SWANTllNl 



WITCHCRAFT 



469 



salmon trap. 'I'lie human figure is Moldv-end (CAnyai<!uLa'x), the boy 

 vviu) was carr'unl away liy the salmon and became a shamati, and the 

 fish on which hv stands is called *• Spirit-of-his-feet" (duqlo'svi ye'gi), 

 meaning ''the spirit which guided him."" 



WITCHCRAFT 



It is(|uite natural to litul, along with the promincni'c of shamanism, a 

 widespi'ead belief in witchcraft. In fact this notion had so taken pos- 

 session of theTlingit mind that natural sickness or death was scarcely 

 believed in. The friend of a person who was ill would goto a shaman 

 and say, "■I + + +yAxo'At, I come after you."' Upoti hearing this 

 the shaman stopped and looked all around. After the same words 



Fk;. llil. Shanijur< cdrvcil coiiib. 



had been repeated three times more the shaman went to the sick per- 

 son and j)erformed over him. Then he told who had bewitched him, 

 at the .same time pretending to draw out a spear, or something of the 

 kind, from the affected part, while making a noise with his lips. 



When caught, the wizaril was tied up for eight or even ten days 

 without food or drink, unless he confessed to the deed and agreed to 

 find tlie witching medicine. After he had brought this out he waded 

 into the .sea up to his siiouldeis and scattered it. If he refused to 

 confess he was liberated at the end of the time given, but not inf re- 



n For the story of Moldy-end see the references given on p. 458. The.se are Haida versions, but are 

 practically the same n.s the Tlingit story. 



