The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08


i5lue Jay appears 10 have reveied IN his
influence upon the ghostly population.
Tor he delighted Ia meeting party and
nave them turn 10 skeletons and back 10
human shape again. one day the alarm
came that q whale had been found Blue
Jas rushed 20 the beach and frightened
the ghosts into their skeleton form 10y
his boisterous beha yior. thereby securing
large pieces of the whale. which, on toll
some conveyance home, he found were
only pieces OF WOOD. The WOOD became
whale again under lois influence. ana
additional portions Of whale Were Sc
cured by Blue JAY by orally attacking
the ghosts as they hurried past with their
portions of the FISH. Blue Jay shouted at
Inc person with the burden and nothing
but skeleton lay there. Thus he did all
the ghosts and in course OF time he mad
much whale meat"
His spOrtIVeness now TOOK another form,
probably more annoying to the ghosts,
and one that would surely justify them
IN haunting Blue Jay during the remain
der Of his earthly mission. He entered
"a house and took a child's head, which
ne put on an OLD man head, and he
took a large skull, which he put on that
child S skull. Thus ne did TO all the peo-
pie. When IL grew dark the child rose TO
its feet. II wanted 10 stand up, but
II could not, because its head bore it down
The cid man arose and his head was
light. The next morning he replaced The
heads. sometimes be did this "a the
legs of the ghost: He gave small less
TO the old man and large legs u the
child. In course of time they began TO
dislike him." Finally Iof persuaded her
brother that "A longer continuance in
the ghosuy realm was unpleasant for
the regular Inhabitants, and Blue Jay
started on his homeward trip. lie was
warned TO look out for burning pTai-
ries. and as a protection against tins he
was armed with five buckets Of water.
which he was advised to use sparingiy.
He ignored much of this advice AMI his
supply of eXtinguishing fluid was exhaust
ed long before he had quencned the
flames. The result was that he was burn
ed to death. He now returned 10 The
country of the ghosts and saw things
with different eye. The people paid no
attention to Blue Jay and his attempts
to shout We're greeted with laughter. He
spent much of the early days in watching
the dancers and listening TO the songs
of the conjurers. The narrative thus con-
Ills sister opened the door and saw
him dancing on the head, his legs up
ward She turned back and cried, Row
he had again really died. He had died
a second time"
which shows his diabolical guilelessness.
1t is related that Blue Jay and his sister
determined to visit some OF their friends.
First they visited the Maggie, who pro-
duced one salmon egg which he threw into
a kettle of boiling water, with the result
that the kettle was filed with eggs, OF
which the Magples guests ate abundant
". The next day, on invitation, the Mag
pie returned the call, and Blue Jay pro-
duced a salmon egg with which he fol-
lowed the programme or the Maybe, put
without any such prolific result. The
Magple repeated his performance for
them and departed, leaving Blue jay and
his sister in possession of the store. The
narrative says: After several days Blue
Jay and his sister became hungry" and
this was considered sufficient provoca-
ton to visit the Duck. The Duck sent
her children into the water, and they
emerged, each carrying a trout, pro-
ceeding which she repeated until there
was an abundant store of FISH. of which
Blue Jay and his sister again ate plentl-
fully until they were satisfied when
they returned home.
The Duck appeared the next morning
at the Blue Jay residence in response TO
an invitation, and Blue Jay produced his
sisters children and forced them 70 dive
until "they were almost dead with cold
without bringing in any fish. The Duck
had her five children dive and furnish the
requisite supply OF hsh. The next visit
was to the Black Bear, who heated stones
and cut portions of his own flesh and
boiled 1t, which appears to have satiated
Blue Jay and Ioi as completely as the
salmon egg and the Ducks fish The Bear
appeared the next morning and Blue Jay
heated stones, sharpened his knife and
lacerated himself in an effort TO entertain
right away. They blew on him until he
| recovered" The Bear repeated his cult
nary operations and departed. When he
| had finished cooking and it was done he
| threw the product before his hosts and de-
| parted.
The Beaver was the next one called upon
| by this Iamished couple. The Beaver
started his entertainment with dish of
| mud which did not appear to the liking
| of either Blue Jay or his sister. They
now called on the Seal, who directed their
| children to go to the beach and await
| her coming. She shortly appeared with
| a stout stick, with which she struck the
| youngest one upon the head The others
| Owed and when they came up there We're
| five. Then she pulled up to the house
| the one that she had killed She singed
| il, and when she had finished smuggling
| Ii She cut 1t. It's blubber was three dnches
| thick. She blew It, and when II was done
L -N.n A 90 liza NrNr nd ~ aNa
| Soon they had enough"
| Blue Jay invited the Seal to return the
| call, and the seal appeared the next
morning with her children. Blue Jay
again utilized his sisters family, and
| following the example of the SEAL beat
| the youngest child with bludgeon until
| it was dead. 'rhen he said to the other
| children: "Quicki diver They dived, and
when they came up one was missing. Five
| times they dived, but the one remained
| dead" Seal repeated her mystic ceremony
| and after burying the dead child of Ioi
| and putting Blue Jay and his sister in
| possession of large quantities of blubber
| After awhile they got hungry again."
| and this time il was resolved to visit
| the Shadows, whom they could hear, but
/ not see. when they arrived at their des-
I tination. They appear to have secured no
! proVender on this trip, being mainly made
| the torment of the Shades. Their eXpe-
| Fience hurriedly directed them toward
| home. and the narrative concludes with
| the sage advice of loi: Nov we have
| gone visiting enough"
| The work of the ethnologists in redeem
| ing these Chinook tales from oblivion is
| an important one in that ii preserves such
| interesting lore to the student. The rapid
| obl5teration of all traces of old Indian
| language and legends give much value
/ to such records as that obtained from
! the sole survivor Of his tribe
CHECK FOR 20 MILLIONS.