Chapter XVIII: Part 18

During all that time he fasted. Again he did not sleep. He feared to. During all that time the woman brought him food. And every time he put it into the fire different things ran away from it.

At one time, when she came in to him, she again said that they would come for him. By and by ten more persons came after him in a canoe. Again a woman sang a crying song in it. “Brother Qō′łkꜝē” were the words she put into it. He again went down. Those, too, were afraid for some time to come in to him.

By and by they came in. He recognized all. When he pulled up their canoe he also stuck his dog’s bone into it, and it went in easily. He gathered all their paddles together, bound them, and went up with them. He again stood them on end near the door. As before, he told the canoe people to sit on each side of him. He again seated his sister nearest to the door.

Then he again had them wash their hands in urine. He saw them again turn their heads away as they washed. He saw that these were also land otters. He again rose and put their paddles into the fire. They all ran off again as minks. He stood then in the doorway and began to club the land otters. Again he preserved the woman only.

During all that time it was north weather. [731] Soon after he had killed these there was fine weather. The wind had been strong for ten days. When it was a fine day his friends really came in search of him. He went to them. Without waiting, they came up in front of him.

Then he tried to push his bone into the canoe bow. He could not. And he knew it was a real canoe. But he still did not believe that they were his friends. He also gathered their paddles together and took them up to the house. He again stood them near the door. He again told the people to sit opposite him.

Then he took up the urine and had them wash their hands in it. The one in front of whom he first put it now washed his hands in it after the usual fashion. His sister was really in the canoe with them. Those who had come before were only like her. When they got through washing he shoved their paddles into the fire. They burned, and one of them rose quickly and pulled them out.

And, after he had sat there for a while, he rose quickly and struck at the one sitting next to him, who caught his club overhead. During all that time he wore the skin. They were afraid to look at him. During all that time he also fasted. He always remained awake. He was nothing but bones.

During all that time they talked to him: “Qō′łkꜝē, it is we. Come with us.” He struck at one who was near him, and they caught his club above him. All at once he started to go with them. He had fought all the ten canoe people. The canoes of those who had come before had turned into large logs.

He now embarked with them. After he had gone along for a while with them he struck at the one next to him with his stone ax. Every time they caught it above themselves. They came to the town with him. When the townspeople came down to meet him he also tried to fight with them. They stopped him quickly every time.

When he came into the house they gave him some salmon to eat. He put one piece into the fire. It burned, and he put it back [into the dish]. After he had sat there for another space of time he struck at the one who sat next to him, and they quickly stopped him. During the whole time they called to him: “Qō′łkꜝē.” He also kept the stone under his anus whenever he sat down. When evening came he was afraid to lie with his wife. He even tried to kill his wife. But the next day he ate in the usual manner. He put a part of all the things he ate into the fire. When it burned, he ate of it. They [the land otters] were unable to get him.

This story, which is apparently Tlingit, gives an excellent idea of Haida and Tlingit notions regarding the gā′gix̣īt, “wild men,” and the relations that land otters were supposed to bear to them. See also the story of Supernatural-being-who-went-naked, note 19.

TWO CHILDREN’S STORIES

[Told by my interpreter, Henry Moody, of Those-born-at-Qā′gials]

I. “Habababē⁺, here is younger brother [or sister] crying.” “Give your younger brother the large clam’s head (qꜝoñg̣osqadjā′⁺) that I put away for him.” “Where is younger brother?” “I do not know. I destroyed him (qꜝoñg̣osqa′djîg̣ᴀn) as you told me to do.” [732]

II. Song-sparrow [733] lived with his grandmother. Whenever his grandmother soaked salmon Grizzly-bear [734] stole the soaked salmon. One day Song-sparrow saw Grizzly-bear doing this. He said then to his grandmother: “Grandmother, I will kill him.” And his grandmother said to him: “Do not try, my child; he will swallow you.” “That will be all right, grandmother, for I shall have a fire drill in his belly.”

He then made a bow and arrows. The people did not like him and his grandmother. By and by, when Grizzly-bear came there again, he shot him. He did not know then what happened to him. And, when he was in his belly, he came to himself. He then thought of his fire drill and made a fire in his belly. When it burned it burned through his belly. And he killed Grizzly-bear.

He then brought the news to his grandmother. “Grandmother, I have killed Grizzly-bear.” And his grandmother told him that he lied. Then he went again to it and cut some pieces from it. As soon as he showed it to his grandmother his grandmother put on her belt. He and his grandmother began at once to cut it up.

After they had taken all into the house he went to the neighboring town for some live coals. When he came through the doorway they asked him: “What do you come for, Song-sparrow?” And he said: “I come for live coals, skia′ldjîgut skā′ldjigut skētcꜝē′gut.” [735] After he had said this he spat out the blood of a piece of the grizzly bear that he had in his mouth.

They were surprised at this, and the townspeople ran toward his house. They took away at once all of the grizzly bear. As he also ran toward it he said to his grandmother: “Grandmother, keep hold of the biggest piece.” And, while he was running, they took all of his meat away.

After he and his grandmother had cried for a while his grandmother went to sleep. Then, while his grandmother slept, he cut off his grandmother’s vulva. And he put grease and feathers upon the place. He then cooked this. And when it was cooked his grandmother woke up. “Grandmother, get up. I found a small thing in the dirt of the trail where they have been walking. I cooked it for you.” His grandmother got up at once and ate it.

Then he took his grandmother’s urinal and went up to the top of the house with it. And he used his grandmother’s urinal as a drum. He began then to sing: “Ha′haha hē′eee, grandmother ate her cut-off vulva. In the place [I put] grease. In the place [I put] feathers.” His grandmother then used hard words toward him: “He was born at the roots of the salmon-berry bushes. [736] He is a wizard. He was born at the roots of the ferns.[736] He is a wizard.”

[The following version of the latter was obtained by Prof. Franz Boas]

Once upon a time a boy and his grandmother lived in a hut made of twigs. The boy was always going out to shoot birds. One day he saw a large bear, which he tried to kill with his arrows. Then the bear snuffed him in. The old woman waited in vain for her grandson, and finally thought he had died. The boy was not dead.

While he was in the bear’s stomach, he thought: “I wish grandmother’s fire drill would come to me!” It came at once. He made a fire in the bear’s stomach, which killed him. He then carved the carcass and carried the meat to his grandmother’s house, which he filled entirely. The old woman had no fire; therefore she sent her grandson to the town to ask for some fire. Before he left he cut off a piece of the meat and took it into his mouth. He then went to the door of one of the houses. He put down a piece of skin near the fire, chewed the meat which he had taken along, and spit the fat into the fire, so that it blazed up. The people asked him: “What are you holding in your mouth?” He then showed them the bear’s meat. Then they all went to his grandmother’s house, and they received presents of meat and of fat. They distributed almost all of it.

He then said to his grandmother: “Gather some fuel.” She did so, and started a fire. Then the old woman fell asleep sitting near the fire. While she was asleep the boy cut off a piece of her vulva and put down upon the wound. When she woke the next morning he sent her again to gather fuel; and, while she was away, he roasted at the fire the piece that he had cut from her body. When his grandmother returned he said to her: “I roasted a little of the bear meat for you.” She entered, and he gave her her own flesh to eat. As soon as she had eaten it he ran out, singing: “Grandmother ate her own vulva!”

A RAID ON THE TLINGIT

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

Qä′ndawas was going to make a potlatch in Masset. She owned ten slaves. And she had eight storehouses in the Kaigani country. [737] She was going to have [her property] brought over from there.

And she owned a copper plate worth ten slaves. She intended to sell it for that price in the Tsimshian country. They offered her nine slaves and an 8-fathom canoe. Thereupon she said that she would not part with it because there were not ten slaves. They then returned. And they came to Raven creek. [738]

And, after they had sailed from there to House-point [739] with a south wind, a strong land breeze came upon them (i.e., a west wind). They were then carried away. And it carried them to the Kaigani country, where some Tlingit were gathering seaweed. Then the Tlingit invited them in. And they got off. After they had given them food they killed them.

The slaves saw then that they killed those who were on shore, and the five who had remained to take care of the canoe put up the sails. And, after they had sailed along for a while, they ran upon a reef and capsized there. The canoe, filled with the property, then sank. It was a 10-fathom canoe.

Thinking of this while we were growing up, we grew up to war with the Tlingit. [740] In the very middle of winter we began to drink medicine, and right from Qa-itg̣a′og̣ao, [741] where we were fishing for black cod, we went to war in two canoes. We camped for the night at Kwaitg̣ᴀ′nʟ. [742] On the following night we camped at La-ut-g̣ᴀ′nʟ̣as. [743] On the next day we crossed.

And, while it was yet daylight, we came in sight of the rocks along shore. We then waited for night. And, when evening came, we went in to land. At daylight we pulled up the canoes. Then we drank there four buckets of salt water. We were thirsty and ran to the fresh water, and we drank fresh water out of spruce bark sewed together and ran to the sea. [744]

And, keeping a sharp lookout unobserved by them we saw four people going along in a canoe. And, after they were gone, we drew up our canoes again. There I smoked, after which I was dying of thirst. They did not think it well to put fresh water on me then, [745] and they put sea water on me.

After that we went to look for people. We knew that people lived there. Then we saw smoke far up the inlet. And when evening came we started thither. Just before daybreak the canoes came in front of it. There were four houses there. Below was a long stretch of steep shore.

And, when we got off, A′nkustᴀ [746] whipped the peoples’ souls. He then told us to go up to look at the houses. And two persons went to look. Just as they got there a big dog barked at them. And when they came back A′nkustᴀ performed again. He then pretended to tie fast the dog’s mouth. And he said: “Now, friends, go to look at the houses again. Now, although he sees you, he will not bark.”

I then went with two others to look. Only a mat hung in the doorway. I lay down in the doorway. They were snoring in the house. And, having fastened my knife upon my hand, I entered. I found by feeling that there were only women there.

And, after we had come to where our people were sitting, I said: “Chiefs that I have for elder brothers, strengthen yourselves.” They then divided to enter the house. And they said: “Huk” (“Go on”). [747] I let Xᴀ′nxaogu′tg̣as go ahead, and his younger brother followed me.

And, when we were about to run in, I looked toward the beach [and saw] that, instead of coming after us, they were preparing to shoot. We started away then in disgust. We got into the canoe. There they asked us why we came down. And we almost came to a quarrel.

We then started off. And, when we landed among the driftwood, Gana′-i’s canoe came up behind us. They were going to land after us among the driftwood. He said then: “Come, friends; light a fire here for the sockeyes, which are good to eat.” But I scolded them for it, [748] and they got in against their will.

And they remained there still. And, after they had talked for a while about parting company with the other canoe, I said: “My father-in-law is a chief. If those who have been in your company kill people and he receives nothing, you will feel sorry for it. Let us go down the inlet after them.”

We then followed them down. After we had gone along for a while Gana′-i’s canoe passed out of the inlet around a point. I then said: “Let us paddle after them. Paddle after. Paddle after. They might meet somebody.”

And, when they had nearly rounded another point, they pulled back. Some time after that guns sounded, and they went ashore. Some Tlingit came then in a big canoe. They stood in lines in the middle. There were a great number of guns in this. We then started out to head them off.

As they paddled away from us they shot at us twice, when something struck me in the head and I lost consciousness. I came to myself lying in the canoe. By and by, after I grew stronger and had fastened my knife upon my hand, they said to me: “G̣ᴀ′nx̣oat was killed.” I then looked at him. He was hanging over into the water. And I told them not to let him fall in.

The Tlingit then shouted at us. They made a noise on the edges of their canoe: “A′lala a′lala.” Upon this Gā′ala stood up in ours, and he shot the man in the stern, so that he fell into the water. Then we said the same. We, too, said: “A′lala a′lala.” When they shot me two bullets went through the skin of my head.

And, when Skᴀ′ngwai’s father stood up and aimed at the one next to the stern, who was paddling and moving his head as he did so, and shot him, he also fell upon his face in the bailing place. We then again said the same thing. We rapped on the edges of our canoe, saying at the same time: “A′lala.” And, when he shot again, another cried out in it. They stood in lines in the middle of the canoe. Others paddled at the sides. They then bade us cease shooting. They motioned us away with their hands. We did then accordingly. The canoe was so large that the people in it could not be counted.

Then Gana′-i’s canoe went quickly to it. And, when they got close by, a Tlingit in the middle stood up with a gun. He pointed at this one and that one among them. Someone in Gana′-i’s canoe speared him with a bone spear that had a short handle. He dropped the gun. The Tlingit then quickly sat down. He pulled out the spear. His intestines came out at the same time. He broke it. And, when he started to shove the spear back into the wound, someone in Gana′-i’s canoe jumped in to him, and the people in the canoe stood up.

Then our canoe went thither. And I went to the bow and jumped into it. All had long knives. I fell in the stern. And the one I fell near stabbed me. When he struck my shoulder I felt my insides come together [with pain]. Nevertheless I struck him in the side, and his insides fell upon me. After that another one came toward me from the bow. I stabbed him also in the side. When I struck him again he died.

After that another came at me. When he tried to stab me I dodged him. And when I struck him he grew pale. I told Gā′ala, who came behind me, to kill him. A youth having no knife then made with his hands the motion of surrender to me from the bow. And I picked him up, and I threw him into our canoe. When another came at me I struck him. It grazed him. He went at once into our canoe. He let himself be enslaved. I made a cut down his back. He was a brave man. People did not pass in front of his town. They were afraid of him. When it was reported that he had let himself be enslaved the Tlingit became boneless [with astonishment]. They did not believe it. His name was Yāñ.

After we had fought for a while some one called to me from the middle: “So-and-so’s grandfather, they are too much for me.” I then ran to him. And they had one of our friends in the bottom of the canoe. A Tlingit whose knife had dropped from him was moving it toward himself with his feet when I struck him.

And while I was striking one after another some one shouted to me from the stern. A Tlingit was lying upon one of our young men. And, pushing away his knife, I cut off his head. After that I saw some one who got in out of our canoe and a Tlingit strike each other at the same time. The Tlingit fell upon his breast. Some time after that he (the Haida) called to me: “So-and-so’s grandfather, they have broken my arm.” I looked at him. There was a wound in his right arm. They shot him from beneath hides lying near. I did not hear the sound of the gun. Neither did he hear it. Those who were with us instead [of helping us] stood near looking on. They were afraid.

After we had fought for a while, and had killed nearly all, I ran to the bow. The many women, who sat in two places, I pushed apart. I passed between them to the bow. Then the one who had concealed himself in the bow rose. When he was about to strike me, I struck him in the side. He at once tried to close with me. I kept striking him. By and by he died.

And in the stern out of Gana′-i’s canoe they struck a certain one. He jumped then into the water and struck the edges of the canoe with his knife. They jumped upon the Tlingit and stabbed him.

And after I had gone about in the bow for a while I looked toward the stern. They were already pulling in slaves. And when I went thither I saw a woman left. She had been shot in one leg. And I did not take her. One that I had struck acted as if he were crazy. Then I jumped into [our canoe], and, when I was about to stab him, he held up his hands to me. I then tied his legs together with a rope, and I tied his hands behind his back.

The property was captured at once. Into Gana′-i’s canoe they took ten severed heads. There were only nine slaves. And after Skᴀ′ngwai’s father had brought five heads into ours they found fault. He stopped then. And they took all the property.

In front of the place whence we had been wrangling a whale swam about with its young one. And we shot at the young one. We killed the young one. We took its oil to Port Simpson [749] to trade. There we bought all kinds of stuff. We carried the things away. And, when the canoes were filled with property, some was left behind.

The warriors now got in. And, as they went along, they began to sing war songs. It was hard for me. Two of my younger brothers were killed, and I sang differently from them.

When they were almost out of the inlet some one shouted “Ix̣iâ′⁺ī, they are pursuing us.” Full canoes were behind us. The canoes were close together. They were brave in Sg̣ā′gia’s canoe (the narrator’s). And the people in Gana′-i’s canoe began to paddle away from us. I then stood up and I said: “Chiefs whom I have for fathers-in-law and my sons-in-law’s nephews, do not tell a bad story about us. For that we are out here. That is why they will kill us. Before they destroy us we will destroy a whole canoe load of them.”

After we had paddled away for a while in fright I looked back. Instead of my seeing them they were gone. It was nothing but driftwood, on the top of which sea gulls sat.

Then the people of Gana′-i’s canoe started a fire in a creek where there were many humpbacks. There they roasted humpbacks for us. When we were done eating we went away. We also gave food to the Tlingits.

We then went to Cape Charcon. [We crossed, and], while we were going along together, some one ahead of us shouted: “What warriors are those?” Then Skᴀ′ngwai’s father said: “These are Sg̣ā′gia’s warriors.” And they came out from their concealment. They had guns with red outsides (i.e., new ones) and two cartridge boxes apiece. No one could touch me [I was so dirty]. I had on a white shirt, and I wore a blanket doubled. Where they ate humpbacks I tied cedar bark round the arm of the man that they shot. And the one shot in the head also returned to life. He told us he would not die for some time yet.

And, when we came round the point, they came down in a crowd opposite us. They had had a Kaisun man living at Masset question us. They gave him the following directions. “If you recognize them ask them ‘Is it you?’ and if you do not know them ask ‘What warriors are those?’” That was the way in which he questioned us. They then called ashore from our canoe a Masset man who was born in the same place with a certain one [of them]. We four stayed then in the canoe. But no one got out of Gana′-i’s canoe.

A man of the Sg̣adji′goał lā′nas [750] then stood near them, holding a gun. Two cartridge boxes hung from his side. They said he was a brave man. He said: “Tell me, Pebble-town people, [751] what did the Tlingit do to the people of your family in former times? When the Tlingit formerly beat them every time why do you do this? I could do something to you for your foolishness. You might be shot to pieces.” And, when he aimed his gun, he pointed it at us. His name was Stᴀwa′t.

I felt as though I had been struck in the face. He had pointed a short gun at me. I seized then a long one, and I jumped off. I ran to him. I struck him at once with the gun. I struck him in the neck. And when he was about to strike me I got my gun ready for him. “Now, if you strike me, I will shoot you.” Two of my friends who were ashore then struck him with their guns. And Natqā′g̣oñ said to him: “This is not the first time [men of his family have done such things], and they are also brave. Why don’t you strike back?”

Then some one said to us: “Cease doing it to him. You have struck him more than enough for his talk.” We then stopped, and they took us over to the camping place. A part of our people went round the point. Then Gustᴀmᴀ′lk invited us. And there they pulled in the two canoes. There were a great number there of my father’s nephews, born in the same town with me. They set us then in a line.

And, after he had begun to give us food, the Masset people went down to the canoes in a crowd. And, when they had nearly reached our slaves, I handed my gun to Skᴀ′ngwai’s father. I then ran down. I made fast my knife in my hand. I then pushed them away and anchored the canoes outside.

They then began to give us food. And we had on our cartridge boxes. We also kept our guns at our right sides, and we had our knives hanging down in front. At the same time we ate. Then we finished, and they gave us tobacco.

And in the evening those born with me and my father’s nephews gave me tobacco. Besides, they made me an offer for one of my slaves. They offered sixty blankets for him, an unused musket, a whole suit of clothes, two bags of shot, a big canoe, many things of all kinds. I refused them.

We remained awake that night. A part of us slept ashore. I was all covered with blood from fighting. Very early on the next day they started in this direction. And, when we were ready to go, Skᴀ′ngwai’s father went after some water. He was gone for a long time. While he was still away, Gana′-i’s canoe started. The wind was in the north. I then left the people directions what to do about him. And we left him.

The Masset people afterward took him in. They landed him at Rose spit. He walked home from there. And on that day, when it was almost evening, we sailed by in front of Skidegate. The Skidegate people came out in a crowd to us. We did not stop. [752] They stood behind us [watching]. We spent that night at Water-hole. [753] The one in our canoe whom they had wounded was still alive.

And we started off from there at night. Then we made a camp fire on the inlet above Tcꜝā′ał. [754] From there we started very early to Qa-itg̣a′og̣ao. At that time we sang a war song.

We then went into Qa-itg̣a′og̣ao, singing songs of victory. Hu hu hu hu. When we were going up to the houses we landed the slaves. Some of them carried children. After having fought we sang songs of victory for many nights.

Here is all of this story.

This and the following eight stories and that on page 104 practically constitute one long account of the Haida wars, or rather raids, which have taken place within recent times, except only those related by Abraham of Kloo, which succeed. The story-teller was an interesting old man who, as will be seen by the texts, had himself taken part in many of these expeditions and had lived a life full of adventure. He belonged to the Middle-gîtî′ns (Ya′ku-gitina′-i), a branch of the Pebble-town Gîtî′ns of the west coast, but, while still a young man, had gone to live with members of his family in Alaska. After that he and his uncle were in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company for a long time, until he finally came back to Skidegate to live. He was acquainted with some myths, but war stories were his “specialty.”

WAR BETWEEN THE WEST COAST AND NINSTINTS HAIDA AND THE GÎTÎ′SDA

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

The Ninstints people [755] came to Kaisun in four canoes to ask us [756] to go to war in their company. We then went along in four canoes. And, after we had gone across, we entered Lᴀlgī′mi. [757] During the night we went in opposite to a fort. Some people were then camping in the inlet. We began to shoot at them. There Amai′kuns was killed. Gayî′ns [758] was wounded. Qoyā′ [759] was also wounded. He was one of the brave men among us. There we took two slaves.

We went out from there. And those who went in advance came upon some who were sailing along. The sound of two guns was heard. Afterward an empty canoe drifted away. They enslaved two women. And we went thither. And, while we were close to land, rejoicing over the slaves, some persons came sailing round a point near us, and, when they saw us, they jumped off. Then some landed behind them.

I then prepared myself and got off. And I pursued one who was running along near the sea. After I had chased him about for a while in the woods he jumped into the ocean. I took from him his yellow cedar blanket with some of his hair. And, when he emerged farther out, he held up his hands before my face. He then swam to me. When he came near me he dove again. And he came to the surface out at sea. I then began to shoot at him. And he swam landward and squeezed himself tight against the face of a cliff. After I had shot twice at him there, I stopped. He then climbed up a tree that stood against the face of the cliff. And, although there was some space between its top and the cliff, he bent it over, got a hold on the face of the cliff, and went into a hole there. He could not climb thence either down or up. We said one to another that he would die there.

We then went away. We next made a fire and began to give each other food. And after we left we began to fight against the fort. We could not get away then. We could not get away. [760] But afterward they got us back [into the canoe]. And they shot one who was crawling about on the top of the house so that he fell down. And after they lay out to sea for a while a man wearing a dancing skirt and cedar-bark rings dragged down a canoe. A woman also came after him. She came to us and talked to those who were in Ldō′gwañ’s canoe. They told her then to come closer. And some called to them to shoot the man so that he would fall into the water. Ldō′gwañ refused to allow it and started away from them. They then went off in fright. We ran out of ammunition. Then we went away.

We then started from Point-djī′dao and, after we had spent four nights upon the open sea, we came to G̣ᴀ′ñxet-kun. [761] After traveling two nights from there we came to Kaisun. We had really brought nothing with us from the far country.

This is the end of the story.

My interpreter understood that the tribe attacked at this time was, as stated above, a Tsimshian tribe, but he may have been mistaken. In that case it must have been some tribe related to the Bellabella.

RAID BY THE NINSTINTS HAIDA ON THOSE OF THE WEST COAST

[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns.]

The Pebble-town people warred with the people of Ninstints. The East Coast people [762] were also at war with them. They were all at G̣ētgā′ñ. [763]

From that place the father of Qꜝaolga′s went to hunt. Then they saw a war canoe pass a place named Gia′g̣ēs lying toward the south. It came along close to the shore and passed behind an islet. And they did not know those who were in it.

And when it was far off he started straight out to sea. And, when the rocky shore had nearly passed out of sight, he turned about. At evening they heard the sound of his guns at G̣ētgā′ñ. He had seen the enemy. Then they went for two shamans who were there. And they whipped the souls of the enemy. At that time they said that a white raven flew into the inlet. After they had drunk salt water for two nights all the warriors went out to meet the enemy.

After they had crept along close to the shore for a while they feared to round ʟuqā′łgᴀłdᴀs. [764] So they stopped there. Some of them said that Kaisun could be seen from there. By and by, however, they went thither. They then saw some persons walking on the beach at Kaisun.

After some time had passed the canoe came in front of them (those at Kaisun). They got into it and went seaward. In the middle was a shaman whipping the souls of his enemies. Then one [Ninstints man] in it saw a strange sight. “Look at the cormorant flying about. It has no head.” And, when they looked at it, its head was lacking. Kꜝadja′-i alone [765] did not see this.

After they had gone on for a while a shot was fired at them. At once [the guns shooting] downward resounded everywhere. It (the canoe) turned bottom up. And as they came alongside they shot at them. And after they had destroyed them and had turned the canoe over one person was in it. He alone they saved. When the first gun sounded, the war chief said: “Sqas, take the gun away. It is not time for that.”

They then went away. Now they sang war songs. And the next day they went to get the heads. They then cut them off and dried them in the sunshine. The shaman who had whipped the souls of his enemies had his hair bunched together. [766] He had told them to go back. On the way they (the Ninstints people) saw portents. They heard the sound of drying frames dropping from above. And Tia [767] also called near them. He called, and blood spurted out of his neck.

This encounter was referred to by others. See Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History, volume V, 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.