boas] TSIMSHIAN MYTHS 357 



singing as they were corning along. At that time a chief would 

 always be ready to put on his armor. The chief was seated on a box 

 in the center of his large canoe, and he was looking all around; and 

 as soon as he saw the two canoes coming toward them, Nes-balas 

 took up his bow and arrow. When he saw his brother standing in 

 one of the large canoes, he asked him, "What do you mean that you 

 are coming against me?" Txa-dzl'°kik answered, "I come against 

 you in order to kill you right here." — "For what reason?" — "Because 

 my father has hi mi trod you more than me, therefore I will slay you." 

 As he was saying this, Nes-balas shot his arrow, and the arrow 

 entered Txa-dzl'°kik's left eye, so that he fell back in his canoe; and 

 all Nes-balas's warriors did their best shooting the warriors of Txa- 

 dzl'°kik. The people in one of the latter's large canoes were all 

 killed, and many of his men were wounded. One of Nes-balas's first 

 wives was killed. Txa-dzl'°kik's men fled. 



This was the beginning of the war between these two brothers, the 

 sons of one man. One year after the fight, on their way home, 

 Txa-dzl'°kik died, and his younger brother, Gaina, succeeded him 

 and took his name. 



He invited all the chiefs of all the tribes, and he made a great fca.st 

 in order to make himself great; but the Tsimshian chiefs would not 

 come to his great feast because he had not invited Nes-balas first. 

 Therefore all the Tsimshian chiefs were not present at this great feast. 

 This made him even more sad; for the chiefs of all the Tsimshian 

 tribes loved Nes-balas more than him, because Nes-balas used to give 

 great feasts and was very kind to all his fellow-chiefs and to every- 

 body. Therefore they loved him. They said that he was a real 

 prince because he loved the poor and honored his fellow-chief.:;. 

 Every day some of the hunters of the Tsimshian tribes would bring 

 him fresh meat, and in return the chief gave them valuable garments. 

 He was also often invited by the chiefs of the various tribes. There- 

 fore ho was much favored in the eyes of all the people. 



One day a canoe arrived in front of Nes-balas's village with a 

 message from Txa-dzl'°kik, who invited Nes-balas. The latter sent, 

 out one of his warriors to say that he would not go to their master's 

 feast unless he would send to every Tsimshian tribe and strew 

 leathers on every chief's head. Therefore Txa-dzl'°kik's men went 

 anil told their master what Chief Nes-balas had said. They went 

 back and told him what his elder brother had said. Then Txa- 

 dzl' kik said that he would kill him. So they set out secretly at 

 night to ambush him. At midnight they arrived at the village. 



The same night hunters who had been out in two canoes were in 

 Nes-balas's house; and late at night, while those who were waiting U> 

 kill the chief were at the foot of the ladder leading up to the chiefs 



