Then the strongest men went out from the fort to see him. Where he was floating, at Land-point, a big whale was drifting. He raised a smoke for his brothers-in-law on account of that.
The people of the fort then all went out for whale. And they encamped at G̣ᴀ′ldjida for the whale. There they cut it up.
Î′ldjiwas then had his canoe in the woods at Chicken-hawk town. [975] They observed the Town-of-Djī′gua people cut up the whale. By and by Two-voices went to Chicken-hawk town to cut łg̣ēt [976] with two young men. After they had gone there they heard the sound of guns. They shot Two-voices only. His companions they spared.
Shortly after the guns sounded he (Î′ldjiwas) sailed by in front of the camping place. He went too fast for them to even think of going out to him.
And after they had waited a while for a good day they loaded the whale and went off with it. And, although they wanted to go to Qꜝo′nakoa fort, the canoes were so heavy that they went ashore at Dog-fish fort. [977] This fort was the best of all. And they cleared away the bushes and started to live there. Ginᴀ′skilas owned blankets ornamented with duck bills (lit., “duck teeth”). He hung them all around upon the stockade on account of a canoe that had come [with visitors]. And, when these were not quite enough, he bought ten with a slave that a woman owned. They used to get twenty slaves for a sea otter.
In the following year all who were in Dog-fish fort went to Skidegate to war. And, after they had pulled up their canoes into the woods in the inlet above Skidegate, they were discovered. All of the Skidegate people followed them at once. They shot at them. They shot one then in the canoes of the Kloo people. They got off on the inner side of Ku′nga-i. [978]
At that time the Town-of-Djī′gua people took to the woods. When they fled the one who had been wounded sat in the canoe. Just before Tā′-iłgwai got off he called to him: “Skî′lg̣atgwᴀns,” he said to him, “try to get off. Sit at the foot of a tree in the woods. When I get to Cumshewa [979] I will borrow a canoe and get you as soon as I can.” Then he consented. He said: “All right.”
The Skidegate people then pulled off their canoes. Not long after that the one they had wounded made a fire for his head. They then went over from Skidegate and cut off his head.
And the Town-of-Djī′gua people went around by the point, camping here and there. They had nothing to eat. And when they camped they were cold. By and by they found a sea otter floated ashore. They made a fire for it and steamed it in the ground. When it was cooked they set some in front of Ginᴀ′skilas. But he said: “You put this in front of me to eat, but I will not eat it. The gravel might see me.” [980]
They then started off and came to Cumshewa. And they attacked Tā′-iłgwai, because he did not do as he had promised [to the wounded man]. They then borrowed a canoe at Cumshewa and went to Skedans. [981] They (the Skedans people) took them over to the fort.
And, after they had remained there for a while and it was again fall, they again went to Tꜝā′łdi. And, after they were through with gathering food, they again settled at Dog-fish fort.
And the summer after the succeeding winter some posts fell out of the stockade. Later more fell. Then Gwi′sukūnas called his nephew and said to him: “Chief’s son, the women can now go anywhere they want to. Fighting lies on its back. War is over.” From that time it was ended.
At this time chief Ginᴀ′skilas died. When Qā′-idjît became chief in his place they had a town at Sea-grass. [982]
Here is the end of this story.
WARS BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF KLOO AND KITKATLA AND BETWEEN THE KLOO FAMILIES
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o]
Once South-east [983] and the people of his town went trading. He came to I′nūł. [984] And, after they had given them food for a while, berries were dropped upon the face of South-east, and Alder [985] did not like it. Then they began to fight at the fort. And they destroyed the men and enslaved the women.
They then discovered Axłua′ls swimming from the fort. Some youths pursued him. And, when they got near him, one held a spear over his shoulder ready for him. He said to him: “Spare me brother-in-law,” but still he speared him. He broke his back.
They towed the body of Axłua′ls ashore. Those taken as slaves then sang the same song for his body that had been sung for him when he acted in the secret societies and got power from the sea otter and when he performed sleight-of-hand feats.
Lawē′⁺ huwā′⁺hō⁺ hō⁺ lawē′⁺ī iä′⁺ la⁺wē′⁺ huyä′ u ō⁺ lawē′⁺ hu wä⁺ ō⁺ lawē′⁺ hē⁺ iyä′⁺ ō⁺ ōō⁺ lawē′⁺ī⁺ iyä′⁺ō⁺ ō⁺ lawē′⁺ yē⁺ huwä′⁺ ō⁺ hō⁺ lawē′ēē⁺ hēhē⁺ iyä′⁺ ō⁺ ō⁺ lawē′⁺ hē hē iyä′wâ wâ⁺.
At that time they took forty slaves for South-east. All together, they took seventy at that time. When they came home they started to fortify themselves at Thin-fort. [986]
And, after they had been there for a while, Djē′basa [987] came with many canoes. They stopped in front of the fort and bought them (the slaves) for grease, hides, and slaves. And, after he had bought all and had started off, a woman whose lip around her labret was broken through, the only one left, came out and stood there, and said: “Djē′basa, chief Djē′basa, are you going to let your property rot at such-and-such a place where it is stowed? [988] Are you going to let it rot at such-and-such another place where it is stowed?”[988]
Then the canoe was backed toward her, and he gathered the boxes of grease which were in the canoe together and landed them in exchange for her. Then she also got in, and they went away.
When they first arrived there Djē′basa ate dry fish and grease in the canoe. They saw that his mind was good. And South-east began to speak of building a house with what he had obtained in exchange for the slaves. And they were glad, and the Town-of-Djī′gua people sang a song outside.
Wai⁺ aiyā′⁺ aiyā′⁺ aiyā′⁺aiyā′ uyâ⁺ uyâ⁺ ayā⁺ ayā⁺ wâ ai′ya⁺ aiyā′ha⁺ aiyā′ha aiyā′ha haiyā′haho haiyā′hahē, etc.
At the time they sang they made a forward motion, and when they moved much the platform fell. No one was injured. Then one of them asked his child: “Hî′ndju, is your brother there?” They then sang another song: “Hî′ndju, is your brother there?”
They removed then from the fort to Chicken-hawk town. [989] But there they built houses. After this a long time elapsed before there was another fight. South-east was dead, and Ginᴀ′skilas [990] was also dead, and Qā′-idjît [991] succeeded to his place. Then they cleared the town of Sea-grass. [992] He built Cave-house [993] there.
And while Qā′-idjît was sitting idle in front of his house with a Pebble-town woman, [994] whom he had married, Those-born-at-Skedans [995] came from Skedans [996] to fight with him. They shot at him, and his wife fell dead without uttering a word. But he got in safe. Then he kept sending food through the fire to his wife. [997] That made him soon forget about his wife.
And when summer came he married a woman of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o. [998] The brother of the one that was killed also stayed there. His name was Lū′g̣ot. [999]
One day Qā′-idjît painted himself and tied weasel skins in his hair, in order to set out to eat berries. He started off. Lū′g̣ot had made a canoe and was smoothing it there. When his brother-in-law was on the point of starting off he ran down toward his brother-in-law. And he threw sand into Qā′-idjît’s face. [1000]
And he asked for two guns which were in the bow. They were afraid to hand them to him then. By and by they handed him one, and he shot his brother-in-law. He shot true and killed him.
Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o bestirred themselves at once and fired at him. They shot him in the elbow. Then he lay there. That day three were killed. Qā′-idjît was made to sit on the sand. But still Qā′-idjît escaped into the house. And he lay in the back part of Cave-house. He had two large blankets over him. Over these he also had a cotton canoe sail.
Now those who had done that to him went to a lonely camping place. And afterward they were afraid he was alive. They came to kill him. It was moonlight. A boy who was sleeping with him woke him. He then pulled himself out from under the blankets. And, while he moved back from the fire, one was moving a pistol [1001] about in the smoke hole. He tried to shoot him. Twice his pistol failed to go off. Then two guns were pointed through the smoke hole. When they went off there were large holes in the blankets.
One day, some time afterward, he went out in front of the house and sat idle. After he had sat there for a while they stepped toward him. He heard the sound of running feet. And, after he had aimed his gun in that direction for some time, Naskiä′ł [1002] stuck out his head, and he shot at his face. He fell there on his face.
Of those who came to attack him from the camp Naskiä′ł was killed. And the one who was with him went away. And another family looked after the body. Afterward Qā′-idjît went to Gᴀ′nx̣oat, who was living in Big-house. [1003] There he died. And his grandfather put him into a big box.
Then the people who had shot him and were holding a fort in Lake inlet [1004] brought over a peace offering. [1005] They brought over one slave. And the next year they also held a fort up the inlet from Sea-grass town. Thither Two-in-one came from Daog̣ā′iłgᴀłgîñ, which lies seaward from Skedans, and got him. They came and got Naskiä′ł [1006] to go to war with the Gîtā′mat. [1007] He went at once.
They then set out. There, at Gîtā′mat, they took many slaves for him. Two-in-one, [1008] however, had three. And, when they returned, they built two large houses at Atā′na. [1009] Presently they came to him to ask for blood money. They gave then five slaves. And Those-born-at-Skedans named their island “Sunny-fort.” [1010] By selling the slaves that remained Naskiä′ł built a house. There they say he began to potlatch. Now they went from Sea-grass town to get his house timbers. And they built his house at Sea-grass town. This is how they got back to Sea-grass town.
After that time they procured more expensive seats [at the feasts and potlatches]. [1011] They now ceased to have trouble at Sea-grass town.
Here this ends.
Kitkatla was an important town and tribe belonging to the Tsimshian stock. The town was on Dolphin island.
WAR BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF KLOO AND THE TSIMSHIAN
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o]
The people at Chicken-hawk [1012] town were at Wā′nats [1013] prepared for war and had done raising their canoes. They were going to Kitamat. [1014] And because the tides began to run too high for them to make the start from Chicken-hawk town, they prepared at ʟłasū′g̣a-i. When the tide was high they started off.
Then some Skedans [1015] people met them. And they gave them the following news. Bufflehead had thrown a dry halibut at Î′ngîlîn, [1016] on account of which there was a fight. [1017] They heard that a woman of the Town-of-Djī′gua people [1018] had been killed. Then, instead [of keeping on], they went toward the Tsimshian. [1019]
They went on and took all the dry salmon a slave was getting in Skidegate creek [1020] away from him. They took a large number of bundles of salmon out of the canoe of one who was coming back from war. After they had left that place they took away all the property of some people who were living at Da′x̣ua. [1021]
They then went seaward and came to the mouth of the Skeena. And they went toward Metlakahtla [1022] and pulled their canoe up into the woods. Close behind them were very many people in a temporary camp. After some time had elapsed they began to make a noise. They then went to fight.
When they came out of the woods a Tsimshian shot a Haida. “A,” he was glad to have shot him. Then some Tsimshian got into a medium-sized canoe and paddled off in fright. And the Kloo people also got into one. The Tsimshian had one paddle, and the fighters also had one.
And after they had chased them for a while, they chased them ashore and seized them at the edge of the water. Only one escaped to the woods. When they seized his wife she cried out, and he turned around quickly with a knife. Then Djix̣ia′al ran toward him. When he got near he shouted at him. He (the Tsimshian) shook, and he seized him.
They then got into the two canoes and went over to the place where they had come out. They went over to the war canoes that were there. On an island on which stood one tree, near the place where they came out, sat Nî′swas. [1023] And the people of his town also sat there. The Kloo people were unaware of it.
And, when they started off, one [Tsimshian] who was a good hunter started after something [from the camp of Nî′swas]. He shot at them. Then they started back.
They came across then, and the warriors came to Raven-creek. [1024] Two canoes landed at a house that stood on the farther side of High-point. [1025] After they had remained for a while in that house a Skidegate man who used to be on good terms with a Kloo man ran in through the doorway. Instead of sitting idle, Qena′-i’s father [1026] picked up his weapons. One of them held ready before the door an ax which he had in his hands. He brought news over in advance that people were coming over from High-point town[1025] to fight them.
Then they (the assailants) went back. And they also went away. When the sun had passed behind the hills, they arrived at Chicken-hawk town. At that time they sang a high song. They had brought in ten slaves.
Then one whose canoe was empty went into Kitamat for a short raid. After he had been gone for a while they heard the sound of his guns. While they were living at Kloo he brought in two slaves. They took them for Kog̣ogwa′ñ. By trading these he built a house. It was named “Î′ngîlîn-house.” [1027]
Some time after this they went to war on the Tsimshian in two canoes. Gîtku′n [1028] and Gitagᴀ′ñgiasʟas went. After they got into the Tsimshian country they landed their canoes near Metlakahtla. After they had sat there for a while five persons came in a canoe after devilfish. There were three women and two men, and the warriors ran toward them in the woods.
The chief did not get off. But the others walked about on shore. They took then the wife of Nîsʟā′ganūs, and they also took the wife of his nephew. And they seized the other woman in the woods. She was very pretty, and they lay with her there and let her go.
They pushed them along then to the place where the canoes were. And, when they started off, Nîsʟā′ganūs’s nephew walked about on the opposite shore. He shot at them many times, but the gunpowder only flashed. By and by they pulled out of range. And they went seaward to Sqä′g̣ał. And, when they started across, they sang a high song at Kloo. [1029] And they owned her (the chief’s wife) there. The winter was not long for him (Gîtku′n). [1030]
The Tsimshian then came to fight for her in a crowd. And, when they camped at Qal, [1031] Häl [1032] sent a canoe to talk with them. He had them tell the people that he was going to come for her. When harvest time [1033] came, after he had said he would come back in many canoes, a great many Kîtkatla people came by canoe to Skedans. It was a veritable crowd.
They stayed at the town of Skedans. The Kloo people also crossed thither. The great Häl got Kꜝuia′ns’s [1034] sister and another woman who had been taken south to the Bellabella. [1035] He brought both over.
On the night when the Kloo people came he began to dance. After he had done this for a while he sent the two Ninstints people [to the Kloo people] by striking them on the back. They struck Gîtku′n with a slave, [1036] and Gidᴀ′ñgiasʟas also went away with one. The chiefs were in Mother-house. [1037]
After he had ceased dancing, Gîtku′n also started to dance. After he had done so for a while, and had stopped, they had the wife of Nîsʟā′ganūs stand up, and the other with her. And, when they struck her on the back to send her to the other side, she almost touched the ground with her lips. They did the same thing to the other one. In this way they exchanged.
After they got back to Kloo Kꜝuia′ns and Kꜝadja′-i paid for their sisters. Kꜝuia′ns paid two slaves for his sister, along with sea otters. Kꜝadja′-i also paid a slave for his sister, besides much property and many guns.
After this winter came. When spring came Gîtku′n joined the secret society. At the end of two days he disappeared into the woods. On the next day all the Kloo people went to Skedans. When they set out they launched his canoe, which was called “Reef-canoe.” [1038]
After they had loaded for a while, some came down in a crowd out of Cave-house with a sail pulled tightly around them. Inside of it many horns sounded. They got into the canoe and started across. It went along in the midst of the other canoes, and something whistled inside of the sail. All thought that Gîtku′n was in it.
When they got near Skedans Reef-canoe changed still more. They let the one who had fallen [that is, joined the secret society] at Kloo be inspired at Skedans. When they stood in front of Skedans, he (the spirit) suddenly made a noise behind Skedans, and Skedans was in commotion. Hu hu, hu hu hu, Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn [1039] also acted ū′lala in a different place. At this time they were so much taken up with it that they did not know what they did. When they got Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn into Mother-house, the companions also attended to Gîtku′n. They got him into Rotten-house. [1040] They then came ashore.
The day after this, about noon, Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn went out and bit the arms of the sons of Skedans chiefs belonging to good families. [1041] After a time he bit the arm of Gā-iñᴀ′ldᴀña-i-yū′ᴀns, when he too joined the secret society. He was inspired. On the day after that Gā-iñᴀ′ldᴀña-i-yū′ᴀns went out and [feigned to] eat a Bellabella woman that his mother owned. [1042] As he sat and moved around her she pushed him from her and made a sound as if she feared him. By and by he seized her and began to eat her. When he began to bite her neck she died. The companions took care of him. He ate to the middle of her.
One day, when the secret society was at its height, it was foggy. At that time the two brothers of Nîsʟā′gañūs’ wife came to fight. They were Nīstadâ′ and Nîsūłna′tc.
During three days and nights it was foggy at sea. After that, when they made land very early in the morning, they saw it (land) all at once. They then pulled up their canoe on Gwa′-idjats. [1043]
Just at daybreak the sound of the bad secret society came to their ears. When day broke they discovered that they were coming out to them in a canoe. In the bow of the canoe persons were acting under the influence of the spirits of the bad [1044] secret society. They made noises, and they said to each other that they smelt them. They fled then. They forgot the board which holds the foot of the mast. Then some who had gone after sea eggs shouted as they came back [at seeing] their white sail pass out to sea from Skedans. Then they split in two some boxes of grease that they had and made a hole in the bottom with an adze. Then one of them, lying on his back, held it there with his feet. When they were some distance away they passed round in a crooked course. Then they made a board to hold the foot of the mast at Skidegate creek. After this time the people of the two islands had the board to hold the foot of the mast nailed down inside the bow.
The next fine day after this they went home. They found their minds were different, and they found their own country.
And, when the secret society was all over, they (the people) returned to Kloo. When the middle of the following summer arrived they came to get something for having had their sister enslaved. They were allowed to land without disturbance. Before any food was given to them they started to dance. [1045]
“Hō⁺ hō⁺ hī hō⁺ hī⁺ hō⁺ hī⁺ hō⁺ hī⁺ hō⁺ hī hō⁺ hōga haaa hoga hog̣a ha ha gudixē′” [they sang].
They put a dance hat on Nīstᴀdâ′. They also struck Nîsūłna′tc with a copper plate (that is, they gave it to him). And he danced, holding it by means of his neck [and chin]. Hu hu hu hu, it was a great dance. The town people also struck him with some property.
This is the end. They had peace with each other.
WAR BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF KLOO AND THE BELLABELLA
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o]
One time, when they were ready to go fishing toward the south, Waters was dead at Sea-grass town. [1046] A Tsimshian named Wās was a close friend of his and came to send food through the fire to him. He had four canoes loaded with boxes of grease. From him they learned the news. The Tsimshian told them that the Bellabella [1047] of the whole inlet had their canoes all ready to make war on the Eagle people. [1048] They did not believe the news.
After they had bought their grease they went away. Then the Kloo people also went southward, and after they had gone on for a while they landed at a long sandy beach, and a shaman named Dī′g̣a-koya′ku [1049] performed there. His supernatural powers saw that the Bellabella were coming that day. He said that his powers had looked at something out at sea.
A Ninstints man who had been taken before acted as pilot for the Bellabella. His name was Youngest-chief’s-son. And toward evening the Bellabella saw the fires. They asked Youngest-chief’s-son: “Which have the bigger fire?” And he said: “The Ninstints people’s fire is the larger. The fire of Gîtku′n’s [1050] people is the smaller.” The Bellabella then turned toward that.
The canoes then gathered near the camping place. After they were assembled [on shore] they ran out quickly. One then seized a woman who was behind the house, and she knocked the Bellabella down. The Bellabella still clung to her. The woman then seized a short stick and struck him on the head with it. She then ran away from the Bellabella.
And afterward the Bellabella canoes came along. Two also walked along on shore. There they enslaved a Kloo man and his wife. And they enslaved seven Kloo people at Qꜝo′na. [1051]
And after he (a certain one) had tried to shoot [some one] near Gī′tgua fort he came to one who was hammering silver. And, when he got near him, he pulled the trigger of his gun without taking aim. It went off, and he ran quickly to him and tried to cut off his head. But, since he was looking to see if any were coming after him, he cut on the chest. The Bellabella took in the body and went to G̣adō′. And they breakfasted there and slept in their canoes on the farther side of G̣ᴀ′nʟ̣gîn. [1052]
And, while it was yet daylight, the singing of a child came to their ears from the other side of Xēna. [1053] Winōʟalū′sila, who had taken no one, went to the place where the child was singing. They were encamped behind the trees, and had a mat hung up on account of the mosquitoes. He softly pulled it down. He saw those lying behind it. At that time some one said to him “Nda′, nda′.” He thought it was a dog. And, after he had also looked on the other side, he went again to the place where they were camping.
He then told them how many there were, and he said that he alone would have them. And he went thither. As he went toward the place his gun went off. And those who were behind ran up. When they got near he had come out near them on shore. He had cut off a head. His skin was covered with blood. Holding the head hanging from his mouth, he crept down with two knives in his hands. There they enslaved five.
They told them there that many people were encamped at Xēna-point. The Kloo people told that to the Bellabella. They then went to Xēna-point. And they arrived there, and, after they had gathered together, they lay in lines along the edges of the grass. Presently they went to get them. After they had gone in a line toward them for a while, they said “Hūk” [1054] and threw themselves upon them. And there, too, they enslaved many Kloo people. Some, however, escaped into the woods.
After they had got them into the canoe a north wind was blowing. They then put up their sails. Many dead bodies were left behind them. And, when they got far out to sea, they pulled off the head of a man of the Cumshewa-town people [1055] named Sʟins who sat in the canoe, and threw his body overboard while it was still alive.
Then those who had escaped into the woods met at Skwa′-ikun island. And they went toward the mainland on rafts. They then made a big smoke toward Ninstints. And they came after them at once and took them over to Ninstints. Afterward, when evening came, they took them over to where they (their own people) were fishing. It was a great piece of bad news. There was no peace for a single family.
They stopped fishing then and went to Sea-grass town. After they had gone along for a while they came to the body of the man whose head they had taken off, floating near the shore. They put it into the fire there. [1056] And they took along his bones. They reached Sea-grass town. Hu hu hu hu hu, there was great wailing. They now prepared for war. After they had prepared slowly for a while they went off.
At that time they were not acquainted with the mouth of Bellabella strait. Then, without knowing [where they were], they pulled up their canoes into the woods early in the morning. And, when day dawned, they saw Wawayiê′la’s fort. The fort was named Lai′ʟaikꜝia-i.
And, when evening came, they wanted to see which side was the best one on which to get off. And they went around it while the Bellabella slept. Many log houses were on the lower part of the point of the island. They saw it, and they went away. They then talked it over, hu hu hu hu hu. [1057] On the day after the next they went toward it just before daylight.
And, after they had gone along for a while, when the bows were coming in in front of the log houses the bundles of masts in the bows pushed back the canoes.
The fort people had sung all night for Wawayiê′la, who was acting in the secret society, and slept for weariness from using their voices. When they were asleep they (the Haida) came in front of them.
After some of them had got near some one came out to urinate and discovered them. The Bellabella then began to shoot at them. And when daylight came the Town-of-Djī′gua people [1058] went ashore by a reef lying off the point of the island. They then shot on their side. Hu hu hu hu hu, there was a great noise of guns.
By and by they mentioned to Gūnana′otx̣a [1059] that they might make peace, but, when the Kloo people came out on the reef, they began to shoot at them again. At that time they killed a chief of the Town-of-Djī′gua people. They tried then to get his body, which was high up on a rock, from behind. And some one thought of a hook he had in one of his boxes. They then fastened this to the end of a pole, pulled it through the skin, and by pulling a little at a time they got it in.
They shot at each other all day. By and by they got into their canoes and started away. They shot at them from the fort. They also shot into some who were ashore. When all got away they pursued them from the fort. They were so strong that they escaped at that time by canoe.
They came back then empty-handed. And they (the people at home) felt good, because while the warriors were gone a man and his wife had escaped and had returned. But, when they brought back the dead body, they felt still more sorrowful than before. They could do nothing.
That winter news came to the Bellabella through a canoe from the Kitkatla people that when summer came Gîtku′n was going to sweep out the inlet from its head like a contagion. Then the Bellabella people said: “When Gîldā′-ił [1060] can never be entered how are you going to sweep it out from the head?” When that news came through Kitkatla, [1061] the Town-of-Djī′gua people said they would destroy everything before them as when one spits out something.
At that time Ya′koeʟas was showing how he would act when they got hold of him. Ten Bellabella young men seized him, and he threw them about. He said that he would do that to the Kloo people. And in the very middle of summer they went southward fishing. They fished there for a long time. They observed the war taboos there for a long time. They drank medicine. And, when they had more than enough dried halibut, they went away.
When they found a good sandy beach they landed. Thence they started off to war. Hu hu hu hu hu, the great crowd of them! After they had prepared for a while they went off. While they were away the women observed the rules in two smokehouses. After ten nights had passed, and the bows [of the warriors’] canoes were turned about, and they had started home, they turned around their sleeping places. [1062] One night after that they came home. The noise of guns was heard.
Hu hu hu hu hu, there was a great noise of guns. When they got near, the sound of the war songs came rolling along. In Waters’s canoe the highest war song was sung. [1063] When they landed they brought in many slaves. Among them was the great chief, Ya′koeʟas.
At that time they went up into the inlet. They spent many days in it. And when they smelt smoke some went out to scout. They then saw the house, and before daybreak they set out for the house in a line.
When they got near a white man’s dog barked at them. At that time A′nkustᴀ [1064] performed as shaman. He then made a threatening motion toward the dog. It stopped barking. And it came among them and licked them.
When they got near they shot at them. Hu hu hu hu hu, they finished shooting and ran in. Some went through the doorway and some went in through the sides of the house. They dropped in quickly in any way. They seized at once upon those inside.
By and by one of them seized Ya′koeʟas. He threw him from him, and he almost fell on his hands near by. But he did not loosen his hands. Those in the house did not know, on account of the confusion, what they were doing. One lay upon some one and called for his family. Others pulled away his arms. [1065]
They now got all into their hands. At that time they lay upon some slaves owned by Ya′koeʟas who had married each other. The woman then said to her husband: “Cut him up among them.” And her husband said to her: “Any place where water is drunk is all right.” Their minds were not disturbed, because they were slaves already.
Then the chief, Ya′koeʟas, refused to leave the place. The Kloo people then seized him, and he threw them off with a jerk. He then moved himself little by little in the place where he had lain. He moved toward an ax that was there.
After they had struggled with him for a while one of them found a big coil of rope near the door. They tied him then. And they carried him to the canoe. At that time he was put into Waters’s canoe. The canoe then moved as if some one shook it. It shook because he was afraid, and they were afraid of him.
The one who had escaped from among the Kloo people first captured by the Bellabella then threw a spear at him out of another canoe, and he raised his palm toward it, so that the spear ran into his palm. On that account he also struck Ya′koeʟas in the face with a paddle. He [Ya′koeʟas] did not turn away. He held up his head as before.
After he had been shaking [with fear] for a while Waters put on him a cedar-bark ring that they had taken. Then, knowing that the cedar-bark ring protected him from insult, he found that his life was safe.
When it was broad daylight the Bellabella said that some people lived below on the inlet. Two canoes of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o [1066] started off. These were not anxious for their lives, because they had taken nothing.
And after they had gone in that direction for a while they saw smoke. Then Tcîsgoa′n led, and two others went with him. A child was playing at the time at the side of the house farthest from that to which he came. He then ran toward him. And he chased him to the house. Unable to catch him, he chased him into the house. When he took hold of his mother he took him and his mother both. Those in the house were frightened. He-who-was-going-to-be-Gia′gudjañ came in after him.
One person went behind the house. Five persons went out, and he seized one. He was an old man. And, when he laid hold of the other four, a terrible fellow (a Bellabella) got hold of him. That (i.e., the Haida) was Gilᴀsta′gu. He let these four go. Then the Bellabella began to stab him. After he had struck him four times his younger brother came to him. And he also turned quickly upon him. And another one who came up with a pistol he slapped on his nose. He knocked him down. Then he (the Haida) shot him. He shot true, but he did not feel it. He then struck him with his own knife. After he had done this several times he fell, and he cut off his head. They say that the trunk afterward got up.
They then went to look for those who had gone into the woods. They shouted out near by: “Ho ho ho′ho ho′, I am Łtᴀ′nqawōns.” There they got six persons. They also killed one.
When they went away and passed out of the inlet they saw a canoe in the distance. They then remained behind a point. They talked jealously as to which canoe should take it. There were four. Three were women. They then began to shoot at them.
Then they upset it, and Gi′tgoa swam over to one whom they had wounded. The man ran then into the woods, and they pursued him and struck him in the back of the head with a stone. And they also broke his legs. They cut off his head. But they took the women. Making an end of this, they went away. Afterward they went home.
After they came to Kloo all the chiefs talked over where they would have their fort. They discussed the merits of a certain island. By and by they all thought Town-fort [1067] was a good one, because it was within easy reach of Tꜝā′łdī, [1068] whither they went after salmon.
The men then went to it. After they had been putting up house frames for a while, they also brought cedar planks there. Then they put them up. Afterward they also brought the women there. They worked upon the houses. After they had worked upon them for a while they were done.
After they had lived there for a while an old Bellabella man whom they had taken died. They then dragged his body to a steep place. Just before they threw it over they cut off the head. Then they threw him down. And his little grandchild almost pushed one of the Kloo men over. He grasped something at the edge of the cliff.
After they had lived there for a while they went to Skedans to get a wife for the chief’s child, and they stayed there all night. On the next day they came away. And, when they came in sight of the fort, they (the fort people) saw Kūdjū′ł (the woman they had come for) sitting in the canoe. Their minds feeling good, they sang a paddling song. When evening came her father-in-law called the people to give them Indian tobacco. When they had the tobacco in their mouths some said one to another: “To-night we will fool them.” And they went home.
After we had lain in bed for a while all at once the fort moved. There was a great catching up of weapons. Two Kloo people were shouting behind thin rocks which stood near the fort. They heard at the fort the echo of their voices resounding from the shore. They said that it was the Bellabella.
They then tied up the slaves. And an old man living down toward the shore added lies to it. He said that canoes had come below and gone away from him. By and by a shaman who was there performed. He had a knife in his hand. They sang a song for him there. Some spirits straightway went out of him. He said he could not find anything terrible by striking with his knife.
A brave chief of the Town-of-Djī′gua people had his house at a distance from them. They shouted to encourage him as he came from it. They made a sound [like a snare drum] in front of the houses: “A-a-a-a-a-a wa-a-a-a-a-a.” He came down with a knife to meet anyone [who might be there]. He passed down the trail that leads from the upper inlet and came quickly out upon the trail on the side toward the sea.
At that time some went away from the fort. They carried the news to Skedans. They came quickly the next day to help them. And they landed there. There they gave them a great deal to eat.
When fall came they were at Tꜝā′łdī. In the summer after the following winter a slave that they had, whom young men used to watch, began to defecate in bed so that they were afraid of him. He did this because he had planned to get away. By and by he escaped with four women. And they launched canoes and looked for him. They could not find him anywhere. He went off with a gun, a cartridge box, and a blanket.
And some Masset chiefs were also there. They had expected to trade [the runaways] for some Kloo people that they had taken. Those also went away. They then took two slaves from Qōgī′s. [1069] There they also took up weapons against each other.
Afterward, when the planting was over and the salmon berries were ripe, they started southward. They again fished for halibut. Not the smallest human being remained behind. And, after they had gone along for a while, they landed at the place where they were always accustomed to fish. They fished there. After the fishing had gone on for a while they stopped and went away. They then landed at a certain long sandy beach.
And Gîtku′n sent some young men after something that they had forgotten at the place where they had fished. A part of them also went after salmon berries, and some hunted. And, while they (the young men) were on the way one discovered mats belonging to the Bellabella spread out to dry at the foot of the trees standing back of the shore. And the two who were sent in search reached the place where those were sleeping from whom they had parted and escaped. They came to know about the enemy.
He (the head man) went at once toward the place where they had landed. And he discovered enemies about that place. The Town-of-Djī′gua people immediately went thither in two big canoes. And Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o followed. And, when those who had gone, came into the inlet they saw the enemy unobserved by the latter. They then got off their canoes for them. And before they got opposite some one shot at them. They then began shooting into them.
Then they pursued [the Bellabella] who led them along to where there were eight more canoes in the woods. And the Town-of-Djī′gua people began to watch in front of the canoes. At evening Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o also came there. After they had been there for a while, Lda′ogwañ [1070] called out from among the Bellabella: “Father, are you in one of those canoes? I am Lda′ogwañ.” Then Waters asked: “Why is there such a crowd of people?” “Some want peace; part want war.” And he said to his daughter: “People always use feathers in making peace. They are inviolable.”
After she had talked [to the Bellabella] they heard the sound of a canoe in the darkness. Then two persons put feathers on the chiefs. And one of them asked for Gîtku′n, but they pointed out to him a different one. [1071] He then put feathers on him first. But afterward he put feathers on the chiefs.
Then Lda′ogwañ said: “Do not let Skîtg̣adē′s talk, father. The Bellabella are afraid only of his voice.” A while after this Skîtg̣adē′s stood up. “Wawayiê′la, Wawayiê′la are you sure of peace, sure of peace? then let me hear the sound of some peace drum.” Some one at once beat on the thwart of his canoe. “Alas! that is a poor peace drum.” [1072]
After the night had worn on for a while day dawned, and the Bellabella took to their canoes. After they had begun to launch their canoes and had begun to get into them, those who had come to fight went away. The Bellabella also went after them. The Bellabella man who had escaped from Sea-grass town was with them.
After they had paddled almost past them they shot to one side of the Bellabella. They again put in their cartridges and again they shot. They then sang a chasing song. And they left the Bellabella behind.
Not long before daybreak those who had gone to fight came around the point. They said they had come near enemies. While they were still telling the news the warriors (that is, the Bellabella) also came. They gathered at an island that lay seaward from them. The land is called Stiū′djîn. [1073]
At that time Wawayiê′la asked Lda′ogwañ: “Do people always carry out what Gîtku′n bids?” And she said: “Yes, one of his uncles always speaks good words for him. He (the uncle) will come.”
By and by Lā′ma went out with three men. He had a great feather bag that Gîtku′n owned under his arm. He stood up in front of the place where they were. At that time the slave who escaped from Kloo had a yellow cedar-bark blanket over his head in the stern of Wawayiê′la’s canoe. He tried to hide himself. They then left a broad space open for Lā′ma between the ten canoes which were there, but he went in at another place between the large canoes. Lā′ma recognized the one who had escaped, jumped toward him, and seized him by the hair. “Are you Gia′oîstîs?” he said to him. and he pulled his hair up and down. The Bellabella looked at him.
By and by he put feathers on them. He put feathers on Wawayiê′la. He also put feathers on Gūnana′otx̣a. After he had put feathers on all of the chiefs he went in.
After they had looked on a while two Bellabella came in the canoe. All then went down to the beach. One Bellabella jumped ashore, but they picked up the other, taking hold of him by the nose. They made fun of him. But Lā′ma and another remained with the Bellabella. They took one into Gîtku′n’s house; one they took into the house of Waters. [1074]
By and by the Bellabella started toward the place where the camp was. Presently they came in. Then all were afraid. By and by they got in front of them. After they had been there a while, Ya′koeʟas went and stood outside. What he said when he talked in the foreign tongue was: “Bellabella; why, Bellabella, do you let yourselves be killed on my account? Come in nearer.” When he ceased talking all picked up their anchors and placed themselves farther in.
After some time had passed, a [secret-society] eagle made a noise behind the town. Those in the canoes became ashamed. [1075] After they had held their heads down for a while Gūnana′otx̣a stood up in one canoe. After he had sung a song by himself they began to sing for him. At that time he jumped up and down as he danced.
Wa⁺ u⁺ ho ya ē waho yo ya ha⁺ wa yä yī wa wo häyä′ ī ha wä Lasaxā′nokwa ʟa sūwa ō hī ōx̣iä wa hā′ ya ē, etc. [1076]
At that time they took Ya′koeʟas out. They brought Lda′ogwañ ashore at once. Afterward all came ashore. Then the women carried their things up. The things (guns) might go off against each other [therefore the men held themselves ready]. The Bellabella also held their guns. They took up their things into the houses into which they had invited them. They carried off their mats into the woods. [1077]
The Bellabella were hungry. “Come and eat halibut after having had a long fast.” And that day they went off. After the others had left the uncle of a child that [the Haida] had captured gave them a Skidegate man and much property for it. They now became good friends forever. They ceased to fight with the Bellabella people. And the following day they returned.
Here is the whole story about this.
WAR BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF KLOO AND THE GÎTÎ′SDA
[Told by Abraham, of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o]
After they had spent some time in preparation they started off—Those-born-at-Skedans, [1078] the Town-of-Djī′gua people, [1079] and Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o. [1080] They spent the night on the open sea. When they approached Gîtgia′gᴀs [1081] day dawned for them. They were in eight canoes.
Then four went sailing southward of them along in front. And then they passed in at Gîtgia′gᴀs island, which stretched out before them. After a little while the noise of guns arose there. Afterward three persons came along in a canoe, the one in the middle standing up. He was a Kitkatla man, who also called himself an Eagle. [1082]
He asked them then: “What war is this? What war is this? I am Lawā′y.” He then invited us. He invited the chief, Gîtku′n, and all. These people were going to hunt sea otter. He gave them a great deal of food. [1083] And they stayed there over night. During the night plenty of salmon [1084] came in. The next day they went away.
They kept then out at sea. They landed at Point Qᴀ′lg̣a-i. They now began to keep the war rules there. The next morning they began to drink sea water. [1085] They had three shamans. After they had drunk sea water for a while G̣ᴀ′ndox’s-father [1086] performed. He said then: “War people, which will be good? Here is Town-singers; here is Days.” [1087]
By and by he told the war people to get their paddles in a hurry. And they got their paddles. And they carried him away on their paddles from where he sat on the sand. He then looked at them. After some [other power] had gone out of him Łᴀ′gua [1088] went in. He told them to put their hands upon his hair. All did so at once. His hair was long. Very many warriors pulled his hair. When they let go he had few hairs left.
Afterward another performed. After they had sung for him a while he rolled over and over in front of the eight fires which stood in a line. When he came to the last one, he said “wa” in pain, because they were going to leave one dead.
On the next day they went away. And they stayed at Diâ′g̣ᴀl all night. On the day after that they reached the mouth of the inlet. They hunted now for a suitable place to land canoes, because they were cold at night. Then they landed the canoes. At daybreak they brought up two buckets of sea water, a small bucket and a large bucket. And, while they drank, Gᴀ′ndox’s-father performed. He again asked the war people: “Which will be good? Here is Town-singers. Here is Days.” And, without thinking, they chose Days.
After they had sat there for a while Gᴀ′ndox’s-father said: “To the woods, to the woods. I feel strange because my eye twitches.” And after they had gone into the woods a canoe came along. After it, another; after it, another. Lo! seven canoes passed in front of them. Those were the Gîtî′sda people. They could not do anything. They were waiting for the day that the shaman had appointed. Although the [Haida] canoes stuck out [of the woods] they did not see them.
During a previous war expedition a man whose wife was steering for him passed in front of the place where they had landed. And the woman came toward them. After she had come along for a while, picking berries, she discovered the war canoes. She turned about at once and ran away. Her husband in the canoe held a gun. At that time six of them chased her. He-who-was-going-to-be-Gia′gudjañ ran in after the woman. By and by he shot [the man]. He floated still upon the water. They pulled him in. Then, however, they shot into him and killed him.
On this night they camped at the same place where the person had been shot. When day broke, a white canoe sail passed up in the middle of the inlet. On that night they landed farther up. Lda′ogwañ [1089] acted as pilot. They were near the place to which they were bound.
They went along that night and stole up on the side opposite the fort of those that they were going against. And those who went in advance jumped off under a cliff. They got off where two canoes were anchored. They pulled the canoes off. The fort people were gathering salal-berries. And they smashed the canoes. On the shore near them a slight crackling noise was heard.
Day began to dawn. Then they landed a little way off from this, near the place whither they were bound. And two were sent to reconnoiter. They came back at once on the run. They said that there were very many salmon hooks stuck into the ground at the edge of the water.
They now got off the canoes. I also got off with them. They crossed a salmon creek in a crowd. Those who were friends kept together. Two persons acted as leaders. These gave commands. They told them to sit down. They sat down at once. By and by one of those who had gone scouting came to them. He searched in his box, and they thought he was looking for a weapon. Presently a crackling arose in the woods, and they lay on the ground.
By and by, when they said “hūk,” [1090] they ran into the house. I went in with them. Wa wa wa wa, they tried to take each other for slaves. Presently all got out. They discovered it [their mistake]. They then went out at once. And Gia′gudjañ’s companions came along at the same time. [1091] Then [one canoe] had gone after some who went to pick berries, and all went after it.
They followed them then for a while. They went to the place where the canoe was to get the mats that were there. And they jumped off and vied one with another in getting the mats. A certain one got off last. While they were standing about in the place where the mats had lain [he saw] a new mat, and he was glad to have discovered it and went thither. There two women were lying. He then seized them. He raised his voice and called his name. When they came there and reached the two women they were sound asleep on the top of the rock where they were sitting.
When they took them into the canoes one of them talked with Lda′ogwañ. [1092] She afterward said to the warriors that they might take the fort. “There are no guns there,” she said. They then placed themselves behind a long, narrow point on the inlet above the fort. From there they looked at the fort.
After they had been there some time Skîtg̣adē′s [1093] stood up and said that he would go there. He summoned the brave men out of all the canoes to go with him. They went then with him, the brave ones. And they gave out the following plan: “We are going toward the place where they always steam hemlock bark.” And they told the rest to follow them.
Coming along as if they were visitors, they moved their paddles slowly. The people of the fort gambled in lines without paying any attention to them. When they came near land the remainder also came on. But they still did not concern themselves about them.
When they got near those who were in advance discharged their guns. And the remainder also landed there. Hu hu hu hu, they shot into them. Some had fled from the fort. They all landed in fright on the shore opposite the back of the fort.
A man of the Gîtî′sda people then did the fighting. He ran about on the top of the fort. Presently he shot a Kloo man dead. And, as he ran about on the tops of the houses, they shot him, so that he fell down between them. Two boys were with him. They went back a short distance from the fort and began to shoot down upon them (the Haida) from above.
Now they (the Kloo people) fled. Seven canoes went out to sea at once. We placed ourselves in hiding close by. By and by some one shouted from out at sea: “They are running down to the fort.” These were three Kloo men who had hidden themselves there. At that time they enslaved two children.
We went thither. Those that were out at sea also came in. They started at once to seize the fort. Hu hu hu hu hu, they went into the houses in a crowd. At that time I went for tobacco only. They enslaved all who were sitting in the houses. They took all sorts of things.
Presently some one shouted: “Î′ldjiwas’s father [1094] fell.” They immediately went to the canoes. When I passed between the houses I came upon a dead body lying there. And one who came after me cut off the head. I then moved down the face of a steep place toward the sea in a sitting posture. A part of the people were off on the water in their canoes. I was glad when I got into [a canoe]. [1095]
Gia′gudjañ captured a box. After he brought it out and while he was sitting near it he was shot. He was wounded. They got him in. Half of them they could not get away from the fort. By and by three stood in Reef-canoe. [1096] One began to load their guns. Presently they started toward it. Sky [1097] steered for them. As they went [toward the fort] he shot toward the place from which they had been firing.
By and by they reached the fort. After they had gone up into it they started back. At once they shot at them from the place out of which they had shot before. After a while they got out safely. When they got away the [Gîtî′sda] people came out to the fort. They (the Haida) took away a small part of the property. The body of the Kloo man was left there.
Now they started away. The two canoes of Gîtku′n [1098] and his sons went empty. The other people sang songs of victory. Then a mat sail came along toward them. And one was in the canoe. Gîtku′n enslaved him.
This person said that some people lived farther down on the inlet. He (Gîtku′n) could not persuade them to go after them.
They got ashore then and sent tobacco to the Kloo man through the fire. [1099] At that time Gîtku′n said to the Sqoā′ładas [1100] man who had the severed head: “Say, brother-in-law, [1101] let me have his head instead of you.” He threw it over to him at once. This is how the saying “Somebody’s head cut off” [1102] started.
When they afterward came out into open water they came out directly opposite a big canoe that was going along the open coast. They then pursued it, and it distanced the Kloo people. Afterward they came to Kloo.
The Gîtî′sda, or Kittizoo, constituted the southernmost division of the Tsimshian, being situated on Seaforth channel, an extension of Milbank sound. Unlike most war stories, this does not begin by describing some previous injury inflicted by the people attacked. The breakdown of old customs was evidently beginning at this time, and it is said that no expeditions of importance have occurred since this one. As is seen, my informant accompanied the expedition.
NOTES
[1] The half-rock woman in the corner, or the woman rooted to the ground, is very common in Haida stories.
[2] Many versions of this story say water, which, indeed, seems to be more appropriate, but fire was still oftener regarded by these people as a means of communication between natural and spiritual beings.
[3] Animal souls have the human form and act very much as men do on earth.
[4] Fish eggs are usually collected on hemlock boughs.
[5] The most important set of supernatural beings to a Haida were the Killer whales, who, living in the sea, were supposed to call human beings “common surface birds” (xa′-iʟ̣a xetî′t gī′da-i), employing the term used here.
[6] Because at that time of the year human beings hurt them by laying down hemlock boughs.
[7] Compare an episode in the story of A-slender-one-who-was-given-away.
[8] The closing sky is also spoken of frequently. Compare the story of A-slender-one-who-was-given-away.
[9] An exclamation used when the salmon is seen to jump.
[10] When mourning they covered their faces with pitch and burned off their hair.
[11] Compare the story of Łᴀguadjî′na.
[12] The usual way in which one who had almost been turned into an animal recovered his senses.
[13] This duty usually fell to the nephew of the deceased who was to obtain his supernatural helpers and the power that went with them.
[14] So the word Kꜝiū′stᴀ was somewhat doubtfully translated to me. It stood near the northwestern angle of Graham island opposite North island.
[15] A song supposed to have power in calming storms.
[16] Fearing to expose themselves to possible danger from an entirely strange man. There was no assurance of safety between man and man unless both were of the same family or peace was known to exist between their respective families. The verbs in this quotation have the past-experienced ending, -gᴀn. Had this been related by a person who had learned the facts from somebody else they would have taken the past-inexperienced ending, -an.
[17] Accidents like this were often supposed to be brought about by the unfaithfulness of a man’s wife, and it is not unlikely that the chief may have suspected that he had suffered in this way.
[18] Tlingit words.
[19] This is evidently mythical. The same thing used to be said of the Pitch people. See Memoirs of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, volume V,