562 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [BTH. ANN. 31 



If one Indian is vexed with another, the most effectual way of showing his displeas- 

 ure, next to killing him, is to say to him (what would be in English), " By and by, you 

 V Uhlis." Not unfrequently the poor victim thus marked becomes so terrified that the 

 prediction is verified. When this is the case, the friends of the deceased say that 

 they have no doubt about the cause, and therefore (if they are able to meet the contest 

 which may ensue) the prognosticator, on the first opportunity, is shot for his passionate 

 language. 



The young man named Clah, whom I have, had to assist me in Tsimshian, only a 

 little time before I came, shot a woman, because by some silly expression she excited 

 his belief that it was owing to her evil influence a piece of wood, which was being 

 carried by some Indians, fell from their shoulders and seriously hurt one of them, a 

 relative of his. Now I hear that this woman's son (although Clah has paid him 30 

 blankets) is watching his opportunity to revenge her death. Thus is the stream of 

 murder fed from time to time. 



Shamanistic practices are also resorted to for the purpose of 

 obtaining an ample food supply. Mayne (p. 259) writes in regard 

 to this: 



It is common enough for an Indian living by his wits to circulate a report, some weeks 

 before the commencement of the fish or berry season, that he has had a dream of a large 

 crop of berries, or influx of salmon to some particular spot, which he will disclose for 

 a certain present. He will then go through various ceremonies, such, for instance, 

 as walking about at night in lonely places; taking care that it shall be publicly known 

 that he is " working on the hearts of the fish " to be abundant during the coming season. 

 His supposed influence over the weather and the inclination of the fish are so readily 

 credited that he will in all probability command large prices for his pretended infor- 

 mation and intercession. A canoe's crew will often give a third of their first haul to 

 the "fish-priest" to propitiate him, and ensure good luck for the rest of the season. 

 The prophet of course takes care to send them to a place where fish are generally 

 found in abundance; and, even should they be unsuccessful, it is easy for him to 

 assert that they have done something to offend the Spirits. The habits of the fish 

 themselves, perhaps, tend to the prevalence of such superstititious fancies; as they 

 will often quit particular places altogether for a season, or for several years. Old 

 women, also, often obtain much influence from the profession of second-sight and the 

 power of foretelling births, deaths, marriages, famines, etc. Dreams are generally 

 used as their machinery for these purposes. They also claim more than the gift of 

 prophecy, and insist that they can prevent people they dislike from sharing in the 

 success of the others, and in many ways influence their lives. It is not uncommon 

 to see these old witches communicating their dreams to the tribe; men and women 

 standing by with open mouthB, and impressed wonder-stricken faces. 



Among the Nass tribe quite similar notions in regard to shaman- 

 istic powers prevail. These were described to me as follows: 1 



In reply to my questions regarding the acquisition of super- 

 natural helpers and the powers of the shaman (halai't), "Chief 

 Mountain," who is nowadays a regular attendant at church, gave me 

 the following account of his own experience. Only a man whose 

 father was a shaman can become a shaman. When he himself was 

 a youth, the supernatural beings (nExno'x) were pursuing him all the 

 time. One day a beautiful girl appeared to him, and he fainted. 



i Boaa 1, 1895, pp. 5S0-581. 



