He who was abandoned by his uncles
Reading edition
[Told by Abraham, of Those-born-at-Qꜝā′dᴀsg̣o, to whom it was related by an old Ninstints man.]
A man, along with his sister, was abandoned by his nine uncles. They built a small house under a tree. He lived in this with his sister. After they had lived there for a while two ravens came flying from the west coast. Then they sat on a branch of the tree below which they lived and wiped their bills. Afterward they flew back in the direction from which they had come. They disappeared over the mountain.
After this had happened many times while they were living there they began to be suspicious. Then they conferred with each other. He asked his sister to go with him in the direction the ravens always took when they flew over. Immediately they started up in the bed of Stasqa′os creek.
When they got far up they came to the end of a trail. And they went up upon it. When they got to the top of the mountain [they found] a hole there. The bottom could not be seen. And when they started to leave it they came back to it again. They kept doing so all day. A short time after they had started from it they came back to it.
Three rows of whales had floated ashore there. Those in the row nearest land were rotten. Those in the next row were a little rotten. Those next the sea were fresh. Killer whales came out to sleep on a reef which ran out into the strait. They made a noise, touching each other.
Then he and his sister constructed a house. When it was finished he cut up some fresh whales. At the same time he steamed them.
He finished his club. Then good-looking people came in to him. Some had curly hair. When there was a great crowd in the house he stood outside. And, as soon as they went out, he struck them on their heads. Right there they fell dead. They became sea otters and hair seals. They say that Kꜝū′dᴀña-point owns the west coast sea otters.
After some time had passed away, two of his uncles’ slaves hunted for him. They came to him. Then, after he had given them food, he told them that they should not say how he was situated. He did not give them food to take home, but one slave concealed a small piece under his tongue for his child. Then they went home.
After some time had passed, his uncles came around Sqa-i-point. The slaves had told about him. That is why they were there. When they abandoned him at Sqa-i his youngest uncle’s wife, although they were watching each other, left him food enough in a neat way to last him for some time.
As they came along his uncles’ daughters were dressed up and sat high in the canoes. Near them coppers were raised upon poles. Then he called in the youngest. But he refused the others. And they started back.
Then he married the daughter of the youngest. And after that a town arose there. They bought food from him. He became a chief there.
See notes to preceding story.
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