legends of vancouver-第15部分

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More　than　any　other　legend　that　the　Indians　about　Vancouver　have　told　me　does　this　tale　reveal　the　love　of　the　Coast　native　for　kindness；　and　his　hatred　of　cruelty。　　If　these　tribes　really　have　ever　been　a　warlike　race　I　cannot　think　they　pride　themselves　much　on　the　occupation。　If　you　talk　with　any　of　them　and　they　mention　some　man　they　particularly　like　or　admire；　their　first　qualification　of　him　is：　〃He's　a　kind　man。〃　　They　never　say　he　is　brave；　or　rich；　or　successful；　or　even　strong；　that　characteristic　so　loved　by　the　red　man。　　To　these　Coast　tribes　if　a　man　is　〃kind〃　he　is　everything。　And　almost　without　exception　their　legends　deal　with　rewards　for　tenderness　and　self…abnegation；　and　personal　and　mental　cleanliness。

Call　them　fairy　tales　if　you　wish　to；　they　all　have　a　reasonableness　that　must　have　originated　in　some　mighty　mind；　and　better　than　that；　they　all　tell　of　the　Indian's　faith　in　the　survival　of　the　best　impulses　of　the　human　heart；　and　the　ultimate　extinction　of　the　worst。

In　talking　with　my　many　good　tillicums；　I　find　this　witch…woman　legend　is　the　most　universally　known　and　thoroughly　believed　in　of　all　traditions　they　have　honored　me　by　revealing　to　me。





Deer　Lake

Few　white　men　ventured　inland；　a　century　ago；　in　the　days　of　the　first　Chief　Capilano；　when　the　spoils　of　the　mighty　Fraser　River　poured　into　copper…colored　hands；　but　did　not　find　their　way　to　the　remotest　corners　of　the　earth；　as　in　our　times；　when　the　gold　from　its　sources；　the　salmon　from　its　mouth；　the　timber　from　its　shores　are　world…known　riches。

The　fisherman's　craft；　the　hunter's　cunning　were　plied　where　now　cities　and　industries；　trade　and　commerce；　buying　and　selling　hold　sway。　　In　those　days　the　moccasined　foot　awoke　no　echo　in　the　forest　trails。　　Primitive　weapons；　arms；　implements；　and　utensils　were　the　only　means　of　the　Indians'　food…getting。　His　livelihood　depended　upon　his　own　personal　prowess；　his　skill　in　woodcraft　and　water　lore。　And；　as　this　is　a　story　of　an　elk…bone　spear；　the　reader　must　first　be　in　sympathy　with　the　fact　that　this　rude　instrument；　deftly　fashioned；　was　of　priceless　value　to　the　first　Capilano；　to　whom　it　had　come　through　three　generations　of　ancestors；　all　of　whom　had　been　experienced　hunters　and　dexterous　fishermen。

Capilano　himself　was　without　a　rival　as　a　spearsman。　　He　knew　the　moods　of　the　Fraser　River；　the　habits　of　its　thronging　tenants；　as　no　other　man　has　ever　known　them　before　or　since。　　He　knew　every　isle　and　inlet　along　the　coast；　every　boulder；　the　sand…bars；　the　still　pools；　the　temper　of　the　tides。　　He　knew　the　spawning　grounds；　the　secret　streams　that　fed　the　larger　rivers；　the　outlets　of　rock…bound　lakes；　the　turns　and　tricks　of　swirling　rapids。　He　knew　the　haunts　of　bird　and　beast　and　fish　and　fowl；　and　was　master　of　the　arts　and　artifice　that　man　must　use　when　matching　his　brain　against　the　eluding　wiles　of　the　untamed　creatures　of　the　wilderness。

Once　only　did　his　cunning　fail　him；　once　only　did　Nature　baffle　him　with　her　mysterious　fabric　of　waterways　and　land　lures。　　It　was　when　he　was　led　to　the　mouth　of　the　unknown　river；　which　has　evaded　discovery　through　all　the　centuries；　but　whichso　say　the　Indiansstill　sings　on　its　way　through　some　buried　channel　that　leads　from　the　lake　to　the　sea。

He　had　been　sealing　along　the　shores　of　what　is　now　known　as　Point　Grey。　　His　canoe　had　gradually　crept　inland；　skirting　up　the　coast　to　the　mouth　of　False　Creek。　　Here　he　encountered　a　very　king　of　seals；　a　colossal　creature　that　gladdened　the　hunter's　eyes　as　game　worthy　of　his　skill。　　For　this　particular　prize　he　would　cast　the　elk…bone　spear。　　It　had　never　failed　his　sire；　his　grandsire；　his　great…grandsire。　He　knew　it　would　not　fail　him　now。　　A　long；　pliable；　cedar…fibre　rope　lay　in　his　canoe。　　Many　expert　fingers　had　woven　and　plaited　that　rope；　had　beaten　and　oiled　it　until　it　was　soft　and　flexible　as　a　serpent。　　This　he　attached　to　the　spearhead；　and　with　deft；　unerring　aim　cast　it　at　the　king　seal。　　The　weapon　struck　home。　　The　gigantic　creature　shuddered　and；　with　a　cry　like　a　hurt　child；　it　plunged　down　into　the　sea。　　With　the　rapidity　and　strength　of　a　giant　fish　it　scudded　inland　with　the　rising　tide；　while　Capilano　paid　out　the　rope　its　entire　length；　and；　as　it　stretched　taut；　felt　the　canoe　leap　forward；　propelled　by　the　mighty　strength　of　the　creature　which　lashed　the　waters　into　whirlpools；　as　though　it　was　possessed　with　the　power　and　properties　of　a　whale。

Up　the　stretch　of　False　Creek　the　man　and　monster　drove　their　course；　where　a　century　hence　great　city　bridges　were　to　over…arch　the　waters。　　They　strove　and　struggled　each　for　the　mastery；　neither　of　them　weakened；　neither　of　them　falteredthe　one　dragging；　the　other　driving。　　In　the　end　it　was　to　be　a　matching　of　brute　and　human　wits；　not　forces。　　As　they　neared　the　point　where　now　Main　Street　bridge　flings　its　shadow　across　the　waters；　the　brute　leaped　high　into　the　air；　then　plunged　headlong　into　the　depths。　　The　impact　ripped　the　rope　from　Capilano's　hands。　　It　rattled　across　the　gunwale。　　He　stood　staring　at　the　spot　where　it　had　disappearedthe　brute　had　been　victorious。　　At　low　tide　the　Indian　made　search。　　No　trace　of　his　game；　of　his　precious　elk…bone　spear；　of　his　cedar…fibre　rope；　could　be　found。　　With　the　loss　of　the　latter　he　firmly　believed　his　luck　as　a　hunter　would　be　gone。　So　he　patrolled　the　mouth　of　False　Creek　for　many　moons。　　His　graceful；　high…bowed　canoe　rarely　touched　other　waters；　but　the　seal　king　had　disappeared。　　Often　he　thought　long　strands　of　drifting　sea　grasses　were　his　lost　cedar…fibre　rope。　　With　other　spears；　with　other　cedar…fibres；　with　paddle　blade　and　cunning　traps　he　dislodged　the　weeds　from　their　moorings；　but　they　slipped　their　slimy　lengths　through　his　eager　hands：　his　best　spear　with　its　attendant　coil　was　gone。

The　following　year　he　was　sealing　again　off　the　coast　of　Point　Grey；　and　one　night　after　sunset　he　observed　the　red　reflection　from　the　west；　which　seemed　to　transfer　itself　to　the　eastern　skies。　　Far　into　the　night　dashes　of　flaming　scarlet　pulsed　far　beyond　the　head　of　False　Creek。　　The　color　rose　and　fell　like　a　beckoning　hand；　and；　Indian…like；　he　immediately　attached　some　portentous　meaning　to　the　unusual　sight。　　That　it　was　some　omen　he　never　doubted；　so　he　paddled　inland；　beached　his　canoe；　and　took　the　trail　towards　the　little　group　of　lakes　that　crowd　themselves　into　the　area　that　lies　between　the　present　cities　of　Vancouver　and　New　Westminster。　But　long　before　he　reached　the　shores　of　Deer　Lake　he　discovered　that　the　beckoning　hand　was　in　reality　flame。　　The　little　body　of　water　was　surrounded　by　forest　fires。　　One　avenue　alone　stood　open。　　It　was　a　group　of　giant　trees　that　as　yet　the　flames　had　not　reached。　As　he　neared　the　point　he　saw　a　great　moving　mass　of　living　things　leaving　the　lake　and　hurrying　northward　through　this　one　egress。　He　stood；　listening；　intently　watching　with　alert　eyes；　the　swirr　of　myriads　of　little　travelling　feet　caught　his　quick　earthe　moving　mass　was　an　immense　colony　of　beaver。　Thousands　upon　thousands　of　them。　　Scores　of　baby　beavers　staggered　along；　following　their　mothers；　scores　of　older　beavers　that　had　felled　trees　and　built　dams　through　many　seasons；　a　countless　army　of　trekking　fur　beavers；　all　under　the　generalship　of　a　wise　old　leader；　who；　as　king　of　the　colony；　advanced　some　few　yards　ahead　of　his　battalions。　　Out　of　the　waters　through　the　forest　towards　the　country　to　the　north　they　journeyed。　　Wandering　hunters　said　they　saw　them　cross　Burrard　Inlet　at　the　Second　Narrows；　heading　inland　as　they　reached　the　farther　shore。　　But　where　that　mighty　army　of　royal　little　Canadians　set　up　their　new　colony；　no　man　knows。　　Not　even　the　astuteness　of　the　first　Capilano　ever　discovered　their　destination。　　Only　one　thing　was　certain；　Deer　Lake　knew　them　no　more。

After　their　passing；　the　Indian　retraced　their　trail　to　the　water's　edge。　　In　the　red　glare　of　the　encircling　fires　he　saw　what　he　at　first　thought　was　some　dead　and　dethroned　king　beaver　on　the　shore。　　A　huge　carcass　lay　half　in；　half　out；　of　the　lake。　　Approaching　it　he　saw　the　wasted　body　of　a　giant　seal。　　There　could　never　be　two　seals　of　that　marvellous　size。　　His　intuition　now　grasped　the　meaning　of　the　omen　of　the　beckoning　flame　that　had　called　him　from　the　far　coasts　of　Point　Grey。　He　stooped　above　his　dead　conqueror　and　found；　embedded　in　its　decaying　flesh；　the　elk…bone　spear　of　his　forefathers；　and　trailing　away　at　the　water's　rim　was　a　long　flexible　cedar…fibre　rope。

As　he　extracted　this　treasured　heirloom　he　felt　the　〃power；〃　that　men　of　magic　possess；　creep　up　his　sinewy　arms。　　It　entered　his　heart；　his　blood；　his　brain。　　For　a　long　time　he　sat　and　chanted　songs　that　only　great　medicine　men　may　sing；　and；　as　the　hours　drifted　by；　the　heat　of　the　forest　fires　subsided；　the　flames　diminished　into　smouldering　blackness。　At　daybreak　the　forest　fire　was　dead；　but　its　beckoning　fingers　had　served　their　purpose。　The　magic　elk…bone　spear　had　come　back　to　its　own。

Until　the　day　of　his　death　the　first　Capilano　searched　for　the　unknown　river　up　which　the　seal　travelled　from　False　Creek　to　Deer　Lake；　but　its　channel　is　a　secret　that　even　Indian　eyes　have　not　seen。

But　although　those　of　the　Squamish　tribe　tell　and　believe　that　the　river　still　sings　through　its　hidden　trail　that　leads　from　Deer　Lake　to　the　sea；　its　course　is　as　unknown；　its　channel　is　as　hopelessly　lost　as　the　brave　little　army　of　beavers　that　a　century　ago　marshalled　their　forces　and　travelled　up　into　the　great　lone　north。





A　Royal　Mohawk　Chief

How　many　Canadians　are　aware　that　in　Prince　Arthur；　Duke　of　Connaught；　and　only　surviving　son　of　Queen　Victoria；　who　has　been　appointed　to　represent　King　George　V　in　Canada；　they　undoubtedly　have　what　many　wish　forone　bearing　an　ancient　Canadian　title　as　Governor…General　of　all　the　Dominion？　　It　would　be　difficult　to　find　a　man　more　Canadian　than　any　one　of　the　fifty　chiefs　who　compose　the　parliament　of　the　ancient　Iroquois　nation；　that　royal　race　of　Redskins　that　has　fought　for　the　British　crown　against　all　of　the　enemies　thereof；　adhering　to　the　British　flag　through　the　wars　against　both　the　French　and　the　colonists。