THE INDIANS OF CAPE FLATTERY. G5 



wolves said, &quot; Kwahtie, you tell lies, for I can smell something, and my nose tells me 

 that you have killed our chief.&quot; &quot; Well,&quot; says Kwahtie, &quot; if you think so, call all your 

 tribe here, and I will work spells, and you can then see whether I have killed him 

 or not.&quot; Accordingly they all came. Kwahtie told them to form a circle, leaving 

 an opening on one side, which they did. He then took a bottle or bladder of oil in 

 one hand, and a comb with very long teeth in the other, and commenced a song in 

 which he at first denied all knowledge of the chief, but at length admitted the fact, 

 upon which he started and ran out of the circle, dashing down the bladder of oil 

 which turned into water. He also stuck his comb into the sand, which was imme 

 diately changed into the rocks from Clyoquot to Flattery rocks. He then dived into 

 the water and escaped. It was in this manner, said my informant, that Neeah Bay 

 and the Straits were formed ; for the land formerly was level and good, till Kwahtie 

 turned it into rocks and water. Kwahtie was a great magician till the Ho-ho-e- 

 ap-bess transformed him. He had the choice offered him of being a bird or a fish, 

 but declined both. He was then told that as he was fond of fish he might live on 

 land and eat what fish he could catch or pick up. 



The raven, Klook-shood, was a strong Indian very fond of flesh, a sort of 

 cannibal, as was his wife Cha-ka-do, the crow, and their strong beaks were given 

 them to tear their food, whether fish, flesh, or vegetable, for they had great 

 appetites, and devoured everything they could find. The crane, Kwah-less, was a 

 great fisherman, always on the rocks, or wading about, with his long fish spear ready 

 to transfix his prey. He constantly wore the tsa-sa-ka-dup, or little circular cape, 

 worn by the Makahs during wet weather while fishing. This was turned into the 

 feathers about his neck, and his fish spear into his long bill. The kingfisher, 

 Chesh-kully, was also a fisherman, but a thief, and had stolen a necklace of the Che- 

 toh-dook or dentalium shells ; these were turned into the ring of white feathers 

 about his neck. 



At the time of the transformation of Indians into animals, there was no wood in 

 the land, nothing but grass and sand, so the Ho-ho-e-ap-bess, mindful of the 

 wants of the future inhabitants, prepared for them fuel. To one they said, you 

 are old, and your heart is dry, you will make good kindling wood, for your 

 grease has turned hard and will make pitch (kluk-ait-a-biss), your name is Do- 

 ho-bupt, and you shall be the spruce tree, which when it grows old will always 

 make dry wood. To another, your name is Kla-ka-bupt, and you shall be the 

 hemlock. The Indians will want some harder wood, and therefore Kwahk-sa- 

 bupt, you shall be the alder, and you, Dopt-ko-bupt, shall be the crab apple, and 

 as you have a cross temper you shall bear sour fruit. The Indians will likewise 

 want tough wood to make bows, and wedges with which to split logs ; you Kla- 

 haik -tle-bup are tough and strong, and therefore you shall be the yew tree. They 

 will also require soft lasting wood to make canoes, you Kla-ae-sook shall be the 

 cedar. And thus they give the origin of every tree, shrub, or herb. 



The cause of the ebb and flow of the tides is accounted for in this manner. The 

 raven, Klook-shood, not being contented with his one wife, the crow, went up the 

 straits and stole the daughter of Tu-chee, the east wind. Tu-chee, after searching 

 twenty days, found him, and a compromise was effected, by which the raven was to 



9 October, 13C9. 



