swANTON] HAIDA TEXTS AND MYTHS 191 



lie seized ii porpoi.se tail and a white porpoise" tail. After he had 

 taken all kinds of sea animals he also threw up a whale's tail. And 

 he said to his sister: ""Steam that one however.'' 



After he had been in the water a while long^er something- touched 

 him. He reached for it. He felt nothing-. And, when the same 

 thing happened again, he grasped farther away. Then his hand 

 nearl}' slipped otl from [the something], and he seized it in both hands. 

 When the something had pulled him out of Skidegate inlet he tried 

 to stop at Ilig.a'-ixa,'* but then something cracked at the bottom of 

 the island. He held something nice W'hich was almost transparent, 

 and put it around his head. That was fvg.o'tg.o-g.ao* (the hair of him 

 who tries the supernatural powers of men). 



After he had put it around his head he swam up the inlet. He 

 swam in front of Gu'lga '' and passed over to Xa'na." The water 

 was shallow and l)road like a lake, and he traced a channel in it with 

 his hand and remained at its mouth. 



After he had remained in the water for a while something came 

 Avalking toward him, making a ))ooniing- sound as it advanced. Some 

 one stood on the shore opposite him. On the right side he held a 

 knot and a branch of g.odanxo'sgi.^ On the other side he carried a 

 piece of connuon seaweed and some kwe'aogia'g.adan.*' 



" Conie hither, grandson." At once he went to him. Then he said 

 to him: •* Now, grandson, turn your breast (or 'face') to me." 

 Inuuediately he turned his breast to him. He struck him with the 

 knot. It was as when something is rubbed into line pieces. And he 

 struck him with the g-.odAnxo'sgi. It became like the other. Then 

 he said to him: "Now, grandson, turn your back to me.'' And so he 

 did. He struck him with the kwe'aogia'g.adan. He did not feel it. 

 Then he struck him with the seaweed. He nearly knocked him over. 

 Far ott he recovered his balance. 



" Wait a while, grandson. We will wrestle with (lit., '* feel") each 

 other," he said to him. "Now, grandson, let us try each other." And 

 the}' laid hold of each other. After he (the man) had shoved him 

 about he almost threw him down. Then he turned away smiling. 

 " Grandson, yours has more strength. Swim down the inlet." 



He went along; he went along and presently swam ashore at 

 Sealion-town. Then he dried himself by the lire and went to bed. 

 After he had been in bed for a while, and day had begun to break, he 

 went out. 



Then he followed an indistinct trail. After he had gone along for 

 a while, he saw a shrew" trying vainly to cross an old log. Then he 

 put her across and kept his e^^es upon her. She entered a bunch of 

 ferns lying some distance awaj'. 



Now he went to it. He moved it aside with his hand. To his 

 astonishment there was a painted house front there with the planks 



