Supplement: Three War Tales

(1) Fights between the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts and the G·it-dzī’°s

In the great tales of the olden times some very sad things occurred, and some that were funny.

There were two tribes -the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts and the G·it-dzī’°s—and these tribes were very expert warriors. In olden times it was customary for a great chief to take a princess from each tribe to be his wife. Some had as many as sixteen or eighteen wives.

So it was with Chief Dzēba’sa. He had many wives. His first wife’s name was G̣an-dᴇ-ma’xł, a princess of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts; and his second wife was called Ndzē°dz-yu-wa-xsā’ntk. She was a G·it-dzī’°s princess. He had many other wives besides these, but the names of these two great women were perpetuated through all generations. G̣an-dᴇ-ma’xł was seated at the right-hand side of Dzēba’sa; and the other one, Ndzē°dz-y u-wa-xsā’ntk, was seated at his left-hand side; and many women were at the side of G̣an-dᴇ-ma’xł; and so it was with the other princess, Ndzē°dz-yū-wa-xsā’ntk.

The first wife of Chief Dzēba’sa had three children. Her eldest son’s name was Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x; the second son’s name was Xbī-yē’lk; and her daughters’ names were Nēs-pdī’°ks, Wī-n!ē’°x, Lu-xsmâks.

The eldest son of Dzēba’sa’s second wife was Gainâ: her second son was Gagayam n!ē’°x: her third son, Gaugā’*t; and her youngest. son, Wī-gwinā’°t; and they had one daughter, whose names were Bᴇlham n!ē’°x (Abalone Fin), Wa-nagâ, and Dzī’ek.

When these children were grown up to be men and women, the old chief Nēs-balas of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts died: and the elder son of Dzēba’sa’s first wife, G̣an-dᴇ-ma’xł, succeeded his great old grandfather, whose name was Nēs-balas. Before he became the new chief of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts, his father made him great among his fellow-chiefs as well as among all his brothers and sisters of his house. Therefore all the tribes of the Tsimshian honored him, and his name was famous all along the coast. Then when his own tribe took him, they held all kinds of dances and gave many feasts every year. He was greatly honored by the Tsimshian. He had many costly coppers, many slaves, and many large canoes from different tribes, expensive garments, dance-garments, garments made of sea otter, black fox, marten, and wolverene: and his wife had many kinds of provisions. His own brother, Xbī-yē’lk, still loved him.

The eldest son of Dzēba’sa’s second wife succeeded to his uncle’s name, Txa-dzī’°kik; and before he went to his own tribe his father the great chief made dances in his honor, but two less than for his eldest son, because the great chief said that he was his second son. Therefore the young man was angry with his father; so he left his father and went to his own tribe, who gladly received him. He invited his own brave men to his house, and he said to them, “I” want to let you know what is in my mind. I will slay Nēs-balas because he is highly honored by all the Tsimshian tribes; and my father the great chief also honors and loves him most. Te called me his second son.”

Then all the people were silent; and one of the wise men said, “No, if you slay him, then all the tribes will be against us, and our tribe will be destroyed in war,” and all the brave men said the same. Nevertheless this young man was not friendly to his brother. Therefore he made a great feast, to which he invited all the Tsimshian tribes; and he said to all his guests that he would be the first to be called at every chief’s great feast; and he gave away many costly coppers, slaves, canoes, elk skins, and all kinds of property.

After he had given this great feast in midwinter, his great father made a greater feast, and invited all the tribes, also the neighbors of the Tsimshian; and he gave away much property, expensive coppers, large canoes, slaves, elk skins, a great number of oil-boxes, pairs of abalone ear-ornaments, and a great many horn spoons; and the great chief announced that his name should be the first to be called in the chief’s feasts; and he took one of his expensive coppers, and some one lifted Nēs-balas, and they took the copper from him and placed it before him.

Then his younger brother, Chief Txa-dzī’°kik, ran out during the feast, where all the chiefs of the Tsimshian and of the other tribes were assembled. These were the G·it!ama’t, G·it-lâ’°p, and the Bellabella tribes and others. When they had all received their presents from the great chief Dzēba’sa, every chief of the tribe was glad to have his valuable presents.

Only one chief, Txa-dzī’°kik, had run out full of wrath. His people took Ms canoe, and they went back to his own house. Now they were ready to fight with his elder brother. Therefore, when all the tribes were returning to their own homes, Txa-dzī’°kik sent his two canoes full of warriors, and lay in wait at a little bay on the way; and while the other canoes were passing by, these two large canoes lay hiding in the little bay. After all the other canoes had passed, and they had waited for a long time, at last two large canoes loaded with all kinds of property came along slowly. The people were singing as they were coming along. At that time a chief would always be ready to put on his armor. The chief was seated on a box in the center of his large canoe. and he was looking all around; and as soon as he saw the two canoes coming toward them, Nēs-balas took up his bow and arrow. When he saw his brother standing in one of the large canoes, he asked him, -* What de you mean that you are coming against me!” Txa-dzī’°kik answered. ‘I come against. you in order to Mil you right here.”—“For what reason /”==” Because my father has honored you more than me, therefore I will slay you.” As he was saying this, Nēs-balas shot his arrow. and the arrow entered Txa-dzī’°kik’s left eye, so that he fell back in his canoe; and all Nēs-balas’s warriors did their best shooting the warriors of Txa-dzī’°kik. The people in one of the latter’s large canoes were all killed, and many of his men were wounded. One of Nēs-balas’s first wives was Killed. Txa-dzī’°kik’/°*kik’s men fled.

His was the beginning of the war between these two brothers, the sons of one man. One year after the fight, on their way home, Txa-dzī’°kik died, and his younger brother, Gainâ, succeeded him and took his name.

He invited all the chiefs of all the tribes, and he made a great feast in order to make himself great: but the Tsimshian chiefs would not come to his great feast because he had not invited Nēs-balas first. Therefore all the Tsimshian chiefs were not present at this great feast. His made him even more sad; for the chiefs of all the Tsimshian tribes loved Nēs-balas more than him, because Nēs-balas used to give great feasts and was very kind to all his fellow-chiefs and to everybody. Therefore they loved him. They said that he was a real prince because he loved the poor and honored his fellow-chiefs. Every day some of the hunters of the Tsimshian tribes would bring him fresh meat, and in return the chief gave them valuable garments. He was also often invited by the chiefs of the various tribes. Therefore he was much favored in the eyes of all the people.

One day a canoe arrived in front of Nēs-balas’s village with a message from Txa-dzī’°kik, who invited Nēs-balas. The latter sent out one of his warriors to say that he would not go to their master’s feast unless he would send to every Tsimshian tribe and strew feathers on every chiefs head. Therefore Txa-dzī’°kik’s men went and told their master what Chief Nēs-balas had said. They went back and told him what his elder brother had said. Then Txa-dzī’°kik said that he would kill him. so they set out secretly at night to ambush him. At midnight they arrived at the village.

The same night hunters who had been out in two canoes were In Nēs-balas’s house: and late at night, while these who were waiting t kill the chief were at the foot of the ladder leading Up to the chief’s house, the hunters caught them. They took hold of the young man, Chief Txa-dzī’°kik. They asked the new chief what he was doing there, and he told them that he intended to slay the great Nēs-balas. Therefore they took him into the house of their chief, and they told Nēs-balas what he had said. Then the great chief told them to take the men outside and to bring in their heads. The hunters obeyed. They slew them outside and brought in their heads. Then they put each body on a pole, and hung their heads in the smoke hole. They took their canoe and put it up stern downward.

Then all the tribes learned that the men who sought the life of the great chief Nēs-balas had been killed, and war broke cut between them. The G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts killed the three brothers, Gagayam n!ē’°x, Gainâ’, and Gaugā’°ł. Only one boy remained alive. His name was Wi-gwinā’*t.

At this time the great chief Dzēba’sa had died in his old age, and G̣an-dᴇ-ma’xł also died, and Dzēba’sa’s nephew succeeded to his place. Nēs-balas’s sister took her mother’s name, G̣an-dᴇ-ma’xł, and the youngest brother of the three princes that were slain succeeded Txa-dzī’°kik.

Then Chief Nēs-balas made a great feast for the chiefs of all the Tsimshian tribes, and announced that his sister would take her mother’s name.

She was a great dancer, and had a new song. These are the words of her song:

His meant that they would not have any more fighting between the brothers; and they invited all the noble women; and the mother of the three brothers who had been killed was present at the feast. She heard the words of the song, and took a little comfort because she knew now that her last son would not be slain.

After some time the young chief went with four companions in his canoe to hunt ducks around the Island of Metlakahtla. His young man was Txa-dzī’°kik. He intended to kill Nēs-balas; but he could not do it, because Nēs-balas had many friends who watched over him and protected him. The boy’s heart was not right toward him.

After a while Nēs-balas became sick, and it was not many days before he died. Then all the Tsimshian tribes lamented, but the tribe of Txa-dzī’°kik was happy. Their young chief invited the young men to have a game in his house every night, and they had a good time, shouting and laughing because the great chief Nēs-balas had died. Many days had passed after the mourning of the tribes. The younger brother of Nēs-balas, Xbī-yē’Ik, succeeded to his place. He also took the name Nēs-balas, gave a great feast, and invited all the chiefs of every tribe.

Before all the chiefs had come to his feast, some one told the new chief Nēs-balas that Txa-dzī’°kik’s tribe were making merry in his house, and that they were full of joy every night, and that they mocked the great chief Nēs-balas; and all the wise men of Nēs-balas assembled, and decided to kill the young chief while they were feasting. Others, however, said that they would kill him after the feast, in order to avoid an uproar if this should be done while all the people were assembled at the feast. Therefore they waited until the feast was over.

The new chief Nēs-balas was kind, like his elder brother, and soon all the chiefs were very friendly toward him. The day after the feast, when all the chiefs had gone home, a large canoe was seen passing through the Straits of Metlakahtla. The people in the canoe were singing, and stopped in front of Nēs-balas’s village in order to invite him to Txa-dzī’°kik’s house. Then the whole tribe of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts went. Txa-dzī’°kik mocked the new chief when he was coming to the feast.

After this feast to Nēs-balas and his people, the chief Guł-qā’q of the G·it!andâ’ invited Txa-dzī’°kik and also Nēs-balas to his house. Nēs-balas came as soon as he could, and they waited a long while. Then Nēs-balas said to his nephew, “I will go home,’ and they went out just when Txa-dzī’°kik’s canoe was coming. Nēs-balas’s people were going back, and they met near Ghost Island (Lax-ha-l!itla’ bᴇbā’lx); and Txa-dzī’°kik’s men said to Nēs-balas, “Did you come against us, you coward chief?’ and not a word was said by Nēs-balas’s men. They went away laughing. Then Nēs-balas’s warriors took six canoes and went back the same night to lie in wait for Txa-dzī’°kik near Ghost Island. When it was nearly midnight and the moon was shining, a canoe-song was heard proceeding from the village of Guł-qā’q, and some words in their song were “coward chief;” and as they passed the place where the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts’°twere waiting, Chief Txa-dzī’°kik being seated on a large box in his canoe, one of Nēs-balas’s warriors shot him through the temple, and he fell back into the water. Then the six canoes pursued them on the way back to their home. Nēs-balas’s men cut off the head of Txa-dzī’°kik, and they hung his body on a tree.

On the following morning a great number of canoes of Txa-dzī’°kik’lak’s tribe came to make war, because their master’s head was in Nēs-balas’s house; and there was a great battle on that day between the tribes of these two brothers, and Txa-dzī’°kik’s people were driven to flight that day. There was a great slaughter of Txa-dzī’°kik’s men.

Txa-dzī’°kik’*lak’s old mother was weeping, walking along the street; and she said, “My son, my only son left to me, made a mistake, for they said in their song that good weather would follow the dark storm-clouds;” and as she was weeping bitterly, she died of a broken heart, because her three sons had been slain, and her last son’s head was in the house of Nēs-balas.

Many years passed, and the two chiefs still hated each other. Many chiefs who had these two names did the same; but [ I do not want to talk too long. I [will make it short. Now, this will be the last dreadful war.

The new Dzēba’sa had five sons and three daughters. The eldest. son was Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x; the second, Wowō’lk; the third, Bᴇlha’; the fourth, Xbī-yē’lk; the fifth, ais. The girls’ names were as follows: the eldest was Mâxs: the second, Wī-n!ē’°x; the third, Pdâ’łᴇm ha’yêtsk. These princes and princesses were honored by all the tribes of the Tsimshian.

There were other princes and a princess, the children of Chief Sā°ks[1] and of his wife Ndzē°dz-ha’utk, the sister of Ndzéedz-yvu-waxsf’ntk. She had three sons and one daughter. The name of her eldest son was Haimas; the second, Wī-hā’°?; the third, Wī-gwinā’°t; and the name of her daughter was Dzagam-txa-n!ē’°x. They were of the same rank as Dzēba’sa’s children, and Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x sueceeded to Nēs-balas; and Haimas succeeded Txa-dzī’°kik, but he did not take his name, because his head was in the house of another clan. Therefore his father gave him the name Haimas.

He assembled all the members of the Raven Clan from all the Tsimshian tribes while his father the great chief Sā°ks was still alive, and they settled on the island Lax-gaya’un, and they gave the name Wuts!ᴇn-ā‘luk to the new village which was given to him by his father.

There are many wonderful stories about this chief Haimas, but I will make it short. All the people of Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk were very brave—men, women, and children—for their chiefs were very brave men; so they taught their people to be brave, as they themselves were. So it was with Nēs-balas and all his brothers. His people were also brave, and they continued to hate one another. Haimas tried to beat Nēs-balas in every way and to be above him; but he could not succeed, because Nēs-balas was very kind to all the Tsimshian tribes, and they loved him much. Nēs-balas had many slaves,— men, women, and children,—costly coppers, and elk skins, and all kinds of expensive garments. He had many wives. He had also many brave warriors.

Haimas was married to a young woman, the elder daughter of Nēs-y!aga-nē’t, the niece of Nēs-balas; and the elder daughter of Mâxs, the sister of Nēs-balas. Haimas loved this princess, his wife, very much, but he continued to hate his wife’s uncle. Haimas had many slaves,—men, women, and children,—expensive coppers, large

canoes, and many expensive garments, and also expensive things. He had many large boxes full of war-knives with handles inlaid with abalone shell and handles carved with crests; and he always went to the Tlingit country to make war, and he took many captives and destroyed a great amount of property of different tribes all around the Tsimshians. His fame was spread all over the country round about; and his heart was proud, because he always vanquished all his enemies.

Yet he clung to his purpose to take revenge on the enemy of his dead relatives.

One time, when the people were ready to move to Nass River, Nēs-balas moved first, according to their old custom. He had two large canoes loaded with all Kinds of provisions, and many men slaves. The great chief took a good-sized canoe. Four warriors accompanied him, and six slaves paddled. They camped at a certain camping-ground, and built a special house for the chief’s camp. They put up his large beam which they carried in the large canoe, put boards against it, and covered them with red-cedar bark. After the house was finished, he invited the chiefs, and they came to his camp.

Haimas and all the people camped a little behind Nēs-balas’s camp; and the latter sent a message to him to invite him and all his people. They came as soon as possible; and when they were all in, Haimas looked around, and noticed how large the beam of Nēs-balas’s camp was, and he was envious when he saw it.

After this they went up to Nass River. Haimas’s canoe was faster than Nēs-balas’s canoe, and he camped first at K-numā’s. His men put up his camping-hut; and when Nēs-balas arrived, Haimas sent his men to invite him as well as all the other tribes. Nēs-balas looked around in Haimas’s house, and he saw that the beam was thicker than his own beam. After Haimas had danced his welcome dance, the food was served; and Nēs-balas’s slaves built: their master’s camping-hut, and Nēs-balas’s beam was longer than Haimas’s.

On the following morning Haimas moved, for he was ashamed because his beam was shorter than Nēs-balas’s beam. Nēs-balas moved on the same day. His men took down the long beam and put it. on top of the load in the canoe. Haimas took down his beam and put it on top of the load in his large canoe; and as soon as they started out to sea, the heavy timber rolled down on one side of the canoe, and the canoe capsized, and Chief Haimas’s wives were almost. drowned. Then Haimas was much ashamed because Nēs-balas had seen how his canoe was capsized by his own beam.

Nēs-balas next camped at K-wâms. There he had his men cut down a thick tall voung spruce tree to build his camping-house, They put on the boards and the bark roof, and on the following morning he moved. He left his new green spruce beam. Soon Chief Haimas arrived at the same place. They took his boards up first and tried to put. them across the place, but they were entirely too short.

Then he thought that he would kill Nēs-balas during the fishing-season; and when all the people had arrived at Nass River, and while during the fishing-season they were using their fish rakes to catch fish, Hlaimas’s sister, Dzagam-txa-n!ē’°x, was very ill. She was a beautiful woman, and one of the Tlingit chiefs had married her. She had left him because he had many wives, and they had bewitched her. Therefore her digestion was disturbed. Therefore Haimas put her alone in one place. In the night four men who had been out in a canoe came secretly and looked through a knot-hole; and they saw that) Dzagam-txa-n!ē’°x’s bowels were disturbed, and the young men were laughing. They went away secretly in their canoe, went among those who were raking in fish; and while they were there one of them said, ‘Oh, Dzagam-txa-n!ē’°x’s bowels are disturbed!” So all those who were raking fish shouted, ‘Oh, Dzagam-txa-n!ē’°x’s bowels are disturbed!”

Then the proud chief was very much ashamed. He wanted to find out who had started to mock his sister, Dzagam-txa-n!ē’°x. They said that Nēs-balas’s people had done so. Therefore he invited his whole tribe—men, women, and children. He made a very large fire; and he said to his attendants, “Dress my sister nicely. Take my best dancing-blanket and my costly headdress set with abalone shells!” and all his attendants did what he had said. Then he said, “Now take one of my good wide boards and let her sit on it!’ and his attendants did as he had asked them to do. They took the plank on which the princess was sitting, and burned her alive in the large fire. Then he said, “Nobody shall weep for her.’ And when the princess was consumed, he spat into the fire, and said, “As I destroyed my poor sister, thus I will destroy Nēs-balas and all his warriors and all his brothers.” Then all his people agreed.

On the following day they dug a long wide deep ditch inside the door of his house, right across it; and when they had finished the ditch, they sent a messenger to Nēs-balas and to his warriors and all the princes. Before it was dark, in the evening, Nēs-balas came with all his people and his brothers and the princes of his tribe. They arrived in front of Haimas’s large square house; and before they came ashore, the people of Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk went forth and had a dance on the seashore. Each of the warriors of the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk had a war-knife in his right hand. After they had danced a while, they called them ashore; and the brother-in-law of Nēs-wa-mâ’k, the second chief of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts, came down and called this man to his own house, in order to protect him against harm.

The people in the house were singing, beating drums, blowing whistles, and there was an uproar in the chief’s house. Two grizzly-bear skins were hung up at the door one outside, and the other one inside. Two of Haimas’s warriors stood outside of the door, and two others inside. The two men outside would lift the grizzly-bear skin, and those who stood inside had each a war-club in his hand; and when the great chief Nēs-balas came in first, these two men who lifted the grizzly-bear skin outside shouted, “Now the great chief goes in!’” Then, as he went in, they dropped the grizzly-bear skin behind him, and those who stood inside lifted the other skin which was hung up inside; and as the great chief’s head passed through the door, they clubbed him, killed him, and threw his body into the deep ditch which they had prepared. His was done to all the princes and warriors; and when the ditch was full of dead bodies of Nēs-balas and his princes and his warriors, the last man, whose name was Gik, heard groans through the uproar that was in the house. He ran away, and arrived among Guł-qā’q’s remaining people. They took their canoe and went to Nēs-balas’s people to bring the news. He said that he had come from Haimas’s feast, that he had shut the door of his feasting-house, and that he had destroyed all the chief’s princes and warriors. He said, “I am the only one who has escaped.”

Therefore all the tribes assembled—the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts, G·it!andâ/, G·id-wul-ksᴇ-bā’?, and the G·i-lu-dzā’r. And they went against the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk, and there was a great battle on that day; but the people from up the river fled before the tribe of Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk, because no warrior was left among them, and they had no chief to command them in battle. Few of the Wuts ᴇn-ā’luk were killed, but many of the people from up river were slain, and many were wounded. The battle raged for many days.

Then all the people of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts were in mourning because they had no chief, only Nēs-wa-mâ’k. Nobody would go to him, because he had not rescued any of Nēs-balas’s family. Therefore the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts would not go to him.

Three days after the battle Chief Haimas came with four large canoes loaded with his warriors. They stopped in front of Nēs-balas’s fishing-camp, singing in their canoes, and happy because they had gained a great victory over their enemies. Therefore they mocked them; and as they arrived in front of Nēs-balas’s camp, they stopped there; and one of Haimas’s men said, “Who will come to my great chief, Chief Haimas, for he has won a great victory over his ancestors’ enemy? Who will stand up against him? All the tribes that made war against him are his slaves and in his power.”

Then one of Nēs-balas’s nephews, the eldest son of Wī-n!ē’°x, the chief wife of the new Dzēba’sa, the boy named Hats ᴇks-n!ē’°x, who was about ten years of age, was lifted up by one of Nēs-balas’s warriors, and said, “I shall stand up against Haimas. Don’t speak proudly before me!” Then Haimas laughed at the little boy, and his men took ten of the late Nēs-balas’s people who were captured in the battle a few days before, and cut off their heads right before the eneintes’ eves. Then they threw them into the water. Therefore [Laimas’s people were shouting; and Haimas took one of his costly coppers and threw it on the water, shouting, “Now, child, come, and let us throw away valuable coppers!”

Then all the Tsimshian tribes assembled at this place to see who would win, Therefore the remaining G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts shouted, and one strong man represented the young prince. He took down a very large expensive copper and threw it down on the beach, and said, “It costs four small Tlingit coppers.” Then the people in the canoe shouted, and [faimas took a copper much larger than that of Prince Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x. He threw it on the water, and said, “His copper is larger than yours:” and while the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts were waiting a while, all the Tsimshians were shouting and laughing and clapping their hands, and they said, “Haimas’s” valuable copper is swimming on the water! Behold, that wooden copper is floating on the water!”

Then the young prince threw away another valuable copper, and said, “Et is worth many mountains full of wooden coppers.’ He said this in order to mock the great chief Haimas. Then all the Tsimshian were glad to see that Prince Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x had beaten Haimas. The value of two great coppers were not paid back by the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk to the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts until this day. Therefore the chiefs of all the Tsimshian tribes encouraged the G:i-spa-x-la’°ts.

Now, Haimas was wandering about in the country to hide somewhere, because he was afraid of his enemies, and because he was ashamed that his wooden copper that was like a copper was floating on the water in front of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts’s camp on Nass River, The whole tribe of Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk went with their proud master.

In the following winter the Gi-spa-x-la’°ts gathered together all the princes and princesses of the family of Nēs-balas—three boys and two girls, the children of the great chief Dzēba’sa; and two boys, the children of Nēs-lō’°s, the great chief of the G·idzᴇxlā tribe; and also two girls. Other princes were the children of the great chief Gâdunahā’°? of Tongass, three boys, and three girls, very beautiful princesses; and six boys and three girls, the children of the great chief Nēs-y !aga-nē’t, the uncle of Chief Haimas. His was the father of Nēs-balas’s niece, the wife of Chief Haimas and many others were the children of several chiefs from all the tribes.

In that winter, while the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts gave a great feast to all the tribes, they took all their princes and princesses and gave them all the princes’ and princesses’ names. The eldest son of Dzēba’sa, Hats ᴇks-n!ē’ex, succeeded Nēs-balas, and the fathers of these princes and princesses helped in the great feast given in honor of their children. His feast ended after fourteen days. Many coppers were given away, many slaves, and many large canoes, and all kinds of valuable things.

After this feast the great chief Dzēba’sa gave a great feast for his son Nēs-balas, and so did the fathers of all the other princes and princesses. Then all the Tsimshian tribes were glad because the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts had new chiefs.

Many years had passed by. Haimas had not come back once. Since he had slain all the chiefs of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts in his house, he had never shown himself among the Tsimshian chiefs, and no chief remembered him in any feast.

Now, after many years had passed, before the people were moving to Nass River, Haimas made a village at the mouth of Nass River, at G·în-gō’li, to prevent the Tsimshian from going up Nass River to fish; and the Tsimshian, therefore, did not move to Nass River.

The new chief Nēs-balas invited all the tribes to make war against the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk on Nass River. All the chiefs agreed to do so, The G·it-dzī’°s moved, and the G·it-qxā’la, and they camped at K-quma’wut; and the “G”it-dzī’°s” went right on and camped at K-łgu-sgan-mâ’lks. His was above Haimas’s new village.

On the following day one of Haimas’s brothers-in-law, a G·it-qxā’la prince named Wâtk, went across to G·în-gō’li to visit his sister, one of the great chief Haimas’s wives. Six young men accompanied him; and when he arrived at G·în-gō’li, at Haimas’s village, they were invited in. So they went in.—

These men were very much afraid. They were asked to sit down on a wide thick beard. Wâtk had his small dagger hanging around his neck; and Haimas pointed at the small dagger that was hanging around his brother-in-law’s neck, and he said to one of the men, ‘Let me have a look at my brother-in-law’s dagger!’ Then his brother-in-law took off the small dagger from his neck and handed it to the young man, who gave it to Haimas. The great chief took it, and said, “Oh, my brother-in-law is a warrior! Are you going to kill any one with this dagger?” The chief was laughing when he saw the dagger, and he said to one of his warriors, calling him by name, “Take this dagger and throw it into the fire!’ Se his attendant threw the small dagger into the fire. He said, “I will give daggers to my brother-in-law and his men; and he called one of his first warriors by name, and said, “Come and show me your dagger!” and he who was called came to him. He gave him his war-knife, saving, “His is it, sir!’ The chief replied, “No; that is not the one. Let the warriors show me their knives.” So these men lifted up their daggers, and the chief looked at them. He said also, “Go and see if you can find any in that box!” They opened the box, and showed that it was full of daggers; and he said, “Open another box!” They opened it, and showed him every dagger. The great chief Haimas had ten boxes full of daggers. They took out ten from the last box they had opened, and placed them in front of Haimas. The chief took one of them by the handle and threw it at his brother-in-law, who was sitting in front of the large fire. He threw them one by one, and the dagger-points entered the edge of the board on which his brother-in-law was sitting. The great chief said, “Bring me six more daggers!” They did so; and he took one and threw it at the first man, and hit the board close to his toes. Then he did the same to the other men. After this they served the food. Thus he showed his brother-in-law how many daggers he had, and how many bundles of spears, which stood in the corners of his large square house. On the other side of his house were piles of boxes of arrows and spears, and many boxes of war-clubs, stone and bone clubs, and some boxes of stone tomahawks, and boxes with sling-stones, and all kinds of armor and helmets. After he had shown these to his brother-in-law, he sent him away.

On the following day they told him that his uncle, Nēs-y!aga-nē’t, was camped above his village, with all his people. The great. chief Haimas said, “Bring them down here, for I long to see him.” So the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk took a large canoe, and a number of young men went. up to bring down the old chief, Nēs-y!aga-nē’t, and all his property, and his people, to Haimas’s village. After this the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk built a house for Nēs-y!aga-nē’t; and Haimas invited him to come to his house, together with some of his warriors. When they came, Haimas danced the welcome dance for his uncle, who was his father-in-law: They served food for the guests.

While they were eating, Haimas asked his uncle to tell him what all the Tsimshian had been doing during his long absence. He asked, ‘Has there been any chief among the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts since I killed their chief years ago?” His uncle replied, ‘Ha, ha! what kind of a question is that?) You should see the new chiefs of the G‘i-spa-x-la’*ts. They are as numerous as gambling-sticks. Those whom you slew years ago are not as good as the new chiefs.”

Then Haimas hung his head; and after a while he inquired, ‘Who is the chief who is first called in the feasts!” His uncle replied, “They honor me.”—“And do any of the chiefs remember me?”— “No, nobody remembers you at all.’—“And how about Chief Dzēba’sa, does he remember me when he gives ?”—“No,” replied his uncle. “What song does he sing ”—“His song is, ‘I will make thee the highest one,” replied his uncle. “Oh!” said Chief Haimas, “that means that [ I am your slave.’—’*No,” said Nésy!aga-nē’t, “he says, “I make thee the highest one.” Then Haimas asked, “And what is his next song /”—’* His next song is, ‘Ah, great

Firewood!’”

Then Haimas said, “Now, stop at once! They use my name in their song.” Nēs-y!aga-nē’t replied, ‘°No, that is not so.’ Now Haimas was very angry, and he did not say a word.

After they had eaten, Nēs-y!aga-nē’t went out supported on each side on the shoulders of a slave; and as they were leading the old chief down the beach, Haimas sent down one of his attendants, and ordered him to kill Nēs-y!aga-nē’t. Then one of his attendants went down and killed him. He struck him on his woven hat, saying, “Now, sir, lie down!” and the old chief fell down on the beach. Haimas was looking out of the house, and it seemed to him as though his uncle was not dead yet. Therefore he shouted to his officer, and said, “He is not dead! Strike him once more!’ His attendant said, “I will do so, he is not my uncle;” and he struck him twice, until he lay there dead.

As he was lying there, Haimas ran down, took a valuable copper, and shouted, “Alas, my uncle!” He lifted up the head of the dead man, and put the copper under it. Then Haimas and all his warriors went to take his uncle’s Raven headdress; but before they entered, one of Nēs-y!aga-nē’t’s warriors’ wives, Whose name was Qtsī°ł, had taken the headdress and put it into an old fish basket, which she had put down at the door. Then all the men of the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk opened Nēs-y !aga-nē’t’s boxes, searching for his headdress, but they could not find it.

The G·it-dzī’°s moved up Nass River, taking along the body of their chief; and Chief Haimas also moved up Nass River with his own people.

Four days after he had arrived at his camping-ground where he had killed Nēs-balas and his warriors, all the Tsimshian went up to their camping-ground. The G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts also went to their camping-ground on the other side of the river. As soon as all the tribes were there, Haimas sent his messengers. They launched two large canoes, and they were singing in the canoes. The words of their

song were as follows:

When the two canoes arrived in front of the camp of the new chiefs, they stopped for a while, and one of the new chief’s warriors said, “What does this mean? Are you coming again to destroy us?” One of Haimas’s warriors replied, “Yes: I will put the body of your new chief among the decayed fish, as we did your former proud chief and all his men.” Then one of the G-i-spa-x-la’°ts replied, “Tomorrow I shall come to destroy you, your brothers, and your people.” One of Haimas’s men replied, ‘Do come! We are ready with another ditch to throw in the body of your new chief, as we did with your former chief.”

Now, Haimas’s wife, the daughter of Nēs-y!aga-nē’t, went up to her father’s house, to the place were the G·it-dzī’°s were encamped. Nēs-y!aga-nē’t’s warriors advised her to take some excrement and put it on her husband’s pillow, and then to come back again. They said, “If they come to kill you, we shall slay them to avenge your father.’ Therefore the woman went down again. She took some excrement and put it on the pillow of her husband, the chief Haimas. Then she went back to her father’s house.

Then the chief went into his house and saw the excrement on his pillow, and he asked all his wives whether they had done it. His wives did not know who had done it. Finally they said that his chief wife, Dicks, had done it. Then he called his two brothers, Wī-hā’? and Gwinā’*t, and asked them to go to the camp of the G·it-dzī’°s, and to bring Dicks back. He said, “I will give her this excrement to eat.”

The two princes went up to the camp of the G·it-dzī’°s, and came to a place where a man was making a new canoe. They stood behind him, and said, “Your new canoe shall be ours.” The man replied, ‘Yes; this new canoe that I [am making shall be yours, but I will sell it.”

While these princes were talking to the man who was making the canoe, some of Nēs-y!aga-nē’t’s warriors were ready to slay both of them. One man was sitting on the roof of the chief’s large house, holding a long spear; and two others were in hiding on each side of the door, each holding a war-club.

Before the two princes went in, they asked Am-dzī’°sk, the man who was making the canoe, “Is Dicks, the wife of Haimas, in the house?”—“Oh, yes!” they replied, “she is in there. What do you want of her?”—‘She put some excrement on her husband’s pillow, and we come to take her back by order of our brother the chief.” They went in; and as Wī-hā’°? entered and stood in the doorway, he asked, “Where is Dicks 2?” The princess was seated in front of her late father’s coffin. She said, “Here I am! What do you want?” At that moment the man who was on the roof of the house thrust his spear into Wī-hā’°’s back just between the shoulders, piercing his backbone; and when Wi-gwinā’*t saw his elder brother fall, he ran out. The two men at the door tried to kill him with their clubs, but they missed him, and he ran as fast as he could right down the beach and on the ice towards his own village.

Haimas was looking towards the camp of the G·it-dzī’°s, and he saw a person being pursued on the ice, and said to one of his men, “Look” here! Wī-hā’°? is driving the G·it-dzī’°s before him on the ice.’ At that time the man who was making the canoe took his tomahawk and threw it at Wi-gwinā’*t’s feet and struck him in the bend of the knee, so that he fell down on the ice; and all Nēs-y laganē’t’s warriors came down and thrust their spears into his body. Then they sang as their war-song the mourning-song of their master who had been killed a few days before. These were the words of the song:

Then a youth, the son of Chief Haimas, ran home and told his father that Haimas’s two brothers had been killed by the G·it-dzī’°s. He said, ‘The G·it-dzī’°s killed your brothers to avenge my grandfather, whom you killed a few days ago.” Then he questioned his father, and asked, “Is this the great battle today?’ His father replied, “No, not now, my child; but you will see a greater battle than this.” Thus spoke the great-hearted man.

Very early the following morning all the people from up the river went to attack them. There was a great number of war-canoes, and they arrived in front of Haimas’s camp. The battle began on the beach, and there was a great battle on that day. The WutslEna’luk fought valiantly, but they were weakening.

Now the battle became fiercer, and many of the warriors of the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk were killed. Again the young child asked, ‘Father, is this the great battle today?”—“Yes,” said he.

Then the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts rushed against the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk, and there was a great battle that day. All the people from up the river went, and they took the village of the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk house by house. Before they took Haimas’s house, he escaped with a few of his men, three women, and a few children. The G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts burned their houses and destroyed their property; and before midnight the shouting of the warriors was heard on the mountains near Red Bluff Gulf (Gwagabā’lga dzâ’). It was a long shout, ending like the hooting of an owl. The war-cry of the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts was like the hooting of an owl.

Then the people up the river were glad to have gained the victory over the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk.

Haimas made his escape to the Nass River people, and they saved him. Haimas’s few people went back to the Tsimshian and scattered among all the Tsimshian tribes. The Tsimshian would not allow the Wuts!ᴇn-ā’luk to have a town of their own again. Therefore Haimas’s people are scattered among all the tribes. Haimas made his home among the Nass River people, together with the three women who escaped with him. They married Nass chiefs.

After many years, when Haimas was very old, a new Nēs-balas and his people heard that he was making his home on Nass River: therefore they took many canoes and went up to the Nass people. Finally they arrived at the place where Haimas was living. The canoes stopped in front of the village, and they wanted Haimas to atone for those whom he had slain in his house years ago. Then he made atonement for each of the princes and warriors whom he had killed in his house.

Then a G·id-wul-ksᴇ-bā’? man said to Haimas, “You shall atone also for my brother whom you have slain;” and the great old chief Haimas said, “Is thy brother’s name Wī-hā’° or Wi-gwinā”t? I am not full of fear because I have done this. Come and look into my heart!” Thus said the big-hearted man, stretching out his hands; and as he stretched out his hands, he fell back and died. That was the end of his life.

There are many things in his life about which I have not written. I have only told about his enmity against Nēs-balas and his people.

(2) War between the Tsimshian and the Tlingit

A long time ago, after the Deluge had covered the whole earth, the people increased in numbers.

Three or four generations before the white man arrived on this coast there were many wars. The Tlingit gained many victories; and last of all they subdued all the Tsimshian, who fled before them. The Tlingit pursued them everywhere, wherever they went to hide on the mountains. Therefore all the Tsimshian went up Skeena River, so that the Tlingit could not follow them. Nevertheless they kept watch over them. Then the Tsimshian were safe on Skeena River. They remembered that this river had belonged to their ancestors before the Deluge. Therefore they went there, but they did not go up to the place where their ancestors had lived. One tribe lived at G·its!alā’sᴇr; another one, at G·its!ᴇmgā’lôn; another one, at K-lax-g·īls River; one at Kseda’s; one at Ksᴇm-dzilxs; one at K-xadzuks; one at Kiyaks. One lived on the other side of Skeena River at Ginadâ’°xs and K-t!âd and Ksdâl. These rivers on both sides of Skeena River belong to all the Tsimshian tribes.

Not one tribe remained at the old town of Metlakahtla or anywhere on the seashore. His whole country was taken away by the Tlingit as far as the mouth of Skeena River.

At one time war broke out again. There was a great chief of the Eagle Clan, who was married to a princess of the G·ispawadwᴇ’da. They built a strong fort, and named it Beaver Fort. The Eagle Clan assembled there to defend it against their enemies. The fort was built near the mouth of Skeena River, just above K-xadzuks River. When the fort was finished, all the men practiced once a day. These people were the G·id-wul-g·â’dz.

One time a young man came to them, a relative of the chief’s wife, who loved his sister,[1] the only daughter of the chief, very much. It

was not many years before the Tlingit attacked these people, and those who lived in the fortress were ready for them. Then the chief said to the young man, ‘My son, take my only daughter and flee with her.” Therefore the young man took her to a place above the creek K-t!âd.

As soon as these two young people had left the fort, it was attacked, and there was a great battle. Again the Tlingit were victorious; and not one man escaped, only these two young people who had left before the battle. The Tlingit were stronger than all the other tribes, and they took the Tsimshian villages, fishing-grounds, and hunting-grounds as far as Nass River and Skeena River, although these two rivers belonged to the Tsimshian.

The Tlingit made villages on Dundas Island: and whenever they saw smoke ascending on the mainland, they went with many canoes and attacked the people, and all the Tsimshian were in great distress.

Many years passed that way. None of the Tsimshian could go up to Nass River, because they were too much afraid of the Tlingit.

Now, let us turn to the two young people who had fled from Beaver Fort many years ago. As soon as they arrived at the lake of K-t!âd, the young man married the girl, and they had a good home on the lake. They lived there many years, and had ten children, all boys. Their father taught them how to use their weapons, how to be successful, and how to keep themselves clean, and how to do things in the right way. Thus the ten young men became healthy and strong. They were very good-looking.

When the young men were full-crown, their father moved down to the mouth of K-t!âd Creek, and they camped there. The father was named Aksk; and as they were in camp there, he said to his sons, “Now, children, I want to take revenge on those who burned your grandfathers’ Beaver Fort. Therefore go up and cut down fresh fir trees, and bring all the pitch that you can find, and bring fine dry sand.”

Then the young men went and brought what their father had asked for. Tie made a great heavy gate of the fresh fir wood. Le cut the trees the right length, joined and nailed them together. After he had done so, he covered them with pitch and threw the dry sand over it. Then they cut some more fir trees and nailed them over the other ones, and covered the whole with pitch and sand. He gave it four coats. His gate was so heavy that not one of the young men was able to lift it by the corner. Only the four eldest of the young men were able to lift it.

One day they launched two canoes and moved down to K-xīen, one of their deserted villages. There they built a large square house; and they put around it a stockade of fresh firs, making a double wall. Then they made a floor high up in the house. A little stream of water ran through one corner of the square house. They hung the heavy gate at the doorway. Then they carved human forms of decayed wood and spread garments over them, and put them down. so that they looked like men lying in bed. In some beds there were two people. Then they took fresh large kelp and put it down from the second floor, and they made noise through it, as though the people that were lying on the ground were snoring. When everything was ready, they took down pitch wood and split it up, and scattered it all over the house.

Very early the following morning they made a large smudge, so that the Tlingit should see them. As soon as the smoke ascended and the Tlingit saw it, all their tribes assembled to come out and fight them. That very day many canoes went up from the mainland and came across to Dundas Island. Late in the evening they arrived at the south end of Metlakahtla Strait, and all the Tlingit canoes came secretly. When they saw the large square house, they all came ashore in front of it, but the brave young men in the house did not care about these people who came to fight with them. They had their door covered with old mats, and they had made a large fire. They took their wooden drum, and the father of the young men sang to show their enemies that they were not afraid of them.

Late in the night one of the young men from the square house took his pail and went to fetch water. When he was doing so, he saw all the people round about. He went back to his brothers and told them that their enemies were about. In the evening, after they finished singing, they all went secretly up to the upper floor, ready to fight their enemies; and when the fire in the house had died down, all these brave young men blew into the kelps, and it sounded as though the wooden figures were snoring.

Then the enemies came one by one secretly toward the sleepers; and when all were in, the leader of the warriors gave his order, and said with a loud voice, “Go ahead!” and all the Tlingit stabbed the wooden images with their knives. They could not get them out again, and could not remove their hands, because the knife-handles were tied to their wrists. Now, all the enemies were in the house; and when the people pressed in at the door, the heavy gate of fir wood slid down and pressed the people down, and none of them could escape.;

Then the ten brave men took their spears and killed everybody, stabbing them from the upper floor. After they had killed them, they went out.

A few canoes full of people had made their escape. The Tsimshian men took one canoe and‘ pursued them. The canoes of the Tlingit went towards Dundas Island. They shot them with arrows, and those in one canoe were all killed by these ten brave men. They continued to pursue them; and when they were near Dundas Island, only one canoe succeeded in making its. escape.

Then the young men came back, cut off the heads of those they had slain in the canoes, and their father cut off the heads of those slain in the house; and when the ten young men came back from their pursuit, they had four poles put up in their canoe, and many heads were hanging from those poles. They sang a song of victory, which they had learned the night when their enemies came into their house. Their father also sang a song of victory; and the young men took the bodies of those they had slain and threw them on the beach, which was full of bodies. They took their scalps; and after they had done so, they took all the skulls and threw them into the creek that ran by the side of the fort. They took all the canoes, crest helmets, decorated daggers, decorated armor, coppers, and elk skins of their enemies.

Now, the father of the ten brave young men wanted to invite the chiefs of the Tsimshian. Therefore five of them went as his messengers. They went up the Skeena River as far as G·its!alā’sᴇr. Then all the Tsimshian chiefs came down the river. They all came on the same day; and when they arrived in front of the house and all the canoes of the chiefs were there on the water, the ten young men sang their song of victory, wearing their garments and scalps. After they had danced on the beach, they called each chief’s canoe one by one, and the chief saw the bodies of the slain enemies on the beach, and they also saw the skulls in the creek.

When they had entered, they were surprised to see the strong fort that they had built. The eldest son gave a great feast. He gave canoes to each chief, which they had taken from those who had been slain, and he gave everything that they had taken; and he took the name Wī-hō’°m (Great Bountiful One). After he had given his presents to each chief, he said, ‘Chiefs, I want you to tell your warriors to come with me to Dundas Island to find the people who oppressed us for so many years.”

Then all the chiefs consented, and ten canoes went to make war upon the Tlingit. They searched their hiding-places on the island, but only a few men remained. There were only women and children. They took these as captives and came back after a few days.

In winter all the tribes of the Tsimshian moved down to Metlakahtla, each tribe going to its own old village. Then they took back the country from the Nass to the Skeena River, and the Tsimshian did not allow any Tlingit on this side.

Wī-hō’°m gave many feasts and came to be a great chief. In the last feast that he gave they carved his picture on a rock at: Laxkspaxl. Now all the Tsimshian were able again to move from Metlakahtla to Nass River for fishing olachen, and from Nass River to Skeena River for salmon fishing and for berrying.

Some of the Tlingit remained in their hiding-places. They made a village at the mouth of some creeks at K-dōn and Lax-maxł and K-ts!ᴇm-adī’°n and at other places in the channel. Some of the people found hunting-grounds at various places along the coast, between Nass and Skeena Rivers. One tribe, the “G”it-dzī’°s,” took a creek north of Skeena River called Kiyaks, and they made a village there for the summer.

They had homes in three places. Metlakahtla was their winter home; Nass River was their spring home, for olachen fishing; and Skeena River was their summer home, for salmon fishing; and their hunting-grounds for the fall were on the creeks.

A tribe of the G·it-dzī’°s lived at the village Lax-łgu-sbō’il. In olden times the people were expert gamblers, and so it was with one man of the G·it-dzī’°s. He was a head man in that tribe. His position was near that of the great chief named G̣alksak. His man was called Lax-anī’s (On The Branch). He belonged to the Wolf Clan.

In the winter this man’s wife died. They had a son about twelve years old. The man kept him, and they were living at Lax-lgusbō’il. One day early in the fall he gambled with another man, and he lost all he had. There was nothing left to him who was living with his son. Some of his relatives gave him and his son a little food. Therefore Lax-anī’s took his little canoe and went down the river with his son. They camped at the mouth of Kiyaks, and took the little canoe up into the woods. They went inland to look for some beavers in the lake on the other side of Kiyaks Valley. They went to the first lake, and did not find any beavers, but they found some fresh footprints of people. They went to the second lake, and they did not find any. Here the man said to his son, “Maybe some strange people killed off all the beavers in these two lakes.” He continued, “Let us go on So they went down the stream that runs out of the last lake, and soon came to a small trail that led down along the river. When they were going down, Lax-anī’s heard the noise of some one chopping wood. Therefore they climbed a hill on the side of the valley, because they were afraid. When they reached the top of the hill, he said to his son, “My dear, stay here alone! Do not be afraid, and do not cry, lest some misfortune befall us! Wait for me until I come back! I want to go down and see who is chopping wood there. Do not make any noise while I am away.”

Then the man went down secretly toward the noise, and he saw a tall man who was making a canoe. He was using a copper hammer and copper wedges to take chips out of the canoe that he was making. He had tied his hair in a knot on top of his head. Before sunset the tall man put his hammer and his wedges under the log and went down.

Lax-anī’s went back to where his son was, and said to him, “Let us stay here over night!” They remained there; and early the next morning, when he woke up, he saw a small village below, and many small canoes at the mouth of another creek on the north side of the little village. When all the little canoes had gone, he said to his son, “Stay here! I will go down and see who lives in that village.” There was nobody outside the houses. He ran down and entered the first house. There he saw women and children, who were covered with mats of red cedar. He went. to another house, and there it was the same.

Then Lax-anī’s went back secretly to where he had left his son. Then he went down to the place where the man was making a canoe, and took the three copper wedges and the copper hammer.

Then they went down quickly, and soon he reached his own canoe, went back, and on the same day they arrived at their village. Another man was making a canoe there. His name was Wa-di-dāx. He was working at a narrow strait, Lu-tgi-na-baulkwa. He also belonged to the tribe of the G·it-dzī’°s. His man invited all the people of his tribe into his house. After the food had been served, he told them that he wished the young people to help him take down his new canoe from the woods. Then Lax-anī’s said in the same house, “I want to speak to the wise men.”

After the young men had gone out, he said, ‘I discovered a little village on the other side of Kiyaks Valley, on the seashore, not very far from the lake. A trail leads from the lake to the seashore. I have discovered that camp, and it is very easy to overcome the enemies.” Thus said Lax-anī’s, and all the wise men of the G·it-dzī’°s agreed to go and fight them on the following day.

They started, and Lax-anī’s guided them through the valley of Kiyaks. They camped on top of the hill where Lax-anī’s and his son had been in camp before; and very early the following morning, before the sun rose, they saw many little canoes. One by one they went to the north side of the village. Lax-anī’s counted the canoes, as he had done before; and when they were all gone, the brave men came down to the village and took all the women and children captive. Some of the G·it-dzī’°s took them over the trail, and many remained in the village waiting for the Tlingit. to come home. When it was nearly sunset, the canoes came back filled with seals. When the canoe men came back to the house, the G·it-dzī’°s killed them; and when another canoe came in, they killed these also, when they came to the house. They cut off their heads. Then all the other canoes came in one by one. Lāst. of all one canoe came in with four men. Before thev went ashore one of them shouted in his own language, in Tlingit; and, since no one answered, they fled in their hunting-canoe. Thus the G·it-dzī’°s gained a victory over the Tlingit. They took two large canoes and pursued the four men, but the small canoe was faster than the large ones.

Therefore the two large canoes went into the next bay, and as they went farther in they saw smoke rising in front of them. In the evening they went ashore on the beach, and they found there a camp consisting of six houses.

The chief sent two scouts. These went there secretly, and they found nobody in. Fires were lighted, and everything was left in the houses; and all the houses were full of garments and vessels and coppers, Which the Tlingit had thrown away in their haste, for they had fled from their camp. The four men in the little canoe had come to the camp and told them to flee before their enemies. Therefore these people had gone and crossed the mountains. When they arrived on the other side of the mountain, they found some Tlingit camping at’ K-ts!ᴇm-adī’°n Creek, fishing salmon and hunting. They also took to their canoes, which they loaded with dried salmon, mountain-goat meat, tallow, and dried seal, and they moved away to Alaska.

Therefore the Tsimshian now owned the whole country, because they had gained a victory over the Tlingit. Many times the Tlingit tried to regain this side, but they could not do it.

The last war with the Tlingit was when the Tsimshian were coming back from Nass River. His was in the generation of my grandmother and my grandfather, the second year after the white men arrived on this coast. They knew then how to use guns. The Tlingit were the first to meet white men at Old Tongass. Therefore they knew how to use guns at that time.

When the Tsimshian were going down from Nass River, and they were halfway down, a hunting-canoe came to meet them, and shouted that Tlingit warriors were coming along to fight the Tsimshian. Then the Tsimshian warriors took twenty good-sized canoes and went ahead of all the other canoes that were coming down from Nass River. They joined in battle on the shore at K-łip-g:aniin, halfway between Nass and Skeena Rivers. Then one of the Tlingit warriors came forward from a Tlingit camp, and said to the Tsimshian, “Who will come and fight with me? Let him come forward to fight with me before the battle is to begin!” The name of this man was Lax-duxāt. Then one man of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s tribe said, ‘I will meet you. If you kill me, then you will have won the victory over the Tsimshian. If I kill you, then we shall have won the victory over your people.” Therefore the Tlingit ran forward against the man who had spoken to him, and said while he was running, “I will take off your head today.” He had tied his dagger to his left wrist, and held his gun in his right hand. He wore a red shirt, and a helmet. of white weasels on his head. He ran over a fallen log; and when he came to the middle of it, his enemy came to meet him. His name was Hadagᴇm l!ī’; and Lax-duxāt fired his gun, but Hadagᴇm] l!ī’ shot him right in the forehead, and he fell down dead. Then the noise of the discharge of guns was heard. The Tlingit. were vanquished on that day, and they fled before the Tsimshian, and the Tsimshian pursued them. Very few canoes returned to their home in the north. Many were killed that day, and their heads were cut off by the Tsimshian. His was the last great battle between the Tsimshian and the Tlingit.

Our grandfathers and grandmothers have never forgotten this war, when the warriors of the Tlingit were coming up to fight against the Tsimshian, on their way from Nass River. My grandmother’s uncle was killed in this war.

Two years later the Tlingit sent a message to Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x, asking to make peace between them. Lᴇg·ē’°x replied to them that there should be peace: therefore the Tlingit came south when the Tsimshian were In camp on Nass River. One day a great number of canoes covered the water on Nass River. They stopped in front of the camp of the great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x. Then Lᴇg·ē’°x’s tribe assembled in the chief’s house. The people shouted, and the Tlingit also were shouting in their canoes. His was to show that peace was made between them. Then Lᴇg·ē’°x’s people came out and went down the beach with elk skins, which were held at each corner by one man. They went toward the canoes, and one of the great princes put on all his crests. He wore his uncle’s dancing-blanket over his crests, and a headdress. Then the people from the chief’s house lifted him up. They placed him on the elk skin, and shouted ‘+ Wo!” while they were lifting him. Thus they carried him back to the chief’s house. Two men from the canoes followed the high prince into the house. They seated him by the side of Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x in the rear of the house. Thus all the Tlingit came up to the chief’s house. Then the Tsimshian came in from all sides of Nass River, where all the tribes were scattered. Two great princes were seated one on each side of the great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x. His own nephew was on his right-hand side, and the great Tlingit prince on his left-hand side; and the Tlingit stood there shouting, and they all went to the rear of the house, toward the seat of the great prince, Leg é’°x’s nephew; and they lifted him up on an elk skin and carried him to their side, and seated him at the right-hand side of their own chief. They were shouting while they carried Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew on the elk skin.

These two great princes represented the two tribes which were making peace.

Now the Tlingit danced first. Theirs was a sorrowful dance. They lifted their faces toward heaven, and they lifted both hands while they were singing a mourning-song. During the song they were crying, thinking of the relatives that had been killed during the past war. The Tlingit danced twice. Then the Tsimshian began to shout. They took up the great prince of the Tlingit, lifted him up, and placed him on the right side of the great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x. Then they danced like the dance of the Tlingit.

At the end of the dances the food was served; but before this was done, two young girls brought new wooden dishes, poured water into the dishes, and one of the girls washed the right hand of the great Tlingit prince, and the other one washed his left hand. One of them wiped his hands with soft shredded cedar bark. Then two other girls came forward and washed the face of the great prince, and another one wiped his face with shredded cedar bark.

Next a princess stepped forward wearing her costly abalone ear-ornaments, which cost each one slave, a nose-ornament of abalone shell, and brass bracelets on both arms. She wore also a dancing-blanket. She took the food and gave it to the great Tlingit prince. They, on their part, did the same to Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew.

After eating, the Tlingit began to dance again. They were followed by the Tsimshian. Four days they staid in the chief’s house. They danced three times a day, and all these customs of making peace have been followed ever since.

The morning after this the Tlingit were ready to go home. After breakfast they shouted, and lifted the elk skin on which Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew was seated. They took him down to their canoe, and placed him on a carved box. He was wearing his crests and his uncle’s dancing-blanket and a headdress. Two of his friends followed him, because he was to be away from home for nearly a year.

Then the Tlingit went home, while Lᴇg·ē’°x kept the prince of the Tlingit in his house, and also the two men who followed him when he was first taken to the house. The great prince continued to dance three times a day, and the princess continued to give him food, while the other girls washed him. These two great princes represented the two great tribes that had made peace from that time on, forever.

A month later the great prince of the Tlingit asked Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x, “What Gowagani[1] will you give me to be my name?” Then “Lᴇg·ē’°x” assembled all his wise men among the Tsimshian and questioned them: “What Gowagani do you want to call this great prince?” Then each wise man named some kind of strong animal, but he refused them all. Finally Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x named him Nass Gowagani; and he accepted this, because Nass River is a great thing among all

the tribes speaking all the different languages on all parts of the coast; so they called him Nass Gowagani.

In the same way it was with Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew. He asked the Tlingit chief Gâdunahā’°, “What name will you call my Gowagani (” Then the great chief Gâdunahā’° called all the wise men of the Tlingit, and asked them, “What name shall we call this great) Tsimshian prince?’ So the wise men called him Fine Weather, or Sun, or Moon, or Stars Of Heaven, and everything that is good and kind; but he declined all these names. Finally the great chief Gâdunahā’°? named him Summer Gowagani. Then the prince accepted this, and he was very glad when they called him this name. Gowagani is the name of the peace dance.

The princes continued to live with these great chiefs. In the fall of the year the Tlingit came back to the village of Metlakahtla, and all the Tsimshian tribes were invited by Lᴇg·ē’°x. Chief Lᴇg:é’°x’s nephew was head dancer of the Tlingit. At this time they performed dances of happiness. The dancers had their heads covered with down, and they had puffin-beak rattles in the right hand and eagle down in the left hand. The old women held carved canes in their right hands and down in their left hands; and when the last song was sung, each dancer looked up; and when the words of the song were pronounced, they put the left hand over the mouth and blew up the down from the palms of their left hands, so that the down flew about in the house, and the heads of the Tsimshian were covered with it.

Then the great chief Gâdunahā’° called the name of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew: “Great Prince Summer Gowagani, come with your cane!” and Summer Gowagani came forward with a copper in each hand, The great prince Summer Gowagani spoke the Tlingit language, and he placed those two coppers before his uncle, who was seated in the rear of the house; and the two young men who had followed the great prince from Nass River to the Tlingit country were like his slaves. The young princess who gave the great prince to eat came forward, and was given to the chief to be his wife; and many valuable things were given to the chief to atone for those slain in war during past years.

(Now, the name Summer Gowagani means that no one shall be in sorrow in summer, when the birds are singing on the trees, and berries are ripe, and everything is good, when the weather is fine and the people are happy.)

Then the people of the other side had dances, and Nass Gowagani was the head dancer of the Tsimshian. The Tsimshian had white eagle tails in their right hands, and bags with red ocher were held in their left hands; and all the young women held down in their right hands,.and tallow of mountain sheep in the left.

(In these days they used fat and tallow a great deal. It was boiled, and the scum was taken off the melted tallow. Then cold water was put into a wooden vessel, and the melted fat was poured into the water. Then the cold water would draw all impurities down, and the pure fat would harden on top. His was used for anointing the faces of girls and young men.)

His the young women of the Tsimshian held in their left hands; and after the last song of the dance, the young women came forward and scattered the down over the heads of the Tlingit. The princess who had given to eat to Nass Gowagani went to the great chief Gâdunahā’°? and rubbed fat over his face and put red ocher on it. All the young women rubbed the faces of the Tlingit with fat and red ocher.

Soon after the dance the great chief Leg:é’°x called, “Nass Gowagani, come forward!” and he came, carrying two coppers or his back and a cane in each hand, with representations of two canoes on the cane. There were ten people in each canoe. That meant ten slaves in each canoe; and Nass Gowagani spoke the Tsimshian language. He went toward his uncle, Gâdunahā’°, and put the coppers before him, and also the two canoes with twenty slaves In them, and many valuable things besides. The two companions who had followed him in the beginning called also each one man with a cane and a canoe, and they put them down before the chief.

(The meaning of Nass Gowagani is that when the people from all the places are hungry—men, birds, water animals—all come up to Nass River, because plenty of food is there in the springtime, which makes people happy, so that no one remembers the hardships of winter, and they all enjoy taking the olachen which arrives, and all are satisfied. Therefore the great prince of the Tlingit wanted this to be his name.)

His is the end of the Tlingit and Tsimshian wars, which lasted for many years. Since that time they have never been at war again, until now they are very friendly and brothers in Christ.

(3) War between the Haida and the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts

In former times there were many wars. After a great war between the Tsimshian and the Tlingit, when the Tsimshian moved down from Nass River, the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts were the last tribe to move from Nass River; and when they had reached a place called Lax-a’us (Sandy Shore), they camped there. His is between Rose Point and Metlakahtla. Early on the following morning, when the tide was very low, a voice was heard from below, warning the sleepers that their enemies were coming: therefore all the chief’s warriors awoke from their sleep and were ready. Then a crowd of war-canoes arrived in front of the camp, and a great battle was fought that day. There were more Haida than Tsimshian: therefore the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts were vanquished by them. Many of them were killed, and many taken away as captives. Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x’s sister (Wī-n!ē’°x) and her eldest son (Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x) were taken captive with the other men and women and children. Half of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s tribe were killed off by the Haida, who took them to Queen Charlotte Islands. The other half of the tribe moved up Skeena River in order to dry salmon and other winter provisions. They camped below the canyon at G·at-aus (Sandy Camp). They staid there the whole Summer, drying salmon and other provisions; and early in the fall they moved their village a little farther down, to Ts!uwā’nxłᴇm gal-ts!a’p (Cape Town), where they used to live in the fall.

All the people of the village were sorry on account of those members of their families who had been taken captive. Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x never spoke a word; but he was still crying for his sister and her son, who had been taken away into captivity with the rest of the people.

One day a great warrior came to the house of Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x, and said to the chief, “My dear chief, why don’t you say anything about your beloved sister and your nephew, who have been taken captive? Call all the tribes, and say that they shall go to Queen Charlotte Islands to make war on the Haida.”

Therefore the great chief arose from his bed, and said, “Run to all the houses in the village and call all the warriors!” Then the young men ran from house to house to call all the people to the house of the great chief; and when all had come in, Lᴇg·ē’°x said to his people, “I want to go to Queen Charlotte Islands on account of my sister and my nephew and my people’s wives and children, and on account of some of my people.” He ordered his young men to take one box of oil to the front of the fire. They did so; and the chief said, “Who will be the first to bring back my sister and my nephew, who have been carried into captivity? Let him come forward and dip his fourth finger into the oil, lick it off, and take a vow!”

Then a warrior came into the chief’s house. He stepped forward, dipped his fourth finger into the oil, and put it into his mouth, to show the others that he would be the first to die at the great chief’s command in battle, and that he would not break his vow. His name was Qanās.

Then the chief said again, “Who will be the next brave man to come forward?” Then two men came forward, and they also took the vow before all the people that they would be second in battle; and so did all the other people of the great chief. They dipped their fingers into the oil, licked it off, until the large box was empty. The last two men broke the empty box and threw it into the fire. They said, “I will take the vow that I will burn the empty village as I burn this empty box.” Then all the people uttered their war-cries four times. His was the custom before they went to war.

Then the chief said again, “I invite the people of the canyon to go to war with us.” Therefore he sent a messenger to the G·its!alā’sᴇr, whose chief was Nēs-dzakāguł, and who belonged to the same clan. His chief went with all his warriors to the village of Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x, who told him that he wanted him to accompany them to Queen Charlotte Islands. The other chief agreed, and Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x ordered a box of oil to be brought out, and they followed the old custom. They opened the box of oil; and Nēs-dzakāguł came forward to where the box of oil was, and he said to his own people, “Who will come forward first and be the first to die for the sake of our sister Wī-n!ē’ox and of her son Hats ᴇks-n!ē’ex and all the rest of our people?” Then one man of the Eagle Clan named Yâas said, “I will be first to open the bows of the Haida. [will give my life for the sake of my master’s sister and his nephew.” He dipped his fourth finger into the oil. Then two more came forward, and all the rest of the people; last of all, two young men, who took their clubs, and said that they would break the houses as they were breaking the oil-box, and that they would burn the village. After all the warriors had taken the vow, they shouted four times; and after four days had passed, they were ready to start.:

The great Lᴇg·ē’°x sent one of his friends to the G·inax’ang·ī’°k, and he promised to pay him a certain amount if they should come back safe. His man went with them secretly, for he was afraid of his people. His name was Anamīk. He belonged to the Raven Clan. He was their guide across the sea to Queen Charlotte Islands.

Then they started down Skeena River. They passed all the villages of the Tsimshian along the river, and the Tsimshian encouraged the great chief; and when they passed the last village of the Gridwul-g4’dz, they said when Lᴇg·ē’°x’s many canoes passed in front of their village, “What are you doing?” They replied, “Oh, yes!” but the people of this village made fun of them, and said, “Don’t kill Wī-sūqâns! Take him alive, and we will pay you when you come back!” The warriors, however, did not reply anything, and their guide led them directly to Queen Charlotte Islands.

Now I will turn back to the Haida who had taken the Tsimshian at Sandy Shore. When they arrived on Dundas Island, at the point Lax-gulwał, they camped there; and before they began to eat, they tied their captives hand and foot. Then all the men went around the fire, and Wī-n!ē’°x sang her brother Lᴇg·ē’°x’s mourning-song with all her strength.

Sdī’łda,[1][1] one of the Haida chiefs, recognized the tune while he was eating. He threw his wooden spoon into his dish, spit into the fire, and called one of his two warriors. “Go to my canoe and bring my copper!” They did so, and he said, “Bring the woman that sang the mourning-song from the canoe of Chief Wī-hā’°?!”) The two men went down, untied the shackles of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s sister, and Chief Sdī’łda asked her through an interpreter what her name was and to what clan she belonged. She said, “My name is Wī-n!ē’°x and Nēs-pdī’°ks. I am the sister of the great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x, and the head wife of the great chief Dzēba’sa. Then all the people were silent when the great. princess had spoken. She said, “His is Dzēba’sa’s young son.”

Then Chief Sdī’łda said, “I want to buy my sister from Wī-hā’°, the great chief;” and two of his men lifted one of his coppers and took two slaves and many valuable things; and Wī-hā’° said, “Leave her son with me!” but Sdī’łda said, “I do not. want my nephew to be captive in another clan’s house. I shall return them to my brother Lᴇg·ē’°x. I should be ashamed if you should keep the boy in your house. Give him to me!’ Therefore Wī-hā’° gave the boy to Sdī’łda, and also one slave, who accompanied the boy. They then left Dundas Island and went to Queen Charlotte Islands.

When they reached their home, the great chief Wī-hā’° invited all the Haida chiefs, and spoke to them, saying, “I will go to the tribe of Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x and atone for the people whom I have Killed; and I will return the people whom we have captured, because I do not want to have war with him, but I want to make war on Sā°ks.” Therefore all the Haida chiefs agreed to do so in the following summer.

One day one of the nephews of the old Haida chief Wī-hā’°? wanted to marry Wī-n!ē’°x. His prince was to succeed Wī-hā’°? when he should die; and the G·ispawadwᴇ’da went to Sdī’łda and gave him a wedding present. Then Chief Sdī’łda allowed him to take her, together with many elk skins, sea-otter garments, and many kinds of provisions.

In the same summer all the relatives of Wī-n!ē’°x’s husband moved to the north side of Lax-wau (Sandbar?), to a brook that runs down in the middle of the bar. At that time salmon were in the rivers. Many people were camping there, and the young chief loved Wī-n!ē’°x very much. All the Haida were scattered away from the village.

Now let us turn again to those people of Leg:é’°x’s tribe who had gone to make war against the Haida, and who staid at the point Lax-gulwał. Every morning Anamīk went out and looked at the sky to observe the wind, and looked at the clouds. One day after he had looked at the clouds, he said to the chief, “Arise! There will be good weather today.” Then all the warriors were ready; and

their guide said, “Let every one put on his spruce-root hat; and if any one has no such spruce-root hat, let him close his eyes as long as we are passing through the sea, else he will become blind.”

Then they started. The sea was calm; and late in the evening they reached the south side of a sandbar near a point, and they built. a fort there. On the following day they finished the fort, and all the old men were kept inside. When the sun had nearly set, all the young warriors went to search for the Haida village. They walked about in the woods. One man named Qanās was among these young men; and when the sun set in the west, they heard the noise of a stone ax in front of them. One of the warriors said to his fellows, “Let us wait here! I will go on alone.” They staid there, and the man went on alone to see where the noise came from.

When he came near the village, he heard the [aida speaking very loud. The warrior concealed himself in the bushes, and saw a tall man striking his slave with a piece of wood, and the poor slave lay there almost dead. The Haida man took up a larger piece of wood and struck him again. Then the warrior shot him with his arrow, and he fell down dead. He went to the place where the slave lay half dead, and asked him, “How” are you /” The slave opened his eyes and saw the man of his own tribe. He arose, and said, “His was my master.” Then the other one said, “Go down to the village and tell all our people—men, women, and children—not to sleep tonight, because we are going to burn the village before daybreak. Where is Princess Wī-n!ē’°x? Is she here?” The other one replied, “Yes; she is married to the nephew of the great chief “Wī-hā’°.””—“And where is the boy “Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x?”” ?”—“A chief of the Eagle Clan, Sdī’łda, is keeping him in his house as a free boy, but Chief Sdi’Ida is not here. He has gone to his own camping-ground.”

After this conversation the slave went down to the village. His name was Sa-g·ibā’yuk. He was one of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s people. He whispered into the ears of all the captives that Lᴇg·ē’°x’s warriors had come to burn the village before daybreak.

Wī-n!ē’°x heard this also, and she was ready to leave. At midnight the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts warriors came up and killed many Haida, and some of the Haida came out and fought against them, and there was a hot battle. Then all the captives ran away to their people, and the battle was being fought the whole day.

The men in the fort looked into the distance along the sandbar, and, behold! the battle was being fought on the beach of the sandbar. Then another group of warriors came out of the fort. They ran toward the Haida and shot them with their arrows, made of gam wood. These arrows can not be broken.

One great man, Qanās by name, the first one who had licked the oil from his fourth finger in Lᴇg·ē’°x’s house in the war feast, was a strong warrior. [fis arrow passed through two men when he shot.

Now the Haida were subdued by the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts, and one of the brothers of the chief who had married Wī-n!ē’°x was shot by the enemy. He ran to his brother, who was seated in his house with his wife Wī-n!ē’°x. The chief tried to break the arrow of giam wood, but he could not do it: therefore he called his wife, and asked her, “What kind of an arrow is this?’ Wī-n!ē’°x replied, ‘‘His tree grows neither here nor in my home in Metlakahtla. It grows only way up Skeena River. It is the tree of the people who live in the mountains far away. They are people who are able to run very fast. Tell your people to run away and save themselves.”

Therefore the young chief ordered his men to flee; but before they left, the chief put his own dancing-blanket on his wife, Wī-n!ē’°x, and gave her four of his coppers. He put the four coppers around her to defend her against the weapons of the enemy, and the chief escaped.

When the G·i-spa-x-lâ’°ts entered the houses, they saw Wī-n!ē’ex sitting between four valuable coppers, and two men-slaves by her side. She said to her people, “Take these four valuable coppers, and give them to my brother.’ The men did so, and they destroyed everything, and made many Haida women and children captive. They captured also a great old chief named Wī-sūqâns.

On the following day they were ready to start home. They had many heads in their canoes. They broke up the new canoes of the Haida and burned the village. The great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x gave each man a slave. He had nine coppers, and gave two coppers to his fellow-chief Nēs-dzakāguł; and Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x gave forty elk skins to their guide Anamīk. So they started across the sea; and when all the canoes approached Dundas Island, the man who served as the guide of the canoes said, “Shout to all the canoes, that they may keep close together, because there is going to be a strong wind.” Therefore they kept together and they paddled hard. Then a southerly gale began to blow, and they came ashore at the point Lax-gulwał. There they camped for a few days and started again. They arrived at the mouth of Skeena River, and began to sing their war-songs. They put up many heads on poles; and as they passed the village of the G·id-wul-g·â’dz, the people of the village shouted to them, railing at them, and said, “People of Gi-spa-x-la’°ts, what village have you destroyed?” They replied, “Git-łēlguin.” The people told them that they had taken Wī-sūqâns alive. Then the people in the village raised their war-cry; and their chief, Lās, took a copper under his right arm, broke it, and threw it down on the beach.

Then all the war-canoes stopped in front of the village and uttered their war-cry. Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x broke one of his coppers and threw it into the water against that village. Then the people ashore shouted again. Their chief brought down another copper, broke it, and threw it down on the beach. Then they shouted in the canoes, and another chief broke another copper. The people. on shore took up the shout, and their chief came out with the stern-board of a canoe under his arm. He threw it down on the beach, and said, “I am going to buy the copper next summer for the Haida.’ Then Lᴇg·ē’°x’s warriors shouted again. The great chief broke another copper, and now they were silent in the village.

Therefore Nēs-dzakāguł’s canoe paddled away from the place in front of Lis’s village, and they sang a mocking song: “O Las! verily, you are ashamed! You are named Las! for you threw away in front of your village a copper stern-board of a canoe.”

Then the war-canoes took up the song one by one and paddled away. The men in one of the last war-canoes sang while throwing the dripping water off from each paddle, “You shall be the last one among all the chiefs, because you are not able to throw away coppers as the high chief has done.”

Then all the warriors went away, and passed the town of the G·it-dzī’°s. The noise of drums was heard, and some of Nēs-y!aga-nē’t’s men stood on shore to call the great chief Leg‘é’ex. He thanked Chief Nēs-y!aga-nē’t for his kindness; and he added, “Wait until I [come down again to accept your invitation. I will come from my own house to your house, and I will stay several days with you.” Then the great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x took one of his male slaves and presented him to Chief Nēs-y!aga-nē’t, and so they left there.

Then they arrived at G·inax’ang·ī’°k, and the noise of drums was heard. Some men came down to the beach to call Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x to Chief Sā°ks’s house to welcome him because he had come back safe. Then Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x thanked Chief Sā°ks for his kindness, and he promised to come down some day to have a good time.

They went on, and arrived at the village of the G·it!andâ’, whose chief was Guł-qā’q, Lᴇg·ē’°x’s own nephew. He sent down his own son to invite the great Chief “Lᴇg·ē’°x” to his own house to welcome him after his safe return.

Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x ordered all his companions to go to his nephew’s house, and the warriors went up. After Guł-qā’q’s welcome dance two of his men lifted a copper, and said, “These are the feathers, chief; these are the feathers, chief; these are the feathers.” Then they laid the copper down before Lᴇg·ē’°x to welcome him; and this was the first good meal that. the warriors had had since they had left their home; and they drank as much water as they could, for since they had left home they had eaten only a little food twice a day and had taken water only twice a day throughout the whole time.

They spent one day in the village of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew. The captive chief Wī-sūqâns had come up with Chief Lᴇg·ē’ex, and they placed him on one side of Guł-qā’q’s house. They ate together out of one dish, and Nēs-dzakāguł was seated on one side with his own people. Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x took Anamīk up with him to his home.

On the following day they went on, and arrived at. the village of the G·it-lā’n. Their drums were heard, and some of the men came down to the shore to invite Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x to Nēs-łagunus’s house. The chiefs thanked him Kindly, and promised to come down later on and spend some time with him. So they went on again, after he had given presents to Chief Nēs-łagunus, as he did with all the tribes that invited him.

They went on, and arrived at their own house, singing their war-songs; and as they came ashore, Chief Wī-sūqâns died of the wounds that he had received in battle. Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x’s head wife, however, Ksᴇm-g·a’mk, paid those who buried the captive chief Wī-sūqâns, because he belonged to her clan, the G·ispawadwᴇ’da.

Lᴇg·ē’°x fulfilled his promise to his fellow-chiefs who had invited him after his return from the war on the Haida.

There are many things connected with this; but I am not writing those here, only about the time when Chief Sdi’Ida sent back Prince Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x. He came up when the Tsimshian were on Nass River, fishing. The following spring Sdi’tda had taken one canoe, in which he came with all his nephews; and he gave one largo canoe to Prince Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x, with ten male slaves. These two canoes came across the sea from Queen Charlotte Islands.

Before they arrived at the mouth of Nass River, they stopped at the foot of the high mountain Katsân; and Chief Sdī’łda said to Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x, “Don’t let your uncle cut off my head to be given to another clan!’ Then the prince’s heart was full of sorrow on account of what Sdi‘Ida had said; and Sdī’łda said again, “O nephew Hats!eks-n!é’ex! don’t let your uncle cut off my head and give it to another clan, lest they mock me.” And after he had said so three times, Prince Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x said, “I shall not allow him to do so.” So they went up.

The people were learning one of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s songs in his house, Many men and women were practicing, for the great Chief “Lᴇg·ē’°x” was about to invite all the tribes and their chiefs to remove the stain of captivity from his sister.

While they were all singing the new song, some one came rushing in at the door, and said, “Listen to me! Two large canoes full of people are lying outside.’ Then all the people in the house stopped singing, and some one said that the people in the canoe spoke Haida. Then Wī-n!ē’°x said to her brother Lᴇg·ē’°x, “Sdī’łda has come to bring my son.” Then the great chief said, “Beat the drum and invite my brother Sdi’Ida!’” So they beat the drum; and two men ran down to the beach, and said, “Come in and warm yourself, chief!” They repeated these words twice. Then the two canoes came ashore, and Lᴇg·ē’°x said, “Let all my people run down and take off my brother Sdī’łda’s cargo!” His was in accordance with the old customs among chiefs. So all the young men ran down, took the two canoes while the strangers were still aboard, lifted them up, and put them down outside of the great chief’s house, so that the two great canoes broke to pieces. The Haida were afraid, and all went. in. They were placed on one side of the great fire, and their whole cargo was broken up according to the commands of the great chief. When everything had been brought in, the great chief wore his dancing-blanket and his headdress and a rattle, and he danced the welcome dance for his relatives who had brought back his nephew from captivity. After they had danced, they lifted one copper, ten boxes of grease, and two large Bellabella canoes, and two bundles of carved paddles, and other expensive things. They served food; and after the meal, Sdī’łda also danced.

After he had danced, one of the Haida lifted two large coppers and ten slaves, and put them down before Lᴇg·ē’°x’s seat; and Chief Sdī’łda said, “You shall have one of my names, Sanāxat.”

On the following day Sdi’tda was ready to go home; and Chief Lee é’ex said to his tribe, ‘Let each man give one box of grease to my brother chief!” So all of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s men gave one box of grease to Sdi’tda, and they loaded two large canoes with grease. The number of boxes given to Sdi’tda by the Gi-spa-x-lets tribe were seven score and ten. There were only five Haida men in each large canoe. Wī-n!ē’°x sent down five of her own slaves, and five more slaves were given to Sdī’łda by one of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephews, five by Lᴇg·ē’°x’s mother, G̣an-dᴇ-ma’xł,a high chieftainess, the wife of old Dzēba’sa. Ten more slaves were given by Chief Guł-qā’q of the G·it!andâ’, and ten more were given by the new Dzēba’sa, the father of Hats!ᴇks-n!ē’°x, who had married Wī-n!ē’°x. There were in all thirty-five slaves; and many elk skins and valuable robes, dried berries, and soapberries were given to them; and they went down from Nass River, and two canoes followed them to protect them against danger.

They went across the Haida Sea; and when they saw the point of Sandbar, Lᴇg·ē’°x’s two canoes returned to Nass River.

Many times the Haida of Masset tried to make war against the Tsimshian, but they failed for many years.

The last time[1] of all was when the Hudson Bay Company put up a post at Rose Island (Lax-łgu-galā’ms). When they had finished the fort and they had made a garden around it, a » white man named

Mr. Kennedy or Dr. Kennedy, an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, was married to Chief Leg:é’°x’s eldest daughter, named Su-dā’°ł. Not many Tsimshian made their home in Port Simpson. They were still living in the old town Metlakahtla. Only the great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x himself was camping at the fort with all his people. They used to camp there on their way from Nass to Skeena River and from Metlakahtla to Nass River. In olden times the people cleared their land with stone axes.

When the Hudson Bay Company first came, they built the fort at White Point (Mâ’ksgum ts ts!uwa’nqł!) on Nass River, the point that we call Crabapple-Tree Point. (K-łgu-sgan-mâ‘Iks). In the same year when the fort was finished on Nass River, Mr. Kennedy was married to Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x’s eldest daughter. They lived there nearly two years. It is very cold on that point in winter. Sometimes they lacked fresh water, and some of their workmen froze to death: therefore Mr. Kennedy asked his wife to speak to her father. When the season of olachen fishing came, and all the people had come up from Metlakahtla to Nass River, Mrs. Kennedy invited her father into the fort, and said to him, “Father, give a small piece of land to Mr. Kennedy, for I almost freeze to death here. Some men were frozen to death last winter.” Then the great chief was speechless. He said, “I am afraid lest my child be frozen here next winter.”

Then Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x said, “My dear child, I have no land. His land belongs to all the tribes of the Tsimshian. Only my camping-place on Rose Island, where there are a few houses besides my own large house—I can lend this to your husband for some time.”

So she told her husband what her father had said; and the white man said, “Yes; I do not want to take land, but we will trade on it for a short time.’ Thus spoke Mr. Kennedy.

They moved down the same summer, and in the fall of the year they moved all their property down. A year after they had finished the fort and the fences for the garden, they brought down the body of Simpson, who had died at Crabapple-Tree Point. His was in the spring or summer.

When all the Tsimshian moved down from Nass River for olachen fishing, they assembled at Rose Island Camp.

Now we will return to our enemies, the Haida. One day early in the summer the Haida came over to trade with the Tsimshian and with the Hudson Bay Company. Many hundreds of canoes came, and they camped in front of the Hudson Bay Company’s potato fence on the seashore. The Haida built their little huts on the sand on the shore; and the Tsimshian were encamped on the other side, westward, and all around Rose Island. A Haida woman was trading with a Tsimshian woman, exchanging olachen oil for dried halibut. She was to give five pieces of dried halibut for one measure of oil. All the Tsimshian and Haida women were busy trading. One of the daughters-in-law of the great chief Leg é’°x was trading with a Haida woman: and the chief’s daughter-in-law said to the woman who was buying her oil, ‘These pieces are too small. Exchange them for larger pieces. The Haida woman was angry, and the princess filled her measure again. The Haida woman took another small piece and gave it to the princess; and the princess again said, ‘I want to exchange it for a larger one.” Then the Haida woman snatched the halibut from her hand and threw it in her face. Thereupon the chief’s daughter-in-law left her fish oil and walked back to her home full of sorrow. Her father-in-law lay sick in the rear of his large house. He saw his daughter-in-law coming in weeping. She went right to her bed. Therefore the great chief said, “What ails you, my daughter-in-law?’ She was weeping when she entered the house. He told one of his men, “Go and ask her what has happened.” One of the head men went and asked her what ailed her; and she told him that a Haida woman had struck her face with dried halibut.

Then the man told the chief that one of the Haida women had struck her face with dried halibut. Therefore the great chief said to his head man, “Run out and tell all the Tsimshian tribes that I want them to shoot the Haida with their guns.” So the man ran out and said, “The great chief wants all the Tsimshian tribes to shoot the Haida!” and all the Tsimshian people shot the people in the Haida camp in front of the Hudson Bay Company’s fences. The Haida also shot the Tsimshian. Many Haida were killed, and some of the Tsimshian were wounded. The battle lasted for two days and a half and two whole nights. During the battle of the last night the Haida dug up the ground in their own camp and piled the bodies of their dead around it; and they all gathered on one side—men, women, and children—to defend themselves. Their bullets and powder were all spent, so they sheltered themselves behind the wall of dead bodies. On the third morning, very early, the shooting of the Tsimshian sounded like the rolling of thunder. They had surrounded the Haida camp. Their canoes were on the water, and their warriors were on the hills on all sides.

Now we will return to Mr. Kennedy. He said to his wife, “Go and tell your father, bring him my words: tell him that many Haida have been slain, and I want my workmen to bury those who have been slain.’ Therefore Mrs. Kennedy walked over the sidewalk of the fort and waited. She saw a young man pass by, and said to him, “Go and tell my father that the Haida are almost gone. Many have been killed; and Mr. Kennedy says that they shall be buried before they decay.”

The young man ran to Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x’s house, and said, “O chief! your daughter is standing on the fort, and she says that nearly all the Haida have been killed. She wants to stop your people and not to shoot any more; and Mr. Kennedy wants to bury them before they decay.”

Then the great chief said to the young man, “Go out and tell all the Tsimshian tribes to stop shooting!’ So the young man ran out and said, “O people of all the Tsimshian tribes, stop shooting! His is what the great chief Lᴇg·ē’°x has said.”

So all the Tsimshian stopped shooting; and the people from the fort came out, and first dug out a ditch inside the potato fence to serve as a graveyard; and after they had finished digging two long ditches, they carried the bodies of the Haida and buried them, and they kept the Haida from further harm. They worked one-half of the whole summer day just throwing them into the ditch. They filled both ditches with the bodies of men, women, and children, and they covered them over. Only a few of the Haida remained.

Therefore some of the Haida chiefs sent word to Lᴇg·ē’x, the great chief, that they wanted to make peace; and the chief asked all the Tsimshian tribes, and the people consented to make peace with the Haida. Then the chiefs also agreed to make peace, and Lᴇg·ē’°x sent word to the Haida chiefs, and told them that all the Tsimshian chiefs had agreed to make peace between the Tsimshian and Haida. The Haida went down, they took bird’s down and blew it up toward Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x’s village as a sign of peace; and the people in Lᴇg·ē’°x’s house were shouting, and went out. They took one of K!unā’s nephews and carried him on an elk skin into the chief’s house. Then the Haida shouted and entered Lᴇg·ē’°x’s house. They took up one of Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephews and took him to their own camp; and one of the Tsimshian chiefs, Saxsā’°xt, invited the Haida to his house, because he was very friendly to them. On the following morning a few of the Haida took down their canoes to go to Saxsā’°xt’s house for a peace dance. The great chief K!unā took down his large canoe, and they shouted as they lifted Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew on an elk skin. They took him down to their canoe, as the old peace customs required. Two other men went with Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew in the Haida canoe.

Then the Haida became suspicious and talked among themselves. First one canoe went away, then another one, and still another one, and they went out toward the sea. Then some one began to shoot again at one point, and another one began, and all the Tsimshian were shooting at the men in those canoes.

A large canoe, in which Lᴇg·ē’°x’s nephew was, went out toward a rock just out of the village. They shouted and lifted the elk skin on which the prince was sitting and put him on that rock, and his two friends jumped into the water and swam ashore. So the Tsimshian took their canoes and pursued them. All of the people in one of the large canoes were slain; and they pursued them to Dundas Island; and many canoes were left on the way, and a great many were slain in the canoes.

Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x still kept one of the Haida princes and two other men who had followed him. He treated him according to the peace customs. At the end of three months he sent him home with a copper and a large canoe and much property, four slaves, and many boxes of grease.

When the Haida came home, the woman who had struck the face of the Tsimshian princess was in the last canoe. Then all the Haida came to kill her; but when they were ready to kill her, a great chief, her.uncle, arose, and spoke kindly to all those who had lost many of their relatives in that great war. He said, “I will atone for the relatives you have lost as long as [ I live; and if I should not be able to pay for one of your relatives, then you may kill her and her whole father’s (7) house.” Therefore the Haida did not touch her.

On the following day the great chief called all the people to his house, and he gave to each chief a copper. He gave one copper to his nephew; and the woman who had struck the face of Chief Lᴇg·ē’°x’s daughter-in-law was given to K!unā’s nephew to be his slave-wife in that family. Then all the relatives of the great chief who atoned for the loss the others had sustained in the war helped him to pay for those who had been slain; and some of the women’s sisters were given to each chief with a copper, and the great chief paid for every man. Therefore he became a head chief among the people, but it was not many years before he died.

His was the last great war between the Tsimshian and Haida. The wars between the Tsimshian and Haida started a long time before the white man came to this coast. Two villages of the Haida were killed off in this great battle at Rose Island. They were all slain in this battle; and so they did not come again, because there were very few.