Among the Tsimshean Indians of Alaska is the following curious
superstition: Some boys had “shamed” a salmon; that is, offended
its dignity. They caught it, cut a slit close to its fin and
put gravel and stones in the wound so that it could not use its
fin, and then let it go. The poor salmon wriggled and suffered
trying to swim, but in vain. This made the god of the mountain
angry, and he spewed out fire which ran down the mountain-side
into the river, making it sputter all around. But a god of
another mountain, near by, thought it was too bad, so he rolled
down a big rock, and stopt the fire stream. The people, coming
together, consulted as to the best way to propitiate the irate
mountain-god, and the salmon as well who was “shamed,” and came
to the conclusion that the naughty children had to be killed.
The mothers, hearing of this, would not allow the sacrifice. The
people compromised the matter by agreeing, instead, to kill the
dogs of the village, which were thereupon all sacrificed and
burned as a peace-offering to the “shamed” salmon.
Man has “shamed” his Maker but He has become our propitiation by a
nobler sacrifice. (Text.)
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