[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo.]
In the times before they had muskets the Skidegate people went toward
the south end of the island to fight. The entire town, including both
clans, went along and presently saw a fort on the landward side of
Kî′ntcꜝuwit. It was named Standing-fort.
After they had been fishing from the fort for a while something talked
with a woman who was cutting a fish. “Come, cut a little piece of fish
[942] for me, younger sister.” They did not know what it was that
spoke. This portent happened because the fort was going to be
destroyed.
There was no way to climb up to the fort. They then laid a long pole up
the side of it. They used that to climb up on. Presently the Skidegate
people came in a crowd to the bottom of it. When they were ready to go
up some one shouted down from it: “Do not kill me. I belong to the
Cumshewa-town people. [943] I am here with them only for a short time.”
They called to him then to come down. But he did not believe them and
did not go down.
By and by they started up the ladder. When they got halfway up the
ladder they poured whale grease down upon the ladder. They got up over
it with difficulty. They killed all the men and cut off their heads.
The rest [of their bodies] they threw down from the fort. The space
around it was filled up. After they had destroyed them they enslaved
the women and children.
And, when the war canoes started off, some young women and some young
men who had gone after spruce bark came out on the shore at the time of
their departure. They wished to go. They would not take them. And they
went to the fort after they (the warriors) had gone away. And, while
they were still some way off from the fort they heard a great sound of
voices. And, when they arrived there, the air and blood rushing out of
the mouths of the severed heads made a great noise. At that time the
Ninstints people were destroyed.
Gᴀ′nx̣oat [944] and the people of his village went to war later. And
after they had gone along for a while they landed. At that time the
Ninstints people were at Djig̣u′n. [945] And a man of the Sand-town
people [946] who had gone out from the town after something saw
unobserved that enemies were in a certain place. And, after he had
watched them for a while, he shot one. No one was about.
He then cut off his head. With that he brought the news to the fort.
His name was Great-drum. Then the Ninstints people launched a large
canoe. They did not know that the Skidegate people were lying in wait
for them on the shore near the fort. After they had gone along for a
while they shot at them. They upset the canoe.
Then Tasgie′n and Gā′da-kuła′ns got ashore with ammunition. Both
belonged to the Sand-town people. They shot at the Skidegate people
from behind rocks which leaned toward the sea along the edges of the
water. As soon as it was seen from the fort that they had been upset
they went to help them. Those were the Ninstints-gîtî′ns and the
Sa′ki-qe′ig̣awa-i. [947]
Then they landed. And they came behind the Skidegate people. At that
time Yū′wa-i came to Gᴀ′nx̣oat, who was taking a bath in the woods. He
feared then to shoot him, he was such a great chief. Then he finished
“night-picks-up-the-village” (his daily fast). [948]
Laginᴀ′ñdigūdañ also tried to help his sons by shooting. Then Yū′wa-i
came behind the Skidegate people and shot one. He (the man shot) was
all alone. He then cut off his head and put a string on it, and he came
out with it at the end of the lines of Skidegate people. “Ho ho ho, ho
ho ho, ho ho ho, Skidegate people, I am Yū′wa-i. I am eating you up
from behind.” And, when the Skidegate people saw the head that he had
on his back, even their sinews gave out [they were so discouraged].
[949]
The Sand-town people lost an advantage by their foolishness. Their new
muskets and ammunition were sunk. Not long before a trading vessel had
come there.
And before this, after things had been going on quietly at the
[Ninstints] fort, Blown-away went out from the fort to fish. When he
came back from fishing his gambling sticks were gone from the house. He
then went to where they were gambling. He came to where his nephew was
using the gambling sticks.
Then he scolded his nephew on account of them. And he (his nephew)
threw the gambling sticks over a cliff. He then pulled his nephew down
on one side and stabbed him repeatedly. And he ran toward the house.
Then his (the murdered man’s) younger brother ran after him. When he
had almost got in his younger brother also stabbed him twice in the
abdomen. He, too, soon after was lying on the ground. A woman was also
killed the same day.
Here is the end of the story about this.