90 
When Legyarh and his Kisparhlawts warriors later ascended the Skeena on a raid, 
they burnt the village of Kispayaks, but saved Kweeyaihl's house from destruction, on 
account of his being related to their ally, Nees-tarhawk. The house and its poles stood 
many years, and when the doorpost began to lean forward, it was taken down, cut in sec- 
tions, and placed over a grave, as burial marks. ^ 
This pole reached up to the eaves of the house, about 12 feet high. It was from the 
largest cedar log ever seen in Kispayaks. When found, it was hollow inside, from heart 
rot. This urhtsan or entrance was not the only one of its kind at the time; other chiefs 
also had theirs. But they were destroyed by Legyarh’s warriors.” 
Brown could not tell exactly when this happened; it was before his 
time, he thought, perhaps a hundred and fifty years ago. But it is not really 
so long ago. The raids of Legyarh up the river seem to have taken place 
about the time when the Hudson’s Bay Company established its post on his 
territories, at the mouth of the Nass (1831-33). 
Another pole, the present Tsenaanurh, was erected about seventy 
years ago, for Hrantu, then the head of this house, and gave rise to an 
interesting controversy which is still locally remembered. Hrantu had 
engaged KwikdiTwans'^ to carve his pole. This artist, formerly from the 
village of Qaldo, had been adopted by Haray, of Kispayaks^ When the 
pole was nearly completed, Hak, of the Wolf phratry,'* came down on a 
visit from Qaldo with his wife, who was a Fireweed. They were both con- 
nected with the house of Hrantu, Hak being on the paternal side. Hearing 
that the carver was doing splendid work on the pole of Hrantu, which at 
the time was kept hidden, he went to see it, and removed the covering. 
He was very sorry when he beheld the pole, as he found something on it 
that resembled one of his own crests. It presumably was the top figure 
Tsanaanurh, which reminded him of his own crest, the Crown-of -claws 
( Taqsem-asralt ), which also stood at the top of his own pole. Provoked 
at what he took as a transgression, he stamped the ground with his feet, 
sneered at Hrantu to arouse his anger, threw dirt at the pole, and smeared 
the faces of Tsanaanurh with mud. Hrantu found out that his pole had 
been intentionally soiled. But he chose only to laugh at Hak for having 
given Tsanaanurh a dirty face; which prevented unpleasant complications. 
The origin of the Blackfish symbol mentioned among the crests of 
Harhpegwawtu, of Gitsegyukla (page 95); that of the Grizzly-bear-of-the- 
water appears among those of Ksrarom-larhse (page 93). The Grizzly-bear 
crest is said to have been obtained directly from Nees-tarhawk, of Kitsalas. 
FUNCTION 
The oldest pole and the shorter of the two, that of Tsenaanurh, at the 
rear, was erected about seventy years ago,® in memory of a former Hrantu.® 
The taller of the two poles, at the front, was erected about fifty years 
ago, in commemoration of another Hrantu, the second of that name.^ 
The Grizzly-bear on the platform was set up, twenty or twenty-five 
years ago, in memory of Wiltsararh, of the house of Hrantu. 
'This was done immediately before Brown’s time — that is over fifty years ago. Brown is over seventy, but 
lived at Kisgagaa until he reached the age of twenty. 
*0f the Larhsail phratry. 
•Of the same phratry. 
•Of the family of Kwawhamawn. 
•This, according to John Brown, the present Kweeyaihl; another informant mentioned sixty years. 
•Described by Brown as the first Hrantu. 
•According to Brown. 
