Connecticut western news., 1896-01-30
SUPERSTITIOUS 10.
CURIOUS LEGENDS OF THE FAR
 NORTHWESTERN TRIBES.

Several Traditions Which Refer to the
 sun-The Raven, the Mink and the salm-
 on In Legends of British Columbian
 Tribes of Aborigines.
 Among the northern coast tribes of British Columbia the raven plays an important part. He is the benefactor of man and by some tribes is considered the deity himself One of his adventures was stealing the sun from the chief who kept it from man in little box, t9geth- CT with the moon and daylight. In one tribe he created salmon. Another legend makes him the grandson of the deity, his father having left earth for visit to heaven and there married the chiefs daughter.
 Another series of traditions refers to the sun, and in class of these the mink is considered the son of the sun. These legends are told by the Bliqula and Klivakuetl tribes of British Columbia. In this story you will notice the remark able resemblance to the Greek Phaethon. Once upon time the mink played grace hoops with the ducks, and the mink won. Then they shot arrows at a stick. and the mink proved the best marks man. Then all the ducks abused him and maltreated him and finally broke his bow and said: "We do not care to play any longer with you. You do not even know where your father is." Stung by this taunt, mink hastened to his mother. She told him his father was in the sky; it was he who carried the sun every day. Mink determined to visit him, and with his new bow shot an ar- row into the sky. The arrow stuck in the sky, a second arrow hit the notch of the first, and finally chain was formed reaching from the sky to the earth. Up this ladder mink climbed and arrived at his fathers abode. His father was glad to see him and permitted him to carry the sun in his stead for one day. He must ascend slowly behind the noun tains and not go fast lest the earth should burn. Equipping himself with his fathers blanket and nose ornament, mink set out.
 All went we'll till just before noon. Mink became impatient at his slow progress, began to run, and to kick aside the clouds which obstructed his path. He set fire to earth, and men, in order to escape the fearful flames, jumped into the ocean. Part of them were trans formed into animals, part into real men (they had been half man and half ami mals before). Poor mink was thrown from heaven into the sea below, but was rescued and carried home.
 The legend of the visit to heaven oc- CUTS in many of the tribes, but with other animals than the mink. Many stories told of the raven are also told of mink. He, too, obtained fire for his tribe, obtaining it from the ghosts who had 1t in their possession. Mink stole the infant child of the chief of the ghosts and would not give it up till the firebrand was given him.
 Farther south, along the coast, the sun becomes more important mytho- logical figure. It is said the Salish of the interior burn food, blankets and | other property as an offering to the sun. | Some of the important legends refer to | the murder of the sun, and to the origin | of the new sun and moon. From the language and from the legends it ap. | | sidered the moon and sun as the same person, or at least as two brothers. One story runs "A long time ago there was | a man named Momhanate, who was ! blind. As he was unable to endure the heat of the sun, he went fishing during | the night. When the day began tc dawn, his wife would go down to the beach and call him home before the sur rose. One day, however, his wife slept too long, and it was already daylight l when she awoke. She called to her bus band to return as quickly as possible, but before he reached the shore he had avenge their fathers death. They made chain of arrows aud climbed up. They killed the sun with their arrows, and then thought. What shall we do next2 The older one said, Let us be the sun, and he asked the brother where he wanted to go. The latter answered, I will go to the night; you go to the day.
 And so they did. The younger brother became the moon, the elder the sun." AS the salmon is the great staple oi subsistence from the Sacramento river | sO WihA Ab u1N OOubcNbSu tils greatest number of superstitions. Messrs Lewis and Clark, mentioning the cap ture of the first salmon at The Dalles 1T 1907, an occasion of great rejoicing state that in order to hasten their arriv al the Indians, according to custom dressed the fish and cut 1t into smal pieces, one of which was given to eaof child in the village. At the mouth ot the Columbia the first salmon could bt eaten only by the medicine men. Tn, taking of the first fish of the season wa everywhere the occasion of feast. Tn, salmon dance was performed, and tn, anticipations of plenty frightened ever, heart. The earlier fish could not be ob tained at any price by white man un less it were first cooked, lest be should open it with knife instead of a ston, or cut it crosswise. The heart was al ways roasted and eaten lest dog should eat it and no more salmon would b. taken. On the ripening of the salmon berry these rules are abated, the comin, of the schools by that time being ren
 dered certain. These superstitions hav' in most of the tribes nearly died away
 the feasts have been discontinued anC the salmon dance neglected. .-Portlant
 Oregonian.