swANT.-N] HAIDA TEXTS AND MYTHS 305 



The story of hi3i through whom LaVuta spoke 



IToIrl by Abraham of Those-born-at-QIii'dAsg.o, to whom it was related by an old man of Ninstints] 



At Middle-town * tA'g-ua spoke through a certain one. After he 

 had acted as shaman for a time, while they sang- for him, he began to 

 whip something. At once he began to fast. All that time he 

 whipped it. The town people wanted to see it. The}" wanted to see 

 the thing he spoke about. '~ 



After a while he sang that he held his supernatural power, LA'gua, 

 in his teeth at the end* of the town. His supernatural power also 

 made the water smooth for some time. All that time they fished for 

 black cod. Ever}' time they came in from fishing those who handled 

 the lines gave him two black cod. His wife had a great quantity. 



By and l)v LA'gua told him to go out fishing with them. He went 

 with them at once. After they had fished for black cod for a while 

 and had started away, they came to a point of iron sticking out of the 

 water. Then the shaman sat upon it.^ And he gave them directions. 

 "Go in, and then come out to meet me,"' he said to him. 



As soon as they had unloaded their black cod, they went out to 

 meet him. It was evening. They called out to one another. Then 

 they approached each other. When they called out after it had become 

 dark he answered them. At once they went to him. Immediately 

 all the canoes began to tow it ashore. They used a black-cod fish-line 

 for the purpose. 



After they had paddled for a while, it became broad daylight, and 

 they towed it in at the end of the town. It was only for Those-born- 

 at-Sa'ki.' 



After they were through eating they began to split off iron wedges. 

 AMien they got through with that they began to hammer out the 

 iron. They made spears and knives of it. The news of this iron 

 passed over the island. At once people started to come for the iron. 

 They exchanged a slave for one piece of iron. They kept selling it. 

 They worked this into war spears throughout all of the villages. 



After they had traded with this iron for a while. Inlet people* came 

 in ten canoes. After they had been there for a while, news came from 

 the towns up the inlet that they would try to make trouble for them 

 during the gam))ling. Then the Middle-town peoj)le said they would 

 not let them do it at their town. They were on the side of the Inlet 

 people. Secretly they made different arrangements. They deceived 

 [their visitors] by saying they were on their side. 

 17137— No. 29—05 20 



