Four stories illustrated in carved wood on a heraldic column 
Kitksan, when the whole tribe lived at Tumla- 
halm on the upper Skeena River, there was 
a great hunter, Kit-um-gieldo (man of the 
outside or wilds). He was chief of the 
Kon-nah-da clan, whose hunting grounds 
included Sthe-yordan-lah (steep sides), the 
precipitous aggregation of jagged mountain 
peaks that rise directly from the compara- 
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MR ET OS 
a bas a 28 ’ oe 5 
tively level country beyond the 
mouth of the Buckley River. 
After the salmon season was 
over, when the animals had 
fattened on the abundance of 
the summer and had taken on 
their winter coats, he invited 
the most active hunters of the 
village to accompany him to 
the great mountain where the 
wild goats were abundant, for 
besides the flesh which was 
esteemed, the skins were used 
as bedding, the soft wool was 
twisted into yarn for weaving 
blankets, into cord for carrying 
bags and other household arti- 
cles, while the leaf fat that had 
been taken on as a protection 
against the extreme cold of 
winter was run into cakes for 
later use. 
The goats were hunted with 
bow, arrow and spear, the hunt- 
ers lying in wait for them along 
their rock-worn trails, and 
many were taken each year and 
sent down the mountain side 
to the people who were en- 
camped awaiting the hunters’ 
return. Then the meat was 
carried across the river to the 
village and a great feast was 
held. 
During one of these expedi- 
tions a young man put a bag 
of red paint in his wallet, to 
color his arrows for good luck, 
and after he had killed many 
goats he came across a kid 
which he caught and after 
painting its horns red and deco- 
rating its face in ceremonial 
design, he let it go. The fol- 
lowing spring two strangers 
dressed in white blankets ar- 
rived in the village and as was 
the custom with guests, they 
were invited to the chief’s house and offered 
food such as dried salmon, boiled dried goats’ 
meat and dried berries, but they would not 
eat anything. They gave all the people an 
invitation to visit their village, not saying 
where it was, but offering themselves as 
guides. After leaving the house some chil- 
dren noticed the strangers on their hands and 
