Indian Legends of Vancouver Island | Page 3

only to descend and climb
once more, and thus we slowly cross the Middle Channel and reach
calm water.
Soon what at first appeared to be unbroken shore breaks up into many
passage ways. By one of these we enter, to find ourselves among a
hundred isles. Each one is wooded to the water's edge, which often the
trees overspread with outstretched boughs. Entranced, we paddle on
until we leave behind all trace of ocean swell, and if the tide be low so

that old sea-soaked snags are seen upon the shore, and boulders thick
with barnacles and varied coloured sea-weeds in shades of brown and
red, and here and there great clusters of blue mussel shells, these all, if
the water be calm and undisturbed by wind, are mirrored on the surface
of the stream, forming pictures most rare and beautiful. Thus for hours
with ever fresh delight we thread the calm passage-ways between those
isles. Beachlets of white sand and powdered shells are found where
ocean swells at times may reach. On these we stroll and gather abalone
shells and empty sea eggs and other relics up-thrown by winter storms.
At evening we may reach a sheltered nook where years ago Indians
built a little shelter in which to sit and watch the sun descend into the
western sea. Perhaps we may conjure up the Indian's thought, who built
that little shelter, and night on night in glorious summer time, squatted
and watched the sun go down.
Such is the setting for the following tales. Amid such scenes as these,
the Indians lived and died.
[Illustration: A WEST COAST INDIAN WEARING THE
KUT-SACK]

THE SUMMER HOME OF THE SESHAHTS
There is an island larger than the rest, called Ho-moh-ah, where once
the tribe of Seshahts made their summer home. It lies well out to sea,
and on the sheltered side the Seshahts lived. The chief of the tribe was
Shewish. His house was large, so large that when he called his people
to a great potlatch, they all could find within its walls an ample space to
feast and dance. His house like all the old time dwellings was built on
simple lines, the three great roof-logs each of single trees, upheld by
posts of ample girth. The sides and roof of wide-split cedar boards were
adzed to lie close, and fastened into place by twisted cedar rope. Within,
on either side was raised a wooden platform two feet high. This
platform and a portion of the floor adjoining it in sections was
partitioned off by screens of cedar mats. Each section was the home of
such as claimed close kinship with the chief. The centre of the lodge for
its whole length was common to all who lived therein. The people
cooked their food upon the common fire, the smoke of which curled up
and found an exit through the smoke hole in the roof. The section
tenanted by the family of Shewish lay furthest from the door. No

feature except one marked it as different from the homes of lesser men.
A pictographic painting--the Coat of Arms of the great family of
Shewish hung upon the wall. The picture told in graphic form how
came the name of Shewish to be famed among the hunters of the whale.
It also told the legend of the THUNDER BIRDS.
[Illustration: HAND ADZE MADE AND USED BY INDIANS OF
BARKLEY SOUND]

THE LEGEND OF THE THUNDER BIRDS
NAMES OCCURRING IN "THE LEGEND OF THE THUNDER
BIRDS"
Kulakula is the [1]Chinook word for Bird.
Tee-tse-kin or Tootooch is the name given by the Barkley Sound
Indians to the Thunder Bird, a mighty supernatural bird in Indian
mythology.
Howchulis, the land of the Howchucklesahts, is better known by the
name Uchucklesit, a safe harbour on the west side of the Alberni Canal
at its junction with Barkley Sound. Uchucklesit is now the centre of an
important fishing industry.
Quawteaht, is a great personage in Indian mythology, a beneficent
being, and considered by many to be the progenitor of their race.
[1] CHINOOK, is a jargon or trade language still used on the coast of
British Columbia both by the white men in conversing with the Indians,
also by the latter when talking to members of a tribe speaking a
different dialect. Chinook is a combination of English, French and
Indian words.
THE LEGEND OF THE THUNDER BIRDS
The figure at the base of the pictographic painting represents the
mammoth whale upon whose back the whole creation rests. Above the
whale are seen the head and wings of the giant Kulakula the
Tee-tse-kin the Thunder Bird which dwells aloft. When he flaps his
wings or even moves a quill the thunder peals. When he blinks his eyes
the lightning strikes. Upon his