Part 16

And they made holes in the front of the whole house by pulling off planks. Through these they were looking to see which way his canoe went. After they had looked for a while [it vanished and] they did not see in which direction. And they did not see that it had sunk. And the direction in which the chief’s daughter had vanished was unknown.

At times her father turned to the wall and cried, cried, cried. And her mother turned to the wall and cried, cried, cried. One day he stopped crying and said to his head slave: [282] “Find out whither my child went.” “Wait, I will find out the proper time to go. I will go to see whither your [child] went.”

One morning, as day began to break and when it was a propitious day for him, he started the fire, and, while the people of the house whom he feared to have see him, slept, he took a bath. Now after his skin became dry he turned toward the wall and brought out the tackle he used for fishing. He untied it, and he took out blue hellebore, and he put it into the fire. And after he had watched it burn a while, he took it out of the fire, and he rubbed it on the stone floor-planks and made a mark with it on his face.

Then he got ready to start. He was going to search for the chief’s child. The chief’s child’s mother was with him.

And he was a good hunter. He had a sea-otter spear. When he pushed off he threw the sea-otter spear into the water, and, throwing its tail about, it went along forming ripples in its passage, and he went with it.

By and by the canoe stuck. The same thing happened to the sea-otter spear, they say. Then he pulled the canoe ashore. The chief’s wife got off, and he turned the canoe over. Long seaweeds were growing on it. These were the things that stopped the canoe. He had been moving along for a whole year. Then he took off his cape and rubbed it on the bottom of the canoe and on the chief’s wife. And he rubbed it on himself as well and became clean.

Again he shoved off the canoe. Then he threw the sea-otter spear into the water again, and it moved on anew. He followed it. After he had gone on, on, on, on for a long while, the canoe again stuck. Then he pulled the canoe ashore still again. And he turned it over again. [A kind of] long seaweed had grown on it, and on the chief’s wife, too, and on himself. Then, as before, he took the cape off. And he rubbed it on the canoe and on the chief’s wife as well. Then he rubbed it also on himself. And after they had become clean he launched the canoe again. Again he threw the sea-otter spear in, and again they followed it. After he had been towed along by it for a while he came to floating charcoal. There was no way for him to pass through this, they say. He had brought along his fishing-tackle box, and he looked into it. And in it he used to keep the [old spruce roots] taken off when he repaired his halibut hooks. When he put these roots into the water, [the charcoal] divided, and he was towed through. Not far away the canoe came to another place where it (the passage) had closed together. And when he put some [roots] into the water, as before, that also parted.

Then he was towed out of it and was brought to the edge of the sky. Now, after it had shut together four times, he braced the spear under it. [283] He went under. Then he pulled his spear out and put it into the canoe. He took the paddle and began paddling.

By and by he could see the smoke of a great town. And he pulled the canoe ashore some distance to one side of the town, they say. After he had turned the canoe over he made the chief’s wife sit under it. Then he walked to the town. When he came to the end of the town it was low tide. A certain woman, with her infant on her back, had come down to the uncovered beach. She held a basket in her hand, and she had a digging stick and moved it before her as if hunting for something. While putting something into the basket she looked up to where he was seated. And, after she had looked for a while, she did the same thing again. And, after she had rolled away the stones, she put sea cucumbers into the basket. That was Property-woman. [284]

When she again fastened her eyes on the place where he sat, she said: “I know you.” And then he stood up. And he went down on the beach and stood near her. Then she said to him: “Do you travel hither expecting to see the chief’s child?” He said “Yes.” “You see this town. He thought grease into his son’s wife’s mind [285] because he gave away his father’s hat as soon as he married the chief’s child. [286] She is lying over there in a cave. When you have entered pass along by the right side of the chief’s house and go behind the screen. There you will hear news.”

Then he started away from Property-woman and went into the cave to the chief’s child. And as she lay there she was winking her eyes. He took his coat off and rubbed it upon her. And he tried to make her sit up. In vain. And he became angry because he was unsuccessful. And, since he could not succeed, he started off.

He put on his two yellow-cedar blankets and walked about among them (the people). And they did not see him. Then he went into the chief’s house and to the right. It had ten tiers of retaining planks. On the upper one, in the middle of the sides, one sat weaving a chief’s dancing-blanket. Then from the blanket she was weaving something said: “To-morrow, too, one of my eyes [will still be] unfinished, unfinished.” [287]

Then, contrary to the expectations of those in the house, he went round behind the screen and a wonderful sight met his eyes, they say. A large lake with several gravel points running into it lay there. The points were red with cranberries. Canoe songs [288] resounded across it. Near the stream which flowed out of this large lake they had a fire for [drinking] salt water. [289]

Then some people came in from picking berries. As she walked past the last one snuffed with her nose. “I smell a human being” [she said]. And he said to her, “Say! it is I you are speaking about.” “It was the yellow cedar-bark blankets of the chief’s child’s ten servants whom they ate, which I am wearing that I smelt.” That was Mink-woman.[289]

And now he turned himself toward the fire which they had made [to warm] salt water. When he got near, one among those sitting there in a group said: “What will happen when they (her family) look for the chief’s daughter?” “Why, what are you saying? When they look for the chief’s child and return his father’s hat which he (the son) gave away, he (the father) will make her sit down (i.e., restore her).”

After he had heard all the news he turned round. He remembered the chief’s wife, ran back to the canoe and turned it over, but only the chief’s wife’s bones lay there. Then he drew his coat off and rubbed it upon her, and she awoke as if from sleep. She had been perspiring. He put his arm into the canoe and pulled it into the water. After he had let the chief’s wife in he came to the village. He tied her into the canoe. He tied himself in the same way as the chief’s wife. He tied himself as Property-woman had told him to do. They were there tied in front of the chief’s house. As they floated there one came out of the chief’s house and said: “Wait; they want the chief’s wife to remain there. They are going to dance near by.” After she had remained there for a while a thunderbolt [appeared to] drop in the house, they say.

By and by feathers came out of the smoke hole in a point. After it rose into the air it broke off. Then it came to them in a point and struck them, and they both forgot themselves.

They came to themselves lying on the retaining timbers. And then he untied himself and the chief’s wife as well. When he could walk he untied her. Her son-in-law sat opposite the door, and they spread out mats for her below. Then they came down and sat in the middle of the side. [290] Then one brought food in a small basket. In it were large clam shells, small clam shells, and two mussel shells. They gave some to the chief’s wife. They let her eat. After different kinds of food had been brought out and eaten and all was gone, they brought a basket to the fire, poured water into it, and put stones into the fire. When these were red-hot they put them into the basket with wooden tongs.

It boiled. Then the chief said something to a youth who was walking around the basket. Then he went into a storeroom in one corner and brought out a whale on the end of a sharpened stick. He put it into the basket. Now, when he had tried it with a stick and it had become soft, he put the whale into a dish the shape of a chiton and laid it down before them.

Now he again said something, and he (the youth) gave her old clam shells to drink the soup out of. She was unable to drink with these. Now she got her own basket and took out two large clam shells and two mussel shells, whereupon the people all stopped in a moment as when something is dropped. [291] And the chief, too, looked at nothing but those mussel shells. When his eyes were fastened upon them she noticed it and stopped.

Then she handed the shells to her husband’s slave and had him give them to her son-in-law. He made a place for them [on his blanket]. Now, after he had looked at them for a while, he said something, whereupon they went to him to get them and put them away behind the screen.

In the evening those in the house went to sleep, and they (the visitors) also went to sleep.

When day broke a young hair seal was crying in the corner of the house, they say. At daylight they started off by canoe.

Now the canoe lay on top of the retaining planks. There he fastened the chief’s wife, and he fastened himself in the stern. The thunderbolt dropped behind the screens which pointed toward each other. When the feathers came out from it in a point toward the fire and struck them they forgot themselves. When they came to themselves they were on the ocean.

Now he untied himself, went to the chief’s wife, and untied her. And when they went off it was the middle of summer when the young hair seal cry. He picked up his paddle and started paddling. After he had made two strokes he reached his master’s town.

The chief’s wife went in and sat down. She related to her husband how his daughter was situated. Then the slave also went to his master and told him what those thought who had had a fire for salt water. He repeated what they said to him word for word.

At once he spoke to the one who had charge of the fire. Two persons went through the town summoning the people. Immediately they entered. The house was full. Then he opened supplies of good food. He fed them. He fed them all. When the food was all gone he told the town people what he had in mind. He told the town people that he was going to look for his daughter. All were well pleased. He told all the chiefs to start in ten canoes. They agreed.

But the next morning his oldest boy had disappeared. When they began to get ready the next day the youngest also was gone.

For the chief and the chief’s wife each they drew the figures of cumulus clouds upon ten clam shells. As many mussel shells were inside of these. He had ten drawn for the elder [son] and he had ten drawn for the younger. The town people who were going away all gathered ten apiece [for the men] and five apiece for the women. And after they had got through gathering them they waited for the two sons who had gone off to marry. They got tired of waiting for them because they wanted to restore their sister. The town people had everything ready and were awaiting them.

The elder got home at midday. His hair was fastened with cedar limbs. “Mother, I have brought a wife to you. She stands outside. Go out and get her.” So he spoke to his mother: “Oh! my child has come.” She looked outside, and a woman stood there having curly hair parted and large eyes. This was Mouse-woman.

After the youngest had been away for a while, he, too, came back at midday. He came in, his hair fastened with a small fern. Hai hi hi hi hi⁺⁺⁺. [292] “Mother, I bring a wife to you. She stands outside. Go out and get her.” A wonderful person stood there. She was too powerful to look at. Something short with curly hair and a copper blanket [stood there]. “Chief-woman, come in.” She did not wish to enter. “She does not wish to come in. She positively refuses, my child; your wife positively refuses.” “Why! she goes by contraries,” he said to her as he stood up. He went out to his wife, came in with her, and sat down.

Next day, very early, they went off. The town people all started out together upon the ocean. The elder son’s wife sat up on one of the seats, and the younger one’s wife concealed herself inside. She (the former) sat up high to look after those who were starting off. She always kept her small wooden box with her wherever she turned. When they were all afloat she hunted in it and took out a bone awl. And she put it into the water. The water rushed aside as it cut through. In behind it they placed the canoe. The bone awl began to tow them along.

After they had been towed along, along, along, along, along for a while, they came in sight of a broad band of smoke from a town. Some distance from the town the elder brother’s wife told them all to land. She talked to them. The elder brother had married Mouse-woman so that they might follow her directions.

They stopped at this place, and she had them cut long sticks. They got two poles at this place. The younger brother’s wife hid herself, but the elder brother’s wife commanded the voyagers. The ten canoes were still, and along the front of the bows and midway of the canoes they put the sticks. They fastened them to thwarts by winding ropes around them. [293] That was finished. Then they started for the front of the town.

They stopped in front of the chief’s house, and one came out of the chief’s house. “Wait, they direct you to remain still. They are going to dance in front of you.” After they had remained there for a while, they forgot themselves. Then they came to themselves lying on top of the retaining planks. In the place where they woke up they untied themselves. They also untied the poles that had been fastened upon the canoes.

On top of the retaining planks they spread out mats. There were crowds of people there on each side on the ten retaining planks. The chief’s child was not there, the one they came after. Only her husband sat there. Then they spread out two mats in front of the place where he sat. In front of him the ten canoe loads of people laid their clam shells. They filled the house up to the very roof. Now they laid the hat on top of all. They gave it back to him.

“Come! send for my father. Tell him to hurry.” Then a youth started on the run. “Is he coming?” “He is close by.” Whiu-u-u-u (sound of wind). The house moved. The earth, too, shook. Of all the visitors who sat in circles not one looked up. But, while they hung their heads, the younger brother’s wife raised hers up. Then she looked toward the rear of the house and toward the door. “Hold up your heads. Have you, also, no power?” she said.

By and by the house shook again, and the ground with it. X̣u-u-u. The people in the house again hung their heads. Now she said again “Hold your heads up. Have you, too, no supernatural power?” At the same time he came in and stood there. Something wonderful came in and stood there. His large eyelids were too powerful to look at. Where he placed his foot he stood for awhile. When he took another step the earth and the house shook. When he took another step and the house and the earth shook, all of the people hung their heads; but she (the youngest’s wife) said to them, “Hold your heads up.” When she said it louder the supernatural power that had entered took hold of his head. “Stop! mighty supernatural woman that you are.” After that he came in. Nothing happened. [294] He sat down near his son.

But when he first came in and sat down he laid his hands at once on his hat.

With his father’s staff he divided the clam shells. He kept the smaller part for himself. He made his father’s part large. “Did you send for your wife, chief, my son?” “No, indeed; I have been waiting for you.” “Send someone for your wife, chief, my son.” Then a youth went to call her. “Is she coming?” “Yes; she approaches.” By and by the one whom they were after came in from the cave where she had lain, and stood there. But she went to her mother first. She did not go down to her husband.

Then his father began to dance. After he had done so for a while, he fell down. At once he broke in two in the middle. Out of his buttocks feathers blew, and out of his trunk as well. One of the servants stood up out of his buttocks, one out of his trunk, another out of his buttocks, another out of his trunk. All ten whom he had eaten he restored. [295] That was why he danced. On account of the hat he had devoured the servants. He had put grease, too, into the mind of the chief’s daughter by thinking. On account of the hat they put her in the cave. By and by he came together. He stopped dancing. He sat down.

Now they put more wood on the fire, made them sit down in a circle, and began to give them something to eat. The feast went on even until midnight, when they stopped. They stopped. They went to bed.

When day began to break the young hair seals cried in the very place where they had cried before. Then they prepared to start from the top of the retaining timbers, where their canoes were lying.

Then her father-in-law called her. “Noble woman, [296] wait until I give you directions.” And he whispered to her. He gave her directions as she sat near him. “Chief-woman, I will come forth from your womb. Do not be afraid of me.” And to her he gave a round plate of copper, to which some strings and a chain were fastened. It was named X̣īłūtꜝā′ła (Property chain (?)). “Have Master Carpenter make my cradle, chief’s daughter. Let lofty cumulus clouds be around the upper edges, chief-woman, and around its lower edges short ones. In those days human servants (i.e., human beings) will gather food through me. When they see me sitting in the morning the surface birds will gather food while I am governing the weather (i.e., while I am in sight).” [297]

Her parents (“fathers”) were waiting for her on top of the retaining timbers, but, below, her father-in-law was giving her directions, to which she was listening. After he had ceased talking, she got into the canoe with her father. They fastened the canoes to each other; they all fastened themselves. After the chief’s child got in, all forgot themselves. When they came to, they were afloat upon the ocean.

At once they started off. In a short time he came to his village. After it had lain still for a long time the chief’s daughter became pregnant. When she began to labor they made a house for her outside. They drove in a stake, had her take hold of it, and went in. Now he came forth, and, when she looked at him, she saw something wonderful. Something flat stuck out from his eyelids. She rose quickly and ran away from him in fright. “Awaiyā′,” she said, and the town was nearly overturned.

Then she quickly turned back toward him, laid her hands upon him, and exclaimed as she picked him up: “Oh! my grandfather, it is I.” The town was as still as when something is suddenly thrown down. She brought him to the house. Her father put hot stones into a urinal he owned, and they washed him. [298]

As soon as they went out for [Master Carpenter], he came on the run. He held in his hand what he had taken off (i.e., cut out) [299] in the woods. As soon as he came in he put the drawing on it, as the chief’s daughter told him. He pictured the clouds upon it. There were two rows of them. He made holes in the cradle for fastening the rope alongside of his legs.

Then they put him in. They brought out two sky blankets and wrapped them round him in the cradle. After that was done they launched the canoe. Five persons and the chief’s daughter went with her son. Then they started seaward. They went, they went, they went. When they found by looking about that they were midway between the Haida country and the mainland they let him down into the water. When they let him go he turned around to the right four times and became like something flat thrown down. Then they went away from him, and settled down at the place where they had been before.

[He was the one who has his place in the middle of the sea. Sometimes when sickness was about to break out they saw him. Nᴀñʟ̣da′ sʟas [300] was a reef.]

[What follows is really a second story, but it was told as part of the same. Its true name is said to be “He-who-had-Panther-woman-for-his-mother.”]

Here on the Nass lay the town of Gu′nwa. Four slaves of the owner of the town came down [the inlet] after wood. They cut the wood at a sandy beach below the town and saw young cedars. They found them for the chief’s wife. They did not believe their eyes [for joy at finding them growing so conveniently to the water]. They finished cutting the wood, loaded it on their canoe, and went up with the tide. At evening they got back. The town people brought in the wood, and he (the chief) called them in.

Then, after they had given away food for a while, he reported that they had seen young cedars. At once the chief’s wife planned to go for the bark. They went to sleep, and early in the morning she had her husband’s canoe brought out. People of the town, the chief’s daughters and young men, all went with her. At once they floated down with the current. Hu hu hu hu hu, much food,—cranberries and salmon,—[they took with them]. Then they went down.

When they landed by the young cedars all the women pulled off and dragged down [the bark] from those [trees] near by. They pulled it off and dragged it out to her. When they had taken all from those near at hand they became scattered.

She (the chief’s wife) sat with her back to the sunshine, pulling cedar bark apart. She was not in the habit of eating much. Her fingers were slender. She did not care for food.

After the sounds of the voices of women and men had died away inland a person wearing a bearskin blanket with the hair side out came and stood near her. He held something like a pole. It had a sharp point. It was half red, half blue. He was looking at the chief’s wife, but she did not even glance toward him. He asked the chief’s wife: “How do you act when your husband calls the people [for a feast]?” “When my husband calls the people, I empty the whole dish placed in front of the one sitting next to me into my mouth.”

She had children. One of the two boys she had could not creep.

“How do you act when your husband calls the people again?” “As soon as my husband calls the people I put food into the dishes and, bending down, eat out of them.” “How do you act when your husband comes in from fishing?” “I go down, pull up my dress, swim out to him, and swallow the two spring salmon which are on top.”

He drove the thing he had in his hand into her forehead, and, when it stuck out at the back of her head and he had raised her arm, all of her flesh dropped off. Then he sat down and entered it (her skin). And he picked up her flesh and buried it in the sand at the foot of the tree. After he had seated herself in the place of the chief’s wife, they came down to her in crowds with the cedar bark.

All of them pulled their cedar bark apart. Among the crowds of people that were there the chief woman did it. “Woman, I am hungry.” “Well, there is a piece of white food in [my box].” “In mine, too.” “In mine, too.” This [they said] because they wanted to have her eat.