Indian Legends of Vancouver Island | Page 4

back a lake of large dimensions lies,
from which the water pours in thunder storms. He is the lone survivor
of four great Thunder Birds which dwelt upon the mountains of
Uchucklesit. These mighty birds sustained themselves on whales,
which they would carry to the mountain peaks, where Indians say, the

bones of many whales have been found.
One time the "Great One," Quawteaht desiring to destroy the mighty
Thunder Birds, entered the body of a whale, and swimming slowly
approached Howchulis shore. The Thunder Birds espied it from their
high retreat, and sweeping down made ready for the fray. First one
attacked and drove his talons deep into the whale's back, then spreading
his broad wings he tried to rise. Then Quawteaht gave strength to the
great whale, which sounded, dragging the Tee-tse-kin beneath the
waves. Up came the whale; a second Thunder Bird with all his force
drove his strong claws deep into the quivering flesh. Then Quawteaht a
second time gave strength and down the mammal plunged dragging
with him the second Thunder Bird. A third was drowned in manner
similar. Thereat the fourth and last Tootooch took wing and fled to
distant heights, where he has ever since remained.
This is the story of the Thunder Birds.
[Illustration: WOODEN SCOOP FOR BALING THE WATER OUT
OF A CANOE]

HOW SHEWISH BECAME A GREAT WHALE HUNTER
NAMES OCCURRING IN THE LEGEND OF SHEWISH
The Killer Whale or Ka-Kow-in has a large dorsal fin shown in a
conventional manner in the pictograph between the Thunder Bird and
the face of the Indian girl, sister to Shewish. The Killer Whale was
often used as a family emblem or crest and as a source from which
personal names were derived.
Klootsmah or Kloots-a-mah plural Klootsmuk the Indian word for
"married woman" but used in the legends for girls as well as women.
According to Gilbert Malcolm Sproat who lived in Alberni in the early
"sixties" the term used for a young girl or daughter was "Ha-quitl-is"
and for an unmarried woman "Ha-quatl."
Toquaht--the home of the Toquaht tribe of Indians, an old settlement on
the north shore of Barkley Sound between Ucluelet and Pipestem Inlet.
The Kutsack, or Kats-hek is a loose cloak or mantle woven from the
soft inner bark of the yellow cedar tree. Indian mats were made from
the inner bark of the red cedar.
[Illustration: PICTOGRAPHIC PAINTING, THE COAT OF ARMS
OF SHEWISH, SESHAHT CHIEF (Drawn by J. Semeyn from original

sketch by the author)]
HOW SHEWISH BECAME A GREAT WHALE HUNTER
The centre figure in the pictographic painting is a wolf grotesquely
drawn. Within her body four young wolves are seen. Above the wolf is
a killer whale surmounted by a second picture of the Thunder Bird, and
in the left top corner of the pictograph is seen the face of a young
klootsmah or Indian girl. How strangely are her features pictured. With
upturned hands she gazes in a blank unvarying stare. She holds the key
to this old tale which the great scroll perpetuates. One time this Indian
maiden, daughter of a chief of great renown, with her two sisters left
their home on Village Island. They went in search of yellow cedar bark
which grew in quantity upon the mountain top above the village, of
Toquaht. The cedar bark is highly prized, and when the sap ascends in
May to feed the new born green, the bark is loose and easily removed,
and when the klootsmah cuts the bark through to the sap half round the
tree and pulls with all her strength, it comes in strips from off the tree
till the first branch is reached, and then it breaks and falls obedient at
her dark feet. The klootsmah rolls it up and puts it in the basket on her
back, and when she reaches home she splits the bark, and pounds it
between stones, with water softening it, and after long and tedious
work the fibres being separated, she cleanses them and weaves them
into cloaks, and then with true artistic taste, trims them with pretty fur.
[Illustration: THE BARK GIVES WAY AND COMES IN STRIPS
FROM OFF THE TREES]
The daughters of the Village Island chief took with them food to last
for three whole suns. They started early, for many miles of paddling lay
between them and the Toquaht shore. At length they reached the beach,
and hiding their canoe beneath a giant spruce, they followed where a
little trail beckoned them on and up the mountain side. For hours they
climbed, wending their way through lonely, silent woods, the twittering
wren the only life they saw or heard. At times they lost the trail, as it
was overgrown with fern and berry bush. But once the leading
klootsmah