552 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. asm. 31 



of Chief Dzeba'sa, and his successor: therefore his father made a high 

 position for him, and gave him his first supernatural power, 

 Txa-g-a'xsEm lax-ha'. 



" While the prince is walking on the beach, the supernatural power 

 suddenly comes to him, takes him by the head, and drags him along 

 with great noise and blowing of terrible whistles. Then all the mem- 

 bers of the society assemble on the beach and sing songs. After two 

 songs they give a great shout, and say that the prince has gone up 

 to the house of Chief Sun. Thereupon LEge'°x kills one of his slaves 

 or sets him free. While the novice is away, the voice of the slave is 

 heard night and day in the woods. This continues until ten days 

 are over, when the novice is expected back from the sky. Very early 

 in the morning, after ten days, a great swan is seen coming from the 

 sea, carrying the novice on its back. At the same time the whistles 

 of the swan are heard. Then the whole society gather in their house, 

 and they go out in two canoes to meet him. Long boards are put 

 across the canoes, forming a platform. They take a wooden dram 

 along, and sing all the way while they are going to meet the novice. 

 Slowly they draw nearer and nearer to the swan which carries him. 

 When they reach the swan, they take the novice off from its back, 

 and the swan disappears from the eyes of the people. Only its 

 voice is heard among the whistles. Its voice is that of Txa-g-a'xsEm 

 lax-ha'. Then the people in the canoes sing again and turn back. 

 One of them warns the people on the beach, shouting, 'Be careful, 

 because the great supernatural power has taken him away!' As 

 soon as he has spoken, the voice of Txa-ga'xsEm lax-ha' is heard 

 among the people. They all run away, and the members of the 

 society land. The novice jumps ashore, takes a club, and breaks the 

 house doors, boxes and canoes. Then he goes to the houses of the 

 chiefs of other tribes; and one will give him a large good canoe, 

 another one a beautifully carved box, and others large carved wooden 

 dishes and other expensive things, to break. Finally he goes back 

 to the house of his society. 



" On the same evening he announces to all the people that there will 

 be a performance in the house of one of the chiefs. When all the 

 people are in the house which was selected by LEge'°x, the father of 

 the novice, for the performance, the voice of the novice is heard by 

 the people. The sound of many whistles is heard afterwards; and 

 he strikes the waUs of the house, shouting, "Hi, hi, hi, hi!" The 

 women of the society come in first, with red-cedar bark round then- 

 heads, twisted red-cedar bark rings around their necks, and they stand 

 on each side of the house. When they are all in, a song begins ; and 

 the novice walks around, carrying a club on his shoulder. The 

 women are walking to and fro, each group on their own side of the 

 fire, each carrying a clapper, which they shake in the right hand. 

 This clapper is held between the second and third fingers; and while 



