Part 6

Then he again covered his face, and something spoke to him as before. Now he looked through the eyeholes in his marten-skin blanket. After he had looked for a while toward the place whence the voice proceeded a grebe’s [60] beak came out and [the bird said] at the same time: “Your powerful grandfather asks you to come in.”

Then he took his gambling-stick bag, grasped the kelp head, and went down on it. It was a two-headed house pole on which he started down. He saw it when he passed into the water.

When he stood in front of the house his grandfather invited him inside: “Come in, grandchild. I have news, grandson, that you came floating about in search of me as soon as you had lost your father’s town.” Then he entered, and he gave him food. He had fasted ever since he lost his father’s town in gambling.

And when he was full [the man] said to him: “Break off a bunch of gambling-stick wood for me which [you will find] at a corner outside.” He went out to it and broke some pieces off a bunch of sîn. [61] Then he sent him to get something else, and he broke off yew wood. He also refused that. Then he said to him: “A bunch of it is by that corner.”

And after he had taken all sorts of sticks, he broke some limbs from a bunch of Raven’s-berry bushes [62] and handed them to him, and he said: “That is it.” Then [the man] made it into gambling sticks, and when he had finished them he touched two with coals. He put the figure of a sea otter on one and he put the figure of a young sea otter on the other. Then he had designs made on five large clam shells. They had figures of cumulus clouds. And he had five mats woven for him. He had these made for him to stake.

He then said to him: “I will let you float away from here. When one night has passed you will be in front of the town, and you will go to the front of the town and sit there, ready to gamble with the one who won your property.” And he also gave him tobacco seeds. “When you begin to gamble, put the stick that has the figure of a sea otter upon your right shoulder. Put the one that has the figure of a young sea otter upon the left shoulder. Divide the tobacco seeds equally among those who come and sit on both sides of you to watch you. They might say that you do not play fair, but the tobacco seeds are so sweet that they will not say it.”

When he had finished giving him directions he brought out a small box, and he opened successively five boxes that were one inside of another. Then from the innermost one he brought out a hawk feather, put it into the corner of [the chief’s son’s] eye, and turned it round. And when he pulled it out, it was full of blood. Then he squeezed this off, washed it, and pushed it in again. After he had done the thing again it was clean, and he did the same thing to the one on the other side. And when that had also become clean he put it also into his mouth. Thence he pulled out dead lice that he had eaten. He pulled them out stuck to the hawk feather. His eyes had become full of blood from seeing his sister’s bloody heel. That was why he lost.

And he again gave him directions: “When you gamble with him pick up the pile that has the longest smoke, and when you have almost lost pick up the one that has short smoke.”

He did so. When the man was opposite he took the one with the long smoke. During all that time he lost. After they had almost beaten him he took the pile with the light smoke. He took the djîl. [63]

At the time when he missed one of his father’s slaves laughed at him. “Hi hi hi hi hi, Sounding-gambling-sticks is beginning to lose his clam shells also. He is also beginning to lose his mats.” At this time he discovered his name, they say.

Then he handled the gambling sticks, and the stick on his right shoulder pulled out his djîl. [64] And the tobacco was too sweet for those watching him on either side who saw it to tell.

So [his opponent] missed, and when he had finished the counts ten points remained to him. They then again talked about what property they should stake. He staked both the clam shells and the mats, after which his opponent handled the sticks. Then he picked out the one with fine smoke first. He picked the djîl. Now he handled them in turn, and when he pulled the cedar bark apart he handed it to the stick with the figure of a young sea otter on it, which pulled out the djîl. He missed again. He was again left with ten points.

Then they again talked about what they should stake. When that was arranged, his opponent handled the sticks, and he again chose the pile with fine smoke. Again, he picked the djîl. And when he had again got through shuffling the sticks and pulling them apart he presented them to the stick on the right side, which pulled out his djîl. That also made ten counts for him.

Then he tried to win back the people of his father’s town. He won the five towns. And after those were all rewon, and he had won his mother, his sister, and his father, they started home. He won them back from Great-moving-cloud’s son, who had won them from him. This was the son of the one who owns the dog salmon, they say. [65]

This is the end.

This is related as having taken place at the Ninstints town of Sʟîndagwa-i, which was on the southwest coast of Moresby Island.

SÎNXĒ′GAÑO

Sounding-gambling-sticks

Nᴀñ g̣ō′ñg̣a ēʟꜝxagidā′hao sî′nhao la ʟ′g̣ołg̣akꜝusʟai′yañ wᴀnsū′ga. Giên gaatxᴀ′n g̣ō′ñg̣añ qꜝołg̣a′og̣a lᴀ taginā′ñg̣agoᴀʼda. “Hū⁺” Sîñg̣aʟ̣a′n skꜝiä′ł gañā′ñ lᴀ sū′ugᴀñasi.

Gaatxᴀ′n gī′nᴀ taqō′łdjuułas. Sʟꜝa-i sg̣un qeā′ñgagasi. Sa′gui l’ yä′nañʟ̣x̣ia′ñwas. Giên la xᴀ′nłag̣a lᴀ qꜝā′g̣oʟꜝxas. Gīnᴀgī′nᴀga gutg̣ᴀ′n î′sîs wā′sg̣oga-i ʟꜝ kî′lg̣ołg̣a qa′odi gu′tgi ʟꜝ wa′x̣idies, giên lᴀ ʟꜝ tcꜝī′gᴀs. Giên g̣ō′ʟ̣ag̣a î′sîñ lᴀ wa′gas. Lᴀ ʟꜝ tcꜝī′di qa′odihao g̣oñg̣ā′ñg̣a ginagī′nagaga-i lᴀ tcꜝī′daʟ̣g̣agᴀs. Giên qꜝołg̣awa′-i g̣ei î′sîñ ga sqā′dax̣i′dᴀsi giên ga-i ê′sîñ ha-ilua′-i ʟ̣ū dīdᴀx̣ū′stᴀ ga g̣ā′g̣eidas g̣e′istᴀ lᴀ ga wā′sg̣oas. Ga-i î′sîñ qa-îłha′-ilusi. Giên gū′stᴀ ga g̣ag̣odai′asi. Ga-i î′sîñ qa′-îłsi. L’ g̣ō′ñg̣a lanā′g̣a gu′tg̣a staʟe′iłdaiyañ wᴀnsū′ga. Ḷg̣a î′sîñ lᴀ ga g̣ā′g̣odasi. Ga-i ê′sîñ qa′-îłsi. Giên lnagā′-i staʟe′îłxᴀn lᴀ tcꜝidā′asi. Giên g̣ō′ñg̣añ at a′uñ at djā′asîñ lᴀ wā′sg̣oas. Giên ga-i î′sîñ qa′-îłsi.

Gañā′xᴀnhao ʟū ʟꜝ dag̣agā′ñas gī ʟꜝ ʟ̣′łgałdas giên gū′g̣a ʟꜝ qasā′­gias. Yä′nᴀñagᴀñ wᴀnsū′ga. Wai′giên daʟ′sdaiyasi giên kî′łgulqꜝa-i­dalsg̣ag̣ᴀ′ndixᴀn kîlga′o-usg̣asi.

Giên lnagā′-i gu la qā′⁺g̣oñgwañ qa′odi l’ g̣ō′ñg̣a tcꜝū dā′g̣agas lᴀ kîtx̣unᴀ′nsg̣as giên lᴀ la g̣ē′tg̣atsg̣adas. Giên sîn-qa′oda-i ᴀ′ñg̣a lᴀ tcꜝiłā′dag̣eiłsi giên kꜝu′x̣u lᴀ tꜝałgū′łs giên l’ ta′-iʟ̣gas.

Giên l’ ga-igā′gīgwā′⁺ñas. G̣ei lᴀ gi g̣ā′łdjūgᴀñgwā′ñas. Kꜝiä′ł lᴀ gi ʟ̣a′-iyas. Qa′odi gī′nᴀ l’ sū′udas “Dᴀñ tcî′ng̣a qō′niga-i dᴀñ qā′tcꜝi-xᴀ′lga.” Gī lᴀ qē′xaʟꜝxaiyasi. Gᴀm gī′nᴀ gut qꜝałg̣ā′g̣ᴀñᴀs. Sqᴀ′lg̣a sg̣u′nxᴀn lᴀ qe′iñasi. Łqea′ma qā′dji sg̣astî′ñ łg̣ēt l’ ga-i­g̣ā′dᴀsgîñ.

Giên î′sîñ tcag̣ᴀ′ñ l’ ᴀ′nskides giên î′sîñ gañā′ñ gī′nᴀ l’ sū-udas. Giên kꜝux̣ua′-i xᴀ′ñē g̣e′istᴀ lᴀ qîñqꜝo′łdaʟꜝxasi. Ga′gu sā′wasi ya′si lᴀ qîndiᴀg̣ᴀ′ndixᴀn ya′ʼxōdada kꜝū′da kꜝᴀ′tdjîʟꜝxaga′-i atguʟ̣ū′ “Dᴀñ tcî′ng̣a qō′niga-i dᴀñ qa′tcꜝixᴀlga.”

Giê′nhao sîn-qa′oda-i gi ᴀ′ñg̣a lᴀ xā′g̣atsi giên łqeā′maga-i qā′dji lᴀ gīdjig̣ī′łdasi giên gu lᴀ qā′gias. Gia′g̣ᴀñ qā′dji stîñ gut lᴀ qā′x̣iatꜝᴀłs. G̣ayuwa′-i g̣ei l’ ga′og̣aiya-i ʟ̣ū′hao lᴀ qea′ñañ wᴀnsū′gᴀñ.

Na-i qꜝe-ū′gi lᴀ giā′xaʟꜝxaga′-i ʟ̣ū l’ tcî′ng̣a l’ qā′djixałs. “Qā′tcꜝi łᴀ tꜝakꜝî′ng̣a. G̣ō′ñg̣añ lanā′g̣a dā tcꜝidag̣ā′sʟa atxᴀ′n dī goa′di agᴀ′ñ dā ga′-igīx̣idas dᴀ′ñat kꜝiîñā′gᴀn, tꜝakꜝî′ng̣a.” Giên lᴀ qatcꜝa′si giên lᴀ la ga tā′das. A′hao ʟg̣a l’ qa′-isalañ wᴀnsū′ga g̣ō′ñg̣añ lanā′g̣a lᴀ tcꜝī′dag̣asʟaiyes sta ᴀ.

Giên l’ ūgī′ga-i ʟ̣ū hᴀn lᴀ la sū′udas “Halᴀ′ kungida′-ig̣a kiä sînqꜝōłdjū′gᴀn gū′stᴀ dīgi ga taxā′ʟ.” Giên g̣a lᴀ qā′x̣ułsi giên sîn gu qꜝołdjā′wasi g̣e′istᴀ lᴀ ga gī′xaʟas. Giên gī′nᴀ adā′asi lᴀ la daogoᴀ′das giên łg̣ēt êsî′ñ lᴀ tꜝaxā′ʟ̣as. Giên ga-i gi î′sîñ lā′g̣a lᴀ goa′was. Giên hᴀn lᴀ la sū′udas “Akungida′-ig̣a hao l’ qꜝołdjū′gani.”

Giên gī′nᴀ łkꜝiä′na wa′ʟ̣uxᴀn lᴀ î′sdaiya′-i ʟ̣ū kungida′-ig̣a xō′ya­g̣ā′ng̣a łg̣a-i qꜝołdjā′was g̣e′istᴀ lᴀ ga gīxā′ʟas giên lᴀ gi lᴀ xā′sʟtcꜝas. Giên “Ga-i î′sîñ” lᴀ gi lᴀ sī′wus. Giên lā′g̣a sî′ng̣ᴀn lᴀ ʟ′g̣ołg̣asi giên lā′g̣a lᴀ g̣eiłgī′daga′-i ʟ̣ū lā′g̣a ga sqꜝa′stîñ lᴀ x̣ūtx̣u′ldas. Lᴀ la qō-dā′g̣añadas giên nᴀñ lᴀ sqetsg̣adja′o dā′g̣ᴀñadas. Giên sqa′ola-i g̣aʟe′ił la g̣ᴀn lᴀ qꜝalᴀnda′asi. Qwē′g̣ao dāg̣ᴀñā′gasi. Giên lgūs gīʟe′ił î′sîñ la g̣ᴀn la xa′-idas. Wa′sg̣oag̣a g̣ᴀ′nhao la g̣ᴀn lᴀ wa′daiyañ wᴀnsū′ga.

Giên hᴀn lᴀ la sū′udas “Ā′sistᴀ dᴀñ ł ga-ig̣ā′gix̣idagîn. Dᴀñ gi g̣āl sg̣oa′nsîñ g̣e′ił giên lnagā′-i xē′tgu dᴀñ ga-ig̣ā′sgît giên dᴀñ nᴀñ tcꜝigā′gᴀn gī lnagā′-i qꜝaxā′g̣a dā tꜝaqꜝołtcꜝa′og̣aʟꜝxāsañ.” Giên gul-mā′łga-i ê′sîñ lᴀ gi lᴀ î′sdas. “Dā sî′ndax̣ît waigiê′nᴀ nᴀñ qō­dā′g̣añas sg̣ō′lᴀgi sqalᴀ′ñgu dasqꜝā′sgidᴀñ. Sʟä′nagi î′sîñ nᴀñ sqetsg̣adja′o dā′g̣añas dasqꜝā′sgidᴀñ. Giên gu′tłg̣ᴀstᴀ dᴀñ gi ga g̣et­gadā′ña dᴀñ g̣ᴀn sîndag̣ō′dᴀña xē′łi g̣ei ła gu′lg̣aga-i gutg̣a′atg̣a î′sdañ. Giên dā îsdī′gutgaña g̣ᴀ′nstᴀ saog̣e′iga. Gula′-i mā′łga-i xa′ołg̣ada giên gᴀm g̣ᴀ′nstᴀ lᴀ sū′ug̣ᴀñg̣oasᴀñ.”

Lᴀ la kî′ñgugᴀñg̣e′iłgīga′-i ʟ̣ū g̣o′da x̣ᴀ′tdju lᴀ tcꜝî′sʟsg̣as giên lᴀ la dᴀñgū′sʟᴀʟeiłas. Giên sʟꜝî′ñg̣eistᴀ skiä′mskun tꜝa′g̣un g̣adā′ lᴀ tꜝa′ostas giên l’ xᴀ′ña ku′ng̣ei lᴀ gī′dax̣idᴀs giên g̣a lᴀ łg̣a′-iłgalasi. Giên lᴀ dᴀñtꜝa′osdaiyasi giên g̣ā′-iya tꜝa′odjiwᴀsi. Giên gut lᴀ sʟꜝʟa′si giên lᴀ ʟ̣î′nasi giên î′sîñ wa g̣ei lā′g̣a lᴀ gītcꜝa′si. Giên î′sîñ wᴀgañā′xᴀn g̣e′idᴀsi giên sku′nxag̣îłsi giên xᴀ′nłag̣a lanā′ ê′sîñ gañā′ñ la g̣a lᴀ î′sdas. Giên la ê′sîñ sku′nxag̣ela′-i ʟ̣ū l’ xē′łᴀg̣ei î′sîñ lᴀ gī′dax̣idᴀsi. Ga-i g̣e′istᴀ êsî′ñ tꜝᴀm lᴀ qꜝotꜝa′ogañas g̣ā′lᴀñodᴀ. Skiä′mskuna-i tꜝag̣u′n gi tcꜝā′łskidesi wᴀ dᴀ′ñat lᴀ dᴀñtꜝa′ostasi. L’ djā′sg̣a stꜝagwa′-i g̣a-iyā′gas lᴀ qea′ñas hao l’ xᴀ′ñē g̣a-i at stꜝaxog̣ā′­gañ wᴀnsū′ga. G̣aga′nhao lᴀ ʟꜝ tcꜝix̣idā′g̣ani.

Giên hᴀn î′sîñ lᴀ la kiñgugā′ñag̣ᴀn. “Lᴀ gi dā wa′aʟꜝxa giê′nᴀ nᴀñ g̣aiyawa′-i djîns djînłgoā′ñañ giê′nᴀ dᴀñ ga ʟstî′nda giê′nᴀ nᴀñ g̣ā′yawa-i kꜝuᴀ′nstcꜝiguñ.”

Ā′si gañā′xᴀn la wa′gasi. L’ xᴀ′nłag̣a lā′na î′sdisg̣aias giên nᴀñ g̣ayawa′-i djîns lᴀ djinłgoā′ñas. Kꜝiä′ł lᴀ g̣aʟ̣ā′gas. La ga ʟstîndawa′-i ʟ̣ū nᴀñ g̣ayawa′-i łtā′nᴀns lᴀ tcꜝī′igᴀs. Djila′-i lᴀ tcꜝī′gᴀsi.

L’ g̣aʟ̣ō′dias ʟ̣ū′hao l’ g̣ō′ñg̣a qꜝołg̣ā′wag̣alᴀñ sg̣oa′na la g̣ᴀn kꜝᴀga′ñ wᴀnsū′ga. “Hi hi hi hi hi Sînxē′gᴀño sqa′oala-i î′sîñ lᴀ tcꜝī′dax̣idiañ. Lgudja′-i î′sîñ lᴀ tcꜝīdax̣idia′ñ.” A′hao ʟ kīg̣ā′ñ lᴀ gwā′lᴀñ wᴀnsū′us ī′djî.

Giên la ê′sîñ îsdī′gᴀs giên djila′-i sg̣ō′lagi lā′na gi lā′g̣a djila′-i lᴀ dᴀñsqꜝasta′si. Giên gutłg̣ᴀ′stᴀ la g̣ᴀn ga sîndag̣ō′dᴀñagas la ga qe′iñᴀsi g̣ᴀ′nstᴀ saog̣e′ig̣a gula′-i xa′ołg̣atsi.

Giên l’ xaʟ̣g̣ā′das giên tcꜝiwa′-i lᴀ gī′gas giên sila′-ig̣ei lᴀ gui ʟa′ałs. Giên î′sîñ gwā′sgaoga-i l’ kî′lg̣ołg̣asi. Sqa′oala-i at lgudja′-i dᴀ′ñat xᴀn lᴀ wasg̣oa′si. Giên g̣eiłgīga′-i ʟ̣ū l’ xᴀ′nłag̣a ʟꜝ îsdī′gus. Giên nag̣astᴀgā′ñxᴀn nᴀñ g̣aiyawa′-i łtā′nᴀns lᴀ tcꜝī′sg̣a. Djila′-i lᴀ tcꜝī. Giên la ê′sîñ îsdī′s giên lᴀ ʟqᴀ′nskîtgīga-i ʟ̣ū nᴀñ sqetsg̣adja′o dā′g̣añas gī lᴀ dakꜝō′djîłsi giên djila′-i lᴀ dᴀ′ñsqꜝastas. Giên î′sîñ l’ xaʟ̣gā′dᴀs. Î′sîñ lᴀ gui ʟa′ał.

Giên î′sîñ wa′sg̣oga-i kîlg̣ołg̣ā′si. G̣eiłgī′ga-i ʟ̣ū î′sîñ l’ xᴀ′ñłaga ʟꜝ î′sdī giên î′sîñ nᴀñ g̣aiyawa′-i łtā′⁺nᴀns lᴀ tcꜝī′gᴀs. Djila′-i î′sîñ lᴀ tcꜝī. Giên î′sîñ lᴀ ʟꜝ qᴀ′nskîtgī′ga-i ʟ̣ū sg̣ō′lᴀgi lā′na gi lᴀ daqō′djîʟ giên djila′-i lā′g̣a lᴀ dᴀ′ñsqꜝastasi. Ga-i î′sîñ lᴀ gui ʟa′ałsi.

Giên g̣ō′ñg̣añ lanā′g̣a xa′-idᴀg̣a-i î′sîñ lᴀ djî′nłgoañᴀs. Lnagā′-i staʟe′ił lᴀ tcꜝis. Giên ʟꜝg̣aga′-i ʟ̣ū a-u′ñ at djā′āsîñ at g̣ō′ñg̣añ lᴀ tcꜝî′sgîna-i ʟ̣ū ʟꜝ qasagai′yañ wᴀnsū′ga. “Qwē′ig̣aqons” gī′tg̣a hao l’ tcꜝix̣ida′shao lᴀ tcꜝîskiä′nañ wᴀnsū′ga. Sqa′gi nᴀñ dā′g̣as gī′tg̣a hao īdja′ñ wᴀnsū′ga.

Hao ʟan l’ g̣e′ida.

TCꜝAAWU′NKꜝA

[Told by Jimmy Sterling of the Stᴀ′stas family]

After the parents of a certain child, which was in the cradle, had gone about for a while with him they landed to get mussels. There they forgot about him. And they started away. When they had gone some distance from him they remembered him. They came back toward him. When they came near they heard some one singing for him. Crows sat above him in flocks. And when they got off to get him he acted in the cradle like a shaman. They took him aboard. Then his parents came to the town with him.

After some time had passed and he had grown to be a boy people began to die off on account of him. But his elder brothers and his uncles were numerous. His uncles’ wives did not love him. Only the wife of the youngest gave him food. His old grandmother was the only one who looked after him. After they had been in the town for a while, and his friends were entirely gone, he and his grandmother made a house out of old cedar bark by a creek flowing down near the town. And he went there with his grandmother to live.

Afterward he went to the town, and the wife of his youngest uncle gave him food. When he grew old enough he hunted birds. All the time they lived there his grandmother got food for him. And he also made a bow for himself. He continually hunted birds. He continually whittled.

After he had hunted birds for a while he saw a heron sitting with a broken beak. He told his grandmother about it. And his grandmother said to him: “When you again see it sharpen its bill. When people sharpen its bill it helps them, they say.” [66] When he again saw it he sharpened its bill. And after he started away and had gone some distance it said to him: “I will help you, grandchild.”

After that his grandmother began to teach him how to make deadfalls. [67] And then he began to set them at the head of the creek for black bears. They ceased to see him at the town. Sometimes he went to the town, received food from his youngest uncle’s wife alone, and started off with it. They refused to have him at the town. There was no house into which he could go. His youngest uncle’s wife gave him food because they refused to have him. He kept going there.

After he had set deadfalls for a while one fell on a black bear. He carried it to the house. He did not waste the smallest bit of its fat. He smoked it and ate it. At this time they began to live well for the first time. As he became stronger he increased the number of his deadfalls. Now he again went to get [bears], and he killed another. He did not waste the smallest piece of the fat of that other one. And they also enlarged the house. He smoked the meat in it. He also put meat into boxes [to keep it]. Now he began [regularly] to get bears. Every time he went to look at his deadfalls bears lay in them. They lay in all ten deadfalls. They then made their house bigger.

When it was thought that they were dead of starvation his youngest uncle’s wife had them go to look, because she thought that they had died. Instead, his house was full of fat food. And the one she sent to look came back and told her how he was situated. They then kept it secret.

One night, after they had lived there for a while, his grandmother, having remained awake, thought that her son was acting like a shaman. She did not ask her son about it on the morrow. All this time he took black bears from the deadfalls. Another time, when his grandmother lay awake at midnight, her son again acted like a shaman. At this time he started off with the end [of an unseen rope]. After some time had passed he again acted like a shaman at midnight. His grandmother also perceived that. During all that time his grandmother did not question him. After he had acted like a shaman for a while Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa named himself through him. They had forgotten that he had acted like a shaman at the time when they abandoned him in the cradle. It now happened again. Now Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa mentioned his name through him.

In the morning his grandmother questioned him for the first time. His grandmother then asked him: “Tell me, child, why did one whose name the supernatural beings never [dare to] think of mention his name through you?” Then he explained to his grandmother: “I began dreaming about him at the time when I sharpened the heron’s bill. On account of him it is easy for me to gather things.” This was the reason why his friends were gone. When Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa speaks through one his friends die, they say.

His grandmother then made him a dancing skirt out of an old mat. She took off the edge on one side and fastened something to it. [68] She also made a shaman’s bone for him. In the evening he performed like a shaman. His grandmother led the songs for him. She sang for him. Now he began to perform regularly. At this time people began to come secretly from the town to look at him. But he still concealed their condition as much as possible. They did not know how the inside of his house looked.

At that time food had begun to give out at the town. They were starving there. He then began to give food in return to the wife of his youngest uncle who had given him food. They came thus to know about him.

Then a chief’s son became sick in the town, and they began to get shamans for him. In the evening they began to dance around him. He who was going to be Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa heard the noise of the drum and went over. He then looked into the place where they were performing. He saw that he could be saved. The thing that caused his sickness was plain to his eyes. But those who were performing around him did not see it. They were unable to save him. During all that time he was acting like a shaman in the place where he lived.

After some time had passed he sent his grandmother. He sent over his grandmother to say that he would try to cure the sick man, but when she repeated it (his words) to them they thought he could do nothing. They even laughed at him. Those who had stolen a look at him while he acted like a shaman then told the people about it. They said they had better get him, and they got him.

As he was about to start he dressed himself in his own house. He wore the shaman’s dancing skirt and the shaman’s bone that his grandmother had made for him. He then started thither. He came through the doorway performing like a shaman. Now he started to perform around the sick man. And he saved the sick man. At this time he ceased to try to hide himself. He came to the town. When he was there they began buying the meat of him. And he got a great deal of property in exchange, and the property that he received for being called to the sick was also much. At this time he grew prosperous. He began to provide in turn for the one who had given him food. During all this time they employed him as shaman. The fame of him spread everywhere.

After some time had passed he saw that the Land-otter people were coming to get him. During all that time he drank sea water. He had many nephews. As soon as he saw that they were coming to get him he asked his nephews which of them would go with him. He began at once to collect urine. He also put blue hellebore into it.

Before this, [69] whenever many shamans were gathered together, they made fun of him. Afterward, he had his nephews sink him in the ocean. They went out to let him down. And they let him down. They tied a rope to him, and they floated above him for a long space of time. They were right over the deep place waiting for him to jerk the rope. By and by, when he jerked the rope, they pulled him up. At this time he saw the bottom of the Tlingits’ island. He was under water there for many nights. He saw of the shamans’ houses, the one that lay deepest. At this time he came to have more shamanistic power.

When he came back from this [adventure] he saw that the Land-otter people were coming to get him. Thereupon he asked of his nephews which one would go with him. They tried to get ahead of one another. “I am the one who will go with you,” each said to him. The very youngest, who was good for nothing, was always near the door. He used to urinate in bed. “I will go,” he said. But his elder brothers laughed at him. After some time had passed they came after him. At midnight they came by sea and got him. He told his nephews that they were coming to get him that night, and he told all of his nephews to keep a sharp lookout. “Let the one who thinks of going with me remain awake. They will come to get me to-night.” Now the one that urinated in bed slept near the door.

There was the picture of a mallard on the rattle that he owned. He had it made for himself when he became a shaman. On this night they came and got him.

They came in and took him out. He was unable to awaken his nephews. The Land-otter people placed sleep [70] upon them. But when he tried to awaken the worthless one, he awoke him. And Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa took him by the arm. They got him for the son of the chief among the Land-otter people who was sick. It was the Land-otter people who put his nephews to sleep. From the youngest only they could not pull away [the soul].

He now took his drum and the urine he had let rot, and they started off with him. They had him lie on his face in the bottom of the canoe. They did the same thing to his nephew. After they had gone along for some time they said that the bottom of the canoe had become foul, and they landed to clean it. This meant that their fur had become wet. The cleaning of the canoe was done by their twisting about. They then got in again, put them on the bottom, and started off. After they had gone along for a while longer something touched their heads. This, they felt, was the kelp under which [the otters] were diving with them. After they had gone along for a while longer they said that they were near the town.

They then took the coverings off them. When they came in front of the town sparks were coming out of the house standing in the middle. A large crowd of people waiting in that house also made a huge volume of sound. Landing, they said to him: “Get off, Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa.” Now he got off with the rattle which had the picture of a mallard on it and let it walk up in front of him. When it went up before him it entered a different house from the one where the crowd of people awaited him, and he entered after it. And he held his nephew tightly. They said then that they were glad to have him. “Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa,” they said of him, “truly he is a shaman.” In this one lay the person for whom they had brought him, but they waited in a crowd for him in a different one. This was the way in which they tested him to see how much power he had.

When he entered he saw many shamans gathered in the house. He plainly saw a bone spear on the surface of the body of the sick man. Just before this some persons had gone hunting from the town where Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa lived. They speared a white land otter with a bone spear. The creature that carried it away in him was sick here. Then he tried to cure him. Now he had given the following directions to his nephew: “Even if they push you away from the drum hung on the side toward the door, make motions with your head in that direction. It will still sound.” And he also thought, “I wonder what will sing for me.” In the front part of the house were always two persons with big bellies and black skins. These said to him as follows: “They know about it, great shaman. They will sing for you.”

He began at once to act like a shaman. After he had danced round the fire for a while he pulled out the spear, and [the sick otter] stopped moaning. After he had again acted for a while he pushed it back into the same place. They were anxious to see him when he acted like a shaman, hence the house was full. They pushed him (his nephew) from the drum, and even then he used his head to beat it. The drum still sounded. At that time they said good things about him: “Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa, great shaman, Tcꜝaawu′nkꜝa.” He now stopped performing.