382 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



They said, "I will take the vow that I will burn the empty village as 

 I burn this empty box." Then all the people uttered their war-cries 

 four times. This was the custom before they went to war. 



Then the chief said again, ' ' I invite the people of the canyon to go 

 to war with us." Therefore he sent a messenger to the G"its lala'sEr, 

 whose chief was Nes-dzakagul, and who belonged to the same clan. 

 This chief went with all his warriors to the village of Chief LEg - e'°x, who 

 told him that he wanted him to accompany them to Queen Charlotte 

 Islands. The other chief agreed, and Chief LEg - e'°x ordered a box of 

 oil to be brought out, and they followed the old custom. They 

 opened the box of oil; and Nes-dzakagul came forward to where 

 the box of oil was, and he said to his own people, "Who will come 

 forward first and be the first to die for the sake of our sister Wi-n!e'°x 

 and of her son Hats !Eks-n !e'°x and all the rest of our people V Then 

 one man of the Eagle Clan named Yaas said, "I will be first to open 

 the bows of the Haida. I will give my life for the sake of my master's 

 sister and his nephew." He dipped his fourth finger into the oil. 

 Then two more came forward, and all the rest of the people; last of 

 all, two young men, who took their clubs, and said that they would 

 break the houses as they were breaking the oil-box, and that they 

 would burn the village. After all the warriors had taken the vow, 

 they shouted four times; and after four days had passed, they were 

 ready to start. 



The great L.Eg - e'°x sent one of his friends to the G"inax'ang'i'°k, and 

 he promised to pay him a certain amount if they should come back 

 safe. This man went with them secretly, for he was afraid of his 

 people. His name was Anamik. He belonged to the Raven Clan. 

 He was their guide across the sea to Queen Charlotte Islands. 



Then they started down Skeena River. They passed all the vil- 

 lages of the Tsimshian along the river, and the Tsimshian encoiiraged 

 the great chief; and when they passed the last village of the G'id- 

 wul-g'a'dz, they said when LEg - e'°x's many canoes passed in front 

 of their village, "What are you doing ? " They replied, "Oh, yes!" but 

 the people of this village made fun of them, and said, "Don't kill 

 Wl-suqans ! Take him alive, and we will pay you when you come 

 back!" The warriors, however, did not reply anything, and their 

 guide led them directly to Queen Charlotte Islands. 



Now I will turn back to the Haida who had taken the Tsimshian at 

 Sandy Shore. When they arrived on Dundas Island, at the point 

 Lax-gulwal, they camped there; and before they began to eat, 

 they tied their captives hand and foot. Then all the men went 

 around the fire, and Wl-n !e'°x sang her brother LEg - e'°x's mourning- 

 song with all her strength. 



