Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-01-21
To.
..o,,s LEGENDS OF THE FAR '1n'0 0,oaTt4WESTERN TRIBES.

srriheg oh
 o the northern coast tribes of
 anp's 'salumbia the raven plays an 'Ii'lsn ..nt part. He is the benefactor of PlP0l,s sd nv some tribes is considered paD ,itv aa himself. One of his adventures \. E ut sisaling the sun from the chief who |as ss ;t f,om man ill little box, togeth- FPl .th T tbe moon and daylight. In one '. epp sa created salmon. Another legend |l9s a - him the grandson of the deity, ealss ss5bsr having left earth for visit 1 \ saayen ia, and there married the chiefs Eughter. 4,a5i4io,,s ,.oeana 4a am snn' and in class of these the mink ' sasiaered sa the son of the sun. These sga aas are told by tho Bliqula and Fl'"tuetl Fs.ud tribes of British Columbia. ! lis .b;s story you will notice the remark ,a ,s rssemblance to the Greek Phaethon. sa mon q time the mink played grace g1 sso. with the ducks, and the mink N " Then they shot arrows at stick. VI ' ina mink proved the best marks x sa Then all the ducks abused him P1 n,altreated him and finally broke tow and said: We do not care to 'ss any longer with you. You do not |gsa I' know where your father is. !" stung 1. tbis taunt, mink hastened to his E.bar She told him his father was in \ stv: it was he who carried the sun |ssq day. Mink determined 10 visit |m and with his new bow shot an ar N nto the sky. The arrow stuck ill Es skg a second arrow hit the notch of
 s first. and finally q chain was formed |sahipe from the sky to the earth. Up |is ladder mink climbed and arrived at \, fathers abode His father Was glad see him and permitted him to carry Ea sun in his stead for one day. He |pst ascend slowly behind the noun |as and not go fast lest the earth |5uld burn. Equipping himself with k fatbers blanket and nose ornament, 
 link set out
 All went well till just before noon link became impatient at his slow H0gress, began to run. and to kick aside Es clouds which obstrneted his path. Ia set fire to earth, and men. in order to |qaps the fearful flames, jumped into Ia ocean. Part of them were trans lmed into animals, part into real men BeY had been half man and half ani- [as before). Poor mink was thrown ] 5n heaven into the sea below, but |g rescued and carried home.
 lhe legend of the visit to heaven oe= H in many of the tribes. but with har animals than the mink. Many |aies told of the raven are also told mink He. too, obtained fire for his |ibq, obtaining it from the ghosts who |i it in their possession. Mink stole |p infant child of the chief of the |tosts and would not give it up till the |abrand WAS given him.
 Farther south. along the coast, the |n becomes a more important mytho- |geal figure. 1t is said the salish of |e interior burn food, blankets and |her property as an offering to the sun. me of the important legends refer to |V murder of the sun, and to the origin the new sun and moon. From the |nguage and from the legends 1t ap- |ars that many of the coast tribes con- |dered the moon and sun as the same arson, CT at least as two brothers One |Ty runs: A long time ago there was man named Momhanate, who was lmd, As he was unable to endure the |aat of the sun, he went fishing during De night. When the day began to |aEn, his wife would go down to the bach and call him home before the sun |se. One day, however. his wife slept Do long, and it was already daylight Then she awoke. She called to her hus- 'nd to return as quickly as possible, lat before he reached the shore he had Relted. Then the sons determined to verge their fathers death. They made cham Of arrows and climbed up. They sliied the sun with their arrows, and (en thought. What shall we do next? F-e older one said, Let us be the sun, Ea he asked the brother where he |an'ed to go. The latter answered, T
 m go to the night; you go to the day, Ela so they did. The younger brother
 sane tho moon, the elder the sun. ,
 AS the salmon is the great staple of
 @lstenoe from the Sacramento river fHhWard, So with it are connected the
 A1est number Of superstitions. Messrs.
 os and Clark, mentioning the cap
 u The first salmon at The Dalles in Eg9 an occasion of great rejoicing,
 " mat ln order to hasten their arriy
 ae indians, according to custom,
 'saea the fish and cut it into small
 ess, M one of which was given to each
 'a ID the village. At the mouth of
 oolumbia the first salmon could be
 " only by the medicine men. The EHAiuS or the first fish of the season was
 i}Rhere the occasion of a feast. The rHeh . dance was performed, and the [s (.e'palons of plenty frightened every
 ', aa The earlier fish could not be ob-
 lta \; at any pric1 by white man un-
 ' were first cooked, lest he should
 y With a knife instead of stone
 v. ~ Il orosswise, The heart was al
 Sloas'ed and eaten lest dog should
 and no more salmon would be
 v on the ripening of the salmon
 yfhese rules arc abated the coming