legends of vancouver-第13部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃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　his　feet；　then　stood　erect；　with　empty　hands；　and　laughed　forth　their　challenge　to　death。　　A　thousand　arrows　ripped　the　air；　two　hundred　gallant　northern　throats　flung　forth　a　death　cry　exultant；　triumphant　as　conquering　kingsthen　two　hundred　fearless　northern　hearts　ceased　to　beat。

〃But　in　the　morning　the　southern　tribes　found　the　spot　where　they　fell　peopled　with　flaming　fire…flowers。　　Dread　terror　seized　upon　them。　　They　abandoned　the　island；　and　when　night　again　shrouded　them　they　manned　their　canoes　and　noiselessly　slipped　through　the　Narrows；　turned　their　bows　southward　and　this　coast　line　knew　them　no　more。〃

〃What　glorious　men；〃　I　half　whispered　as　the　chief　concluded　the　strange　legend。

〃Yes；　men！〃　he　echoed。　　〃The　white　people　call　it　Deadman's　Island。　　That　is　their　way；　but　we　of　the　Squamish　call　it　The　Island　of　Dead　Men。〃

The　clustering　pines　and　the　outlines　of　the　island's　margin　were　now　dusky　and　indistinct。　Peace；　peace　lay　over　the　waters；　and　the　purple　of　the　summer　twilight　had　turned　to　grey；　but　I　knew　that　in　the　depths　of　the　undergrowth　on　Deadman's　Island　there　blossomed　a　flower　of　flaming　beauty；　its　colors　were　veiled　in　the　coming　nightfall；　but　somewhere　down　in　the　sanctuary　of　its　petals　pulsed　the　heart's　blood　of　many　and　valiant　men。





A　Squamish　Legend　of　Napoleon

Holding　an　important　place　among　the　majority　of　curious　tales　held　in　veneration　by　the　coast　tribes　are　those　of　the　sea…serpent。　　The　monster　appears　and　reappears　with　almost　monotonous　frequency　in　connection　with　history；　traditions；　legends　and　superstitions；　but　perhaps　the　most　wonderful　part　it　ever　played　was　in　the　great　drama　that　held　the　stage　of　Europe；　and　incidentally　all　the　world　during　the　stormy　days　of　the　first　Napoleon。

Throughout　Canada　I　have　never　failed　to　find　an　amazing　knowledge　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte　amongst　the　very　old　and　〃uncivilized〃　Indians。　　Perhaps　they　may　be　unfamiliar　with　every　other　historical　character　from　Adam　down；　but　they　will　all　tell　you　they　have　heard　of　the　〃Great　French　Fighter；〃　as　they　call　the　wonderful　little　Corsican。

Whether　this　knowledge　was　obtained　through　the　fact　that　our　earliest　settlers　and　pioneers　were　French；　or　whether　Napoleon's　almost　magical　fighting　career　attracted　the　Indian　mind　to　the　exclusion　of　lesser　warriors；　I　have　never　yet　decided。　　But　the　fact　remains　that　the　Indians　of　our　generation　are　not　as　familiar　with　Bonaparte's　name　as　were　their　fathers　and　grandfathers；　so　either　the　predominance　of　English…speaking　settlers　or　the　thinning　of　their　ancient　war…loving　blood　by　modern　civilization　and　peaceful　times；　must　one　or　the　other　account　for　the　younger　Indian's　ignorance　of　the　Emperor　of　the　French。

In　telling　me　the　legend　of　The　Lost　Talisman；　my　good　tillicum；　the　late　Chief　Capilano；　began　the　story　with　the　almost　amazing　question；　Had　I　ever　heard　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte？　It　was　some　moments　before　I　just　caught　the　name；　for　his　English；　always　quaint　and　beautiful；　was　at　times　a　little　halting；　but　when　he　said　by　way　of　explanation；　〃You　know　big　fighter；　Frenchman。　　The　English　they　beat　him　in　big　battle；〃　I　grasped　immediately　of　whom　he　spoke。

〃What　do　you　know　of　him？〃　I　asked。

His　voice　lowered；　almost　as　if　he　spoke　a　state　secret。　　〃I　know　how　it　is　that　English　they　beat　him。〃

I　have　read　many　historians　on　this　event；　but　to　hear　the　Squamish　version　was　a　novel　and　absorbing　thing。　　〃Yes？〃　I　saidmy　usual　〃leading〃　word　to　lure　him　into　channels　of　tradition。

〃Yes；〃　he　affirmed。　　Then；　still　in　a　half　whisper；　he　proceeded　to　tell　me　that　it　all　happened　through　the　agency　of　a　single　joint　from　the　vertebra　of　a　sea…serpent。

In　telling　me　the　story　of　Brockton　Point　and　the　valiant　boy　who　killed　the　monster；　he　dwelt　lightly　on　the　fact　that　all　people　who　approach　the　vicinity　of　the　creature　are　palsied；　both　mentally　and　physicallybewitched；　in　factso　that　their　bones　become　disjointed　and　their　brains　incapable；　but　today　he　elaborated　upon　this　peculiarity　until　I　harked　back　to　the　boy　of　Brockton　Point　and　asked　how　it　was　that　his　body　and　brain　escaped　this　affliction。

〃He　was　all　good；　and　had　no　greed；〃　he　replied。　〃He　proof　against　all　bad　things。〃

I　nodded　understandingly；　and　he　proceeded　to　tell　me　that　all　successful　Indian　fighters　and　warriors　carried　somewhere　about　their　person　a　joint　of　a　sea…serpent's　vertebra；　that　the　medicine　men　threw　〃the　power〃　about　them　so　that　they　were　not　personally　affected　by　this　little　〃charm；〃　but　that　immediately　they　approached　an　enemy　the　〃charm〃　worked　disaster；　and　victory　was　assured　the　fortunate　possessor　of　the　talisman。　　There　was　one　particularly　effective　joint　that　had　been　treasured　and　carried　by　the　warriors　of　a　great　Squamish　family　for　a　century。　　These　warriors　had　conquered　every　foe　they　encountered；　until　the　talisman　had　become　so　renowned　that　the　totem　pole　of　their　entire　〃clan〃　was　remodelled；　and　the　new　one　crested　by　the　figure　of　a　single　joint　of　a　sea…serpent's　vertebra。

About　this　time　stories　of　Napoleon's　first　great　achievements　drifted　across　the　seas；　not　across　the　landand　just　here　may　be　a　clue　to　buried；　coast…Indian　history；　which　those　who　are　cleverer　at　research　than　I；　can　puzzle　over。　　The　chief　was　most　emphatic　about　the　source　of　Indian　knowledge　of　Napoleon。

〃I　suppose　you　heard　of　him　from　Quebec；　through；　perhaps；　some　of　the　French　priests；〃　I　remarked。

〃No；　no；〃　he　contradicted　hurriedly。　　〃Not　from　East；　we　hear　it　from　over　the　Pacific；　from　the　place　they　call　Russia。〃　　But　who　conveyed　the　news　or　by　what　means　it　came　he　could　not　further　enlighten　me。　　But　a　strange　thing　happened　to　the　Squamish　family　about　this　time。　　There　was　a　large　blood　connection；　but　the　only　male　member　living　was　a　very　old　warrior；　the　hero　of　many　battles；　and　the　possessor　of　the　talisman。　On　his　death…bed　his　women　of　three　generations　gathered　about　him；　his　wife；　his　sisters；　his　daughters；　his　granddaughters；　but　not　one　man；　nor　yet　a　boy　of　his　own　blood　stood　by　to　speed　his　departing　warrior　spirit　to　the　land　of　peace　and　plenty。

〃The　charm　cannot　rest　in　the　hands　of　women；〃　he　murmured　almost　with　his　last　breath。　　〃Women　may　not　war　and　fight　other　nations　or　other　tribes；　women　are　for　the　peaceful　lodge　and　for　the　leading　of　little　children。　　They　are　for　holding　baby　hands；　teaching　baby　feet　to　walk。　　No；　the　charm　cannot　rest　with　you；　women。　　I　have　no　brother；　no　cousin；　no　son；　no　grandson；　and　the　charm　must　not　go　to　a　lesser　warrior　than　I。　　None　of　our　tribe；　nor　of　any　tribe　on　the　coast；　ever　conquered　me。　　The　charm　must　go　to　one　as　unconquerable　as　I　have　been。　　When　I　am　dead　send　it　across　the　great　salt　chuck；　to　the　victorious　'Frenchman'；　they　call　him　Napoleon　Bonaparte。〃　They　were　his　last　words。

The　older　women　wished　to　bury　the　charm　with　him；　but　the　younger　women；　inspired　with　the　spirit　of　their　generation；　were　determined　to　send　it　over　seas。　　〃In　the　grave　it　will　be　dead；〃　they　argued。　　〃Let　it　still　live　on。　　Let　it　help　some　other　fighter　to　greatness　and　victory。〃

As　if　to　confirm　their　decision；　the　next　day　a　small　sealing　vessel　anchored　in　the　Inlet。　All　the　men　aboard　spoke　Russian；　save　two　thin；　dark；　agile　sailors；　who　kept　aloof　from　the　crew　and　conversed　in　another　language。　These　two　came　ashore　with　part　of　the　crew　and　talked　in　French　with　a　wandering　Hudson's　Bay　trapper；　who　often　lodged　with　the　Squamish　people。　　Thus　the　women；　who　yet　mourned　over　their　dead　warrior；　knew　these　two　strangers　to　be　from　the　land　where　the　great　〃Frenchman〃　was　fighting　against　the　world。

Here　I　interrupted　the　chief。　　〃How　came　the　Frenchmen　in　a　Russian　sealer？〃　I　asked。

〃Captives；〃　he　replied。　　〃Almost　slaves；　and　hated　by　their　captors；　as　the　majority　always　hate　the　few。　　So　the　women　drew　those　two　Frenchmen　apart　from　the　rest　and　told　them　the　story　of　the　bone　of　the　sea…serpent；　urging　them　to　carry　it　back　to　their　own　country　and　give　it　to　the　great　'Frenchman'　who　was　as　courageous　and　as　brave　as　their　dead　leader。

〃The　Frenchmen　hesitated；　the　talisman　might　affect　them；　they　said；　might　jangle　their　own　brains；　so　that　on　their　return　to　Russia　they　would　not　have　the　sagacity　to　plan　an　escape　to　their　own　country；　might　disjoint　their　bodies；　so　that　their　feet　and　hands　would　be　useless；　and　they　would　become　as　weak　as　children。　　But　the　women　assured　them　that　the　charm　only　worked　its　magical　powers　over　a　man's　enemies；　that　the　ancient　medicine　men　had　'bewitched'　it　with　this　quality。　　So　the　Frenchmen　took　it　and　promised　that　if　it　were　in　the　power　of　man　they　would　convey　it　to　'the　Emperor。'

〃As　the　crew　boarded　the　sealer；　the　women　watching　from　the　shore　observed　strange　contortions　seize　many　of　the　men；　some　fell　on　the　deck；　some　crouched；　shaking　as　with　palsy；　some　writhed　for　a　moment；　then　fell　limp　and　seemingly　boneless；　only　the　two　Frenchmen　stood　erect　and　strong　and　vital　the　Squamish　talisman　had　already　overcome　their　foes。　　As　the　little　sealer　set　sail　up　the　gulf　she　was　commanded　by　a　crew　of　two　Frenchmenmen　who　had　entered　these　waters　as　captives；　who　were　leaving　them　as　conquerors。　　The　palsied　Russians　were　worse　than　useless；　and　what　became　of　them　the　chief　could　not　state；　presumably　they　were　flung　overboard；　and　by　some　trick　of　a　kindly　fate　the　Frenchmen　at　last　reached　the　coast　of　France。

Tradition　is　so　indefinite　about　their　movements　subsequent　to　sailing　out　of　the　Inlet；　that　even　the　ever…romantic　and　vividly　colored　imaginations　of　the　Squamish　people　have　never　supplied　the　details　of　this　beautifully　childish；　yet　strangely　historical　fairy　tale。　　But　the　voices　of　the　trumpets　of　war；　the　beat　of　drums　throughout　Europe　heralded　back　to　the　wilds　of　the　Pacific　Coast　forests　the　intelligence　that　the　great　Squamish　'charm'　eventually　reached　the　person　of　Napoleon；　that　from　this　time　onward　his　career　was　one　vast　victory；　that　he　won　battle　aft