20G 



IKHSES OF KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 



FIG. 12. Gablea of houses at Alert Bay. 



other Bekuc. On top of it a wolf is standing, whose fore paws are in 

 the mouths of two human heads. On top of the wolf sits a beaver, and 

 the uppermost figure is the halibut. The two boards bearing the 

 English inscriptions were nailed to the house by a white trader. But I 



should advise future explorers not to 

 trust the man 'Cheap' (a corruption of 

 "chief"), as he is the 'greatest liar' on 

 the whole coast. Formerly the Sisiutl 

 was painted on the, front of the house, 

 but at the request of the Indian agent, 

 Mr. Cheap, whose proper name is ^ro- 

 mena'kulu, whitewashed it, and unfortu- 

 nately I could only see a few faint traces 

 of the painting. In consideration of 

 this action he was appointed constable 

 and presented wirh an old uniform and 

 a flag. It was made his special duty 

 to prevent dances and feasts, and since 

 that time he dances in this uniform and 

 with the Hag. I found the characteristic 

 Sisiutl on a settee in his house (Fig. 5). 

 Fart of the rear of this house is shown 

 in Fig. G. The upright that holds the 

 ceiKial beam in its mouth represents the sea lion. 

 (4) Nomase'nqilis (a gens of the Tlatlasijpoala). 



Nomase'nqilis descended from heaven and built a house. On his her- 

 aldic column were two eagles that watched his house. He had three 

 children — a blind daugther, Aikya'oejpi ; a son, Tleqya'likila j .and a 

 daughter, Naqnaisilao'^oa. 



One day Aikya'oejja wanted to go to Ya^ama'lis (Hope Island) to 

 pick berries. A slave accompanied her in her boat, and when after a 

 long time they had not yet arrived iu Yajjama'lis, though it was only a 

 short way off, she asked, "Where are we? We ought to be in Yaqa- 

 ma'lis by this time." The slave answered, "I do not know. I do not 

 see Ya^ama'lis, nor do I see the eagles on the post before your house." 

 They sailed a long time without seeing land. At last an island loomed 

 up on the horizon, and in coming nearer they saw a town. There lived 

 ThV>[oakila (/. e., with copper plates). When he saw the boat he in- 

 vited the travelers to enter his house, and he took Aikya'oejpi for his 

 wife. 



Nomase'nqilis, however, mourned his daughter as though she were 

 dead. His heart was very sad. and he threw the post of his house into 

 th«' sea. The tide carried it to Yasiama'lis, where Nomase'nqilis built a 



new liou.se. 



Aikya'oe^a had two children, Tla'qoakila and Tla'sutewalis. One 



day she left them playing near the tire while she went to the beach to 



