legends of vancouver-第9部分

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bravery　we　had　before　the　white　man　came；　for　the　great　medicine　man　said　those　things　never　diethey　live　for　one's　children　and　grandchildren。〃

His　voice　ceased。　　My　whole　heart　went　out　to　him　in　his　longing　for　the　lost　island。　　I　thought　of　all　the　splendid　courage　I　knew　him　to　possess；　so　made　answer：　〃But　you　say　that　the　shadow　of　this　island　has　fallen　upon　you；　is　it　not　so；　tillicum？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　half　mournfully。　　〃But　only　the　shadow。〃





Point　Grey

Have　you　ever　sailed　around　Point　Grey？〃　asked　a　young　Squamish　tillicum　of　mine　who　often　comes　to　see　me；　to　share　a　cup　of　tea　and　a　taste　of　muck…a…muck；　that　otherwise　I　should　eat　in　solitude。

〃No；〃　I　admitted；　I　had　not　had　that　pleasure；　for　I　did　not　know　the　uncertain　waters　of　English　Bay　sufficiently　well　to　venture　about　its　headlands　in　my　frail　canoe。

〃Some　day；　perhaps　next　summer；　I'll　take　you　there　in　a　sail…boat；　and　show　you　the　big　rock　at　the　southwest　of　the　Point。　　It　is　a　strange　rock；　we　Indian　people　call　it　Homolsom。〃

〃What　an　odd　name；〃　I　commented。　　〃Is　it　a　Squamish　word？it　does　not　sound　to　me　like　one。〃

〃It　is　not　altogether　Squamish；　but　half　Fraser　River　language。　　The　Point　was　the　dividing　line　between　the　grounds　and　waters　of　the　two　tribes；　so　they　agreed　to　make　the　name　'Homolsom'　from　the　two　languages。〃

I　suggested　more　tea；　and；　as　he　sipped　it；　he　told　me　the　legend　that　few　of　the　younger　Indians　know。　　That　he　believes　the　story　himself　is　beyond　question；　for　many　times　he　admitted　having　tested　the　virtues　of　this　rock；　and　it　had　never　once　failed　him。　　All　people　that　have　to　do　with　water　craft　are　superstitious　about　some　things；　and　I　freely　acknowledge　that　times　innumerable　I　have　〃whistled　up〃　a　wind　when　dead　calm　threatened；　or　stuck　a　jack…knife　in　the　mast；　and　afterwards　watched　with　great　contentment　the　idle　sail　fill；　and　the　canoe　pull　out　to　a　light　breeze。　So；　perhaps；　I　am　prejudiced　in　favor　of　this　legend　of　Homolsom　Rock；　for　it　strikes　a　very　responsive　chord　in　that　portion　of　my　heart　that　has　always　throbbed　for　the　sea。

〃You　know；〃　began　my　young　tillicum；　〃that　only　waters　unspoiled　by　human　hands　can　be　of　any　benefit。　　One　gains　no　strength　by　swimming　in　any　waters　heated　or　boiled　by　fires　that　men　build。　　To　grow　strong　and　wise　one　must　swim　in　the　natural　rivers；　the　mountain　torrents；　the　sea；　just　as　the　Sagalie　Tyee　made　them。　　Their　virtues　die　when　human　beings　try　to　improve　them　by　heating　or　distilling；　or　placing　even　tea　in　them；　and　sowhat　makes　Homolsom　Rock　so　full　of　'good　medicine'　is　that　the　waters　that　wash　up　about　it　are　straight　from　the　sea；　made　by　the　hand　of　the　Great　Tyee；　and　unspoiled　by　the　hand　of　man。

〃It　was　not　always　there；　that　great　rock；　drawing　its　strength　and　its　wonderful　power　from　the　seas；　for　it；　too；　was　once　a　Great　Tyee；　who　ruled　a　mighty　tract　of　waters。　　He　was　god　of　all　the　waters　that　wash　the　coast；　of　the　Gulf　of　Georgia；　of　Puget　Sound；　of　the　Straits　of　Juan　de　Fuca；　of　the　waters　that　beat　against　even　the　west　coast　of　Vancouver　Island；　and　of　all　the　channels　that　cut　between　the　Charlotte　Islands。　　He　was　Tyee　of　the　West　Wind；　and　his　storms　and　tempests　were　so　mighty　that　the　Sagalie　Tyee　Himself　could　not　control　the　havoc　that　he　created。　　He　warred　upon　all　fishing　craft；　he　demolished　canoes　and　sent　men　to　graves　in　the　sea。　　He　uprooted　forests　and　drove　the　surf　on　shore　heavy　with　wreckage　of　despoiled　trees　and　with　beaten　and　bruised　fish。　He　did　all　this　to　reveal　his　powers；　for　he　was　cruel　and　hard　of　heart；　and　he　would　laugh　and　defy　the　Sagalie　Tyee；　and　looking　up　to　the　sky　he　would　call；　'See　how　powerful　I　am；　how　mighty；　how　strong；　I　am　as　great　as　you。'

〃It　was　at　this　time　that　the　Sagalie　Tyee　in　the　persons　of　the　Four　Men　came　in　the　great　canoe　up　over　the　river　of　the　Pacific；　in　that　age　thousands　of　years　ago　when　they　turned　the　evil　into　stone；　and　the　kindly　into　trees。

〃'Now；'　said　the　god　of　the　West　Wind；　'I　can　show　how　great　I　am。　　I　shall　blow　a　tempest　that　these　men　may　not　land　on　my　coast。　　They　shall　not　ride　my　seas　and　sounds　and　channels　in　safety。　　I　shall　wreck　them　and　send　their　bodies　into　the　great　deeps；　and　I　shall　be　Sagalie　Tyee　in　their　place　and　ruler　of　all　the　world。'　　So　the　god　of　the　West　Wind　blew　forth　his　tempests。　　The　waves　arose　mountain　high；　the　seas　lashed　and　thundered　along　the　shores。　　The　roar　of　his　mighty　breath　could　be　heard　wrenching　giant　limbs　from　the　forest　trees；　whistling　down　the　canyons　and　dealing　death　and　destruction　for　leagues　and　leagues　along　the　coast。　　But　the　canoe　containing　the　Four　Men　rode　upright　through　all　the　heights　and　hollows　of　the　seething　ocean。　　No　curling　crest　or　sullen　depth　could　wreck　that　magic　craft；　for　the　hearts　it　bore　were　filled　with　kindness　for　the　human　race；　and　kindness　cannot　die。

〃It　was　all　rock　and　dense　forest；　and　unpeopled；　only　wild　animals　and　sea　birds　sought　the　shelter　it　provided　from　the　terrors　of　the　West　Wind；　but　he　drove　them　out　in　sullen　anger；　and　made　on　this　strip　of　land　his　last　stand　against　the　Four　Men。　　The　Paleface　calls　the　place　Point　Grey；　but　the　Indians　yet　speak　of　it　as　'The　Battle　Ground　of　the　West　Wind。'　　All　his　mighty　forces　he　now　brought　to　bear　against　the　oncoming　canoe；　he　swept　great　hurricanes　about　its　stony　ledges；　he　caused　the　sea　to　beat　and　swirl　in　tempestuous　fury　along　its　narrow　fastnesses；　but　the　canoe　came　nearer　and　nearer；　invincible　as　those　shores；　and　stronger　than　death　itself。　　As　the　bow　touched　the　land　the　Four　Men　arose　and　commanded　the　West　Wind　to　cease　his　war　cry；　and；　mighty　though　he　had　been；　his　voice　trembled　and　sobbed　itself　into　a　gentle　breeze；　then　fell　to　a　whispering　note；　then　faded　into　exquisite　silence。

〃'Oh；　you　evil　one　with　the　unkind　heart；'　cried　the　Four　Men；　'you　have　been　too　great　a　god　for　even　the　Sagalie　Tyee　to　obliterate　you　forever；　but　you　shall　live　on；　live　now　to　serve；　not　to　hinder　mankind。　　You　shall　turn　into　stone　where　you　now　stand；　and　you　shall　rise　only　as　men　wish　you　to。　　Your　life　from　this　day　shall　be　for　the　good　of　man；　for　when　the　fisherman's　sails　are　idle　and　his　lodge　is　leagues　away　you　shall　fill　those　sails　and　blow　his　craft　free；　in　whatever　direction　he　desires。　　You　shall　stand　where　you　are　through　all　the　thousands　upon　thousands　of　years　to　come；　and　he　who　touches　you　with　his　paddle…blade　shall　have　his　desire　of　a　breeze　to　carry　him　home。'〃

My　young　tillicum　had　finished　his　tradition；　and　his　great　solemn　eyes　regarded　me　half…wistfully。

〃I　wish　you　could　see　Homolsom　Rock；〃　he　said。　　〃For　that　is　he　who　was　once　the　Tyee　of　the　West　Wind。〃

〃Were　you　ever　becalmed　around　Point　Grey？〃　I　asked　irrelevantly。

〃Often；〃　he　replied。　　〃But　I　paddle　up　to　the　rock　and　touch　it　with　the　tip　of　my　paddle…blade；　and　no　matter　which　way　I　want　to　go　the　wind　will　blow　free　for　me；　if　I　wait　a　little　while。〃

〃I　suppose　your　people　all　do　this？〃　I　replied。

〃Yes；　all　of　them；〃　he　answered。　　〃They　have　done　it　for　hundreds　of　years。　　You　see　the　power　in　it　is　just　as　great　now　as　at　first；　for　the　rock　feeds　every　day　on　the　unspoiled　sea　that　the　Sagalie　Tyee　made。〃





The　Tulameen　Trail

Did　you　ever　〃holiday〃　through　the　valley　lands　of　the　Dry　Belt？　Ever　spend　days　and　days　in　a　swinging；　swaying　coach；　behind　a　four…in…hand；　when　〃Curly〃　or　〃Nicola　Ned〃　held　the　ribbons；　and　tooled　his　knowing　little　leaders　and　wheelers　down　those　horrifying　mountain　trails　that　wind　like　russet　skeins　of　cobweb　through　the　heights　and　depths　of　the　Okanagan；　the　Nicola　and　the　Similkameen　countries？　　If　so；　you　have　listened　to　the　call　of　the　Skookum　Chuck；　as　the　Chinook　speakers　call　the　rollicking；　tumbling　streams　that　sing　their　way　through　the　canyons　with　a　music　so　dulcet；　so　insistent；　that　for　many　moons　the　echo　of　it　lingers　in　your　listening　ears；　and　you　will；　through　all　the　years　to　come；　hear　the　voices　of　those　mountain　rivers　calling　you　to　return。

But　the　most　haunting　of　all　the　melodies

is　the　warbling　laughter　of　the　Tulameen；　its　delicate　note　is　far　more　powerful；　more　far…reaching　than　the　throaty　thunders　of　Niagara。　That　is　why　the　Indians　of　the　Nicola　country　still　cling　to　their　old…time　story　that　the　Tulameen　carries　the　spirit　of　a　young　girl　enmeshed　in　the　wonders　of　its　winding　course；　a　spirit　that　can　never　free　itself　from　the　canyons；　to　rise　above　the　heights　and　follow　its　fellows　to　the　Happy　Hunting　Grounds；　but　which　is　contented　to　entwine　its　laughter；　its　sobs；　its　lonely　whispers；　its　still　lonelier　call　for　companionship；　with　the　wild　music　of　the　waters　that　sing　forever　beneath　the　western　stars。

As　your　horses　plod　up　and　up　the　almost　perpendicular　trail　that　leads　out　of　the　Nicola　Valley　to　the　summit；　a　paradise　of　beauty　outspreads　at　your　feet；　the　color　is　indescribable　in　words；　the　atmosphere　thrills　you。　Youth　and　the　pulse　of　rioting　blood　are　yours　again；　until；　as　you　near　the　heights；　you　become　strangely　calmed　by　the　voiceless　silence　of　it　all；　a　silence　so　holy　that　it　seems　the　whole　world　about　you　is　swinging　its　censer　before　an　altar　in　some　dim　remote　cathedral！　The　choir　voices　of　the　Tulameen　are　yet　very　far　away　across　the　summit；　but　the　heights　of　the　Nicola　are　the　silent　prayer　that　holds　the　human　soul　before　the　first　great　chords　swell　down　from　the　organ　loft。　　In　this　first　long　climb　up　miles　and　miles　of　trail；　even　the　staccato　of　the　drivers'　long　black…snake　whip　is　hushed。　　He　lets　his　animals　pick　their　own　sure…footed　way；　but　once　across　the　summit　he　gathers　the　reins　in　his　steely　fingers；　gives　a　low；　quick　whistle；　the　whiplash　curls　about　the　ears　of　the　leaders　and　the　plunge　down　the　dip　of　the　mountain　begins。　Every　foot　of　the　way　is　done　at　a　gallop。　The　coach　rocks　and　swings　as　it　dashes　through　a　trail　rough…hewn　from　the　heart　of　the　forest；　at　times　the　angles　are　so　abrupt　that　you　cannot　see　the　heads　of　the　leaders　as　they　swing　around　the　grey　crags　that　almost　scrape　the　tires　on　the　left；　while　within　a　foot　of　the　rim　of　the　trail　the　right　wheels　whirl　along　the　edge　of