legends of vancouver-第7部分

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allest　tree；　thenall　was　a　world　of　water。

〃For　days　and　days　there　was　no　landjust　the　rush　of　swirling；　snarling　sea；　but　the　canoe　rode　safely　at　anchor；　the　cable　those　scores　of　dead；　faithful　women　had　made　held　true　as　the　hearts　that　beat　behind　the　toil　and　labor　of　it　all。

〃But　one　morning　at　sunrise；　far　to　the　south　a　speck　floated　on　the　breast　of　the　waters；　at　midday　it　was　larger；　at　evening　it　was　yet　larger。　　The　moon　arose；　and　in　its　magic　light　the　man　at　the　stern　saw　it　was　a　patch　of　land。　　All　night　he　watched　it　grow；　and　at　daybreak　looked　with　glad　eyes　upon　the　summit　of　Mount　Baker。　　He　cut　the　cable；　grasped　his　paddle　in　his　strong；　young　hands；　and　steered　for　the　south。　　When　they　landed；　the　waters　were　sunken　half　down　the　mountain　side。　　The　children　were　lifted　out；　the　beautiful　young　mother；　the　stalwart　young　brave；　turned　to　each　other；　clasped　hands；　looked　into　each　other's　eyesand　smiled。

〃And　down　in　the　vast　country　that　lies　between　Mount　Baker　and　the　Fraser　River　they　made　a　new　camp；　built　new　lodges；　where　the　little　children　grew　and　thrived；　and　lived　and　loved；　and　the　earth　was　repeopled　by　them。

〃The　Squamish　say　that　in　a　gigantic　crevice　half　way　to　the　crest　of　Mount　Baker　may　yet　be　seen　the　outlines　of　an　enormous　canoe；　but　I　have　never　seen　it　myself。〃

He　ceased　speaking　with　that　far…off　cadence　in　his　voice　with　which　he　always　ended　a　legend；　and　for　a　long　time　we　both　sat　in　silence　listening　to　the　rains　that　were　still　beating　against　the　window。





The　Sea…Serpent

There　is　one　vice　that　is　absolutely　unknown　to　the　red　man；　he　was　born　without　it；　and　amongst　all　the　deplorable　things　he　has　learned　from　the　white　races；　this；　at　least；　he　has　never　acquired。　　That　is　the　vice　of　avarice。　　That　the　Indian　looks　upon　greed　of　gain；　miserliness；　avariciousness　and　wealth　accumulated　above　the　head　of　his　poorer　neighbor　as　one　of　the　lowest　degradations　he　can　fall　to　is　perhaps　more　aptly　illustrated　in　this　legend　than　anything　I　could　quote　to　demonstrate　his　horror　of　what　he　calls　〃the　white　man's　unkindness。〃　　In　a　very　wide　and　varied　experience　with　many　tribes；　I　have　yet　to　find　even　one　instance　of　avarice；　and　I　have　encountered　but　one　single　case　of　a　〃stingy　Indian；〃　and　this　man　was　so　marked　amongst　his　fellows　that　at　mention　of　his　name　his　tribes…people　jeered　and　would　remark　contemptuously　that　he　was　like　a　white　manhated　to　share　his　money　and　his　possessions。　　All　red　races　are　born　Socialists；　and　most　tribes　carry　out　their　communistic　ideas　to　the　letter。　　Amongst　the　Iroquois　it　is　considered　disgraceful　to　have　food　if　your　neighbor　has　none。　　To　be　a　creditable　member　of　the　nation　you　must　divide　your　possessions　with　your　less　fortunate　fellows。　　I　find　it　much　the　same　amongst　the　Coast　Indians；　though　they　are　less　bitter　in　their　hatred　of　the　extremes　of　wealth　and　poverty　than　are　the　Eastern　tribes。　　Still；　the　very　fact　that　they　have　preserved　this　legend；　in　which　they　liken　avarice　to　a　slimy　sea…serpent；　shows　the　trend　of　their　ideas；　shows；　too；　that　an　Indian　is　an　Indian；　no　matter　what　his　tribe；　shows　that　he　cannot　or　will　not　hoard　money；　shows　that　his　native　morals　demand　that　the　spirit　of　greed　must　be　strangled　at　all　cost。

The　Chief　and　I　had　sat　long　over　our　luncheon。　　He　had　been　talking　of　his　trip　to　England　and　of　the　many　curious　things　he　had　seen。　　At　last；　in　an　outburst　of　enthusiasm；　he　said：　〃I　saw　everything　in　the　world　everything　but　a　sea…serpent！〃

〃But　there　is　no　such　thing　as　a　sea…serpent；〃　I　laughed；　〃so　you　must　have　really　seen　everything　in　the　world。〃

His　face　clouded；　for　a　moment　he　sat　in　silence；　then　looking　directly　at　me　said；　〃Maybe　none　now；　but　long　ago　there　was　one　herein　the　Inlet。〃

〃How　long　ago？〃　I　asked。

〃When　first　the　white　gold…hunters　came；〃　he　replied。　　〃Came　with　greedy；　clutching　fingers；　greedy　eyes；　greedy　hearts。　　The　white　men　fought；　murdered；　starved；　went　mad　with　love　of　that　gold　far　up　the　Fraser　River。　Tillicums　were　tillicums　no　more；　brothers　were　foes；　fathers　and　sons　were　enemies。　Their　love　of　the　gold　was　a　curse。〃

〃Was　it　then　the　sea…serpent　was　seen？〃　I　asked；　perplexed　with　the　problem　of　trying　to　connect　the　gold…seekers　with　such　a　monster。

〃Yes；　it　was　then；　but〃　he　hesitated；　then　plunged　into　the　assertion；　〃but　you　will　not　believe　the　story　if　you　think　there　is　no　such　thing　as　a　sea…serpent。〃

〃I　shall　believe　whatever　you　tell　me；　Chief；〃　I　answered；　〃I　am　only　too　ready　to　believe。　　You　know　I　come　of　a　superstitious　race；　and　all　my　association　with　the　Palefaces　has　never　yet　robbed　me　of　my　birthright　to　believe　strange　traditions。〃

〃You　always　understand；〃　he　said　after　a　pause。

〃It's　my　heart　that　understands；〃　I　remarked　quietly。

He　glanced　up　quickly；　and　with　one　of　his　all　too　few　radiant　smiles；　he　laughed。

〃Yes；　skookum　tum…tum。〃　　Then　without　further　hesitation　he　told　the　tradition；　which；　although　not　of　ancient　happening；　is　held　in　great　reverence　by　his　tribe。　　During　its　recital　he　sat　with　folded　arms；　leaning　on　the　table；　his　head　and　shoulders　bending　eagerly　towards　me　as　I　sat　at　the　opposite　side。　　It　was　the　only　time　he　ever　talked　to　me　when　he　did　not　use　emphasising　gesticulations；　but　his　hands　never　once　lifted：　his　wonderful　eyes　alone　gave　expression　to　what　he　called　〃The　Legend　of　the　'Salt…chuck　Oluk'〃　（sea…serpent）。

〃Yes；　it　was　during　the　first　gold　craze；　and　many　of　our　young　men　went　as　guides　to　the　whites　far　up　the　Fraser。　　When　they　returned　they　brought　these　tales　of　greed　and　murder　back　with　them；　and　our　old　people　and　our　women　shook　their　heads　and　said　evil　would　come　of　it。　　But　all　our　young　men；　except　one；　returned　as　they　wentkind　to　the　poor；　kind　to　those　who　were　foodless；　sharing　whatever　they　had　with　their　tillicums。　But　one；　by　name　Shak…shak　（The　Hawk）；　came　back　with　hoards　of　gold　nuggets；　chickimin　（money）；　everything；　he　was　rich　like　the　white　men；　and；　like　them；　he　kept　it。　　He　would　count　his　chickimin；　count　his　nuggets；　gloat　over　them；　toss　them　in　his　palms。　　He　loved　them　better　than　food；　better　than　his　tillicums；　better　than　his　life。　　The　entire　tribe　arose。　　They　said　Shak…shak　had　the　disease　of　greed；　that　to　cure　it　he　must　give　a　great　potlatch；　divide　his　riches　with　the　poorer　ones；　share　them　with　the　old；　the　sick；　the　foodless。　　But　he　jeered　and　laughed　and　told　them　No；　and　went　on　loving　and　gloating　over　his　gold。

〃Then　the　Sagalie　Tyee　spoke　out　of　the　sky　and　said；　'Shak…shak；　you　have　made　of　yourself　a　loathsome　thing；　you　will　not　listen　to　the　cry　of　the　hungry；　to　the　call　of　the　old　and　sick；　you　will　not　share　your　possessions；　you　have　made　of　yourself　an　outcast　from　your　tribe　and　disobeyed　the　ancient　laws　of　your　people。　　Now　I　will　make　of　you　a　thing　loathed　and　hated　by　all　men；　both　white　and　red。　　You　will　have　two　heads；　for　your　greed　has　two　mouths　to　bite。　　One　bites　the　poor；　and　one　bites　your　own　evil　heartand　the　fangs　in　these　mouths　are　poison；　poison　that　kills　the　hungry；　and　poison　that　kills　your　own　manhood。　　Your　evil　heart　will　beat　in　the　very　centre　of　your　foul　body；　and　he　that　pierces　it　will　kill　the　disease　of　greed　forever　from　amongst　his　people。'　　And　when　the　sun　arose　above　the　North　Arm　the　next　morning　the　tribes…people　saw　a　gigantic　sea…serpent　stretched　across　the　surface　of　the　waters。　　One　hideous　head　rested　on　the　bluffs　at　Brockton　Point；　the　other　rested　on　a　group　of　rocks　just　below　Mission；　at　the　western　edge　of　North　Vancouver。　　If　you　care　to　go　there　some　day　I　will　show　you　the　hollow　in　one　great　stone　where　that　head　lay。　　The　tribespeople　were　stunned　with　horror。　　They　loathed　the　creature；　they　hated　it；　they　feared　it。　　Day　after　day　it　lay　there；　its　monstrous　heads　lifted　out　of　the　waters；　its　mile…long　body　blocking　all　entrance　from　the　Narrows；　all　outlet　from　the　North　Arm。　　The　chiefs　made　council；　the　medicine　men　danced　and　chanted；　but　the　salt…chuck　oluk　never　moved。　It　could　not　move；　for　it　was　the　hated　totem　of　what　now　rules　the　white　man's　world　greed　and　love　of　chickimin。　　No　one　can　ever　move　the　love　of　chickimin　from　the　white　man's　heart；　no　one　can　ever　make　him　divide　all　with　the　poor。　　But　after　the　chiefs　and　medicine　men　had　done　all　in　their　power；　and　still　the　salt…chuck　oluk　lay　across　the　waters；　a　handsome　boy　of　sixteen　approached　them　and　reminded　them　of　the　words　of　the　Sagalie　Tyee；　'that　he　that　pierced　the　monster's　heart　would　kill　the　disease　of　greed　forever　amongst　his　people。'

〃'Let　me　try　to　find　this　evil　heart；　oh！　great　men　of　my　tribe；'　he　cried。　　'Let　me　war　upon　this　creature；　let　me　try　to　rid　my　people　of　this　pestilence。'

〃The　boy　was　brave　and　very　beautiful。　　His　tribes…people　called　him　the　Tenas　Tyee　（Little　Chief）　and　they　loved　him。　　Of　all　his　wealth　of　fish　and　furs；　of　game　and　hykwa　（large　shell　money）　he　gave　to　the　boys　who　had　none；　he　hunted　food　for　the　old　people；　he　tanned　skins　and　furs　for　those　whose　feet　were　feeble；　whose　eyes　were　fading；　whose　blood　ran　thin　with　age。

〃'Let　him　go！'　cried　the　tribes…people。　　'This　unclean　monster　can　only　be　overcome　by　cleanliness；　this　creature　of　greed　can　only　be　overthrown　by　generosity。　　Let　him　go！'　The　chiefs　and　the　medicine　men　listened；　then　consented。　　'Go；'　they　commanded；　'and　fight　this　thing　with　your　strongest　weapons　cleanliness　and　generosity。'

〃The　Tenas　Tyee　turned　to　his　mother。　　'I　shall　be　gone　four　days；'　he　told　her；　'and　I　shall　swim　all　that　time。　　I　have　tried　all　my　life　to　be　generous；　but　the　people　say　I　must　be　clean　also　to　fight　this　unclean　thing。　　While　I　am　gone　put　fresh　furs　on　my　bed　every　day；　even　if　I　am　not　here　to　lie　on　them；　if　I　know　my　bed；　my　body　and　my　heart　are　all　clean　I　can　overcome　this　serpent。'

〃'Your　bed　shall　have　fresh　furs　every　morning；'　his　mother　said　simply。

〃The　Tenas　Tyee　then　stripped　himself　and；　with　no　clothing　save　a　buckskin　belt　into　which　he　thrust　his　hunting…knife；　he　flung　his　lithe　young　body　into　the　sea。　　But　at　the　end　of　four　days　he　did　not　return。　　Sometimes　his　people　could　see　him