[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo.]
G̣ᴀ′ndox’s father was making a canoe inland from one end of Sea-grass
town. [617] One evening, when he came home, he dropped dead [618] on
the sand at the end of the town. Then they ran to him, and carried him
over to his house.
Qołdai′yêk [619] spoke through him first. Whenever his uncles became
shamans, he always made a hole in their minds first. He did not tell
his name. Instead he turned about around the house. After they had
taken him in and came to know that it was Qołdai′yêk, they began to
sing a song for him. After they had carried him around the fire four
times he began turning around.
Afterward Hū′dᴀgiag̣ᴀñ also spoke through him. He acted like the former
one. When he had ceased to act Sᴀqaiyū′ł [620] spoke through him. When
they sang for him he walked about entirely on the ends of his toes.
After he had spoken through him for a while, a certain person fell
sick. When he was almost dead they got him. Then he fasted four nights.
At the end of that time, just before daybreak, he went out to look for
his soul. Two other persons went with him. He went round the town on
both sides of the houses. By and by he seized his soul. He made a noise
like that of a young sea otter.
At once his companions seized him and carried him toward the house.
When they carried them (shamans) so, they were very careful, because
the shaman had the soul between his hands.
While they were carrying him along the trail, a
Smaller-part-of-village’s-stomach [621] came out of the ground. Then
Sᴀqaiyū′ł said to him: “Get it, master. Throw the man’s soul away.”
“No, I am afraid they would laugh at me. I am also afraid of being put
to shame.” Then Sᴀqaiyū′ł said to him: “You will not sit among the
chiefs in the rear of the house. You will sit among the slaves near the
door.”
All that time they were singing for him in the house he had left.
Presently, after they had carried him into the house, they put a mat
over him and the sick man. There he put his soul into his mouth.
Immediately he was saved.
Pestilence [622] married one of the daughters [623] of the Moon. When
he heard the news about his sister in some way, Wu′ltcꜝixaiya [624]
went to get his sister. He put on a steel coat and launched his canoe.
His canoe was covered with boards. Then he knocked down the rock front
of the house of Pestilence with a bone club. Afterward he went in and
got his sister. For that reason there was much sickness.
Then Wu′ltcꜝixaiya had mercy on Sea-grass town and went down there
along with Dilᴀgiâ′. [625] When many people were dying he (Dilᴀgiâ′)
went in to dance before Pestilence. He held a long cane the surface of
which was painted red. He stuck it up slantwise, stood upon it, and
danced. Then he made him feel good, and the sickness ceased. He spoke
through Gᴀ′ndox’s father. Then he told him these things. Sᴀqaiyū′ł
stopped speaking through him.
After he had spoken through him for a while, he wanted some turnips,
and all in the town gave him some. Through these he became more of a
chief in the country of the supernatural beings. When his (Dilᴀgiâ′’s)
voice first struck him, he sang in all the houses of the town for
himself. After that he went into his own house. He was also always
dancing there. “Yâ â â yâ â′aiya nagun dâ â hai i ya Dīlagiâ ahai i
yâ.” [626] This is what they sang when he danced. It is a spirit song.
After that one of the Pebble-town people [627] came to invite them.
Then one through whom Property-woman [628] spoke came by himself in a
canoe. At that time Dilᴀgiâ′ told him he had stretched some bad thing
(or spirit) over the town. Then he danced before him. [629] And he made
him feel good.
Some time after this, after they had gone to the mainland, a different
one spoke through him. His name was Bᴀlê′la. [630] Then they returned
to Sea-grass town with him. Then they sang for Gᴀ′ndox’s father in the
canoe. He danced as they came. And when they landed he asked for a
plank in the Tsimshian language. Then they had one rest on the edges of
the canoe. He came down upon it to the shore. [631]
And, when he got into the house, the house cover only was open (i.e.,
it was crowded with people). He danced the way Wu′ltcꜝixaiya used to.
When he began to dance he was proud, and he had himself pulled upright.
After that was done he began to dance.
After he had danced for a while he would say: “Stop and throw away the
cedar-bark roofing. Destroy also the indoor latrine. Use cedar planks
for your houses. When you go to bed leave your smoke holes open. Boxes
of property will soon fall upon you. Iron people [632] will come among
you.” He said that. He said there would be plenty of property for them.
Then all in the town danced very much again. The Kitkatla people also
brought over Bī′ni’s[630] songs to Skedans. They sang his also very
much as they danced. At this time a schooner was wrecked [in Cumshewa
inlet]. Then blankets were gradually distributed in quantities. This
went on for a long time. Then, according to his word, they used cedar
planks for house roofs. They also stopped using indoor latrines.
Then he wanted fire drills. Now all the town people gave fire drills to
him. When they came in with them he let them all drill together. Then
he looked on. After all had done the same thing they put them into the
fire. That was why he had them give them to himself.
When they stopped dancing they waved their hats. He sang a song. When
all stopped he whistled. Then they stopped singing his [song, which
sounded like this]: “Tcô′lōhô′ldīdôlgîts.” [633]
Afterward Sᴀqaiyū′ł again spoke through him. And, after the dancing had
gone on a while longer, he wanted to sleep. At that time the Sea-grass
town chiefs would not let him. By and by, since they feared the
supernatural beings might say something different from what they wanted
if they refused, they let him sleep.
When they agreed they made a sail house [634] for him in the corner.
And just at evening he went in and lay down. Next day, very early,
before the raven cried he awoke (lit., departed). After that they again
came in dancing. When they stopped dancing he had me sit near him. Then
he began to tell me quietly [what had happened].
At that time he (Sᴀqaiyū′ł) stood on top of the mountain on Qꜝᴀ′ñga
with him. Then he took a handkerchief [635] out of his pocket, put it
over his face, and wept. His clothes were all white. But he had no
coat. Something with wheels [636] stood near him, and presently he put
him into his pocket on the right side. Then he got into this, and he
struck it. It went right along. After he had gone along slowly he came
to a city with him and took him out of his pocket. And he stood up.
A big being with a black skin stood there. He also had a big gun. He
stood pointing it downward at the earth. Sᴀqaiyū′ł handed something to
him out of his pocket. After a while he took it without looking at him
and put it into his mouth. He did not know what it was. He thought it
was Indian tobacco.
Then Sᴀqaiyū′ł said to him: “Do not be afraid, master. Even the
supernatural beings die. Where my three sets of clothing hang up, I
have lived a long time. I died three times, but my body never dies.”
When he went thither with him, he saw a large kettle boiling out of
doors. He said he did not see what made it boil. Near it was a long
thing, the lower end of which was square, on which the Kwakiutl who had
killed a certain one along with a Haida were nailed. [637] They had put
them into the kettle. There they remained.
There he saw his uncle. Then his uncle asked him: “Did you see the one
standing there with a black skin? He shoots down on those people below
who treat each other badly. Then the land below is also full of smoke,
and there is sickness everywhere.”
Then his uncle [638] spoke to him through the doorway. “Why are you
here?” “Sᴀqaiyū′ł brought me around in that thing.” “Be watchful. If
one always watches, he, too, will live here. The black man always keeps
watch on those who are foolish.”
At that time his uncle said to him: “Some time ago one came down
through me. And he lived in this town. Now he lives far inland. They
fear to mention his name.” His uncle talked with him for a while. Again
he said to him: “Do not let his name be mentioned again below. You can
not mention his name [for it is too great]. If a child mentions his
name tell him to stop.” [639]
Then he went down again with him in the thing with wheels. At that time
he awoke in the sail house. Not a long time afterward he died.
This is the end of it.
This story is of exceptional interest, both from the insight it gives
into native beliefs generally and for the picture presented of the
influence exerted on those beliefs and over the external life of the
people also by the coming of white men. G̣ᴀ′ndox was evidently this
shaman’s daughter, and the name appears to be Tsimshian. After he
became a shaman, however, he was known, as was customary, by the name
of the spirit who was speaking through him at the time. He belonged,
like two of the shamans in the preceding story, to the
Town-of-Djī′gua-People of Old Kloo.
I was fortunate in having obtained information regarding this shaman
from one who knew him intimately, and to whom, it appears, he confided
some of his spiritual experiences. The shaman is well known to all
Skidegate Haida, and many other stories are told regarding his
predictions. For some of these, see Memoirs of the Jesup North Pacific
Expedition, volume V, part I, page 39.