Wars with the Niska and Tsimshian and conflicts between Haida families
Reading edition
[Told by Richard of the Middle-gîtî′ns]
They got then all the heads of the Niska people. They got sixteen slaves for Gia′ołins, and they got thirteen for Skîlqē′xas. Then they occupied a fort at House-point.
After some time the Niska people came to fight in five canoes. That time they began to fight at House-point. Five of the Point-town people were killed. And one canoe load of Niska people was destroyed. They then went away.
And the Point-town people again went to war. That time they fought at Nass village. They enslaved ten for Skîlqē′xas. They also enslaved eight for Gia′ołins. They then returned to House-point, singing songs of victory.
And, when they came back, the Up-inlet-gîtî′ns asked the Point-town people to pay something for them. They gave then one slave for the two men. And the Up-inlet-gîtî′ns went away and left the slave. That evening they killed two of the Point-town people. The Up-inlet-gîtî′ns began at once to fight with the Point-town people. Many were killed on each side. After they had fought all winter they talked of peace. They then gave many slaves back and forth as blood compensation. Then there was peace.
When summer came the Point-town people went to the Nass to war. After they had been unable to find an opportunity to do any damage for some time three canoes came along, and they pursued them. They killed all who were in them. But they were Tsimshian. They enslaved them.
On account of that the Tsimshian came to fight. Then they had a pitched battle with the Point-town people. At that time many were killed on both sides.
After that the Point-town people again went to fight. Some campers were then drying halibut at the mouth of the Skeena. They destroyed them all. They also took many as slaves.
After that the Tsimshian again came to war. At that time they took nine women as slaves out of four canoes in which the people had gone out to pick berries. They belonged to many families. They also killed three men. Some escaped to the woods.
Many families went at once to war together. They destroyed then many Tsimshian who were camping out. At that time they also enslaved a great number. Then they came to Masset, singing songs of victory. Then they did not come again to fight. When it was summer the Tsimshian came to make peace. And, while the whole town danced together, they gave them property. When that was over they wanted the Masset people to go across in their turn. Those also then went over to make peace. They also gave them a great deal of property.
The news then reached the Niska that they had made peace. And they also came to dance [without having sent word in advance]. When the Nass people landed in front of the town they shot at them. Many of the Nass people were killed. Part escaped, and some time afterward they came to fight. At that time many were killed on both sides.
Then the Point-town people also went to fight. They came to Lag̣ᴀ′mkꜝida. That time the Nass people won. They killed many of the Masset people. When they went to war the next time they killed many of the Nass people. And they killed a town chief named Sqatꜝî′n. The Nass people were very sorry on account of him. They wept and scratched their faces. The others returned singing songs of victory.
And when they went thither to fight again the town of Lag̣ᴀ′mkꜝida was empty. They then burned the town. They captured many boxes of grease.
When they returned Skîlqē′xas summoned the people. He said that he would send feathers to the Niska. Then some of them did not like it. And Gia′ołins also summoned the people. He said the same thing. Then all agreed. And they took over feathers to the Tsimshian. After that they carried them up to the Niska.
Some time afterward they came in ten canoes. They then carried the dancers into all the houses. At that time they gave them a great deal of blood money. They gave three slaves for the chief they had killed. At that time there was not a single slave left in Masset. They gave them all away as blood money. Then they went joyfully away. Some were dancing; some were singing canoe songs. At that time they also left feathers. They wanted the Masset people [to visit them].
They then also went over. They gave them a great deal of blood money. They had then a true peace with each other. The Nass people also told them to come and get boxes of grease, and they went over to get them. They [the Niska] then settled again in the burned town. The Nass people gave them boxes of grease.
At that time some went behind the town of Masset to keep watch. And when the Tsimshian had almost got ashore behind Masset they shot at them. They drove the warriors away. Then the Rocky-coast-gîtî′ns went to war. They killed many Tsimshian.
Afterward, when the Tsimshian came to fight, they enslaved nine of the Masset people. Then all the families again started to make war on the Tsimshian. At that time they continually killed each other.
He then sent word to have food brought to himself. And, after they had started away, they made a 6-fathom canoe. When it was finished he came to his town. Then the house chiefs came and danced before him.
The Middle-town people began at once to eat medicine, and did so all winter. When summer came they went to war. At that time they killed or enslaved many Tsimshian. They went up directly [among the Tlingit] to sell them. They got a lot of ammunition and guns in exchange. Then they again fortified themselves.
Some time afterward the Tsimshian came against the fort. At that time the Middle-town people went out in their canoes. They shot at each other on the ocean. Only five of the Middle-town people were killed then. But many of the Tsimshian were killed.
And, after the Tsimshian had started off, they said that they would raise their canoes. On the very next day after they had raised them they went to fight. They enslaved then very many women who were out after berries. At that time they came to the fort singing songs of victory. They remained there then on the watch.
By and by the Tsimshian came to fight again. And again many were killed on both sides. Some time afterward they settled at Kꜝᴀgā′ni.
By and by Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a went off on a vessel. After that, when a vessel came with him and they went out to trade, Gîtkudja′os approached Î′ldjiwas to kill him. Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a said to him: “Take care, they are coming to kill you.” At that time Î′ldjiwas shot Gîtkudja′os alongside the vessel, so that he fell into the water. The crowd of people who were about then fled to their homes. When all had got in he went home. They then shot at him. He escaped into his house.
After peace had been made the father of Î′ldjiwas bought a pistol for him which was all silver. And, when he had it in his hand in front of the town, his father’s younger brother asked to look at it. At that time he told him that people could not be killed by it [but only wounded]. So he shot his father’s younger brother with it. And they again began fighting.
After that they also killed Î′ldjiwas. They wounded him. After he had remained alive for fifteen nights he held his gun loaded and said: “Now, they are coming down for me.” He then shot through the smoke hole. And he talked again. “I am going up, and I will throw down the planks that are inside his house. I will also throw down his burning coals.” Then he said: “Now, I am going up to be with him.” After he had finished speaking he was as those who go to sleep.
Afterward Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a killed one of the Middle-town people, and they again had a fight. They again made peace with each other after one of the nephews of Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a was killed. After they had given property to him, Nᴀñ-gut-tcî′ng̣a went away and settled among the Tsimshian. His nephews lived at Kꜝᴀgā′ni.
At that time a youth, Sg̣ā′gia, lived with Sg̣atcꜝîdā′łgîñ, who took care of him. Then he treated Sg̣ā′gia badly. Getting angry with him, he drew blood. And two nights afterward he killed Sg̣atcꜝîdā′łgîñ. He then took his three slaves. When he was going to kill his wife also she used good words to him. He went away in his canoe.
All that summer, while they were fishing for black cod, he kept a watch for war people. After they had caught salmon, they moved to Skidegate inlet.
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