286 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth.ann.31 



sea. Its name was G - it-na-gun-a'ks. Therefore the chief, Na-gun- 

 a'ks, sent his slave to see what was the cause of the noise on his roof; 

 and therefore his codfish slave went around the canoe, and the 

 chief hunter broke her fins. 



The poor slave-girl came back to her master's house weeping, and 

 the chief asked her what was the matter. The poor slave replied 

 that human beings had cast their anchor and dropped it on the roof 

 of the house, and also that the chief had broken off both her fins. 

 She wept bitterly. 



Then the chief said to his people, "Take the canoe down into my 

 house." Therefore they took the canoe down to the chief's house 

 at the bottom of the sea while the men were fast asleep in their canoe. 



While these four men were still sound asleep, the steersman felt 

 a drop of water falling into his eye; so he opened his eyes, and saw 

 that a sea anemone had fallen on them. Then he sat up, and saw 

 that they were inside of a large house. Their canoe was on the 

 highest platform in the rear of the house. Then he saw people sit- 

 ting around the large fire in the bottom of the house. Then the 

 steersman shook the canoe, and said in a whisper, "Alas! we are in 

 danger." All his companions awoke, and they all began to cry. 

 They saw a great chief sitting in the rear of the house in front of 

 his fire. 



After a while the chief said to his attendants, "Let my guests come 

 down to the fire!" So they brought them down; and as soon as 

 they were seated by the side of the large fire, the Mouse Woman came 

 and touched the chief hunter. She said, "My dear, throw your ear- 

 ornaments into the fire ! ' ' Therefore Dragging Along Shore threw his 

 woolen ear-ornaments into the fire. Then the Mouse Woman took 

 the scorched woolen ear-ornaments, and said, "Don't you know in 

 whose house you are?" He replied, "No, I do not know." Then 

 she said, "This is the house of Chief Na-gun-a'ks. You cast your 

 anchor-stone on the roof of his house last night. Therefore he sent 

 his female slave, because he wished to know what caused the noise 

 up there, and you have broken her fins. She was crying when she 

 came in. Then he sent his attendants and took you down into his 

 house. I advise you to offer him what you have in your canoe, lest 

 you be in danger." Thus spoke the Mouse Woman, and went away. 



Chief Na-gun-a'ks said to his attendants, "Boil some seals, that I 

 may feed my guests!" Therefore his attendants took four large 

 boxes and four large seals. They put red-hot stones into the four 

 boxes ; and when the water began to boil, they put a seal into each 

 box; and when the seals were done, Chief Na-gun-a'ks said, "Take 

 one seal to each of the men!" They did so. 



Again the wise Mouse Woman came, and said, "Don't be afraid 

 when they bring you a whole seal! Just open your mouth wide, and 



