[26] Because he was a family chief, and his death paid for that of their own family chief. [↑]
A fight between the Xā′gi-town people and Sand-town people
[Told by Abraham of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsgo]
At the town of Xā′gi[1] a woman of the Slaves[2] went outside before she went to bed. She did not return. But instead of saying anything they kept the matter in their minds. They did not know from what town people had come to get her.
Some time afterward they discovered that she had been taken by a man from the town of G̣a′-idi[3] who had been in love with her. It was a man of the Sand-town people. They went then in a large canoe to demand the property which was given when a woman deserted her husband. And they came there at low water.
When the tide was well up he (the seducer) went out and played with his wife between the houses. He who had formerly had her as his wife was the bow man. And, when he paddled shoreward, he said: “Shoreward! Future people shall always remember me.” He then took a bow and two arrows and jumped off with them. And he ran up and shot his wife. Afterward he shot the man. At that time he escaped into the canoe. They went away and landed. The man’s mind was happy.
And Wada′[4] thought his town was too great to have a woman taken out of it. Then she (his wife) said to her husband: “Make it all right with property.” He would not agree. He said they thought his town was common. By and by she told her husband to go ahead: “Make a stir about it. My children are clear of it.”
And the people of Chief-discovered’s town[5] said the same things to him that Wada’s wife had said. They could not stop him. He also thought that his town was too great. By and by they announced a fight. They cleaned their spears. They agreed upon a day on which to fight.
When the day at last arrived they came around Sqas point.[6] One in the town shouted: “It is becoming dry [with the number of canoes].” They landed at once at the end of the town. Then they went to the town of Xā′gi. The people of Wada’s town stood in lines on the beach awaiting them.