Wars between the people of Ninstints and the people of Skidegate
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo.]
In the times before they had muskets the Skidegate people went toward the south end of the island to fight. The entire town, including both clans, went along and presently saw a fort on the landward side of Kî′ntcꜝuwit. It was named Standing-fort.
After they had been fishing from the fort for a while something talked with a woman who was cutting a fish. “Come, cut a little piece of fish[1] for me, younger sister.” They did not know what it was that spoke. This portent happened because the fort was going to be destroyed.
There was no way to climb up to the fort. They then laid a long pole up the side of it. They used that to climb up on. Presently the Skidegate people came in a crowd to the bottom of it. When they were ready to go up some one shouted down from it: “Do not kill me. I belong to the Cumshewa-town people.[2] I am here with them only for a short time.” They called to him then to come down. But he did not believe them and did not go down.
By and by they started up the ladder. When they got halfway up the ladder they poured whale grease down upon the ladder. They got up over it with difficulty. They killed all the men and cut off their heads. The rest [of their bodies] they threw down from the fort. The space around it was filled up. After they had destroyed them they enslaved the women and children.
And, when the war canoes started off, some young women and some young men who had gone after spruce bark came out on the shore at the time of their departure. They wished to go. They would not take them. And they went to the fort after they (the warriors) had gone away. And, while they were still some way off from the fort they heard a great sound of voices. And, when they arrived there, the air and blood rushing out of the mouths of the severed heads made a great noise. At that time the Ninstints people were destroyed.
Gᴀ′nx̣oat[3] and the people of his village went to war later. And after they had gone along for a while they landed. At that time the Ninstints people were at Djig̣u′n.[4] And a man of the Sand-town [[416]]people[5] who had gone out from the town after something saw unobserved that enemies were in a certain place. And, after he had watched them for a while, he shot one. No one was about.
He then cut off his head. With that he brought the news to the fort. His name was Great-drum. Then the Ninstints people launched a large canoe. They did not know that the Skidegate people were lying in wait for them on the shore near the fort. After they had gone along for a while they shot at them. They upset the canoe.
Then Tasgie′n and Gā′da-kuła′ns got ashore with ammunition. Both belonged to the Sand-town people. They shot at the Skidegate people from behind rocks which leaned toward the sea along the edges of the water. As soon as it was seen from the fort that they had been upset they went to help them. Those were the Ninstints-gîtî′ns and the Sa′ki-qe′ig̣awa-i.[6]
Then they landed. And they came behind the Skidegate people. At that time Yū′wa-i came to Gᴀ′nx̣oat, who was taking a bath in the woods. He feared then to shoot him, he was such a great chief. Then he finished “night-picks-up-the-village” (his daily fast).[7]
Laginᴀ′ñdigūdañ also tried to help his sons by shooting. Then Yū′wa-i came behind the Skidegate people and shot one. He (the man shot) was all alone. He then cut off his head and put a string on it, and he came out with it at the end of the lines of Skidegate people. “Ho ho ho, ho ho ho, ho ho ho, Skidegate people, I am Yū′wa-i. I am eating you up from behind.” And, when the Skidegate people saw the head that he had on his back, even their sinews gave out [they were so discouraged].[8]
The Sand-town people lost an advantage by their foolishness. Their new muskets and ammunition were sunk. Not long before a trading vessel had come there.
And before this, after things had been going on quietly at the [Ninstints] fort, Blown-away went out from the fort to fish. When he came back from fishing his gambling sticks were gone from the house. He then went to where they were gambling. He came to where his nephew was using the gambling sticks.
Then he scolded his nephew on account of them. And he (his nephew) threw the gambling sticks over a cliff. He then pulled his nephew down on one side and stabbed him repeatedly. And he ran toward the house. Then his (the murdered man’s) younger brother ran after him. When he had almost got in his younger brother also stabbed him twice in the abdomen. He, too, soon after was lying on the ground. A woman was also killed the same day.
Here is the end of the story about this. [[418]]
[1] The word means a piece of fish not kept for drying. [↑]
[2] Another name for Those-born-at-Qā′gials, the great Raven family of Skedans. [↑]
[3] Town chief of Skidegate. When I was at Skidegate the remnants of his grave box and of the Chilkat blanket that was wound around his body were still to be seen. [↑]
[5] See “[Story of the Food-giving-town people],” note [4]. [↑]
[6] See “[Story of him through whom Łᴀ′gua spoke],” note [1]. These families came out to relieve the Sand-town people. Unlike the latter they are both Eagle. [↑]
[7] The chief was fasting for property and success, and his fast was called “night-picks-up-the-village.” He probably took internal medicine at the same time. [↑]