They pushed them along then to the place where the canoes were. And, when they started off, Nîsʟā′ganūs’s nephew walked about on the opposite shore. He shot at them many times, but the gunpowder only flashed. By and by they pulled out of range. And they went seaward to Sqä′g̣ał. And, when they started across, they sang a high song at Kloo.[18] And they owned her (the chief’s wife) there. The winter was not long for him (Gîtku′n).[19]
The Tsimshian then came to fight for her in a crowd. And, when they camped at Qal,[20] Häl[21] sent a canoe to talk with them. He had them tell the people that he was going to come for her. When harvest time[22] came, after he had said he would come back in many canoes, a great many Kîtkatla people came by canoe to Skedans. It was a veritable crowd.
They stayed at the town of Skedans. The Kloo people also crossed thither. The great Häl got Kꜝuia′ns’s[23] sister and another woman who had been taken south to the Bellabella.[24] He brought both over.
On the night when the Kloo people came he began to dance. After he had done this for a while he sent the two Ninstints people [to the [[431]]Kloo people] by striking them on the back. They struck Gîtku′n with a slave,[25] and Gidᴀ′ñgiasʟas also went away with one. The chiefs were in Mother-house.[26]
After he had ceased dancing, Gîtku′n also started to dance. After he had done so for a while, and had stopped, they had the wife of Nîsʟā′ganūs stand up, and the other with her. And, when they struck her on the back to send her to the other side, she almost touched the ground with her lips. They did the same thing to the other one. In this way they exchanged.
After they got back to Kloo Kꜝuia′ns and Kꜝadja′-i paid for their sisters. Kꜝuia′ns paid two slaves for his sister, along with sea otters. Kꜝadja′-i also paid a slave for his sister, besides much property and many guns.
After this winter came. When spring came Gîtku′n joined the secret society. At the end of two days he disappeared into the woods. On the next day all the Kloo people went to Skedans. When they set out they launched his canoe, which was called “Reef-canoe.”[27]
After they had loaded for a while, some came down in a crowd out of Cave-house with a sail pulled tightly around them. Inside of it many horns sounded. They got into the canoe and started across. It went along in the midst of the other canoes, and something whistled inside of the sail. All thought that Gîtku′n was in it.
When they got near Skedans Reef-canoe changed still more. They let the one who had fallen [that is, joined the secret society] at Kloo be inspired at Skedans. When they stood in front of Skedans, he (the spirit) suddenly made a noise behind Skedans, and Skedans was in commotion. Hu hu, hu hu hu, Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn[28] also acted ū′lala in a different place. At this time they were so much taken up with it that they did not know what they did. When they got Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn into Mother-house, the companions also attended to Gîtku′n. They got him into Rotten-house.[29] They then came ashore.
The day after this, about noon, Wā′nᴀg̣ᴀn went out and bit the arms of the sons of Skedans chiefs belonging to good families.[30] After a time he bit the arm of Gā-iñᴀ′ldᴀña-i-yū′ᴀns, when he too joined the secret society. He was inspired. On the day after that Gā-iñᴀ′ldᴀña-i-yū′ᴀns went out and [feigned to] eat a Bellabella woman that his mother owned.[31] As he sat and moved around her she pushed him from her and made a sound as if she feared him. By and by he seized her and began to eat her. When he began to bite her neck she died. The companions took care of him. He ate to the middle of her.