

842 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [bth. ann. 31 



He lifts the edge of the water like a blanket and walks underneath Tie, Ri MS. 



He says that he will swing the rope when he reaches the bottom, and also as a signal 

 when he is ready to return Ts 1. He tells his friends to wait Ts 1, Ma [the shaman 

 promises to remain at the end of the trail, and tells him what he will find below Ska: 

 Marten waits for him in the canoe Sk6, Hai 6; the Swallow returns to report Hai 6.] 



When he goes down, he reaches LA'mas (a passage leading into Nass River) Sk6 

 [he falls on a smooth mossy place Tla, goes to a cave in which there is no water Ts 4]. 

 [He meets many people, who inform him where his wife is Ts 5.] 



The following difficulties which he has to overcome on his way to 

 the house of the Killer Whales are related to the incidents of the 

 travels of the Transformer among the Kwakiutl tribes. In these also 

 the encounter with the Blind Geese occurs. Among the Kwakiutl 

 tribes the long incident relating how the wedges of the wood-splitting 

 slave are mended belongs to the story of the origin of salmon. In 

 this group of stories the visit to the house of the Killer Whales 

 occurs in exactly the same setting as in the story that we are 

 discussing here. These incidents will be given in the following 

 description in their proper places. 



(1) He meets Blind Geese ' (Ts 1, Ts 4, Ma, Hai 6) who are digging roots, which he 

 takes away. Then they quarrel, thinking that the others had taken them Ts 4, Hai 6. 

 [They are eating roots of a seaweed, and smell him Ts 4; they are singing Ts 1 ; they 

 were women Hai 6; he meets women digging clover roots, who say they smell him Ski; 

 he meets old women, one of whom distributes food boiled in kettle; he takes away 

 dishes, and they smell the stranger Na 5.] [In Ma he meets Heron first, who warns 

 him against the Blind Geese; he is to give them tc.'al; he approaches from behind; 

 they smell him.] They call him by name, and this is the first time his name is known 

 Ma, Ski, Hai 6. He opens their eyes, and in return they promise their help Ts 1, 

 Sk6, Na 5 [he rubs their eyes with a root; they are able to see, and cry, "Our eyes are 

 open!" therefore they cry that way up to this day; he gives them tobacco, therefore 

 geese are brown under the bill Ts 4]. [In Ma the Geese appear as watchmen of the 

 Killer Whales, and promise not to shout. The same idea occurs in Se, where ■ 

 the Geese grandmothers shout when he comes. In all the other cases the Geese 

 warn him, telling him about later dangers. The Geese warn him against the Clam. 

 Codfish, and Halibut, and promise to help him Ts 4. In Sko they tell him that 

 GitgidA'mtclex, the son of Isne'gal, married the woman. In Na 5 they tell him 

 about the Crane.] 



(2) Next he meets the Beaver, whom he helps in cutting down trees, and who 

 promises his assistance Ts 1. 



(3) He meets the Clam, which threatens to swallow him. He gives it tobacco. 

 The shells close, and he can step over it. On account of this the clam tastes like 

 tobacco Ts 4. 



(4) He meets the Codfish [who can not give information Ri MS], and gives it 

 tobacco. He steps on its head, which for this reason is flat Ts 4. 



(5) He meets the Halibut, which lies there with its slippery side upward; when he 

 gives it tobacco, it turns the rough side up, so that he can step over it Ts 4. 



(6) He meets the Mouse, to whom he gives deer tallow, and who warns against the 

 Heron, who is the watchman of the Killer Whale Ma. 



(7) He meets pale people, whom he paints red — men, women, and children. They 

 are red cods, and therefore these are red Tic. 



(8) He meets Halibut people, and is given food Tic [these are the first to be met by 

 him in Ri MS]. 



