BOAS] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 87 



house of Little Pitch was full of dried halibut and of all kinds of pro- 

 visions. TxanisEm made up his mind to kill his friend who had 

 treated him so kindly. 



On the following evening, after he had eaten his supper, he said 

 to his friend that they would go out the next morning to catch 

 halibut. Little Pitch was willing, and said to TxamsEm, " It is not 

 good for me if I go out fishing in the sun, because I am so weak. I 

 must return home while it is still chilly." TxamsEm replied, "I will 

 do whatever you say, sir. I think we shall have plenty of time." 

 Thus spoke TxamsEm. They started for the fishing-ground, and 

 fished all night until daybreak. When the sun rose, Little Pitch 

 wanted to go home: but TxamsEm said, "I enjoy fishing. Lie down 

 there in the bow of the canoe, and cover yourself with a mat." Little 

 Pitch lay down, and TxamsEm called him, "Little Pitch!" — "Hey!" 

 he replied. After a while TxamsEin called him again, "Little 

 Pitch!" — "Hey!" he answered again with a loud voice. TxamsEm 

 called him once more, "Little Pitch!" Then he answered "Hey!" 

 in a low voice. TxamsEm called him still again. He answered, 

 "Hey, hey!" with a very weak voice. "Now I will pull up my 

 fishing-lines," said TxamsEm; and after he had hauled his fines into 

 the canoe, he paddled away home. 



TxamsEm paddled very hard. He called again, "Little Pitch!" 

 but there was no answer; so he went to see what had happened to 

 Little Pitch. As soon as he touched the mat that covered Little 

 Pitch, behold! pitch was running out all over the halibut. Little 

 Pitch was dead, and melted pitch ran all over the halibut. Therefore 

 the habbut is black on one side. 



TxamsEm was very glad. He paddled along until he reached- the 

 shore in front of Little Pitch's house, expecting to get a good supper 

 from Little Pitch's wife. He took the line, tied up his canoe, and 

 went up, glad in his heart. He went on and on, but could not find 

 any house. He searched everywhere, but could not find it. Only a 

 little green spruce tree was standing there, with a drop of pitch 

 upon one side. Finally TxamsEm remembered that his canoe was 

 full of halibut ; so he went down to the beach, being very hungry, but 

 he could not find his canoe. Only a spruce log with roots was there. 

 Then TxanisEm felt very badly. 



(28) txa'msem kills grizzly bear 1 



There was no food with which TxamsEm could satisfy his hunger. 

 He began to cry, for he was very hungry ; and he went on, not knowing 

 which way to go. Finally he arrived on one side of a large bay, and 

 saw a small house on the other side, and a small canoe on the beach 

 in front of the house. TxamsEm went toward the house, and entered. 

 In the house was an old man with his two wives. The house was full 



