70 THE TOLOWA. 
Chetkos supposed that they were the Wogies returned. They soon found 
out their mistake however, but retained among themselves the appellation 
for the white men, who are known as Wogies by all the coast tribes in the 
vicinity.” 
For the following legend I am indebted to C. J. Barclay. It was 
related to him at Crescent City, in 1860, by a daughter of the oldest 
woman then living of the Smith River tribe: 
LEGEND OF THE FLOOD. 
At one time there came a great rain: It lasted a long time and the 
water kept rising till all the valleys were submerged, and the Indians (who 
were very populous at that time) retired to the high land. As the water 
rose, covering their retreat, they were swept away and drowned. ‘There 
was one pair however who were more successful. "They reached the 
highest peak in the country and were saved. They subsisted on fish— 
cooking them by placing them under their arms. They had no fire and 
could not get any, as everything was water-soaked to such an extent that 
no fire could be produced. At length the water began to subside and con- 
tinued to do so till it returned to its former level, and from that forlorn hope 
are all the Indians of the present day descended, as also all the game, 
insects, ete. As the Indians died, their spirits took the forms of deer, elk, 
bear, insects, snakes, etc., as the fancy of the departed prompted. By those 
means the earth became again peopled by the same kind as formerly 
existed; but the Indians still had no fire, and they looked with envious 
‘eyes on the moon as having fire while they had none. The Spider Indians 
formed a plan, having secured the co-operation of the Snake Indians, to 
obtain fire from the moon. In pursuance of their idea the Spiders wove a 
gossamer balloon, and started on their perilous journey, leaving a rope 
fastened to the earth paying out as they went. In course of time they 
reached their destination, but the Moon Indians looked on them with suspi- 
cion, divining their errand. The Spiders however succeeded in convincing 
them that their only object was to gamble. At that the Moon Indians were 
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much pleased, proposing to start the game forthwith. While thus engaged 
sitting by the fire a Snake Indian arrived, haying climbed the rope, and 
