legends of vancouver-第6部分

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〃Kla…how…ya；〃　nodded　the　klootchman　as　she　dipped　her　paddle…blade　in　exquisite　silence。

〃Kla…how…ya；〃　smiled　Maarda。

〃Kla…how…ya；　tillicums；〃　I　replied；　and　watched　for　many　moments　as　they　slipped　away　into　the　blurred　distance；　until　the　canoe　merged　into　the　violet　and　grey　of　the　farther　shore。





The　Deep　Waters

Far　over　your　left　shoulder　as　your　boat　leaves　the　Narrows　to　thread　the　beautiful　waterways　that　lead　to　Vancouver　Island；　you　will　see　the　summit　of　Mount　Baker　robed　in　its　everlasting　whiteness　and　always　reflecting　some　wonderful　glory　from　the　rising　sun；　the　golden　noontide；　or　the　violet　and　amber　sunset。　　This　is　the　Mount　Ararat　of　the　Pacific　Coast　peoples；　for　those　readers　who　are　familiar　with　the　ways　and　beliefs　and　faiths　of　primitive　races　will　agree　that　it　is　difficult　to　discover　anywhere　in　the　world　a　race　that　has　not　some　story　of　the　Deluge；　which　they　have　chronicled　and　localized　to　fit　the　understanding　and　the　conditions　of　the　nation　that　composes　their　own　immediate　world。

Amongst　the　red　nations　of　America　I　doubt　if　any　two　tribes　have　the　same　ideas　regarding　the　Flood。　　Some　of　the　traditions　concerning　this　vast　whim　of　Nature　are　grotesque　in　the　extreme；　some　are　impressive；　some　even　profound；　but　of　all　the　stories　of　the　Deluge　that　I　have　been　able　to　collect　I　know　of　not　a　single　one　that　can　even　begin　to　equal　in　beauty　of　conception；　let　alone　rival　in　possible　reality　and　truth；　the　Squamish　legend　of　〃The　Deep　Waters。〃

I　here　quote　the　legend　of　〃mine　own　people；〃　the　Iroquois　tribes　of　Ontario；　regarding　the　Deluge。　　I　do　this　to　paint　the　color　of　contrast　in　richer　shades；　for　I　am　bound　to　submit　that　we　who　pride　ourselves　on　ancient　intellectuality　have　but　a　childish　tale　of　the　Flood　when　compared　with　the　jealously　preserved　annals　of　the　Squamish；　which　savour　more　of　history　than　tradition。　With　〃mine　own　people；〃　animals　always　play　a　much　more　important　part　and　are　endowed　with　a　finer　intelligence　than　humans。　　I　do　not　find　amid　my　notes　a　single　tradition　of　the　Iroquois　wherein　animals　do　not　figure；　and　our　story　of　the　Deluge　rests　entirely　with　the　intelligence　of　sea…going　and　river…going　creatures。　　With　us；　animals　in　olden　times　were　greater　than　man；　but　it　is　not　so　with　the　Coast　Indians；　except　in　rare　instances。

When　a　Coast　Indian　consents　to　tell　you　a　legend　he　will；　without　variation；　begin　it　with；　〃It　was　before　the　white　people　came。〃

The　natural　thing　for　you　then　to　ask　is；　〃But　who　were　here　then？〃

He　will　reply；　〃Indians；　and　just　the　trees；　and　animals；　and　fishes；　and　a　few　birds。〃

So　you　are　prepared　to　accept　the　animal　world　as　intelligent　co…habitants　of　the　Pacific　slope；　but　he　will　not　lead　you　to　think　he　regards　them　as　equals；　much　less　superiors。　But　to　revert　to　〃mine　own　people〃：　they　hold　the　intelligence　of　wild　animals　far　above　that　of　man；　for　perhaps　the　one　reason　that　when　an　animal　is　sick　it　effects　its　own　cure；　it　knows　what　grasses　and　herbs　to　eat；　what　to　avoid；　while　the　sick　human　calls　the　medicine　man；　whose　wisdom　is　not　only　the　result　of　years　of　study；　but　also　heredity；　consequently　any　great　natural　event；　such　as　the　Deluge；　has　much　to　do　with　the　wisdom　of　the　creatures　of　the　forests　and　the　rivers。

Iroquois　tradition　tells　us　that　once　this　earth　was　entirely　submerged　in　water；　and　during　this　period　for　many　days　a　busy　little　muskrat　swam　about　vainly　looking　for　a　foothold　of　earth　wherein　to　build　his　house。　　In　his　search　he　encountered　a　turtle　leisurely　swimming　about；　so　they　had　speech　together；　and　the　muskrat　complained　of　weariness；　he　could　find　no　foothold；　he　was　tired　of　incessant　swimming；　and　longed　for　land　such　as　his　ancestors　enjoyed。　　The　turtle　suggested　that　the　muskrat　should　dive　and　endeavor　to　find　earth　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　　Acting　on　this　advice　the　muskrat　plunged　down；　then　arose　with　his　two　little　forepaws　grasping　some　earth　he　had　found　beneath　the　waters。

〃Place　it　on　my　shell　and　dive　again　for　more；〃　directed　the　turtle。　　The　muskrat　did　so；　but　when　he　returned　with　his　paws　filled　with　earth　he　discovered　the　small　quantity　he　had　first　deposited　on　the　turtle's　shell　had　doubled　in　size。　　The　return　from　the　third　trip　found　the　turtle's　load　again　doubled。　　So　the　building　went　on　at　double　compound　increase；　and　the　world　grew　its　continents　and　its　island　with　great　rapidity；　and　now　rests　on　the　shell　of　a　turtle。

If　you　ask　an　Iroquois；　〃And　did　no　men　survive　this　flood？〃　he　will　reply；　〃Why　should　men　survive？　　The　animals　are　wiser　than　men；　let　the　wisest　live。〃

How；　then；　was　the　earth　re…peopled？

The　Iroquois　will　tell　you　that　the　otter　was　a　medicine　man；　that　in　swimming　and　diving　about　he　found　corpses　of　men　and　women；　he　sang　his　medicine　songs　and　they　came　to　life；　and　the　otter　brought　them　fish　for　food　until　they　were　strong　enough　to　provide　for　themselves。　　Then　the　Iroquois　will　conclude　his　tale　with；　〃You　know　well　that　the　otter　has　greater　wisdom　than　a　man。〃

So　much　for　〃mine　own　people〃　and　our　profound　respect　for　the　superior　intelligence　of　our　little　brothers　of　the　animal　world。

But　the　Squamish　tribe　hold　other　ideas。　It　was　on　a　February　day　that　I　first　listened　to　this　beautiful；　humane　story　of　the　Deluge。　My　royal　old　tillicum　had　come　to　see　me　through　the　rains　and　mists　of　late　winter　days。　　The　gateways　of　my　wigwam　always　stood　openvery　widely　openfor　his　feet　to　enter；　and　this　especial　day　he　came　with　the　worst　downpour　of　the　season。

Womanlike；　I　protested　with　a　thousand　contradictions　in　my　voice　that　he　should　venture　out　to　see　me　on　such　a　day。　　It　was　〃Oh！　Chief；　I　am　so　glad　to　see　you！〃　and　it　was　〃Oh！　Chief；　why　didn't　you　stay　at　home　on　such　a　wet　dayyour　poor　throat　will　suffer。〃　But　I　soon　had　quantities　of　hot　tea　for　him；　and　the　huge　cup　my　own　father　always　used　was　hisas　long　as　the　Sagalie　Tyee　allowed　his　dear　feet　to　wander　my　way。　　The　immense　cup　stands　idle　and　empty　now　for　the　second　time。

Helping　him　off　with　his　great…coat；　I　chatted　on　about　the　deluge　of　rain；　and　he　remarked　it　was　not　so　very　bad；　as　one　could　yet　walk。

〃Fortunately；　yes；　for　I　cannot　swim；〃　I　told　him。

He　laughed；　replying；　〃Well；　it　is　not　so　bad　as　when　the　Great　Deep　Waters　covered　the　world。〃

Immediately　I　foresaw　the　coming　legend；　so　crept　into　the　shell　of　monosyllables。

〃No？〃　I　questioned。

〃No；〃　he　replied。　　〃For　one　time　there　was　no　land　here　at　all；　everywhere　there　was　just　water。〃

〃I　can　quite　believe　it；〃　I　remarked　caustically。

He　laughedthat　irresistible；　though　silent；　David　Warfield　laugh　of　his　that　always　brought　a　responsive　smile　from　his　listeners。　Then　he　plunged　directly　into　the　tradition；　with　no　preface　save　a　comprehensive　sweep　of　his　wonderful　hands　towards　my　wide　window；　against　which　the　rains　were　beating。

〃It　was　after　a　long；　long　time　of　thisthis　rain。　　The　mountain　streams　were　swollen；　the　rivers　choked；　the　sea　began　to　riseand　yet　it　rained；　for　weeks　and　weeks　it　rained。〃　He　ceased　speaking；　while　the　shadows　of　centuries　gone　crept　into　his　eyes。　　Tales　of　the　misty　past　always　inspired　him。

〃Yes；〃　he　continued。　　〃It　rained　for　weeks　and　weeks；　while　the　mountain　torrents　roared　thunderingly　down；　and　the　sea　crept　silently　up。　　The　level　lands　were　first　to　float　in　sea　water；　then　to　disappear。　　The　slopes　were　next　to　slip　into　the　sea。　　The　world　was　slowly　being　flooded。　　Hurriedly　the　Indian　tribes　gathered　in　one　spot；　a　place　of　safety　far　above　the　reach　of　the　on…creeping　sea。　　The　spot　was　the　circling　shore　of　Lake　Beautiful；　up　the　North　Arm。　　They　held　a　Great　Council　and　decided　at　once　upon　a　plan　of　action。　A　giant　canoe　should　be　built；　and　some　means　contrived　to　anchor　it　in　case　the　waters　mounted　to　the　heights。　　The　men　undertook　the　canoe；　the　women　the　anchorage。

〃A　giant　tree　was　felled；　and　day　and　night　the　men　toiled　over　its　construction　into　the　most　stupendous　canoe　the　world　has　ever　known。　　Not　an　hour；　not　a　moment；　but　many　worked；　while　the　toil…wearied　ones　slept；　only　to　awake　to　renewed　toil。　　Meanwhile　the　women　also　worked　at　a　cablethe　largest；　the　longest；　the　strongest　that　Indian　hands　and　teeth　had　ever　made。　　Scores　of　them　gathered　and　prepared　the　cedar　fibre；　scores　of　them　plaited；　rolled　and　seasoned　it；　scores　of　them　chewed　upon　it　inch　by　inch　to　make　it　pliable；　scores　of　them　oiled　and　worked；　oiled　and　worked；　oiled　and　worked　it　into　a　sea…resisting　fabric。　　And　still　the　sea　crept　up；　and　up；　and　up。　　It　was　the　last　day；　hope　of　life　for　the　tribe；　of　land　for　the　world；　was　doomed。　　Strong　hands；　self…sacrificing　hands　fastened　the　cable　the　women　had　madeone　end　to　the　giant　canoe；　the　other　about　an　enormous　boulder；　a　vast　immovable　rock　as　firm　as　the　foundations　of　the　worldfor　might　not　the　canoe　with　its　priceless　freight　drift　out；　far　out；　to　sea；　and　when　the　water　subsided　might　not　this　ship　of　safety　be　leagues　and　leagues　beyond　the　sight　of　land　on　the　storm…driven　Pacific？

〃Then　with　the　bravest　hearts　that　ever　beat；　noble　hands　lifted　every　child　of　the　tribe　into　this　vast　canoe；　not　one　single　baby　was　overlooked。　　The　canoe　was　stocked　with　food　and　fresh　water；　and　lastly；　the　ancient　men　and　women　of　the　race　selected　as　guardians　to　these　children　the　bravest；　most　stalwart；　handsomest　young　man　of　the　tribe；　and　the　mother　of　the　youngest　baby　in　the　campshe　was　but　a　girl　of　sixteen；　her　child　but　two　weeks　old；　but　she；　too；　was　brave　and　very　beautiful。　　These　two　were　placed；　she　at　the　bow　of　the　canoe　to　watch；　he　at　the　stern　to　guide；　and　all　the　little　children　crowded　between。

〃And　still　the　sea　crept　up；　and　up；　and　up。　At　the　crest　of　the　bluffs　about　Lake　Beautiful　the　doomed　tribes　crowded。　　Not　a　single　person　attempted　to　enter　the　canoe。　There　was　no　wailing；　no　crying　out　for　safety。　　'Let　the　little　children；　the　young　mother；　and　the　bravest　and　best　of　our　young　men　live；'　was　all　the　farewell　those　in　the　canoe　heard　as　the　waters　reached　the　summit；　andthe　canoe　floated。　　Last　of　all　to　be　seen　was　the　top　of　the　tallest　tree；　thenall　was　a　world