swANTONj HAIDA TEXTS AND MYTHS 225 



* See j)receding story, note 2. 

 •'' See preceding story, note 3. 



* See preceding story, note 6. 

 ' See preceding story, note 7. 



* See preceding story, note 8. 



'See preceding story of A-slender-one-who-was-given-away, note 3. 



'" The same inconsistency noted in the preceding story, note 9, is here repeated. 



" riaida sqa^otclil, which is said to give the idea of a grouse witli a red thing on 

 its back. This is a mountain between the abandoned coal mine, near the head of 

 Skidegate inlet, and the west coast. 



^^iJii means "wedge," but I did not learn the meaning of the remainder of the 

 word. It is a mountain lying in the opposite direction farther down Skidegate inlet. 



'•' A low herb said to be found growing on dead trees, witli leaves like clover, 

 and a bitter taste like that of pepper. 



^* The wrestling took place by a rock almost buried in the beach gravel at Gu^Ig.a. 

 Presumably it was this rock into which the strange wrestler was transformed. 



^■^ Compare the preceding story, note 40. 



*•* Halibut hooks were usuall\' made out of the stumps of limbs which had rotted 

 out of hemlock trees. Into these the monster was transformed. 



"See the preceding story. 



"* Supernatural l)eings hunt during the night and get home before ravens begin 

 calling. If they are detained in any way so that they hear the raven, they at once 

 fall dead. 



"A man who just saved himself from drowning was supposed to be deprived of 

 his senses by land otters and become transformed into a creature called ga'gix.it. 

 This being had land otter fur all over its body, an upturned nose, and a face covered 

 with Hsh spines. It traveled all over the Haida country with the utmost ease. See 

 my memoir in series of Jesup North Pacific p]xpedition, volume v, part i, pages 26 

 and 27. It was owing to this transformation that he did not recognize his own 

 blankets when he felt of them. 



^"This is the probable meaning of the word tci^sgu. They are not found on the 

 Queen Charlotte islands. 



■■" In reality this was Skidegate channel between Graham and Moresby islands, the 

 two largest of the Queen Charlotte group. 



--'This was NAiiki'lsLas, or Raven, the hero of the story of Raven Travelling. 



■-'■' A })owl of water was the ancient Haida looking-glass. 



'-'* On the mornings of days that are going to be windy red streaks are seen in the 

 clouds which pass awa}' quickly. This phenomenon is often referred to in the 

 stories, and one or both of the cloud designs here spoken of may represent it. 



'^'^ One of the two west coast Haida towns, of which it was the older and the greater 

 favorite in the myths. Instead of a " water hole," a creek named X.uado^s is some- 

 times mentioned. 



''^ An island opposite Kaisun, prominent in story. 



-'' Name given to a slave. " I am without," because he was worthless. 



'-''*Said sarcastically. 



29 People who went to the west coast found the food supply so excellent, owing 

 especially to tlie presence of black cod, that thej' were loath to leave, and this expres- 

 sion Avas applied to them. This is supposed to have been the first time it was heard. 



^" I understand meshes to be here referred to. 



•" Everything that is thrown, or that falls, into the sea passes under the floor planks 

 of the house of The-one-in-the-sea, the greatest supernatural being in the ocean. 



^'^ He-who-has-spines-for-earrings usually sits near the door of houses of the super- 

 natural beings, and can take away anything unbeknown to the owner. Because he 

 took away this black cod there are now none of these fish on the east coast of the 

 17137— No. 29—05 15 



