846 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [hth.ann.31 



46. Story of the Ganha'da (p. 285) 



This is the story of a man who goes hunting and sees a sea raven 

 Ts 2S5. 



47. Gtt-na-gttn-a'ks (p. 285) 



(6 versions: Ts 285; Ts 5.291; Hai 6.66; l Tl 51; M 644; H 5.238) 



Dzagarn-sa'gisk goes fishing with his three brothers-in-law. At night they anchor at the 

 foot of a steep mountain. At midnight a blue cod swims around the canoe and strikes 

 it. Therefore the chief catches the fish, breaks its fins, and throws it away. The fish is 

 a female slave of Na-gun-a'ks. The anchor-stone had fallen on Na-gun-a'ks's house, and 

 the slave had been sent out to investigate. She returns, and Na-gun-a'ks takes the 

 canoe down into his house. A drop falls into the eye of one of the men. He wakes, 

 and the men find themselves on the platform of a house. They are called down to 

 the fire, and a Mouse tells them in the usual way what to do. Na-gun-a'ks gives a whole 

 seal to each man. They swallow them, except the steersman, who belongs to an Eagle 

 family. Na-gun-a'ks gives a feast in honor of his guests. After they have given him 

 presents of copper, mountain goat, tobacco, berries, ocher, and eagle down, they are 

 told to go into their canoe. The waters rush into the house as the guests come in. 

 He shows them the gifts, and in return he gives to his guests crests. As usual, the men 

 sleep in their canoe, and on the following morning find themselves at the foot of the 

 mountain where they had anchored before. Their canoe is covered with seaweed, and 

 has been transformed into copper. They go home, and after a while are recognized. 

 There they show the gifts that they have received. "While below, they were forbidden 

 to kill fish. One day one of the companions of the chief disobeys, clubs a bullhead, 

 and makes fun of it. In consequence the chief perishes in a whirlpool Ts 285. 



In the version Ts 5.291 the same names are given. The slave of Na-gun-a'ks is the 

 Shark. The men are ordered to remove the anchor. When the shark knocks at the 

 canoe, they first catch it and throw it away; then they kill it and tear off its fins. 

 The men are taken down, and one of them wakes because water drips into his eye. 

 The men give presents to Na-gun-a'ks, who, in turn, gives them crests. Na-gun-a'ks 

 invites the sea monsters, who come into the house in a flood of water. When the 

 water runs out, they are seen wearing their dancing-ornaments. They are given part 

 of the presents that Na-gun-a'ks has received from the men. The men go to sleep in 

 their canoe, find themselves at the place where they had anchored, and go home. 



The Masset story M 644 resembles the Tsimshian story in all its essential features. 

 It does not contain any reference to crests or clans. 



Some hunters believe they see a seal, harpoon it. but find that it is an old log. They 

 anchor at the foot of a cliff, and hear a skate flopping on the water. They harpoon it, 

 and the skate swims away. It is the slave of GonaqAde't. The slave returns, and 

 GonaqAde't sends his people to take the canoe down. The men find themselves in 

 the house. They are asked to what family they belong, and he tells them that he 

 belongs to the same family. They are told to build a house like the one that they see 

 down below. The fishes and sea mammals, who are nephews and friends of the 

 GonaqAde't, are massed near the door. The men return home Tl 51. 



In a Bellabella version the name of the sea-spirit is Qlo'mogwa. The introduction 

 is the same. The slave of the sea-spirit is the Shark. After the slave has been muti- 

 lated, the men are taken down. When one of them wakes up, he thinks he is dreaming, 

 and bites his hand. He calls the others, and they are asked to sit near the fire. The 

 Mouse Woman warns them not to eat of the food that they are offered . They rub 

 their canoe with medicine in order to prevent its being swallowed by the canoe- 

 swallowing sea monster. They give a little mountain-goat tallow to the sea-spirit, 

 who throws it into the four corners of his house, where it increases in bulk. The sea 

 monster invites his friends, who rush into the house with flooils of water. The door 

 1 A Tsimshian stury. 



