240 EEPOKT— 1888. 



are acquainted with the raven legends, those farther south ascribe all the 

 adventures of the j-aven to the mink. Another class of legends of tbe 

 Kwakiutl is of great importance as referring to the spirits of the dances. 

 I will mention in this place that these remarkable dances have evidently- 

 originated with the Kwakiutl, although they are at present practised by 

 the Tsimshian and Haida, and by some of the southern tribes. The 

 Tsimshian practise only a few of them, the names of the dances being all 

 of Kwakiutl origin. According to their own statements they were 

 obtained by intermarriage with tbe Heiltsuk. The Haida adopted them 

 from the Tsimshian. In all these dances ornaments of cedar bark, dyed 

 red, are used, and it appears that this custom also originated among 

 the Kwakiutl. The most prominent figure of this winter dance is the 

 man-eater, called Ha'raats'a (the eater) by the Kwakiutl, Elaqo'tla by the 

 Bilqula, O'lala by the Haida and Tsimshian. The latter call his dance 

 also the Wihalai't (the great dance). The Ha'mats'a is initiated by a 

 spirit, referring to which numerous traditions exist. It is a peculiarity 

 of Kwakiutl mythology that it treats of many supernatural beings, while 

 farther north almost exclusively the heaven, the sun, moon, and raven 

 have supernatural power. Among these beings the following ave of im- 

 portance: — The Tsono'k'oa (probably a mythical form of the grizzly bear), 

 the Thunderbird, the Si'siutl (the double-headed snake), and a cuttlefish 

 of enormous size. The myths of the Heiltsuk are much influenced by 

 those of the Bilqula, their eastern neighbours. 



The legends of the Nutka ti'eat also principally of the great wanderer, 

 and embody, so far as I am aware, no element which is not found among 

 the Kwakiutl. 



The legends of the Salish vary to a oreat extent among the various 

 tribes, those of the coast tribes resembling the myths of the Kwakiutl. 

 The wandei'er and the sun are here the heroes of the greater part of the 

 myths. The legend of the wanderer does not differ from that of the 

 Kwakiutl, except in that he is himself the deity. Each remarkable stone or 

 rock is described as being a man transformed by him. He made a great 

 fire in order to destro}" man, and later on made the ocean rise and cover 

 the land. The ascent to lieaven on a chain of arrows is one of the prin- 

 cipal objects of their legends, the tale treating frequently of a murder of 

 the old sun and the origin of the new one. Besides this, the double-headed 

 snake is of importance, even more so than among the Kwakiutl. 



The mythology of the Bilqula, whose language is closely related to that 

 of the dialects of the Gulf of Georgia, differs greatly from that of the 

 other Salish tribes, being evidently influenced by their neighbours. Their 

 mythology, on the other hand, has influenced that of the Heiltsuk. I do 

 not think that the wanderer legend is found among them. They tell of 

 the raven who created daylight, and of two men, Masmasala'niq and 

 Tula'tioiot, who descended from heaven, created man, and gave him his 

 arts. This legend is one of the most beautiful of those found on the coast. 

 Its origin is doubtful. It would benecessaiy to study the mythology of 

 the tribes of the interior more closely in order to arrive at a satisfactory 

 understanding of this myth. The Bilqula have also the legend of the 

 mink caiTying the sun. They call him T'otk-oa'ya. 



I am not well acquainted with the myths of the tribes of the interior, 

 having collected only a limited number among the Ntlakapaniuq. They 

 also tell of the wanderer who transformed men into stones, but it is 

 doubtful whether he is in any way connected with the deity. Their 



