Cloud-watcher
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo]
A Tlingit supernatural power spoke through him. After he had acted as shaman for a while, and, when all were at Tꜝā′łdi, the son of the chief of the salmon spoke through him. At that time there were no salmon on this island. Then the salmon came like a strong wind.
At that time he used to go into a deep place. His moose-skin blankets had pictures of salmon on them. He also wore a dance hat. He had a dancing skirt. He had rattles of puffin beaks.
At that time the chiefs refused to allow him [to go down]. They told him he would swim away forever. Then he became disgusted, so they said the salmon would be lost, and they let him go down. They let one who was always truthful go with him.
Then they sang for him in the way he told them. “When I go down, do not stop singing the spirit song until I get back.” Just at evening he prepared to go, and, after he had danced around the fire for a while, he went down. Immediately Lā′ma[1] went after him. After he had gone they sang for him, and he went into a deep place.
Then he lay still in the creek like a dog salmon. Lā′ma thought he would swim away, and he held the lower edge of his moose-skin blanket in his hand. After he had stayed in the water for a while, he jerked like a dog salmon sending out eggs. After he had done this four times he stood up. He was not wet in a single spot. All that time they sang for him in the house.
Then there were great numbers of dog salmon in the creek. When he stood up in the house all looked at him. He was not wet in the least. Then dog salmon nearly surrounded the coasts of this island. Before that there were few salmon, but a strong man dried three dog salmon during a season. The strongest man got five. They put two away, and, taking one along as provisions, they spent the winter in the neighborhood of mussels.
He had them get a large drum off of the east side of a big cedar. They used to hang that up.
After that Sᴀqaiyū′ł[2] spoke through Cloud-watcher at Łg̣ō′gi. When his voice came through him he ran into the sea. Then he started around the town begging. He came into a house and held out his blanket. “Djū x̣undâ′-î.”[3] They did not understand his words. By and by in one house he entered Djat-gitcꜝî′ñgaga guessed what he meant and put five plugs [of tobacco] into his blanket. At once all in the town gave to him. They each gave him five plugs. [[309]]
Some time after this they were all at Sea-grass town.[4] Then there was much sickness. And an old woman went to the end of Sea-grass Town. Then she held her hands up. She wanted Power-of-the-shining-heavens[5] to look upon her. From above they saw what she did.
After that, when autumn came, three towns were gathered together at ʟgakîtsgalā′ña.[6] They were there on account of A′nkustᴀ.[7]
After that, when they went to get provisions, a Town-of-Djī′gua[8] man named Waters became a shaman at Łg̣ā′g̣a.[9] At once they built a large house for dancing. All the time they were dancing there he did not mention his name. He was left-handed. He held a club on the left side. On his right side he held a war knife, wearing it point outward. They sang for him. He also had a grizzly bear head.
After they had sung a while for him he ceased to use these things and wore different ones. At once he again stood up for the dance. After this dance had gone on for a while there, they came to Sea-grass town.
After the dance had gone on at Sea-grass town for a while, he told them where an eagle was sitting. He foretold that there would be two blue feathers on either side of its tail. At once they went to get it, and, when they had got it, although they did not speak to him, where he lay in the house he struck the roof in his joy. Then he mentioned his two names. “I am Wu′ltcꜝixaiya. I am Ūdagiā′g̣ᴀñ.” That was the Moon’s youngest grandchild.[10]
When they went to Metlakahtla to gamble he became angry with one opposite him, and, when he stood up, he became ten. For that reason his elder brothers were afraid of him.
Because they had mercy upon the one who held up her hands, he (the Moon’s son) came down to Sea-grass town. He still had the eagle in his possession and used the bone club and the knife. At that time He-with-only-one-fin[11] talked to him. “Chief, I know you. You are Ha′ostī. The people are afraid of the things you use. The chiefs’ sons among the people, when they dance, use good rattles.” At that time he stopped using the knife and the club. His words pleased him. He held a puffin-beak rattle and a large rattle in his hands. On the left side he also held a chief’s rattle. He began to act in two different ways.
When he first started to perform they sang a spirit song for him: 𝄆 Gilâ′dᴀm ga′dani gia â gīlâ 𝄇 𝄆 âmaiyâ ga wīnâxnôx nâ gaa 𝄇.[12] Before they sang he sang alone. “Who is the great supernatural power?” This is the spirit song that they used to sing for him. At this time, after he had acted as shaman for a while, he stopped using those articles.
And he also used to wear fine cedar bark hanging from around his neck. He held one end of these hanging in a bunch over the fire and then acted as a shaman. Then burning coals flew round upon them. At once they began to dance. All wore fine cedar bark hanging [[310]]down from their necks. They had two strings of it around their arms. They also had some around their heads. On top of this [small] trees were stuck in. They used to dance with these. 𝄆 “Yâ hô ē ahēhaiya 𝄇 come hither great power.”[12] They all danced, singing this.
They came in dancing. Then, when they came in, he looked at them from where he stood in the rear of the house. He looked to see if anyone were sick. If one smiled a little, he said: “The people have untroubled minds.”
While that was still going on, summer came. When they were going off to the lonely places (i.e., camps) he started to sing another song.[13] This was the song. When he got through singing he stood up, and he said: “People, you are safe. Wherever you go in your canoes, sing this song. You are safe.” He came down and helped them. While he (the spirit) was still speaking in him (the man), he died.
Here is all of this.
The name Cloud-watcher occurs in one other place, in “The story about Him who destroyed his nine nephews.” He belonged to the Town-of-Djī′gua people, an important Eagle family at the old town of Kloo. [[311]]
[1] The man appointed to go with him. [↑]
[2] Raven’s son; see the story of [Raven traveling]. [↑]
[3] Said to be Tsimshian words. [↑]
[4] Haida, Tꜝanū′; but known to the whites as Old Kloo. The “old” is used to distinguish it from a place in Cumshewa inlet, where the Kloo people settled for a while before moving on to Skidegate. [↑]
[5] See the story of “[How Shining-heavens caused himself to be born].” [↑]
[6] At the western end of Louise island. The three towns were Cumshewa, Skedans, and Old Kloo. [↑]
[7] He was a shaman belonging to the Witch people of Cumshewa. There was much sickness at that time, probably the smallpox, but all who stayed with him were well. “A rival Tlingit shaman once threw a tree on him, but he was uninjured.” [↑]
[9] Meaning, perhaps, “Rocks.” It is an islet north of Hot Spring island. [↑]
[10] The word used for “grandchild” applies to descendants generally, and elsewhere this spirit is spoken of as the Moon’s son. [↑]
[11] Chief of Skedans. He is talking to the spirit. [↑]
[12] The words are in Tsimshian. ↑ [a] [b]
[13] This song was Tsimshian, but no words accompanied it. [↑]