354 • TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY Ieth. Ann. 31 



the supernatural being sent him back, and ordered him to imitate all 

 that he had seen in the mountain. 



The White Bear took the hunter back to his home, and put him 

 down on the top of a tree. There the people saw him. He slid down 

 the tree on his back, attacked a man, and devoured him. Then he 

 attacked another one, tore him to pieces, and ate him; and thus he 

 killed many people. Finally the tribe succeeded in overpowering 

 him, and they cured him by means of medicine. When he had quite 

 recovered his senses, he taught them the dances of the four companies 

 that he had seen in the mountain, and since that time the people have 

 had the Cannibal dance and the Dog Eaters' dance. 



64. Story of the Wolf Clan 1 



The Wolf Clan originated in Alaska. The Tahltan of the upper 

 Stikine River had a great war. Two chiefs, Gus-xg - ain and Lagunus, 

 were killed. Then their nephews and six brothers belonging to the 

 Wolf Clan fled from their enemies. Two of them went across the 

 mountains to Nass Eiver, while four went down Stikine River by 

 canoe. 



The four brothers who went down the river arrived at a place 

 where a large glacier obstructed the valley, and where the river ran 

 through under the ice. Then they sang a mourning-song and entered 

 the ice cave expecting to be drowned. They passed through safely 

 and went right down the river. Before evening they arrived at 

 the mouth of the river, and saw the smoke of a village. They were 

 afraid that the people might kdl them: therefore they camped there, 

 waiting for the night to come. The villagers, however, had watch- 

 men stationed on the river, who had seen the canoe coming down: 

 therefore they sent their warriors in two canoes to fight the four 

 brothers. These, however, spoke kindly to them, and they were 

 invited into the chief's house. There they told the chief that they 

 were fleeing from then enemies; and when they said that they be- 

 longed to the Wolf Clan and gave the names of their uncles, the 

 chief of the Stikine said that he wanted to take that name: there- 

 fore he gave a great feast and took the name Gus-xg - ain. 



Later on a war broke out among the Stikine people, and some of 

 the Tahltan brothers fled to Tongass, where they settled. 



After some time had elapsed, another war broke out, and one of 

 them fled to the Tsimshian: therefore there are not many people of 

 the Wolf Clan among the Tsimshian. 



The two brothers who had crossed the mountains to Nass River 

 found the people encamped above Portland Canal. The chief of the 



■This story of the origin of the Wolf Clan was obtained after all the preceding matter was in type. 

 It belongs to the group of stories 51-53 (pp. 297 et seq.). It is the last story written by Mr. Tate before 

 his death.— Notes, p. 863. 



