Indian Legends of Vancouver Island | Page 5

race, and one of the old fetishes was this: that if by chance they could secure the young of a wolf from which to take some precious inner part, to rub upon the outer side of their canoes, it gave great luck in whaling, and thus it came to pass that when the klootsmuk found the she wolf's lair, they formed the plan of taking to their brother the four wolf pups, in order that he might become the chief of all whale hunters. Cautiously they placed them in the baskets on their backs and then retraced their steps. In time they reached the beach, and entered their canoe, when just as they pushed off, with giant springs and angry howl leapt the great mother wolf from the woods, but the klootsmuk were safe with their strange prizes, and soon their canoe cut gleefully through the waves, while their songs were wafted landward by the western breeze.
Upon an isle not far from home they hid the young wolf pups. This done, they squatted on the shore, and thought how best they might inform their brother of their lucky find. They were puzzled as to how this might be managed without awakening jealousies among the other members of the tribe, and they were fearful to face their father's wrath who surely would expect their craft well laden with the cedar bark. They reasoned long and then decided on a stratagem. One of the three would cut her foot with a mussel shell, and mark her tunic with the blood, and tell the story, that when they landed on the Toquaht shore an open mussel shell had cut her foot, therefore they could not go for cedar bark. They carried out this plan, and paddled slowly to Ho-moh-ah. The people saw them come, and wondered much what evil had befallen them, but when they saw the blood upon the kutsack of the youngest girl and saw her bound up foot, they guessed the trouble. Before the sun had set, the brother had been told of the wolf pups, and secretly that night he had taken from them the precious parts, and when he went hunting, he rubbed the medicine on his canoe, and had such wondrous luck he soon became the chief of all whale hunters. Such is the story told by that weird painting, which could be seen some years ago adorning the dark walls of the great potlatch house of Shewish, Seshaht chief on Ho-moh-ah but better known as Village Island, Barkley Sound.
[Illustration: HALIBUT HOOK AND CLUB FOR STUNNING FISH]

THE FINDING OF THE TSOMASS
NAMES AND WORDS OCCURRING IN THE LEGEND "THE FINDING OF THE TSOMASS"
Alberni, the valley at the head of the Alberni Canal, a wonderful cleft or fjord which almost splits Vancouver Island in two. This fjord has its outlet in Barkley Sound on the west side of the island. The Alberni Canal was named by the Spaniards after Don Pedro Alberni, captain of infantry in charge of soldiers stationed at Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island, during the Spanish occupation.
Tsomass River--spelt and pronounced by the "Whites" Somass, a fine river formed by the confluence of the Stamps and Sproat or Klee-coot rivers, draining Great Central lake and Sproat or Klee-coot lake respectively. The Tsomass river flows through the Alberni Valley into the Alberni Canal.
The E-coulth-aht, is one of the many divisions of what Gilbert Malcolm Sproat called "the Aht tribes" inhabiting the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Po-po-moh-ah, is now known by the Spanish name "San Mateo Bay" situated on the east side of Barkley Sound, not far from the entrance to the Alberni Canal.
U-chuck-le-sit, is a small but safe harbour on the north side and near to the entrance to the Alberni Canal. The cannery, cold storage plant and village of Kildonan are built on the harbour.
Klu-quilth-soh, is the Indian name for a rather forbidding passage in the Alberni Canal, and known for strong winds and choppy seas. It is named by the white people "Hell's Gate."
Chehahs were Supernatural spirits or influences; there were good and bad chehahs.
She-she-took-a-muck was a ferocious whale supposed to have lived at Hell's Gate, and to have swallowed Indians and their canoes. The whale was killed by the aid of Quawteaht.
Kah-oots was supposed to be one of the deities of Seshaht mythology.
Tsa-a-toos,--(Copper Island) is a large island situated in Barkley Sound and near to the entrance to the Alberni Canal.
Toosh-ko, Hy-wach-es, Wak-ah-nit, (Copper Mountain) Tin-nim-ah, and Klu-quilth-koose (now known as Coos Creek) are place names on the Alberni Canal.
U-ah-tee--the north wind, Yuk-stees--the south wind.
O-lil-lie and Il-la-hie, are Chinook for berries and land or country respectively.
Ah-tooch is the Indian name for deer.
Lup-se-kup-se or Nooh-see-cupis, is a small piece of cleared land on the left bank of the Tsomass river and about half way between the towns