Indian Legends of Vancouver Island - Alfred Carmichael
[Illustration: THE LONE INDIAN]
INDIAN LEGENDS OF VANCOUVER ISLAND
TEXT BY ALFRED CARMICHAEL
ILLUSTRATED BY J. SEMEYN
BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION
The unsophisticated aboriginal of British Columbia is almost a memory
of the past. He leaves no permanent monument, no ruins of former
greatness. His original habitation has long given place to the frame
house of sawn timber, and with the exception of the carvings in black
slate made by the Hydah Indians of the Queen Charlotte Islands, and
the stone hammers, spear and arrow points, fashioned in the days
before the coming of the white man, the mementos of his sojourn in
British Columbia are only relics in wood, bark or reeds.
In the Alberni District of Vancouver Island there are two tribes
of Indians, the Seshaht and the Opitchesaht. During the winter
season the Seshahts live in a village which occupies a beautiful
and commanding site on the west bank of the Somass River.
Some thirty years ago when I first knew the Seshahts, they still
celebrated the great Lokwana dance or wolf ritual on the occasion
of an important potlatch, and I remember well the din made by the
blowing of horns, the shaking of rattles, and the beating of sticks
on the roof boards of Big Tom's great potlatch house, when the
Indians sighted the suppositional wolves on the river bank opposite
the Village.
In those days we were permitted to attend the potlatches and witness
the animal and other dances, among which were the "Panther," "Red
Headed Woodpecker," "Wild Swan" and the "Sawbill Duck." Generally
we were welcome at the festivals, provided we did not laugh or
show sign of any feeling save that of grave interest. Among my
Indian acquaintances of those days was Ka-coop-et, better known in
the district as Mr. Bill. Bill is a fine type of Seshaht, quite
intelligent and with a fund of humour. Having made friends, he told
me in a mixture of broken English and Chinook some of the old folk
lore of his tribe. Of these stories I have selected for publication
"How Shewish Became a Great Whale Hunter" and "The Finding of the
Tsomass." This latter story as I present it, is a composite of three
versions of the same tale, as received, by Gilbert Malcolm Sproat
about the year 1862; by myself from "Bill" in 1896, and by Charles A.
Cox, Indian Agent, resident at Alberni, from an old Indian called
Ka-kay-un, in September 1921. Ka-kay-un credits his great great
grandfather with being the father of the two young Indians who with
the slave See-na-ulth discovered the valley now known as Alberni,
while "Bill" gave the credit to the sons of "Wick-in-in-ish."
The framework for "The Legend of Eut-le-ten," was related to me by
Rev. M. Swartout in the year 1897. Mr. Swartout was a missionary to
the West Coast Indian tribes. He spoke the language of the natives
fluently, and took great pains to get the story with as much accuracy
as possible. A few years later, Mr. Swartout was drowned during a
heavy storm while crossing in an open boat from the islands in
Barkley Sound to Ucluelet.
In the making of the stories into English, I have worked in what
knowledge I have of the customs and habits of the West Coast Indians
of Vancouver Island. In a few instances, due to a lack of refinement
of thought in the original stories, I have taken some license in
their transcription. The legends indicate the poetry that lies hidden
in the folk lore of the British Columbia Coast Indian tribes. For
place names and other valuable information I am indebted to the
kindness of Mr. Cox. The illustrations are original and are the work
of Mr. J. Semeyn of Victoria.
ALFRED CARMICHAEL,
Victoria, B.C.
CONTENTS
By Way of Introduction
A Pen Picture of Barkley Sound
The Summer Home of the Seshahts
The Legend of the Thunder Birds
How Shewish Became a Great Whale Hunter
The Finding of the Tsomass
The Legend of Eut-le-ten--in the following parts:--
The Witch E-ish-so-oolth
The Birth of Eut-le-ten
The Quest
The Death of E-ish-so-oolth
The Ogre
The Destruction of the Ogre
The Release of the Children
Further Adventures of Eut-le-ten including:--
The Arrow Chain to Heaven
The Two Blind Squaws
The Four Terrors Guarding the House of Nas-nas-shup
The Trial by Fire
Astronomy According to Eut-el-ten
ILLUSTRATIONS
The Lone Indian
On Jutting Rocks the Black Klap-Poose, the Shag in Silence Sits
A West Coast Indian Wearing the Kut-sack
A Pictographic Painting--The Coat of Arms of Shewish, Seshaht Chief
The Bark Gives Way and Comes in Strips from off the Trees
We Dance Round our Fires and Sing Again
Next Day E're Mid-day Came They Had Set Sail
Brushing the Hemlock Boughs, he Walked Stealthily
Ka-koop-et
Stone Hammer Used by the Indians of Barkley Sound
He Shot an Arrow Straight Above his Head
Then Eut-le-ten Stood Within the Fire
A PEN PICTURE OF BARKLEY SOUND
THE ANCIENT HOME OF THE SESHAHTS
To the lone Indian, who slowly paddles his canoe upon the waters of
this western sound, each tree of different kind by shade of green and
shape of crown is known; the Toh-a-mupt or Sitca spruce with scaley
bark and prickly spine; the feathery foliage of the Quilth-kla-mupt,
the western hemlock, relieved in spring by the light green of tender
shoots. The frond-like branches and aromatic scent betray to him the
much-prized Hohm-ess, the giant cedar tree, from which he carves his
staunch canoe. These form the woods which sweep from rocky shore to
topmost hill.
Small bays with sandy beaches white with broken clam shells mark the
shore, and if across the beach a stream of crystal water rippled
to the sea, one Indian lodge or more was sure to be erected on the
rising land behind; for Indians always choose to build their homes
on sheltered sandy bays where pure fresh water runs, and so in years
which are among those past and gone one could not fail to see the
blue wood smoke of Indian fires hanging like gauze above the little
bays; but most are now deserted and corner posts of old time houses
alone are seen, and beds of stinging nettle cover ancient kitchen
middens, and spirea and elderberry strive for space where once red
strips of salmon hung in the smoke of punk-wood fires, and stillness
reigns where once the Indians' mournful song was heard.
Between the bays are rugged rocky points, where, by the constant
wash of winter waves the rocks are carved in shapes uncouth and
weird--giants in stone, whose heads are crowned with scrubby
conifers, upon whose feet the wild seas break, or in the summer time
the gentle wavelets lap. On jutting rocks the black Klap-poose, the
shag, in silence sits, while circling overhead the keen eyed gulls
watch for the shoals of fry on which they feed.
[Illustration: ON JUTTING ROCKS THE BLACK KLAP-POOSE, THE SHAG IN
SILENCE SITS]
Come now with me and I will guide you to some beauty spots, unknown,
unguessed except to those who have explored the sea creeks and
sheltered passage ways abounding on that western coast. Perhaps
between two rugged rocks we may find an opening where it cuts its way
deep into the land. In many parts, the lichen-covered canyon walls
approach so close together that our canoe can scarcely pass, and more
than likely we shall find the passage bridged by some old fallen
tree, its ancient trunk enveloped in soft moss and seedling forest
trees. Reflected in the water's surface are flowering berry shrubs,
which adorn the banks on either side. We see the glossy-leaved
shalal, the fruit of which the Indians gather to dry for winter use,
and clumps of maiden hair and other ferns rooted in old tree trunks
and rocky crevices. Such is the picture of many a salt sea creek
found in the regions round fair Barkley Sound.
Perhaps our fancy leads among the islands of the sound. It may be
that a storm has lately spent itself, and long deep swells are
rolling in from the wide ocean lying to the west. Our staunch canoe
is lost in the deep green waters of the heaving main. It climbs only
to descend and climb once more, and thus we slowly cross the Middle
Channel and reach calm water.
Soon what at first appeared to be unbroken shore breaks up into many
passage ways. By one of these we enter, to find ourselves among a
hundred isles. Each one is wooded to the water's edge, which often
the trees overspread with outstretched boughs. Entranced, we paddle
on until we leave behind all trace of ocean swell, and if the tide
be low so that old sea-soaked snags are seen upon the shore, and
boulders thick with barnacles and varied coloured sea-weeds in shades
of brown and red, and here and there great clusters of blue mussel
shells, these all, if the water be calm and undisturbed by wind, are
mirrored on the surface of the stream, forming pictures most rare
and beautiful. Thus for hours with ever fresh delight we thread the
calm passage-ways between those isles. Beachlets of white sand and
powdered shells are found where ocean swells at times may reach. On
these we stroll and gather abalone shells and empty sea eggs and
other relics up-thrown by winter storms. At evening we may reach
a sheltered nook where years ago Indians built a little shelter
in which to sit and watch the sun descend into the western sea.
Perhaps we may conjure up the Indian's thought, who built that
little shelter, and night on night in glorious summer time, squatted
and watched the sun go down.
Such is the setting for the following tales. Amid such scenes as
these, the Indians lived and died.
[Illustration: A WEST COAST INDIAN WEARING THE KUT-SACK]
THE SUMMER HOME OF THE SESHAHTS
There is an island larger than the rest, called Ho-moh-ah, where once
the tribe of Seshahts made their summer home. It lies well out to
sea, and on the sheltered side the Seshahts lived. The chief of the
tribe was Shewish. His house was large, so large that when he called
his people to a great potlatch, they all could find within its walls
an ample space to feast and dance. His house like all the old time
dwellings was built on simple lines, the three great roof-logs each
of single trees, upheld by posts of ample girth. The sides and roof
of wide-split cedar boards were adzed to lie close, and fastened
into place by twisted cedar rope. Within, on either side was raised
a wooden platform two feet high. This platform and a portion of
the floor adjoining it in sections was partitioned off by screens
of cedar mats. Each section was the home of such as claimed close
kinship with the chief. The centre of the lodge for its whole length
was common to all who lived therein. The people cooked their food
upon the common fire, the smoke of which curled up and found an exit
through the smoke hole in the roof. The section tenanted by the
family of Shewish lay furthest from the door. No feature except one
marked it as different from the homes of lesser men. A pictographic
painting--the Coat of Arms of the great family of Shewish hung upon
the wall. The picture told in graphic form how came the name of
Shewish to be famed among the hunters of the whale. It also told
the legend of the THUNDER BIRDS.
[Illustration: HAND ADZE MADE AND USED BY INDIANS OF BARKLEY SOUND]
THE LEGEND OF THE THUNDER BIRDS
NAMES OCCURRING IN "THE LEGEND OF THE THUNDER BIRDS"
Kulakula is the [1]Chinook word for Bird.
Tee-tse-kin or Tootooch is the name given by the Barkley Sound
Indians to the Thunder Bird, a mighty supernatural bird in
Indian mythology.
Howchulis, the land of the Howchucklesahts, is better known by the
name Uchucklesit, a safe harbour on the west side of the Alberni
Canal at its junction with Barkley Sound. Uchucklesit is now the
centre of an important fishing industry.
Quawteaht, is a great personage in Indian mythology, a beneficent
being, and considered by many to be the progenitor of their race.
[1] CHINOOK, is a jargon or trade language still used on the coast
of British Columbia both by the white men in conversing with the
Indians, also by the latter when talking to members of a tribe
speaking a different dialect. Chinook is a combination of English,
French and Indian words.
THE LEGEND OF THE THUNDER BIRDS
The figure at the base of the pictographic painting represents the
mammoth whale upon whose back the whole creation rests. Above the
whale are seen the head and wings of the giant Kulakula the
Tee-tse-kin the Thunder Bird which dwells aloft. When he flaps
his wings or even moves a quill the thunder peals. When he blinks his
eyes the lightning strikes. Upon his back a lake of large dimensions
lies, from which the water pours in thunder storms. He is the lone
survivor of four great Thunder Birds which dwelt upon the mountains
of Uchucklesit. These mighty birds sustained themselves on whales,
which they would carry to the mountain peaks, where Indians say, the
bones of many whales have been found.
One time the "Great One," Quawteaht desiring to destroy the mighty
Thunder Birds, entered the body of a whale, and swimming slowly
approached Howchulis shore. The Thunder Birds espied it from their
high retreat, and sweeping down made ready for the fray. First one
attacked and drove his talons deep into the whale's back, then
spreading his broad wings he tried to rise. Then Quawteaht gave
strength to the great whale, which sounded, dragging the Tee-tse-kin
beneath the waves. Up came the whale; a second Thunder Bird with all
his force drove his strong claws deep into the quivering flesh. Then
Quawteaht a second time gave strength and down the mammal plunged
dragging with him the second Thunder Bird. A third was drowned in
manner similar. Thereat the fourth and last Tootooch took wing and
fled to distant heights, where he has ever since remained.
This is the story of the Thunder Birds.
[Illustration: WOODEN SCOOP FOR BALING THE WATER OUT OF A CANOE]
HOW SHEWISH BECAME A GREAT WHALE HUNTER
NAMES OCCURRING IN THE LEGEND OF SHEWISH
The Killer Whale or Ka-Kow-in has a large dorsal fin shown in a
conventional manner in the pictograph between the Thunder Bird and
the face of the Indian girl, sister to Shewish. The Killer Whale
was often used as a family emblem or crest and as a source from
which personal names were derived.
Klootsmah or Kloots-a-mah plural Klootsmuk the Indian word for
"married woman" but used in the legends for girls as well as women.
According to Gilbert Malcolm Sproat who lived in Alberni in the
early "sixties" the term used for a young girl or daughter was
"Ha-quitl-is" and for an unmarried woman "Ha-quatl."
Toquaht--the home of the Toquaht tribe of Indians, an old
settlement on the north shore of Barkley Sound between Ucluelet and
Pipestem Inlet.
The Kutsack, or Kats-hek is a loose cloak or mantle woven from the
soft inner bark of the yellow cedar tree. Indian mats were made from
the inner bark of the red cedar.
[Illustration: PICTOGRAPHIC PAINTING, THE COAT OF ARMS OF SHEWISH,
SESHAHT CHIEF (Drawn by J. Semeyn from original sketch by the author)]
HOW SHEWISH BECAME A GREAT WHALE HUNTER
The centre figure in the pictographic painting is a wolf grotesquely
drawn. Within her body four young wolves are seen. Above the wolf is
a killer whale surmounted by a second picture of the Thunder Bird,
and in the left top corner of the pictograph is seen the face of
a young klootsmah or Indian girl. How strangely are her features
pictured. With upturned hands she gazes in a blank unvarying
stare. She holds the key to this old tale which the great scroll
perpetuates. One time this Indian maiden, daughter of a chief of
great renown, with her two sisters left their home on Village Island.
They went in search of yellow cedar bark which grew in quantity upon
the mountain top above the village, of Toquaht. The cedar bark is
highly prized, and when the sap ascends in May to feed the new born
green, the bark is loose and easily removed, and when the klootsmah
cuts the bark through to the sap half round the tree and pulls with
all her strength, it comes in strips from off the tree till the first
branch is reached, and then it breaks and falls obedient at her dark
feet. The klootsmah rolls it up and puts it in the basket on her
back, and when she reaches home she splits the bark, and pounds it
between stones, with water softening it, and after long and tedious
work the fibres being separated, she cleanses them and weaves them
into cloaks, and then with true artistic taste, trims them with
pretty fur.
[Illustration: THE BARK GIVES WAY AND COMES IN STRIPS FROM
OFF THE TREES]
The daughters of the Village Island chief took with them food to last
for three whole suns. They started early, for many miles of paddling
lay between them and the Toquaht shore. At length they reached the
beach, and hiding their canoe beneath a giant spruce, they followed
where a little trail beckoned them on and up the mountain side. For
hours they climbed, wending their way through lonely, silent woods,
the twittering wren the only life they saw or heard. At times they
lost the trail, as it was overgrown with fern and berry bush. But
once the leading klootsmah stopped and signed to her companions to
keep still. Halting, they waited while she pointed to the root fangs
of a cedar tree, where well within the hollow butt a western timber
wolf had made her lair. Gone was the mother, perhaps in quest of deer
with which to feed her four young pups who calmly slept within that
sheltered cave, awaiting her return.
The Indians are a superstitious race, and one of the old fetishes was
this: that if by chance they could secure the young of a wolf from
which to take some precious inner part, to rub upon the outer side of
their canoes, it gave great luck in whaling, and thus it came to pass
that when the klootsmuk found the she wolf's lair, they formed the
plan of taking to their brother the four wolf pups, in order that he
might become the chief of all whale hunters. Cautiously they placed
them in the baskets on their backs and then retraced their steps. In
time they reached the beach, and entered their canoe, when just as
they pushed off, with giant springs and angry howl leapt the great
mother wolf from the woods, but the klootsmuk were safe with their
strange prizes, and soon their canoe cut gleefully through the waves,
while their songs were wafted landward by the western breeze.
Upon an isle not far from home they hid the young wolf pups. This
done, they squatted on the shore, and thought how best they might
inform their brother of their lucky find. They were puzzled as to how
this might be managed without awakening jealousies among the other
members of the tribe, and they were fearful to face their father's
wrath who surely would expect their craft well laden with the cedar
bark. They reasoned long and then decided on a stratagem. One of the
three would cut her foot with a mussel shell, and mark her tunic with
the blood, and tell the story, that when they landed on the Toquaht
shore an open mussel shell had cut her foot, therefore they could not
go for cedar bark. They carried out this plan, and paddled slowly to
Ho-moh-ah. The people saw them come, and wondered much what evil had
befallen them, but when they saw the blood upon the kutsack of the
youngest girl and saw her bound up foot, they guessed the trouble.
Before the sun had set, the brother had been told of the wolf pups,
and secretly that night he had taken from them the precious parts,
and when he went hunting, he rubbed the medicine on his canoe, and
had such wondrous luck he soon became the chief of all whale hunters.
Such is the story told by that weird painting, which could be seen
some years ago adorning the dark walls of the great potlatch house
of Shewish, Seshaht chief on Ho-moh-ah but better known as Village
Island, Barkley Sound.
[Illustration: HALIBUT HOOK AND CLUB FOR STUNNING FISH]
THE FINDING OF THE TSOMASS
NAMES AND WORDS OCCURRING IN THE LEGEND "THE FINDING OF THE TSOMASS"
Alberni, the valley at the head of the Alberni Canal, a wonderful
cleft or fjord which almost splits Vancouver Island in two. This
fjord has its outlet in Barkley Sound on the west side of the
island. The Alberni Canal was named by the Spaniards after Don Pedro
Alberni, captain of infantry in charge of soldiers stationed at
Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island, during the Spanish occupation.
Tsomass River--spelt and pronounced by the "Whites" Somass, a
fine river formed by the confluence of the Stamps and Sproat or
Klee-coot rivers, draining Great Central lake and Sproat or Klee-coot
lake respectively. The Tsomass river flows through the Alberni Valley
into the Alberni Canal.
The E-coulth-aht, is one of the many divisions of what Gilbert
Malcolm Sproat called "the Aht tribes" inhabiting the west
coast of Vancouver Island.
Po-po-moh-ah, is now known by the Spanish name "San Mateo Bay"
situated on the east side of Barkley Sound, not far from the entrance
to the Alberni Canal.
U-chuck-le-sit, is a small but safe harbour on the north side
and near to the entrance to the Alberni Canal. The cannery, cold
storage plant and village of Kildonan are built on the harbour.
Klu-quilth-soh, is the Indian name for a rather forbidding passage
in the Alberni Canal, and known for strong winds and choppy seas. It
is named by the white people "Hell's Gate."
Chehahs were Supernatural spirits or influences; there were good
and bad chehahs.
She-she-took-a-muck was a ferocious whale supposed to have lived
at Hell's Gate, and to have swallowed Indians and their canoes. The
whale was killed by the aid of Quawteaht.
Kah-oots was supposed to be one of the deities of Seshaht mythology.
Tsa-a-toos,--(Copper Island) is a large island situated in
Barkley Sound and near to the entrance to the Alberni Canal.
Toosh-ko, Hy-wach-es, Wak-ah-nit, (Copper Mountain) Tin-nim-ah, and
Klu-quilth-koose (now known as Coos Creek) are place names on the
Alberni Canal.
U-ah-tee--the north wind, Yuk-stees--the south wind.
O-lil-lie and Il-la-hie, are Chinook for berries and land
or country respectively.
Ah-tooch is the Indian name for deer.
Lup-se-kup-se or Nooh-see-cupis, is a small piece of cleared land
on the left bank of the Tsomass river and about half way between the
towns of Port Alberni and Alberni.
Kleet-sa, is a high mountain rising from the waters of Taylor Arm,
Sproat Lake, so named because of its white or chalky appearance.
Kuth-kah-chulth, is the Indian name for Mount Arrowsmith, a
splendid peak rising directly east of the town of Port Alberni. Mount
Arrowsmith is one of the highest mountains of Vancouver Island; it is
5976 feet in elevation.
Toh-a-muk-is, is the land fronting on the little bay just north
of the foot of Argyle Street, Port Alberni.
Kok-a-mah-kook, is a place close to the stream known as Dry Creek,
and near to the railway round house, Port Alberni.
Kwa-nis, Kam-mass or Gam-mas as it is variously known, is a species
of lily which comes into flower about the middle of April and remains
in flower till June. It is gathered, roasted and preserved whole in
bags for winter use.
THE FINDING OF THE TSOMASS
Near thirty miles from where Alberni pours her crystal stream out to
the mighty fjord that cleaves Vancouver's Island nigh in twain, a
tribe of Indians lived. Their village nestled at the foot of wooded
hills, which everywhere on this indented coastline, rise straight up
from out the North Pacific. They were a powerful tribe, E-coulth-aht
by name; seven hundred strong, with many fighting men, and many
children who played upon that shore. I think even now I hear the echo
of their voices round the bay, and how marvelously clear an echo may
be, among the inlets of that rockbound coast! I have heard my call
flung back from side to side alternately, till it was lost among the
rocky heights and ceased to be.
Across the bay from where the Indians lived, ran a stream, called
Po-po-moh-ah. Here every autumn, when the salmon came, they stayed
and caught the fish for winter use. Yet strange to say these
ancient E-coulth-ahts seemed unaware that at their very doors, a
nature hewn canal had its entrance. One fine September morning
Ha-houlth-thuk-amik and Han-ah-kut-ish, the sons of Wick-in-in-ish
or, as some say Ka-kay-un, accompanied by their father's slave
See-na-ulth were paddling slowly to Po-po-moh-ah, when half across
and near to Tsa-a-toos they saw dead salmon floating on the tide.
The salmon had spawned, and is it not strange to think that this, the
king of fish should struggle up the rapid tumbling streams for many
miles, against strong currents, over falls where the water breaks
the least, perchance to fall within the wicker purse of Indian traps
placed there so cunningly to catch them if they should fall back; and
even if they escape the Indian traps and find the gravel bar where
they four years before, began their life, and having spent themselves
in giving life, sicken and die, their bodies even in death give
sustenance to gulls and eagles circling round those haunts.
"These fish have come from where fresh water flows, so let us follow
up from whence they come. Let Quawteaht direct our course, and we
shall find new streams where salmon are in plenty and win great glory
in our tribe." Thus spake the sons of Wick-in-in-ish, and they turned
the prow of their canoe upstream, and followed where the trail of
salmon led, to the broad entrance of that splendid fjord.