legends of vancouver-第12部分

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　Yaada　and　her　mate；　seeking　for　the　soul　of　the　Haida　woman　her　mother。〃





Deadman's　Island

It　is　dusk　on　the　Lost　Lagoon；　And　we　two　dreaming　the　dusk　away；　Beneath　the　drift　of　a　twilight　grey　Beneath　the　drowse　of　an　ending　day　And　the　curve　of　a　golden　moon。

It　is　dark　in　the　Lost　Lagoon；　And　gone　are　the　depths　of　haunting　blue；　The　grouping　gulls；　and　the　old　canoe；　The　singing　firs；　and　the　dusk　andyou；　And　gone　is　the　golden　moon。

O！　lure　of　the　Lost　Lagoon　I　dream　tonight　that　my　paddle　blurs　The　purple　shade　where　the　seaweed　stirs　I　hear　the　call　of　the　singing　firs　In　the　hush　of　the　golden　moon。

For　many　minutes　we　stood　silently；　leaning　on　the　western　rail　of　the　bridge　as　we　watched　the　sun　set　across　that　beautiful　little　basin　of　water　known　as　Coal　Harbor。　　I　have　always　resented　that　jarring；　unattractive　name；　for　years　ago；　when　I　first　plied　paddle　across　the　gunwale　of　a　light　little　canoe　that　idled　above　its　margin；　I　named　the　sheltered　little　cove　the　Lost　Lagoon。　This　was　just　to　please　my　own　fancy；　for　as　that　perfect　summer　month　drifted　on；　the　ever…restless　tides　left　the　harbor　devoid　of　water　at　my　favorite　canoeing　hour；　and　my　pet　idling　place　was　lost　for　many　days　hence　my　fancy　to　call　it　the　Lost　Lagoon。　But　the　chief；　Indian…like；　immediately　adopted　the　name；　at　least　when　he　spoke　of　the　place　to　me；　and　as　we　watched　the　sun　slip　behind　the　rim　of　firs；　he　expressed　the　wish　that　his　dugout　were　here　instead　of　lying　beached　at　the　farther　side　of　the　park。

〃If　canoe　was　here；　you　and　I　we　paddle　close　to　shores　all　'round　your　Lost　Lagoon：　we　make　track　just　like　half　moon。　　Then　we　paddle　under　this　bridge；　and　go　channel　between　Deadman's　Island　and　park。　　Then　'round　where　cannon　speak　time　at　nine　o'clock。　　Then　'cross　Inlet　to　Indian　side　of　Narrows。〃

I　turned　to　look　eastward；　following　in　fancy　the　course　he　had　sketched；　the　waters　were　still　as　the　footstep　of　the　oncoming　twilight；　and；　floating　in　a　pool　of　soft　purple；　Deadman's　Island　rested　like　a　large　circle　of　candle　moss。

〃Have　you　ever　been　on　it？〃　he　asked　as　he　caught　my　gaze　centering　on　the　irregular　outline　of　the　island　pines。

〃I　have　prowled　the　length　and　depth　of　it；〃　I　told　him。　　〃Climbed　over　every　rock　on　its　shores；　crept　under　every　tangled　growth　of　its　interior；　explored　its　overgrown　trails；　and　more　than　once　nearly　got　lost　in　its　very　heart。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　half　laughed；　〃it　pretty　wild；　not　much　good　for　anything。〃

〃People　seem　to　think　it　valuable；〃　I　said。　〃There　is　a　lot　of　litigationof　fighting　going　on　now　about　it。〃

〃Oh！　that　the　way　always；〃　he　said　as　though　speaking　of　a　long　accepted　fact。　　〃Always　fight　over　that　place。　　Hundreds　of　years　ago　they　fight　about　it；　Indian　people；　they　say　hundreds　of　years　to　come　everybody　will　still　fightnever　be　settled　what　that　place　is；　who　it　belong　to；　who　has　right　to　it。　No；　never　settle。　　Deadman's　Island　always　mean　fight　for　someone。〃

〃So　the　Indians　fought　amongst　themselves　about　it？〃　I　remarked；　seemingly　without　guile；　although　my　ears　tingled　for　the　legend　I　knew　was　coming。

〃Fought　like　lynx　at　close　quarters；〃　he　answered。　　〃Fought；　killed　each　other；　until　the　island　ran　with　blood　redder　than　that　sunset；　and　the　sea　water　about　it　was　stained　flame　colorit　was　then；　my　people　say；　that　the　scarlet　fire…flower　was　first　seen　growing　along　this　coast。〃

〃It　is　a　beautiful　colorthe　fire…flower；〃　I　said。

〃It　should　be　fine　color；　for　it　was　born　and　grew　from　the　hearts　of　fine　tribes…people　very　fine　people；〃　he　emphasized。

We　crossed　to　the　eastern　rail　of　the　bridge；　and　stood　watching　the　deep　shadows　that　gathered　slowly　and　silently　about　the　island；　I　have　seldom　looked　upon　anything　more　peaceful。

The　chief　sighed。　　〃We　have　no　such　men　now；　no　fighters　like　those　men；　no　hearts；　no　courage　like　theirs。　　But　I　tell　you　the　story；　you　understand　it　then。　　Now　all　peace；　tonight　all　good　tillicums；　even　dead　man's　spirit　does　not　fight　now；　but　long　time　after　it　happen　those　spirits　fought。〃

〃And　the　legend？〃　I　ventured。

〃Oh！　yes；〃　he　replied；　as　if　suddenly　returning　to　the　present　from　out　a　far　country　in　the　realm　of　time。　　〃Indian　people；　they　call　it　the　'Legend　of　the　Island　of　Dead　Men。'

〃There　was　war　everywhere。　　Fierce　tribes　from　the　northern　coast；　savage　tribes　from　the　south　all　met　here　and　battled　and　raided；　burned　and　captured；　tortured　and　killed　their　enemies。　　The　forests　smoked　with　camp　fires；　the　Narrows　were　choked　with　war　canoes；　and　the　Sagalie　TyeeHe　who　is　a　man　of　peaceturned　His　face　away　from　His　Indian　children。　　About　this　island　there　was　dispute　and　contention。　　The　medicine　men　from　the　North　claimed　it　as　their　chanting　ground。　The　medicine　men　from　the　South　laid　equal　claim　to　it。　　Each　wanted　it　as　the　stronghold　of　their　witchcraft；　their　magic。　　Great　bands　of　these　medicine　men　met　on　the　small　space；　using　every　sorcery　in　their　power　to　drive　their　opponents　away。　　The　witch　doctors　of　the　North　made　their　camp　on　the　northern　rim　of　the　island；　those　from　the　South　settled　along　the　southern　edge；　looking　towards　what　is　now　the　great　city　of　Vancouver。　Both　factions　danced；　chanted；　burned　their　magic　powders；　built　their　magic　fires；　beat　their　magic　rattles；　but　neither　would　give　way；　yet　neither　conquered。　　About　them；　on　the　waters；　on　the　mainlands；　raged　the　warfare　of　their　respective　tribesthe　Sagalie　Tyee　had　forgotten　His　Indian　children。

〃After　many　months；　the　warriors　on　both　sides　weakened。　　They　said　the　incantations　of　the　rival　medicine　men　were　bewitching　them；　were　making　their　hearts　like　children's；　and　their　arms　nerveless　as　women's。　　So　friend　and　foe　arose　as　one　man　and　drove　the　medicine　men　from　the　island；　hounded　them　down　the　Inlet；　herded　them　through　the　Narrows　and　banished　them　out　to　sea；　where　they　took　refuge　on　one　of　the　outer　islands　of　the　gulf。　　Then　the　tribes　once　more　fell　upon　each　other　in　battle。

〃The　warrior　blood　of　the　North　will　always　conquer。　　They　are　the　stronger；　bolder；　more　alert；　more　keen。　　The　snows　and　the　ice　of　their　country　make　swifter　pulse　than　the　sleepy　suns　of　the　South　can　awake　in　a　man；　their　muscles　are　of　sterner　stuff；　their　endurance　greater。　　Yes；　the　northern　tribes　will　always　be　victors。*　　But　the　craft　and　the　strategy　of　the　southern　tribes　are　hard　things　to　battle　against。　　While　those　of　the　North　followed　the　medicine　men　farther　out　to　sea　to　make　sure　of　their　banishment；　those　from　the　South　returned　under　cover　of　night　and　seized　the　women　and　children　and　the　old；　enfeebled　men　in　their　enemy's　camp；　transported　them　all　to　the　Island　of　Dead　Men；　and　there　held　them　as　captives。　　Their　war　canoes　circled　the　island　like　a　fortification；　through　which　drifted　the　sobs　of　the　imprisoned　women；　the　mutterings　of　the　aged　men；　the　wail　of　little　children。

〃Again　and　again　the　men　of　the　North　assailed　that　circle　of　canoes；　and　again　and　again　were　repulsed。　　The　air　was　thick　with　poisoned　arrows；　the　water　stained　with　blood。　But　day　by　day　the　circle　of　southern　canoes　grew　thinner　and　thinner；　the　northern　arrows　were　telling　and　truer　of　aim。　　Canoes　drifted　everywhere；　empty；　or　worse　still；　manned　only　by　dead　men。　　The　pick　of　the　southern　warriors　had　already　fallen；　when　their　greatest　Tyee　mounted　a　large　rock　on　the　eastern　shore。　　Brave　and　unmindful　of　a　thousand　weapons　aimed　at　his　heart；　he　uplifted　his


*　Note。It　would　almost　seem　that　the　chief　knew　that　wonderful　poem　of　〃The　Khan's；〃　〃The　Men　of　the　Northern　Zone；〃　wherein　he　says：

　　If　ever　a　Northman　lost　a　throne

　　Did　the　conqueror　come　from　the　South？

　　Nay；　the　North　shall　ever　be　free　。　。　。　etc。

hand；　palm　outwardthe　signal　for　conference。　　Instantly　every　northern　arrow　was　lowered；　and　every　northern　ear　listened　for　his　words。

〃'Oh！　men　of　the　upper　coast；'　he　said；　'you　are　more　numerous　than　we　are；　your　tribe　is　larger；　your　endurance　greater。　　We　are　growing　hungry；　we　are　growing　less　in　numbers。　Our　captivesyour　women　and　children　and　old　menhave　lessened；　too；　our　stores　of　food。　　If　you　refuse　our　terms　we　will　yet　fight　to　the　finish。　　Tomorrow　we　will　kill　all　our　captives　before　your　eyes；　for　we　can　feed　them　no　longer；　or　you　can　have　your　wives；　your　mothers；　your　fathers；　your　children；　by　giving　us　for　each　and　every　one　of　them　one　of　your　best　and　bravest　young　warriors；　who　will　consent　to　suffer　death　in　their　stead。　Speak！　　You　have　your　choice。'

〃In　the　northern　canoes　scores　and　scores　of　young　warriors　leapt　to　their　feet。　　The　air　was　filled　with　glad　cries；　with　exultant　shouts。　　The　whole　world　seemed　to　ring　with　the　voices　of　those　young　men　who　called　loudly；　with　glorious　courage：

〃'Take　me；　but　give　me　back　my　old　father。'

〃'Take　me；　but　spare　to　my　tribe　my　little　sister。'

〃'Take　me；　but　release　my　wife　and　boy…baby。'

〃So　the　compact　was　made。　　Two　hundred　heroic；　magnificent　young　men　paddled　up　to　the　island；　broke　through　the　fortifying　circle　of　canoes　and　stepped　ashore。　　They　flaunted　their　eagle　plumes　with　the　spirit　and　boldness　of　young　gods。　　Their　shoulders　were　erect；　their　step　was　firm；　their　hearts　strong。　　Into　their　canoes　they　crowded　the　two　hundred　captives。　Once　more　their　women　sobbed；　their　old　men　muttered；　their　children　wailed；　but　those　young　copper…colored　gods　never　flinched；　never　faltered。　　Their　weak　and　their　feeble　were　saved。　　What　mattered　to　them　such　a　little　thing　as　death？

〃The　released　captives　were　quickly　surrounded　by　their　own　people；　but　the　flower　of　their　splendid　nation　was　in　the　hands　of　their　enemies；　those　valorous　young　men　who　thought　so　little　of　life　that　they　willingly；　gladly　laid　it　down　to　serve　and　to　save　those　they　loved　and　cared　for。　　Amongst　them　were　war…tried　warriors　who　had　fought　fifty　battles；　and　boys　not　yet　full　grown；　who　were　drawing　a　bow　string　for　the　first　time；　but　their　hearts；　their　courage；　their　self…sacrifice　were　as　one。

〃Out　before　a　long　file　of　southern　warriors　they　stood。　　Their　chins　uplifted；　their　eyes　defiant；　their　breasts　bared。　　Each　leaned　forward　and　laid　his　weapons　at　h