510 TSIMSHIAX MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 



Kwakiutl affinity inhabiting Gardner Channel), whose family as- 

 sumed membership in the highest ceremonial society. After her 

 return to Skeena River, the woman was given the name Gan-dE-ma'xl 

 ("ascending the mountain with a costly copper"). From her the 

 privilege descended in her family. The name LEg'e'°x is said to be 

 a G'it lama't name (perhaps from la "to go," -ea'a "behind" ?). The 

 chief of the tribe took it after the previous hereditary chief's name, 

 Nes-balas, had lost its standing, because the bearer had been killed 

 by a chief of a Raven clan and his head put up in the house of the 

 latter (see p. 362). 



The LEge'°x family intermarries with the head chief's family of the 

 G'isp'awadwE'da. LEg - e'°x marries the head chief's sister named 

 KsEm-g'a'mk. The head chief of the GispawadwE'da, whose 

 name is Hail, on the other hand, marries LEge'°x's sister Gan-dE- 

 ma'xl. Their son, before assuming the name L/Eg-e'°x, has the name 

 Hats!Eks-n!e'°x. The head chief's family must therefore have 

 inbred for a long time. 



'The Git !anda' chiefs are said to be relatives of those of G'i-spa-x-la '"is, 

 to share then privileges, and bear the same names, the one LEg - e'°x 

 excepted. I have also been told that the G"i-spa-x-la'°ts had the 

 privilege of trade with the G"it-ksa'n, which they maintained suc- 

 cessfully against the Hudson Bay Company until the latter purchased 

 it in 1866. 



The Git-qxa'la are considered higher in rank than any of the 

 tribes of the Tsimshian proper. They have the same secret societies 

 as the G'i-spa-x-la'°ts and G"it!anda' have. They acquired them 

 through intermarriage from the Git-la'°p and Bellabella. Still more 

 recently the Haida acquired them from the Gut-qxa'la. 



The LEg"e'°x who ruled about one hundred and fifty years ago 

 (the sixth back from the year 1888) had his figure painted on a 

 vertical precipice on Nass River, a series of coppers standing under 

 his figure. Since that tune the place is called Wll-g ilEks-txal-t 'a'mtk 

 ("where self on written"). 



Seven generations ago. Nes-wi-ba'sk (''grandfather great wind"), a 

 chief at Metlakahtla, had his figure carved on a rock on an island near 

 that village. He lay down, had his outline marked, and the carving 

 completed in a single night. 



The G"it-q!a'°da of Grenville Channel are said to be subjects of the 

 chief of the Gid-wul-ga'dz. They have to pay a tribute of fish, oil, 

 berries, and skins every year. The G"it-la'°p are said to be subjects 

 of the chief of the Git-qxa'la. 



Although names have a definite raids, the social standing of a name 

 might increase or decrease according to the virtues of its bearers. 



Each person had different names as his social position was advanced 

 in the course of his life. The child would have insignificant names; 

 while a successful elderly man would have a high name belonging to 



