[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns]
The nephew of Cēks lived at Sitka for the sake of some woman. He was
killed there. Then all the Stikine people went to Sitka to fight. At
that time they had a pitched battle there, and they destroyed many
Sitka people. After that the Sitka people also started out to war.
At that time the eulachon were running into the Stikine. After they had
filled the ground with holes they went out to get stones. They did not
have the right kind of stones there. They had only whetstones. And,
when they came from it, a man passed out by them to get some. His name
was Daoł. [778] Then he gave them the following prediction: “They will
kill me [and my family] when the tide is on the ebb, and I shall never
come back.”
As soon as the tide was out they went out to fight. The warriors came
upon him at the place where he was gathering stones. Then they took him
into the war chief’s canoe. He had left his gun behind. They then made
fun of him by telling him to do various things.
While they were talking to him the warriors (his friends) came into the
bay. They asked him then: “One-who-is-always-mentioned, are you still
alive?” “Yes,” he said. He also asked: “Did you bring my gun? Did you
bring my knife?” “Yes.” “Give them to me.” They then got his things to
him.
When he put on his cartridge box some one shouted: “Ixiâ′⁺ī, [779]
One-who-is-always-mentioned has his weapons in his hands.” Then,
forgetting himself, he shot. Straightway they all shot. And he also
said that he pulled out his knife and kept striking them as he moved
forward. They then destroyed the Sitka people. They stabbed those who
there escaped to the woods. They said that two young fellows then came
from watching for their enemies. They took them into Cēks’s canoe.
They then went away. On the next day they collected heads. Some of them
got twelve. Others got ten. The heads were drying in the sunshine,
looking like clothes drying on a line and bellying in the wind. Then
Cēks, having called the people together, told them to stop fighting. He
told them that they had destroyed the Sitka people.
By and by they let the two youths that they had enslaved go. They then
ripped open the seams in a little, old, 3-fathom canoe. In it they
started off. They also gave them a small paddle. They thought then that
they would drown. In the summer after that they heard that they had
escaped.
Some time afterward the Sitka people were coming to make peace. And
they got ready for them. They thought it well to make peace [they
said]. Then Cēks again called the people together, and they agreed to
destroy them. They then talked over how they should preserve themselves
from injury.
By and by the Sitka people came in many canoes. After they had danced
for a while in front of the town they came ashore, and the dancers
entered the house and danced there. Then property was given to them.
They gave them four or two slaves apiece as blood money. After that
they also danced in Cēks’s house. When nearly all were in they shut the
door, and they killed those outside and threw their bodies over the
cliff in front.
After they had killed all of those they crowded against each other near
the door. They then quietly pulled out one after another, stabbed each
one, and threw out the bodies. At that time a woman looked in through
the smoke hole. She held a knife. She made the motion of cutting off
heads. She said that they were going to destroy them. Those who were
dancing paid no attention to her. After they had killed on for a while
they began to discover it for themselves. But still they kept dancing.
Although only ten were left they kept dancing. Presently they killed
all. Six that they saved they let go home.
Some time afterward they began to visit back and forth. Once a great
many went to [Sitka], and Qała′x [780] paid a great sum to the
Russians. Then many canoes came there and, when all the Stikine people
were inside the stockade, Qała′x began to fight them. And they
destroyed the Stikine people.
Some time after that they became good to each other. They began
visiting back and forth again. Then ten canoes came to the Stikine, and
Yaqoa′n began to kill them. And they destroyed all of them. At that
time they stopped visiting each other.
Some time after that Qała′x’s nephew was in love with the daughter of a
Russian. For that the Russians killed him. They then killed the
Russian’s son. They said that the Russians were going to fight them
with Qała′x, and they fortified themselves. They built the walls out of
big cedars. And they built the houses inside. They put flat rocks along
the fronts and sides of the houses. [781] And, after they had lived
there for a while, the Iron people [782] came in a vessel to destroy
them. After they had shot at them ten times they called for Qała′x.
When he answered they shot at him still more.
After they had done this for a while they came off to fight them in
three boats. All had guns with bayonets. They came on land at once.
And, after they had prepared for them in the house, they went out. They
then shot at them. While the Russians were shooting by command they
shot into them. They also threw out their cartridges quickly and shot
again. After they had done this for some time they destroyed the
Russians. Only those who had charge of the boats got to the ship. Then
the warship sailed away. [Meanwhile] they strengthened the fort.
After two months had passed they came to fight them with two warships.
They then shot at them from both sides. At that time they called to
him: “Qała′x, are you still alive?” “Yes; I am not afraid of the cannon
you use against me.” The cannon sounded then still more.
After some time had passed they went to get him. They then fought again
with the Russians. They also destroyed those. At that time they took
guns, coats, hats, and swords. After some time had passed, they (the
Russians) brought property over to the winners. “Qała′x, are you yet
alive?” “Yes; I am still alive. I won. Now it is all right for you to
kill me.” When he said this, they raised the flags. They then gave him
clothing, food, rum, and ammunition. They let him win. Many of the
Russians were killed.
My informant heard this story from an old Tlingit from the Stikine. It
is of peculiar interest as containing a native account of the struggle
between Baranof and the Indians at Sitka. It differs from the Russian
account, however, in so many particulars that it is evident that few
real facts are preserved.