When they came together all the women went into the woods. After the lines had approached each other for a while they got within a spear cast, and one from Wada’s side shouted: “Bring on the spear-whetstones.”[7] One on the other side from among Chief-discovered’s people also said: “Ho, ho, you are not the only ones to have them.” They thought that they had called spears spear-whetstones when they [[414]]answered. What they really intended was to call out ten persons who were reckless and brave.
As soon as they came down they began to spear the people of Chief-discovered’s town. At the very beginning Chief-discovered fell. Wada′, however, escaped.
The people of Common-town[8] came in front and looked on from their canoes. Only five canoes [of the Sand-town people] escaped. He destroyed the people of Chief-discovered’s town. After they had pulled the spears out of the slain they (the people of Common-town) brought their canoes in front of the people of Chief-discovered’s town and carried in the dead bodies. They did not wish to fight.
And the women came back. Wada’s wife, with her children, did not come back. Although they hunted for her body they could not find it. And the others carried up their dead. They did not, however, take up the body of Chief-discovered. The canoe was rolled about by the waves with his body in it. He floated about in the bilge-water. They treated his body in that way because they had lost so many friends through him.
These were both Ninstints families of the Raven clan. The former was named from an islet in Skincuttle inlet, which is said to have been the first land to appear above the waters of the flood raised by Raven’s uncle; see the story of “[Raven traveling].” From this they claimed to be the oldest Haida family. The Sand-town people have been referred to in “[Story of the Food-giving-town people],” note [4]. [[415]]
[1] Either on the island of Xā′gi, referred to above, or on the mainland opposite. [↑]
[2] See “[The story of him through whom Łᴀ′gua spoke],” note [5]. They were considered a part of Xā′gi lā′nas. [↑]
[3] On a small inlet east of Huston inlet. G̣a′-idi is the name of a fish said to resemble a smelt somewhat. This town was owned by the Sand-town people. [↑]
[4] Chief of the Xā′gi-town people. The word was one used when detaching certain bivalves from the rocks. If these were taken by surprise this could be done with ease. [↑]